RUDYARD KIPLING'S THE JUNGLE BOOK" Production Information In the classic tradition of Walt Disney Pictures' live-action entertainment for the whole family, and based on Kipling's beloved short stories, comes the bold and sweeping adventures of Mowgli (JASON SCOTT LEE), a young man raised since childhood by wild animals in the jungles of India, in "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book." A timeless story, shot extensively on locations in India, Mowgli becomes a young man and is eventually drawn from the jungle by his attraction to the beautiful Kitty (LENA HEADEY), daughter of Major Brydon (SAM NEILL), an important English military official. But when Mowgli makes the decision to re-enter civilization, in order to be near Kitty, he embarks on a life-changing adventure beyond his wildest imagination. And when an avaricious military officer named Captain Boone (CARY ELWES), who epitomizes untamed savagery, forces Mowgli to reveal the jungle's hidden treasures, the so-called civilized world suddenly becomes the most brutal place Mowgli has ever been. Only with the help of his loyal animal friends who come to the rescue -- including Grey Brother, a wolf; Baloo, a bear; and Bagheera, a black panther -- can Mowgli survive the perilous ordeal and reunite with Kitty. All of Kipling's memorable characters are featured in this action-filled updating of the film favorite. For those who treasure Disney's animated classic "The Jungle Book," this new live-action film promises an equally rewarding experience. A Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Sharad Patel production in association with Edward S. Feldman, "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book" is directed by Stephen Sommers from a screenplay written by Sommers and Ronald Yanover & Mark D. Geldman, and a story by Ronald Yanover & Mark D. Geldman, based on characters from "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling. Produced by Edward S. Feldman and Raju Patel, the executive producers are Sharad Patel, Mark Damon and Lawrence Mortorff. Co-producer is Michael J. Kagan. Co-executive producer is Rajendra Kumar. Buena Vista Pictures distributes. ABOUT THE PRODUCTION Born in England, but spending much of his adult life in India, Nobel Prize-winning author Rudyard Kipling created a classic body of literature during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the vignettes and short stories which have come to be known as The Jungle Book. Having twice been translated to the medium of film, in two very different renditions, the classic theme of jungle law versus the law of civilized man has enjoyed an even greater popularity. "The Jungle Book" was first filmed in 1942, starring Sabu, and directed by Zoltan Korda. More than 25 years later, in 1967, the Walt Disney Pictures animated movie was released. It became an instant classic, reaching a worldwide audience with its universal and ageless appeal. Then, last year, more than a quarter of a century after the initial theatrical release of that film, veteran producer and distributor Mark Damon read a new script of "The Jungle Book" that Indian producer Raju Patel had been developing for three years. Damon was enthused, and told Patel, "Now is the time -- the 100th anniversary of the first publication of Kipling's The Jungle Book -- to do this project ... and Disney would be the ideal studio to do it with." Executive producers Sharad Patel and Mark Damon brought the project to The Walt Disney Studios and within 48 hours, a deal was cemented. Disney acquired distribution rights for the United States and Canada and selected overseas countries, and Damon's company, MDP Worldwide, retained the film for the rest of the world. The Walt Disney Studios then called upon respected producer Edward S. Feldman to work with Patel to assemble a cast and creative team and to guide a brand new live action version of "The Jungle Book" to the motion picture screen. Of Indian heritage, but raised mainly in Kenya, producer Raju Patel conceived the idea to once again translate this story onto film one day while watching a National Geographic special on television. "Having read The Jungle Book stories, I thought this might be a perfect opportunity to highlight the animal kingdom with a strong and cherished story line," he recalls. "Ever since exploring India when I was a teenager, I'd wanted to try to capture its rich color and history on film." Setting out to expand on this concept, Patel became fascinated with a tale about a wild and savage child who is abruptly brought into the civilized world. With so much emphasis today placed on world ecology and preserving the animals' natural habitat, he also felt that audiences would respond to these issues with great interest. Determined to develop the project, Patel first hired two talented yet unknown screenwriters: Ronald Yanover and Mark D. Geldman. "Together we decided that the episodic nature of Kipling's short stories needed a continuous story narrative," says producer Patel. "It was an enormous challenge to write animal scenes without the simplicity with which all the animals in The Jungle Book stories talk to one another," says Ronald Yanover. "After the first draft, which came in at almost 175 pages, both Ron and I suggested to Raju that he bring in a director who would then have the tremendous task of filming the scenes as written," adds Mark D. Geldman. "From the very beginning this was an exciting project for me because it was an opportunity to help create a film that I think is going to become a classic," producer Feldman says. "Making this movie was an incredible adventure and learning experience for all of us, and what made the project especially interesting, is that we were able to take the beloved Kipling stories and inject a contemporary point of view about a love of animals and of the environment." Nearly anywhere one travels in our modern world, mention of "The Jungle Book" will likely draw a warm glint of recognition. It was thus paramount for the Disney Studios to select a director for this project who possessed exactly the right sensibilities to undertake what was anticipated to be an extraordinarily arduous and physically demanding assignment. For numerous reasons, among which are his screenwriting talents, noted filmmaker Stephen Sommers was selected to direct "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book." "Stephen