Spellbinder II: about


Overview

Following the successful and internationally acclaimed Spellbinder TV series, winner of the 1996 Australian Film Institute Award for best children's drama comes Spellbinder II: The Land of the Dragon Lord. The 26 episode children's fantasy adventure series, a Film Australia co-production with Polish Television, Shanghai Film Studios and the Nine Network Australia with assistance from the Australian Film Finance Corporation premiered on Australia's Nine Network on September 1, 1997.

Filming commenced in June 1996 with a seven week shoot in Poland, followed by 13 weeks in China and seven in Australia. The series has been presold to Australia's Nine Network, Polish Television, CCTV China and the United Kingdom.

Spellbinder II The Land of the Dragon Lord tells the story of a brother and sister lost within parallel worlds. The first, which resembles ancient China, is a world of illusion, romance and danger ruled by a Dragon Lord with extraordinary powers bestowed by an ancient computer. When a villainous Spellbinder from another parallel world arrives, a thrilling adventure ensues which crosses the boundaries of many worlds as the children race against time to rescue their family and save The Land of the Dragon Lord.

Children's drama has been an ideal starting point for Film Australia's first co-production with China. The partnership between Film Australia and the Shanghai Film Studios has given this Australian production a very broad international appeal. The Land of the Dragon Lord will be screened to a potential audience of almost 200 million Chinese Children, along with other youngsters all around the world. With its European component, The Land of the Dragon Lord is an international production of oustanding creativity with a unique place in Australian film and television history.

Story Outline

Imagine a world where people are immortal or where machines have waged war against humans or where the computer was invented 400 years ago. These are called parallel worlds and are the backdrop for The Land of the Dragon Lord, a 26 episode fantasy/adventure series for children, filmed in the contrasting landscapes of Australia, Poland and China.

Kathy Morgan, a headstrong and imaginative 14 year old girl, is on a camping trip with her parents and 16 year old brother Josh. Bored with her holiday, Kathy gets more excitement than she could have hoped for when she finds a strange bamboo boat. The boat belongs to Mek, a scientist from the land of the Dragon Lord, who has discovered a way of travelling between parallel worlds.

Kathy meddles with the controls of the strange craft, transporting herself and Mek to the world of the Spellbinders. Here they meet Ashka, the ruthless and power-hungry villain from Spellbinder I, who tricks them into helping her escape from prison.

Mek takes Kathy and Ashka to the Land of the Dragon Lord - a world of culture, romance and illusion. They are summoned to appear before the Dragon Lord and Kathy is surprised to find that this mystical being is a petulant 12 year old boy, Sun, whose magical powers are generated by a vast and ancient computer. Sun takes a liking to Kathy and refuses to let her go home.

Unbeknown to Kathy, her family must find their way into the Land of the Dragon Lord. They must use their wits and courage to survive in this strange world while they search for their missing daughter.

Ashka attempts to take control of the land but Kathy thwarts her plan. Ashka steals the interface which controls the computer and the land of the Dragon Lord, at peace for 400 years, is plunged into chaos. Kathy and Josh are forced to pursue Ashka through a series of dangerous and frightening parallel worlds in a race against time to rescue her family and save the Land of the Dragon Lord.

As Kathy and Josh struggle to survive, they learn to confront their difficulties with courage, imagination and responsibility. They discover that everyone can achieve remarkable things when circumstances demand it.