Issue date: 
Thursday, 27 October 2016

Impassioned! Unleashed! Hellbent!

Desperate Remedies Re-Premieres on November 28

Book at Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.co.nz

Aucklanders will have a one-off opportunity to see Desperate Remedies, the New Zealand film from 1992 that remains unmatched for its flamboyantly sexy love-triangle melodrama and gloriously over-the-top interpretation of colonial New Zealand style.

The film, which has not been seen in cinemas for over 20 years, has been fully restored and re-mastered and will "re-premiere" at the Civic on November 28. Tickets to this glamourous black tie event are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.co.nz

The Re-Premiere will be attended by the film's producer Sir James Wallace; Peter Wells (who wrote and directed with Stewart Main); and stars Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Lisa Chappell, Michael Hurst and Cliff Curtis, who made his feature film debut in this film. The late Kevin Smith will be represented by his sons Oscar, Tyrone and Willard.

Many of the original creative team will be there, including cinematographer Leon Narbey and art director Shayne Radford.

The Civic, home of the original Desperate Remedies premiere in 1992, will be decorated with original imagery, costumes and props from the film as a taster of the "Remedies Redux: The Desperate & The Beautiful" exhibition at The Pah Homestead TSB Wallace Arts Centre Nov 29 - Jan 15.

The film is written and directed by Stewart Main and Peter Wells and was produced by James Wallace Productions Ltd in association with The New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand on Air and Avalon/NFU Studios.

The restoration of the film was carried out under the New Zealand Film Commission's Te Ahi Kā initiative to preserve, protect and promote the best of New Zealand cinema. It was the result of months of work by Sir James and Wallace Productions' associate producer Grae Burton with the Film Commission's restoration team.

Proceeds from the Re-Premiere go to the Wallace Arts Trust and the event is supported by Auckland Live, Red Carpet TV and The Civic.

Described as "A delirious creation… Gainsborough on Acid" by Screen International, "Startling, voluptuous… witty sensual entertainment" by the Dominion and "Camper than a row of tents!" by Empire Magazine, the multi-award winning film took the world by storm in 1992/93 and made a huge splash in New Zealand and Australia.

Set in a town called Hope at the turn of the century, Desperate Remedies stars Jennifer Ward-Lealand (Dirty Laundry), Lisa Chappell (McLeod's Daughters) and the late Kevin Smith (Xena: Warrior Princess) in a whirlwind love triangle, made even more complicated by the sly machinations of a failing businessman played by Michael Hurst (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) and a sexy but devious opium dealer played by Cliff Curtis (Fear the Walking Dead), in his feature film debut.

Last updated: 
Tuesday, 8 November 2016