My partner recently went down to Lake Pupuke to take pictures of the set only to find it being demolished by construction workers. They said that the movie had been cancelled due to "running out of money".
Another legend dies. :o(
I dont think the legend died. Remakes usually suck. WHy remake an already great movie? In all actuality, the original was low budget and was dependent on good direction. Today is a great opportunity for an independent to do this film. Just grab a Panasonic GS500 and make an excellent budget. Umm hmm. I just happened to be a good one for this. I may just act on it to make a fanfilm.
Fanfilms are great.
This from the Dominion Post, 30-6-08:
>However, plans to start shooting Under the Mountain have been delayed after British company Capitol Films withdrew substantial funding for the project at the last minute.
The film version of Maurice Gee's novel, tipped to star Sam Neill and directed by Black Sheep's Jonathan King, was to have started shooting in Auckland last month and was then delayed till August.
But plans were now on hold while the writers and producers approach the Screen Production Investment Fund for more money.
King said they were waiting on a "key funding decision".
So, not dead yet. And technically not a "remake": with the original source material being a novel, this would more correctly be called an "adaptation". I agree, genuine remakes usually do suck (notable exceptions= The Fly and The Thing) but decent adaptations are everywhere.
And this from the Dominion Post today:
>Actors Sam Neill and Oliver Driver will square off in a battle of good versus evil in the movie version of the popular children's book Under the Mountain.
The filming of the adaptation of the award-winning Maurice Gee novel starts in Auckland on August 11, with some scenes shot on volcanic Rangitoto Island in the Hauraki Gulf.
Directed by Wellingtonian Jonathan King, who made his debut with Black Sheep, the fantasy film features Neill as Mr Jones, a benevolent alien who helps twins Theo and Rachel fight the evil slug-like aliens known as The Wilberforces, who lurk beneath Auckland's volcanos.
Driver, who was transformed into a flesh-hungry "weresheep" in Black Sheep, will play the villainous Mr Wilberforce.
Auckland teenagers, Sophie McBride, 17, and Tom Cameron, 16, will make their screen debut as red-headed twins Rachel and Theo at the centre of the story, which was made into a popular television series in the 1980s.
King said he wanted to deliver a scary and exciting adventure for teenage audiences.
"The story will contrast a contemporary Auckland city setting with a fantastic subterranean world beneath."
The 28-member Kiwi cast includes Madeleine Sami (The Jaquie Brown Diaries), Matt Sunderland (Out of the Blue), and Wellington film veteran Nathaniel Lees.
The creature effects will be produced by Richard Taylor's Weta Workshop in Wellington.
The movie was put on hold in April because of funding problems but filming is now going ahead after international and local investors, including the New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand on Air and TVNZ, were secured.
That sounds awesome, I always wanted to see film version of under the mountain and having Sam Neil in this....is going to be great. Awesome:)
shareI remember they said on TV 3 News, just a week ago that it was happening and Sam Neil & Oliver Driver were in it etc, they seemed pretty sure then. Lets hope so !!
shareJust saw on on set interview with Sam the Man and JK on TV3 News and it wraps principal photography in a couple of weeks and all is well with the project. :-)
Woo hoo, cant wait for the Wilberforces.....
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Nah, it's being released December 10th. Not cancelled. Here is the trailer :)
http://nz.promotions.yahoo.com/movies/under-the-mountain/?r=2014156044
"Who can say if I've been changed for the better. But because I knew you I have been changed for good."
Thank you so much for posting this. I had no idea that there was a remake of Under The Mountain with Sam Neill. I love the original. Although I have not seen it since my childhood, I remember many things about it quite vividly.
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Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?