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Month: December 2000
It’s all changing again! Madame Butterfly reports on the latest appearance of Minas Tirith More
A few months ago we ran a story on the horses that are being used for the production, as I was pleased to discover that Shadowfax was to be played by horses of an unusually graceful and intelligent breed, the Andalusian. Since then we’ve seen a few shots of the wonderful silver-grey horses playing Shadowfax – for there are two of them. One of them is the galloping Shadowfax, the other is trained to do various things on words of command.
Sadly one of them has had to be retired; the vet said ‘he is not working in his present condition.’ Sources close to the production have said that the condition is cancer and that it was terminal.
The treatment of horses on set has been the subject of intense scrutiny for the last few months.
New Line publicist in Wellington Claire Raskind declined to comment on the reasons for Shadowfax’s retirement so close to the end of principal photography.
Yeah yeah, we did this story already. But the new version over at Stuff has a cute picture of Dominic Monaghan as well as the Brit stars’ reactions to the thought of returning home for winter More
Greetings friends it is I the beautiful regal spy Madame Butterfly
I was sitting in my disguise room grooming my wigs when the spy phone rang. It was my contact. “Go to Wingate Madame as there is a strange tree there that will interest you, but be careful as the builders are in an overenthusiastic mood, and today they like pretty ladies!” I curse in a vile manner as I don my dark robes, checking to see that my legs are covered.
I arrive at Wingate with Salomes awful Lioness for protection, and I stride boldly up to the compound gates. I see a grand palace! Well, the front of one that is made to look like a fully constructed palace. Yes indeed, Minas Tirith! The top level! Aragorns grand palace! HeheHeeeeeee.
Placing my observation device against the gap in the compound gate, I zoom in to get a closer look. In front of the Palace is a beautiful courtyard garden. It is circular in shape and surrounded by a low wall that extends right down past the front of the compound fence. They have laid grass in the garden, as my contact spotted a sprinkler working the other day. It looks really lovely and green! In the middle of the garden is scaffolding. In the middle of the scaffolding is a large exotic looking tree. I believe it is The White Tree! When it is finished it will look quite spectacular!
Suddenly I am subjected to a chorus of wolf whistles! From the over-enthusiastic builders! Lioness snarls and flattens her ears against her head, pulling against her chain. I check to see that my ankles are covered fully by my long dark robes and stride boldly along the fence line to get a better view of the set. Looking down the set I can see up and along the low walls that lead up to the grand palace. The walls look as if they are a palace entrance – way. Roaring with laughter, I ignore the builders caterwauling, and zoom my observation device in, spotting large holes in the ground, through the entrance way, with steps leading out of them. The steps seem to lead up to the low wall? What on earth is this I wonder? Yes indeed interesting. Various layers of paint are being added to the grand palace and low walls. The final affect I believe will look the same as the Haywards Quarry, Minas Tirith. I pull on the awful feline’s chain, and convince an angry Lioness to leave the builders alone! Heheeeeeeeeeee. Pulling the snarling creature into the car, I put my foot down, disappearing into the distance to send Tehanu my report.
[Tehanu reviews some more detailed reports from spies than are here reported, and notes that the laws in NZ concerning sexual harrassment are quite clear and plaintiffs are frequently successful in court. Just a thought…]
Another great chance to cath your favorite LOTR Stars on the small screen. [More]