18 June 2020

Cathedral Cove, New Zealand




 
In THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN, the second movie in the film trilogy, the four children Pevensie return to Narnia. Just as for the first film (see Elephant Rocks, New Zealand), Eastern Europe and New Zealand were chosen to represent the magical land.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:11:26
The story is set a year after the first movie. In Narnia, however, 1300 years have passed. Crown Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), son of the last king of Narnia, is on the run after his uncle Miraz (Sergio Castellitto) has seized power. In distress, Prince Caspian blows the horn of Susan Pevensie (Anna Popplewell). Because of this, the four children, who at that moment are waiting at a subway station in London to go to boarding school, are brought back to Narnia.

This scene was filmed at Cathedral Cove in Hahei, located on the east coast on the North Island of New Zealand, in February 2007. The beach, very popular with tourists, was closed to the public for two days.

Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The bay is only accessible by sea (there are boat and kayak tours) or by walking a 2.5 kilometre footpath. At the start of the trail is a parking lot, but because the number of places available is smaller than the number of visitors, during high season it is only possible to be dropped off here via a shuttle bus from a visitor car park located just outside Hahei. The first bus leaves at 9 am. For more information and rates, see the website of The Coromandel.

The footpath ends with a wooden staircase leading to the beach. Directly to the left is the naturally formed archway, the only access to the bay. During our visit the tide just came up and we had to walk through the waves.

In the film the underground station dissolves into the archway that leads to the bay. It is low tide when a surprised Susan, Peter (William Moseley), Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) walk at the beach in their school uniforms.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:12:25
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:12:30
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:12:43
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:12:58
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:13:00
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:13:05
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020

The foursome enter the water and discover dwellings in the higher rocks. The houses are digital additions, the rest is all real. A beautiful place, despite the many tourists highly recommended for a visit.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:13:19
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:13:48
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:13:51
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, 0:13:53
Cathedral Cove, Hahei, 29 January 2020

Screenshots © Walt Disney Pictures/Walden Media