Exclusive Stills from Loch Ness Monster Movie
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on May 9th, 2007
I made the announcement last month here on Cryptomundo about the upcoming Loch Ness Monster feature film The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep.
The film, which opens Christmas Day here in the US, is from Columbia/Sony.
I had also posted some storyboards from the film here on Cryptomundo previously.
See:
The Water Horse Storyboard Take 1
The Water Horse Storyboard Take 2
The Water Horse Storyboard Take 3
The Water Horse Storyboard Take 4
The Water Horse Storyboard Take 5
The director of the film, Jay Russell, has shared some exclusive “work in progress production stills” from the film here for the readers of Cryptomundo.
Jay has directed a few films you may have heard of, My Dog Skip, Tuck Everlasting and Ladder 49.
Anyway, Jay passes along the following information:
These are some very early renderings of the creature. There has been considerable work done since these early tests.– Jay Russell
Please click on image for full size version
Please click on image for full size version
Please click on image for full size version
Disclaimer: The Trailer above (now deleted) is certainly unofficial. It was not provided by anyone remotely connected to the film. I looked on youtube, and this was the only thing concerning the film located there. At no time did I represent that this was an official trailer released by Columbia/Sony. I have been informed that an official trailer will be released very soon, which will look WAY better.
Further Disclaimer: As a matter of fact, as this post was about exclusive stills from the film, shared by the director of said film, I won’t do a disservice to the film or Jay Russell, said director of said film, I have removed the offending unofficial trailer for said film.
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
From what I can see, this production has gone with the reptilian model despite the overwhelming evidence the Loch Ness cryptid is mammalian in nature and characteristics.
Who will make the first Long-Neck motion picture actually based on what the eyewitnesses have reported?
I probably will be happy with this movie as cryptocinema, but I’ll reserve full consideration of a recommendation until I see the film.
I’m with Loren. Although I may find this movie enjoyable, I’d really like to see a mammalian long neck. I could work with that, just please…please never give me a proto-anguilla, if you know what I’m talking about.
I agree, but I can see why the filmmakers might have opted with the reptilian model. Although those of us who are interested in cryptozoology can see what Loren said, I’d say an overwhelming number of the general public imagine the Loch Ness Monster as some sort of plesiosaur type dinosaur. If a film about a mammalian type creature was made, people would probably be baffled and some may even say “What?! That’s not the way the Loch Ness Monster really is! It’s a plesiosaur!”. Gotta think about what the public perceptions are when these movies are made. They are not made to be accurate, but rather to make money!
So, is this going to be a Spanish-speaking movie? I got A’s in Spanish 12 years ago, but I will not brushup on it just to see this spotty looking movie. I have to admit, from the looks of it, it will go direct to DVD. Don’t mean to be negative, but it should say look for it soon at your local Blockbuster.
The trailer that I posted here from youtube is in Spanish. The film will be in English.
It will not be a direct to DVD release, it is opening in theaters here in the US on Christmas Day, 2007.
The effects were done by the same folks that did the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as the most recent remake of King Kong.
Reminds me of Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend.
Just to be clear, the ‘trailer’ Craig posted is not an official trailer. It appears to be a fan-made amalgamation of one brief scene from Chronicles of Narnia and a couple of stills from The Water Horse that have been released online. You can see the stills on the Water Horse page at IMDB.com. Please do not judge the merits of this film based solely on that trailer.
In the United States, the film will receive a major release from Columbia/Sony, and is in no way a cheap or ‘direct to DVD’ film.
Craig, I believe you’re doing a disservice to the film by posting that link, quite frankly.
Hey, at least the graphics look great. Too many movies today use cgi, but they don’t take the time to make sure the creatures look as good, if not better, than Jurassic Park or Dragonheart.
From what I can see, this production has gone with the reptilian model despite the overwhelming evidence the Loch Ness cryptid is mammalian in nature and characteristics.
Hmmmm Loren, I would say the overwhelming evidence (in my personal opinion) actually rules out the Loch Ness Monster being a mammal.
It’s not seen enough on the surface for it to be an air breather and the loch just isn’t big enough in surface area to keep a number of large mysterious mammals as cryptids for so long.
I think that (unlike sasquatch) eye witness reports are not all that consistent with the LNM. There are so many variables and contradictions.
If there is something there, I go for some kind of giant freak eel. If not, then a fish of some sort. I’m not convinced by the mammal explanation.
Looks pretty cool!
I agree with Lyndon. A giant eel or a reptile or even an amphibian all fit closer with the eyewitness reports than mammals (with an exception for zeugledons-snake like whales). I dont think I’ve read any reports saying that it appeared to be a “giant seal with a long neck”. I have read many reports of it looking like a dinosaur or a horrible slug like thing (Amphibian?). Again, I believe we must give eyewitnesses more respect. Afterall we trust them to lock up folks for extended periods. I don’t expect sasquatch to be discovered and it actually be a reptile, because; witnesses describe an ape-like mammalian homonid.
Lyndon- Well, it looks like the makers of this movie didn’t go with the giant freak eel look either! 🙂
And another thing about witnesses getting people “locked up”. A lot of people here use that argument, but I feel it simply isn’t as simple as that. In criminal cases there is more needed than just witness testimony, and I don’t think anyone is locked up based on solely on what a witness says. There is usually physical evidence and other factors that are considered as well and the testimony of the witness isn’t the only thing a conviction is based on. I am no lawyer, but I’m pretty sure that a person cannot be locked up for any length of time based on testimony in the absence of any other sort of evidence. Even with an incredible amount of testimony and circumstantial evidence, a conviction can elude prosecutors. Recently in Japan, there was the case of a British national who was murdered (some of you here from England may be familiar with the Lucy Blackman case), and there was a huge amount of testimony and circumstantial evidence against him. Even so, the defendant wasn’t charged with that murder. I think in most cases, a little more than just witness testimony is needed to lock someone up.
Those pictures are rather dark but one of them appears to be the old film about Nessie starring Ted Danson. I believe there is something rather large and unusual in Loch Ness. Sightings of this beast go back a very long ways; to about 600 AD I believe. As to its probable biological type, who knows. But that fin shot that one photographic underwater mission managed was a fin of no known sea creature.
Aside from the Plesiosaur angle being more familiar to the average movie-goer, the reptile look has 2 more things going for it- 1 is that reptiles are scarier to most people (So the fear that the adults in the movie seem to express is more understandable), and 2 is that reptile equates to dinosaur, dinosaur equates to dragon, and dragon equates to magical being, al of which would also make it more appealing…
Sorry for all the negativity yesterday. Craig , Thank you for clearing up my confusion about the movie and I am glad that you took the trailer down. If it is going for a big release on Christmas Day, then things look pretty good for this feature. I have breathed a big sigh of relief about not having to speak Spanish …. Ahhh!
Damn them! Damn them all to hell. LOL.
I would have liked a 30 ft super eel though. Oh well.
Lyndon- Well, maybe they will have the 30 foot eel in the sequel. I have to admit, that would be cool. 🙂