Prey (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
Prey is a 2009 Australian supernatural horror film directed by George T. Miller
, written by Miller and John V. Soto
, and starring former Neighbours
actress and Rogue Traders
lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte
, and American
Jesse Johnson
.
Twenty years after the original incident, 3 couples who set out on a surfing trip are lured into the same desert area, by a strange local whose master needs fresh victims to consume. Preconceived assumptions about friendship, undiscovered sexual liaisons, and false leadership come apart as the three couples realize that the vacation is over.
had to be re-created in a Melbourne
warehouse to save filming costs. In addition to a perforated eardrum which caused filming dates to be rescheduled, lead star Natalie Bassingthwaighte injured her ankle twice during filming, causing hassles regarding the physicality of her role. There was friction between the producers and director George T. Miller due to last minute script changes by Miller. Also, investor issues plagued the shoot and at one point the line-producers were hinting they were ready to walk. Bassingthwaighte was used in a lesbian
shower that raised great controversy, but that will make it to the final release. However, the media's spin on the scene was very misguided and the actual scene in the movie contains lesbian interaction but no nudity.
and Melbourne
, but he was released in a theatrical release on 9 May 2009 in Australia.
under the new title "The Outback."
George T. Miller
George Trumbull Miller is a Scottish-born Australian film and television director and producer. He has directed The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Man from Snowy River, Prey and Zeus and Roxanne.-External links:...
, written by Miller and John V. Soto
John V. Soto
John V. Soto is an Australian thriller and horror film director and screenwriter.In 2007 Soto directed a short film called Repulsion.Soto has written the script of Prey ....
, and starring former Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
actress and Rogue Traders
Rogue Traders
Rogue Traders are an Australian electronic pop rock band fronted by Melinda "Mindi" Jackson with James Ash on keyboards, Tim Henwood on guitars and Peter Marin on drums. The group's original members met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many...
lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte
Natalie Bassingthwaighte
Natalie Bassingthwaighte is an Australian actress, singer-songwriter and television personality. She began her career as an actress on the television series All Saints. She then starred in the American television movie Counterstrike...
, and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Jesse Johnson
Jesse Johnson (actor)
Jesse Wayne Johnson is an American actor. He is the son of actors Don Johnson and Patti D'Arbanville and the half-brother of actress Dakota Johnson. He speaks fluent Spanish....
.
Plot summary
In April 1987, two North Americans disappeared in the West Australian desert on a 4WD holiday. They were never seen alive again. Their abandoned vehicles and unused supplies were found in sand dunes near an Aboriginal sacred site less than an hour away from the closest town. Two years later, in May 1989, the two men were both found dead of natural causes, on the same day, 1,000 miles apart back in North America.Twenty years after the original incident, 3 couples who set out on a surfing trip are lured into the same desert area, by a strange local whose master needs fresh victims to consume. Preconceived assumptions about friendship, undiscovered sexual liaisons, and false leadership come apart as the three couples realize that the vacation is over.
Cast
- Natalie BassingthwaighteNatalie BassingthwaighteNatalie Bassingthwaighte is an Australian actress, singer-songwriter and television personality. She began her career as an actress on the television series All Saints. She then starred in the American television movie Counterstrike...
as Kate - Jesse JohnsonJesse Johnson (actor)Jesse Wayne Johnson is an American actor. He is the son of actors Don Johnson and Patti D'Arbanville and the half-brother of actress Dakota Johnson. He speaks fluent Spanish....
as Gus - Natalie WalkerNatalie Walker (actress)Natalie Walker is an Australian actress.Walker studied at the renowned Ivana Chubbuck Studios in Los Angeles as well as Australia's NIDA screen acting workshop, among others. Natalie landed her first acting audition with a recurring role in the TV show Wicked Science...
as Ling - Ben Kermode as Matt
- Christian ClarkChristian ClarkChristian Clark is an Australian actor. He appeared in the role of Will Griggs in the Network Ten soap opera Neighbours from 2006 to 2007...
as Jason - Kristin SargentKristin SargentKristin Sargent is an Australian actress. Sargent stars in the Australian film Prey, alongside Natalie Bassingthwaighte. This is her first feature film.-External links:...
as Annika - Nicholas BellNicholas BellNicholas Bell is a British actor who has worked in Australia for more than 20 years. He is a regular actor in Melbourne Theatre Company productions as well as work with all the major broadcasters in Australia, most notably the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.-Film and television:Film credits...
- Pamela Shaw as Morgan Weismann
- Joe HachemJoe HachemJoseph Hachem is a Lebanese-Australian professional poker player known for winning the main event of the 2005 World Series of Poker. He was the first Australian to win the main event, which earned him $7.5 million, then a record for all-time biggest tournament prize.The next year, Hachem won his...
as Motel Operator - Geire KamiGeire KamiGeire Kami is an Australian actress, who has appeared in many Melbourne Theatre productions.TV and Film credits include Creative Violence, Full Frontal and Fast Forward . In the mini series After The Deluge, directed by Brendan Maher she played a small part as Alex Kirby's secretary, Lisa...
as Patient - Jennifer HansenJennifer HansenJennifer Hansen is a former news presenter on Australia's Network Ten and former news presenter on Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Hansen was born in Orbost, Victoria.-Biography:Jennifer attended Firbank Girls' Grammar School, in Brighton, Victoria...
as Waitress - Suhayb Lahdo as The Man
- Dawn Klingberg as Kora
- Stephen BeckStephen BeckStephen Beck is an American artist, writer, toy designer and inventor who pioneered video synthesis and interactive video art.Examples of his work have appeared in collections including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Whitney Museum of American...
as Pianist - Jacqueline Steward as Confused Girl
- Zachary Schaefer as Bemused Pedestrian
- Taylor Johnson as Internet Enthusiast
Production
The outbackOutback
The Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia, term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named "the bush".-Overview:The outback is home to a...
had to be re-created in a Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
warehouse to save filming costs. In addition to a perforated eardrum which caused filming dates to be rescheduled, lead star Natalie Bassingthwaighte injured her ankle twice during filming, causing hassles regarding the physicality of her role. There was friction between the producers and director George T. Miller due to last minute script changes by Miller. Also, investor issues plagued the shoot and at one point the line-producers were hinting they were ready to walk. Bassingthwaighte was used in a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
shower that raised great controversy, but that will make it to the final release. However, the media's spin on the scene was very misguided and the actual scene in the movie contains lesbian interaction but no nudity.
Release
The film premiered on 5 May 2009 in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, but he was released in a theatrical release on 9 May 2009 in Australia.
DVD release
The film is scheduled to have a U.S. DVD release on 13 July 2010 from Xenon PicturesXenon Pictures
Xenon Pictures is an American film production and distribution company founded by S. Leigh Savidge in 1986.- Company information :Founded in 1986 with $17,000 in startup capital, Xenon is recognized in the industry for developing the nation’s first label for independent black cinema...
under the new title "The Outback."