There isn’t anything quite like Hell’s Kitchen Season 16. Chef Gordon Ramsay returned with his high culinary standards, but the cast exceeded what audiences expected when it came to drama. However, it was certainly uneven, as it primarily weighed on the blue team that originally held all male chef contestants before Ramsay made any shakeups. Hell’s Kitchen fans remember season 16 as having the worst blue team in the history of the reality competition show, and they aren’t wrong.
‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Season 16 viewers called it ‘unwatchable’ L-r: Gordon Ramsay and Matt Hearn | Greg Gayne/Fox Related
‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Winners: What Do They Win, and Where Are They Now?
According to the official Hell’s Kitchen Reddit page, fans called season 16’s blue team “unlikable,” “a mess,” “dysfunctional,” and “unwatchable.” This all came back to the way that the team interacted with one another and the competing red team.
‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Season 16 viewers called it ‘unwatchable’ L-r: Gordon Ramsay and Matt Hearn | Greg Gayne/Fox Related
‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Winners: What Do They Win, and Where Are They Now?
According to the official Hell’s Kitchen Reddit page, fans called season 16’s blue team “unlikable,” “a mess,” “dysfunctional,” and “unwatchable.” This all came back to the way that the team interacted with one another and the competing red team.
- 3/7/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Matt Hearn, producer of Wolf Creek, one of Australia’s biggest genre exports, is backing Penny Lane Is Dead, the feature debut of Australian writer-director and makeup artist Mia’kate Russell, reports Variety. “Penny Lane is set on a warm night as 17-year-old Penny Lane is celebrating getting into college with her longtime girlfriends Toni and Amy. The night, however, does not turn out […]
The post ‘Penny Lane Is Dead’ – ‘Wolf Creek’ Producer Spikes the Cupcakes appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post ‘Penny Lane Is Dead’ – ‘Wolf Creek’ Producer Spikes the Cupcakes appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 7/19/2022
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
Matt Hearn, producer of “Wolf Creek,” one of Australia’s biggest genre exports, is backing “Penny Lane is Dead,” the feature debut of Australian writer-director and makeup artist Mia’kate Russell.
Set up at Melbourne’s Buffalo Media, headed by André Lima, who will produce “Penny Lane is Dead” with Hearn, “Penny Lane” looks like one of the strongest projects being brought onto the market this week at Frontières, in terms of its behind the camera talent package and financing.
“Penny Lane” features among Frontières’ six Forum projects, a program reserved for films in advanced stages of financing.
The film has drawn down “significant funding” from Screen Australia’s Producer Offset program, which means 40 of the film finance is secured, Lima told Variety.
“With the right market partners in place, we estimate that [a further] 20-30 of the production budget can be raised from our federal and state film agencies through their production investment funding programs,...
Set up at Melbourne’s Buffalo Media, headed by André Lima, who will produce “Penny Lane is Dead” with Hearn, “Penny Lane” looks like one of the strongest projects being brought onto the market this week at Frontières, in terms of its behind the camera talent package and financing.
“Penny Lane” features among Frontières’ six Forum projects, a program reserved for films in advanced stages of financing.
The film has drawn down “significant funding” from Screen Australia’s Producer Offset program, which means 40 of the film finance is secured, Lima told Variety.
“With the right market partners in place, we estimate that [a further] 20-30 of the production budget can be raised from our federal and state film agencies through their production investment funding programs,...
- 7/19/2022
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
David Lightfoot, producer of films such as Wolf Creek, died on Sunday following complications from recent surgery.
Lightfoot worked in the screen industry for more than 30 years, beginning at the South Australian Film Corporation in 1982.
His prolific career spanned more than 80 credits in various roles, including associate producer of Bad Boy Bubby; location manager for Babe; co-producer for The Sound of One Hand Clapping and line producer for Japanese Story.
Lightfoot was both producer and line producer for Greg McLean’s 2005 hit Wolf Creek, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and screened in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
He continued to collaborate with McLean on 2007’s Rogue, and went on to produce Rupert Glasson’s thriller Coffin Rock in 2009.
