MadWelshie
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The Water HorseWhat a great film.
Location was
| Quote: | Filming took place in 2006 in New Zealand, Scotland and at Miramar Studios in Wellington. Most of the film was shot in New Zealand, with Queenstown's Lake Wakatipu doubling for a Scottish Loch. The filmakers found that some of the landscape and geography there was similar to Scotland. However Russell said that, "There was no way I was going to make a movie about the Loch Ness monster and not shoot at least part of it in Scotland."[5]
The scenes in and around the MacMorrow family's house were shot on the 100-year-old Ardkinglas Estate on the shores of Loch Fyne in Scotland. The owners of the estate continued to live in the house while the crew was filming there |
Plot | Quote: | Plot
In 1940s Scotland, young boy Angus MacMorrow lives in a large manor house with his mother Anne (who is head house keeper), sister, a maid and an old game keeper. Later they are joined by Lewis Mowbray, who comes to work as a handyman in the manor. As Angus has been told, his father — a sailor in the Royal Navy — is missing since his ship has been sunk in the war, so it is very likely that he is dead. However, Angus hopes he is still alive.
One day, whilst looking for abandoned shells by their respective organisms, he discovers a big mysterious egg. Later, he comes to take care for what hatches from it: a unknown creature, or a 'water horse' (whom he calls Crusoe after Robinson Crusoe), that becomes the fabled Loch Ness Monster. As an old Angus tells his tale to a tourist couple in flash-forwards, Lewis explains to young Angus that there is always only one such creature: creatures of this species asexually reproduce through parthenogenesis, and always die after laying an egg.
The next day troops of the 12th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery arrive at the house commanded by Captain Thomas Hamilton, who is a friend of Lord Mackilern, the owner of the house who is serving with the RAF. An artillery battery is set up near the lake as defence against possible attacking or hiding German U-boats and the troops set up camp in the grounds of the house. The water horse is almost always attacked by Churchill, a bulldog who belongs to one of the soldiers, whenever Crusoe ventured around Angus' household. Angus keeps the creature a secret, but eventually tells his sister and (reluctantly) Lewis about it. Meanwhile, Crusoe grows pretty fast and is brought to the lake by Lewis, despite Angus' protests.
A few days later, Angus flees from the Allies camp and returns to the lake were he left his friend. Crusoe, who, despite released in the wild, still views Angus as its parent, lets him ride on its back. After sometime, it then starts diving underwater playfully, coming to the surface from time to time for breathing. Angus, being scared of the water, loudly protests that it should stop diving, but later he enjoys them himself, perhaps even overcomes his phobia for the sea. This peaceful setting doesn't last long; Crusoe suffers from shell shock after almost getting shot by "Victoria" (a cannon; originally meant to stop submarines) aimed at the lake during a firing demonstration. Two people who previously saw Crusoe, attempt to make a photo of it in order to become rich. When they realised that they wouldn't be able to photograph the real thing due to the bombardment test, they decided to create a fake, which would result in the real-life faked picture of The Loch Ness Monster, also known as "The Surgeon's Photo".
This photo, however fake, piques the interest of a few soldiers. Amongst them was a cold and keen hunter, who wished to kill the creature himself. This surprise attack however proves futile for the soldiers, as Crusoe easily capsizes their boat. When it was about to mortally wound a soldier, Crusoe returns to its senses after seeing Angus almost drown in the Loch and saves his life. After much coaxing from Angus, Crusoe decides to leave the loch for shelter and safety. At first, Crusoe couldn't leave the lake due to the continuous bombardments from Victoria and it being blocked by an anti-submarine net intended to catch possible German U-boats entering the lake, but later succeeds by attempting to jump over the net but instead crushes it with its weight. Angus finally accepts that his father may never return home and sees from afar (along with Lewis and his family) Crusoe's departure.
After the story was told (eventually the story-teller reveals himself to be Angus MacMorrow), a mother calls out to her son, who is walking down the beach and spots a rock. The rock looks similar to the egg that the water horse, or 'Nessie' as known in modern times, had hatched from. The last thing that is heard in the film is a crack from the egg, hinting to the viewers that Crusoe passed away. |
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