King Solomon's Mines (2004) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Steve Boyum

Writers (WGA):

H. Rider Haggard (novel)
Steven H. Berman (television story)
(more)

Release Date:

6 June 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Plot:

An adventurous quest for a treasure hidden in King Solomon's mines, based on H. Rider Haggard's timeless tale. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Patrick Swayze	...	Allan Quatermain
Alison Doody	...	Elizabeth Maitland
Roy Marsden	...	Captain Good
John Standing	...	Dr. Sam Maitland
Gavin Hood	...	Bruce McNabb
Sidede Onyulo	...	Umbopa
Ian Roberts	...	Sir Henry
Nick Boraine	...	Ivan Fleekov
Hakeem Kae-Kazim	...	Twala
Lesedi Mogoathle	...	Gagool
Godfrey Lekala	...	Khiva
Mesia Gumede	...	Ventvogel
Langley Kirkwood	...	Sergei
Morne Visser	...	Petre
Robert Whitehead	...	Bitter
Nkhensani Mlondzo	...	Foulata
Ronald France	...	British Magistrate
Graham Hopkins	...	Austin
Douglas Bristow	...	Bushell
Errol Ballentine	...	Praytor (as Errol Ballantine)
Anthony Blommestein	...	Harry Quatermain
Keketso Semoko	...	Mooma Tuussee
Lynne White	...	Adele Morris
David Sherwood	...	Earl Morris
Lawrence Mwakanna	...	Kraal Tribesman
Japan Mthembu	...	M'Lenge
Michael Richard	...	Bartender
Danny Keogh	...	Drunk (as Daniel Keough)
Pierre Marais	...	Street Urchin
Thulani Ndlovu	...	Native
Sandile Gomo	...	Waiter
Ike Khumalo	...	Young Tribesman
Patricia Sanders	...	Mrs. Prickles
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jonathan Hearns	...	Market Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Boyum

Writing credits (WGA)
H. Rider Haggard		(novel)
Steven H. Berman		(television story)
Steven H. Berman		(teleplay) and
Adam Armus		(teleplay) &
Nora Kay Foster		(teleplay) (as Kay Foster)

Produced by
Greig Buckle	....	line producer: South Africa
Robert Halmi Jr.	....	executive producer
Larry Levinson	....	executive producer
Nick Lombardo	....	co-executive producer
Russell D. Markowitz	....	producer (as Russ Markowitz)
Stephen McLaughlin	....	co-executive producer
Michael Moran	....	co-executive producer
Therese Ryan	....	co-executive producer
H. Daniel Gross	....	co-executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Mark Kilian
Daniel Licht		(as Dan Licht)

Cinematography by
William Wages

Film Editing by
Craig Bassett

Casting by
Gillian Hawser
Matthew Lessall

Production Design by
Tom Hannam

Set Decoration by
Lisa Hart

Costume Design by
Dianna Cilliers

Makeup Department
Chiara Allegrucci	....	makeup artist
Maria Hofmeyer	....	makeup artist: second unit (as Maria Hofmeyr)
Sue Michael	....	key hair stylist
Sue Michael	....	key makeup artist
Kerry Skelton	....	assistant hair stylist
Kerry Skelton	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
David Atkinson	....	post-production supervisor
Eric Kottwitz	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Q. Dobbs	....	second unit director
Eva Franzen	....	first assistant director
Jon-Luke Lourens	....	second assistant director
Matthew Muskett	....	second second assistant director
Shamiel Soni	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Mark Auret	....	property master
Greg Davie	....	construction manager (as Greg Davies)
Greg Davies	....	construction manager
Louis Du Preez	....	storyboard artist
Storm Dyssel	....	props stand-by (as Storm Dyssell)
Cuan Eveleigh	....	stand-by props
Dylan Johnson	....	lead man
Pete Karlsen	....	construction supervisor (as Peter Karlsen)
George Malabo	....	swing gang
Josie Minty	....	property buyer
Tracy Moseley	....	art department coordinator (as Tracy-Dee Moseley)
Tracy-Dee Moselly	....	art department coordinator
Syrus Nkomnoe	....	swing gang
Riccardo Pugliese	....	set decoration buyer
Boris Rivett-Carnac	....	assistant property master
Erich Scherrer	....	draftsperson
Carol Starke	....	art department assistant
Martin Van Geems	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
David C. Eichhorn	....	supervising dialogue editor (as Dave Eichhorn)
Mark Ettel	....	sound effects mixer
Mark Ettel	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bob Hazell	....	boom operator
Patrick O'Sullivan	....	supervising sound editor
Paul Ratajczak	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Paul Ratajzak)
Simon Rice	....	sound mixer
Marc Glassman	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kevin Adcock	....	special effects coordinator
Anton	....	special effects
Dennis Beechey	....	prosthetics
Rob Carlisle	....	prosthetics
Anton Voster	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Chad Buehler	....	digital compositor
Henrik Fett	....	visual effects supervisor
Christopher Ivins	....	digital compositor: LOOK! Effects, Inc.
Danny S. Kim	....	creative director
Tefft Smith	....	digital effects artist
Thomas Tannenberger	....	digital artist

