There were guys from all over the place. Like the kiss between Hawkeye and Cora? The way you're describing it doesn't really sound like the scene that was originally Where's Marion? ES: He was intense. I'm an actor who just happens to be an Indian. It's jacked up obviously for television so the story is more interesting. We got along with him. We don't want to attack his words. I was raised in the country so, you know, I didn't have any it didn't bother me in the least. . You know what? But unfortunately, the camera doesn't capture it; you just see my feet sticking up. RM F6FR3M - RELEASE DATE: Aug 26, 1992. He was just a guy. [laughs] There could have been a few more women. We hope all who read this feel they've gained more insight, or a better So. you know, we've got to take advantage of it and they'll have nothing left short of Last of the Dog Men which is a ludicrous concept for a film about Accessibility or. ES: Yeah, they were plowing, they had to use bulldozers to get out to some of the sets, and 4 x 4s. ES: Yeah, they could have it's all politics. Eric was forthcoming and, we believe, candid in his responses; gracious, and willing to discuss everything we asked. I was homeless when I was a kid. Interesting as the article may be, it is so wrought with errors of fact, and of assumption, that it's hard to determine WHERE to begin. MOHICANS Yeah, ask any actor and they will tell you one of the most fun things to do is to make a departure from yourself and play a villain. ES: Yeah, I realize it was about the French and Indian Wars, but if they had focused more on the family ties that are involved with the Indian people that lived in that area, it would have hit home a lot harder. [Laughs] They're not making Spaghetti Westerns. different states and different coliseums .. and they're harmless! So, they did film something and obviously you We find the content startling in several regards, and will comment, at length, following the conclusion of the interview. I work with sex trade workers and I try to hook them up with agencies that can help them. E: I've just finished this thing in Atlanta, Georgia, maybe two months ago, called Shenandoah. That and the part where Alice jumps from the cliff are some of the finest in the film! MP: I know you've had experience framing houses. ES: I got along with Russell. I'll never forget his annoying voice. I: Well, obviously you did most of all the work yourself, but did you have a stunt person? MP: Do you remember what scene you were filming? Go To The MOHICAN PRESS BOOK SHOPPE, For More Mohican Musings, Use The MOHICAN MUSINGS INDEX. What else? Thanks, Eric. He was just all work, then go home. They found around 300 copperhead snakes and it took quite awhile to build the thing. MP: How about firing a musket. So, what they would like to know is what would You've known him as Uncas. He is such an integral part of our favorite movie. [More laughter]. I've never told anyone I am a Marlon Brando or whoever. ES: Yes! But after practicing, after a But you know, for what it's worth, Last of the Mohicans, it's a good movie. I broke the cycle by not drinking and finding out what I'm NOT. MP: Were they downplaying the Uncas/Alice relationship? MP: The scenes filmed at Cameron's Cabin; you've got the night scene when you guys gather around the table, then the next day when the Lt. is trying to recruit colonials to support the British Army, and then later on, when you guys revisit the cabin and seen any film maker come up with. I: Now to the slew of questions! They were stiff, the leather in them was REALLY stiff, so you could carry it I don't use it. Besides that, North Carolina is MP: Well, a lot of people feel put out! Well, like I said, Red River has received a lot of attention in Europe and people have described it as beautiful. place? The girls would have been scared of everything! private or he was. Available - Free Downloads Only! I: Well, I've learned a lot today from you and I really thank you for all the time you've given me. Could you tell us about it? All of this stuff is a direct connection between that and Blackstone and a lot of these topics come up in Blackstone. They put them in. You know the difference between Indian elders and a lot of other elders? I love working with everyone on it. We went down to Columbus, Ga., for a month and trained in this anti-terrorist camp. And I'm a damn hand with a harmonica! We were talking about some of your films and I wanted to ask you about Red River, which has received a lot of attention. E: I've been with PRIME TALENT for about three years and they audition all over the United States and Canada. He's extremely MP: Okay. People from all over the world. E: This was a part of the thing that didn't get developed properly. Smokies, or that Uncas does indeed leave to rescue a daughter of Munro ahead of Hawkeye & Chingachgook in the novel. It's not in the middle of downtown San Francisco where they Ava Burnett. It could have been developed more. Certainly, we have a new found appreciation for interviewers! He was ALWAYS doing that. I started volunteering with Resource Assistance for YouthRaY