Turkey Shoot (2014 film)

Last updated

Turkey Shoot
Turkey Shoot (2014 film) cover.jpg
Australian film poster
Directed by Jon Hewitt
Written by
Based on Turkey Shoot
by Antony I. Ginnane
Brian Trenchard-Smith
Produced byAntony I. Ginnane
Starring
CinematographyWarwick Field
Edited byJes Simpson
Music by Cezary Skubiszewski
Production
companies
  • Guardian Entertainment International
  • F.G. Film Productions
  • The Post Lounge
  • Screen Queensland
  • Thatcher Productions
  • Beeps
  • Cherryhill Holdings
  • PDER
Distributed byPotential Films
Release date
  • December 4, 2014 (2014-12-04)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Turkey Shoot (released internationally as Elimination Game) is a 2014 Australian dystopian science fiction action film directed by Jon Hewitt and co-written by Hewitt and Belinda McClory. Shot in Australia, the film stars Dominic Purcell, Viva Bianca, Robert Taylor and McClory. Inspired by the 1982 film of the same name directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith (who served as an executive producer on this film), it features appearances by two cast members from the earlier film, Carmen Duncan and Roger Ward, as well as the voice of producer Antony I. Ginnane as television network head Charley Varrick.

Contents

Synopsis

In the near future, SEAL Commander Rick Tyler is sent to Libya to assassinate its leader. After apparently completing the mission he finds himself in a prison charged with war crimes for murdering the population of a village during the currently ongoing "World War Africa" and his mission apparently failed as the Libyan leader is still alive. Sentenced to life imprisonment, he is given a temporary reprieve to appear on a popular reality television show called Turkey Shoot where he is pitted against a series of professional killers voted for by the audience. If Tyler, who has no weapons, survives three levels of hunting he will receive a pardon.

Cast

Production

Jon Hewitt co wrote and directed the film. He said "I loved Turkey Shoot but I did not want to remake it. This is a complete reinvention." [1] "[The original] was a bit cheesy and camp," he added. "We're playing it for real. There's no camp irony." [2]

Hewitt admitted that he was also influenced by The Running Man (1987). [1] He said the film:

Tries to deliver what its target demographic would want. I’ve still got my moments of heady violence and exploding heads. We just wanted to make a serpentine thriller that delivered the goods to a pretty undemanding audience, but had some meat on its bones... We speculated sooner or later people are going to be putting their lives on the line for entertainment on screen. [3]

He later elaborated:

We wanted to make an Australian action-adventure film for a relatively undemanding international audience, speaking the universal language of genre, but Belinda and I wanted to put a bit of meat on its bones and give it a satirical edge and comment on the state of the world at the moment. You know, to ask ‘Why are we actually at war?’ is one theme. Nobody seems to be actually talking about it. Are all these wars going on for the benefits of the countries or are they going on for the benefit of Google through YouTube and CNN and stations like that? Those are making a gazillion dollars. They're the worst offender. We wanted to speculate on that but put it in the subtext that people also want some sort of stalk and chase thriller could get into it as well. [4]

Investment came from a number of sources including Screen Queensland and the Post Lounge, who did visual effects. [1]

Liam McIntyre was originally announced for the role of Rick Tyler. [5] However he had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict and was replaced by Dominic Purcell.

Shooting began in Melbourne on 5 February 2014. [1]

Release

The film was given a limited theatrical release in Australia. [3] Hewitt:

Theatrical [release] is over for about 90 per cent of any film made anywhere in the world. You just have to look at what's released in cinemas now to understand that, but we are still compelled and forced to release every Australian film that gets made to give it a theatrical release, because of the way things are financed. So that's led to a lot of negativity because there's a lot of movies that just won't work theatrically. Theatrical is whole different thing now, it's about tent-pole movies and blockbusters and tent-pole art-house films – there's no theatrical play for movies like Turkey Shoot or The Mule or most Australian films.... The reason we haven't gone for the whole shebang – the simultaneous everything – is that I don't want the film available digitally until it's exploited in the US. Otherwise we are going to screw ourselves on an international sales front. That's the reason we haven't done it. [4]

Reception

The remake of Turkey Shoot received negative reviews from critics and audiences, earning a 20% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Related Research Articles

<i>I Know What You Did Last Summer</i> 1997 film by Jim Gillespie

I Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Jim Gillespie and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr., with supporting roles played by Johnny Galecki, Bridgette Wilson, Anne Heche, and Muse Watson. The first installment in a franchise, it is loosely based on the 1973 novel by Lois Duncan. The film centers on four teenage friends, who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a car accident in which they supposedly killed a man. It also draws inspiration from the urban legend known as "The Hook", as well as the slasher films Prom Night (1980) and The House on Sorority Row (1982).