Stunts
Dermot Brogan	....	stunts
Shannon Gaskin	....	stunts
Kerry Gregg	....	stunt coordinator
Francois Grobbelaar	....	stunt rigger
Francois Grobbelaar	....	stunts
Gizelle Loots	....	stunts
Jacob Mervine	....	stunts (as Jake Mervine)
Anton Moon	....	stunt performer
Anton Moon	....	stunts
Thulani Ndlovu	....	stunts
Paul Petersen	....	stunts
John Smith	....	stunts
John Smith	....	utility stunts
Franz Spilhaus	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Franz Spilhaus	....	stunts
Gunter Spilhaus	....	stunts
Morne van Tonder	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
George Amos	....	camera operator: second unit
Darren Bailey	....	remote camera technician
Katie Boyum	....	Steadicam operator
Katie Boyum	....	camera operator: second camera
Steven Brooks	....	best boy
Rhodi-Anne Buys	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Dudley Fillies	....	electrician
Dion Frylinck	....	dolly grip
Gerhard Geldenhuys	....	camera loader
Mark Hardy	....	company grip
Zane Harrison	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Clint Howes	....	electrician
Ricardo Koopman	....	second assistant camera
Hans Kühle Jr.	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Hans Kuhle)
Brett Lamerton	....	company grip
Paul Mammone	....	grip: second unit
Alpheas Manaka	....	best boy grip (as Alpheus Manaka)
Graham McFarlane	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
John McKay	....	gaffer
Daniel Piso	....	generator operator
Daniel Pitso	....	generator operator
Garth Stead	....	still photographer
Ari Stravinos	....	key grip (as Ari Stavrinos)
Adi Visser	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Sven Vosloo	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Brandon Wallace	....	video playback operator

Animation Department
Morne Van Greeunen	....	breakdown artist
Ronel Wagner	....	breakdown artist (as Ronelle Wagener)

Casting Department
Gaelene Lithgow	....	casting: Johannesburg
Philip Magathe	....	voice casting
Jackie Mayou	....	casting coordinator
Benedicte Roumega	....	casting: Capetown
J.P. van der Merwe	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hetta Burger	....	costume assistant
Maria Hofmeyer	....	wardrobe: second unit (as Maria Hofmeyr)
Michelle Karavoussanos	....	costumer
Carolyn Marston	....	costume assistant (as Caroline Marston)
Susan Pollard	....	costume assistant
Leonie Roberts	....	costume supervisor (as Leoni Roberts)
Philip Stapelberg	....	cutter

Editorial Department
Paul Allia	....	telecine colorist
Vinny Ciminera	....	color timer (as Vinnie Ciminera)
Gael Farr	....	assistant editor
Charlotte Grau	....	color timer
Scott Wordham	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Gábor Bohus	....	concert master
Gábor Buczkó	....	music engineer
Sándor Jenei	....	music engineer
Csaba Lokos	....	music contractor
Gregor Narholz	....	conductor (as Gregor F. Narholz)
Gregor Narholz	....	orchestrator (as Gregor F. Narholz)
David Santiago	....	music recordist
Matt Shelton	....	music editor
István Silló	....	conductor: choir
Julia Newmann	....	music assistant (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paul Acutt	....	transportation coordinator
Marco Bacchetta	....	unit driver
Alistair Bairnsfather-Cloete	....	unit driver (as Alistair Cloete)
Richard Benz	....	unit driver
William Cloete	....	unit driver
Nigel Dennison	....	transportation coordinator
Sallie Greef	....	unit driver
Sean Harris	....	unit driver
Daoundé Kanté	....	unit driver (as Daoude Kante)
Philip Khathi	....	unit driver
Darryl Kruger	....	unit driver
Alpheas Manaka	....	unit driver (as Alpheus Manaka)
Boyd McMurtrie	....	unit driver
Fred Mulindwa	....	unit driver
Peter Ndifon	....	transportation captain: second unit
Syrus Nkomnoe	....	unit driver
Ashraf Ontong	....	unit driver
Chris Pace	....	unit driver
Theggie Pather	....	unit driver
Paul Peleko	....	unit driver
Nigel Penton	....	unit driver
Daniel Pitso	....	unit driver
Aboubaker Quattara	....	unit driver (as Aboubakar Ouaitara)
Phillip Roodman	....	unit driver
Sam Samassi	....	unit driver
Chris Saunders	....	unit driver
Roland Schroeder	....	unit driver
Andrew Shand	....	unit driver
Abraham Shiburi	....	unit driver
Bradley Sweetman	....	transportation captain
Lester Sweetman	....	unit driver
Jan Thupane	....	unit driver
Simon Timmins	....	unit driver
Emmerentia Van Der Merwe	....	unit driver
Michael Wilson	....	unit driver

