Rapa Nui (1994)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Kevin Reynolds

Writers (WGA):

Kevin Reynolds (story)
Tim Rose Price (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 September 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | Romance

Plot:

Tenuously based on the legends of Easter Island, Chile, this story details a civil war between the two...

Plot Keywords:

Statue | Easter Island | Canoe | Kissing | Child Nudity

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jason Scott Lee	...	Noro
Esai Morales	...	Make
Sandrine Holt	...	Ramana
Eru Potaka-Dewes	...	Ariki-mau
Emilio Tuki Hito	...	Messenger
Gordon Hatfield	...	Riro
Frenxa Reuben	...	Heke
Hori Ahipene	...	Overseer
Chiefy Elkington	...	Fisherman
Ruihana Rewa	...	Old Woman
George Henare	...	Tupa
Rawiri Paratene	...	Priest
Pete Smith	...	Priest
Mario Gaia	...	Short Ears
Cliff Curtis	...	Short Ears
Willie Davis	...	Short Ears
Lawrence Makoare	...	Atta
Te Whatanui Skipwith	...	Old Short Ears
Nathaniel Lees	...	Long Ear Chief
Grant McFarland	...	Long Ear Chief
Wassie Shortland	...	Long Ear Chief
Tania Simon	...	Koreto
Rena Owen	...	Hitirenga
Anzac Wallace	...	Haoa (as Zac Wallace)
Rakai Karaitiana	...	Pure White
Shane Dawson	...	Mud Colour
Henry Vaeoso	...	Half & Half
Angela Gribben	...	Long Ear Girl
Karaitiana Beazley	...	Makita
Jade Clayton	...	Ngaara
Jenni Heka	...	Long Ear Girl
Pitake Tuki	...	Timid Short Ear
Liseli Mutti	...	Pua
Michael Yost	...	Young Long Ear Boy

Directed by
Kevin Reynolds

Writing credits (WGA)
Kevin Reynolds		(story)
Tim Rose Price		(screenplay) and
Kevin Reynolds		(screenplay)

Produced by
Kevin Costner	....	producer
Guy East	....	executive producer
Barrie M. Osborne	....	executive producer
Jim Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
Stewart Copeland

Cinematography by
Stephen F. Windon

Film Editing by
Peter Boyle

Production Design by
George Liddle

Set Decoration by
Brian Edmonds

Costume Design by
John Bloomfield

Makeup Department
Peter Frampton	....	makeup artist
Nikki Gooley	....	assistant makeup artist
Paul Pattison	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Rosemary Dority	....	post-production supervisor
Zane Weiner	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fernando Castroman	....	second assistant director
Keith Heygate	....	first assistant director
K.C. Hodenfield	....	assistant director
Mark Illsley	....	second unit director
L. David Silva	....	second assistant director

Art Department
John Rann	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Julius Chan	....	sound effects editor
Gethin Creagh	....	foley pre-mixer
Greg Fitzgerald	....	sound pre mix assistant
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Libby Villa	....	dialogue editor
Karin Whittington	....	dialogue editor
Jay Wilkinson	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Michael Clifford	....	special effects technician
Steven Richard Courtley	....	special effects
John Eggett	....	special effects
Ken Gorrell	....	special effects technician
Bruce E. Merlin	....	special effects foreman
Dan Oliver	....	special effects technician
Peter 'Babylon' Owens	....	special effects technician
David Pride	....	special effects technician
Arthur Spink Jr.	....	special effects technician

Stunts
Lou Horvath	....	second unit safety rigger
Lou Horvath	....	stunts
Bernadette Van Gyen	....	stunts
Rikki Van Gyen	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Ray Brown	....	key grip
Reg Garside	....	gaffer
Barry Idoine	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Calum McFarlane	....	assistant camera
Marc Spicer	....	camera operator
Michael Vivian	....	key grip: second unit
Ben Glass	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Lee	....	assistant editor
Jonathan Lucas	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Dittrick	....	music editor
Blake Martin Moulin	....	assistant music editor

Other crew
Kevin Richard Buxbaum	....	production accountant
Phil M. Castaneda	....	assistant accountant
Edward Gorsuch	....	unit publicist
Carol Kim	....	production coordinator
Samantha C. Kirkeby	....	script supervisor
Neil Ravan	....	location manager
Kathleen Switzer	....	assistant: Kevin Reynolds (as Kathleen A. Switzer)
Tristan Whalley	....	marketing/publicity
James M. Robinson	....	projectionist: sound post-production (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Majestic Films International
• Newcomm
• RCS
• Tig Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• Egmont Film (1995) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Escarlata Films S.A. (Spain)

Other Companies

• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | UK:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Easter Island, Chile

Company:

Majestic Films International

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Rapa Nui had long abandoned carving moai by the time of the Cult of the Birdman.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Rapa Nui: Legends in Stone" (1994)

Nudity without sex? Incredible!

I have never seen so much nudity or near-nudity in a film where it isn't sexualized. It's quite refreshing. We just get to enjoy seeing the beautiful (and also ordinary) bodies of the characters going about their business, like you might see in an old National Geographic magazine. Okay, there is one love scene, but it's tame by Hollywood standards and it happens early in the film. The violence is mild compared to a lot of PG movies. This could be a good movie for young people to watch with an adult, if only to see people treating each other normally when their skin is showing.

The plot is a bit comic-bookish, but it makes for an easy-to-follow story and good entertainment. You even get to learn a little bit of true stuff about Easter Island.