Predicament

Amily wrote:

[size=100:v7d4p5ih]... However, they are urgently looking for more crew accommodation.

"
We need good quality furnished houses in Hawera that are available to rent. This is because although the motels are very helpful, and we are using them, we seem to have booked out the whole town and we have more people still to accommodate,"
she says.

Anyone able to help should contact Gerald Langford, communications manager at the STDC. ...

The big unknown is: Whose house will be used to represent the Williamson family home?

*flies to NZ, buys land in South Taranaki, builds awesome house*

gezyka wrote:

Amily wrote:

*flies to NZ, buys land in South Taranaki, builds awesome house*

Wait for me! I'll help!

This is so exciting!

Taranaki makes me think of the Tunnel of Wasps (It's Waspirational!). Does that really exist?

Katie wrote:

gezyka wrote:
*flies to NZ, buys land in South Taranaki, builds awesome house*

Wait for me! I'll help!

This is so exciting!

Taranaki makes me think of the Tunnel of Wasps (It's Waspirational!). Does that really exist?

Well if the Toothbrush Fence does, anything is possible

!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!

I can't wait either but it kind of sucks a lot knowing about Jem's movies before they're even in production. It's torture!!!

*cough* Gentlemen Broncos *cough*

Amily wrote:I can't wait either but it kind of sucks a lot knowing about Jem's movies before they're even in production. It's torture!!!

*cough* Gentlemen Broncos *cough*

All the more time to read the book!

I want a copy with the Jemtoon on the cover.

gezyka wrote:

Amily wrote:I can't wait either but it kind of sucks a lot knowing about Jem's movies before they're even in production. It's torture!!!

*cough* Gentlemen Broncos *cough*

All the more time to read the book!

I want a copy with the Jemtoon on the cover.

Ah yis! Good point, good point.

I definitely want to read the book before I see the movie and I definitey want a copy with the Jemtoon on the cover as well.

Thanks Jess!

i was just looking for editions of the novel to purchase, and came across the following blurb about it:

"
The third novel of a writer who has been termed a "
literary enigma"
by Gordon McLauchlan and a "
boozy literary genius"
by Iain Sharp. Morrieson's works are now critically examined as representatives of the genre of New Zealand gothic. "


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i am so buying this ASAP!!!!

so, i started poking about, and found this site which discusses morrieson's works (i'll cross- post this in the "
authors we <
3"
thread as well)




"
FROM THE OXFORD COMPANION TO NEW ZEALAND LITERATURE

Morrieson, Ronald Hugh (1922–72), novelist and short story writer, was born, lived, wrote and died in Hawera, South Taranaki. He was domiciled entirely in the home of his mother, with very occasional breaks of a few days in Auckland in his early twenties and later in New Plymouth and, towards the end of his life, at a writer’s conference in Palmerston North. Until the age of 37 he worked as a casual dance-band player in the Hawera area, but then became a private music-teacher in order to free his evenings for the career in writing which he had always intended.

His first novel The Scarecrow, a tragicomic story of a sex killer in a small town not unlike Morrieson’s own, was published in Sydney by Angus & Robertson in 1963. It was well received by reviewers as a Gothic melodrama with a strong popular-culture component. His second, Came a Hot Friday (1964), is a tragicomic morality tale about gambling in and about another small Taranaki town. The less favourable reviews began a decline in critical reception which, together with his continuing alcoholism and the death of his mother in 1968, was to darken his last decade. Conservative critics had difficulty with the violence and sexuality of his writing and its failure to conform to the high culture models that dominated the literary values of the period, an attitude summed up in one protestation that the New Zealand in Came a Hot Friday was ‘certainly not the New Zealand that I know’.

Morrieson’s fear, expressed to Maurice Shadbolt, that he might be ‘another of those poor buggers who gets discovered when they’re dead’, was to be cruelly prophetic. Despite support after 1965 from Shadbolt, Frank Sargeson and the historian Dick Scott, all his subsequent writing was to be published posthumously. In 1974 Landfall published two short stories, in March ‘Cross My Heart and Cut My Throat’ and in December ‘The Chimney’. The first is a comic account of a crapulous male guitar-teacher’s attraction to a 13-year-old female pupil. This leads to the loss of his girlfriend but concludes comically, with his mother’s naive assurance that he has ‘had [his] first little pupil today’ and with the appearance of the pupil’s father, who seems bent on vengeance but in fact has merely turned up to retrieve his daughter’s guitar. ‘The Chimney’ is far more sober and one of Morrieson’s subtler achievements as a work of art, a sensitive evocation of a boy’s first apprehension of mortality and sexual desire that stands as one of the finest of the tradition’s many accounts of the onset of adolescence. Both stories indicate something of the writer’s excessive intimacy with his mother.

His third novel, Predicament (1975), a powerful and disturbing account of the psychological fantasy world of adolescence with the familiar small-town setting, was declined by Angus & Robertson and went through numerous drafts, many abandoned, before being published by John Dunmore’s Dunmore Press in Palmerston North in 1975. Pallet on the Floor (1976), a brief and black story, is set in the shadow of a freezing works and features rape, murder and suicide. Again published by Dunmore, it reads more perfunctorily than the earlier works, as if in draft form. A New Zealand edition of The Scarecrow (Heinemann) appeared in 1976, and of Came a Hot Friday (Penguin) in 1981, and both novels were made into feature films.

