View source for Utu (film)

{{short description|1983 film by Geoff Murphy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox film
| name     = Utu
| image    = Utu_(film).jpg
| caption  = DVD cover
| writer   = {{plainlist|
*[[Geoff Murphy]]
*[[Keith Aberdein]]}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
*[[Anzac Wallace]]
*[[Bruno Lawrence]]
*Kelly Johnson
*[[Wi Kuki Kaa]]
*[[Tim Eliott|Tim Elliot]]
*[[Merata Mita]]
*Tania Bristowe
*[[Martyn Sanderson]]
*[[Ilona Rodgers]]}}
| director = [[Geoff Murphy]]
| producer = [[Geoff Murphy]]
| cinematography = Graeme Cowley
| editing  = [[Michael J. Horton]]
| released = {{Film date|1983}}
| music    = [[John Charles (composer)|John Charles]]
| runtime  = 104 minutes
| language = {{plainlist|
*English
*Maori}}
| country  = New Zealand
| gross = NZ$600,000 (est) (New Zealand)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nicolaidi|first1=Mike|title=The dog has his day|url=https://issuu.com/libuow/docs/cinemapaper1987marno062|access-date=9 October 2022|publisher=Cinema Papers|date=March 1987|page=8}}</ref>
}}

'''''Utu''''' is a 1983 New Zealand [[war film]] about the [[New Zealand Wars]]. Co-written and directed by [[Geoff Murphy]], the films stars [[Anzac Wallace]], [[Bruno Lawrence]], [[Tim Eliott]], [[Ilona Rodgers]], [[Wi Kuki Kaa]] and [[Merata Mita]], and depicts the story of a [[Māori people|Māori]] warrior who sets out on a quest for "[[Utu (Māori concept)|utu]]" (Te Reo Maori: Payment, Revenge). Inspired by the events of [[Te Kooti's War]], the film is set in 1870 in the [[North Island]] and has been described as a New Zealand [[Western (genre)|Western]].

The film, which had one of the largest budgets for a New Zealand film when it was produced, screened out of competition at the [[1983 Cannes Film Festival]], and became the second most successful locally made movie released in New Zealand after being released in theatres.<ref name="festival-cannes.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/1522/year/1983.html |title=Festival de Cannes: Forbidden Relations |access-date=2009-06-22|work=festival-cannes.com}}</ref> Positive reviews of the film from American critics, include a rave view from [[Pauline Kael]], helped to gain Murphy directing opportunities in [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]]. In 2013, partially thanks to the longtime existence of an [[Film editing|alternative cut]] of the film aimed at international audiences which Murphy had never been happy with, he completed work on a restored and recut version. Titled ''Utu Redux'', the recut version, premiered at a film festival in [[Wellington]] on 26 July 2013.

==Plot==

In 1870, Te Wheke ([[Anzac Wallace]]) is a [[Māori people|Māori]] warrior who collaborates with the [[colony of New Zealand]] during the [[New Zealand Wars]]. When he comes across a village destroyed by colonial forces, Te Wheke recognises it as his birthplace and deserts the colonialists to wage an [[insurgency]] against them instead. After Te Wheke destroys the home of colonial officer Williamson ([[Bruno Lawrence]]) and kills his wife Emily, Williamson vows to hunt down Te Wheke and kill him personally. Concomitantly, Māori scout Wiremu ([[Wi Kuki Kaa]]) and veteran officer Lieutenant Scott (Kelly Johnson) also attempt to track Te Wheke down, using [[insurgency weapons and tactics]] despite the personal disapproval of their superior, Colonel Elliot ([[Tim Eliott]]).

==Cast==
* [[Anzac Wallace]] as Te Wheke
* [[Bruno Lawrence]] as Williamson
* [[Tim Eliott]] as Colonel Elliot
* Kelly Johnson as Lieutenant Scott
* [[Wi Kuki Kaa]] as Wiremu
* Tania Bristowe as Kura
* [[Ilona Rodgers]] as Emily Williamson
* [[Merata Mita]] as Matu
* Faenza Reuben as Hersare
* [[Tama Poata]] as Puni
* [[Martyn Sanderson]] as Vicar
* [[John Bach]] as Belcher
* Dick Puanaki as Eru
* Sean Duffy as Corporal Jones
* [[Ian Watkin]] as Doorman
* Betty MacKay as Organist

==Production==

''Utu'' was one of the largest film productions to have taken place in New Zealand until that point. Its grand scale warranted the use of a large second unit, which again was rare in the context of a young New Zealand cinema industry.<ref name=Martin>Martin, Helen and Sam Edwards. ''New Zealand Film: 1912–1996''. Oxford University Press, 1997, pp. 87–88.</ref> Wallace prior to being cast as Te Wheke had some experience acting on television.

