NZ Sunday News
20 July 2003
Scan by Kiwi Attic / Transcript by Richard K
Monster role for Xena star - by Ellen Davies
Lucy Lawless is starring in a blockbuster Hollywood movie being secretly shot in Auckland. The $40-million horror film Boogeyman is being produced by her husband Rob Tapert, who made Xena: Warrior Princess - which made Lucy an international sex symbol.
Guards are patrolling secret locations around Auckland while filming continues until next month. Kiwi actors in the big-budget film include the star of TV2's Street Legal, Charles Mesure - who has just been nominated for a New Zealand TV award - Louise wallace, and How's Life? panellist and former Shortland Street nurse Robyn Malcolm.
American stars appearing in Boogeyman include Barry Watson, of cult teen movie Sorority Boys, and Emily Deschanel, of hit US TV show Providence. Also starring is Tory Musset, who appeared in The Matrix Reloaded alongside Keanu Reeves.
The film is directed by Stephen Kay - who directed Get Carter. Boogeyman - to be released next year - is set in Chicago.
The horrorflick is about Tim - a young man traumatised by childhood memories of a monster in his bedroom. Years later, Tim returns home to face his fears about the monster - which may be real or a figment of his imagination.
Boogeyman is the first project of Ghost House Pictures - a production company started last year by Tapert and his fellow American Sam Raimi, who directed Spiderman, to produce horror, sci-fi and fantasy movies. Tapert says he brought the film to New Zealand because of the talent here."Over the course of working here with Hercules and Xena, I got to know and work with a tremendously talented crew - and I wanted to replicate that great experience."
He says Boogeyman is going to be a "rollercoaster ride of screaming horror" that will make people drop their popcorn.
Wellington-based film production company Oktobor is doing special effects - including creating the Boogeyman. Oktobor's Dean Lyon says they wanted the character to be everyone's worst nightmare - the creature that every child is afraid of.