Spencer Carbine in the movie "UTU"

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

I just finished watching the New Zealand movie "UTU" in which the Spencer Carbine is prominately displayed and used by a New Zealand-British trained officer, Lt. Scott, in several battles against the Maori Tribesmen of New Zealand.  I first purchased "UTU" on DVD, but soon discovered I didn't have the correct "zone" dvd player to show it;  I then purchased a "correct" vhs copy on Ebay.  Below is the vhs cover of "UTU" followed by a description of the movie.  A lot of action and very graphic killing scenes. 





Two Flints

[Deadeye Don]

Never mind.  I found UTU on Amazon.com just now.

[Two Flints]

Hi Deadeye,

If you order the DVD version, just make sure you have a DVD player that can play it, i.e., you will need a DVD player that can handle all zones, a universal zone DVD player.

I was going to buy a new universal DVD player just to view the UTU copy I have, but decided the VHS version was a lot cheaper

Two Flints

[Deadeye Don]

Hmmm.   Well I actually found one on Ebay for 30 including shipping.  It made no mention of having to have a special DVD player. We shall see.   I just saw the disclaimer on the website.  Well,  Amazon.com has refurbished players for 30 bucks that will play these Region 4 DVDs.  I may end up buying one of those too.  This may turn out to be one expensive movie viewing adventure.

[Two Flints]

Deadeye,

I don't want you to get stuck with a DVD you can't play.  Check out this info:



If your DVD player has the world symbol with the word "all" then your good to go, I mean "play".

I got my VHS used copy from this Ebay link:  Played fine for me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/UTU-Anzac-Wallace-Bruno-Lawrence-R_W0QQitemZ220132519439QQihZ012QQcategoryZ309QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Two Flints

[Deadeye Don]

Thanks Two Flints.  I am now aware of the situation.  I have already ordered the DVD so cant turn back now.  I will check my machine when I get home.  If it wont work I will just go out and get one of the refurbished models they recommend.  Such is life.

[General Lee]

I applaud you both for your diligence and perseverance to see this movie with the Spencer in action.  I should have expected no less!
General Lee

[Deadeye Don]

Nope no such luck.  I have a 1.   I will need to order a new DVD player. 

[General Lee]

DVD's of Utu are available on amazon in the $40 range.  (Should be much cheaper as I suspect they are "unauthorized" copies.  Very easy to copy the DVD's)
General Lee

[Deadeye Don]

I got mine on Ebay for 30 including shipping.  This is NOT a copy but a new original uncut made in Australia, thus the problem with not being able to play it on my dvd player that I have now.

[minerotago]

A great deal of 'poetic licence' was put into the 'advising' for this film in my opinion. I understand that the advisor may have been an English chap who in his own right is a gun collector and firearm historian. The film are based on  a number of facts and they are as I state in this contribution.

Many aspects of this film are based on fact. By using key names and facts all of what I now state should be readily available for anyone to read for themselves on internet.

In the film we see the minister of religion murdered in front of his congregation. The true facts are as follows - During the Maori Wars the Rev Carl Volkner was taken by his ex congregation, the Hauhau rebels and hanged in front of his church. He was then taken down and his head cut off from his body with an axe . His blood was collected in a chalice and together with his head taken into the church and used in a ceremony that parodied communion. The blood was sipped from the goblet by members of the congregation and then Kereopa a prophet plucked the eyes from the head and swallowed them whole!

The Spencer shown in the film - In truth no Englishman had a Spencer that I know of - The true facts are that the rebel Maori Te Kooti had obtained a Spencer carbine and when the English soldiers and Colonial forces were armed with Callisher and Terry carbines the rebel maori not only outgunned them but had the very latest of firearms, the famed Spencer. He carried it with him and used it to affect until a surprise attack saw him make a quick escape with the Spencer loaded with only one cartridge which he fired at the pursuing forces. The Colonial forces thus captured his last 20 rounds and left him with an empty gun.

At the end of the film the Maori rebel is captured and killed but in truth the Maori rebel Te Kooti lived long past the wars and was given a 'pardon'

Ironically enough the Spencer in the hands of the Maori warriors was not the only case of a Maori having the most revolutionary weapon of its time. Years earlier a South Island maori had a Flintlock revolving rifle. This rifle can be seen today in the Otago Museum. It is a Collier and even today is in superb condition.

The Maori were cunning fighters and often taken too lightly by the British and colonial forces. They built forts very similar to the forts in the American West. At first these forts had rifle pits to fire at the British from shelter and as soon as the British brought cannon into action the Maori simply made their living quarters and trenches underground. In one case the British bombed the Maori fort (called 'Pa') for hours and hours then rushed in to find it empty - only to find that the very ground below them erupted in gunfire and in that moment the British lost 31 or so killed outright, 10 or so to die later and in total over 107 casualties. This battle was known as the Battle of Gate Pa. In other battles the British fared even worse with in one battle Poverty Bay, Nov 10 1868 there were 70 killed and at Mohaka, Hawkes Bay on !0th April 1869 there were 60 killed.

At the end of the day the Maori were simply overcome by force of numbers.

To me the most interesting fact is the story of Te Kooti and the Spencer carbine. He also had I believe no less than four revolvers. The most common revolvers used in the Maori wars being Adams, Tranters and Colt Navies.

[Deadeye Don]

Interesting facts.  Thanks.   I was finally able to watch the movie on my computer which apparently has the capacity to view DVDs from all zones. 

[minerotago]

Another point about the Maori is that they didnt fight fairly, well according to British rules. Now I think the British expected to march to a particular site, to their advantage of course, form up in ranks and then blast the Maori who were supposed to charge accordingly. The Maori were too cunning for that and would often observe the British and colonial forces approaching and lie in ambush, fire a volley and then disappear to reform further along the track. Of course the British and colonials would salivate the bush for half an hour before carrying on only to finds that the Maoris had gone!
A mercenary type guy, a Prussian by the name of Von Tempsky came out to NZ and an outfit called the Forest Rangers were formed and they fought the Maori at their own game with success - until of course Von Tempsky was also killed by the Maori at the Battle of Te Ngutu O Te Manu. The Maori lay in the bush and ambushed the Forest Rangers. Snipers killed Von Tempsky. 80 men fled the scene and reported a massacre but when the numbers were counted 24 Forest Rangers were killed and 27 wounded and the Maoris lost 28 killed.

A bit of New Zealand history for you all! Von Tempsky always carried his 'Mexican Blade' (a sword made of Toledo steel), a long Bowie knife with 9 inch blade in its leather sheath and two Colt Model 1851 Navy revolvers and cartridge pouches for the Colt pistols.

[Glenn]

Never thought all the years in electronics would be needed here.  To cure the zone code problem check out  www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks