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From: rapata

Heres an article, out last friday. I have heard a few other rumours since then, but I seldom get into Takaka from my hidden valley in the mountains nearby. I am a bit of a farmer maggot type myself, and will be taking my horse and trap in tomorrow, so I’ll keep my ear to the ground. It’s quite possible that the “2 days” filming has been and gone. Did notice a few helicopters buzzing round these mountains at the end of last week and in the weekend.

Lord of the Rings scouting for locations

The Lord of the Rings film production crew has been looking for locations in Golden bay after heavy snowfalls further south ruled out the use of planned sites.

Publicist Clair Askin confirms that the production company has recently visited Golden Bay looking for the right landscape to film a scene in the next few weeks involving many cast principals.

Members of the cast include well known actors Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), Sir Ian Holm (Bilbo), Christopher Lee (Saruman), Liv Taylor (Arwen) and Elijah Wood (Frodo). New Zealander Peter Jackson (The Frightners) is the director and has written the screenplay.

Accomadation for up to 170 cast and crew will be needed for around a week, with filming expected to last two days if the weather is fine. Local hostelries have signed confidentiality agreements and so cannot confirm when or if they will be supplying rooms.

Around 60 people will be flown to a remote site in Kahurangi National Park in four helicopters. D.O.C. staff will be involved to ensure filming does not cause damage to the park. It is understood the film crew will not be using explosives or animals.

The filming of JRR Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings began in Wellington in October last year. Peter Jackson says: “We owe Professor Tolkein and his legion of fans worldwide our very best efforts to make these films with the integrity they deserve.

The original books have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide in 25 languages since they were first published more than 50 years ago.

From: Aradan

I have just found out that the British cable channel “Performance” will be showing a documentary on the life of JRR Tolkien at 9:05 on Tuesday, 22nd August. This is what the TV listings supplement of the Guardian newspaper has to say about it:

‘The Hobbit was recently voted best book of the 20th century in a reader’s poll, and this documentary investigates the life of its creator, JRR Tolkien. Orphaned at a young age, Tolkien retreated into worlds of fantasy, and by the age of 13 was inventing whole new alphabets and languages.

Footage of him as an old man shows him inscribing his books with dedications in Elvish – one translates “may a star shine upon our meeting”. Having survived the first world war trenches, he became a professor at Oxford and set about forging an epic mythology for England – a wildly unfashionable undertaking then as now, but one which was, and still is, welcomed fervently by a legion of readers.’

Unfortunately I don’t have cable TV so I won’t be able to see it, but if any other UK readers of the One Ring Net do have cable TV, then I look forward to reading a report – especially if it includes anything about the film!

This email comes to me from Michael N, he sent along some info regarding Golden Bay. Apparently the locals use it once a year for an event called ‘The Gathering’, read on:

You know, reading your article on TORN about the location for filming being on a “mountain in Golden Bay”, it got me thinking as to the possible location. And of course, I thought, the Gathering is held every year on a mountain in Golden Bay, primarily because the location is handy, the farmer is willing for people to use the land, and there are good amenities. Sounds like they could be using Caanan Downs then? Of course, there are other mountains in Golden Bay, but I doubt there are so many that have places for trucks and trailers to park on.

Click here for some nice Gathering pictures.

4 months to go until the Lord of the Rings trailer in movie theatres across North America!

Attached to the Cuban Missile Drama ’13 Days’, the Lord of the Rings trailer, or more likely, teaser, will have fanboys melting in their popcorn buckets. ’13 Days’ is set to open December 20th.

See you in line…

From: Stuff.co.nz

Ian McKellenIan HolmIan McKellen’s (Gandalf) Website www.mckellen.com posted some news regarding the other Ian, Ian Holm (Bilbo).

Bilbo smitten with New Zealand

British actor Sir Ian Holm, who plays Hobbit Bilbo Baggins in The Lord Of The Rings, was so entranced by New Zealand during his stay he’s keen to return and explore the country.

Holm’s brief visit in March for filming at Peter Jackson’s Miramar studios is detailed in the latest journal entry on Sir Ian McKellen’s website. [More]