Geoff Murphy
Encyclopedia
Geoff Murphy is a successful New Zealand filmmaker best known for his work during the renaissance of New Zealand cinema
that began in the last half of the 1970s.
He directed a string of big-budget Hollywood features during the 1990s, before returning to New Zealand as second unit director on all three movies of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
. He has also worked as a scriptwriter
, assistant director
, special effects man, schoolteacher and trumpet player.
and St. Patrick's College, Wellington
(1952–56), before training and working as a schoolteacher.
, which toured New Zealand and Australia performing multi-media shows in the early 1970s, and together made the feature film Wild Man. Many members of the group would work in Murphy's later films - in particular drummer, and founder, Bruno Lawrence
.
(1981), one of the first New Zealand films to attract large-scale audiences in its home country. Murphy demonstrated his versatility and ability to attract mainstream audiences with the two films that followed: Māori western Utu
(1983) and the last man on earth piece The Quiet Earth
(1985), both starring Bruno Lawrence.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0614276/filmorate
, Freejack
, and the Steven Seagal
sequel Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
; the latter being his most successful film at the box-office (grossing over US$100 million worldwide). However, none of the movies were successful with critics.
on each of The Lord of the Rings
films; made a documentary film chronicling the Blerta
phenomenon - and the critically panned thriller Spooked
, featuring Cliff Curtis
. More recently Murphy directed the New Zealand television comedy series "Welcome to Paradise"http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3516/features/9687/the_outsider.html%3Bjsessionid=37BD9611DC7AF7EACB8BA882411CC37D, worked on the remastered DVD release of Goodbye Pork Pie
and was 2nd unit director on another Hollywood movie.
Cinema of New Zealand
New Zealand cinema, can refer to films made by New Zealand-based production companies in New Zealand. However, it may also refer to films made about New Zealand by filmmakers from other countries...
that began in the last half of the 1970s.
He directed a string of big-budget Hollywood features during the 1990s, before returning to New Zealand as second unit director on all three movies of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
. He has also worked as a scriptwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
, special effects man, schoolteacher and trumpet player.
Early life
Murphy grew up in Highbury, Wellington and attended St. Vincent de Paul School in KelburnKelburn, New Zealand
thumb|300px|Panorama of Wellington including the Kelburn cable car.Kelburn is an inner suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. It is located on the hills to the west of the Central Business District.-Features of Kelburn:...
and St. Patrick's College, Wellington
St. Patrick's College, Wellington
- History :Founded by Archbishop Francis Redwood SM, St Patrick's opened on June 1, 1885 with nine day-boys and twelve boarders.The College represents one of the earliest educational establishments of the Society of Mary the religious congregation whose members accompanied Bishop Jean Baptiste...
(1952–56), before training and working as a schoolteacher.
Blerta
Murphy was a founding member of legendary 'hippy' musical and theatrical co-operative BlertaBlerta
Blerta , was a New Zealand musical and theatrical co-operative active in the 1970s....
, which toured New Zealand and Australia performing multi-media shows in the early 1970s, and together made the feature film Wild Man. Many members of the group would work in Murphy's later films - in particular drummer, and founder, Bruno Lawrence
Bruno Lawrence
Bruno Lawrence was a New Zealand musician and actor.Initially notable as founder of 1970s musical and theatrical "Blerta", he had well-regarded roles in several major films, and starred on the 1990s Australian satirical TV series Frontline.-Biography:Born David Charles Lawrence in Worthing, West...
.
Early films
Murphy made his name with the classic road movie Goodbye Pork PieGoodbye Pork Pie
Goodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film is considered to be one of New Zealand's most popular films, and has been described as Easy Rider meets the Keystone Kops....
(1981), one of the first New Zealand films to attract large-scale audiences in its home country. Murphy demonstrated his versatility and ability to attract mainstream audiences with the two films that followed: Māori western Utu
Utu (film)
Utu is a 1983 New Zealand movie directed by Geoff Murphy. It starred Anzac Wallace. Utu was reputed to have one of the largest budgets for a New Zealand film at the time...
(1983) and the last man on earth piece The Quiet Earth
The Quiet Earth (film)
The Quiet Earth is a 1985 New Zealand science fiction post-apocalyptic film directed by Geoff Murphy and starring Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge and Pete Smith as three survivors of a cataclysmic disaster. It is loosely based on the 1981 science fiction novel of the same name by Craig Harrison...
(1985), both starring Bruno Lawrence.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0614276/filmorate
Hollywood
In the 1990s Murphy spent a number of years working in Hollywood directing big-budget movies such as Young Guns IIYoung Guns II
Young Guns II is a 1990 western film, and the sequel to Young Guns . It stars Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christian Slater, and features William Petersen as Pat Garrett. It was written and produced by John Fusco and directed by Geoff Murphy.It follows the life of...
, Freejack
Freejack
Freejack is a 1992 science fiction film directed by Geoff Murphy, starring Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger, Rene Russo, Jonathan Banks, Grand L. Bush and Anthony Hopkins. Upon its release in the United States, the film received mostly negative reviews. The story was adapted from Immortality, Inc., a...
, and the Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
sequel Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory is a 1995 American action film set on board a train traveling through the Rocky Mountains from Denver to Los Angeles. Directed by Geoff Murphy, it stars Steven Seagal as the ex-Navy SEAL, Casey Ryback and is the sequel to the 1992 film Under Siege also starring Seagal....
; the latter being his most successful film at the box-office (grossing over US$100 million worldwide). However, none of the movies were successful with critics.
