'Bridge to Nowhere' film going well

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 38, 12 March 1985, Page 4

'Bridge to Nowhere' film going well

The historic 'Bridge to Nowhere' is the unlikely focal point for a $1 million movie currently being shot in and around Raetihi. Larry Parr, a part-owner of the Raetihi Hotel, is the man behind the project. This will be his fifth feature film, with the major investor being the N.Z. Film Commission and several overseas based contributors. The movie, entitled 'Bridge to Nowhere', stars Phillip Gordon, who has been seen.more recently on television screens as the lead in 'Inside Straight'. Phillip plays the eldest of five children who come from Auckland to see the bridge. While they are in the bush, they upset a hermit called Mac who is played by Bruno Lawrence.

His girlfriend kills one of the children and Mac decides that none of the kids should ever leave the area to tell the story. This is the scenario written initally by Larry Parr himself with the screenplay penned by Aucklandef, Bill Baer. Towards the end of last year, Parr discussed the

Jackie Mott, 16, of Ohakune, has been assigned to the Waimarino Bulletin for five weeks. She" is shown here watching production manager, Rod Gill, as he prepares the newspaper for publication. She is one of ten local

project with well known actor and director, Ian Mune, who immediately offered his services as director of the movie. The screenplay was completed by the end of December 1984 and filming commenced last month. Parr believes that he has scored a major coup by obtaining the services of Ian

girls who are participating in a Young Person's Training Course being run by the Labour Department in Ohakune.

Mune. "He's a wonderful director, what we call an actor's director. He is a ball of energy and his infectious enthusiasm has both the actors and the whole crew responding positively." Parr is also convinced that with the wide range of Contd. on page 5

The girls, who are staying in the TASCI ski lodge, spend the rest of the week learning work skills.

Filming in Raetihi

Contd. from page 4 geography throughout the Raetihi area, the setting is an ideal one for the movie. "In addition, everyone is comfortable, their accommodation in Raetihi is excellent and they are being well catered for both on and off the set." Larry Parr is a relative newcomer to the movie business although he had been on the fringe for some time. As a merchant banker for the Broadbank Corporation, he arranged the financing of 'Sleeping Dogs', starring the then unknown Sam Neill. He left Broadbank in December 1979 to form his own production company, Mirage Films, and says that he has no regrets at all. Parr would appear to have something of a glamorous life, last year he attended the Cannes Film Festival where he showedtwo films, 'Constance' and 'Pallet on the Floor'. He insists that it is a case of trying to retain his sanity in something of a difficult situation where the other companies have what appear to be unlimited finance to promote their movies. For him it was just 'hard .

work', talking to people, encouraging them to see his movies, rather than someone elses. Parr is now in Los Angeles at a week-long film festival where he is showing three movies, 'Pallet on the Floor', 'Came a Hot Friday', which was filmed in and around Wanganui and is due for release here later in the year, and 'Shaker Run'. He regularly 'comes home' to visit his parents, Ray and Iris Parr who are also part owners and licensees at the Raetihi Hotel. In addition, Parr is looking forward to continuing his flying lessons which are constantly interrupted by his hectic work schedule. Glowing Praise Ian Mune, whilst bemoaning the fact that he is not shooting the movie fast enough, is glowing in his praise of both the fantastic location scenery and the actors he is working with. "The kids are putting everything into their performances and are drained at the end of the day." The actors, in addition to Phillip Gordon, who portray the lost kids are Margaret Umbers who was seen in the T.V. series 'Heroes', Stephen Judd and two newcomers who replied to an advertisement for their roles,

Shelly Luxford and Matthew Hunter. "The locals have been terrific, if we didn't have their support and cooperation then it would be very difficult," says Mune. He hopes to complete the movie by the end of April, and is then going to retire temporarily to his goat farm north of Auckland. Later this year, Mune will work with Parr on another film project, details of which are not yet available. The film crew members are enjoying their five week stay in the area, and are to be seen every lunchtime satisfying their tremendous appetites by piling their plates full with food prepared at the Raetihi Hotel and transported to the site. Locals Involved There are also a few locals actively involved in the making of the movie, including former Waimarino Hospital midwife, Angela Fahey, who'is the on site nurse. She has been kept busy treating cuts, bruises, abrasions and insect bites and in addition has been called on to treat sprained ankles sustained by two of the actresses. Bill Cornelius, who farms in the Maungapurua Valley, is assisting with one scene which involves cattle, while

Stewart Graham is also helping the film makers. The Ruapehu region is rapidly gaining a reputation as the film centre of New Zealand, as several movies including 'Skin Deep', 'Pictures', 'Wild Horses', 'Smash Palace', 'Strata', and 'Goodbye Pork Pie', have been filmed in the area. Larry Parr is uncertain when 'Bridge to Nowhere' will be released but it is certain that when it is, it will have a long run in Raetihi as people rush to see their own town and the surrounding countryside.

The ski season never ends for Phil Secombe from Taihape and Merva Whale of Ohakune. Last week they packed their skis and walked from the Turoa car park up Mt Ruapehu to the snow. The trek took three hours, but was well worth it,

claims Phil, as there aren't many people who get to ski in New Zealand in February or March. Phil and Merva have made the trek up the mountain to the snow several times this year and plan to do it again before the 'real' ski season starts in June or July.