WAILUA — There is no such thing as an “extra,” said Jim Wynorski.
“Everyone is a star,” the director of a Roger Corman movie filming here told Bob Meyer who plays one of the characters in the sequel to “Super Gator.”
The Roger Corman/Jim Wynorski movie is one of three productions being balanced by Kaua‘i Film Commissioner Art Umezu who recently interrupted his scheduling to accompany Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. on a goodwill visit to Japan.
The sequel to “Super Gator” will introduce another monster to the Wailua area — Dino Croc.
Meyer, in the movie “Super Gator vs. Dino Croc,” is married to an Elvis Presley fan who is part of an entourage touring the former Coco Palms resort, closed since it suffered the wrath of Hurricane Iniki in 1992.
“I have a speaking part,” said Poppy Shell, who was cast as the leading Elvis fan. “A lot of the other people are just in the movie, but as the biggest Elvis fan, I have some lines.”
Bob Jasper of Movie Tours visited the filming at Coco Palms. Wayne Perreira, the property caretaker, is now an employee of Movie Tours.
“One of our ‘Movie Tours’ vans is trampled by the monster,” Jasper said, thrilled with the prospect of having one of his vehicles being part of a movie production instead of having to transport visitors to various sites around the island where film productions have taken place.
Umezu said an MTV film crew was on Kaua‘i from New York and was scheduled for filming through last Friday afternoon.
“High School Reunion 6” has had crews on the island for the past several weeks, filming in different locations, Umezu said.
At a recent Rotary Club of Kapa‘a meeting at the Aloha Kaua‘i Beach Resort, the organization had to relocate from its weekly meeting location and was asked to be considerate of the film crew that was conducting interviews on site.
Umezu said the “High School Reunion 6” filming is being coordinated by Eddie Abubo.
The film commissioner said there was a tentative scheduling of a crew from “Adrenaline Junkie” to be shooting at Na Pali and camping out at Hanakapi‘ai and the Kalalau areas, but was unsure if that crew has arrived.
During the taping of a British show hosted by Jack Osborne, two or three international recording artists including Joss Stone and Natalia Imbrugia were scheduled to kayak into Hanakapi‘ai.
Kent Matsuoka, the Hawai‘i producer of “Super Gator vs. Dino Croc,” said that film is scheduled to be on the television network as early as this fall but was unsure of any firm dates.
During the filming of “Super Gator vs. Dino Croc,” John Callahan plays the leading male role as a sheriff with Amy Rasimas having the lead female role as the sheriff’s daughter.
Tamie Sheffield of Los Angeles, Calif., is cast as Maxine the tour guide.
“This isn’t my first trip here,” Sheffield said between filming. “I was here before and stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa. But on this trip, the most exciting part is I get to take surf lessons out in Hanalei.”