Return to New Zealand
He returned to New Zealand and worked with Peter JacksonPeter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
on each of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
films; made a documentary film chronicling the Blerta
Blerta
Blerta , was a New Zealand musical and theatrical co-operative active in the 1970s....
phenomenon - and the critically panned thriller Spooked
Spooked (film)
Spooked is a 2004 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and loosely based on Ian Wishart's novel The Paradise Conspiracy, which itself is based on actual events in New Zealand...
, featuring Cliff Curtis
Cliff Curtis
Clifford Vivian Devon "Cliff" Curtis is a New Zealand actor who has had major roles in film, including The Piano, Whale Rider, and Blow, and most recently has appeared in NBC's television series Trauma. He is also co-owner of independent film production company Whenua Films...
. More recently Murphy directed the New Zealand television comedy series "Welcome to Paradise"http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3516/features/9687/the_outsider.html%3Bjsessionid=37BD9611DC7AF7EACB8BA882411CC37D, worked on the remastered DVD release of Goodbye Pork Pie
Goodbye Pork Pie
Goodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film is considered to be one of New Zealand's most popular films, and has been described as Easy Rider meets the Keystone Kops....
and was 2nd unit director on another Hollywood movie.
Filmography
- 1977 Wild Man (75min)
- 1977 Dagg Day Afternoon (30min)
- 1981 Goodbye Pork PieGoodbye Pork PieGoodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film is considered to be one of New Zealand's most popular films, and has been described as Easy Rider meets the Keystone Kops....
- 1983 UtuUtu (film)Utu is a 1983 New Zealand movie directed by Geoff Murphy. It starred Anzac Wallace. Utu was reputed to have one of the largest budgets for a New Zealand film at the time...
- 1985 The Quiet EarthThe Quiet Earth (film)The Quiet Earth is a 1985 New Zealand science fiction post-apocalyptic film directed by Geoff Murphy and starring Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge and Pete Smith as three survivors of a cataclysmic disaster. It is loosely based on the 1981 science fiction novel of the same name by Craig Harrison...
- 1988 Never Say DieNever Say Die (1988 film)Never Say Die is a New Zealand action comedy starring Temuera Morrison and Lisa Eilbacher. It was written and directed by Geoff Murphy.-Plot:...
- 1989 Red King White Knight
- 1990 Young Guns IIYoung Guns IIYoung Guns II is a 1990 western film, and the sequel to Young Guns . It stars Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christian Slater, and features William Petersen as Pat Garrett. It was written and produced by John Fusco and directed by Geoff Murphy.It follows the life of...
- 1992 FreejackFreejackFreejack is a 1992 science fiction film directed by Geoff Murphy, starring Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger, Rene Russo, Jonathan Banks, Grand L. Bush and Anthony Hopkins. Upon its release in the United States, the film received mostly negative reviews. The story was adapted from Immortality, Inc., a...
- 1993 Blind SideBlind Side (film)Blind Side is an HBO thriller made for television movie filmed in 1992, starring Rutger Hauer, Rebecca De Mornay, and Ron Silver, and directed by Geoff Murphy. It aired on HBO in late 1993 and on NBC in early 1994...
(HBO) - 1994 The Last OutlawThe Last Outlaw (TV)The Last Outlaw was a western released in 1994 starring Mickey Rourke, Dermot Mulroney, Ted Levine, Daniel Quinn, Gavan O'Herlihy, Keith David, John C. McGinley, and Steve Buscemi, along with a variety of other known actors, which has since become a cult classic among western genre fans...
- 1995 Under Siege 2: Dark TerritoryUnder Siege 2: Dark TerritoryUnder Siege 2: Dark Territory is a 1995 American action film set on board a train traveling through the Rocky Mountains from Denver to Los Angeles. Directed by Geoff Murphy, it stars Steven Seagal as the ex-Navy SEAL, Casey Ryback and is the sequel to the 1992 film Under Siege also starring Seagal....
- 1996 Don't Look BackDon't Look Back (1996 film)Don't Look Back is a made-for-HBO action movie/thriller directed by Geoff Murphy starring Eric Stoltz, John Corbett, Josh Hamilton and Billy Bob Thornton. It's the story of Jesse Parish, a heroin addict living in Los Angeles, who steals a suitcase full of drug money and immediately finds himself...
- 1997 Magnificent Seven - TV pilot
- 1997 Dante's PeakDante's PeakDante's Peak is a 1997 disaster film directed by Roger Donaldson, written by Leslie Bohem, and starring Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton and Charles Hallahan. The film portrays the effect of a volcano erupting near a small town in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The film is loosely...
- 2nd Unit Director - 1999 Fortress 2Fortress 2Fortress 2: Re-Entry is the sequel to the 1993 film Fortress. In the film, the principal actor Christopher Lambert reprises his role as John Henry Brennick, still on the run from the MenTel Corporation...
- 2000 Race Against Time
- 2001 Blerta Revisited (documentary)
- 2001 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - 2nd Unit Director
- 2002 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - 2nd Unit Director
- 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
- 2nd Unit Director - 2004 SpookedSpooked (film)Spooked is a 2004 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and loosely based on Ian Wishart's novel The Paradise Conspiracy, which itself is based on actual events in New Zealand...
- 2005 xXx: State of the UnionXXX: State of the UnionxXx: State of the Union, mainly released as xXx²: The Next Level outside the United States and Canada, is a 2005 action-adventure film directed by Lee Tamahori. It is a sequel to the 2002 film xXx...
- 2nd Unit Director