is a young director with boundless energy and enthusiasm, exactly what we required for this movie," executive producer Sharad Patel explains. "He is extremely talented and we felt that he would be perfect to handle all the animal work and tough conditions we were expecting." "We stayed as close to the book as we possibly could, but Kipling really just gives a series of brief stories without much narrative," director Sommers says. "His writings provide only a few characters, so we were free to invent some entirely new directions. I took all the animals in the book and gave them human counterparts in a sense. Plumford, played by John Cleese, is a Baloo-like man; Sam Neill's Brydon is like the pompous elephant; and Captain Boone, played by Cary Elwes, is like Kaa, the slithering, sinister snake." When a working script was finalized, location scouting began, with everyone's initial sights set on filming all within India. After several tours through the country, it became clear that there were major obstacles that needed to be addressed. First and foremost, the film required upwards of 50 trained animals to be hired. With all of the industry's best animals and their trainers located in the United States, bringing them to India proved an enormous challenge. "We were afraid that if we took the animals over to India, many of them could get sick or possibly die. The heat conditions as well as the water and food problems are very hard to acclimate to," director Sommers reflects. "Another top priority was finding the right jungle. I wanted a romantic, beautiful and lush jungle with lots of cliffs and waterfalls and peaks and valleys, and that was just not to be found in India. So we ended up creating our jungle by going to four different locations on two continents. I wanted to show a jungle that we'd all want to live in, and I take full blame for making all of us travel halfway around the world and back to get it." After securing the locations for those scenes that would be shot in India, focus was then cast back to the United States. Finding appropriate terrain both in central Tennessee and on Fripp Island in South Carolina, the animal problem was solved and the director's vision -- with a bit of help from the art department -- was satisfied. In transforming America's national forests into foliage-perfect Indian jungle land, production designer Allan Cameron had a massive task to fulfill. "We assembled the most talented group of greensmen the film industry has to offer, and after investing a lot of money on various exotic plants and greenery, we've been quite successful in creating a faithful jungle landscape to film within. We were shooting more mountainous terrain in Tennessee, with exotic waterfalls and ravines and crevices, where the detail on greenery was a bit less demanding. As much work as was required on our Fripp Island locations, we were actually quite lucky in that it is one of the last tropical areas left in North America, and fairly exotic on its own." As principal photography began in Jodhpur, India on March 14, 1994, "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book" was in preparation at various camps throughout the world. "I had two companies operating simultaneously, 10,000 miles apart on two separate continents," producer Feldman says. At the Mehboob Studios in the Bandra section of Bombay, construction on four separate sets was in process for the two months prior to the company's shooting them. Back in the United States, the various animals and their trainers began active work several months prior to their being needed in front of the cameras. Arriving in Tennessee about one month ahead of the company, acclimating the animals to their new environment was essential in preparing a comfort zone for them to work in. Among the many demands that "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book" would ask of its animal actors, perhaps the most demanding was in requiring animals of different species to appear and perform together, side-by-side in a number of sequences. As Mowgli's constant companions, the bears, wolves and panthers would be continuously called upon to share the same film frame. The city of Jodhpur lies on the edge of the Thar Desert in the province of Rajasthan, up in the northwest section of India near the Pakistan border. Serving as the British fortress, where much of the middle part of the movie takes place, the Meherangarh Fort (translated as the Majestic Fort) was the most important element in choosing Jodhpur as the film's first location. Built in 1459 to protect the Rajput faction from other warring groups within the country, the bluff it is built on soars 393 feet above the flat surrounding plains, commanding views for some 80 miles in post-monsoon clarity. Guarded by seven gates and walls that are up to 68 feet wide and 117 feet high, the Fort served the film with a deep sense of history, and inspired the actors and filmmakers as they were steeped, day after day, in the country's traditions and architecture. "What we came here for is India," executive producer Lawrence Mortorff remarked, "and what we have here you just can't duplicate anywhere else." Co-executive producer Rajendra Kumar says, "Jodhpur presents the old India as you would actually see it, and the people here appreciate the fact that we are showing this beautiful Fort, in this incredible environment, in all its splendor, to the rest of the world." Portraying Major Brydon, Kitty's father and the officer in command of the British outpost, actor Sam Neill was drawn to the role, in part because of a personal connection to the story. "I'm actually from a long line of family involved in the Indian army, and three or four generations before me spent years and years in this country. I woke up one morning when we were in Jodhpur, and I realized that I was actually playing my father. My father was a very pronounced British army type, and I find that -- with this role -- I rely more and more upon my memories of him every day. Also, I had never been to India, and was quite interested in this period of British history." In recreating the British army of the 1900s, two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer John Mollo ("Star Wars," "Ghandi") helped create a level of authenticity with his expertise as a military historian that is unmatched in the industry. Meticulous