Why is New Zealand so underrated with its filmmaking abilities? [Archive]

Biddellsmith

12/28/2010, 07:53 pm

5 of the highest grossing films in history involve New Zealand fimmaking, these are the three New Zealand made US funded films for the Lord Of the Rings trilogy, Shrek 2 (along with the slightly less popular Shrek) was created by a New Zealander, and Jurassic Park had a kiwi actor as the lead role (Sam Niell) so can someone please tell me why you think New Zealand is not a more significant power in the moviemaking world?

Irishmile

12/28/2010, 08:51 pm

Well I think you are mistaken for the reason you already mentioned... Do not forget that MANY popular TV series have been made there over the years as well.

I think the movie industry and Movie viewers have plenty of respect for the New Zealand movie industry.... I mean come on who doesnt like the movie Once were warriors?

I think it just seems that way because there is SOOO much money in Hollywood its hard to compete.... but slowly places like Canada and New Zealand are making waves.....

Strange topic for a first post.

doggans

12/29/2010, 04:35 am

I'm reading the words in this thread, but all I'm hearing is "Telltale needs to make a Flight of the Concords game".

Blue Tights

12/29/2010, 04:14 pm

You forgot the #1 highest grossing film in history... AVATAR ;) which was filmed in New Zealand.

jp-30

01/05/2011, 11:15 am

It's because NZers are typically humble and don't like to boast or draw publicity to their achievements. They just get on with their jobs with a minimum of fuss.

Minimal publicity leads to being underrated.

And outside of small budget / independent films, our achievements really lie with Jackson/Weta. We're just lucky he based himself in Wellington instead of Hollywood.

Blue Tights

01/05/2011, 05:39 pm

How about a name change... "Wellingwood", or perhaps "Wetawood"? :p hehe

jp-30

01/05/2011, 10:26 pm

Yeah, they tried that.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/3437938/Wellywood-sign-a-no-go-US-lawyers

Didn't get very far.

waroftheworlds01

01/05/2011, 10:45 pm

"I'm sure they had no idea the sign was trademarked."

I sure as hell didn't know that.

"Recreating the Hollywood sign might be cute for a little while, but if you're going to leave it up there, you're better to do something that's unique."

Very good point on their part.

"The proposal for a 3.5m-high sign has the support of film-maker Sir Peter Jackson, who suggested copying the Hollywood sign and said the idea was a combination of tongue-in-cheek humour and pride in Wellington's film industry."

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Hold up.... when did Peter Jackson get knighted? Was it on the set of Lord or the Rings? Cause if so I don't think that counts.

jp-30

01/07/2011, 12:56 pm

April 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT1qKwX4tyU

adventureaddict

01/07/2011, 01:28 pm

I'm reading the words in this thread, but all I'm hearing is "Telltale needs to make a Flight of the Concords game".

Anyone should make anything FoTC related. I miss them :(
(Although, getting that taste of Jermaine in Dinner for Schmucks was great.)

JedExodus

01/07/2011, 01:58 pm

I never underrated New Zealand, I just never happen to have seen a film that's an entirely all New Zealand affair

Sausy Gibbon

01/07/2011, 02:04 pm

What do you mean underrated I don't think anyone would expect any more or less of a film regardless of where it is made.

jp-30

01/07/2011, 04:51 pm

I never underrated New Zealand, I just never happen to have seen a film that's an entirely all New Zealand affair

Go see "Boy'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwqfR8g-Qow

Or Whale Rider.

Or Bad Taste.

Or Once Were Warriors.

Or Eagle vs Shark

Or...

;)

puzzlebox

01/07/2011, 05:04 pm

Or Whale Rider.
[...]
Or Eagle vs Shark

Yaaaay :)

To me, NZ film doesn't seem to be underrated at all. But that's probably because I'm an Aussie and we love our funny-accented neighbours enough to pay attention to their films.

tobar

01/07/2011, 05:10 pm

Go see "Boy'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwqfR8g-Qow

I'd like to if it were playing anywhere near me or was available on DVD. :(

Giant Tope

01/07/2011, 07:20 pm

since when was ;) a movie?

jp-30

01/07/2011, 08:10 pm

;) came out in 1993

taumel

01/08/2011, 01:27 am

I think Kiwis are overrated as jp-30 is. Sam Neil is fantastic. Lord of the Rings could have been better. Shrek completely sucks. Beside of Sam Neil, the best thing i can think of from New Zealand is BlitzMax and maybe monkey soon. Nice nature but a) we have that on our own and b) i was forced to watch too many photos. Nick Cave, wait that's Australia, okay, i think i'm done.

Lennie Melvin

01/08/2011, 07:24 am

oooh I love Whale Rider...

