Shadow of the Hawk

We get Jan-Michael Vincent encountering some bad juju, nice. It doesn't surprise me to see something this audaciously unusual and spectral coming from the 1970s. In spite of some out-there moments (phantom car & at times an obvious bear costume in a one-on-one), you can still count on "SHADOW OF THE HAWK" to deliver the premise with such a slight, straight-face. And it pays dividends, as this helps achieve such an underlining eeriness to its atmospherics (accompanied by a spookily experimental natural sounding FX) of a young man accepting his Native American ancestral fate.

Old Man Hawk (Chief Dan George) is the native shaman of his tribe, but he finds himself at the mercy of a spirit of an ancient sorceress (Marianne Jones). The only way he can defeat her, is for his grandson Mike (a steadfast Jan-Michael Vincent) who lives and works in the city, to return back to the village to harness his power as the heir of the shaman. Hesitant at first, he has a change of heart and is persuaded by a freelance reporter (a sympathetic Marilyn Hassett) who tags along.

The superstitious framework is your typical black and white power struggle between two forces; good versus evil. It's literally a journey, both physical and spiritual, in what plays out like a mind over matter initiation of one's identity. Sometimes ponderous and Hassett's character felt like nothing more than a pawn, yet the mystical intrigue and stout performances help its momentum. Throughout danger is always felt, as the sorceress watches, animating objects and animals, causing strange, lethal accidents. The dangling rope bridge was a neat touch. Her disciples also get into the act too. I found the most effective scenes revolved around the sorceress' spirit donning a creepy white mask while terrorizing Jan-Michael Vincent's character. This is even before the trek hits the forlorn wilderness. George McCowan's low-key direction is competent without doing anything truly special.

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 *****.

This movie like a lot of them made in the 70's contains an interesting plot and some substance. It gives a subtle touch of spirituality and some thrilling scenes of action and even creepiness. The characters seem convincing in their roles and the old man ( played by Chief Dan George) has a lot of personality in which he speaks very little being a very wise powerful medicine man. The other characters seem to pull of f their roles as well with the acting being realistic and not forced or awkward. I found the suspense in this movie to be "real" without all the special effects thrown in to make it look over the top and ridiculous like a lot of action flicks out there today. I guess you can think of this movie as one that leaves you with a good feeling at the end. The score of nine may seem a little high but I feel it really deserves it , due to it's subtle way of telling the story and leaving it up to the person watching the film to exercise their imagination. Also I think being someone who saw this film when it originally was released it brings back some memories and didn't disappoint years later when I watched it again for maybe the third or fourth time. A lot of movies that you had watched growing up appear a little different as you remember them but this one is in good standing. I also think that this movie is my favourite among the Native North American themes.

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.

Shadow of the Hawk is a film that can be viewed on many levels. It is at once a parable about the use of power and a young man's conflicted response to his vocation. I am speaking of power as it is defined in various North American Indian traditions. Power in such traditions is neither good nor evil in itself. It is the person using it who is good or evil and uses it to those ends. It is in the portrayal of black vs. white magic that the film has serious flaws, introducing non-Native American elements for dramatic effect. Nevertheless, the essential understanding that power has the potential for personal enlightenment or self-destruction manages to come through. There is also the drama of the vision quest operating here. The vision quest, found in the traditions of many North American Indian tribes, is a experience through which one conquers one's fears in a journey which culminates in a crucial aspect of self-knowledge. All of these elements, aided by the entrancing scenery throughout, combine to make this film well worthwhile viewing.