''The Mystic Warrior'' is a 1984 American TV movie about a band of Sioux and the efforts of one man to save his people from destruction through the use of mysterious powers handed down by ancestors. The movie was originally a nine-hour mini-series entitled ''Hanta Yo'' to be aired in 1980, instead aired in 1984 as a five-hour mini-series with the new name. The mini-series has been released on DVD in Germany, but no international release as yet.

Plot

Set in the years 1802 to 1808, the finished film focused on a young brave named Ahbleza, the son of Olepi, chief of a fictional

lakota Lakota may refer to: * Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes *Lakota language, the language of the Lakota peoples Place names In the United States: * Lakota, Iowa * Lakota, North Dakota, seat of Nelson County * La ...

-speaking tribe, the Mahto ('Bear'). Blessed with supernatural visionary powers by the ancient Mahto seer Wanagi, Ahbleza sets about to save his people from the devastations of the future, among them the invasion of the white man. After a lengthy, truth-seeking odyssey fraught with tragedy and sacrifice, Ahbleza assumes his rightful place as spiritual leader of his tribe.

Cast

Robert Beltran Robert Adame Beltran (born November 19, 1953) is an American actor, known for his role as Commander Chakotay on the 1990s television series '' Star Trek: Voyager''. He is also known for stage acting in California, and for playing Raoul Mendoza ...

- Ahbleza * Devon Ericson - Heyatawin * David Yanez - Rion Hunter - Tonweya *Brigitte Gault - Kippana *Victoria Racimo - Napewaste *

Nick Ramus Nickolas George Ramus, also known and credited as Nick Ramus, (September 9, 1929 – May 30, 2007) was a Blackfoot Native American actor, best known for his appearances on television. Early life Ramus was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew u ...

- Chief Olepi *

James Remar William James Remar (born December 31, 1953) is an American actor. He has played numerous roles over a 40 year career, most notably Ajax in '' The Warriors'' (1979), Albert Ganz in ''48 Hrs.'' (1982), Dutch Schultz in '' The Cotton Club'' (1984 ...

- Pesla *Ned Romero - Wisa *

Apollonia Kotero Patricia Apollonia Kotero (born August 2, 1959) is an American singer, actress, former model and talent manager. She is known for co-starring in Prince's 1984 film '' Purple Rain'' and for having been the lead singer of the girl group Apolloni ...

- Wicahpi *Branscombe Richmond - Miyaca *

Will Sampson William Sampson Jr. (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was a Muscogee painter, actor, and rodeo performer. He is best known for his performance as the apparent deaf and mute Chief Bromden, the title role in ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' ...

- Wambli * Doug Toby - Young Ahbleza *

George Aguilar George Aguilar is a Mescalero Apache and Pascua Yaqui actor. He is best known for his roles as Cahuenga in ''Bagdad Café'', Johnny Sassamon in ''The Scarlet Letter'', Grandfather Stone in Dreamkeeper, Big Foot in '' Into the West'', and Ka ...

- Kungi Yuha Leader * Ivan Naranjo - Ogle *

Frank Salsedo Frank Sotonoma "Grey Wolf" Salsedo (May 20, 1929 – July 3, 2009) was a Native American actor. He was often cast in smaller parts centered on his Native American heritage. As an actor, Salsedo has performed in movies such as '' The Ghost Danc ...

- Sinte (as Frank Sotonoma Salsedo)

Production

The five-hour miniseries ''The Mystic Warrior'' began life in 1979 when producer

David L. Wolper David Lloyd Wolper (January 11, 1928 – August 10, 2010) was an American television and film producer, responsible for shows such as ''Roots'', '' The Thorn Birds'', and ''North and South'', and the theatrically-released films ''L.A. Confiden ...

announced plans for a ten-hour adaptation of ''Hanta Yo'', an epic historical novel by Ruth Beebe Hill. Using as her main source a full-blooded Sioux named Chunksa Yuha, Hill fashioned what amounted to a Native American version of ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...

'', chronicling the history of the fictional Matho (lakota: 'Bear') tribe of the Oglala Lakota Sioux. Although Hill was briefly the darling of the literary cognoscenti, her book was ultimately attacked and discredited by a veritable army of Indian historians, teachers, and activists, who accused her of distorting and falsifying truths in order to promote her own (and Yuha's) sociopolitical agenda. Suddenly, all of the Native American support that had been promised to the miniseries version of ''Hanta Yo'' evaporated. When the project finally aired on May 20 through 21, 1984, its running time (and budget) had been cut in half, and the producer was obliged to qualify the credits by noting that the teleplay was based partially on Hill's book, but mostly on "other sources". The filming location had to be changed from

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

Thousand Oaks, California Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is in the northwestern part of Greater Los Angeles, approximately from the city of Los Angeles and from Downtown. It is named after the many oak tr ...

, so as not to offend the Indian tribes in the former state.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mystic Warrior, The American television films 1984 television films 1984 films ABC network original films The Wolper Organization films Films about Native Americans Films directed by Richard T. Heffron