2 Films

Boy is New Zealand film about a young Maori boy named Alamein, his coming of age story, and his distant relationship with his father.

Eagle vs. Shark is a quirky romantic comedy following the awkward relationship of Lily Mckinnon (oddly enough) and Jarrod.
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These two films, both directed by Taika Waititi, offer an excellent insight into the cultural aesthetic of New Zealand. The three main findings I have discovered from critically viewing these films are the Western influence on New Zealand culture, the emphasis on nature and vast natural landscapes and the connection to the Maori culture.

Western influence is very apparent throughout the film Boy, and fairly more subtle in Eagle vs. Shark. Boy opens with Alamein introducing himself and some of his interests, which reveals that aside from his father his main idol in life is Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson and scenes and images from his Thriller album are recreated and constantly reoccur throughout the film. There is an interesting hybridity between the American pop culture and the Maori culture at the end of the film, where the members of the cast dressed in similar clothes to Michael Jackson in Thriller mix the Michael Jackson dance style with the traditional Maori war dance. Along with this particular hybridization, there are multiple references to Western culture in both films including references to McDonalds, and other popular music in the US such as Megadeth. This is an interesting piece of information in that it reveals that Western culture has an influence even on those who identify with the Maori culture.

The other finding from viewing these films which I have come across in multiple other forms (journals, print ads, etc.) is the value of nature and natural elements. Both films showcased the vast New Zealand landscapes, especially Boy, which was set in Waihau Bay. I would say over 75% of the film took place outdoors. It is very apparent from viewing both of these films that the landscapes and natural elements of New Zealand are heavily valued and extremely important to the cultural aesthetic.

The last aspect of the cultural aesthetic that was apparent from these films is the inherent connection to the Maori culture. For the film Boy it was very obvious the connection with the Maori culture, with the main characters identifying with the Maori culture. Eagle vs. Shark however had a cast that was primarily of European descent. However throughout the film there were sparse examples of Maori imagery and symbols.

Overall these two films are a great insight into what the New Zealand audience finds appealing. Without the images of the vast landscapes, mountains and oceans the films just wouldn’t appeal to a New Zealand audience because nature is a strong part of their identity. Along the images of nature, a strong source of cultural identity is the connection to the Maori culture, which both films showcase in their own way. Both of these aspects of New Zealand cultural identity along with the Western influence are strongly showcased in these films and are a definite part of the cultural aesthetic of New Zealand.