Mickey Rourke, Matt Hearn, Greg McLean, Cassandra Magrath and David Lightfoot in Cannes, 2005.
More recently, via his company Ultrafilms, he produced Jack Thompson, Jacki Weaver and James Cromwell-starrer Never Too Late with Antony I. Ginnane.
Lightfoot worked in the screen industry for more than 30 years, beginning at the South Australian Film Corporation in 1982.
His prolific career spanned more than 80 credits in various roles, including associate producer of Bad Boy Bubby; location manager for Babe; co-producer for The Sound of One Hand Clapping and line producer for Japanese Story.
Lightfoot was both producer and line producer for Greg McLean’s 2005 hit Wolf Creek, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and screened in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
He continued to collaborate with McLean on 2007’s Rogue, and went on to produce Rupert Glasson’s thriller Coffin Rock in 2009.
Mickey Rourke, Matt Hearn, Greg McLean, Cassandra Magrath and David Lightfoot in Cannes, 2005.
More recently, via his company Ultrafilms, he produced Jack Thompson, Jacki Weaver and James Cromwell-starrer Never Too Late with Antony I. Ginnane.
- 6/15/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Tickets are now on sale for Port Shorts – the coolest film festival in the heart of tropics.
Come and join host Stephen Curry for 2 magical nights of short films under the stars in Port Douglas and attend the Port Shorts Masterclass Series
The Masterclass Series will be held in the days leading up to the Port Shorts Film Festival from October 22 – 26. World-renowned drone operators XM2
(Thor, Lion, Pirates of the Caribbean 5, Aquaman, Westworld) will join Festival Ambassadors Stephen Curry, Matt Hearn and Kier Shorey along with other industry experts, with classes on screenwriting, sound design, stunts, acting and documentary film making.
More information on the Masterclass Series www.portshorts.com/schedule
Tickets for all events are available here portshorts.floktu.com
Win 2 nights the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort and a double pass to Port Shorts Film Festival for Saturday October 26th here www.portshorts.com/sheraton-grand-competition
The post Port Shorts appeared first on If Magazine.
Come and join host Stephen Curry for 2 magical nights of short films under the stars in Port Douglas and attend the Port Shorts Masterclass Series
The Masterclass Series will be held in the days leading up to the Port Shorts Film Festival from October 22 – 26. World-renowned drone operators XM2
(Thor, Lion, Pirates of the Caribbean 5, Aquaman, Westworld) will join Festival Ambassadors Stephen Curry, Matt Hearn and Kier Shorey along with other industry experts, with classes on screenwriting, sound design, stunts, acting and documentary film making.
More information on the Masterclass Series www.portshorts.com/schedule
Tickets for all events are available here portshorts.floktu.com
Win 2 nights the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort and a double pass to Port Shorts Film Festival for Saturday October 26th here www.portshorts.com/sheraton-grand-competition
The post Port Shorts appeared first on If Magazine.
- 9/23/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Many Fox shows have come and gone but, once again, there's no danger that Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen series will be cancelled any time soon. The network has already renewed the venerable cooking competition for season 17 and season 18. How will this season perform in the ratings? We'll have to wait and see.The season 16 contestants are Jessica Boynton, Genaro Delillo, Paulie Giganti, Shaina Hayden, Matt Hearn, Johnny McDevitt, Wendy Mendez, Heidi Parent, Andrew Pearce, Kimberly Roth, Kimberly-Ann Ryan, Devin Simpson, Aaron Smock, Pat Tortorello, Heather Williams, Koop Wynkoop, Aziza Young, and Rajeeyah "Gia" Young.The ratings are typically the best indication of a show's likelihood of staying on the air. The higher the ratings (particularly the 18-49 demo), the better the chances for survival. This chart will be updated as new ratings data becomes available -- usually the next day, around 11:30am Est/8:30am...
- 1/14/2017
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Stephen Curry.
Port Shorts Film Festival ambassadors Stephen Curry (The Castle, The Cup), Wolf Creek Ep Matt Hearn and.screenwriter Kier Shorey (Blurred), will deliver a free workshop in Port Douglas later this month.
