Anne Grete Prices passed away August last year after some time of illness. Before she died, she had lent her voice to the role of villain in the new “Knutsen and Ludvigsen” film, which premieres in one week.
But Preus was not finished recording when she passed away.
– We were very shocked. We panicked since we had not finished with her. There was a part that remained, says director Rune Spaans.
He says that they had to get a computer program to transcribe everything Preus had said in the studio, so that they could record the remaining scenes post mortem.
– Luckily we had some recordings from the voting tests. We finally managed to cut together what was missing, he says.
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– Very proud
The film became Preus’ last job. On August 25, 2019, she died of liver cancer. The last time she was in the studio for “Knutsen and Ludvigsen” was in March of the same year, just a few months before she passed away.
– We did not notice that she was ill. Anne Grete Preus was absolutely fantastic to work with. But I must admit, I was a little scared of her. It made her a kind of royalty. In retrospect, it is a pity that we never took a picture together in the studio, says Spaans.
– A beautiful and good person
He says that Anne Grete Preus had not lent her voice to film in 20 years. The last time was to the character Ursula in the Norwegian version of “The Little Mermaid”, then also as a villain.
– We are incredibly grateful that she agreed to be a pirate queen. I think part of the reason for that is that she knew “Knutsen and Ludvigsen” well, says Spaans.
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The perfect villain
Spaans says that from the beginning they had wanted Preus as a villain and pirate queen.
– We wanted a very tough lady, and we got it. She had a natural authority in her voice, which was not made up. She could only speak in a normal voice, because it contained so much respect. It was a very special way of speaking, absolutely fantastic quality both in the voice and in the game, says Spaans.
Anne Grete Preus about the big bang: – In such situations, the vulnerability is strengthened
“Knutsen & Ludvigsen 2 – The Great Beast” has its Norwegian premiere on 25 September.
– I could brag about this film at home. I have always dreamed of making animation, and seeing the characters from “Knutsen and Ludvigsen” in motion. As I have had children, I am happy that they can get to know what was my childhood in a new way, says Spaans.
Leading figure
She is perhaps best known for songs such as “Pupil of the Moon”, “Millimeter”, “Amateur”, “When the sky falls”, “Joy” and “Butterfly wings”.
She is also considered a pioneer among Norwegian, female rock artists. Already in the 70’s she wrote most of her own song material, and besides, Anne Grete Preus was a skilled guitar player.
In 2007, Preus was informed that she had a kidney tumor. Before the summer of this year, she became ill again, and all her upcoming concerts until November 2019 were canceled as a result. She released ten solo albums.
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