KEY POINTS:
Rather than letting Sleeping Dogs lie, the New Zealand Film Archive is mounting a search for long-lost cast and crew from the iconic 1977 movie.
To celebrate three decades of New Zealand feature film making, the archive had opted for an October 6 special gala screening of the thriller, attended by all those involved.
But while stars Sam Neill and Ian Mune were easy enough to track down, others had proved "relatively tricky" to flush out, Film Archive project developer Diane Pivac said.
"We have managed to invite various people and we're delighted Ian Mune will be introducing the special screening," she said.
"We'd love to hear from anyone who was involved with the movie so they can come and share their memories and celebrate this landmark movie."
Ironically, Sleeping Dogs was the story of a man called Smith - played by Neill - who went into hiding from the law and an oppressive government.
As some involved with the film had proved as hard to find as Smith, Ms Pivac has turned to the public for help in tracking down cast and crew yet to be invited to the gala screening.
Sleeping Dogs was regarded as catapulting New Zealand onto the international feature film stage.
It premiered at the Wintergarden in Auckland on October 6 1977, directed by Roger Donaldson in his feature film making debut.
It was credited with launching various careers, and the establishment of the New Zealand Film Commission in 1978.
Well-received in Russia , it was the first New Zealand feature to be released in the United States.
Sleeping Dogs was based on the novel Smith's Dream by C K Stead, with lead character Smith on the run during a time of militaristic tyranny.
Ms Pivac has curated a programme of screenings around the anniversary, showing films from the 1980s including Goodbye Pork Pie, Smash Palace, and Utu.
- NZPA