about detail, Mollo entered the film industry as a historical advisor on films such as "The Charge of the Light Brigade," "Nicholas and Alexandra" and "Barry Lyndon," after which he began designing. Based in India for the first six weeks of the shoot, the health and well-being of the primarily British and American crew was a constant factor to contend with. "Our water budget on the picture alone was $70,000!" producer Feldman exclaims. Providing a flow of spring water on the set, averaging about 1,400 bottles a day, the producers also brought a caterer from England to assist the locally hired food crew in assuring the healthiest meals were being given to their workers. As careful as everyone was, it was rare to find a crew member who didn't have at least one experience of illness to report. "India was hard," Stephen Sommers remarks. "The temperature on the soundstages in Bombay got as high as 137 degrees and up in Jodhpur we were dealing with an average of 110 degrees. What I liked about India, though, is the people are incredibly nice and went out of their way to be helpful. The painters and plasterers and construction people we found were amazingly dedicated and talented craftsmen. It's a friendly, warm country, but, yes, the conditions are very difficult to work in." Producer Edward S. Feldman says, "India provided us a backdrop that we couldn't get anywhere else in the world, so we had to put up and deal with discomforts that are just part of daily life here. One of the more difficult tasks we had was having to bring basically every piece of equipment we would need to shoot the film here with us. Although India actually makes more movies each year than any other country in the world, their equipment is not on a par with what we are used to using. We actually couldn't get our own cameras out of customs until three days before we started the movie. We had to do all our makeup and hair tests with cameras borrowed in Bombay. And we didn't get our walkie-talkies until a week into filming!" Another problem faced by the production, was a shortage of Westerners to portray officers in the British Army for a fancy ballroom scene. And, as producer Feldman says, "The type of people we needed aren't just sitting around Jodhpur. So we placed ads in Indian newspapers and finally attracted 75 young people from Australia, America, Canada and England, who were backpacking through India. They came in looking like hippies, but we cleaned them up, cut their hair and taught them how to waltz -- all in a period of two and half weeks." Following four weeks of mainly exterior work on location in Jodhpur, the company moved south to Bombay where the next two weeks would be dedicated solely to stage work. At the Mehboob Studios, a crew of primarily Indian laborers had been hard at work for several months building a series of extremely elaborate and difficult sets. The Indian workers, most of them fascinated by working on a western movie, provided a level of dedication and precision that could stand up to the best that Hollywood has to offer. Arriving at the start of Bombay's hottest season, the crew found the stages at Mehboob were not equipped with an air-conditioning system, and had only a very primitive fan system built into a few of the stage walls. The majority of the two weeks were spent on the elaborate treasure room set, with lighted torches encircling the set in addition to standard lighting equipment. A true test to human endurance, the average temperature on this set clocked in at 137 degrees. Sopping wet in about 10 minutes time, the company soon found that even the equipment had difficulties withstanding these temperatures. On certain days it was necessary to shut the cameras down for about 10 minutes each hour, avoiding malfunctions that could affect the quality of the film itself. Moving from Bombay to Cookeville, Tennessee, the company began the intensive work with the animals. "Although `The Jungle Book' is a love story about Mowgli and Kitty," says Jason Scott Lee, "it is also a love story about the relationship between man and animals. There has been very little filmed about this recently, and I found this theme was one of the main reasons I chose to do the project. I think that if we invest an interest in animals, and observe how they have come to live together in harmony, it can somehow reflect back onto how we exist in the civilized world." Calling for the largest group of trained animals that had been assembled for a film since "Doctor Doolittle," "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book" required some 52 tigers, leopards, wolves, bears, elephants, horses, Brahma bulls and monkeys. The film employed 16 different animal rental companies, and between 25 and 30 animal trainers at any given time. As the film's head animal supervisors, Gary Gero and Steve Martin began their work months before shooting began. Visiting various compounds to see what animal actors were available, their search required careful scrutiny and detail that one might not consider a job of this nature to demand. "There's quite a variety of creatures in this film, and each one is required to do something different," Gary Gero says. "We might have to have two or three bears to do one part, or four or five wolves for one performance because one of the animals is better at doing something than the other. For instance we have one bear from Canada, and there's a couple of others from Southern California that have been working in films for a while. One of the bears is good at doing things like allowing Mowgli to ride on him. There's another bear that does the waltz nicely. And then there's another one that's a good runner and a good snarler. So each one has a little bit of a different character to him, but they all interact and double for each other. One of the back-up bears, Casey, is actually a North American black bear, so whenever he works we have to apply makeup on him because Baloo is established as a brown bear." With an assemblage of animals this extensive, a review of the script was arranged for the producers, animal trainers and a representative from the American Humane Association to detail exactly what was being requested of each animal. "We examine all scenes and eliminate whatever may be too dangerous," animal trainer Nicholas Toth explained. "We figure out alternate ways to do the stunts. As their