<i>Dawn of the Dead</i> (2004 film) 2004 film by Zack Snyder

Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 action horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his feature directorial debut, with a screenplay by James Gunn. A remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name, it stars an ensemble cast that includes Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, and Mekhi Phifer, with Scott Reiniger, Tom Savini, and Ken Foree from the original film appearing in cameos. Set in Milwaukee, the film follows a group of survivors who try to survive a zombie apocalypse holed up in a suburban shopping mall.

<i>Flatliners</i> 1990 film by Joel Schumacher

Flatliners is a 1990 American science fiction psychological horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by Michael Douglas and Rick Bieber, and written by Peter Filardi. It stars Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, William Baldwin, Oliver Platt, and Kevin Bacon. The film is about five medical students who attempt to find out what lies beyond death by conducting clandestine experiments that produce near-death experiences. The film was shot on the campus of Loyola University Chicago between October 1989 and January 1990, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing in 1990. The film was theatrically released on August 10, 1990, by Columbia Pictures. It grossed $61 million at the box office.

<i>The Warriors</i> (film) 1979 American action thriller film by Walter Hill

The Warriors is a 1979 American action thriller film directed by Walter Hill. Based on Sol Yurick's 1965 novel of the same name, the film centers on a fictitious New York City street gang who must travel 30 miles (48 km), from the north end of the Bronx to their home turf on Coney Island in southern Brooklyn, after they are framed for the murder of a respected gang leader. The film was theatrically released in the United States on February 9, 1979, by Paramount Pictures.

<i>Johnny Guitar</i> 1954 film

Johnny Guitar is a 1954 American Western film directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge, Ernest Borgnine and Scott Brady. It was produced and distributed by Republic Pictures. The screenplay was adapted from a novel of the same name by Roy Chanslor.

<i>Village of the Damned</i> (1995 film) 1995 American film

Village of the Damned is a 1995 American science fiction-horror film directed by John Carpenter, written by David Himmelstein, and starring Christopher Reeve, Linda Kozlowski, Kirstie Alley, Michael Paré, Mark Hamill, and Meredith Salenger. It is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name, itself based on the 1957 novel The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. The 1995 version is set in Northern California, whereas the book and original film are both set in the United Kingdom. The 1995 film was marketed with the tagline, "Beware the Children".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominic Purcell</span> Australian actor (born 1970)

Dominic Haakon Myrtvedt Purcell is an Australian actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Lincoln Burrows in Fox's Prison Break, Mick Rory / Heat Wave in The CW's The Flash (2014–2016) and Legends of Tomorrow (2016–2021), as well as Drake / Dracula in Blade: Trinity (2004). He is also known for his role as Lewis "Lew" Brookbank in the 2004 film Three Way.

<i>Piranha</i> (1978 film) 1978 film by Joe Dante

Piranha is a 1978 American horror film directed and co-edited by Joe Dante from a screenplay by John Sayles, based on a story by Richard Robinson and Sayles. The film stars Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn, Barbara Steele, and Dick Miller. It tells the story of a river being infested by lethal, genetically altered piranha, threatening the lives of the local inhabitants and the visitors to a nearby summer resort.

<i>Little Shop of Horrors</i> (1986 film) 1986 film by Frank Oz

Little Shop of Horrors is a 1986 American horror comedy musical film directed by Frank Oz. It is an adaptation of the 1982 off-Broadway musical of the same name by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, which is itself an adaptation of the 1960 film The Little Shop of Horrors by director Roger Corman. The film, which centers on a floral shop worker who discovers a sentient carnivorous plant that feeds on human blood, stars Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, and the voice of Levi Stubbs. The film also features special appearances by Jim Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest, and Bill Murray. It was produced by David Geffen through The Geffen Company and released by Warner Bros. on December 19, 1986.

<i>Black Christmas</i> (2006 film) 2006 film by Glen Morgan

Black X-Mas is a 2006 Christmas slasher film written and directed by Glen Morgan and starring Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Oliver Hudson, Lacey Chabert, Kristen Cloke, Crystal Lowe and Andrea Martin. The film takes place several days before Christmas and tells the story of a group of sorority sisters who are stalked and murdered in their house during a winter storm. It is a loose remake and reimagining of the 1974 film of the same name. A co-production of Canada and the United States, the film was produced by Morgan and James Wong through their production company Hard Eight Pictures, along with 2929 Productions, Adelstein-Parouse Productions and Hoban Segal Productions. It is the second film in the Black Christmas series.

