Otago and Fiordland’s landscapes star in new survival drama, Heart of the Beast. The director says it looks just like Alaska.
Otago and Fiordland’s landscapes are a stand-in for the Alaskan wilderness in a Brad Pitt's latest vehicle.
Paramount Pictures’ Heart of the Beast, stars Oscar-winner Pitt and New Zealand mountain rescue dog Uber.
The survival drama, directed by David Ayer, follows a retired United States Army Special Forces veteran and his retired combat dog, who battle the brutal elements to find civilisation after a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness.
Filming locations for Heart of the Beast included Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Mt Aspiring National Park and the rugged mountainous terrain of Milford Sound.
Paramount Pictures
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Filming locations included Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Mt Aspiring National Park and the rugged mountainous terrain of Milford Sound.
In an interview in GQ magazine, Ayer said filming was both unpleasant at times, and rewarding.
‘‘You're sitting there in the rain, there's mud everywhere, you're slipping off the side of the mountain and the dog is running around.
‘‘And every now and then, something came across my monitor that took my breath away.
‘‘I’m like, this is the movie. This is why we’re here.
‘‘For all intents and purposes, it's Alaska — you can’t tell the difference.’’
There was one very remote location which could only be accessed by helicopter, and they were limited to three loads of equipment.
‘‘We took Brad and the dog in a helicopter and dropped them off on a ridge and just had them walking along and photographed that.’’
There was barely anywhere to stand during the shoot, he said.
‘‘I was operating the camera a lot.
‘‘We're just in this rugged wilderness, with the intensity of it.
‘‘There's something about a dog that creates this added pressure, because the dog is going to do what the dog does.’’
After creating moments of absolute havoc on screen, it was great to step off the set into ‘‘this beautiful, quiet wilderness’’.
The film is scheduled for release in New Zealand cinemas on 24 September.
Brad Pitt cements his image as the overconfident, middle-aged male ideal in a film that's also a billboard.
In a world where gender wars are stronger than ever, it's easy to gloss over the complexity of Fight Club.
If it were to go ahead, a rep for the star's production company said they hope it would “widen the aperture, stay true to its DNA, not be repetitive."
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