trainers, we spend a lot of time with these animals and build up a rapport and trust, so ultimately they're counting on us to look after them." About a month prior to their being needed in front of the camera, most of the animal actors were sent to Tennessee ahead of the crew to become familiar with conditions there. "It's important to get the animals used to the various situations they'll be working in, like the waterfalls -- the animals had never been around something like this before, so we needed to make them comfortable so the noise didn't scare them," trainer Toth explains. "Besides teaching them any special movements or interactions that they'll be required to do, a lot of the prep work is simply to familiarize the animals with the terrain -- and with each other, so when we get on set things can happen as fast as possible." "One of the more important tasks we had to achieve on `Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book,' was in preparing the animals to work amongst each other," trainer Steve Martin says. "Most of these animals are experienced in film work, but generally they are working alone or with another from their species. We spent quite a bit of time introducing the lead wolf to the lead bear prior to the project, having them take long walks together with a trainer to get comfortable with one another and realize that they weren't going to attack each other. They're never going to be the best of buddies, but we taught them to work alongside one another without really paying too close attention to the other." Director Stephen Sommers knew that the animal work the film required would be the ultimate challenge. "Working with animals was tougher than I ever believed possible. We have the best animal trainers and the best animals in the world with us, but it can take forever to get a scene right. But I'm amazed at some of the things we get from the animals, especially the main bear that plays Baloo. He's been wonderful, almost animated at times ... if he wants to work. With certain trained animals like the elephants and monkeys, they were just fantastic at doing everything we asked them to do. With the more wild, exotic animals -- even though they eventually gave us what we needed -- when they say they are trained, all that means is that they probably won't kill you. It doesn't mean they can do fun stunts and tricks on the spot." "Working with the animals has been the most incredible acting workshop I've ever been to," actor Jason Scott Lee reflects. "There are so many things going on with an animal's whole way of living that are completely different from how we perceive the same thing." Spending every spare moment off the set familiarizing himself with the animals, and vice-versa, Jason called upon a level of trust and confidence he was never aware that he had. "I soon realized that I had to be very clear and poignant with everything that came out of my mouth when I worked with them. If my actions were too abrupt, or my voice too harsh, it could be a danger or threat to that situation. The more I worked with the animals, especially the bear, I came closer to knowing what they were thinking, and felt much safer working with them. A wolf is always a wolf, and a bear is always a bear, so in observing that and being a part of what they are doing, you get a strong sense of who you are and what your fears are. It's about as straight ahead as you'll ever get." The role of Mowgli was a tough one to cast. Looking for an actor who could project an almost child-like simplicity, who could call upon an almost animal-like agility and who had enough patience and confidence to handle a pack of wolves or a tiger running full speed towards him wasn't easy. Producer Feldman recalls, "Last Christmas, after director Stephen Sommers and I saw many people in London who might be appropriate to play Mowgli, I was in Singapore where they show `Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story' every afternoon. Seeing Jason Scott Lee in the title role, I knew he would be right for our film. "Jason is an actor who gives everything he has to give," Feldman continues. "He is a powerful actor who is equally adept physically. Jason has a spirituality that is inherent in the character of Mowgli." Echoing their sentiments, director Sommers explains how Lee was perfect for the role. "Mowgli doesn't share the same value system we know as humans, so there is little, if any cynicism or evil attributes to him. Jason has the natural sweetness and innocence to him, that when projected on screen just becomes Mowgli." After first seeing actress Lena Headey as "Lizzie" in the Merchant/Ivory production "The Remains of the Day," producer Feldman brought her to the attention of director Stephen Sommers. Sharing Feldman's enthusiasm, Sommers brought the 20-year-old native of Yorkshire, England to the United States for a three-day whirlwind trip in and out of Los Angeles to test for the role and meet with the producers. With credits spanning television and film work, portraying Kitty Brydon in "The Jungle Book" is Lena Headey's first opportunity at a starring role. "I like doing serious roles generally, and playing Kitty has been one of the hardest things I've done. She's an English girl in India, and there's a delicate balance in making it interesting yet not going over the top," she says. "Lena did a wonderful job with Kitty," director Sommers lauds, "Kitty is well-mannered and the girl we all want to marry." Finding his co-star an utter delight to work with, Jason Scott Lee explains, "Lena has a freshness and a humor to her that made working alongside her a pleasure. She's a real trooper." "We had so much fun in pre-production with the actors, because as we pulled everything together there were wonderful, new ideas -- and as the writer I could just keep on working with the dialogue," Sommers recalled. "Cary Elwes' character Captain Boone, was not unlike a snake which sometimes appears a bit innocent as they slither through the grass, but they can also be the epitome of something evil and mean and nasty. He had a great time playing that duality, and a great time in general playing a larger-than-life bad guy." Commenting on his work with Sommers, actor Elwes enjoyed the flexibility that the director/writer offered the company. "It's always nice to have a director who enjoys exploring the characters with his