UK fans should get hold of the Mail on Sunday for its fantastic behind-the-scenes magazine article.
I’ve tossed together a couple of reports that people have sent in. These are more specific about what goodies you can look forward to.
Warning: There are also some TTT and RoTK rumours. So this might be spoiler territory for some.
From Jon: There are 33 pages (including the ads!!) of stuff, including character bios, and a brilliant map of Helm’s Deep showing the stages of the battle, the movement of forces (with story spoilers).
It also gives a strong hint on pages 46-47 of what The Return Of The King will be like with a brief interview with John Noble (Denethor), and Peter Jackson saying “the battles will be the biggest you have ever seen.”
Briefly the magazine covers: the main characters, including all the types of forces of darkness (orcs, uruk-hai, bezerkers, and Grishnakh); a profile of Karl Urban; profile of Miranda Otto; creating Gollum; a look at locations in NZ; an interview with PJ; a visit to Weta; Armies of Darkness; and a tour of the battle of Helm’s Deep.
The article mentions piloting a new software that will enable up to 200,000 computer generated characters in battle – I guess this is Massive.
Jackson also hints strongly that Sauron will feature as a character in the ROTK, as he says “you can’t reduce him to being a big guy striding around in black armour, but he cannot be limited to a flaming eye.”
roborambo writes that this quote seems to be from a quite old (pre-filming??) interview that was conducted with Jackson some time ago. You can read it here. Scroll down and read Question Four. Hence this information might not be accurate – it might not even refer to RoTK!
The bonus CD-ROM contains the original teaser, the current theatrical trailer, several dozen photos, and several short documentaries.
From PennyQ: I eagerly awaited the arrival of the paperboy this morning! I ve played the free disc it has the teaser trailer, the long trailer and the trailer for the Extended Edition DVD, plus the picture gallery, wallpapers, screensaver and character info that have been on the official website before, and three behind the scenes movies that give a few new images and info. The magazine has 24 pages of info and pics about Grima, Treebeard, Gollum, Karl Urban, Miranda Otto, Peter Jackson, special effects, the enemy, the Fellowship, Helm s Deep and there s also a competition to win tickets to the premiere in London (closing date Dec 4th)
From Heather: You guys already know about the Mail on sunday special in the UK, well I’ve just read it and there is a major spoiler for ROTK! According to The Mail on Sunday, PJ has said that the last shot in ROTK is of Valinor, all grey and misty so we must see Frodo leaving.
If it’s of Valinor, we must see a little more than the departure from the Grey Havens – which is the last scene with Frodo, Bilbo and Gandalf in the book. Remember that the Grey Havens are not Valinor, only a point of departure to get *to* Valinor. – Dem.
Update: Correction from PW: The article actually says the Grey Havens.
Jackson has already earmarked the film’s final scene, which takes place amid the sweeping landscape of the Grey Havens, as his favourite.
“To me, it’s a culmination of the entire story; it represents what it is to give and what it is to lose,” he says. “That scene is probably the most powerful part of the entire film.”
So scotch that Valinor rumour, guys.
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To celebrate the World Premiere of ‘The Two Towers’ this week in New York and also that Billy has been named ‘Most Eligible Man in Scotland‘, BillyBoyd.net has posted up a new Interview and a new diary piece, dealing with going back to New Zealand and what it was like slipping back into the hobbit feet again for ‘The Two Towers’ pickups. [More]
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For any Irish Ringers out there who picked up yesterday’s edition of The Irish Independent, they might not have noticed that the cover of the television supplement ‘Weekender’ features the lovely Miranda Otto, and interviews with Elijah Wood and Peter Jackson inside.
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Thanks to the vigilence of some Ringers out there, we now have release dates for both Mexico, Japan and the Philippines as well as some changes to the release dates of The Two Towers in New Zealand and Poland. [More]
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Okay, I wander off for a few hours, and everyone digs up the Billy Boyd article from The Scotsman for me! Apparently, the story is that Billy is the hottest bloke in Scotland right now. Nice work, if you can get it … [More] Updated!
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Okay, I wander off for a few hours, and everyone digs up the Billy Boyd article from The Scotsman for me! Apparently, the story is that Billy Boyd is the hottest bloke in Scotland right now. Nice work, if you can get it …
Thanks heaps to the dozens of people who found the article, and e-mailed me.