They will be joined by Screen Queensland production incentive and attractions Manager Gina Black and New York Film Academy Australia.s Brian Vining and Dean Mayer.
.Do you guys even bother watching the weather report up there with your balmy winter sunsets? It.s bloody freezing here in Melbourne,. Curry said.
.Coincidently, Matt, Kier and I are very excited to be involved in these workshops helping young and emerging filmmakers develop their skills and build confidence in their craft.
.To be honest I.m probably not going to be much help, but the rest of the panel really know their stuff so it should be a great opportunity for anyone interested in filmmaking to come along and pick their collective brains.
Port Shorts Film Festival ambassadors Stephen Curry (The Castle, The Cup), Wolf Creek Ep Matt Hearn and.screenwriter Kier Shorey (Blurred), will deliver a free workshop in Port Douglas later this month.
They will be joined by Screen Queensland production incentive and attractions Manager Gina Black and New York Film Academy Australia.s Brian Vining and Dean Mayer.
.Do you guys even bother watching the weather report up there with your balmy winter sunsets? It.s bloody freezing here in Melbourne,. Curry said.
.Coincidently, Matt, Kier and I are very excited to be involved in these workshops helping young and emerging filmmakers develop their skills and build confidence in their craft.
.To be honest I.m probably not going to be much help, but the rest of the panel really know their stuff so it should be a great opportunity for anyone interested in filmmaking to come along and pick their collective brains.
- 8/2/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Port Shorts Film Festival has named its first 12 finalists ahead of the Port Douglas event on October 24.
Eleven of Australia.s finest short films and one special entry from Iran have been chosen from more than 100 entries.
Aussie actor Stephen Curry, Wolf Creek producer Matt Hearn and Cairns. own screenwriter extraordinaire and ABC Far North radio host Kier Shorey will have the task of choosing a winner for the $5000 Port Shorts Open Filmmaker Award and the $2000 Port Shorts Local Filmmaker Award.
Port Shorts Film Festival director, Alison George, has thanked all of the filmmakers for making the finalist announcement such a tough task.
.To be honest we could.ve chosen another 20 worthy films to screen at the festival which is a tribute to the quality of filmmakers around the country and in Far North Queensland,. she said.
.We can guarantee there will be laughs, there will be tears and you...
Eleven of Australia.s finest short films and one special entry from Iran have been chosen from more than 100 entries.
Aussie actor Stephen Curry, Wolf Creek producer Matt Hearn and Cairns. own screenwriter extraordinaire and ABC Far North radio host Kier Shorey will have the task of choosing a winner for the $5000 Port Shorts Open Filmmaker Award and the $2000 Port Shorts Local Filmmaker Award.
Port Shorts Film Festival director, Alison George, has thanked all of the filmmakers for making the finalist announcement such a tough task.
.To be honest we could.ve chosen another 20 worthy films to screen at the festival which is a tribute to the quality of filmmakers around the country and in Far North Queensland,. she said.
.We can guarantee there will be laughs, there will be tears and you...
- 10/8/2015
- by Inside Film Correspondent
- IF.com.au
Ports Shorts Film Festival is giving the first finalist for this year's festival free accommodation.
All you need to do is submit you entry by September 18 to be in the running for two nights accommodation in Port Douglas' Qt resort and a dinner for two at its Bazaar restaurant.
The Festival will take place on October 23-24 and more than $10,000 in cash and prizes will be on offer to entrants.
Two of Australia.s leading film industry figures, Wolf Creek and Rogue producer Matt Hearn and acclaimed actor
Stephen Curry (The Castle, The Cup, Underbelly, Hiding) have signed on as judges and ambassadors of the Port Shorts Film Festival and will be involved in workshops and mentoring opportunities for filmmakers.
With a $5000 cash prize for the best short film in the Open Filmmakers Awards, the Port Shorts Film Festival wants
Australia.s brightest emerging filmmakers to show audiences what they are capable of.
All you need to do is submit you entry by September 18 to be in the running for two nights accommodation in Port Douglas' Qt resort and a dinner for two at its Bazaar restaurant.
