This production of Shipwrecked truly went the corner of the globe for its cinematography. The story took us from Norway, to London, to Sydney and then to the South Seas. Appropriately we got location shooting in the United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, and Fiji.
I'm sure in Norway the novel Haakon Haakonsen was thoroughly enjoyed by boys of all ages. Young Stian Smestad plays the title role in Shipwrecked about a kid whose injured father cannot take on a sea voyage and his lack of payment guarantee will force the family off their farm. So young Haakon takes dad's place on the ship and first port of call is London.
Where they pick up a new mate in Gabriel Bryne, arguably the only cast member you might know. He's not what he seems, he's as much an honest sailor and Lieutenant in the British navy as Long John Silver was a cook. In fact he's in the same profession as Silver and like in Treasure Island in Sydney he gets a few of his fellow pirates on board the ship as crew. They also pick up a stowaway in Louisa Millwood-Haigh who is an orphan trying to get to Calcutta and an uncle.
From Treasure Island we now get a bit of Robinson Crusoe when after a fight Smestad is marooned on a tropical island. If you know both classic novels you know how this will turn out.
Disney Studios released this in America and small wonder that they chose this property to put under their banner. It's a good adventure story for kids with some really nice color cinematography of the South Seas. Young Smestad comes off like a real kid not a Hollywood juvenile. And Gabriel Byrne is the kind of villain you love to see get his. Unlike Treasure Island this don't bond with this kid.
I'm sure in Norway the novel Haakon Haakonsen was thoroughly enjoyed by boys of all ages. Young Stian Smestad plays the title role in Shipwrecked about a kid whose injured father cannot take on a sea voyage and his lack of payment guarantee will force the family off their farm. So young Haakon takes dad's place on the ship and first port of call is London.
Where they pick up a new mate in Gabriel Bryne, arguably the only cast member you might know. He's not what he seems, he's as much an honest sailor and Lieutenant in the British navy as Long John Silver was a cook. In fact he's in the same profession as Silver and like in Treasure Island in Sydney he gets a few of his fellow pirates on board the ship as crew. They also pick up a stowaway in Louisa Millwood-Haigh who is an orphan trying to get to Calcutta and an uncle.
From Treasure Island we now get a bit of Robinson Crusoe when after a fight Smestad is marooned on a tropical island. If you know both classic novels you know how this will turn out.
Disney Studios released this in America and small wonder that they chose this property to put under their banner. It's a good adventure story for kids with some really nice color cinematography of the South Seas. Young Smestad comes off like a real kid not a Hollywood juvenile. And Gabriel Byrne is the kind of villain you love to see get his. Unlike Treasure Island this don't bond with this kid.