Movie makers interested in Hannah Duston story

Eagle-Tribune ^ | August 23, 2006 | Shawn Regan

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Duston made history March 15, 1697, when she was kidnapped by Abenaki Indians, who killed her infant daughter by bashing the baby's head against a tree.

This was the standard Modus Operandi during raids for captives and loot by Eastern Indians (especially the Shawnees), who killed the infants because they did not want their locations given away by the crying. The various captivity narratives are filled with these types of barbarous killings...

[Pharmboy]

Whoa...can I find that book on the shelves at Barnes and Noble or Borders? I think not...

[Arthalion]

That is the version that will ultimately get green lighted

It's quite possible that both versions are true, in a sense. Indians kidnap woman and kill her baby. Woman pretends to befriend them, and gets them drunk. Woman takes her revenge by killing them all in their sleep. Entirely plausible.

[operation clinton cleanup]

It's quite possible that both versions are true, in a sense. Indians kidnap woman and kill her baby. Woman pretends to befriend them, and gets them drunk. Woman takes her revenge by killing them all in their sleep. Entirely plausible.

Probably closer to the truth, but I imagine the film portraying the Indians as victims of the violent colonists.

[Valpal1]

Maybe she was just sending them a message in a language they understood.

[Guenevere]

1/64 ????

I didn't know you could splice the bloodline that much?

My great grandmother was Cherokee...whatever that makes me.

[Guenevere]

You think Wes Studi is cute..?....or Michael Mann :)

[Guenevere]

Cute?...I think not.

He's the stuff of nightmares...especially in Last of the Mohicans

...Now that other Indian...Uncas (Eric something)....oh my.

[Pharmboy]

Great comment...

[SoCalPol]

Interesting thread Pharmboy. I have several relatives that lived in Haverhill at that time.
Relatives who also were killed or captured by Indians there and other areas of New England in 1600s.

[Alouette]

Never told. I bet you never heard of it.

Actually the name tickled a memory cell and sure enough, he is mentioned in Fehrenbach's Comanches.

Qanah Parker had the last laugh on everyone, though.

[Clintonfatigued]

Wow, she was a regular Lady Rambo. I hope this film does get made, although one can expect the multicultural crowd to make the usual noises.

[Pharmboy]

Excellent...I'm sure if you traced your geneaology you would find that you have some Dunston blood in you.

[Clintonfatigued]

For some reason, this story strikes me as one you'd find interesting.

[SoCalPol]

Have done 30 years of genealogy research. Some really great stories.

[Pharmboy]

This woman, Cate Blanchett, could play this part quite believably...

[Holicheese]

Abenaki Indians, who killed her infant daughter by bashing the baby's head against a tree.
In the new version. The child will be killed by an evil corporation run by a white Christian. Or the baby will live in harmony with the indians, jumping through gum drop field and swimming in chocolat erivers.

[grey_whiskers]

Benjamin Jackendoff, another Los Angeles film producer

Now THERE's an unfortunate name!

Cheers!

[silverleaf]

Well, I had relatives kidnapped tortured and had their infant killed by Indians in the 1770's (and their 6 yr old kidnapped and kept as a slave for 3 years)- but killing and scalping 10 Indians/renegades is this woman's claim to fame. No wonder it appeals to Hollywood. A 17th century slasher flick

[SunkenCiv]

"Duston escaped with her nursemaid and a young boy from an island in the middle of the Merrimack River near present-day Concord, N.H., by killing and scalping as many as 10 of her captors."

Nice job, Hannah!