I’m going hiking over Christmas. Stay tuned for my reports, if I ever bother to get near a computer again. As well as the known film locations, I’ve been given lots of ideas for places to visit that are too tempting to ignore. Check spy reports for some of the suggestions I’ve been getting about places to explore and dream about Middle-earth.
Day: December 1, 1999
This isn’t news as such, more of a justicfication for not being around much for the next few weeks.
I asked a friend of mine where he thought would be a good place to see NZ at its most Tolkienesque,and this was his reply.
“Alot of places that I tend to go to haven’t got any tracks bar those made by animals like deer or chamois, so as far as the tramps go I am probably not the one to ask, however I do know of some likely places.
As far as Middle Earth goes, a dead ringer for The Gladden Fields would have to be from ‘Sisters’ swing bridge entrance to Lake Sumner park as it traverses an area that becomes quite breath taking in its vastness. There’s the Hurunui (Anduin) on one side with the Misty Mountains beyond and the flat tussocky tundra on the other – only Mirkwood has a dirty great ridgeline through it but I doubt you’ll care. Besides, the Mountains of Mirkwood do exist in the book somewhere, its just all in miniature. It ends up at Gabriels hut, an old cullers’ shack hand cut with 4 bunks, and a couple more clicks brings you to Lake Sumner – fabulous! If you’re looking for the Ent-moot style I’d consider looking towards the western facing slopes just east of the Main Divide as they get just enough
spill-over to produce some awesome blossom (yes blossom!) amongst the spring flush and yet sustain the gentle mosses.
Now, if you’re looking for Fangorn!Well! You’ll just have to become a ‘bushman’ for there. Ever get the creeps when you’re moving through a particularly thick, dark piece of bush? The places where the supplejack and the boughs have the twisty turning sphagnum that hangs like dead birds, always at higher altitudes and never with any birdsong nearby? That’s Fangorn quality and I’ve yet to see it anywhere near a track – these ‘goblin forests’ are pure residue. One place is the higher reaches of the Oparara basin, or another would be the Southern Arm of the ‘Hooligan’, or perhaps try the swamps North and South of Haast – but don’t go alone into those, the quicksand’ll get you…
Do go to Nelson lakes. I recommend it for the mossy stuff, and for views that aren’t too crowded with loopys – but wear bright stuff if you leave the tracks.
There’s a lot of hunters.
Have a go with Erewhon. The station is AMAZING!! Talk about dry! TAlk about big! Talk about views at the tops!
Bernie
Right, well. I have enough places to go and look at without this…but….it’s so tempting!!!!
So, look forward to my reports from the deep South, if I ever get back and bother to go online.
Ebay is a wonderful source for all things Tolkien. The current number of Tolkien items stands at 531, and is growing all the time. I’ve decided to keep you folks up to date on the interesting items up for auction at ebay.
This is in no way affiliated with Ebay, just something for you guys to keep up to date!
Check out the Shop for the first update, more to come later today.
Do you see something cool that I should mention from ebay? Send it along! (Xoanon@theonering.net)
From: Cinescape
‘Lord of the Rings’ Prod Info
Helmer Peter Jackson and New Line big shots Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne are talking up their challenging Lord of the Rings film production. In an article in the Wall Street Journal, additional information about the production was provided as well as tidbits on further promotions for the films to come.
Regardless of how big the buzz has been on the project, New Line is still well aware of what a big risk it is bringing Tolkien’s epic story to the screen. Robert Shaye, founder and CEO of New Line, addresses the risks involved in making the trilogy in one fell swoop… and a lot of money… saying, “Could it backfire? Sure, if the first film is a disaster it doesn’t augur very well for the next two… [b]ut — and I’m knocking on my desk here — we feel very certain that this has a universal currency in terms of interest, and we think it could be a franchise right off the shelf.”
Shaye and company are playing it smart, defraying the expenses up front with a number of international financial partners as well as “serious lucre in merchandising and licensing deals” to come.
Shaye and New Line prez Michael Lynne also talked of how the production was brought to them after Jackson was unable to craft the epic into a two-part film series, with the helmer noting, “any attempt to compress the story or simplify it would disappoint.” Jackson didn’t just come bearing scripts, but a short video reel demonstrating a number of the film’s potential creatures. Lynne’s assessment of the video? “It was amazing: things we hadn’t seen before, that played tricks with perception, with how vision works. We were blown away.”
Regarding the current production, the paper notes that the films have 85 speaking parts, noting that none of those parts will be filled by still rumored Sean Connery. On this point, Jackson is quoted as saying, “Never talked to him.”
As far as the special effects are concerned, Jackson was asked if he had any concerns that the visuals on the screen might eclipse the actors. Jackson answered, “Lord of the Rings is wonderful source material, an amazingly intricate epic story with wonderful characters. We’re just trying to take all the great stuff from the books and use modern technology to give audiences a night at the movies quite unlike anything they have ever seen before.”
As far as plans to further promote the production, the Journal reports that New Line will be doing a series of videotape interviews with Jackson as well as conduct Internet remote chats from and during the production.
North American Ringers can catch a glimpse of Brad Dourif on HBO tonight. Brad plays Clark in the 1994 thriller ‘Color of Night’. Check it out at 8:30 pm EST on HBO.
Dourif will play Grima in all 3 LOTR films.
Thanks to Gamgee for the TV tip!
Super Ringer Spy Ian send in his report regardomg the flood waters that caused some filming to be haulted, and stranded a few WETA folks:
The clean up in and around flood-ravaged Queenstown continues, as pictured on the TV1 Holmes programme this evening (in New Zealand). Old news now as far as the film crew is concerned, but it gives some idea of what the clean up is like concerning the washed-away sets. The item once again mentioned how hard it is to get builders.
