N.Z. actors have star roles in film of ‘infinite evil’

Press, 15 April 1980, Page 18

N.Z. actors have star roles in film of ‘infinite evil’

From

KEN COATES

in London

They talk knowingly about the 32-year-old New Zealand actor Sam Neill at the" Elstree studios where he is playing his first big international movie role: “He will be a big star, you see.” Confident, composed, and looking thoroughly at ease, Sam Neill is, just getting on with the job, which he does with style and distinction.. . .

•The, Twentieth' Century Fox picture in which he is starring- --is .- called. “The Final Conflict.” In the

words of its American producer. Harvey Bernhard, it "is not a horror film,'nor a thriller, ’ nor a chiller, but it contains the elements of all three and infinite evil.”/ There are elements -in the . events which Ted to Sam Neill’s leading role alongside a fellow New Zealander, Lisa Harrow, aged 36, of Auckland, which seem tri belong to a story line, rather than to reality. . It is not that Sam Neill’s exceptional ability as an" actor has not brought recognition and opportunities, but his road to London arid a major film role was the opposite to Lisa’s classical training via the Royal Academy of Dramatic. Art and .'the Royal. Shakespeare Com-. pany. ' His starring role in the award-winning Australian film, : “My Brilliant Career,” still screening to fdll houses ■in London, caught- the discerning, professional eye- of The veteran actor. James Mason.

“Mr Mason, whose wife is an' Australian, saw - the

The hunt is on for I!, ° two most valuable -words in the worldl'.-4 and there’s . a reward to': the finder of . around SIM.. Therefore it’s : no wonder: autograph hunters are always on the lookout for that nearlyillegible scrawl which was' the signature of William Shakespeare. One expert says: “At leastJlO examples, of his signature have disappeared, over the last 200 years. Anyone who finds one could almost name his .own price.;-’ While Al Capone, and Hitler have declined to around -$l6O each, contemporary royalty has increased in price, and so have sportsmen. For inautographs of

film in Los Angeles,” Sam Neill says. “He seemed ito think I was good and, as a result, took' an interest in me.”’ James Mason’s London agent became: Sam Neill’s agent overnight. When filming’ in Taithe New • Zealander received a call from London saying that there would be an air ticket waiting for him .when-he returned to Australia so that he could have a screen' test -for the .lead role in “The Final Conflict.” ■ :

“There was nothing there when I got back, and 1 was told the company was' not . willing: to foot the bill for a screen test for someone from Australia,: which seemed fair enough. I thought nothing more about it:”

Then he received word that the Masons were keen to see the'right man, Sam, in the role, and ,were , prepared to pay for hisairi. ticket to London themselves. ' •

He flew to London and had .the test ‘.‘with this New Zealand. girl,” -, who turned out to ,be Lisa Harrow.': Both the producer and director,: Graham Baker, liked the fest arid cast both.

Sam Neill is thoroughly appreciative. of the' Masons’ action. (They have since been paid back the air fare money by the film company.) “I was very touched by their extraordinary. demonstration of faith in me, ,in spite of the fact that.they had not met me.” , .

Sam' Neill has .always

liked and admired James Mason’s acting. With his dark good looks and strong face, Sam in appearance is not unlike a youthful Mason. Fox people say that when he speaks “with a really English. accent,” and in a low, resonant voice, “you would swear it was James Mason in the room.”

' Neither producer nor director knew that Lisa and Sam were New Zealanders — they thought Sam was an Australian. But the combination is “magic,” says the company.

Fox is not saying a great deal about the film which is supposed to be under wraps for the utmost dramatic impact. Sam plays Damien Thorn, head of'the Thorn Corporation,- “trading in money, misery, and power the world over.

"Thorn, friend of Presidents, has an international image as bland as cream, a soul as pure as ice,” the production notes say. There is plenty of action. On the day at Elstree, Sam and Lisa were being filmed recording a TV interview which is dramatically interrupted when a technician, suspended upside down from a swinging rope, trapezes into the studio and in a mighty swing crashes through a wall before bursting into flames. Written into the story are “the seven. deadly daggers of Meggido,” the only element on earth capable of destroying infinite evil. They are put in the

hands of seven dedicated men, intent on eliminating the Anti-Christ, preserving the world for the Second Coming. Strong stuff. From the Book of Hebron comes, “the Beast shall reign one hundred score and thirty days and nights .'. . out of the angel isle he shall bring forth a deliverer . . . who shall do battle with the Beast.

