After the phenomenal popularity of New Zealand magazine Pavement’s previous two The Lord of the Rings special issues, the magazine is about to publish its third and final instalment to this amazing trilogy.
Once again, Pavement editor Bernard McDonald spent a week on the set in Wellington during pick-up shoots for Return of the King, interviewing cast and crew, including director Peter Jackson, conceptual artist Alan Lee, writer Philippa Boyens and New Line executive Mark Odesky. In addition, Pavement writer Melinda Williams interviews a number of New Zealand cast members, Stephen Jewell interviews Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore and correspondent Desmond Sampson interviews Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee) and Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) at the New York press day.
Viggo Mortensen has been photographed exclusively by Pavement for the cover and 6-page feature, while the 30-page extended feature on Return of the King features dozens of film stills and production photos.
The issue can be purchased directly from Pavement. Contact Pavement via email on pavement@pavement.co.nz or PO Box 309, Auckland 1, New Zealand. Cost of each copy is NZ$40 (rest of world), NZ$30 (Australia) or NZ$15 (NZ). Includes postage and handling. Please supply relevant credit card details. Bank cheques must include an additional NZ$15 to cover bank charges. In addition, A2 cover posters featuring Viggo Mortensen are also available for NZ$20 each or NZ$10 if purchased with a copy of the issue. Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Pavement also has 60 copies left of The Two Towers issue (NZ$80 each), featuring Orlando Bloom on the cover. Sorry, no copies of Fellowship of the Ring issue left.
On Monday night, January 5th, 2004– a radio station in the L.A/Orange County area called K-Mozart (and I believe they are on 105.1) held a special free screening of Return of the King with Sean Astin as a guest for Q&A afterwards. I am guessing they gave away passes, but I acquired mine through a friend who couldn’t attend the event herself (thanks again, Ariavaswen!).
Mr. Astin graciously answered questions from all kinds of fans, including an adorable little nine-years old girl from the audience who asked him which of the LOTR movie was his favorite.
Sean comments, amused, “And I love how you’re up on a Monday night…”
He assures questioning Tolkien fans about their “issues” with ROTK, that they may be even more satisfied with the movie once the extended DVD comes out. He says that all of the actors has battled for scenes that were cut out in the final, theatrical release– but they also hope that all those scenes will be put back in the DVD. He also mentions that the extended DVD will be coming out in July.
He talks about how Dominic Monaghan wants to plan an annual reunion with all the cast members so they could all keep intouch.
Sean also says that it was unbelievable how many opportunities LOTR has opened up for him as an actor and as a director. He half-jokingly mentions that for the past two weeks, he’s gotten more calls from his agents than before since he is now “on the top of their list.”
When he talked of the lenght of the movie, he mentions that many people have told him that the movie was “too long.” Two girls (dressed as Frodo and an elf) on the front row (where I was also seated at, of course!) let out shocked gasped in response– much to Sean’s amusement, and he teases them saying, “They’re not wearing cloaks, okay?”
Anyways, here are a couple of the pictures among the many I took that night. Afterwards, I exchanged a few words with Sean and received a generous, long, warm hug from him– which I had to end because my guest, Ami, and I desperately needed to go to the bathroom. Haha– when will I learn to NOT drink large sodas during a LOTR movie?
A BIG thank you to Diamond for sending this transcript to us!
[During the beginning of the show, Regis pronounced Sean’s name ‘Austin’]
Regis Philbin: Alright, he stars in the blockbuster trilogy that was once again proven to be another epic hit in its third and final installment just gangbusters (?) box-office. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King hit the theaters with a big, big bang and here’s the star of the show, Sean Astin!
[Huge cheering as Sean Astin walks out, shakes hands with RP and hugs Kelly Ripa and waves]
Sean Astin: You can call me Astin (?)…
RP: You know, I remember when you came when you came here for ‘Rudy’!
[SA: yeah] I said the Sean “Austin”
SA: You can call me Austin, and you don’t have to say anything. Watching you…Donald Trump and I were watching you read the theology about pet heaven [audience laughs] and I was like ‘I believe! I believe!’ [Audience laughs] So, you can call me anything you want but, Kelly keeps you straight so
RP: Oh yeah, she’s right on top. So anyway, you look nice and lean and trim
Kelly Ripa: Yeah, very fit!
SA: Well, you know, there has to be life beyond beyond Samwise for me.