Irishmile

01/08/2011, 08:41 am

Yeah Whale Rider was pretty cool... I forgot about that movie... but seriously though Temuera Morrison is like the Samuel L Jackson of New Zealand.. no matter how low budget and lame the movie is he makes it awesome and badass...

jp-30

01/08/2011, 12:24 pm

taumel, Sam Neill wasn't born in NZ, so you can remove him from your list and New Zealand (and I) can be completely without redeeming qualities.

taumel

01/08/2011, 01:03 pm

I don't care where Sam Neill was born but as someone wrote it, why not. I hope those dinosaurs won't turn out not beeing Kiwis as well. :O)

Bubblechan

01/08/2011, 07:00 pm

taumel, Sam Neill wasn't born in NZ, so you can remove him from your list and New Zealand (and I) can be completely without redeeming qualities.

According to Wikipedia, Sam Neill's father is a third generation New Zealander, so I think you can say he's a kiwi.

While there are so many talented people in NZ, it's a small country with population of only 4 million and doesn't really have big money to produce a lot of films without overseas investments, so you can't really compare the country to USA or UK or even Australia.

Sausy Gibbon

01/08/2011, 11:01 pm

Are their anymore NZ films people could recomend that were released more recently? To be honest I've only seen NZ films that have had mainstream releases.

jp-30

01/09/2011, 12:16 am

Track down Eagle vs. Shark and Boy.

tobar

01/09/2011, 12:50 am

and lava girl? :p

JedExodus

01/09/2011, 06:12 am

Todays **WORLD CINEMA SUNDAY** in ma maison. It's a toss up between Downfall, Delicatessen and Boy

Also, so we're all agreed New Zealand isn't underrated then? :)

taumel

01/09/2011, 08:27 am

No, not really...not even the Kiwi fruits origin from New Zealand, the Kiwi bird can't fly, no wonder they're drinking beer there.

IronCladChicken

01/12/2011, 03:38 am

'no wonder they're drinking beer there.'
You need a reason to drink beer?

Lonnie

01/27/2011, 03:19 am

Yeh Weta Digital did the Fx for Avatar, I remember seeing a t-shirt Cameron was wearing which said something like I heart Wellington or Weta, cant remember which.

Check out the NZ movie filmed here in Christchurch that made Kate Winslet famous called Heavenly Creatures.

Lonnie

01/27/2011, 03:23 am

RetroVortex

01/27/2011, 06:34 am

I remember seeing Braindead and Bad Taste in UK around 2005 not knowing I would end up in NZ years later which is pretty cool, because those films were inspirational to me.

Same goes for Once Were Warriors. Saw that one night when I was 15 in UK and it blew my mind.

I LOVE Peter Jackson's earlier works.
(Its a shame he doesn't do films like that anymore... :,()

NZ does seem to be a host of a lot of talent, its kind of like New Zealanders are to movies, as the Welsh are to singing! XD

Lonnie

01/27/2011, 07:49 am

I LOVE Peter Jackson's earlier works.
(Its a shame he doesn't do films like that anymore... :,()

NZ does seem to be a host of a lot of talent, its kind of like New Zealanders are to movies, as the Welsh are to singing! XD

Yeh I was so taken back by Once Were Warrors i thought wow what a film.

When my mate showed me Braindead i was dying of laughter, it was awesome.

Im trying to crack the film making world here in NZ, im gunna be making a film thid year, i have many ideas

Toothless Gibbon

01/27/2011, 09:05 am

NZ does seem to be a host of a lot of talent, its kind of like New Zealanders are to movies, as the Welsh are to singing! XD

That is not the only thing the two nationalities share ;)

jp-30

01/29/2011, 12:58 am

Oi!

Woodsyblue

01/29/2011, 01:14 am

Every single film pointed out in the original post were produced by American companies. The reason no small country can get a film industry going anywhere near the scale of Hollywood is because as soon as someone from that country becomes successful they leave that country's film industry for greener pastures. Sure, there are very successful New Zealand actors and directors, and many films are made in New Zealand but at the end of the day every successful film mentioned is still American.

jp-30

01/29/2011, 01:34 am

Depends how you define 'successful'.

Brain Dead, Once Were Warriors, Heavenly Creatures, Boy, Eagle vs Shark...

All successful. Not Hollywood blockbusters, of course.

Woodsyblue

01/29/2011, 01:39 am

Well in this context the original poster was talking about '5 of the highest grossing films in history' but I see your point. Great films are not exclusive to Hollywood, far from it. New Zealand has produced a number of great films but none, sadly, that would be included in the 'highest grossing films in history.'

Also, to help prove my point, the directors of a number of those films, such as Lee Tamahori and Peter Jackson, went off to make films for Hollywood after they made their mark in New Zealand.

taumel

01/29/2011, 04:08 am

This thread really has its hilarious moments. :O)

If you compare some of those movies mentioned here to the films other countries produced. Well, JedExodus pointed it out already.

jp-30

01/29/2011, 12:15 pm

And another hilarious moment, thanks taumel!

taumel

01/29/2011, 10:53 pm

No problem, as New Zealand's humour isn't underrated as well, it's obvious that you'rr thankful for every input.