The Valley is a 1976 stop motion live action[1] adventure/fantasy[2] post-apocalyptic short film made by a then fifteen-year-old Peter Jackson with his friends.[3][4] It was strongly influenced by the films of Ray Harryhausen. It was filmed silent on a Super 8 camera and was shown on the children's television show Spot On.
| The Valley | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Peter Jackson |
| Starring |
|
| Edited by | Peter Jackson |
Release date |
|
Running time | 20 minutes |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Language | English |
Plot
editFour prospectors walk into a valley and unwittingly enter a rift in the time/space continuum. As they journey down the valley, one of the prospectors (Ian Middleton) gets taken away by a harpy. Another prospector (Peter Jackson) falls off a cliff. The two remaining (Ken Hammon and Andrew Neal) have to fight and destroy a cyclops. They build a raft, float across a lake, and see a building in ruins. This ruin, unbeknownst to them, is the Beehive building of Wellington city – they have not travelled back in time but ahead into a post-apocalyptic world taken over by mythical beasts.
Cast
edit- Andrew Neal as Prospector #1
- Ken Hammon as Prospector #2
- Ian Middleton as Prospector #3
- Peter Jackson as Prospector #4
- Pete O'Herne stars in an unidentified role
Reception
editThe short has been described as "a tribute to special effects master Ray Harryhausen".[5]
References
edit- ^ Vossen, Ursula (2004). Von Neuseeland nach Mittelerde: die Welt des Peter Jackson (in German). Schüren. ISBN 978-3-89472-349-1.
- ^ "10 great films by really young directors". British Film Institute. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ The Valley (Short 1976) – IMDb, retrieved 10 April 2023
- ^ The Valley (1976), retrieved 10 April 2023
- ^ Woods, Paul A. (2005). Peter Jackson: From Gore to Mordor. Plexus. ISBN 978-0-85965-356-5.
Bibliography
edit- Peter Jackson: From Prince of Splatter to Lord of the Rings by Ian Pryor
Secondary filmography
edit- Good Taste Made Bad Taste (Documentary) by Tony Hiles
- Recreating the Eighth Wonder: Making King Kong (Documentary) by Michael Pellerin
External links
edit- The Valley at IMDb
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