Media Release
King Kong Gets First Outdoor Screening on Waiheke Island
Waiheke, 11 December 2005
The Openair Cinema and Onetangi Road Vineyard are preparing their season, which opens on Thursday, 29 December with the
newest Harry Potter adventure “The Goblet of Fire”, followed by Peter Jacksons brilliant remake of King Kong. “We’re
thrilled to have Peters support to screen his newest work as first outdoor cinema in New Zealand and probably in the
World. Playing on a pacific island, it suits to our set-up at Onetangi Road Vineyard, which will give a great atmosphere
around the movie.” Until Sunday 15 January the line-up presents a broad range of cinematic productions from around the
world.
After the two Blockbuster sessions, the time’s right for Monty Pythons Comedy ‘Life of Brian’ - a great movie to have a
New Years party afterwards. “Especially comedies are great to watch in a outdoor venue, as people start interacting with
the movie and the whole thing gets really emotional and funny”, explains managing Director Urs Bauer. On Sunday, 1
January, the cinema makes another attempt on the brilliant documentary ‘Deep Blue’ about the sea life. The documentary
‘Mondovino’, about the global wine market and its background, should get some interest not only for winegrowers and wine
lovers, but also for critics of globalization as there’s a lot going on behind the scenes around the red juice.
‘Dinner Rush’ is a brilliant comic-melodrama by young Italian filmmaker Bob Giraldi with Danny Aiello as Louis, an aging
bookie and restaurateur. With the aid of a witty script and a well-acted ensemble, Dinner Rush is a tasty dish.
On Wednesday, we’ll bring on the long awaited surfing hit ‘Riding Giants’ and Anthony Hopkins gets his third screening
of ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ on Waiheke Island, on Thursday, 5 January. This film is awesome and shows real
‘Kiwi-spirit’, which makes you feel so good.
“Well, you may want to see Star Wars on the moon, but otherwise there’s no better place than under the open sky”, says
Urs Bauer. The final third Episode, and critics say the best ever episode of George Lucas Sci-Fi series, will be shown
on Saturday, 7 January.
Openair Cinema is proud, to show the first Fijian Feature Film ‘The Land has Eyes’, which was entered into last years
Oscar nominations. Although the drama has been criticized for its editing and some of the acting, it is important and
provides a fascinating window into a culture most of us don’t know.
You haven’t seen it yet or want to see it again – that’s the time: ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ is a great film about Che
Guevaras (Gael García Bernal) personal adventure touring South America with his friend Alberto Granado on a motorbike.
This great arthouse movie is followed by a Danish production called ‘Strings’ a puppet-theatre, which is stunning thanks
to its inspired cinematorgraphy and the stunning work of its vocal cast, which brings the puppets to live. This film
only opened in December in New Zealand and it was rated with four stars in the Christchurch Press.
The final weekend starts on Wednesday with the romantic drama ‘Pride & Prejudice’, which is based on Jane Austen’s novel about five sisters in Georgian England. While ‘Pride & Prejudice’ is set in the mid 19th Century, the Drama ‘Stage Beauty’ goes back to the 1660's at a time when in live
theatre women's roles were played by men. But when Charles II is tired of seeing the same old performers, the ruler
allows real women to tread the boards and men may no longer play women's parts. This film is a hidden treasure and won
the ‘Overlooked Film Award’ at the Phoenix Film Festival in 2004.
‘King Kong’ (Friday, 13 January) and ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ (Saturday) get their second screenings and
the Canadian comedy ‘Seducing Dr. Lewis’, which plays on an Island like Waiheke, closes the sessions at Onetangi Road
Vineyard on Sunday as final show.
Ticket prices are: Adults ($12), Senior Citizen / Students with ID ($10), Kids under 12($7). You can buy them at
Onetangi Road Vineyard, Four Square (Family Barrow) Oneroa and at the door (cash only), which opens at 8pm. The show
starts at 9pm.
NEW: Jamie from Waiheke Adventure offers a shuttle-bus after the shows (tickets depend on travel-distance).
Bring your own rugs, cushions, deck chairs and sleeping bags. There are light meals,snacks, ice-cream, soft-drinks,
coffee, wine and Baroona beer on sale. No BYO alcohol is allowed.
Programme: www.openair.co.nz
WAIHEKE Movie Genre Rat Running time
Thursday 29.12.05 Harry Potter Adventure / Fantasy M 157
Friday 30.12.05 King Kong Adventure / Fantasy G 127
Saturday 31.12.05 The Life of Brian Comedy PG 94
Sunday 1.1.06 Deep Blue Documentary G 83
Monday 2.1.06 Mondovino Documentary PG 135
Tuesday 3.1.06 Dinner Rush Mafia / Crime R16 99
Wednesday 4.1.06 Riding Giants Documentary M 105
Thursday 5.1.06 Worlds Fastest Indian Adventure PG 127
Friday 6.1.06 private function
Saturday 7.1.06 Star Wars Episode 3 Sci-Fiction / Adventure M 140
Sunday 8.1.06 The Land has Eyes Drama M 87
Monday 9.1.06 Motorcycle Diaries Adventure / Drama (span / engl. Subtl) M 128
Tuesday 10.1.06 Strings Drama / Fantasy PG 88
Wednesday 11.1.06 Pride & Prejudice Romance / Drama G 127
Thursday 12.1.06 Stage Beauty Romance / Drama M 106
Friday 13.1.06 King Kong Adventure / Fantasy G 127
Saturday 14.1.06 Harry Potter Adventure / Fantasy M 157
Sunday 15.1.06 Seducing Dr. Lewis Comedy (French / engl. Subtl) PG 108
ENDS