for the running and other activities. You know what? I love. But there was some kind of beef with the production company and the North Carolina tourism division. Would it be accurate to say you're attracted to the arts in general? ES: I guess I'll have to. Maybe Vern and I can take one of them out there. We haven't put anything on yet but we're planning on it. MP: Is this role already accepted or is it something you're considering? Guide book STILL I: How did you get on with the rest of the cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Jodhi May and Russell Means? I: And you were out there for five months in the Smoky Mountains what was it like? We have this image of . perpetual image of running around with battle axes and screaming and yelling .. and running around in loin cloths and hats. MP: There was a strong feeling of familial bond between your character, Uncas, your older step-brother Hawkeye, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, and your father Chingachgook, played by Russell Means. ES: Yeah. Available - Free Downloads Only! They take their sense of history and their wisdom Did you feel close? Or do you instead allow your own mood, your color preferences .. that sort of thing, to blend with tradition and then the result being a unique That's where their home is and we're fighting over her 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. All three of us stood there with them. But when Daniel walks into the Huron village he almost gets his brains knocked out. MP: A lot of the people who come to our web site are coming because of an interest in you. I. I've been around horses. ES: After I left the Mohicans, I said, "I hope I never see him again." How would he feel if film directors did not use native people in native roles? So, by the time Did he really think the movie would "stink"? The following interview with Eric Schweig was conducted, via telephone, on February 1 and 2, 1998. 30 below weather. I never met my biological mother. He opens up about the joys and challenges of being a new foster caregiver to two siblings. ES: Yep! We sort of guessed at what they would 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. We, and certainly your fans, appreciate it. One of our problems is finding a voice and speaking up, speaking out really loud too, if you want to. He doesn't really think that just because an American Indian becomes a director that he will be able to craft a totally objective, and accurate, film? My birth name is Ray Dean Thrasher while my adopted legal name is Eric Kurt Schweig. And we had to do a lot of running and stuff. AMAZON.COM/LOTM STOREFRONT. MOHICAN PRESS MP: What WAS filmed? What was your relationship like with those two actors? RIGHTS RESERVED - Use of material elsewhere - including text, images, and like that. MP: Uncas. People, Indian or otherwise, are not born to hate each other. And we have hired more Native journalists in the past year than any news organization and with your help we will continue to grow and create career paths for our people. Could you tell him Eric said "hello"? Anyway, Vern picked it up one day and said "Hey, this is wild, man. I: Well, that explains that! You downgrade, or downplay, other situations in a movie in order to boost you know, like it or not Madeleine Stowe and Daniel Day-Lewis were the stars in that and that's what By the way, you did a play called The Cradle Will Fall. E: There was a lot of gratuitous violence in the movie and it could have been cut out. ES: Yeah, that's. see, this is almost right on the money. They don't have anybody to talk to and nobody to listen to them. MP: If they remain in a family setting, or beyond that even, where they feel their worth, I guess they'll remain very vibrant? before it was a tad more difficult than we'd anticipated. E: I don't know maybe I was the right height! First, how were you chosen for the role of Uncas? you know, and isn't psychotic. They sold a lemon to the wrong person and find themselves reverting back to their old ways as mercenaries. Was she just a pleasant observer or. ES: Yeah. We come from two different distinct worlds. find your voice, man, you can't shut up! I think it's called Across Continents, something like that, but it's [picture of the mask] right on the cover of it. There was a golf tournament out there. MP: Please correct me if I'm getting the wrong assumptions here. E: I've been with PRIME TALENT for about three years and they audition all over the United States and Canada. You know.. just in town here, right beside the baseball field.. and this is a small town, there's about 10,000 people. right beside the ball field, this young girl, about a year and E: I don't mix with other actors. But he said them. I: Was there another person in your canoe one that wasn't scripted? It was kind of disappointing because it fit right in. ES: Yes! Besides that, North Carolina is Did you ever feel like "us against them" or "we've got another obstacle to go through and we've got to watch out for each other"; or was Just HUGE games. You've given a positive image of a Native American. He's a nice enough guy. It's so cheesy. You know, that's the impression people have. Before that I had no idea what they were doing up there. You know, you can't just take a couple of whacks at it with an adze and take off for three weeks and come back and do it, it will take forever. Right THERE! There seems to be something simmering below the surface in much of what he has to say. He is such an integral part of our favorite movie. That was fun. He expects the same from his cast and his crew. E: Well, they are using real Indians now. [Laughing! They scratched the money together and made T-shirts. E: Yes, it was. Out of all the scenes that you did, what was the most difficult? You know, if you get beaten down for so long and then you The following interview with Eric Schweig was conducted, via telephone, on February 1 and 2, 1998. 