Apart from reviews of the first two novels and the odd negative observation, critical commentary on Morrieson was largely posthumous, as indicated in the bibliography to the standard critical work, Peter Simpson’s Ronald Hugh Morrieson (1982). Julia Millen’s Ronald Hugh Morrieson: A Biography (1996) emphasises the strange creativity that arose from the contradictions between his matriarchal home life and his rebelliously dissolute night-time activities. His reputation now stands high, as in Lawrence Jones’s comment that ‘it is doubtful whether the anti-puritan underside of New Zealand small-town life has ever been so vigorously caught’.

PE"

[size=133:ndw2tk4f]Story comes to life for director
By RICHARD WOODD - Taranaki Daily News
Last updated 05:00 11/07/2009

[size=100:ndw2tk4f]Filming Predicament in Ronald Hugh Morrieson's town is a dream opportunity for the director Jason Stutter.

"
You could only make this film here,"
he told a mayoral welcome in the South Taranaki District Council chambers last night. "
There is a universal feeling here where everything is kind of slipping into place. Where else in New Zealand would you find such locations?

"
You walk around the parks, the streets and you see his novel."


"
We first came here three years ago and looked and we were crazed fans when we saw some of the things he mentioned. It's such a rich tapestry to start from."


It wasn't an official launch that happens in a couple of weeks but it might as well have been, although the big star, Jemaine Clement, has yet to make an appearance.

Stutter, who adapted the novel for the screen, said it was his first experience of a novel that he couldn't put down.

"
I called producer Sue Rogers and said: `Why isn't this a movie, it's fantastic?' "


He knew little about Morrieson but it started an obsession with getting the film rights.

"
Adapting his work is like a dream, he is such a genius writer, there is so much talent and to be here turning this into a movie is simply amazing."


"
We have such good people in our crew and everyone in the cast is perfect.

"
You look at them and it's exactly how Morrieson described these people,"
he said.

Rogers said it was quite hard logistically to make a film in an area where there is no airport. "
We were really heartened to get the support of the council and Film Venture Taranaki to bring our whole team here.

The support and goodwill of the community has set us off on such a good footing."

Source:

[size=133:jd0wfabk]Look who got new glasses!

[size=133:jd0wfabk]Flight of a Conchord

[size=100:jd0wfabk]A Conchord flew into New Plymouth Airport yesterday, along with New Zealand music legend Tim Finn, amid secrecy.

Jemaine Clement, best known for being half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, arrived at the airport on a flight from Auckland with New Zealand music legend Tim Finn.

The Taranaki Daily News understands the pair are in town for the filming of the Ronald Hugh Morrieson novel Predicament in South Taranaki.

Yesterday production company Novel Productions was remaining tightlipped about Clement and Finn's involvement.

However, publicist Sue May said all would be revealed at a special on-set media day next week in Eltham.

Both are professional musicians, suggesting that director Jason Stutter might be planning to use them in a Morrieson-type dance band, in addition to acting roles. He has been talking to former musical associates of Morrieson.

However, we do know some council people have been roped in as extras: South Taranaki Mayor Ross Dunlop is part of a bootlegging liquor gang and councillor Mike Powell a policeman. Communications manager Gerard Langford doesn't yet know his part.

Meanwhile, an elderly woman tripped on a yellow safety cable ramp on the footpath during shooting in Hawera's central High St yesterday.

The film company said she sustained minor injuries and was given immediate first-aid treatment by the on-set registered nurse. As a precaution, the company took her to her own doctor for assessment and then took her home.

Producer Sue Rogers said: "
We have a written safety plan and take every precaution to protect the public and our own crew from any harm. It is most unfortunate that a member of the public tripped on one of our special safety ramps that we put in place to prevent such an event. I am grateful that the lady did not sustain any serious injury."


Flight of the Conchords has been nominated for a US television Emmy award for best comedy series. Clement has also been nominated as best actor in a comedy. The Emmys will be announced on September 20.

- RICHARD WOODD/Taranaki Daily News

[url=Source ][/url](via Nicole at conchords.net )

Katie wrote:

He looks amazing!

I think he borrowed Zachary Quinto's glasses!




*sigh* I love everything about this picture. .

chloe wrote:I think he borrowed Zachary Quinto's glasses!




*sigh* I love everything about this picture. .

I love the way your mind works!!!

So much lovable nerdiness in one post.

From Twitter:

[size=100:fq69dzzr]Hanging out on the set of The Predicament, shot in Eltham. Took photo of Jemaine from Flight of the Concordes, looking like Count Dracula.

drunkagain wrote:From Twitter:

[size=100:qlyvqi3m]Hanging out on the set of The Predicament, shot in Eltham. Took photo of Jemaine from Flight of the Concordes, looking like Count Dracula.