The Festival will take place on October 23-24 and more than $10,000 in cash and prizes will be on offer to entrants.
Two of Australia.s leading film industry figures, Wolf Creek and Rogue producer Matt Hearn and acclaimed actor
Stephen Curry (The Castle, The Cup, Underbelly, Hiding) have signed on as judges and ambassadors of the Port Shorts Film Festival and will be involved in workshops and mentoring opportunities for filmmakers.
With a $5000 cash prize for the best short film in the Open Filmmakers Awards, the Port Shorts Film Festival wants
Australia.s brightest emerging filmmakers to show audiences what they are capable of.
- 9/1/2015
- by Inside Film Correspondent
- IF.com.au
Remember a while back when we mentioned that the long awaited sequel to Wolf Creek had found its funding and was ready to go? Sadly, things change, and now? Well, now not so much. In fact, instead of fake blood, the filmmakers have one big mess on their hands.
According to The Herald Sun, Geoffrey Edelsten has launched legal action over his $5 million investment in the sequel to Aussie horror flick Wolf Creek. In documents filed in the Supreme Court this week, Mr Edelsten has flagged his intention to have rescinded the investment deed he signed for the sequel. He says he would never have invested $5 million had he known he was "by far and away" the biggest single private investor. The film has a $13.2 million budget.
Mr Edelsten says in an affidavit that only $300,000 of this was from other private investors, the balance coming from government grants.
He says...
According to The Herald Sun, Geoffrey Edelsten has launched legal action over his $5 million investment in the sequel to Aussie horror flick Wolf Creek. In documents filed in the Supreme Court this week, Mr Edelsten has flagged his intention to have rescinded the investment deed he signed for the sequel. He says he would never have invested $5 million had he known he was "by far and away" the biggest single private investor. The film has a $13.2 million budget.
Mr Edelsten says in an affidavit that only $300,000 of this was from other private investors, the balance coming from government grants.
He says...
- 12/24/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Three productions have been announced during today’s media tour and opening of the new Adelaide Studios; two films and one television series.
Adelaide Studios was $48m of a $300m project announced in 2008 to redevelop Glenside campus. Suitable for film, television and digital media production, the facilities at Adelaide Studios include:
Two soundstages (1,000sqm and 400sqm); A sound mixing theatre (Harrison and Icon console) with Dolby Premiere Accreditation sought; A 96-seat screening theatre; Adr/Foley recording studio; A large green room and; Production offices.
As the last film to shoot at Hendon studios, The King is Dead by Rolf De Heer will be the first to use the new sound mixing theatre, which Adelaide Studios CEO Richard Harris said is equalled only by that of the room at Deluxe in Sydney. Harris told Encore, it’s the part of the studios he’s most excited about.
The second feature announced...
Adelaide Studios was $48m of a $300m project announced in 2008 to redevelop Glenside campus. Suitable for film, television and digital media production, the facilities at Adelaide Studios include:
Two soundstages (1,000sqm and 400sqm); A sound mixing theatre (Harrison and Icon console) with Dolby Premiere Accreditation sought; A 96-seat screening theatre; Adr/Foley recording studio; A large green room and; Production offices.
As the last film to shoot at Hendon studios, The King is Dead by Rolf De Heer will be the first to use the new sound mixing theatre, which Adelaide Studios CEO Richard Harris said is equalled only by that of the room at Deluxe in Sydney. Harris told Encore, it’s the part of the studios he’s most excited about.
The second feature announced...
- 8/16/2011
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Way back in 2005, writer and director Greg Mclean‘s Aussie horror flick Wolf Creek soundly divided critics and audiences. While some considered it a welcome return to classic genre conventions, others saw its brutal depiction of violence and murder in the Australian Outback as anything but entertaining. Despite the misgivings of those horror haters, the film earned seven Australian Film Institute awards, including Best Director.
ScreenDaily reports Mclean, who followed the film with the man-eating alligator flick Rogue, has received the go ahead from Screen Australia to start production on Wolf Creek 2. Produced by Emu Creek Pictures and 403 Productions, the horror sequel is slated to begin shooting in February, with John Jarrat on board to reprise his role as the crazed Aussie serial killer Mick Taylor.