Update: Carnadacil wrote to remind me know there’s also this tiny breakout article that gooes with the larget story. [More]
Who’s hot and who’s not in Scottish singles charts
CLAIRE SMITH
ONCE upon a time being the heir to the throne guaranteed the No1 spot among Britain’s most eligible bachelors.
But a newspaper poll has demoted Prince William to the No3 spot, after an actor who played a hobbit and a famously scruffy publisher.
Ahead of the heir to the throne in Scotland on Sunday’s Most Wanted list are elfin-faced Lord of the Rings actor Billy Boyd and high-flying Edinburgh publisher Jamie Byng.
The No1 eligible female spot has been given to Monarch of the Glen actress Dawn Steele, 27, who is a close friend of male No1 Boyd.
Yesterday, Boyd said they were good friends, but denied there was any chance of a romance which could take them both off the singles list.
“We’ve known each other far too long for any of that nonsense, but we might go out for a drink together to celebrate,” he said. He was “over the moon” to be considered the sexiest man in Scotland and was “amazed to be knocking royalty off the top of the list”.
Scotland on Sunday’s annual Most Wanted list aims to be the definitive guide to the 100 most eligible single men and women in Scotland.
The list provides potted biographies and relationship histories, and suggests where you might seek out Scotland’s top singletons if you fancy a date.
Staff at Canongate Books were stunned to hear that publisher Byng, who lives in jeans and unironed shirts, now ranks higher than Prince William as one of the sexiest men in the land.
But Byng’s stock is high at the moment, after Yann Martel’s novel The Life of Pi, landed the prestigious Booker prize.
Actors dominate the lists of both men and women, with rising star Steele holding the No1 female slot. Potential suitors are advised to polish up their green wellies, but will have a hard time tracking down Steele, who is heading off to Australia for a break after filming The Key in and around Glasgow.
Happily, age is no barrier in today’s fluid singles market. Perennial songstress Lulu may be 54 but she is still rated the second sexiest woman in Scotland. Lulu is believed to have split from Night and Day star Stuart Manning, 32 years her junior.
But anyone planning to make a play for the flame-haired pop star are advised she has the energy to keep them on their toes. Any would-be suitors will have to keep it stylish and be prepared for paparazzi interest in what they have for breakfast.
The researchers say they have spent months compiling the definitive guide to Scotland’s most eligible. The celebrities, sports and business people in their Most Wanted list have often been hard to pin down.
A spokesman for Scotland on Sunday said: “Our researchers have been led a merry dance as they’ve tried to confirm whether certain alleged eligibles are single at all.
“One male entrepreneur was outraged at the suggestion that seeing the same woman for over a year counted as ‘a relationship’. A couple of chancers even asked us to give them 24 hours to get rid of their partners.
“Some women proved just as slippery. Several admitted to having a regular boyfriend but thought it didn’t really matter. But their greatest worry seemed to be the ranking they’d receive – with some demanding to be removed if they were not in the top 20.”
As well as glamorous members of the acting and pop world, the 100 Most Wanted list also features sports men and women, business high-fliers and even the odd politician.
SNP stalwart Roseanna Cunningham makes the list – despite being 51 and married to her job. Potential suitors are advised to swot up on their Star Trek, buy some Australian red wine – and not to expect to win any arguments.
Sweet Sixteen star Martin Compston is one of the youngest to make the list. The 18-year-old, who is about to launch himself in Hollywood, is ranked No4.
Another newcomer – proving the list carries something for everyone – is comedian Rhona Cameron, who shot to prominence in I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.
The nation’s most eligible
MEN
1 Billy Boyd, actor
2 Jamie Byng, publisher
3 Prince William, student
4 Martin Compston, actor
5 Tony Kearney, actor
6 Des Hamilton, casting director and actor
7 Darius Danesh, singer
8 Sam Heughan, actor
9 Alan Pert, architect
10 John Amabile, designer and TV presenter
WOMEN
1 Dawn Steele, actress
2 Lulu, popstar
3 Shabana Akhtar Bakhsh, actress
4 Emma Redfern, businesswoman
5 Diane Main, artist
6 Emma Richards, yachtswoman
7 Emma Carrick Anderson, skier
8 Rhona Cameron, comedian
9 Mary Forster, architect
10 Kelly Cooper, pub owner
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