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OnFilm Magazine
(New Zealand)
1 February 2005
Boogeyman scares up record
Boogeyman, the Pacific Renaissance Pictures film from producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, opened in the US with an estimated $19.5 million three-day-take in early February. In the process it set a record for an opening during the weekend of the Super Bowl, traditionally a period of low cinema attendances.As a result, plans for a sequel are in the pipeline. Set in Pennsylvania, it's about a young man traumatised by memories of terrible events he experienced in his childhood bedroom. Years later, he reluctantly returns home to face his fears of a monstrous entity, which could be real or merely a figment of his imagination.
The feature was shot at Auckland's Henderson Valley Studios and used a predominantly Kiwi crew and cast (including a cameo from Lucy Lawless). The film's financial success is in spite of generally unkind reviews, one of which included this back-handed compliment: "Some of the production's shortcomings--like the cheap location shoot in New Zealand that forced the Kiwi supporting cast into unconvincing American accents--actually help to sell the sense of dislocation."
American lead Barry Watson has been reported as saying, "I'm trying to convince Sam to make it in New Zealand again." Good on ya mate.