“We’re keeping story details top secret for now, but it is safe to say: scarier, bigger, badder,” says producer Matt Hearn. A brief...
ScreenDaily reports Mclean, who followed the film with the man-eating alligator flick Rogue, has received the go ahead from Screen Australia to start production on Wolf Creek 2. Produced by Emu Creek Pictures and 403 Productions, the horror sequel is slated to begin shooting in February, with John Jarrat on board to reprise his role as the crazed Aussie serial killer Mick Taylor.
“We’re keeping story details top secret for now, but it is safe to say: scarier, bigger, badder,” says producer Matt Hearn. A brief...
- 7/26/2011
- by James Battaglia
- The Film Stage
If you were scared witless by Aussie psychopath Mick Taylor (John Jarrett) in 2005's Wolf Creek, then you were probably reaching for a new pair of trousers after learning that writer/director Greg McLean finally seemed to have cracked a follow-up script late last year. Well, now you may want to steel yourself for an actual cinematic experience and take someone to hide behind, as McLean and Jarrett will be hard at work shooting the sequel in February.Screen Daily locked on to a press release from government-run film backers Screen Australia, which mentions that McLean has secured the necessary investment to get working properly on the film and that pre-production will kick off in December.“We’re keeping story details top secret for now, but it is safe to say: scarier, bigger, badder,” producer Matt Hearn tells the site. Which is roughly in line with what McLean talked up...
- 7/26/2011
- EmpireOnline
Greg McLean looks like he'll definitely be returning to outback horror with slasher sequel 'Wolf Creek 2'. It's been rumoured for a while now but this past weekend saw the head of Screen Australia, Ruth Harley, make the announcement at this past weekend's Melbourne International Film Festival that the project was going ahead. McLean and Matt Hearn were reportedly penning the script which would see the return of the beastly psychopath Mick Taylor, played by John Jarratt. Check out the full plot synopsis below....
- 7/25/2011
- Horror Asylum
Aussie director Greg McLean ('Rogue') is prepping a shoot on his outback horror sequel 'Wolf Creek 2'. It'll be filmed at some point next year and will see the return of Mick Taylor, played by John Jarratt. The guys over at Bloody Disgusting have exclusively revealed a new teaser poster for the intended sequelisation which features Mick as an ominous black shape. The poster's tagline? 'Mick's Back With a Few Days To Kill' - So what should we expect, the killer sitting around a camp fire, picking his booger build-up from the dry Australian heat? I'm sure he'll manage to track down a few unsuspecting, and twattish youngsters, ripe for a slashing. Check out the new poster below. McLean and Matt Hearn are co-writing the script. 'The plot will follow a backpacker seeking an authentic Australian adventure. Then he come to learn the deepest, darkest secrets of...
- 11/4/2010
- Horror Asylum
A little while back we reported on the news that a new sequel to the successful (not sure why) Australian horror 'Wolf Creek' was indeed going ahead and that director Greg McLean ('Rogue') would be returning to the helmer's seat, and will be co-writing the script alongside Matt Hearn. 'Wolf Creek 2' is set to see the return of the maniacal outback killer Mick Taylor (played by John Jarratt) and now at last we have some brief plot details from the follow-up. Check them out below. 'The plot will follow a backpacker seeking an authentic Australian adventure. Then he come to learn the deepest, darkest secrets of the Outback's most infamous serial killer, Mick Taylor.' Well we did say they were brief details. Not much to go on aside from the fact it sounds a tad dull and predictable, buy hey, its early days yet.
- 11/1/2010
- Horror Asylum
September brought us the first news of Wolf Creek 2 . Now, we have some early details about the plot to the 2005 thriller. Greg McLean is back in the director's chair, working with Matt Hearn on the script. Hearn produced the original Wolf Creek and McLean's Rogue . In the sequel, we're told the plot will follow a backpacker seeking an authentic Australian adventure. Then he come to learn the deepest, darkest secrets of the Outback's most infamous serial killer, Mick Taylor. John Jarratt will return as Taylor.
