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Smoke Signals (1998)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
26 June 1998 (USA)
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Tagline:
A new film from the heart of Native America.
Plot:
Young Indian man Thomas is a nerd in his reservation, wearing oversize glasses and telling everyone stories no-one wants to hear...
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| full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
9 wins
&
6 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(6 articles)
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(From E! Online. 20 July 2009, 8:47 AM, PDT)
Contest: Win Boston Legal: Season 5 on DVD
(From MovieWeb. 1 May 2009, 10:53 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
A refreshing road film
more (118 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Adam Beach | ... | Victor Joseph | |
| Evan Adams | ... | Thomas Builds-the-Fire | |
| Irene Bedard | ... | Suzy Song | |
| Gary Farmer | ... | Arnold Joseph | |
| Tantoo Cardinal | ... | Arlene Joseph | |
| Cody Lightning | ... | Young Victor Joseph | |
| Simon Baker | ... | Young Thomas Builds-the-Fire | |
| Monique Mojica | ... | Grandma Builds-the-Fire | |
| John Trudell | ... | Randy Peone | |
| Chief Leonard George | ... | Lester Fallsapart (as Leonard George) | |
| Michael Greyeyes | ... | Junior Polatkin | |
| Darwin Haine | ... | Boo | |
| Michelle St. John | ... | Velma | |
| Elaine Miles | ... | Lucy | |
| Cynthia Geary | ... | Cathy the Gymnast |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Le secret des cendres (Canada: French title)
This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona (USA) (working title)
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This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona (USA) (working title)
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MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some intense images.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
89 min
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
USA:PG-13 (certificate #35626) |
USA:TV-14 (TV rating) |
Iceland:12 |
Argentina:13 |
Chile:14 |
France:U |
Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) |
Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) |
UK:PG
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
During the shooting of Lucy and Velma driving backwards, Elaine Miles (Lucy) acquired the skill of driving the car backwards. Hence, no stunt driver was needed. Miles performed the driving herself.
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Goofs:
Continuity: When Victor drops Thomas off at his home, you can see the shadow of the rear-view mirror, cast on the truck seat. In the next scene, when Victor stops at his home, the mirror is gone but the bracket is there.
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Quotes:
Thomas Builds-the-Fire:
Sometimes it's a good day to die, and sometimes it's a good day to have breakfast.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Images of Indians: How Hollywood Stereotyped the Native American (2003) (TV)
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Soundtrack:
Treaties
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (118 total)
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The eyes of cinema has always seen Indians only as the bad guys. The ones that shoot their arrows, wear feathers on their heads, and yell as they chase the heroes down. Finally, after 100 years of movies, we get a film that honestly portrays the Native American culture. And man, it sure is refreshing.
The story opens on the Fourth of July, 1976 in a small Idaho Indian reservation. A small infant named Thomas Builds-the-Fire is thrown out of the window of a burning house and is caught by Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), a neighbor with a drinking problem, who is later kicked out of the house by his wife, leaving behind his son, Victor (Adam Beach). Arnold eventually settles down in Phoenix and his family never hears from him again.
20 years later, a phone call comes. It's from a woman in Phoenix, she says that Arnold is dead. Victor, who had developed a resentment towards his father over the years, decides that he should travel to Phoenix to pick up his ashes. Unfortunately, he has no money to get there... but Thomas does and offers to pay if he can come along with Victor. This is a tough decision for Victor since he never really liked Thomas, but he finally agrees and the two set off on their journey.
It's during their journey that we learn about the characters, Victor and Thomas' conversations reveal their attitudes towards Americans their views of Native Americans. In one scene, Victor accuses Thomas of learning everything about being an Indian from watching Dances With Wolves. In another funny sequence, the two begin talking about cowboys and end up singing a tune about John Wayne's teeth! Victor's resentment for his father is also revealed to us through flashbacks depicting the early years and the memories (some good, some bad) that the two shared.
They do eventually arrive in Phoenix and find the woman that called with the news of Arnold's death. Victor talks with her during the night and finds out how much his dad cared for him and how he never wanted to leave the reservation in the first place. The events that follow drastically alter Victor's perceptions of his father forever.
Smoke Signals is a great film and one that can teach you a lot about a culture so often misrepresented on the screen. There is a feeling of ease and casualness in the conversations between Victor and Thomas... slowly they reveal more and more of themselves to us, in a way that is so nonchalant that we understand their feelings it without even noticing it. Smoke Signals is well worth your time and offers a refreshing alternative to the big budget, special effects driven crap this summer.