actors." When approached to play the role of Major Brydon, one of the more important elements that actor Sam Neill found appealing was the type of movie that "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book" appeared to be. "Besides being very well written, with some very talented people on both sides of the camera, the script seemed to be telling a family kind of story. It's a big adventure that I also believe should be quite funny, and I think it will be something that I'm going to be very happy to take my kids to." "John Cleese is the first person I wanted for Dr. Plumford," director Sommers explains, "and everybody kept saying ... `John Cleese turns everything down, he doesn't do anything except for what he's written, or projects that are being made by friends, and anyway he spends most of his time now writing.' Everybody kept saying you can't have him, and I kept pushing and saying let's try to just get him to read the script. Then we called his agent who said `no' for John. Then, out of the blue I got a call telling me that John Cleese had got hold of a script, and he'd read it and wanted to do it. I've been a fan of his since the early `70s, and I was really thrilled. "What I liked about `Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book' is that when I read the script, it was a good story," John Cleese says. "Ninety-seven percent of the scripts I read just aren't good stories, and I believe that if the story works then the whole film is going to work. My father spent a few years in India and had very warm feelings about the Indian people, and somehow some of that came to me as I was reading the script. I also realized that I could have great fun playing Plumford because he's quite nice, and I usually play sort of awful people. He likes young people, and has a rather soft spot for Mowgli, and there was no great pressure for me to be all out funny." Trekking continent to continent, with cast and crew enduring soaring temperatures and flip-flopping stomachs, director Stephen Sommers was once again reminded just how hard movie-making is. "I kept teasing the crew when we'd be in the middle of a swamp, up to our ears in mosquitoes and bugs and goop, and I'd turn around and say ... `Isn't movie-making glamorous?' There is nothing glamorous about making movies, it's very hard work. Perhaps back in Los Angeles when it's all said and done, and you're standing at the premiere, there's that one glimmer of a moment that is real glamorous. "When people are working that hard they have to be appreciated. It's so important to have fun and to pat people on the back and let them know that their work is not going unnoticed," says Sommers. "The happier the crew is, the better their work is going to be. We were a very happy crew." ABOUT THE CAST Since his performance in the title role of "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story," JASON SCOTT LEE (Mowgli) has become one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood. Raised in Hawaii, Lee became interested in drama while in high school, but did not begin formal studies until he attended Fullerton College in Orange County, California. Soon after beginning work with acting coach Sal Romeo, Jason attended his first audition where he walked away with a small comedy role in Cheech Marin's "Born in East L.A." Honing his craft, Lee continued to land parts including that of a hoverboarder in "Back to the Future, Part II," a Vietnamese Montanyard Warrior in the CBS movie-of-the-week "Vestige of Honor," and the lead in the Afterschool Special, "American Eyes," in which he played an adopted Korean youth searching for his roots. With Miramax's "Map of the Human Heart," Lee took on his first starring role as Avik, an Eskimo villager who shares a life-long love affair with a Cree Indian (Anne Parillaud). After searching for years to find the right actor to portray Bruce Lee, director Rob Cohen knew he had his man when he met with Jason Scott Lee. With no prior experience in the field of martial arts, after several weeks of intensive Jeet Kune Do training, the actor's abilities were astonishingly honed. In less than one year Jason earned a black belt in this very specialized art which was developed by Bruce Lee himself. Jason's portrayal in "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story," was the driving force behind the enormous success of the film. Prior to "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book," Jason went on location to Easter Island -- the most remote island in the world -- where he starred in "Rapa Nui," directed by Kevin Reynolds. Portraying a Polynesian Prince of the late 1600s in a civilization on the brink of cultural revolution, the film was produced by Kevin Costner and Jim Wilson. Born and raised in England, CARY ELWES (Captain Boone) left his native country at age 18 to attend college in New York. However, he did return to England to make his cinematic debut in Marek Kanievska's "Another Country," a film about the lives of spies Burgess and McLean during their youth. He was then chosen by the director of the Royal Shakespeare Company to play the insolent and confused high-born adolescent Guilford Dudley, opposite Helena Bonham Carter in "Lady Jane," the story of Jane Grey who ruled as Queen of England for only eight days in the 16th century. Soon after, Elwes starred as Westley in Rob Reiner's 1987 smash hit, "The Princess Bride," which was written for the screen by William Goldman. He then followed with the role of Cabot Forbes, the good-natured second-in-command, in the Academy Award-winning film "Glory," alongside Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman. In 1990 he went on to portray Russ Wheeler, Tom Cruise's chief competitor in the race car circuit in Paramount's "Days of Thunder." The following year Elwes returned to comedy as Ken Gregory in Jim Abraham's "Hot Shots!," which also starred Charlie Sheen. Next, Elwes appeared as Lord Arthur Holmwood in the 1992 Academy Award wining film "Bram Stoker's Dracula" for director Francis Ford Coppola. In 1993, Elwes starred as Nick Elliot in the suspense drama, "The Crush," from Warner Bros. Later that year, he starred as Robin Hood, spoofing the 12th century hero of Sherwood Forest in the Mel Brooks comedy, "Robin Hood: Men In Tights." LENA HEADEY (Kitty Brydon) takes on her first starring role in "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book," having come to the attention of the filmmakers when producer Edward S. Feldman took note of her performance in "The Remains of the Day," portraying the upstairs maid "Lizzie," in the Merchant/Ivory production starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. The 20-year-old Yorkshire native has accrued an impressive list of credits in her brief few years working in the business. On the small screen she has appeared in the television series "Soldier Soldier" and "Spender," as well as guest starring on ABC TV's "MacGyver" starring Richard Dean Anderson. Headey has also been seen in the BBC productions "Fair Game" and "Clothes in the Wardrobe" which was released in the states as a feature film under the title "The Summer House" with Joan Plowright, Jeanne Moreau and Julie Walters. Other feature credits include "Waterland" opposite Jeremy Irons and Ethan Hawke and "Century" opposite Charles Dance. SAM NEILL (Major Brydon) last year starred in two of 1993's most successful films. He played the lead, Alan Grant, in Steven Spielberg's enormously popular "Jurassic Park," co-starring Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. "Jurassic Park" grossed over $900 million worldwide to date easily making it the highest grossing film of all time. This was followed by Jane Campion's "The Piano" co-starring Harvey Kietel and Holly Hunter. "The Piano" was not only a huge hit at film festivals (it won the Palme D'Or at Cannes and three Academy Awards), it was also a decisive box office hit. Born in Northern Ireland but raised in New Zealand, Sam Neill's interest in the performing arts was fostered at the University of Canterbury. On graduating he spent seven years between acting in theatre and directing documentaries for the N.Z. National Film Unit. Making his feature debut in Roger Donaldson's futuristic "Sleeping Dogs," it was however his portrayal of Judy Davis' well-mannered suitor Harry Beacham in "My Brilliant Career" that first brought him international recognition. He subsequently worked with Judy Davis in CBS' "One Against the Wind" (for which he gained a Golden Globe Award nomination). He has also worked twice opposite Meryl Streep; in Fred Schepisi's "Plenty" and later in "A Cry in the Dark" (a.k.a. "Evil Angels") for which he was given the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor. He has subsequently been nominated twice by the Australian Film Institute for "Death in Brunswick" and "The Piano." Some of Sam Neill's other feature credits include "Dead Calm" opposite Nicole Kidman, John McTiernan's "The Hunt for Red October" co-starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin, Wim Wenders' "Until the End of the World" with William Hurt, "Memoirs of an Invisible Man" with Chevy Chase and Daryl Hannah, "Possession" opposite Isabelle Adjani, "Enigma" with Martin Sheen, "The Good Wife" with Bryan Brown and Rachel Ward, "The Journalist," "From a Far Country," "The Blood of Others" opposite Jodie Foster, "For Love Alone," "The Country Girls," "Robbery Under Arms" and this year's "Sirens" with Hugh Grant, Elle Macpherson and Tara Fitzgerald. On television he is best known for his role as spy Sidney Reilly in "Reilly Ace of Spies" (Golden Globe Award nomination and Best Actor on British Television). He has also starred in the miniseries "Kane and Abel" and "Amerika," and more recently opposite Anjelica Huston in ABC's "Family Pictures." Along with "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book" he will soon be seen in John Carpenter's "In the Mouth of Madness," Michael Blakemore's "Country Life" opposite Greta Scacchi, and Michael Hoffman's much anticipated "Restoration" co-starring Robert Downey Jr. and Meg Ryan. He is now completing work on "Victory," Mark Peploe's adaptation of Joseph Conrad's novel co-starring Willem Dafoe and Irene Jacob. Last year Sam Neill was honored with an O.B.E. for Service to Acting. Born in Weston-Super-Mare, England, JOHN CLEESE (Doctor Plumford) was educated at Clifton College and Cambridge before beginning his career as a performer, writer and director, bringing him to the attention of audiences worldwide. Following his debut as a member of the Cambridge Footlights Revue in the West End, Cleese went on to BBC Radio as a writer before returning to the stage in two Broadway shows: "The Cambridge Revue" and "Half a Sixpence" with Tommy Steele. He then returned to England to work for BBC Television on "The Frost Report," "At Last the 1948 Show" with Marty Feldman and "Monty Python's Flying Circus." In the 1970s, Cleese made his first Monty Python film, "And Now For Something Completely Different," later taking the comedy act on a stage tour before beginning "Monty Python and The Holy Grail" in 1974 and the BBC-TV series, "Fawlty Towers" in 1975. Since then he has made two other Monty Python films: "Life of Brian" and "Meaning of Life," directed several Amnesty stage shows including "The Secret Policeman's Ball," portrayed Petruchio in "Taming of the Shrew" for BBC and written the books Families And How To Survive Them with Robin Skynner and it's sequel, Life And How To Survive It. With the release of "A Fish Called Wanda" in 1988, Cleese won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and received an Oscar and Writer's Guild nomination in the United States, as well as an Italian Oscar, for Best Screenplay. Most recently he has completed roles in "Splitting Heirs" with Eric Idle, and "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" and received The Jack Oakie Award for Comedy in Motion Pictures from the Screen Actor's Guild in America. He is now writing the follow-up to "A Fish Called Wanda," with the "Wanda" cast, but a new story and different characters. ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS STEPHEN SOMMERS (Director/Screenplay by) attended St. Johns University and The University of Seville in Spain before spending four years performing in theater groups and managing rock and roll bands throughout Europe. Returning to the United States, Sommers next attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinema and Television in Los Angeles, earning his Masters Degree. Serving as both the director and screenwriter on the award-winning short film "Perfect Alibi," he next worked on the feature "Catch Me If You Can," once again combining his skills as a writer and director. Sommers went on to write the screenplay for "Gunmen," which starred Christopher Lambert and Mario Van Peebles, directed by Deran Sarafian. Bringing his directing and screenwriting skills together once again, Sommers' next project was "The Adventures of Huck Finn" for Walt Disney Pictures. EDWARD S. FELDMAN (Producer) has had a long and distinguished career in motion pictures and television. Some of his many feature credits include "Witness," "My Father, The Hero," "Forever Young," "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid," "The Doctor," "Green Card," "The Hitcher," "The Golden Child," "The Other Side of the Mountain" and "Save the Tiger," for which Jack Lemmon received an Academy Award for best actor. Mr. Feldman's television credits include "Not in Front of the Children" for CBS, "Charles and Diana: A Royal Love Story," and the miniseries "King" for NBC. Additionally, he produced both "My Father's House" and "21 Hours at Munich" for ABC. RAJU PATEL (Producer) graduated from the London Film School, and gained extensive experience as a producer and director making commercials and documentaries for the British film industry. In 1984 he developed, financed and produced the highly successful "Bachelor Party," starring Tom Hanks for 20th Century Fox. Eight years after the release of the original, Patel is in pre-production on "Bachelor Party II: The Night Before," slated for a 1995 release. Mr. Patel directed his first feature film with "In the Shadows of Kilimanjaro," a low budget thriller/action adventure. Most recently, he completed producing "Glass Shadow: Cyborg II," starring Jack Palance and Elias Koteas. Among the many projects Patel has in development with his father, Sharad, is "Bram Stoker's Jewel of the Seven Stars." RONALD YANOVER and MARK D. GELDMAN (Screenplay by/ Story by) first met in art class at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. They became fast friends and eventually formed a film marketing and advertising company. Their writing talents were discovered by producer Raju Patel on a film for which they were hired to write advertising copy. Soon thereafter they were hired to write the low-budget sci-fi thriller "Cyborg II" produced in 1993. SHARAD PATEL (Executive Producer) began his filmmaking career producing educational films, documentaries and docudramas for a wide variety of personal clients and governments, developing a relationship with the film community in both East Africa and the United Kingdom which has spanned over three decades. In 1979, Sharad Patel financed, produced and directed his first highly successful feature film, "Amin: The Rise And Fall," a project which combined cinema verite and docudrama. Drawing from years of experience working with advertising agencies, both Sharad -- and his son Raju -- formed their own distribution outfit in the United States, calling it Twin Continental Films Inc. The team of Sharad and Raju Patel produced "Bachelor Party," "In the Shadows of Kilimanjaro" and "Glass Shadow: Cyborg II," and is currently in pre-production on "Bachelor Party II: The Night Before" and "Bram Stoker's Jewel of the Seven Stars." Additionally, various companies controlled by the Patels have developed a multi-national strategy, beginning with the financing and production of both feature and made-for-television films in Los Angeles, feature film distribution in India and a new pay TV service for Asians of Indian origin in Great Britain and Europe. MARK DAMON (Executive Producer) formed MDP Worldwide in February 1993 and, as the company's president, is intimately involved in all of its operations. Before forming MDP, Damon co-founded Vision p.d.g. with Sony Pictures Chairman, Peter Guber. Among the many overseas blockbusters in which Damon has played a key role in production and/or distribution over the years are "Never Say Never Again," "9 1/2 Weeks," "Prizzi's Honor," "The Cotton Club," "The Neverending Story," "Das Boot," "Once Upon A Time In America," "Lost Boys" and "Short Circuit." Damon began his entertainment career as a contract player with 20th Century Fox in 1955, co-starring with Pat O'Brien in "Inside Detroit." Among his many credits as an actor, some include "Between Heaven and Hell," with Robert Wagner and "Party Crashers," in which he co-starred with Connie Stevens. For his work in the Roger Corman classic "Fall of the House of Usher" and "This Rebel Breed," opposite Rita Moreno, he received a Golden Globe Award for the Male Star of Tomorrow. Moving to Italy in 1960, for what was to become a 14 year stay, Damon closed his acting career in 1974 with his 50th film, "There Is No. 13," co-starring with his wife, Maggie Damon. At work with the Italian distributor, P.A.C., Damon's first production was Robert Aldrich's "The Choir Boys." Returning to the United States in 1977, he launched Producers Sales Organization, and later helped to form the American Film Marketing Association to promote the sale of independent English-language films internationally. Today he is one of AFMA's leading spokesmen. LAWRENCE MORTORFF (Executive Producer) segued into film production from a career as a lawyer in the entertainment industry, and currently serves as President of KL Features, Inc. Most recently Mortorff produced George Miller's "Andre," starring Keith Carradine, with some of his many other credits including "Deadly Exposure," "Hellraiser III," "Children of the Corn II," "Confessions of a Hitman," "Romero," "He's My Girl," "Lady Beware" and "Maria's Lovers." For television he produced "Sentimental Journey" starring Jaclyn Smith and "Easy Prey" starring Gerald McRainey. SHRI RAJENDRA KUMAR (Co-Executive Producer) started his film career in the early 1950s as assistant to director H.S. Rawail. He began his acting career in 1954 with the Silver Jubilee Award-winning film "Vachan" and was subsequently honored in India with Silver and Golden Jubilees Awards for such popular films as "Toofan Aur Diya," "Mother India," "Ghar Sansar," "Dhool Ka Phool," "Kanoon," "Goonj Uthi Shehnai," "Aas Ka Panchhi," "Gehra Daag," "Sasural," "Hamrahi," "Mehandi Rang Lagyo" (Cujrati), "Gharana," "Zindagl," "Dil Ek Mandir," "Mere Mehboob," "Aai Milan Ki Bela," "Sangam," "Arzoo," "Suraj," "Geet," "Ganwar," "Talash," "Sajan Beena Suhagan" and many others. Because Mr. Kumar has received more Jubilee Awards than any other artist in Indian film history, he is