Movie - The Tatooist (from New Zealand) - General Tiki

I ikitnrev Tiki Socialite D.C. / Virginia Joined: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1325	I ikitnrev Posted posted on Sun, Sep 16, 2007 4:29 PM The movie 'The Tatooist', now being released in New Zealand, has some themes that will be of definite interest to us. The following are pulled from the movie website - first a Samoan perspective, then a general plot synopsis. The Tattooist – a Samoan perspective: The underlying theme of this movie is very real in Samoan terms, as Samoan cultural adviser to the film, orator chief Pa’u Tafaogalupe Mulitalo (Tafa) explains: “There's a term in Samoan called lama avea. When a person steals something from a tattooist like an implement, a design or a title or when a tattooist performs without the proper traditional Samoan cultural franchise, the term lama avea applies. It means that his art has been cursed. So because Jake steals a tool from the Samoan tattooist Alipati at the Singapore tattoo convention, every new work that he does becomes lama avea. The evil spirit, the ghost of the art of tattooing, has gone through the tool to make the recipients of Jake’s tattoos the victims of the curse.” He says “The perspective of the Lagimalofie Trust to which I belong, toward the film is quite positive because it reflects the power and the nature of tatau or pe’a in a traditional way being so powerful. The movie portrays a powerful image and the philosophy that underlines the art of body art from a Samoan perspective - the ghost, the taboos and the sacred practices surrounding the art of tattooing in the Samoan context and that’s why we thought that the movie portrays the powerful image of tatau. “As a group of Samoan men and women with Samoan traditional tattoos. We are very happy with the movie because it portrays the powerful notion of traditional body arts called lagimalofie.” General Plot Synopsis American tattoo artist Jake Sawyer explores and exploits ethnic designs from around the world. At a tattoo expo in Singapore, he glimpses the exotic world of traditional Samoan tatau in the work of the fiercely proud Alipati. Fatefully, Jake is attracted to Alipati’s beautiful cousin, Sina. When Jake impulsively steals an ancient Samoan tattooing tool, he unwittingly unleashes a powerful angry spirit. Suddenly, his art takes on a frightening new dimension, exposing everyone he touches, including the feisty Singaporean Victoria, to mortal peril. Sensing the solution can only lie with the Samoans, Jake follows them to Auckland, where he runs into an old adversary, tattoo artist Crash and a new one, the respected Samoan elder Aleki Va’a. His investigation takes him on a devastating journey into the dark heart of Pacific mysticism. There, Jake must recover his own soul if he is to save the woman he loves and escape with his life. THE TATTOOIST is a supernatural thriller, made by Singaporean and New Zealand co-production partners. The story centres on Samoan spiritual beliefs, in which the barrier between our world and the spirit world is very thin, leading events in one to have serious and chilling repercussions in the other. I believe the film will be released in the U.S. in 2008 The movie's website, along with the film trailer (lots of tapa), can be found here: http://www.thetattooistmovie.com/home.htm
D Dr.TikiMojo Tiki Socialite Elk Grove, CA Joined: May 26, 2006 Posts: 487	D Dr.TikiMojo Posted posted on Mon, Sep 17, 2007 3:01 PM This movie looks AWESOME!!! Great and original story line and well filmed....at least from what I can gather off the website! Can't wait! :D
K kroozzn62 Member Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 122	K kroozzn62 Posted posted on Sat, Oct 6, 2007 3:25 AM sounds great ,cant wait to watch it

I

ikitnrev Posted posted on Sun, Sep 16, 2007 4:29 PM

The movie 'The Tatooist', now being released in New Zealand, has some themes that will be of definite interest to us.

The following are pulled from the movie website - first a Samoan perspective, then a general plot synopsis.

The Tattooist – a Samoan perspective:

The underlying theme of this movie is very real in Samoan terms, as Samoan cultural adviser to the film, orator chief Pa’u Tafaogalupe Mulitalo (Tafa) explains: “There's a term in Samoan called lama avea. When a person steals something from a tattooist like an implement, a design or a title or when a tattooist performs without the proper traditional Samoan cultural franchise, the term lama avea applies. It means that his art has been cursed. So because Jake steals a tool from the Samoan tattooist Alipati at the Singapore tattoo convention, every new work that he does becomes lama avea. The evil spirit, the ghost of the art of tattooing, has gone through the tool to make the recipients of Jake’s tattoos the victims of the curse.”

He says “The perspective of the Lagimalofie Trust to which I belong, toward the film is quite positive because it reflects the power and the nature of tatau or pe’a in a traditional way being so powerful. The movie portrays a powerful image and the philosophy that underlines the art of body art from a Samoan perspective - the ghost, the taboos and the sacred practices surrounding the art of tattooing in the Samoan context and that’s why we thought that the movie portrays the powerful image of tatau.

“As a group of Samoan men and women with Samoan traditional tattoos. We are very happy with the movie because it portrays the powerful notion of traditional body arts called lagimalofie.”

General Plot Synopsis

American tattoo artist Jake Sawyer explores and exploits ethnic designs from around the world. At a tattoo expo in Singapore, he glimpses the exotic world of traditional Samoan tatau in the work of the fiercely proud Alipati. Fatefully, Jake is attracted to Alipati’s beautiful cousin, Sina.

When Jake impulsively steals an ancient Samoan tattooing tool, he
unwittingly unleashes a powerful angry spirit. Suddenly, his art takes on a frightening new dimension, exposing everyone he touches, including the feisty Singaporean Victoria, to mortal peril.

Sensing the solution can only lie with the Samoans, Jake follows them to Auckland, where he runs into an old adversary, tattoo artist Crash and a new one, the respected Samoan elder Aleki Va’a.

His investigation takes him on a devastating journey into the dark heart of Pacific mysticism. There, Jake must recover his own soul if he is to save the woman he loves and escape with his life.

THE TATTOOIST is a supernatural thriller, made by Singaporean and New Zealand co-production partners. The story centres on Samoan spiritual beliefs, in which the barrier between our world and the spirit world is very thin, leading events in one to have serious and chilling repercussions in the other.

I believe the film will be released in the U.S. in 2008

The movie's website, along with the film trailer (lots of tapa), can be found here:
http://www.thetattooistmovie.com/home.htm

D

Dr.TikiMojo Posted posted on Mon, Sep 17, 2007 3:01 PM

This movie looks AWESOME!!!

Great and original story line and well filmed....at least from what I can gather off the website!

Can't wait! :D

K

kroozzn62 Posted posted on Sat, Oct 6, 2007 3:25 AM

sounds great ,cant wait to watch it