Star on our doorstep

BEN WATSON/North Shore Times

STAR SPOTTING: Veteran Kiwi actor Sam Neill has been staying in Takapuna during filming for Under the Mountain.

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With big Hollywood names such as Sam Neill filming in our territory the North Shore is fast becoming a movie mecca.

Neill stars in the film adaptation of Maurice Gee’s epic children’s book Under the Mountain.

It has largely been filmed on the Shore, including a makeshift house on the shore of Lake Pupuke.

And not far away on Hurstmere Rd in Takapuna the cameras have been rolling for TV series Go Girls, starring former Shortland Street actress Anna Hutchison.

Under the Mountain director/producer Jonathan King believes the North Shore-based story will do for the city what the Lord of the Rings has done for Wellington.

Mr King is the son of Kiwi historian Michael King and grew up in Birkenhead.

The North Shore Times joined Prime Minister Helen Clark and Maurice Gee on a tour of the Under the Mountain set in Glenfield.

The paper also spoke with veteran actor Neill who has enjoyed filming on the Shore.

The star has been staying in Takapuna and says it has been fantastic working in New Zealand again.

He said the movie will be scary for children but they’ll love it.

"It’s good scary. Not so scary they won’t sleep but with lots of thrills."

Miss Clark has seen exerpts of the film.

"I can tell you it’s wonderfully scary and if you liked Harry Potter you will love this," she says.

She says like Witi Ihimaera’s Whale Rider and another Maurice Gee classic In My Father’s Den, this movie will make a classic Kiwi novel popular again.

"It’s really great for New Zealand culture."

Mr Gee joked that he hoped the book sales would go through the roof once again and was looking forward to seeing it translated into film.

The tale follows red headed twins Rachel and Theo Matheson, played by newcomers Sophie McBride and Tom Cameron, who visit their cousin’s house in Auckland for the holidays.

But something sinister is coming from beneath Lake Pupuke, slimy, slug-like creatures called Wilberforces who can take on human form.

The twins meet Mr Jones, played by Neill who enlists their help to eradicate the evil species before they destroy the world.

Their leader is played by Kiwi funnyman Oliver Driver.

During the North Shore Times visit to set we got a sneak peek of the Wilberforces in layers of creepy makeup which included hollow eyes and bulging red veins popping out from their neck and faces.

Five-time Oscar winner Richard Taylor’s Weta Workshop, who worked on Lord of The Rings and King Kong, is responsible for makeup and special effects.

Filming finishes on October 4 and the film is due for release in Christmas 2009.