" title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/>

drunkagain wrote:From Twitter:

[size=100:8p88tbcw]Hanging out on the set of The Predicament, shot in Eltham. Took photo of Jemaine from Flight of the Concordes, looking like Count Dracula.

" title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/>

drunkagain wrote:From Twitter:

[size=100:afp0r2ly]Hanging out on the set of The Predicament, shot in Eltham. Took photo of Jemaine from Flight of the Concordes, looking like Count Dracula.

drunkagain wrote:From Twitter:

[size=100:oh9lsdag]Hanging out on the set of The Predicament, shot in Eltham. Took photo of Jemaine from Flight of the Concordes, looking like Count Dracula.

ZOMG! " title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/>

I still wonder what character he's playing... has anyone read the book? Who would look like Dracula???

So excited!

Amily wrote:

drunkagain wrote:From Twitter:

ZOMG! " title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/> " title="" border="0"/>

I still wonder what character he's playing... has anyone read the book? Who would look like Dracula???

So excited!

i'm still waiting for my book to be delivered!!!

grrr!

also - jess - i was hoping someone would track down those pics ;
)

the skull cod-piece

This was posted on Twitter a few hours ago...

[size=100:xtgwcg1b]NZPAnews: The producers of Predicament, now filming in Taranaki, confirmed the roles of Conchords star Jemaine Clement and musician Tim Finn.

Source:

MOAR INFO PLZ!

[size=133:hny4zu47]Tim Finn, Conchords star confirmed for film

Updated 20:10

Published: 6:12PM Monday July 27, 2009

Source: NZPA

[size=100:hny4zu47]The producers of Predicament, now filming in South Taranaki, confirmed on Monday the roles of Flight of the Conchords star Jemaine Clement and musician Tim Finn in the film.

Novel Productions said Clement would play the character of Spook and Finn would play Martin Williamson in the adaptation of Ronald Hugh Morrieson's novel of the same name.

The pair flew into New Plymouth a week ago amid speculation they had roles in the film, but Novel Productions refused to confirm their involvement at the time.

Newcomer Hayden Frost had been cast in the lead role of Cedric Williamson, with Australian comedian Heath Franklin playing Mervyn Toebeck and Rose McIver, who recently wrapped Peter Jackson's Lovely Bones, cast as Maybelle Zimmermann .

The crime comedy tells the story of Cedric, who conspires with misfits Mervyn and Spook to photograph and blackmail wealthy adulterous couples.

Author Morrieson lived in Hawera in South Taranaki until his death in 1972.

Predicament was published posthumously in 1975, and his other three novels, The Scarecrow, Pallet on the Floor and Came a Hot Friday, have all been adapted into feature films.

Filming would continue in Hawera and Eltham until the end of August, and the film would be released in New Zealand and Australia next year.

Source:

Amily wrote:

[size=133:we86chyh]Tim Finn, Conchords star confirmed for film

Updated 20:10

Published: 6:12PM Monday July 27, 2009

Source: NZPA

[size=100:we86chyh]The producers of Predicament, now filming in South Taranaki, confirmed on Monday the roles of Flight of the Conchords star Jemaine Clement and musician Tim Finn in the film.

Novel Productions said Clement would play the character of Spook and Finn would play Martin Williamson in the adaptation of Ronald Hugh Morrieson's novel of the same name.

The pair flew into New Plymouth a week ago amid speculation they had roles in the film, but Novel Productions refused to confirm their involvement at the time.

Newcomer Hayden Frost had been cast in the lead role of Cedric Williamson, with Australian comedian Heath Franklin playing Mervyn Toebeck and Rose McIver, who recently wrapped Peter Jackson's Lovely Bones, cast as Maybelle Zimmermann .

The crime comedy tells the story of Cedric, who conspires with misfits Mervyn and Spook to photograph and blackmail wealthy adulterous couples.

Author Morrieson lived in Hawera in South Taranaki until his death in 1972.

Predicament was published posthumously in 1975, and his other three novels, The Scarecrow, Pallet on the Floor and Came a Hot Friday, have all been adapted into feature films.

Filming would continue in Hawera and Eltham until the end of August, and the film would be released in New Zealand and Australia next year.

Source:

So he's a main character, right?

With thanks to Nicole @ conchords.net

Two videos on set. Watch out for the glimpses of Jemaine in character!



So excited.

3 news (longer video with a good glimpse of Jemaine)

[url=http://www.3news.co.nz/News/Tim-Finn-and....5/ Default.aspx][/url]

tvnz (with glimpses)



I know some people have problems viewing videos on these sites. Give me a shout if you need downloadable versions.

sargifster wrote:With thanks to Nicole @ conchords.net

Two videos on set. Watch out for the glimpses of Jemaine in character!



So excited.

3 news (longer video with a good glimpse of Jemaine)

[url=http://www.3news.co.nz/News/Tim-Finn-and....5/ Default.aspx][/url]

tvnz (with glimpses)



I know some people have problems viewing videos on these sites. Give me a shout if you need downloadable versions.

He looks so different! I'm so excited about this movie.

Thank you Sarah, and Nicole!