The New Zealand Herald is reporting that Narnia filmmakers have decided on animatronic reindeer for their adaptation of C.S. Lewis novel The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Over in New Zealand they must be revelling at all the recent movie news reporting they have been able to do thanks to all the large productions taking place over there. Apparently steam vents can be seen from her flaring nostrils and she looks convincingly agitated, as Holly (the robot reindeer) gets ready for her performance after the living variety struck problems with Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry regulations.
Apparently the decision to bring in 14 live reindeer was nixed after MAF officers raised concerns over the possibility of introducing the potentially-deadly Q fever, which is present among American herds.
Each robo-reindeer is controlled by up to five puppeteers who control all movements of their heads, neck, hips, nostrils, ears, eyes and tail as well as simulating breathing by expelling vapour from their nostrils. A movie spokesman declined to disclose how much they cost to manufacture.
To check out a tiny pic of the creator Mark Rappaport, playing around with Holly just click here for that and the rest of the article.
Narnia is set for a Christmas 2005 release and stars Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Dawn French, James Cosmo, Jim Broadbent, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Anna Popplewell, William Moseley, Rupert Everett and Ray Winstone.