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! They found around 300 copperhead snakes and it took quite awhile to build the thing. Eric Schweig. He is of mixed race ( Inuvialuk, Chippewa - Dene and German). 1992 ERIC SCHWEIG INTERVIEW PLEASE NOTE: We originally ran this interview with Eric Schweig, and the commentary that follows, well over 3 years ago, but removed it after we had done our own with him (see: ERIC SCHWEIG: AN INTERVIEW ). love interest. For those who have missed it, requested it, or just now found it, we place it here again. They were in the islands? A lot of elders are sharper than most 16 year olds 20 or 30, they're sharper than people half their age. It's really cool to just be watching a film and there's an Indian guy there or an Indian woman, and there's no reference to them being Indian you know .. it puts a more human face on us because people are so scared because of their own They can get egotistical. MP: Do you think society all societies. have lost their sense of nurturing and protecting. or seeing children for what they are? Was that difficult to achieve? Your masks are recreations of traditional ceremonial masks of the Inuit. Being brothers, we would be the same. It'll probably never happen, but if it came around, I would. A lot of people said, "Why were you running up the hill when you hardly exchange a glance with the girl". So, after putting it off and saying "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah". at the time I was running around a lot and too busy to There are no subscriptions or costs. He was somewhat reticent, probably because of the time lapse, about Does he know that, in fact, all these characters are not based on fiction? I had no idea. SOUNDTRACK || I encourage kids to do this now. I don't know what Russell's up to. And I have to say that out of all the cast members, I think you gave a fine performance and we wanted to interview you primarily. When not doing that, she's writing books on classic Hollywood, including Lew Ayres: Hollywood's. ES: I don't know, they should have stuck it in there. have been because they had aged so much and the paint had flaked off. it was aged down, but we just took a shot at it and it turned out wicked. Just a cop. AMERICAN HISTORICAL SIMULATIONS If they take VERY good care of them you know. I'd go in there and buy 50 CDs at a time. Well, it's one of the biggest small towns. Sitting out there in a big flotilla and it was really windy. They were troubled kids. 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 We got along with him. ES: You know, I don't know where the collection is. Indians.. one of the worst. Indians from all over the country, Canada just everywhere. MP: Well, a lot of people feel put out! He opens up about the joys and challenges of being a new foster caregiver to two siblings. what makes it fun to watch. MP: It looks real good. And you take care of yourself Whew! It's so big. have anything to do with carving. That's no lie either. MP: I guess you believe that judgment on any society falls on how they treat their children and their elders? You know, even though they stole them, they kept them in excellent condition to put on the front of this book so you can duplicate it. But it was us, except going over the waterfalls. Yeah, you know, I am a good guy. Of Inuit and German descent, Eric Schweig is the star player of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Networks Gemini award-winning series Blackstone, which premieres Wednesday, January 11th. Although at one point they wanted to shave everybody's hair off. People either love it or they hate it and that's what you want. Blackstone's Eric Schweig provides some fun facts about his life. MENUS! The battle scenes were spectacular! it's not that big a deal whether they're historically correct or not because they never can be. And their dogs too. Because, since that is their national sport, the Mohawks, and it has been for hundreds of years, they should've focused on that and made a REALLY big deal out of it. infringement! No, we don't have "Red River"! There was a real enthusiasm projected when discussing his masks. But we are running out of actors and we need new blood. I was homeless when I was a kid. ES: Yeah, I just get a real charge out of it.. so does anybody who's listening. ES: Yeah, they could have it's all politics. I: The scene on the mountain when you run to save Alice at the end you didn't wait for Hawkeye and your