The Aussies were at Cannes too, and were also impressed both with the footage they saw and the buzz it generated.
They got confused on some facts though – the Hobbiton countryside they so confidently describe as being ‘recognisably the country around Wellington’ sounds like the scenes that were very recognisably filmed in the country round Hamilton, with its hedgerows and gentle hills.The most Shire-like part of Wellington – the pinewoods of Mt. Victoria – was used for some of the hobbits’ first encounters with the Black Riders, so they’re not entirely wrong.
Nor did they film the entire trilogy in Wellington, as we well know. Filming took place in different locations all over both islands of New Zealand.
Here’s the report, though. They got in some good quotes from Jackson and the actors [More]
Aussie paper ‘The Age’ talks Rings.
May 12th, 2001 by Tehanu