Inc., and and they hired me to work with them. ES: Yeah.it's a.. yeah. AMAZON.COM/LOTM STOREFRONT. It's all hard to fathom it goes against our grain. I've been doing this for 25 years now. They take their sense of history and their wisdom They just. a lot of it was really dark but it was incredible. But you know, it's expected. Guide book STILL MP: Well, you'll have to tell us about it because we've not seen it. Some people don't know whether to love him or hate him. I lived in Toronto, which is right next to the Six Nations reserve. GATHERINGS || Please Note: This interview is the property of Mohican Press. He's intense, too, so it was fun to watch the play between him and Michael Mann. ES: I liked the ledge we were shooting on. I had read up on it a little bit and I told him what had happened, what was going on, and naturally, he knew. Just a cop. They'll suck all MP: True. With films like Dances With Wolves, The Last Of The Mohicans and a host of lesser films casting American Indians in real-life roles And, while we're at it, should Braveheart be criticized because it portrays savage-like Scots of the 13th & 14th centuries rather than present-day Scotland? It's scheduled for June in North Carolina. He'd rap with the extras and . anybody who was around. We had a really deep love scene in the cave and they cut that out completely. I don't know, that's the editor's fault. ES: Hmmm . Well, not . not really. [Sad voice. mask each and every time? MP: Cast as the Indian all the time, but you'd prefer to be offered a role because you're a good actor? Right now, with all the school violence and music and art programs being cut all over the US I thought it would be good to interview him. One of our problems is finding a voice and speaking up, speaking out really loud too, if you want to. And I love to be around the sets, learning things. MP: The photo of the mask you described. on the cover of the book, is that 18th century or 19th century? I'm not trying to be antagonistic. an Inuit duo! MENUS! Even Daniel did. Etzerza, who has been Eric's carving "guru"; in previous conversations Eric has said Vern and he have known each other a long time and he considers Vern to be one of his best buddies. MP: Have you remained in contact with either one? But there are so many questions we would like to ask of him! good idea to have one of your masks displayed in the vicinity. Probably the fort scenes. STOREFRONT || That's how it has to be; even Freddy Krueger was the bastard son of 1000 maniacs. MP: It looks real good. There are some we really WISH we asked. SCRIPT || Eric Schweig was originally born as Ray Dean Thresher, in Inuvik, Northwest Territories on June . And they did depict the "camp-followers" and "hangers-on" in a fairly realistic manner. All of our content is free. shells, especially the quiet ones the really, really inward teenagers. As the film nears the end, the group progresses up a precarious waterfall, one of Hawkeye's friends, Uncas (Eric Schweig) is killed by the men tracking them, and he falls off the edge of the waterfall. As long as Europeans or Euro-American film makers are making movies about Indian people, there is always going to be this. Our impression of Eric Schweig was that he is gracious, friendly, humorous and sincere. E: Something like that. Eric Schweig. Have you seen the movie? E: Pretty good, thank you! Can you turn it into a greater good by reaching out to those kids? Eric is certainly a personable, well-spoken & easy-to-talk-to person. It has been spoken about an awful lot. These kids are our future and they're gonna end up going to bat for us when we're sitting around at 80 years old on the front porch. Or maybe it would be a Powwow Trail (2001- ) Episode: White Man's Indian The scenes the way it was shot. Eric Schweig is a Canadian born Inuit actor, who is best renowned for his work in the 1992 film, The Last of the Mohicans in which he stars as Chingachgook's son, Uncas. You should do a mask. scripted, which was more than "puppy love". E: No, I don't! I: What kind of qualities do you think they were looking for, that maybe you had that other people didn't? GATHERINGS || it to them. Or WE start making films of our own, which a lot of us has. HISTORY || It would never have happened! MOHICAN PRESS How would you describe him as an actor? But it was us, except going over the waterfalls. ES: There's one. SOUNDTRACK || You know, Robert DeNiro and Val Kilmer didn't go out to the closest available reservation and give him an eagle feather oh, sorry, Al Pacino didn't give him an eagle feather to join his division downtown in Los Angeles. And it's really hard, I guess it's hard, I've never been a parent, but it'd be hard to differentiate your child's freedom and their safety. But Russell Means (Chingachgook) said, "NO, I'm an Indian. Perhaps much is taken out of context. that would be upsetting, too. the blood they can out of us to paint their own pictures and then we'll be high and dry. But I made the bottom of the mask protrude a little bit more. No problem. MP: Regarding the children's drama group that you're involved in . your girlfriend's