Movie "Bad Blood" question.

[corsair67]

I bought a copy of the movie "Bad Blood", about Stan Graham's 'little' rampage on the West Coast in 1941; and was wondering if anyone can tell me if the Tiger Moth used in the filming of Bad Blood in 1980/81 was Simon Spencer-Bower's ZK-BUO?

Apparently a Vickers Vildebeest was actually used to hunt for Stan in 1941, but I think there may have been a little problem finding one of those for the movie in the early-80s! ;D

[Dave Homewood]

Indeed it was Simon Spencer-Bower's Tiger Moth, which donned RNZAF markings just for the role.

And it was standing in for a 2GR Vincent.

Simon Spencer-Bower's Tiger Moth was already a 'film star' by this time, having appeared in the Honey Puffs advert.

Great film, I did a study of it when I was at university and concluded it is one of the most accurate historical dramas made in NZ. They even used the same tragic village for the setting (although the place changed its name after the event due to bad publicity, it is the same place!). Also it's very well directed and has a stunning cast. Jack Thompson is great in it, and you feel a real empathy with his problems. His wife seemed to be a major factor in Graham's breakdown.

I also thought it interesting the scenes where the Tiger Moth circles above the thick bush looking for the fugitive, it is reminiscent of the scene where a Skyhawk does the same thing in Sleeping Dogs, looking for Sam Neill's character.

[corsair67]

Thanks Dave: I thought that was Simon's beautiful machine! Didn't he loan that particular Tiger to the RNZAF Museum at some stage as part of the Historic Flight?

I agree, it is an excellent film and Jack Thompson really makes the character of Stan Graham his own in my opinion. It was great watching it again yesterday afternoon, and seeing all those Kiwi actors who were/are such a big part of NZ television and film - Bruce Allpress, Ken Blackburn, John Bach, Martyn Sanderson, etc.

I recall reading somewhere that during the autopsy of Graham's body a brain tumour was allegedly discovered, which (along with his wife's constant nagging?) the authorities thought may have triggered his actions at the time. Never found out if it was bullship or not though.

A very, very sad story.

[Dave Homewood]

I never heard that about the tumour. It may well explain a lot.

Is the film on DVD now? I have a copy on video.

[Dave Homewood]

corsair67 said:

Didn't he loan that particular Tiger to the RNZAF Museum at some stage as part of the Historic Flight?

I don't know, I'd be interested to find out though. Did they operate two Tigers?

corsair67 said:

and seeing all those Kiwi actors who were/are such a big part of NZ television and film - Bruce Allpress, Ken Blackburn, John Bach, Martyn Sanderson, etc.

Not forgetting Marshall Napier who's in loads in Aussie these days, and Denis Lill who has gone onto a huge career as a character actor in Britain. And of course the incomparable Dame Pat Evison, who many would probably think was an Aussie after her many appearances there in such things as Tenko and The Flying Doctors. (now that was a good aviation programme!)

Other great Kiwi actors in the cast were Kelly Johnson (from Goodbye Pork Pie), Peter Vere-Jones, Desmond Kelly, Miranda Harcourt, Michael Haigh and Ian Watkin.

Bad Blood really captured the wartime Kiwi community spirit I reckon, with things like a dance in the hall and the packaging of red cross parcels, etc.

[corsair67]

Yep, I picked up a copy for $10 yesterday. It is distributed by Umbrella Entertainment (www.http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/index.htm), so you should be able to find it in the shops over there too.

The original master mustn't be in very good condition, because the picture is a bit scratchy in some parts! ;D

[Dave Homewood]

I have bought a couple of films just recently and the copying has been appauling. One is a WWII Australian film called The Last Bullet, from 1995 and starring Jason Donovan. Not a bad film but the quality is like one of those old films that schools used to get sent, scratchy and bubbly etc!

Another is Mission of the Shark, about the sinking of the USS Indianaplois. Another good film for the lower budget war film. But quality again is poor. Like someone taped it off TV in the 1980's. Both were produced in NZ.

I also got The One That Got Away, about the only German POW to successfully escape from the British in WWII. Great film, good clear quality, but in flipping Region 2.

[Dave Homewood]

According to NZ Wings for April 1985, the RNZAF had just retored a Tiger Moth to static condition in the colours of NZ795. It says the colour scheme was non-standard in that it was gloss yellow, rather than matt, it had D Type roundels (used 1948-57) and modern style digits in the serial, but with the De Havilland NZ style hyphon in the serial NZ-795 which would be wartime.

As Simon Spencer-Bower's aircraft was already active in the same scheme at that time I can only conclude that this was in fact NZ1481, which is in the Atrium and also in non-standard gloss paint. They must have repainted the roundels and the serial to NZ825 at some stage.

So I think if I'm right his plane was not at Wigram, it was a 'replica'. The same report talks of another being restored to fly with the musuem, which of course later went to and remains with the RNZAF Historic Flight.

[aileronroll]

abit of useless info........

CAA at the time agreed to have the civil registration removed so the aircraft would appear more genuine period !

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, that was the first aircraft in NZ given such permission. I believe that a lot of warbirds get away without showing rego now, don't they?

[Radialicious]

My Grandad was in the back of the Vildebeeste during the manhunt. He was good mates with Stan Graham and was picked because he could recognise him. They were in the same gun club. We still have Grandads .22 Winchester pump action rifle in the family. Grandad's initials were carved into the stock by the man himself. Also, another family member, Greg Hutchison was one of the victims. The Stan Graham saga is the West Coast's own version of Erebus - not many people know someone who wasn't affected by it.

I'd really love to get a copy of that film.

My late uncle, also another Hutchison closely related to Greg, was famous in West Coast aero club circles for many things. One was that of running the wheels of his Tiger Moth along the roof of the Kowhitirangi Tavern. He owned a Cub in the nineties in Hokitika and was well known as the guy that that often needed to gain altitude to land. The West Coast is a great place to explore in a lighty. My uncle used to use his Cub to spot good trout fishing areas. His rod was always on board and if he could he'd find a place to land nearby. There is a lot of freedom down there and I wish I had more coin to spend on flying around the area.
I flew from Hokitika to Christchurch the other day in a B1900D and timed it - 27 minutes from gate to gate. It was a good westerly day over the alps and light and variable in CHC. We landed on RWY 11 in what seemed like no time at all.

[corsair67]

Radialicious, you can order Bad Blood through JB HiFi over here and they will mail it to NZ for you:

www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvds/id/727935

You could also ask at your local dvd store as they may also be able to order a copy on your behalf; but probably not quite as cheap.

[Radialicious]

Bewdy! Thanks for that, I'll get on to it now. Cheers:)