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Temuera Morrison: From Haka to Hollywood
From gifted and unorthodox doctor, to wife-beating bully, to Star Wars bounty hunter, one thing Temuera Morrison can't be accused of is being typecast. With humble beginnings in the rural backblocks of Rotorua, Temuera's early life gave him a strong sense of family, community and culture. Following his father's tragic death when Temuera was just 14 years old, he developed his love of – and talent for – performing through kapa haka. It was the attention Temuera received as the violent and abusive Jake Heke in Once Were Warriors that brought him international acclaim and ultimately propelled him to Hollywood. In his memoir, Temuera talks about the roles he has played, the famous people he has worked alongside (including Pamela Anderson, Marlon Brando, Harrison Ford, Michael Jackson and George Lucas), the mistakes he's made in his life and the lessons he's learned along the way. This is a truly entertaining account of an event-packed life.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2009
15 people want to read
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May 14, 2022
I don’t remember when I first learned Temuera Morrison had a biography floating around out in space. Probably about a year ago. His name was made known to me when I began reading Star Wars novels and then researching the movie casts. And then he made an appearance recently in The Mandalorian and even more recently in The Book of Boba Fett; after watching and enjoying both, I really got into the works of the actors involved (it started with Pedro Pascal and Narcos and it has just gone from there). Though, after seeing more of Morrison’s work in these shows, I was all fired up to learn more. Enter: From Haka to Hollywood.
I only ever read hard copy books so it was a big hurdle for me to come to grips with the fact that I was never going to find a hard copy of this book. I tried, truly, I did. There’s nowhere for me to find it available in the United States and a trip to New Zealand is not in my near future. So, I bought the ebook. I think it’s the second ebook I’ve ever read. After finishing the book, I’m still not converted.
Regardless of the format, this book was absolutely wonderful. It was definitely a breath of fresh air diving into this book after having my brain ground to mush by House of Leaves. Paul Little has written this pretty much exactly how I imagine a one-sided conversation would go with Morrison telling story after story about his life. It was beyond interesting, beyond entertaining. This was not just a book about Temuera Morrison but a book about the Morrison family, the Māori people, and the film industry’s many quirks. Going into this, I did not know much about New Zealand life or cultures of history or the modern era, and I was awestruck by the love Morrison is able to imbue in his words about his heritage. I’ve already started researching books on Māori history and books by Māori authors. I’ve already purchased Alan Duff’s Once Were Warriors. What Morrison has to say is so interesting and makes you respect his people for everything they are and the legacy they have created. I also enjoyed learning more about his family and the support he had growing up as he faced the many trials and joys that accompany life.
His tales from his tv and film projects are wonderful and give a great perspective on what intricacies were involved throughout those processes. Of course, I enjoyed the chapter on his Star Wars works, but everything he worked on was brought to life through his memories. Especially his time working on The Island of Dr. Moreau with Marlon Brando; I was smiling through most of this chapter. Morrison is also extremely honest throughout this book. He does not hold back when speaking of his mistakes and shortcomings which makes me respect him all the more.
There was never any point while reading that I was bored. I am astounded that there are only six ratings at the time of my writing this review. People! Anyone who happens to come across this and read this far! I recommend this book to anyone remotely interested. Or even if you’re not, now you can get interested. I loved reading this, and I’m very glad I finally broke down and bought the ebook. Though, I will still be looking for a paperback to add to my bookshelf. Thank you to Paul Little and Temuera Morrison for creating something wonderful and inspiring!
I only ever read hard copy books so it was a big hurdle for me to come to grips with the fact that I was never going to find a hard copy of this book. I tried, truly, I did. There’s nowhere for me to find it available in the United States and a trip to New Zealand is not in my near future. So, I bought the ebook. I think it’s the second ebook I’ve ever read. After finishing the book, I’m still not converted.
Regardless of the format, this book was absolutely wonderful. It was definitely a breath of fresh air diving into this book after having my brain ground to mush by House of Leaves. Paul Little has written this pretty much exactly how I imagine a one-sided conversation would go with Morrison telling story after story about his life. It was beyond interesting, beyond entertaining. This was not just a book about Temuera Morrison but a book about the Morrison family, the Māori people, and the film industry’s many quirks. Going into this, I did not know much about New Zealand life or cultures of history or the modern era, and I was awestruck by the love Morrison is able to imbue in his words about his heritage. I’ve already started researching books on Māori history and books by Māori authors. I’ve already purchased Alan Duff’s Once Were Warriors. What Morrison has to say is so interesting and makes you respect his people for everything they are and the legacy they have created. I also enjoyed learning more about his family and the support he had growing up as he faced the many trials and joys that accompany life.
His tales from his tv and film projects are wonderful and give a great perspective on what intricacies were involved throughout those processes. Of course, I enjoyed the chapter on his Star Wars works, but everything he worked on was brought to life through his memories. Especially his time working on The Island of Dr. Moreau with Marlon Brando; I was smiling through most of this chapter. Morrison is also extremely honest throughout this book. He does not hold back when speaking of his mistakes and shortcomings which makes me respect him all the more.
There was never any point while reading that I was bored. I am astounded that there are only six ratings at the time of my writing this review. People! Anyone who happens to come across this and read this far! I recommend this book to anyone remotely interested. Or even if you’re not, now you can get interested. I loved reading this, and I’m very glad I finally broke down and bought the ebook. Though, I will still be looking for a paperback to add to my bookshelf. Thank you to Paul Little and Temuera Morrison for creating something wonderful and inspiring!
Displaying 1 of 1 review