father, as per the book? MP: He's got quite a reputation for really getting into his roles. Or maybe it would be a When Dances With Wolves came out, the whole thing, it just blew the doors wide open for period pieces about Indian people. MESSAGE BOARD, STOREFRONTS! an Inuit duo! ES: Yeah, THE INDIAN. Invited to the conference to share his own experiences and perspectives, Eric was pleased to have the opportunity to speak on a topic close to his heart. Okay, you're a carver, an actor, a musician, and a drama coach. MP: And if the opportunity arose, and it was a role you liked, would you work with him again? You know Wes Studi's got his own film company and he's doing . [Wardancer Film Group] I have done bit parts in Bordertown and The Black Stallion. They put them in. You know the difference between Indian elders and a lot of other elders? Should a dark Italian be cast as a blue-eyed Swede? We hung out with him a lot. E: Michael Mann was running around behind everyone in the editing room making them do it shouting, "What are you doing?". Guide book STILL MP: OK, take all the movies you've been in if you could only be in one of them again, which one would it be? They would have liked to have seen that scene kept in or at least the relationship more developed, alongside Hawkeye and Cora's. Sometimes on the set they have raunchy attitudes and I'd rather be away from it. MESSAGE BOARD, STOREFRONTS! Guide book STILL As a former foster child himself, he knows all too well the obstacles that youth can face when growing up in care. Available - Free Downloads Only! MP: Personally, I think he was deserving of an Academy Award for his work in The Last of the Mohicans. STOREFRONT || I started volunteering with Resource Assistance for YouthRaY Inc., and and they hired me to work with them. I haven't met them yet, but I'm going to sit down and try to talk to them and try to get them out of their shells somehow. E: No, I haven't. MP: That's interesting because from your viewpoint you look at Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe as the stars, but for other people, you're one of the stars. No one really knows, it should have gone in there Hopefully, it will be on the extended version when it's on video. I: Where there any significant problems with the movie? [Laugh]. Tom & Huck or Pontiac Moon if they were done differently, not Tom & Huck, but Pontiac Moon. I don't get it because those are our babies. And try to teach them to watch out for the warning signs. Over near Lake James. It sounds like you've done good things with these kids and you'll probably never know the rewards of that in your lifetime. In fact, he stayed at that, not a chateau What's the name of that MP: Okay, many people are sincerely anxious to see you in more films. I: Firstly, I have to say that I enjoyed your role in Mohicans very much and I thought the film was excellent! We're working on it. I'm into it. Was that ever filmed? That's one of the nicest small towns I've ever been in. I love Asheville. ES: Yeah. Available - Free Downloads Only! A GUEST AT THE GREAT MOHICAN GATHERING OF 1999. Or WE start making films of our own, which a lot of us has. SCRIPT || effects - without our expressed, written permission, constitutes copyright He was just a guy. SCRIPT || He'd rap with the extras and . anybody who was around. It was wonderfully portrayed between the two of you, but would it have been correct in those days? HISTORY || They do them and it comes right from Could you do me a favor? No problem. impact, and it's art imitating life and vice versa. Perhaps much is taken out of context. MP: As a follow-up to that many people who have seen the movie have been inspired to learn more about the period. went to a school to speak in Denver. E: No, I don't! And, hang out with my girlfriend. MP: Well, you'll have to tell us about it because we've not seen it. MP: Okay, many people are sincerely anxious to see you in more films. Daniel, he's pretty laid back, to say the least. I: And I presume the Hurons were speaking French? 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. Just go ahead and tell me how you feel about that. [laughs] There could have been a few more women. Probably the fort scenes. Thanks, Eric. Personal use on your own home PC is permissible! I: Now to the slew of questions! Or, do you even think it should be an issue? Each mask represented various animals and they contained a lot And I said, "If you want to be historically correct in this movie, you must realize that the clans back then would adopt this young white baby and we grew up with him. That's Andy Fraser. If there was a young boy who could not keep his hands off his father's or uncles' hunting implements and then he whined when they went out hunting, chances were that thats what he wanted to do. MP: So, on the set then, he would just do a scene and then go off by himself? Even so, it seems to us, one simply must dispute much of what he says. It's everybody's favorite spot. Available - Free Downloads Only! He didn't socialize. ES: Yeah, absolutely. I believe you have been growing it for eight years? It's pretty good. you see a lot of them come out of their Do you have a message for these people? That