Continue reading “Peter of many colours? Jackson finally leaves the path of wisdom”
Category: Hobbit Movie
Although officially all shooting for Peter Jackson’s Hobbit movies wrapped at the end of pickups last year, the cast have always said that they expect to head back sometime this year. In his interview with TheOneRing.net last November, Richard Armitage said, ‘We have nothing official at the moment; but knowing Pete, knowing what that third movie needs to be like, you know, his taste and what he’s aiming for, I have no doubt in my mind that we’ll be going back to do more stuff … On the last day of the shoot, he [PJ] put his arms around me, and he gave me a big hug and said, ‘See you next year.’ And I was like, ‘What, do you mean for the Premiere?’ and he went, ‘No, no; we’ll be back here again…’ ‘
Now there is the first hint of a confirmation that there will indeed be further pickups to complete the third movie, The Hobbit: There and Back Again. The business section of newspaper Irish Examiner contains this article about actor James Nesbitt’s entertainment firm Brown Cow Films Ltd; at the very end of the article is the line, ‘Nesbitt confirmed that he is returning to New Zealand in around May for the filming of the third Hobbit movie.’
There and Back Again indeed! It looks like New Zealand may be becoming Middle-earth, and the fellowship of companions may be gathering, for one last journey in a few months’ time. And that is an encouraging thought.
Another group has released their nominations, and Dan Hennah has received a nod in the Art Directors Guild’s “Fantasy Film” category. Fellow nominees include Elysium, Gravity, Oblivion, and Star Trek Into Darkness.
The ADG’s ceremony will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 8. Continue reading “‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ receives nomination from the Art Directors Guild”
The latest writing from TORn’s friend and regular Tolkien blogger Michael Martinez’s considers the content of Peter Jackson’s not one, not two but three Hobbit movies. The criticism often made is that Jackson has ‘padded’ Tolkien’s brief story, to create enough content for three films; but what of the content from the book which has in fact been lost? And how many of Jackson’s additions could be seen as necessary exposition, required to clarify and render cohesive several somewhat ‘glossed over’ plot points from The Hobbit (upon which Tolkien himself expanded, in the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings, for example)? Is any of Jackson’s content actually gratuitous padding, simply there to spin out a short tale? You can read Martinez’s take on all this in his interesting blog, here.
Among other awards groups announcing their nominations today, the Costume Designers Guild also released their nods. Ann Maskrey, Richard Taylor, and Bob Buck were nominated for their work on The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, along with the costume designers of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Oz the Great and Powerful. Continue reading “Costume Designers Guild nominates ‘The Desolation of Smaug’”
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced their annual award nominations this morning. ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ picked up 2 nominations. Peter Swords King, Richard Taylor, and Rick Findlater are nominated for Best Make-up and Hair. They are nominated alongside worthy contenders ‘The Butler’, ‘Behind the Candelabra’, ‘American Hustle’, and ‘The Great Gatsby’. Each film has its own unique style or time period, whether set in Middle-earth or a fantastical version of the roaring 20’s. The overall awards buzz (and love) for ‘American Hustle’ might swing momentum its way even in this category.
Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, and Eric Reynolds are nominated for Best Special Visual Effects. In this tough field, ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ is going up against ‘Pacific Rim’, ‘Gravity’, ‘Iron Man 3’ and ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’. Smaug the Mighty is facing the most competition from the groundbreaking effects in ‘Gravity’, the odds-on favorite. ‘Gravity’ has the most nominations with 11 overall including for Best Film and Director. Following behind are ’12 Years a Slave’ and ‘American Hustle’ with 10 nominations each.