Last Hurrah DVD Screenings Across New Zealand

[merv]

Just in from LB she has asked me to post this as requested by Des Molloy. Here's your chance to see the Last Hurrah DVD if you haven't seen it yet. We had a great night at the launch in Wellington http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=31424

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...6&d=1151284957

Here's the story and the dates:


Des Molloy and Dick Huurdeman look like the sort of guys who should be sedately steering a sleigh in a Santa parade, not riding old single-banger British bikes half way across the world through some of the most difficult and remote terrain imaginable. Des's son Steve joined this intrepid pair as cameraman and general factotum for the highs and lows of an incident-packed three-month trek from Beijing to Arnhem on ‘Penelope’, a 1965 Yorkshire-made 650cc Panther, and ‘Dutch Courage’, a 1954 Norton 600.

The route took them across the Northern-most of the Old Silk Roads over the roof of the world through China, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, the burning deserts in Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Germany and finally to Arnhem in Holland – nearly 20,000 kilometres. They did the last 5,000 Kilometres in about a week, riding up to 18 hours a day! The journey was traumatic as it was inspiring! Was this idiocy or odyssey? Decide for yourself as you watch the account of their adventures and misadventures. And meet them in person with their old war horses.

Des Molloy lives large in the annals of Panther heroes, having taken the same bike the length of Central and South America in the 1970s. A career, wife, several children and numerous bikes later, the plan was hatched for one last tilt at the world before it all becomes too accessible…

Dick Huurdeman came to New Zealand in 1956, already an experienced motorcyclist. For the 50 years since, he has raced and race prepared motorcycles as varied as his home built Manx Norton DHS ‘Bucephallus’ and the legendary Ducati raced by the late Robert Holden on the world stage. He has also ridden almost every road that New Zealand contains.

Most of Steve Molloy’s two-wheeled adventures have necessitated self power. He has carted his Cannondale to Europe to follow le Tour and he has pedalled his way across Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. He grabbed the opportunity to ride along, recording the adventure of a lifetime for us all to share.

DVD screenings across New Zealand in November and December 2006:
Gisborne Odeon Multiplex 6 Nov 7.30 pm
Whangarei Cinema City 5, 7 Nov 7.30 pm
Takapuna Berkeley Theatre 9 Nov 8.15 pm
Napier Century Theatre 12 Nov 7.30 pm
Palmerston North Convention Centre 14 Nov 7.30 pm
New Plymouth Top Town Cinemas 15 Nov 7.30 pm
Invercargill Reading Cinema 20 Nov 8.00 pm
Dunedin Academy Cinema 22 Nov 7.30 & 9.00 pm
Auckland Auckland Art Gallery 26 Nov 6.15 & 8.00 pm
Hamilton Rialto 27 Nov 8.30 pm
Tauranga Rialto 29 Nov 7.30 pm
Geraldine Geraldine Cinema 5 Dec 7.30 pm
Nelson State Cinema Centre 12 Dec 8.00 pm
Hokitika Regent Theatre 13 Dec 7.30 pm
Christchurch Academy Cinema 14 Dec 7.30 pm
Kaikoura Mayfair Theatre 15 Dec 7.30 pm

[PLUG]

... cheers Merv ... sure to take in the ch-ch showing ... seem to remember something about this on tv a while ago ... 60 minutes or simlar ... he/they were taking the scenic route to his sisters birthday ???

[Paul in NZ]

... cheers Merv ... sure to take in the ch-ch showing ... seem to remember something about this on tv a while ago ... 60 minutes or simlar ... he/they were taking the scenic route to his sisters birthday ???

Thats the one - trust me it's well worth the effort and the book is a bloody good read as well. This is not a big budget blockbuster but a couple of Kiwi blokes doing it hard and I found it inspirational.

Go see it, you won't regret it.

Paul N

ps - buy the book as well - fabulous birthday pressie even for non motorcyclists

[Wolf]

I'm in for the Hamilton session. Any idea on cost of entry? Also cost of the book and the DVD?

[merv]

Check out the Last Hurrah website here http://www.thelasthurrah.co.nz/

There it lists the price of the book as $31 and the DVD at $28 or $50 for both.

As for attending the screenings I presume they will be standard prices at those venues, probably about $15. In Wellington we paid a bit extra to be at the premiere and to partake of drink and nibbles put on for the occasion. For these screenings I'm guessing buy your own Jaffas.

Mark the dates for it in your town.

[merv]

Ok, OK I've taken pity on you and seeing there's nothing much to watch on TV on Monday night I've loaded a calendar entry for every one of these film showings. So tap in there for your town, request a reminder and arrange a ride to the event and make a night of it like happened at the launch in Wellington. No excuses, this film is well worth seeing for those interested in bikes and foreign adventure.

[SDU]

Awesome thanks for the heads up

[merv]

Yeah I found it a fun movie to watch, more bike oriented than the Silk Riders DVD which was more Gareth's commentary on the politics and social side of the countries they visited. With Des and Dick you see more of the bike riding and the hassles they had to overcome.

[clint640]

Looks good, hopefully Rosie & I will be able to make the Tauranga showing.

Cheers
Clint

[merv]

Hey dudes remember these start this week - Monday night in Gisborne. Check the calendar on the KiwiBiker home page as a reminder.

[merv]

Hey did anyone get to the showings in Gisborne and Whangarei so far?

Any feedback on what you thought of the movie?

[Gineen]

Excuse my ignorance, but where and how do I book for The Last Hurrah in Palmerston North on Tuesday? And how much is it?

Cheers Gineen

[merv]

I don't know your venue at the Convention Centre but I think price is something like $12.50 (most movies are about $15 or less these days) and I'd suggest your drop in just a bit early, even the day before to see if you can buy a ticket. Even in Wellington which was the premiere with food and drink included in the price ($20 here) I bought my ticket the day before at the theatre and that was fine.

We are getting no feedback about this round of showings. Has anyone been - how crowded are the venues so how much support is Des getting?

[The Big J]

Any feedback on what you thought of the movie?

I was at the Wellington premiere - thought the movie was really good.
I felt it went into a lot of details on the bikes and the shots of riding the bikes was good. I thought towards the end it rushed through a bit.

The style of travelling with the two of them was well done. Certainly the medical/mechanical situations made you feel how hard parts of the journey were.

If it were bigger budget I would expect it to be more balanced in that it just shot straight through Turkey and then bang they were at Arnhem whereas some parts of the world dominated a lot of the time. Am not sure how to say it exactly but I hope you know what I'm getting at. Maybe that was related to them doing long milage towards the end and shooting less film.

The one scene that I thought was a bit odd was where Des hops in the water under the bridge. It took me about a minute to figure out that he was doing this because of the heat.

While I feel it had shortcomings I thought it was excellent. A real kiwi story.
My thoughts.

If you're involved with the team good luck with other screenings. I'm heading off on my first adventure and hope I can do it as well as those guys at their age.

[fazer]

Just been to the Napier screening, good film only an hour long so doesn`t obvously indicate too much of the tour suffice to say they are bloody mad!!! shame there were only 22 in the cinema though. Glad I went if only to put me off going to Mongolia!