RP: Yeah, well you got a new role now so you’re in training for that one, right?
SA: Yeah, uh well I finished that one, [RP: Oh you finished it?] yeah I survived it which is good. Yeah, it’s with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. “50 First Dates” it’s called. I play a guy who uh who swears he’s sort of a muscle building phenomenon, he’s not really a muscle building phenomenon. But…but he swears that he is.
RP: Are you in competition with Adam for the girl?
SA: No, she’s my sister. [SA and KR laugh]
RP: You dare let your sister go out with Adam Sandler?
SA: Um well that is an issue that’s at stake in the picture. So, yeah, yeah.
RP: Adam has seemed to develop like uh…a repertory group there.
SA: I want in.
KR: Will you be part of that you think?
SA: I hope so. I hope so. We were just talking about um…I was talking to my wife because there’s a press junket in Hawaii in two weeks, and this is for me, personally, the most extraordinary time of my my life and career…um, professionally, just because of of the success of the films and the way the critics are talking about it and stuff, so, there’s so many incredible opportunities. And I said to my wife should I should I got to Hawaii or should I do this or should I do that. She said “Adam is so blood loyal to people that he he hires he puts you in his movies when you’re up or when you’re down and you’re up right now. But when you’re down go to Hawaii.”
KR: Right, sure.
RP: You take Kelly’s advice because I thought it was excellent advice, you know, they signed this cast up for for three movies,[SA: Hmm] nobody knew how big they were going to be and now they’re like the biggest box office hit of all time. And her advice was to go in and ask for more money.
SA: Yup. Yup.
KR: Absolutely.
RP: Which is what she did around here. [Audience, SA and KR laugh]
KR: Not yet, young Regis, not yet!
SA: This is what I said to Kelly when I came in this morning, I said we have a new house thanks to you.
RP: Oh, no kidding?
SA: And I meant it because there was a moment when uh…when we were talking to New Line about uh about. you know, acknowledging our the work and everything. And the aftermath of the huge success of the pictures and um…and I remember Kelly saying “Don’t you let them tell you–” so
KR: I was sitting on your shoulder whispering in your ear.
SA: I know but New Line…I we’re very grateful to New Line, they were they acknowledged us we’re happy, we’re grateful.
RP: They bought you a new house?
SA: Well, they uh…they gave me more money and with that money we bought the house.
KR: So what happens is what they’re doing you know…when youre going out there and your shooting this this…trilogy…these three movies…you have, say, a budget. You don’t know. You suspect, you think, you’re not sure of the impact it will have world wide. So this movie, I think, far exceeded anyone’s greatest and wildest dreams so now it’s time to pay the cast what it deserves.
SA: Well…it’s not just…well listen, you’re gonna have Donald Trump out here, he can tell you about the sort of mechanics of grizzly negotiations and how things happen, but uh…Nicole Kaylor (?) she works for New Line is back there [he points back stage] and she was like “Don’t let them just talk about money, tell them that…the New York Film Critics you know, they acknowledged the picture and Peter got a Directors Guild nomination and talk about the uh that stuff”. But the economics of the picture are uh are extraordinary. I think it’s made over…I think its made somewhere near $800 million world wide in three weeks.
KR: But so many people do say it’s the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen. It’s the move beautiful movie they’ve ever seen.
SA: Yeah, well…you know what; because money wasn’t the point for the filmmakers…They really invested their passion for for story into the movie so…
RP: Well, when we come back we’ll talk; we’ll show you a clip from the new one.
[Back from commercials]
RP: Well, some people are saying that this is the best movie of all time. But can it be better then “Rudy”?
SA: Well, Rudy was short and Hobbits are short.
KR: But people are very fanatical about the I mean the books and the movies and everything.
SA: But I get so many presents We go to do question and answer periods after the picture and people give me gifts. You know, buttons from the 60s when they were hippies and “Frodo Lives” buttons, and artwork and poetry and songs and… It’s unbelievable. It’s the it’s the kind of literature and it’s the kind of movie that actually inspires people to do their own work. I mean, “Star Wars” was inspired by the books, you know so…Led Zepplin.
RP: But you what is really a hit, people begin naming their own children after the characters. I haven’t heard one person name their kid Frodo. [SA and audience laugh].
