Under the Mountain (2009)

Director:

Jonathan King

Writers:

Maurice Gee (novel)
Matthew Grainger (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

26 November 2009 (Kuwait)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Teenage twins battle dark forces hidden beneath Auckland's volcanoes.

Plot Keywords:

Twin | Alien | Fire | Magic Stone | Volcano

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Tom Cameron	...	Theo
Sophie McBride	...	Rachel
Oliver Driver	...	Mr. Wilberforce
Leon Wadham	...	Ricky
Chelsea McEwan Millar	...	Clementine
Nathaniel Lees	...	Detective Gray
Nathan Meister	...	Johan / Lenart
Matthew Sunderland	...	Wilberforce Drone 1
Toi Iti	...	County Policeman
Bruce Hopkins	...	Richard Matheson
Michaela Rooney	...	Aunt Kay
Matthew Chamberlain	...	Uncle Cliff
Miriama Kamo	...	News Reader
Gareth Reeves	...	Wilberforce Drone 2
Wayne Gordon	...	Wilberforce Drone 4
Allan Smith	...	Wilberforce Drone 5
Matt Gillanders	...	Wilberforce Drone 6
William Johnson	...	Mr. Carpenter (as Bill Johnson)
Kirsty Wilkinson	...	Mr. Jones' Neighbour
Colin Moy	...	Constable Green
Madeleine Sami	...	Constable Wood
David Weatherley	...	Desk Sergeant (as David Weatherly)
Reuben King	...	Johan / Lenart Double
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sam Neill	...	Mr. Jones
Jon Cummings	...	Wilberforce Drone #3 (uncredited)

Directed by
Jonathan King

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Maurice Gee		novel
Matthew Grainger		screenplay
Jonathan King		screenplay

Produced by
Chris Bailey	....	executive producer
Richard Fletcher	....	producer
Matthew Grainger	....	producer
Chris Hampson	....	executive producer
Trevor Haysom	....	executive producer
Jonathan King	....	producer
Susan Parker	....	line producer

Original Music by
Victoria Kelly

Cinematography by
Richard Bluck

Film Editing by
Chris Plummer

Production Design by
Ralph Davies
Kim Sinclair

Art Direction by
Nick Bassett
Andy McLaren

Set Decoration by
Verena Jonker

Costume Design by
Kiri Rainey

Makeup Department
Samantha Lyttle	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Matthew Mills	....	makeup animatronics
Jane O'Kane	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Rosemary Dority	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Liz Tan	....	first assistant director
Amand Weaver	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Milton Candish	....	lead set dresser
Nick Connor	....	set designer
Sally Ford	....	art department assistant
Christian Pearce	....	designer
Aran Sisley	....	fabricator
Melissa Spicer	....	property master: pre-production
Ben Whale	....	set dresser
Kate Lang	....	sculptor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gethin Creagh	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matt Daniel	....	boom operator
Emile de la Rey	....	assistant dialogue editor
Buster Flaws	....	adr recordist
Vedat Kiyici	....	ADR recording engineer
Jörg Klaussner	....	dubbing mixer
Gilbert Lake	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matthew Lambourn	....	sound effects editor
David Madigan	....	production sound mixer
Robyn McFarlane	....	foley recordist
Tim Prebble	....	sound designer
Simon Riley	....	foley editor
Hugo Tichborne	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Steven Boyle	....	creatures designer and supervisor
Brendon Durey	....	special effects supervisor
Simon Godsiff	....	molding technician: Weta Workshop
Matthew G.P. Mills	....	animatronics
Darren A. Mosher	....	mold maker
Richard Schuler	....	special effects coordinator
Philip Sharpe	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Dan Ashton	....	scanning and recording technician
Nick Booth	....	scanning and recording supervisor
Nick Cattell	....	matte artist
Paul Dickson	....	visual effects artist
Paul Glubb	....	visual effects coordinator
Meetal Gokul	....	assistant digital colourist
Stephen Karl	....	camera technical director
Sally-Ann Louisson	....	visual effects coordinator
Charlie McClellan	....	visual effects supervisor
Danielle Norgate	....	lead compositor: 3DCGI Ltd
Emrys Plaisted	....	visual effects
Gina E. Ross	....	visual effects producer: 3DCGI Ltd
Stephen Roucher	....	scanning and recording manager
John Sheils	....	visual effects supervisor: 3DCGI Ltd
Stephanie Jean Staunton	....	digital compositor
Caleb Thompson	....	digital compositor
Matt Westbrooke	....	compositor
Pania Williams	....	visual effects artist
Pete Williams	....	scanning and recording manager
Kirstin Wright	....	animator

