Friday, May 14, 2010 Honolulu Advertiser
Let 'Princess Ka'iulani' Tell Its Tale In Style
"Princess Ka'iulani," the movie that opens today in limited release, is historical romance. When the temptation arises to get worked up over the artistic license the filmmakers took here, it helps to remember both words in that phrase.
This is the story of a historical character, one beloved by Hawai'i, in a romanticized cinematic setting. As for the romantic part, well, who can blame director Marc Forby for injecting a little extra into the story, the wholly made-up tale about the princess's love match in England? Romance wins hearts and rakes in ticket revenue.
This flourish is forgivable because it merely embellishes a narrative already endowed with elements that are, remarkably, true: a princess who happens to be beautiful and living in one of the loveliest places on Earth.
Reviews of the film have been mixed, but there are reasons to celebrate the fact of its production in any case.
The first is that the producers jettisoned the original title "Barbarian Princess." Yes, that slur was applied to Ka'iulani by 19th-century know-nothings and it still turns up in the film, but if the aim is to sketch a dimly understood piece of history in this short-attention-span world, choosing that as a title confuses more than it clarifies.
But the deconstruction of the film, a critique sparked by the title controversy, goes too far.
Those who complain that the actress in the title role, Q'Orianka Kilcher, is an indigenous Peruvian, not Native Hawaiian, don't credit the actress for her outspoken support of native issues.
She is an actress, after all, a professional who specializes in studying and portraying other people.
One website, barbarian princessmovie.com, picks apart the departures from history in great detail. That would be fine, had this been a documentary.
But it's not. At least one of the trailers includes a brief sequence displaying the words "based on the extraordinary true story." So at least they're honestly disclosing the fictional aspects. The better instinct may be to sit back and enjoy the fact that a film is at least delving into depictions never even touched in other popular treatments of the Islands.
In exchange for its indulgence of cinematic liberties, Hawai'i gets a wider audience to appreciate one of its strong, intelligent and cultured young women who showed courage and love for her people.
Considering that far too many of the uninitiated dismiss Hawaiian culture and history with a wink and a wave, that is not a bad bargain at all.
Replies
I will try to get the true facts, it's going to take time. As to what the director wanted from the source as his source and compare that to the written documentation that he viewed and distorted. Thank you for staying on top of the true facts as oppose to popcorn sales. I will try to get to the source, so atleast Maoliworld can have a longer and deeper view of the real facts as oppose to a movie directors point of view. Thanks again
Some of the comments to this Youtube video are atrocious. Kalani saw the movie and said that they portrayed her as though she liked being American. To lie about Kaiulani the way that they seem to do would be immediate death.
I have no plans to see this movie. I have no plans to pay to see the romanticization of the Hapa Hawaiian woman by the Haole man. I refuse to watch a blasphemous movie about Kaiulani. I mean it when I say it.
E malama pono.
I, too, won't waste my money on this modern-day American interpretation of our history and conduct of our Princess as if she was a woman of the 21st century.
Tane
This reminds me of the movie, "Hawai'i". How many times I had to correct people's notion of Hawai'i and I had to remind them that Michner's book and the film was fiction based on some facts. it was an ongoing thing for me until years after, people stopped asking me about the movie, "Hawai'i and Michner's book which the film is based on and his interpretation.
Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomai
One can lead a horse to water; but cannot make the horse drink it; thus it's throwing pearls to swine.
The media plays a big part in controlling what and how news items are dissemminated. Prime example is the Honolulu Advertiser which was originally owned by Lorrin L. Thurston and his family. Thurston Twigg-Smith thought his grandfather was a saintly, mild-mannered man; when in fact, he was a hot-tempered, obstinate man in the community who wouldn't behave that way with his family.
You can see this dynamic occurring typically withi the U.S. corporation media that censor and are selective with their news items and yellow journalism practices like Pulitzer and Hearst are famous for doing.
It's one thing to tell the story; but another in how it is told.
Speaking for our real 'culture comprehensive interpretation' this is a legal term that Alika is fighting for everyday infront of OHA, a true warrior.
This movie is going to hurt as much as help. Americans, and even some Hawaiians, don't care. They see it as they're part of the U.S. so what can we do about it. Yes, by learning th truth some might be shocked and come to their senses, but those with not enough intelligence to realize a movie like this is still fiction are going to assume the Princess supported being colonized.
Just because they changed the title from "Barbarian Princess" doesn't change how they've portrayed the movie. It'll only take a few decades before they pass this off as fact and show it to our children in their history classes.
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