name is Gail? AMAZON.COM/LOTM STOREFRONT. And, I play a lot of guitar. SCRIPT || MP: Well, what I mean is that you guys, in the movie of course, went through every possible trial and tribulation. We hung out with him a lot. MP: Well, would that be something you would consider? How is he different from them? The following interview with Eric Schweig was conducted, via telephone, on February 1 and 2, 1998. I like to hang out with my friends. MP: So, on the set then, he would just do a scene and then go off by himself? (A boyish laughter interrupts the train of thought.). It was hot and it was annoying because Michael wanted to .. you know, like I said before.take after take. He's normal. His filmographic credentials include a slew of TV series such as . He's the guy that showed us how to MP: We've heard about those. Previous to this "formal" interview, we had had several long conversations with Eric, focusing primarily on his hand carved Inuit masks. I: How do you feel about Indians being depicted in films by white people, in earlier movies? It is a dramatic thriller, set in 1950s Montana, about two grandparents (Diane Lane and Kevin Costner) hoping to get their grandson back after the death of their son. E: The only stage shot was the waterfall and the cave. ES: Yeah, Wes was cool. EARLY There is an endless amount of historical fact they dredge up from the past and twist it around and suck all the blood out of Indian people to paint their own pictures. MP: I hate to tell you this but it's supposed to be released over here, real soon, in English. something good there. .. We'd sit and talk about playing guitar. ES: [Laughter] Yeah! And, you know, it's the It's so cheesy. It was wonderfully portrayed between the two of you, but would it have been correct in those days? Over near Lake James. Day Lewis. He kicked off his acting career in 1985 as a cast member of the theatrical show, The Cradle Will Fall, produced at the Actor's Lab by the Theatre of Change. E: Yes, but I got restless. The more the merrier. He exhibits a fine sense of humor. MP: You know, in some ways though, contemporary pieces are worse because they're filled with all sorts of horrors and things that wouldn't happen in a million years. There was a real enthusiasm projected when discussing his masks. That's where their home is and we're fighting over her They employed 250 carpenters and they smacked it all up. ES: Yeah, it's the same way. It's also the truth that you have to do something about it. ], 45's and shot guns. MP: Was it a pleasant experience then, to be filming in the area? I forgot his name MP: Yes . this is one of the masks in his so called "collection"? Making it more subtle? ES: Yes, I have You know who that was? But, you don't see you know what you don't see? We have them back and now we can take care of them. We invite your comments on our comments, or on the interview, on the ES: Yeah, it didn't have to be as epic as the battle scene in the valley there, but maybe with half the all the guys but not the inten [breaks off] let's have a hockey game! Interviewing is something we hadn't done MP: What was your favorite scene in the movie? It's box office numbers. MP: Okay! The battle scenes were spectacular! We actually talked them out of that! And if he could magnify that with a damned megaphone, he was happy as hell. And they put in all kinds of unnatural fears into kids' minds, or potentially can. ES: No, I haven't. You've said previously that you've worked with wood since you were "knee-high" and that it was something that came naturally to you. MP: Okay, many people are sincerely anxious to see you in more films. I'll do it. He is corrupt and if he can't get what he wants done one way, he'll get it done another. ES: Well, the doors are opening now. I had no idea. Yeah, you know, I am a good guy. Mohican Press - ALL ES: Oh yeah! If they were good sticks .. it was kind of a bummer .. it would've been a better game. And who they focus on and who they promote is gangster rap. and I get with her and we start scrapping about this and that and he shoots me dead. [Laughing! For example, the beginning of the movie in the woods Day-Lewis' shirt appears and disappears! MUSINGS || They said "We'll miss you!" But this big uranium mining company finds out he has all this uranium on the property and they come to buy him out. Myself and a bunch of other Canadian actors went out there and played 9-hole golf in the ice. Even so, it seems to us, one simply must dispute much of what he says. It's about me and this guy his name is Christoph and he's from France. Personal use on your own home PC is permissible! We should be running around and, . not running around.. but we should be in, you know, suits.. like everybody else. in normal clothes. After studying traditional Pacific Coast carvings Eric refined and directed his talent toward the recreation of the traditional masks of his ancestors, the Inuit. I think we were there till you know, we started at like 6 or 7 in the morning on the first day. When Dances With Wolves came out, the whole thing, it just blew the doors wide open for period pieces about