<i>The Wolfman</i> (film) 2010 film by Joe Johnston

The Wolfman is a 2010 American gothic horror film directed by Joe Johnston, from a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self. A remake of the 1941 film The Wolf Man, it stars Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving. The film’s story follows an actor based in America who, after his brother's brutal murder, returns to his ancestral homeland in England, where he gets bitten by a werewolf and is cursed to become one.

<i>The Strangers</i> (2008 film) 2008 film by Bryan Bertino

The Strangers is a 2008 American psychological horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino. The film follows a couple whose stay at a vacation home is disrupted by three masked intruders who infiltrate the home one night. It is the first installment in The Strangers film series. The screenplay was inspired by two real-life events: the multiple-homicide Manson family Tate murders and a series of break-ins that occurred in Bertino's neighborhood as a child. Some journalists noted similarities between the film and the Keddie cabin murders that occurred in Keddie, California, in 1981, though Bertino did not cite this as a reference.

Belinda McClory is an Australian film, television and stage actress, mainly known for her role as Switch in The Matrix.

<i>Turkey Shoot</i> (1982 film) 1982 Australian film

Turkey Shoot is a 1982 Australian dystopian action film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith. Its ensemble cast — an eclectic mix of international stars, Australian soap opera veterans and character actors — is led by Steve Railsback, Olivia Hussey, Michael Craig, Noel Ferrier, Carmen Duncan, Roger Ward and Lynda Stoner. The film marks the first of three directorial collaborations between Trenchard-Smith and producer Antony I. Ginnane — the others being The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989) and Arctic Blast (2010) — although the director had previously made promotional reels and trailers for Ginnane's earlier films.

<i>Acolytes</i> (film) 2008 Australian horror thriller film

Acolytes is a 2008 Australian horror thriller film directed by Jon Hewitt. The plot is about three teenagers and their sudden involvement with murder and violence over the course of a dangerous week. It won awards at film festivals in Austin and Melbourne, including a tie for the Best Film of 2008 award at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival.

<i>RoboCop</i> (2014 film) Film by José Padilha

RoboCop is a 2014 American cyberpunk action film directed by José Padilha and written by Joshua Zetumer, Edward Neumeier, and Michael Miner. It is a remake of the 1987 film and the fourth installment of the RoboCop franchise overall. The film stars Joel Kinnaman as the title character, with Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, Jennifer Ehle, and Jay Baruchel in supporting roles. Set in 2028, a detective becomes critically injured and is turned into a cyborg police officer whose programming blurs the line between man and machine.

Redball is a 1999 Australian film.

Jon Hewitt is an Australian film director. He is married to actress Belinda McClory.

<i>X: Night of Vengeance</i> 2011 film by Jon Hewitt

X: Night of Vengeance is a 2011 Australian thriller film directed by Jon Hewitt and starring Viva Bianca, Hanna Mangan-Lawrence, Peter Docker, Stephen Phillips, Eamon Farren, and Belinda McClory.

<i>Prison Break</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth and final season of Prison Break is a limited event television series and a revival of the original series created by Paul Scheuring that aired on Fox from 2005 to 2009. The season is produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with Adelstein Productions, Dawn Olmstead Productions, One Light Road Productions and Original Film. Paul Scheuring serves as showrunner, with himself, Marty Adelstein, Neal H. Moritz and Dawn Olmstead, Vaun Wilmott, Michael Horowitz and Nelson McCormick serving as executive producers. McCormick also serves as director. The season premiered on April 4, 2017, and concluded on May 30, 2017, consisting of 9 episodes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Don Groves, "Turkey Shoot Reloaded set to roll", If Magazine 10 January 2014 accessed 25 January 2015
  2. ↑ Philippa Hawker, "Turkey Shoot remake: Fast cars, guns and heads exploding", Sydney Morning Herald 9 December 2014 accessed 25 January 2015
  3. 1 2 Michael Bodey, "Film release strategy: The Mule and Turkey Shoot are different animals", The Australian, 3 December 2014 accessed 25 January 2015
  4. 1 2 Emily Blatchford, "Turkey Shoot director counts on overseas deals to find audience", If Magazine 10 December 2014 accessed 25 January 2015
  5. ↑ "SPARTACUS'" Liam McIntyre goes on new "TURKEY SHOOT" Fangoria 17 May 2013 accessed 25 January 2014
  6. ↑ Wilson, Jake (10 December 2014). "Turkey Shoot review: Eighties Ozploitation remake a bizarrely underpowered effort". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  7. ↑ Edwards, Russell (4 December 2014). "Turkey Shoot review". SBS What's On. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.