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 Principal
photography on "The Four Feathers" began in Morocco where the immense
desert vistas and striking beauty of the country provided an exotic
backdrop for the film. Shooting took place in several locations
throughout Morocco, including the tall mountains of Fint, through
which Harry struggles to rise above a desert oasis, and the 600-year-old
town of Ait Ben Hobdou, which was used to represent the fortress
of Abou Clea. In addition, many of the exquisite shots depicting
seas of sand dunes were taken near the town of Merzouga, known in
Arabic as Erj Eregue Chebi (or "Sand Desert"), an exotic locale
where dunes rise as high as 400 feet and stretch row after row to
the horizon.
After
filming was complete in Morocco, the production moved to various
locations throughout England, shooting at such sites as Blenheim
Palace (the birthplace of Winston Churchill) and Hyde Claire Castle
(the residence of Lord Carnarvon, who was instrumental in finding
King Tut?s tomb), as well as inside the elegant grandeur of British
countryside manors.
But
according to location manager Marco Giacalone, filming in Morocco
provided the most challenge. "While the country is a wonder of riches,
making the ravishing sites film-friendly wasn?t easy," he says,
adding that the working season in Morocco is restricted to winter
months, as summer temperatures can soar upwards of 120 degrees.
Even in the cooler months temperatures can be blistering, so a team
of young Moroccans delivered a steady stream of water bottles to
the film crew throughout the shoot. Sandstorms were an ever-present
risk, even the ones that the crew generated using fans the size
of airplane propellers.
"As
a guard from the elements, filmmakers operated from a temporary
base camp assembled at the various location sites," says Giacalone.
"When audiences see the movie, they have no idea that behind the
scenes there?s a whole world of tents set up for the cast and crew."
According
to unit production manger Roberto Malerba, "These tent cities are
like mini studios in the desert with wardrobe tents, control tents,
medical tents, makeup tents and so on." And, when filming scenes
like the climactic battle, which included as many as 1300 extras
and 200 animals, additional provisions had to be made for them as
well.
"Local
sensibilities in Islamic Morocco also had to be taken into account,"
adds Malerba, who remembers that one village did not want the production
anywhere nearby for fear that the villagers? daughters would fall
in love with crew members and lose interest in village boys.
While
the location manager and the unit production manager had their hands
full with securing the sites and making provisions for the cast
and crew, making the stark atmosphere of the hot African desert
come alive on the screen was the task of director of photography
Robert Richardson. He won an Academy Award? for his cinematography
in the 1995 political drama "JFK" and earned Oscar? nominations
for "Snow Falling On Cedars," "Born On The Fourth Of July" and "Platoon."
"My
main technique for filming the desert scenes was to shoot into the
sun," says Richardson. "By backlighting the shot, I was able to
produce a sharp contrast between the characters and the landscape."
Director
Shekhar Kapur says that Richardson?s technique used sparingly isn?t
unusual, but to stick to it throughout an entire film as the cinematographer
did in "The Four Feathers" is quite unusual. "It gives the film
an edgy feeling," says Kapur, "and a sense of total reality, which
is exactly what I was looking for. Richardson?s other great quality
is his ability to infuse energy into every shot through the way
he operates his camera."
Achieving
realism and dramatic impact in battle sequences was the task of
military coordinator Henry Camilleri. Even though many of the extras
in the battles were professional soldiers, recreating a Victorian
army, with its constant emphasis on repetitive drill, was a challenge,
if only in making sure the marching sequences were accurate.
"The
way that soldiers marched in Victorian days was totally different
from today?s style," says Camilleri. "The real soldiers had to unlearn
everything they had previously learned in the military and learn
the way things were done in the 1800s."
Costume
designer Ruth Myers was responsible for the authenticity of the
British soldiers? uniforms as well as for Kate Hudson?s Victorian
dresses and ball gowns and the costumes worn by the Muslim rebels.
Myers? goal -- to express through costuming the mythic power of
the story -- turned into a challenge when she was asked to create
the look and feel of repressive, starchy Victorian England as it
collides with 19th-century Africa.
"The
film takes place when the English are at the height of their supremacy
within the Empire," says Myers, a two-time Oscar? nominee for such
diverse films as "Emma" and "The Addams Family." Despite the rigidity
of the society, she observes, the army officers were aristocrats,
who purchased their own uniforms and could select some of the detailing.
Thus, as the film progresses, Harry?s army friends each begin to
show subtle touches in their clothing that convey the distinction
between their characters.
The
moment the British soldiers step foot on foreign soil, however,
chaos sets in and, according to Myers, the costuming had to reflect
the change in atmosphere. In particular, the crowd scenes were an
issue since director Shekhar Kapur wanted to emphasize every person
as an individual and show their distinct differences. Therefore,
in order to distinguish each character from the crowd, Myers added
a special touch to his or her clothing. In that way, through all
the various visuals presented in the costuming, Myers was able to
accentuate the sense of chaos that spreads throughout the film once
the young Englishmen leave the comfort of their homeland.
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