- 11/1/2010
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Three Australian films are among the five winners of the Producers Guild of America Co-Production Showcase.
The chosen projects are The Adventure of Kokochin, The Fourth Know and Under the Black Flag.
The CoProShow was developed by the PGA’s International Committee to provide international film producers with a opportunity to engage in an open dialogue with their U.S. counterparts. The showcase will take place during Produced by Conference at Twentieth Century Fox Studios in La next month.
“The winning producers will now have an opportunity to network with American producers in order to co-develop their projects and find the funding necessary,” said Stu Levy, chair of the PGA’s International Committee.
The winning projects are:
The Adventure of Kokochin, an Australia/China co-production (prod. Tim Baker, from Nsw and Jing Jin, from Paris/Beijing), teeling the story of Princess Kokochin, daughter of Chinese emperor Kublai Khan, who travels to Persia with Marco Polo,...
The chosen projects are The Adventure of Kokochin, The Fourth Know and Under the Black Flag.
The CoProShow was developed by the PGA’s International Committee to provide international film producers with a opportunity to engage in an open dialogue with their U.S. counterparts. The showcase will take place during Produced by Conference at Twentieth Century Fox Studios in La next month.
“The winning producers will now have an opportunity to network with American producers in order to co-develop their projects and find the funding necessary,” said Stu Levy, chair of the PGA’s International Committee.
The winning projects are:
The Adventure of Kokochin, an Australia/China co-production (prod. Tim Baker, from Nsw and Jing Jin, from Paris/Beijing), teeling the story of Princess Kokochin, daughter of Chinese emperor Kublai Khan, who travels to Persia with Marco Polo,...
- 5/19/2010
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
HollywoodNews.com: The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today the five winning film projects of the inaugural International Co-Production Showcase (CoProShow) competition, which is taking place in connection with the second annual Produced By Conference (Pbc) on June 4-6, 2010 at Twentieth Century Fox Studios. Reaching across film, television and new media industries, Pbc is a rare educational forum involving acclaimed producers, including countless Academy Award®-winning filmmakers and Emmy® winners, as well as the next generation of creative entrepreneurs.
The goal of the CoProShow, which was developed by the PGA’s International Committee, is to provide international film producers with a unique opportunity to engage in an open dialogue with their U.S. counterparts. Open to international film producers (non-us residents) with a screenplay synopsis for a feature-length project currently under development, the CoProShow represents the first co-production showcase competition to be held in Hollywood. Of the numerous submissions,...
The goal of the CoProShow, which was developed by the PGA’s International Committee, is to provide international film producers with a unique opportunity to engage in an open dialogue with their U.S. counterparts. Open to international film producers (non-us residents) with a screenplay synopsis for a feature-length project currently under development, the CoProShow represents the first co-production showcase competition to be held in Hollywood. Of the numerous submissions,...
- 5/12/2010
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Producers Guild of America on Tuesday named two Australian films and three others from countries around the world as winners in its inaugural International Co-Production Showcase, taking place in connection with the second annual Produced By Conference on the Fox lot.
CoProShow aims to "provide international film producers with a unique opportunity to engage in an open dialogue with their U.S. counterparts," the PGA said.
Winners included:
-- "66 Degrees North" (Iceland) -- Producers: Edwina Forkin and Richard Scobie; the story of an afflicted sea captain with a grim secret who is offered a second chance at life.
-- "The Adventure of Kokochin" (China) -- Producers: Tim Baker and Jing Jin; the true story of Princess Kokochin, daughter of Chinese emperor Kublai Khan, who travels to Persia with Marco Polo, is sold into a slave house, and then escapes back to China along the Silk Road.
-- "The Fourth Knot" (Victoria,...
CoProShow aims to "provide international film producers with a unique opportunity to engage in an open dialogue with their U.S. counterparts," the PGA said.
Winners included:
-- "66 Degrees North" (Iceland) -- Producers: Edwina Forkin and Richard Scobie; the story of an afflicted sea captain with a grim secret who is offered a second chance at life.
