TV ORGY ON FERRY
A NAUGHTY-CAL TIME ABOARD OUR LOVE BOAT
QUEENSCLIFF’S dalliance with Hollywood has had an unseemly surprise ending.
There was a lot of local excitement and anticipation last year when the Queenscliff ferry was used for a week-long shoot for hit HBO drama The Leftovers.
The episode filmed on the MV Sorrento premiered last week startled local viewers when it emerged almost every scene shot on the ferry takes place during a wild orgy.
Dozens of naked actors are seen performing sex acts on the ferry’s seats and floor throughout the episode.
The hit HBO drama, which stars Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman and former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston, brought about 160 crew and 200 extras into town last August, using the MV Sorrento as a floating base for the episodelong TV orgy.
But tourism and travel figures were circumspect at the ferry’s transformation into a debauched version of the Love Boat.
Searoad Ferries marketing manager Leanne Jones said the company had not received any complaints following the episode.
“We leased the ferry to a reputable film company, and whether the content is salacious or not is sort of irrelevant,” Ms Jones said.
“They were a fantastic production company to work with.”
Geelong tourism chief Roger Grant said he doubted viewers would be worried by the orgy, and said it was “terrific” more and more films were being made in and around Geelong. “Clearly our region is one that is becoming more and more attractive to the film industry,” Mr Grant said.
The episode — episode five of series three — has been largely praised online this week.