Caravan for ‘Evil Angels’ travels north

Press, 28 November 1987, Page 5

Caravan for ‘Evil Angels’ travels north

By MARION PAGE

NZPA-AAP Melbourne Truck convoys laden with everything from costumes and cameras to luxury caravans are converging on Australia’s outback for the filming of “Evil Angels,” the movie account of the Azaria Chamberlain case.

Dubbed “Fred’s army” by the crew in deference to the director, Fred Schepisi, the trucks are delivering a mobile film studio to Mt Isa, Darwin and Alice Springs where much of the action takes place. The fully air-condi-tioned caravans are for Schepisi and the two stars, Meryl Streep and Sam Neill, who will be required to work 12 to 14 hour days in intense heat. The crew has labelled them “Meryl’s Mobile,” “Sam’s Shack” and “Fred’s Fun Parlour.” Each has been fitted to suit its occupier’s needs and the interiors are col-our-co-ordinated with their wardrobes. There are also five support caravans for the cast and crew to provide relief from temperatures expected to reach 40deg. It is essential that all the vehicles which set out from Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, • Sydney and Brisbane arrive on time in the right place and with the right gear. Much of the organisation for this caravan across Outback roads made dangerous by torrential rains is in the experienced hands of the transport manager, John Chase, and his back-up team of mechanics and drivers. Chase worked with Schepisi on his last film iij Australia, “The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith,” and is no stranger to moving mountains of equipment long distances in the shortest possible time. He has spent 15 years making films in the Out-

back and overseas. For “The Lion In The Desert” starring Anthony Quinn, shot in Libya in the 19705, there were 300 vehicles and a cast and crew of 600. When John worked on the “Slim Dusty Movie,” the crew moved 22,000 km over territory similar to that of “Evil Angels” but had longer to do it. "With ‘Evil Angels’ there are so many facets,” he said. "As well as all the equipment, we are chartering planes for the 140 crew and principal cast, not to mention organising the transport of dingoes. "There are things going on all the time. While we are filming in Darwin, we have trucks heading south to Alice Springs. When we. are in Mt Isa, there are trucks travelling to Alice and Darwin. At the same time, the art department is building campsites, putting up hotels and taking them down again.

“In terms of distances, going from Melbourne to Mt Isa is like travelling from London to Israel, and from Melbourne to Darwin is further than London to Moscow.

Originally it was hoped a huge cargo jumbo jet would take all the equipment, including caravans and cars, to Darwin. It would have meant only a few hours travelling against five days for some of the trucks. As the aircraft does not normally work in Australia, there were many weeks of negotiation to bring it into the country. Approval was finally given — but because of the aircraft’s height there were no facilities to unload it in Darwin.

According to Chase it is often a “$2 part on a vehicle that causes it to break down.” He gives the , camera and wardrobe truck top priority because without them the shoot can’t go on.