-- "The Adventure of Kokochin" (China) -- Producers: Tim Baker and Jing Jin; the true story of Princess Kokochin, daughter of Chinese emperor Kublai Khan, who travels to Persia with Marco Polo, is sold into a slave house, and then escapes back to China along the Silk Road.
-- "The Fourth Knot" (Victoria,...
- 5/11/2010
- by By Carl DiOrio
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Rogue", Greg Mclean's follow-up to the lo-fi torture-porn shocker "Wolf Creek", is the most expensive Australian-made horror film to date -- and it's easy to see what swallowed up the budget. The gigantic killer crocodile of the title is an outstanding feat of animatronics and CGI courtesy of Weta Workshop, the New Zealand special effects company that worked on the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The rest of this self-serious entry in the creature-feature genre is, however, surprisingly toothless.
Financing from Bob and Harvey Weinstein, who distributed "Wolf Creek" in the U.S., has allowed Mclean to cast Hollywood actors Michael Vartan and Radha Mitchell and employ slick production values that will broaden "Rogue's" appeal beyond the cult status enjoyed by his envelope-pushing 2005 debut. But fans of the truly nasty "Wolf Creek" will be disappointed with a shiny production that delivers formulaic jolts rather than stomach-turning gore and depravity.
"Rogue" currently is testing the waters Down Under to qualify for the Australian Film Industry awards ahead of its U.S. release Oct. 12 and an official Australian release Nov. 8.
As in all the best monster movies, the threat here is all the more menacing for being rooted in reality. At 25 feet long, the rogue saltwater croc does not outrageously exceed the largest found in Australia. But calling this the "Jaws" of the outback is overstating the film's place in the genre.
Mclean says he was influenced by the more character-driven horror films of the 1970s, yet his roll call of characters get little more than a perfunctory introduction before most of them enter the Northern Territory food chain.
Pete McKell (a reliably bland Vartan) is an American travel writer venturing way outside his comfort zone of five-star hotels to board a river cruise in a secluded region of outback Australia. He's joined by a group of tourists, each easily defined by a single adjective: a jolly backpacker, a bickering couple, a nervous widower ("Wolf Creek's" John Jarratt in a glorified cameo), a geeky photographer for comic relief and the obligatory pooch managing to elicit more audience empathy than most of its human co-stars.
Mclean and cinematographer Will Gibson do a nice job building mood in these early scenes, with stunning aerial shots of the ancient landscape's sweeping escarpments and isolated billabongs. While they're developing this quasi-mystical relationship with the landscape, spunky tour guide Kate (the Australian-born Mitchell) is taking care of exposition with a fact-filled spiel about the man-eating crocs that are the area's biggest tourist attraction.
It's intended to give the day-trippers a frisson of fear-tinged excitement -- and the audience a heads-up about grave danger ahead. When the tour boat follows a distress flare farther upriver and is rammed from beneath by something big, we don't need to see much of the huge, primordial beast gliding semi-submerged through the water. And we don't for quite a long while.
The tourists abandon the sinking boat and end up stranded on a tiny mud island. As night falls and the tidal river starts to rise, concerns about missing their bus give way to the realization that they have been, as one character chillingly puts it, "tagged as a food supply."
The rest is a bit by-the-numbers as the tourists are picked off in uncommonly straight-faced fashion, with one even risking his life to retrieve some painkillers without a hint of irony. Although there are a couple of heart-in-mouth set pieces, the pace slackens until the well-executed croc-vs.-hero smackdown in the predator's lair.
This is the payoff, when the croc is revealed in its fearsome entirety from dagger-toothed jaw to powerful tail. The creature is incredibly realistic, moves convincingly and fills the screen with a commanding presence. If only the same could be said for Michael Vartan.
ROGUE
The Weinstein Co.
