Dambusters

[Corsarius]

Stop the press!

This news just in:

Today I went to Supanova in Brisbane, which is essentially a comic book convention, but Weta have a stall there every year. I was able to speak with some of the employees and one of the model-makers.

Peter Jackson IS doing the Dambusters. They have made models and are currently constructing ten (yes, 10) full-size fibreglass lancasters for ground shots. Everyone seems pretty excited about it.

Here's the odd thing: No-one is sure if Dambusters has got the go-ahead yet for funding. This means that Peter Jackson is funding this operation currently out of his own pocket. He made up the budget shortfall for King Kong in the same way. This is a guy who BELIEVES in making his movies right, and is very passionite about it.

Well, that's my confirmation. Thought everyone would be interested to know.

[Wuzak]

I have just been reading a book about the Dambusters (I'll get the title later) which pointed out where some "artistic licence" was used in the original movie - for instance Gibson's discovery of the altitude spot lamps watching dancers in th eheatre instead of a group of boffins nutting out how to maintain the low altitude.

I guess such things are minor points, but it would e nice if the new movie strove to be as accurate as possible to history, rather than just recreating the original movie.

The book I am reading also has some sections on a documentary which had members of the modern 617 squadron training in simulators and carrying out the dams mission.

[Kutscha]

http://www.dambusters.org.uk/

A site on 617.

[Corsarius]

Supanova day #2:

Different person behind the desk at Weta. Apparrently some lancs have already been completed. They weigh in at several tonnes each (around 10, I think). She didn't know who was paying for it, or when filming was starting.

But she DID want me to go on their mailing list and buy all kinds of stuff that they had in glass cases there....