For “angel isle” we are meant to read Britain; for Beast, read Damien Thorn; for a hundred score and thirty, read seven years, the time he has been president of the Thorn Corporation.

The movie follows “The Omen” and “Omen II,” both produced by Bernhard. Filming, which will be completed by mid-May, is roaming the country, including locations in Cornwall and Yorkshire, in some of Britain’s most rugged and beautiful scenery. In Cornwall two weeks ago, there was a bitter, back-to-winter change in the weather. “It was bloody cold,” Sam sasy, “but the gloomy atmosphere' was just right for the picture.” What does the New Zealander make of a role he opted for rather than a part in the Arthur Allan Thomas film? “It is a unique mixture of villain and hero, and is different from an anti-hero. . ../

“He is the leading character, but is the most evil man who has ever lived; yet with a magnetic and attractive personality.”

Sam Neill describes the role as a golden, opportunity in terms of quality of part, calling for a great variety of skills, to portray a blend of villain and hero. “The audience will both . love and hate this character.”

Lisa Harrow admits, to being “completely confused” by being cast as “the obligatory sex interest” in the film. “I think they write scripts : then discover they need a woman.” Sam insists that the character she plays, a young TV reporter; is an intrinsic part of the story. Sam Neill’s background in both acting and film production has enabled him; one suspects, to tune

Whether New Zealand audiences see the film may depend on the New Zealand film censor. According to Sam Neill, “It is good family entertainment, so long as the family, is oyer 21.”

his talent finely whenever the occasion demands.

After university and some amateur acting in Wellington, he spent a year with the New Zealand Players Quartet. Then he lost interest because not much was happening in acting at the time. So he got a job in.film production with the National Film ’ Unit for seven years,• although he still acted as a free-lance in Wellington. Then came the role of Smith in" the memorable New Zealand film, “Sleeping Dogs.” This was followed by disillusionment with what was happening in New Zealand, though Sam, out of an innate courtesy, one suspects, is not explicit: “I felt stale, and like a lot of others, felt it was time to leave New Zealand!

“I was less happy about making a living in New Zealand than I had been, and the economic and political climate were factors That influenced me.” Then came “My Brilliant Career,” followed by some film work in Australia. that Sam Neill considers would best be forgotten.. What, of the future? Sam Neill is too deeply involved in his present role to be thinking hard about what comes next. It looks as though “The Final Conflict” will keep him firmly on the international film scene. Film is his great love. Lisa, he adds, “is trained, whereas 1 am untrained, which is not to say I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Lisa says: “I think, it is better to be untrained. Instinct. flows through more quickly. I’m used to knowing the parameters before I go-” “Film acting is a craft, ’ puts in Sam, “related to, but separate from, other forms of acting.” . .

Film ■ editing provided him 1 with insights as nothing else did: “It was only through understanding the mechanics of film that I was able to learn what kind of thing works in a frame.”

Lisa makes the point that there is a totally different concentration span in film acting compared with that in the theatre. “In film, there are great areas of ‘no-go,’ then suddenly, perhaps out of sequence, you have to pick up and produce the effect required.” Sam Neill is intrigued at the way in which his and. Lisa’s paths have crossed. She left New Zealand with an Arts Council grant, for London, and has become very successful.

“I- decided to stick around and do the same thing in New Zealand,” he says. “Sure, I got fed up and went into peripheral areas, but here we are both back in the same trade.” She left New Zealand in 1966, .the same year, that Kiri Te Kanawa left. “I went to London and R.A.D.A. in spite of being offered, an acting job in Australia.” She trained originally as a primary school teacher, and acted in amateur groups in Auckland. • Lisa swears that 14 years in Britain have not made her feel any less a New Zealander. She reckons the feeling gets more intense as time passes. The release date for the film is unknown and Fox company people are coy about it. Speculation is that the movie will be ready for release in the next northern autumn or winter.