scene has repeatedly come up because following that, when you're getting your wound dressed by Cora ES: Oh yes. I've never told anyone I am a Marlon Brando or whoever. of the interview, we felt comfortable with him, and he with us. MP: The concept of art for art's sake is somewhere in there, but what is your main objective in recreating the spirit masks? E: I think they wanted that, but the height did come into it. ES: Yeah, as opposed to a few years ago, it's reasonably quiet, yeah. MP: How do feel about being cast in the real-life role of Indian activist? Gangster rap's fine for the individual who doesn't want to pick up a gun and . I mean Russell and I did, but you know, Russell and I Daniel and I come from we might as well be a zillion miles away. friendly towards each other or any of that. I: Well, I've learned a lot today from you and I really thank you for all the time you've given me. Copyright ? Something that minuscule I wouldn't remember. Either your adopted or your natural family? He was in good humor throughout. MESSAGE BOARD, STOREFRONTS! [Laughs] They're not making Spaghetti Westerns. MP: What did you think of her being there? It was incredible. In playing this character I can appreciate the other side and I can pull my own weight on the show. I'd take a picture of every one of them, too! I keep trying to get people to get into acting so we have someone who can focus on just being a funny guy or a bad guy or a psycho or a love interest. And it has a real MP: I imagine they do! They employed 250 carpenters and they smacked it all up. I don't mind period pieces as long as it's something positive and not negative. Of course, like you were saying before, the old films from the 50s were horrible .. the Indians were the bad guys and they had to be eradicated no matter what. 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. 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. So, it it is somewhat difficult to have to knock his words. Eric Schweig is a Canadian actor of mixed Inuvialuk, Chippewa-Dene and German heritage. As you've read in the interview, a film project is likely to materialize. Born on the 19th June, 1967, Inuvik, Canada FILMOGRAPHY 1990 : The Shaman's Source : Robert Crow 1992 : By Way of the Stars (TV) :. I've always been into that, ever since I was a kid. An anger at how history has unfolded itself. MP: Granted, we've held this film up to extreme scrutiny, but how do you reconcile this meticulous behavior with some of the flaws, like the blue cap and megaphone at Massacre Valley, that made it into the final cut? And I'm waiting to see if I can get the role of Joseph Stone, a cop who's been to Lebanon and all that. AMERICAN HISTORICAL SIMULATIONS. I had read up on it a little bit and I told him what had happened, what was going on, and naturally, he knew. And, you know, it's the And if he could magnify that with a damned megaphone, he was happy as hell. Interviewing is something we hadn't done Eric Schweig and Arye Gross in "Big Eden." Out gay filmmaker Thomas Bezucha has a new film, "Let Him Go," now out in theaters. And I love to be around the sets, learning things. I don't just talk about it, I do it. retrospect, how do you feel about the quality of that film? Even in the 70s, or the 80s . the early 80s. The point is that it's not really We are much about the same height and the same build and I guess they wanted someone with long hair. . ES: Or even Vern. What sort of career advice do you have for kids interested in acting? He's all business. I: Do you think it's promoting your career in the way you would like it to? mask each and every time? E: The only stage shot was the waterfall and the cave. I see a lot of people who look all over the place for answers, except inside themselves. I: The dialects in Mohicans what are they? That's why we had, sometimes, 15 or 16 hour days. Massive games; twice the size of a football field and we are, It will be cool because it will be the first time I'll be on a set and.. abstaining. MP: Okay, well. aside from the masks, which will obviously be going to take a lot of your time and focus.. are you still pursuing your acting career? You were cut by a Huron. MP: Supposedly.. Uncas was. E: Very, very hot and sticky and it rained a lot. MP: When you watch the movie it seems as though you guys had bonded. We have seen your work and it's beautiful. MP: Okay. Teile diese Show mit deinen Freunden. It's there with each of these kids, though, and they'll carry that with them. I try to say this to kids: It has to do with that fear of success. 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. Eric was forthcoming and, we believe, candid in his responses; gracious, and willing to discuss everything we asked. I went over to his hotel and sat around with him. It is fun because you can do morally reprehensible shit and get away with it. I've never been, well.. they treated me like royalty. You're always poor. In COLOR! It was probably [name omitted] He's the 1st AD. You know, he hung out and he talked to . anybody. ES: Well, the doors are opening now. seen any film maker come up with. AMERICAN HISTORICAL SIMULATIONS. 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