Other crew
Sheralyn Austin-Gagne	....	assistant: Mr. Swayze
Maria Bakó	....	production assistant
Paul Balelo	....	business affairs
Lorna Bennet	....	script supervisor
Yves Chesselet	....	production assistant
Sian Cooke	....	production secretary
Gian Sotto Corona	....	accommodations coordinator
Matt Fitzsimons	....	production executive
Suzanne Friedline	....	adr revoicing
Katy Fyfe	....	assistant location manager
Miles Graham	....	caterer
Rosaline Grobbelaar	....	wrangler: monkeys
Samantha Hanreck	....	assistant accountant
Laurie A. Hoover	....	assistant accountant (as Laurie Hoover)
Wendy Johnson	....	wrangler: lion cubs
Johann Joubert	....	production assistant
Greg Krutilek	....	business affairs
Cindy Lauss	....	production secretary
Louis Le Grange	....	craft service assistant
Gavin Mey	....	horse wrangler
Joyce Monametsi	....	office production assistant
Alet Ollemans	....	wildlife consultant
Louis Ollemans	....	wildlife consultant
Nigel Penton	....	medic
Lance Peters	....	armorer
Sandile Phambili	....	trainee loader: second unit
Gigi Potter	....	production coordinator: second unit
Donovan Roberts-Baxter	....	production assistant
Hayley Ross	....	set production assistant
Thérèsa Ryan	....	production coordinator
Alison Simkiss	....	assistant: Steve Boyum
Shamiel Soni	....	set production assistant
Michele Spooner	....	location manager
Michèle Spooner	....	location manager
Seve Spracklen	....	production accountant (as Seve Spraklin)
Xénia Stollár	....	copyist
Erika Szmolka	....	interpreter
Lance Venter	....	production assistant
Justin Vincent	....	trainee loader: second unit
Willie Visagie	....	horse wrangler
Jean-Marie Webb	....	production accountant
Deirdre Williams	....	assistant coordinator
Deirdre Williams	....	assistant production coordinator
Trish Wylie	....	assistant coordinator
Paul Brassell	....	unit assistant (uncredited)
Amy Chance	....	staff production supervisor (uncredited)
Bill Jacks	....	staff production coordinator (uncredited)
Julia Newmann	....	midi transcriptor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Enigma Pictures
• Hallmark Entertainment
• Larry Levinson Productions
• RTL
• Silverstar Productions

Distributors

• HBO Films (2004) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Hallmark Channel, The (2004) (UK) (TV)
• Imagem Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• LOOK! Effects (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• Mercury Sound Studios  sound editing
• Post Group, The  post-production facilities
• Remote Camera Systems  remote camera systems

Runtime:

USA:173 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-13

Filming Locations:

Cape Town, South Africa

Company:

Enigma Pictures

Trivia:

The word Nomolos, the name of the fight to the death, is meaningless in Zulu. It is simply Solomon backwards.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The rifles used by the Russians in the movie are Russian Mosin-Nagant rifles Model 1930. The very earliest version of that rifle was produced in 1898. King Solomon's mines and Alan Quatermain is set circa 1860. Most of the ammunition carried by the characters is also of obvious current production.

Movie Connections:

Version of King Solomon's Treasure (1977)

Beautiful.

The problem with the 1985 version of this movie is simple; Indiana Jones was so closely modeled after Alan Quartermain (or at least is an Alan Quartermain TYPE of character), that the '85 director made the mistake of plundering the IJ movies for dialog and story far too deeply. What you got as a finished product was a jumbled mess of the name Alan Quartermain, in an uneven hodge podge of a cheaply imitated IJ saga (with a touch of Austin Powers-esquire cheese here and there).

It was labeled by many critics to have been a "great parody," or "unintentional comedy." Unintentional is the word. This movie was never intended to be humorous; witty, yes, but not humorous. Unfortunately, it's witless rather than witty.

With this new M4TV mini-series, you get much more story, character development of your lead, solid portrayals, and a fine, even, entertaining blend. This story is a bit long; much longer than its predecessors, but deservedly so as this version carries a real storyline and not just action and Eye Candy. While it features both action and Eye Candy, it also corrects the mistake made in the 1985 version by forgetting IJ all together and going back to the source materials for AQ, making for a fine, well - thought - out plot, and some nice complementing sub-plots.

Now this attempt is not the all out action-extravaganza that is Indiana Jones. Nor is it a poor attempt to be so. This vehicle is plot and character driven and is a beautiful rendition of the AQ/KSM saga. Filmed on location in South Africa, the audience is granted beautiful (if desolate) vistas, SA aboriginal cultures, and some nice wildlife footage to blend smoothly with the performances and storyline here.

Steve Boyum totally surprised me with this one, as I have never been one to subscribe to his vision. In fact, I have disliked most of his work as a director, until this attempt. I hope this is more a new vein of talent and less the fluke that it seems to be.

This version rates a 9.8/10 on the "TV" scale from...

the Fiend :.