By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Jul 28, 2002 at 5:16 AM

"Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner" will be a real test of American movie-going audiences. In addition to being an Inuit-made film with an all Inuit cast, the expansive movie is three hours long and in Inuit, with English subtitles. This is not to scare you away, however; just a warning.

And you shouldn't avoid it for any of these reasons as the epic film with an intimate feel is a wonderful film. What initially appears to be a peaceful community of hard-working people battling a fierce climate rapidly appears to be just another human culture ravaged by violence and in-fighting.

A murder sets the scene for two brothers to challenge the traditional order in this movie based on a thousand-year-old Inuit legend. Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaaq) and Amaqjuaq (Pakkak Innukshuk) become outcasts after the former wins a fight to claim Atuat (Sylvia Ivalu) away from Oki (Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq), to whom she was promised.

When another woman comes into the picture and gets between the brothers, she facilitates Oki's long-awaited revenge. Although Oki and his henchmen manage to murder Amaqjuaq as he sleeps, Atanarjuat -- the fast runner -- makes his getaway, fleeing naked over the ice, his endurance and speed keeping him ahead of his pursuers. But an ongoing pattern of reprisals has emerged.

The film -- made in Igloolik, a community of 1,200 people on an island in the Canadian Arctic that has been occupied by humans for more than 4,000 years -- is a 172-minute vision of loveliness, with broad expanses of blue sky, white snow and azure seas. At once stunning and so forbidding, it boggles the mind to consider that people manage to carve an existence there.

What makes director Zacharias Kunuk's "Atanarjuat" most interesting is its portrayal of a culture so different from our own in so many superficial ways, but so similar at its basis.

As the clans of Inuit people struggle against the elements, they joke around, sing songs, dance to the beat of a drum, make love. They also argue, fight, connive, are frustrated by their hard work and bad luck, harbor thoughts of revenge and ultimately work themselves up to committing acts of violence.

Although the setting is exotic, the language is foreign and the clothing primitive, "Atanarjuat" is a snapshot of all humanity, as embodied by one hearty people.

"Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner," which has garnered a mantle full of awards, is now showing at Landmark's Oriental Theatre. As of Fri., Aug. 16, it moves to the Downer Theatre.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.