Hawaii's Big Island Stars in New Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Motion Picture

05/25/2008

Come to Hilo for a “Vacation on Location!”

Hilo, Hawaii’s Big Island (May 22, 2008) — Moviegoers headed to the box office to catch the new Paramount Pictures’ Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull blockbuster will get to feast their eyes on the lush Hawaiian rainforests of East Hawaii’s Puna District, on the Island of Hawaii.

The movie is the fourth in the wildly popular Indiana Jones series, produced by cinematic giant George Lucas, and directed by equally renowned Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy. Hawaii shows up near the second hour, in one of the film’s most action-packed sequences: a seat-clutching chase scene through dense, ivy-covered, palm tree-studded forest on a narrow, unpaved road that meanders along steep coastal cliffs.

Never mind that gigantic ants and vicious monkeys attack everyone, those were created in the fertile imaginations and computers of the special effects team, far from Hawaii.

In the scene, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), his rekindled flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) and young Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) try to out-race and out-maneuver wily Russian villains in circa 1957 army jeeps. A thrilling sword fight between Mutt and the evil Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) orchestrated atop speeding military vehicles through impenetrable jungle should come with a warning: don’t try this on your vacation.

The scene was filmed on private land in the Puna District, and several eco-tour operators on Hawaii’s Big Island, including KapohoKine Adventures, Wild Orchid Tours and Native Guide Hawaii, can lead intrepid explorers to similar exotic Puna locales. The production was on island for approximately eight weeks last summer, and was all but cloaked in secrecy, according to insiders.

“Back in January 2007, I scouted locations for them. At that time, it was highly secretive. I didn’t know who we’d be working with, but I was told it would be huge,” revealed Gail Pyburn at the Honolulu premiere two nights ago. Pyburn, a Papaikou-based location scout/videographer, owns Rolling Lilikoi Productions, and has worked on countless movies and productions.

“What’s amazing is they scouted the entire world for this location, and chose Puna,” she said. The Puna Distrcit, the largest district in the state, is revered for its Hawaiian rainforest, lush dense jungle, dramatic coastline, and relatively untouched wilderness. It’s also one of the most affordable and unique places to visit, with numerous B&Bs, vacation rentals, and spa retreats available to travelers.

Big Island Film Commissioner John Mason says the production was a “well oiled machine.”

“They were extremely organized for such a huge logistical operation,” Mason said. The crew erected a massive tent city in Puna, far off the beaten path.

“Not only was the Puna location a great incentive to film here, but another big deciding factor was Act 88, the state tax credit we provide to enourage film, television, commericial and TV producitons to shoot in the state,” Mason said.

The private waterfall land at the Inn at Kulaniapia Falls in upper Hilo was almost famous. Innkeepers Len and Jane Sutton, who also attended the Honolulu premiere, recall how the Indiana Jones crew spent many long hours erecting an elaborate set around their private 120-foot waterfall. However, the producers decided to cancel the shoot at the last minute, as a storm system moved south of Hawaii Island.

The Suttons, whose gorgeous waterfall property has been used for other commericial productions, said they didn’t mind being canceled at the last minute. They still feel like they got their 15 minutes of “almost” fame. The Hawaii scenes ended up being filmed entirely in Puna on the Big Island.

Around town, employees at Hilo Bay Cafe and other local eateries are still buzzing with reports of waiting on Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf and the film’s other top-tier stars. But where did they sleep? The crew and some of the cast stayed at the Banyan Drive hotels along Hilo’s scenic bayfront, namely the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort, the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and Uncle Billy’s. The megastars stayed in private, non-disclosed homes in the area. Yes, the local team who worked on the production are tight-lipped about revealing the deepest secrets, but rumor has it that at least two A-Listers stayed at a certain B&B within Hilo’s lovely Reed’s Island enclave.

But that’s all we can tell you.

For more information about Puna and Hilo getaways, contact your travel agent, or visit www.bigisland.org. And don’t forget the popcorn!

Big Island Visitors Bureau Media Contact:
Jessica Ferracane
Irondog Communications LLC
(808) 895-5740
jessica@irondogpr.com