For the Cause (film)
Encyclopedia
For the Cause is a 2000
science-fiction fantasy
directed by David Douglas
and Tim Douglas
.
is embroiled in worldwide war and a distant planet is colonized to provide a peaceful refuge for Earth's denizens. Eventually, the original two colonies develop into large and prosperous cities while maintaining the peace that was the impetus
for their creation. However, eventually the two great cities succumb to the squabbling their forbears did and engage each other in a war every bit as destructive as the one that took place on Earth hundreds of years before. In danger of wiping out the population of the planet, the only remaining warriors on each side, essentially a group of teenagers, must find a way to produce peace before they annihilate one another.
), decides to use the last of Brecca’s ancient weapons to end the war. It is called Warhammer, a hundred-year-old weapon built to cripple Obsidian’s technology using a technology more like magic than science. Murren leads a small team to deliver the weapon to Obsidian, taking with him his most loyal soldier, Sutherland (Justin Whalin
) and Abel (Jodi Wise), a beautiful woman who is the last master of the ancient weapon. Feared by even her own people, Abel uses her ancient skills to channel energy into lethal forms. Murren also selects Evans (Thomas Ian Griffith
), a celebrated warrior with a mysterious past, who has learned that peace is greater than victory. The small team intends to penetrate the defenses of an enemy city that couldn't be reached by Murren's father and six million men, but as the team battles its way toward Obsidian, they also must contend with their own Breccan people, torn apart by a century of conflict.
on a minuscule budget of $2.5 million. Director David Douglas and his brother Tim were able to make the film with these limited resources by using new generation PC technology that has driven down the cost of digital filmmaking. The brothers grew up in the Central Valley of California in Clovis, the rodeo capital of the world. Inspired by Star Wars
, they became interested in videos and films, and formed a computer graphics company that did commercial work for the Fresno TV station. Later they moved to Los Angeles
, but found that breaking into show business was tough until computer-graphics took off in Hollywood and they became successful as CG artists. Then David got carpal tunnel syndrome
and had to make a career change, so he decided to make "For the Cause." They soon signed with Miramax, but had trouble getting the project greenlighted. So they eventually did a much smaller deal with Nu Image/Millennium
, a low-budget film company. David feels that Bulgaria, with its pollution and bleak cities, was a perfect setting for the film, noting: "If you want to go to a place that looks like a futuristic world that failed, Bulgaria is it."
2000 in film
The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
science-fiction fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
directed by David Douglas
David Douglas
David Douglas was a Scottish botanist. He worked as a gardener, and explored the Scottish Highlands, North America, and Hawaii, where he died.-Early life:...
and Tim Douglas
Tim Douglas
Tim Douglas is the former mayor of Bellingham, Washington.Douglas was appointed by the Bellingham City Council in September 2006 to serve the remainder of former Mayor Mark Asmundson's four-year term. He had previously served as mayor from 1984-1995. He left office when Mayor Dan Pike was elected...
.
Synopsis
It takes place in a far off future, when the EarthEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
is embroiled in worldwide war and a distant planet is colonized to provide a peaceful refuge for Earth's denizens. Eventually, the original two colonies develop into large and prosperous cities while maintaining the peace that was the impetus
Impetus
Impetus may refer to:* Impetus , a re-release of the EP Passive Restraints* Impetus , a concept very similar to momentum* Jean Buridan#Impetus Theory, middle-ages treatment on impetus and its originator Jean Buridan...
for their creation. However, eventually the two great cities succumb to the squabbling their forbears did and engage each other in a war every bit as destructive as the one that took place on Earth hundreds of years before. In danger of wiping out the population of the planet, the only remaining warriors on each side, essentially a group of teenagers, must find a way to produce peace before they annihilate one another.
Plot
"For the Cause" is set in the future on a distant planet that has two human colonies. They were founded as a refuge from the wars of Earth, but the vision died when the colonies began fighting a hundred-year war, reducing their once mighty cities to rubble. The stone walled city of Brecca is the northern neighbor of the nation of Obsidian, a culture of black glass cities and unfathomable technology. The war drags on with the vestiges of once mighty technologies, and the great armies are now but orphaned teenagers, fighting and dying for a cause they never knew. Unless the war ends, yet another entire generation of children on both sides will perish in battle, so Brecca’s greatest military leader, General Murren (Dean CainDean Cain
Dean Cain is an American actor. He is most widely known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in the popular American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
), decides to use the last of Brecca’s ancient weapons to end the war. It is called Warhammer, a hundred-year-old weapon built to cripple Obsidian’s technology using a technology more like magic than science. Murren leads a small team to deliver the weapon to Obsidian, taking with him his most loyal soldier, Sutherland (Justin Whalin
Justin Whalin
Justin Garrett Whalin is an American actor best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in the American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
) and Abel (Jodi Wise), a beautiful woman who is the last master of the ancient weapon. Feared by even her own people, Abel uses her ancient skills to channel energy into lethal forms. Murren also selects Evans (Thomas Ian Griffith
Thomas Ian Griffith
Thomas Ian Griffith is an American actor and martial artist who has starred in films and on television.-Early life:Griffith was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Mary Ann , who worked at a dance studio, and Thomas Joseph Griffith...
), a celebrated warrior with a mysterious past, who has learned that peace is greater than victory. The small team intends to penetrate the defenses of an enemy city that couldn't be reached by Murren's father and six million men, but as the team battles its way toward Obsidian, they also must contend with their own Breccan people, torn apart by a century of conflict.
Production
The film was shot in BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
on a minuscule budget of $2.5 million. Director David Douglas and his brother Tim were able to make the film with these limited resources by using new generation PC technology that has driven down the cost of digital filmmaking. The brothers grew up in the Central Valley of California in Clovis, the rodeo capital of the world. Inspired by Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, they became interested in videos and films, and formed a computer graphics company that did commercial work for the Fresno TV station. Later they moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, but found that breaking into show business was tough until computer-graphics took off in Hollywood and they became successful as CG artists. Then David got carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an entrapment idiopathic median neuropathy, causing paresthesia, pain, and other symptoms in the distribution of the median nerve due to its compression at the wrist in the carpal tunnel. The pathophysiology is not completely understood but can be considered compression...
and had to make a career change, so he decided to make "For the Cause." They soon signed with Miramax, but had trouble getting the project greenlighted. So they eventually did a much smaller deal with Nu Image/Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
, a low-budget film company. David feels that Bulgaria, with its pollution and bleak cities, was a perfect setting for the film, noting: "If you want to go to a place that looks like a futuristic world that failed, Bulgaria is it."