Shadow of the Hawk (1976)
Jan-Michael Vincent stars as Mike, the grandson of Native American shaman Old Man Hawk who is called back to his village to help defeat evil forces threatening the tribe. After years of living in the city and working in a business world altogether apart from his roots, Mike is contacted by a freelance reporter, Maureen, who was enlisted by Old Man Hawk to track his grandson. When Mike assents to returning with Maureen, they find that the village is beset by the evil spirit of an ancient sorceress, Dsonoqua, animating beasts and objects and causing strange, deadly accidents. Only the heir of the tribe’s shaman can stand in the way of the evil and protect his people, but will Mike be able to harness his power in time?
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disgusting, overrated, pointless
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.
Why a blond actor was chosen for the role of mixed race half being American Indian is beyond me. They darkened Jan-Michael Vincent's hair a bit, but no way could he be convincing in his role as Chief Dan George's grandson.Vincent is your upwardly mobile successful yuppie and Dan George has come to visit him in the big city. It seems as though a demon spirit who was slain years ago by an ancestor is reeking some havoc on the tribe. Vincent may not look like an Indian let alone a tribal shaman. But he's got the bloodlines and his grandfather to teach him the trade.Along for the ride in all this is freelance reporter/writer Marilyn Hassett. She likes the story she might get and she sure does like Jan-Michael Vincent.Shadow Of The Hawk has some good moments, but the horrible casting of Jan-Michael Vincent kind of spoils it for me.
A likable enough film that didn't really grab a hold of me. Chief Dan George, previously seen in Little Big Man, made earlier and Outlaw Josey Wales, made the same year was born in 1899 on a Canadian Indian reservation and here plays an old medicine man seeking to pass on his powers (and responsibilities) to his grandson as he makes his way back to his village for the last time. There are some amazing sequences, notably a hand to hand fight with a black bear and others involving a strange car and a rope and slat bridge high above the rapids. Indeed the Canadian location shooting is ever impressive and if the tale starts to drift towards the end there is enough here to engage those looking for something a little different.
I first watched this film back in 1980 when first acquiring my love for Native people of the Americas. The last time it was on TV was back in 1987 and it was a good thing I taped it because it was the last time shown on TV.This is an all round good film. However there are a couple of false misconceptions that viewers must know. First of all, regarding the spirit Dsonoqua (the awesome looking white mask)--> she in fact is the Cannibal Woman of the Woods who captured and ate disobedient children who misbehaved. She was NEVER an "evil spirit" who went after people whose ancestors "put her to death" more than 200 years earlier like the way the film portrays. That was just added in to help create suspense. The other misconception ... the voodoo dolls of Mike and Old Man Hawk were only used to add more suspense. The reality is that the First Nations of the Northwest Coast never practised voodoo.Anyways ... I give the film a 9 because of my love for all the original People of the Western Hemisphere ... not trying to be biased in any way. ONLY my opinion. Most other viewers gave the movie a 6, which is fine. Everyone sees the film differently from different viewpoints. But I would certainly recommend this to all Canadian film fans.
Jan Michael Vincent is very good in this role as "Hawk", the grandson of a Native American medicine man, played by the venerable Chief Dan George. The plot? He must return to his tribe to safeguard them from an evil spirit. Along the journey through absolutely beautiful Northwest woods, Hawk, his grandfather and girlfriend must face attacks from both spirit and flesh and blood foes. An exciting and sometimes rather spooky road-trip. I give it ***1/2 out of *****.