The Tattooist
Encyclopedia
The Tattooist is a 2007 New Zealand film directed by Peter Burger and starring American actor Jason Behr
and New Zealand actors Nathaniel Lees
, Michael Hurst
and Robbie Magasiva
among others. The film is the first in a series of official co-productions between New Zealand
and Singapore
, and was released on 30 August 2007.
artist Jake Sawyer (Behr) is a global wanderer who explores ethnic themes in his designs. While he is in New Zealand he unknowingly plays a role in releasing a deadly spirit as he attempts to learn pe'a
, the Samoan tradition of tattooing.
, New Zealand
. The film already has guaranteed distribution in Australia
and New Zealand
through Buena Vista International.
, King Kapisi
and Don McGlashan
among others. The score is composed by Peter Scholes.
.
Jason Behr
Jason Nathaniel Behr is an American film and television actor. He first starred in the American television series Roswell, for which he was twice nominated for a Saturn Award, followed by roles in the films The Shipping News and the American remake of the Japanese horror film The Grudge...
and New Zealand actors Nathaniel Lees
Nathaniel Lees
Nathaniel Lees is a New Zealand born actor and theatre director of Samoan descent. He is known for his role as Captain Mifune in The Matrix trilogy and his role as "Uglúk" in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. He has also had roles on the TV series Young Hercules, Hercules: The Legendary...
, Michael Hurst
Michael Hurst
Michael Eric Hurst, ONZM is a New Zealand actor, director and writer, mostly on stage and television. He is probably best known internationally for playing Iolaus in the television programs Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and companion series Xena: Warrior Princess...
and Robbie Magasiva
Robbie Magasiva
Robbie Magasiva is a Samoan New Zealand actor who has starred in several films and as a member of the Naked Samoans comedy troupe. He has also appeared on television and theatre, and was the co-presenter of New Zealand's Tagata Pasifika with famed athlete Beatrice Faumuina. Magasiva is also known...
among others. The film is the first in a series of official co-productions between New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and was released on 30 August 2007.
Plot
The film is described as a supernatural thriller in which American tattooTattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
artist Jake Sawyer (Behr) is a global wanderer who explores ethnic themes in his designs. While he is in New Zealand he unknowingly plays a role in releasing a deadly spirit as he attempts to learn pe'a
Pe'a
The Pe'a is the popular name of the traditional male tattoo of Samoa, which was originally called the malofie, a term used in the Samoan language chiefly vocabulary and 'respect' register .-Description:...
, the Samoan tradition of tattooing.
Cast
- Jason BehrJason BehrJason Nathaniel Behr is an American film and television actor. He first starred in the American television series Roswell, for which he was twice nominated for a Saturn Award, followed by roles in the films The Shipping News and the American remake of the Japanese horror film The Grudge...
as Jake Sawyer - Timothy Balme as Jake's Father
- Michael HurstMichael HurstMichael Eric Hurst, ONZM is a New Zealand actor, director and writer, mostly on stage and television. He is probably best known internationally for playing Iolaus in the television programs Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and companion series Xena: Warrior Princess...
as Crash - David FaneDavid Fane-Life and career:Fane was educated at St. Pauls College in Ponsonby.Fane got into acting quite late and trained at the New Zealand Drama School Toi Whakaari, graduating in 1991. He first appeared on television in a sketch comedy show called SKITZ alongside future Naked Samoans Oscar Kightley and...
as Mr. Va'a - Nathaniel LeesNathaniel LeesNathaniel Lees is a New Zealand born actor and theatre director of Samoan descent. He is known for his role as Captain Mifune in The Matrix trilogy and his role as "Uglúk" in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. He has also had roles on the TV series Young Hercules, Hercules: The Legendary...
as Mr. Perenese - Mia Blake as Sina
- Caroline CheongCaroline CheongCaroline Cheong is a Singaporean actress, known for making her movie debut as Victoria in the 2007 film The Tattooist.-Biography:She graduated from LaSalle-SIA, College of the Arts with a diploma in drama. Although Caroline has embarked on many TV productions for local television, she has also...
as Victoria - Robbie MagasivaRobbie MagasivaRobbie Magasiva is a Samoan New Zealand actor who has starred in several films and as a member of the Naked Samoans comedy troupe. He has also appeared on television and theatre, and was the co-presenter of New Zealand's Tagata Pasifika with famed athlete Beatrice Faumuina. Magasiva is also known...
as Alipati - Matthew RidgeMatthew RidgeMatthew John Ridge is a New Zealand television presenter as well as a former All Black, and rugby league captain for the Manly Sea Eagles, New Zealand Warriors and Kiwis....
as Graham - Stuart DevenieStuart DevenieStuart Forbes Devenie is an actor and theatre director in New Zealand whose career spans three decades on stage and screen. He has performed in theatre productions nationally and internationally. In the 1980s, he was the Artistic Director of Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North and has been a...
as Senior Doctor - Jarred BlakistonJarred BlakistonJarred Blakiston was born in 1991, is a New Zealand-born actor. He is best known for his year-long role, from 2004 to 2005, and then recurring in 2007, in New Zealand's longest running soap, Shortland Street, playing the role of Daniel Potts, son of Dr Sarah Potts . In 2007 he appeared in The...
as Young Jake Sawyer
Production
Principal photography commenced on 16 September 2006 in AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The film already has guaranteed distribution in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
through Buena Vista International.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack contains music by The Mint ChicksThe Mint Chicks
The Mint Chicks were an experimental noise rock/power pop group originally from Auckland, New Zealand, who relocated to Portland, Oregon, USA in 2007...
, King Kapisi
King Kapisi
King Kapisi is a New Zealand Hip hop recording artist. He was the first Hip hop artist in New Zealand to receive the prestigious Silver Scroll Award at the APRA Awards for Songwriter of the Year for his single Reverse Resistance in 1999, which followed on the popular release of his debut single...
and Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan is a New Zealand musician and songwriter who has been a member of bands such as The Plague, From Scratch, The Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, The Mutton Birds and, from 2009, The Bellbirds. He composed several pieces for the Limbs Dance Company...
among others. The score is composed by Peter Scholes.
Reception
The film debuted at second place at the New Zealand box office, beaten by The Bourne UltimatumThe Bourne Ultimatum (film)
The Bourne Ultimatum is a 2007 American spy film directed by Paul Greengrass and loosely based on the Robert Ludlum novel of the same title. This film is the third in the Bourne film series, being preceded by The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy...
.