affectionately known in the industry and to his fans as "Jubilee Kumar." Also the recipient of the Padmashri Award in 1969, he was conferred with the Justice of Peace, and served as Honorary Magistrate. He has also won many other national and international honors and received a special Shastri National Award on the occasion of Lal Bahadur Shastri Birth Anniversary by Shastri Yuvak Kendra. In 1961-62, Mr. Kumar was awarded the National Honour by Prime Minister Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, for two films "Kanoon" (Hindi) and "Mehandi Rang Lagyo" (Gujrati). Mr. Kumar was also invited to the United States by the Federation of Indian Association, to serve as Grand Marshall for the Independence Day Parade in New York City in 1987. In addition, he was the chief guest for the Republic Day Celebration in Los Angeles in 1989, and was presented with the Key to the City by the Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey. He also produced and directed a documentary film "Bharatmata Ki Pukas" dedicated to the late Smt. Indira Gandhi, which was awarded the Best Documentary Film of 1984 and was gifted to the late Prime Minister Shri. Rajiv Gandhi. MICHAEL J. KAGAN (Co-Producer) previously served as co-producer of "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." Prior to that success, Mr. Kagan worked in various filmmaking capacities on "Air America," "Mountains of the Moon," "Superman IV," "Manifesto," "Sword of the Valiant," "Life Force," "Duet For One," "House of the Long Shadows," "Ordeal By Innocence," "Death Wish III," "The Wicked Lady," "Siege," "Runaway Train" and "King Solomon's Mines." In addition, he served as head of production for Cannon Films in their London offices from 1982-1988. JUAN RUIZ-ANCHIA, A.S.C. (Director of Photography) previously worked with director James Foley on the films "Two Bits," "Glengarry Glen Ross" and "At Close Range." He also collaborated with writer/director David Mamet on "Things Change" and "House of Games," and with director Mike Figgis on "Mr. Jones" and "Liebestraum." Among his many other feature credits as a cinematographer, some include "A Far Off Place," "Dying Young," "Naked Tango," "The Seventh Sign," "Surrender," "That Was Then, This Is Now," "Maria's Lovers" and both "Valentina" and "1919" with Spanish director Jose Bentacore. Juan Ruiz-Anchia's television credits include "Noon Wine" for American Playhouse/PBS and "Single Bars and Single Women." ALLAN CAMERON (Production Designer) graduated from the Royal College of Art in London before starting a 9 year stint as a designer for a variety of television productions. Among his many credits during this period, Cameron won a British Academy Award for the designs of "Edward & Mrs. Simpson." His film credits include "1984," for which he was nominated for a British Academy Award, "Highlander," "Willow," "Air America," "Far and Away" and "No Escape." BOB DUCSAY (Editor) graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia with a Bachelor's Degree in English. He proceeded to the University of Southern California, graduating from the film school with a Master's degree in fine art. Following graduation from film school, Ducsay and director/screenwriter Stephen Sommers, peers and friends at USC, worked together on a film called "Catch Me If You Can," which Mr. Ducsay also edited. He most recently served as editor on Walt Disney Pictures' "The Adventures of Huck Finn," directed by Sommers. JOHN MOLLO (Costume Designer) is considered one of the world's foremost authorities on military wardrobe and weaponry, enjoying a career as a film advisor as well as a costume designer. The London-born craftsman won Academy Awards for the films "Star Wars" (which was his first feature assignment as costume designer) and "Gandhi." He designed costumes for such prominent motion pictures as last year's boxoffice hit "The Three Musketeers," "Alien," "The Empire Strikes Back," "Outland," "Cry Freedom," "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes," "Revolution," "King David," "The Lords of Discipline," "Air America," "Hannah's War," "Mr. Corbett's Ghost," "White Hunter, Black Heart" and "Charlie." He has written six books on military wardrobe and weaponry, including the authoritative Military Fashion. He began his film career as a technical advisor on "The Charge of the Light Brigade" in 1967 and served in that capacity on the films "Nicholas and Alexandra," "Zulu Dawn" and "Barry Lyndon," among others. BASIL POLEDOURIS (Music by) was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in Garden Grove, California, where he first began to study piano. With aspirations to become a concert artist and conductor, he entered USC where he graduated with a degree in music and cinema. While working toward a Master's Degree, Poledouris began composing the scores for his own student films, as well as those of fellow classmates. Realizing that motion picture music composition was the province that provided the most satisfaction for him, Poledouris embarked on his career after working briefly as a film editor. In 1978, with over 100 music scores for educational documentaries, industrial films and PBS television specials to his credit, Poledouris accepted his first feature motion picture assignment: John Milius' "Big Wednesday." Memorable scores for many successful films followed including: "The House of God," "The Blue Lagoon," "Conan the Barbarian," "Summer Lovers," "Making the Grade," "Conan the Destroyer," "Red Dawn," "Protocol," "Flesh and Blood," "Cherry 2,000," "Iron Eagle," "Robocop," "No Man's Land," "Farewell to the King," "Wired," "The Hunt for Red October," "Quigley Down Under," "Flight of the Intruder," "White Fang," "Harley Davidson and the Marlborro Man," "Robocop 3," "Wind," "Hot Shots! Part Deux," "Free Willy," "On Deadly Ground," "Serial Mom" and "Lassie." In addition to his motion picture work, Mr. Poledouris' indelible scores for television include the critically acclaimed miniseries "Lonesome Dove," for which the composer won the Emmy Award, and "Amerika." He also composed the music for the movies-of-the-week "Congratulations, It's a Boy," "Dolphin," "A Whale for the Killing," "Fire on the Mountain," "Amazon," "Single Women, Single Bars," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," as well as the music for the series "Misfits of Science," "Island Son" and "Nasty Boys."