Murphy was interested in authenticity, trying to keep it as period-accurate as possible. To accomplish this many of the extras were local Maori and in order for Te Wheke's [[Tā moko|moko]] to look realistic, Anzac Wallace would spend 4 hours having it applied each day of shooting.<ref name=Martin/>

==Reception==
{{expand section|date=December 2016}}
The film's immediate reception was less positive than Murphy's earlier works, although still positive. Locally the film was very commercially successful, being New Zealand's second highest-grossing film at the time (behind Murphy's previous effort, ''[[Goodbye Pork Pie]]'').

Critically the film had a mixed positive reception. Filmmaker Costa Botes noted that “''Utu'''s shotgun approach to the great New Zealand film ultimately leaves it feeling episodic and tangled". ''New Yorker'' film critic Pauline Kael however gave the film an exceptionally positive review, saying that "[Geoff Murphy] seems to be directing with a grin on his face, [...] the ferocity of these skirmishes and raids is played off against an Arcadian beauty that makes your head swim". Similarly ''Variety'' said "Murphy has produced powerful images and strong performances".<ref name="NZOS">{{cite web|title=''Utu''|url=http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/utu-1983/background|publisher=[[NZ On Screen]]|access-date=26 June 2015}}</ref>

The film prompted public discussion about New Zealand history. Film academic Roger Horrocks said "Utu was an uneven film but succeeded in stirring up more discussion of New Zealand history than any recent book has done".<ref name="NZOS"/>

[[Quentin Tarantino]] in a 2016 interview with [[Radio New Zealand]] praised ''Utu'' as "hands down the best New Zealand movie of all time".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Garcia|first=Kate Pereyra|date=2016-01-21|title=Tarantino: 'I've given my entire life to my movies'|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/294621/tarantino-%27i%27ve-given-my-entire-life-to-my-movies%27|access-date=2021-01-11|website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref>

==Original Score Track listing==
# "Theme From Utu" 
# "Drummers"
# "Patrol"
# "Destroyed Village"
# "Te Wheke Stalks Emily"
# "Moko"
# "The Raid; After the Raid"
# "Williamson Retaliates"
# "Quadruple Barrelled Shotgun; The Army Approaches Te Puna"
# "Waiata Tangi; Kura and Henare"
# "Night Sentry"
# "Fishing; After the Battle"
# "Williamson Reflects" 
# "Te Wheke's Trek"
# "Williamson Prepares for Utu" 
# "Death of Te Wheke (lament) and Finale"
The soundtrack was recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir William Southgate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sounz.org.nz/works/10654|title=SOUNZ Utu}}</ref>

== Accolades ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Award
!Date of Ceremony
!Category
!Recipient
!Result
!Ref.
|-
|'''[[Fantasporto|Fantasporto International Film Festival]]''' 
|1986
|Best Film
|
|Nominated
|
|-
|[[Cannes Film Festival]]
|1983
|Official Selection
|
|Out of Competition
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=UTU |url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/utu/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=Festival de Cannes |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|[[Aotearoa Music Awards|New Zealand Music Awards]]
|1983
|Soundtrack of the Year
|
|Nominated
|
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0086497|title=Utu}}
*[http://www.nzfilm.co.nz/film/utu Utu] at [[New Zealand Film Commission]]
*[http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/utu-1983/overview Utu] at [[NZ On Screen]]

{{Geoff Murphy}}

[[Category:1983 films]]
[[Category:1983 drama films]]
[[Category:1980s New Zealand films]]
[[Category:1980s historical drama films]]
[[Category:Māori-language films]]
[[Category:New Zealand Wars films]]
[[Category:New Zealand historical drama films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Geoff Murphy]]
[[Category:New Zealand films about revenge]]
[[Category:Films set in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Films shot in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1870s]]
[[Category:Films about Māori people]]
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films scored by John Charles]]
[[Category:English-language historical drama films]]