Indian people. She wasn't as inward. MESSAGE BOARD, STOREFRONTS! COLLECTIBLES || . or play a dulcimer, learn how to play a dulcimer. People either love it or they hate it and that's what you want. Just throw out a couple of opinions on working with her. Most of the time I was either standing or running. MP: You feel like it left something undone in the relationship by cutting out the scene? I: Was it all shot outdoors or were there any indoor shots, i.e., like the cabin scene? So, anything contemporary, it doesn't matter. I believe you have been growing it for eight years? That, perhaps, is petty stuff. But when Daniel walks into the Huron village he almost gets his brains knocked out. He interjects things, seemingly out of nowhere, which had little to do with the question, leading one to suspect there was an agenda waiting to spew forth. like a sauna in the summertime. STOREFRONT || I'm busy!". It was shot in Vancouver and I talked to Wes after he finished it. Did he really think the movie would "stink"? The effect of the battle between you and Magua was very dramatic. The Indians were ambushed by Russians. They both have the same kind of drive so it was pretty funny. I'll see you at the movies.". It's so big. get here?" Now, it is possible that there was more to the interview than that which made it to print. We haven't put anything on yet but we're planning on it. We sort of guessed at what they would MP: He's been real busy.. doing quite well. taken care of and respected and THAT is what makes them, keeps them wise. I think a lot of them are. Was the fort built for the film? Okay, I just want to backtrack just a little bit. It is up front and it is brutally honest. the least. MP: Yeah! Until Indian people can gain something of a creative role, then the cold hard facts about that, is that you need money. It comes from people not talking to their elders and not listening to them. All they want to do is restrict native roles to native people. A lot of elders are sharper than most 16 year olds 20 or 30, they're sharper than people half their age. If you go onto a reservation and you see the dogs and their heads are hanging, that's a bad sign . you know, people don't care about them. ES: Yeah, all up and down there; all over here. We're heading out." I lived in hostels and I was an alcoholic until 14 years ago. At first it took us about a minute or a minute and a half when we first got a hold of them to get them ready to fire. Rick, I think. PATHFINDING || We realize many of you are huge Eric Schweig fans. edged sword because for one thing they kept the masks in really good shape. MP: I guess you believe that judgment on any society falls on how they treat their children and their elders? I: Yes, it does. They reminded me of me. Also the music by Daniel Lanois, a French-Canadian composer. If there's any kind of panic, it started at the top with the producers. Your character, Hawkeye, and Chingachgook. there seemed a sense of family. and.. of course they're not gonna care and they're gonna forget everything. Because it took so long to shoot, six months to shoot that and so many things went on. There were so many locations. In the past, a hundred years ago, we would watch our toddlers, and what they had predisposition for doing. But when someone shouts at me, I shout back! Why do you think Blackstone is so popular? We were in contact in regard to showcasing Eric's Inuit wood carvings here on our Site, not to discuss this or any other interview. This is "Eric Schweig Demo 2016" by Eric Schweig on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. People, Indian or otherwise, are not born to hate each other. E: Yes, with the Indians. It's a shame we [Indian actors] haven't been given the opportunity to well, you know, Wes is doing really good. PATHFINDING || I'd go in there and buy 50 CDs at a time. Did you ever get a feeling of really being in that I: I saw the movie three times and honed in on the role of Uncas. E: There was a lot of gratuitous violence in the movie and it could have been cut out. Does he realize war and violence do really take place, even though we are "not born to hate each other"? It was probably [name omitted] He's the 1st AD. A film that tries to cover too much historical ground at least 40 years in too little screen time and winds up becoming a bore because of it. "Please don't release this in English!". So, the more contemporary films we can do and be allowed to be a part of society and society's subconscious, then the better it will be. For a month and trained in this anti-terrorist camp opening now. ),... All this uranium on the cover of the battle between you and Magua was very dramatic 've gained insight! `` Please do n't know whether to love him or hate him started volunteering with Resource Assistance for Inc.... Their age in Toronto, which is right next to the Six Nations...., really inward teenagers realize many of you, but would it have been correct in those days at 6... French-Canadian composer 's also the eric schweig interview that you have to tell you this but it was to! 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