Stunts
Augie Davis	....	utility stunts
Clinton Elvey	....	stunt double
Winham Hammond	....	utility stunts
David J. Muzzerall	....	utility stunts
Steve Reinsfield	....	utility stunts
Allan Smith	....	stunt performer
Bronson Steel	....	stunt driver
Hayley Stent	....	stunt double
Karen Thompson	....	stunt double
Stuart Thorp	....	stunt double
Mark Trotter	....	stunt double
Tim Wong	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Dion Anderson	....	electrician/generator operator
Kane Asher	....	dolly grip
Kirsty Griffin	....	still photographer
Brenden Holster	....	first assistant camera
Sam Dylan Irwin	....	second assistant camera
Murray Milne	....	underwater camera
Kerry Peck	....	lighting technician
James Rua	....	second assistant "a" camera
Jay Weston	....	video operator

Animation Department
Euan Frizzell	....	lead animator
Brad Lincoln	....	animator
John Shearlock	....	animator

Casting Department
Stewart Turner	....	casting (as Stu Turner)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fiona Nichols	....	pattern maker

Editorial Department
Tracey Brown	....	post producer: Park Road Post
Clare Burlinson	....	digital intermediate colorist
Heidi Freeman	....	first assistant editor
Shanon Moratti	....	digital intermediate editor
Matthew Wear	....	dailies colorist

Music Department
Mikael Carlsson	....	soundtrack producer
Ewan Clark	....	additional music copyist
Ricky Edwards	....	orchestrator
Graham Kennedy	....	score engineer
Graham Kennedy	....	score mixer
James K. Lee	....	additional orchestrator
Nigel Scott	....	music recordist
Marc Taddei	....	conductor
Mabel Wong	....	music librarian

Other crew
Jared Connon	....	location manager
Mathew Gordon	....	assistant location manager
Phillip Gore	....	production accountant
Diana Goulding	....	unit publicist
Tim Hope	....	unit location assistant
Karl Koller	....	safety coordinator/medic
Andrew Marshall	....	production secretary: prep
Kristi McLaren	....	assistant accountant
Simon Noakes	....	tea lady
Jill Soper	....	production coordinator
Andy Wickens	....	lab liaison

Thanks
Charles Ireland	....	dedicated to

Production Companies

• 120dB Films
• Index Films
• Liberty Films
• New Zealand Film Commission
• New Zealand On Air

Distributors

• Cinestar (2010) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2009) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• CN Entertainment (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Dynit (2012) (Italy) (DVD)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Lightning Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (all media)
• Terminal Video (2012) (Italy) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• MovieScore Media  soundtrack
• Park Road Post  post-production facilities
• Studio West  studio facility

Also Known As:

"Bad Spirits" - Philippines (English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for frightening action and peril, and for some sensuality

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

New Zealand:M | USA:PG-13 (certificate #46062) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company:

120dB Films

Quotes:

Wilberforce Drone #1:They shake the earth.
Mr. Wilberforce:Soon the Gargantua are free.
Wilberforce Drone #1:What is it?
Mr. Wilberforce:I smell them. One the lake - twins.
Wilberforce Drone #1:Does the fire raiser know?
Mr. Wilberforce:Fire raiser watches the mountains, but his fire is dying.
Wilberforce Drone #1:And if the twins find the fire raiser?
Mr. Wilberforce:Then we made them dead. Soon we make them all dead.

Movie Connections:

Remake of "Under the Mountain" (1981)

Scary Fun for all!

I saw Under the Mountain at the cinema and recently purchased the DVD. My teenage sons loved the film as did I. New Zealand is on a roll lately and Under the Mountain shows what can be done with a load of kiwi talent and a cracker story.

Sam Neill is fantastic, as always, but what really stood out for me were the two leads. Gone are the days of stage acting in our movies, a perfectly pitched performance from all. I'm looking forward to seeing what Mr King makes next, he is clearly an incredibly talented man.

The visual effects are amazing, as expected from having WETA involved.

I recommend this movie to anyone who loves to be entertained, suitable for the entire family. The DVD has a great making of as well.

9 out of 10