Dimension Films, Village Roadshow Pictures, Emu Creek Pictures
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Greg Mclean
Producers: Matt Hearn, David Lightfoot, Greg Mclean
Executive producers: Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Joel Pearlman, Robert Kirby
Director of photography: Will Gibson
Production designer: Robert Webb
Music: Francois Tetaz
Costume designer: Nicola Dunn
Editor: Jason Ballantine
Cast:
Pete: Michael Vartan
Kate: Radha Mitchell
Neil: Sam Worthington
Russell: John Jarratt
Simon: Stephen Curry
Mary Ellen: Caroline Brazier
Colin: Damien Richardson
Merv: Barry Otto
Sherry: Mia Wasikowska
Running time -- 93 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Financing from Bob and Harvey Weinstein, who distributed "Wolf Creek" in the U.S., has allowed Mclean to cast Hollywood actors Michael Vartan and Radha Mitchell and employ slick production values that will broaden "Rogue's" appeal beyond the cult status enjoyed by his envelope-pushing 2005 debut. But fans of the truly nasty "Wolf Creek" will be disappointed with a shiny production that delivers formulaic jolts rather than stomach-turning gore and depravity.
"Rogue" currently is testing the waters Down Under to qualify for the Australian Film Industry awards ahead of its U.S. release Oct. 12 and an official Australian release Nov. 8.
As in all the best monster movies, the threat here is all the more menacing for being rooted in reality. At 25 feet long, the rogue saltwater croc does not outrageously exceed the largest found in Australia. But calling this the "Jaws" of the outback is overstating the film's place in the genre.
Mclean says he was influenced by the more character-driven horror films of the 1970s, yet his roll call of characters get little more than a perfunctory introduction before most of them enter the Northern Territory food chain.
Pete McKell (a reliably bland Vartan) is an American travel writer venturing way outside his comfort zone of five-star hotels to board a river cruise in a secluded region of outback Australia. He's joined by a group of tourists, each easily defined by a single adjective: a jolly backpacker, a bickering couple, a nervous widower ("Wolf Creek's" John Jarratt in a glorified cameo), a geeky photographer for comic relief and the obligatory pooch managing to elicit more audience empathy than most of its human co-stars.
Mclean and cinematographer Will Gibson do a nice job building mood in these early scenes, with stunning aerial shots of the ancient landscape's sweeping escarpments and isolated billabongs. While they're developing this quasi-mystical relationship with the landscape, spunky tour guide Kate (the Australian-born Mitchell) is taking care of exposition with a fact-filled spiel about the man-eating crocs that are the area's biggest tourist attraction.
It's intended to give the day-trippers a frisson of fear-tinged excitement -- and the audience a heads-up about grave danger ahead. When the tour boat follows a distress flare farther upriver and is rammed from beneath by something big, we don't need to see much of the huge, primordial beast gliding semi-submerged through the water. And we don't for quite a long while.
The tourists abandon the sinking boat and end up stranded on a tiny mud island. As night falls and the tidal river starts to rise, concerns about missing their bus give way to the realization that they have been, as one character chillingly puts it, "tagged as a food supply."
The rest is a bit by-the-numbers as the tourists are picked off in uncommonly straight-faced fashion, with one even risking his life to retrieve some painkillers without a hint of irony. Although there are a couple of heart-in-mouth set pieces, the pace slackens until the well-executed croc-vs.-hero smackdown in the predator's lair.
This is the payoff, when the croc is revealed in its fearsome entirety from dagger-toothed jaw to powerful tail. The creature is incredibly realistic, moves convincingly and fills the screen with a commanding presence. If only the same could be said for Michael Vartan.
ROGUE
The Weinstein Co.
Dimension Films, Village Roadshow Pictures, Emu Creek Pictures
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Greg Mclean
Producers: Matt Hearn, David Lightfoot, Greg Mclean
Executive producers: Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Joel Pearlman, Robert Kirby
Director of photography: Will Gibson
Production designer: Robert Webb
Music: Francois Tetaz
Costume designer: Nicola Dunn
Editor: Jason Ballantine
Cast:
Pete: Michael Vartan
Kate: Radha Mitchell
Neil: Sam Worthington
Russell: John Jarratt
Simon: Stephen Curry
Mary Ellen: Caroline Brazier
Colin: Damien Richardson
Merv: Barry Otto
Sherry: Mia Wasikowska
Running time -- 93 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
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