The Great Bucket List Tour of New Zealand Film Sets
When munching away on the old popcorn, it's really easy to forget the hard work behind the scenes of a film and to watch it believing that the plot, characters, props, dialogue and setting have all just come together in a 'natural fit'. Of course this 'natural fit' is anything but with the film's director and production team behind every single element seen on screen. Locations are a key ingredient to establishing a film's mise-en-scène (its visual style), so I decided to add to my Bucket List, visits to some of the local, powerful and very dramatic film-scapes used in my 5 favourite New Zealand movies:
Itinerary for Favourite New Zealand Film Set Tours
From north to south, the tour would have to go something like this:
Movie is: The Piano (1993) Directed by Jane Campion
The Piano tells the story of a mute woman sent from Scotland along with her young daughter and piano to 1850s New Zealand for an arranged marriage to a wealthy landowner. The dramatic and tear-jerking scenes of her landing and of some wild, wonderful and windswept piano playing are filmed on Kare Kare Beach (less than 30km west of Auckland city).
The Destination is: Auckland
The Plan: Head out to explore Kare Kare's dramatic beach and rainforest environment, then back to the bright lights of Auckland city centre to enjoy the night-life.
Plan B: Could also check out the beautiful and expansive beaches at Muriwai near Auckland (used in The Chronicles of Narnia and The World's Fastest Indian).
Not in the Plan: Checking out urban, suburban Auckland, location for the rather grim if powerful Once Were Warriors directed by Lee Tamahori. I may take along the Alan Duff book for bedtime reading though.
Movie is: Whale Rider (2002) Directed by Niki Caro
Whale Rider tells the story of a young Maori girl who has to fight to fulfil a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognise. Filmed in the tiny beach side township of Whangara on the Gisborne and Eastland coast.
The Destination is: Hawke's Bay / Gisborne
The Plan: Stay in Hawke's Bay, soak up Whangara, local wineries and the light, airy atmosphere of the bay (dream up a new film that can use Napier's fantastic art deco background).
Movie is: Heavenly Creatures (1994) Directed by Peter Jackson
This amazing film is based on a real-life 1954 murder committed by two schoolgirls and features Kate Winslet's screen debut. Filmed in Christchurch city and in the surrounding Port Hills... "on locations where the actual events took place." (Peter Jackson)
The Destination is: Christchurch
The Plan: To follow in the footsteps of the great Peter Jackson and Kate Winslet, take in the views, the peace, the quiet and relax back at local hotel for an added touch of quintessential Englishness.
Movie is: Perfect Strangers (2003) Directed by Gaylene Preston
My Kiwi favourite, Sam Neill stars as a brilliantly creepy 'blind date' who kidnaps a woman he meets on the wild West Coast taking her back to his wild and inaccessible island. The rugged, remote and beautiful West Coast of the South Island reflects the relationship that develops between the main characters perfectly, so one really needs to creep slowly along the coast to Greymouth, Westport and the Pancake Rocks (Punakaiki).
The Destination is: South Island's West Coast / Blenheim
The Plan: Head up the West Coast and enjoy a really nice romantic break (not a Sam Neill-inspired one) before checking out another film location in Blenheim and enjoying a few glasses of the world famous Sauvignon Blanc. This plan is one of the best!
Movie is: In My Father's Den (2004) Directed by Brad McGann
The fabulous Matthew Macfadyen stars a disillusioned war journalist returning home to small town New Zealand who becomes implicated in the mysterious disappearance of a teenage girl he has befriended.
The Destination is: Queenstown
The Plan: Add a few adrenalin rushes to my film set tour by staying in Queenstown, the Adventure Capital of New Zealand and checking out Otago sets, Alexandra and Roxburgh.
Movie Magic By Peter Jackson
Not on the list yet, but soon to be added are the locations being used by Peter Jackson in The Hobbit. I may even have to go with the film-buff flow and add a Lord of the Rings tour to my Bucket List too.
Easy to Find, Easy to Book and Easy-Going Accommodation
Most of these fabulous films' locations and backdrops are located in the most beautiful and not surprisingly some of the most popular destinations in New Zealand - for visitors, tourists and film buffs alike. Hotel accommodation is easy to find for my film-set tour plans including hotels owned by New Zealand hotel group, Scenic Hotel Group ( http://www.scenichotelgroup.co.nz/)who offer warm welcomes from genuine Kiwis who don't really care about the state of your boots!
Questions and Answers
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