They seem to be the talking point of the month for the Return of the King. Who will be in them? What will happen? And where are they located?
Well, we’ve previously tried to solve the first two questions – check out this AICN rumour and this TORn spy report if you missed them. Now a reliable TORn source who was involved in the production chimes in with some information on the third.
This source indicates he’s “pretty sure” these tents are at Dunharrow. He says this was in reality at the mouth of the Greenstone river near Glenorchy.
And, checking through our scrapbook, I discovered a picture of these tents that was taken way back in November 2000. Check this very old newspaper clipping from our scrapbook, then cast your mind back to the shapes of the tents in the background of Peter Jackson’s very recent MTV acceptance speech.
A little bit of further detective work around the internet reveals this tidbit on the Glenorchy Air website – the company which ferried cast to and from the sets.
“Turning left out of the Dart river valley we arrive over the Greenstone Valley, the location of Dunharrow which will feature in the last film.”
There’s also this complete list of filming locations, produced by the NZ Film Commission. Again, you’ll note, Dunharrow Encampment is listed – listed at Greenstone. Vitally, Dunharrow is also listed in the Wellington Region, which is where that old picture was taken.
And anyone who’s been casting their eye over the Herr de Ringe RoTK screencaps will note the shot with the ranks of Rohirrim assembled on a broad green field with a mountain quite close by – very close in my memory to Tolkien’s description of Dunharrow.
Who knows? Maybe we’ll see some of those stone Pukel Men, as well as hearing Elrond deliver the words of Malbeth the Seer to Aragorn.