SA: Not to get back to the pet theme, but I know a lot of dogs named Frodo. Who I’m sure will go to heaven, right? [Everyone laughs]
RP: Now um, your oldest daughter has a cameo in the role, huh?
SA: Yeah. She has a moment, she has a moment in the end yeah she plays my Hobbit daughter. [KR and some audience members “aww”] Yeah, she’s immortalized in that at three years old, at the last shot of the last scene of the last picture.
RP: Isn’t that nice? You’ll always have that film to look at.
SA: And now we have the baby, so I keep telling her the baby looks so much like her, when the baby gets older, when Elizabeth is older we’ll just tell her it was her. [Audience laughs]
KR: That’s a great idea! No sibling rivalry.
RP: You know, Sean, when I met you, you were not married. How long have you been married?
SA: We were married…I was married. I got married before…a year…no, a few months before Rudy…7-11, July eleventh 19–
RP: But I interviewed you before that.
SA: Oh yeah, for Toy Soldiers, yeah I’m sorry, you’re right.
RP: So you’ve been married for what ten years?
SA: Ten or eleven years, yeah.
RP: No kidding? How’s it going?
SA: She’s great. She hasn’t left me yet. [Audience and KR laugh] Honey, if you’re up and you’re watching don’t leave me yet.
RP: Did she go over with you to New Zealand because that’s a long time.
SA: Yeah, she and Alexandra were with me every step of the way. That was the best…for me, that was the best part about making the movies, ’cause as a father and a husband you want to feel like you’re doing your job and and…and giving them a life that’s meaningful, and giving Alexandra the opportunity to fly in helicopters and meet incredible people.
RP: The experience. Should we play a little clip?
KR: Yeah, Sure!
RP: Well now here we go, [audience claps] Sam and Frodo on their journey to return the Ring. Take a look at this from the Lord of the Rings
[Clip is show of Frodo drinking the last of what’s left of Samwise’s water; Frodo says “There’ll be none left for the return journey.” Sam responds “I don’t think there’ll be a return journey, Mr. Frodo.” Ends with Sam offering his hand and pulling Frodo up]
[applause and cheers from audience]
RP: It’s in theaters right now!
KR: Frodo and Sam are my favorite on screen couple.
RP: They’re always together. Anyways congratulations, thank you very much!
Ringer Spy Nazz attended the MANY press confrences during the ROTK media blitz last month. In this article he chats with actor Andy Serkis.
Special thanks to Rip It Up Magazine in South Australia for this transcript.
Andy Serkis at the ROTK Premiere in LA
It’s quite something to watch a legion of professional film critics left as breathless as they were when watching the preview of the third and final film of Peter Jackson’s The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, The Return Of The King. Regardless of your opinion of the trilogy, it’s affect on cinema history is academic. One such example is the creation of first completely believable, actor-driven CG-generated character: that of the devastated and duplicitous Gollum a feat so incredible it virtually insists the Motion Picture Academy create a new category to recognise its mastery.
Here we catch up with the actor behind this revelation, the hyper-active and enthusiastic, Andy Serkis, for an exclusive one-on-one interview.
An animated, whirlwind of passion and ideas, Andy’s mind seems to be constantly racing, with such energy firing behind his remarkable eyes that it takes t -10 seconds to be swept up in his enthusiasm and affability.
This film is one helluva payoff – most sequential films mess it up by now
AS: “They do don’t they? But not on this. It’s great. It’s so rewarding. But that’s Pete isn’t it? He’s just such a truthful story-teller – like Tolkien. He respects Tolkien and drew from that, and I think between Pete, Phillipa and Fran, they kept getting drawn back towards the retelling of the book in such a major way. But that’s such an incredible thing to do, to do that for fans of the book like yourself, and also people who haven’t ever read the book before. To be able to bring these films to the world like that is stunning.”
It’s been great to share this love finally with non-reader people en masse. In some ways the films have exorcised the books from false geekdom because now a very large new audience realise that the magnetism of the books isn’t because its fantasy – because that’s really a misreading – its because its just a darned good, consumately well-told story. I have been amused to hear people saying things like, ‘oh I can’t wait another year to find out what happens next!’
Err, dude, go and buy the books. You’ll never look back.
AS: “[laughs] But they’re all falling in love with it aren’t they? It’s amazing.”
Let’s shoot back to the beginning – though it’s an obvious masterpiece now, you must have been on tenterhooks at the beginning over whether this would work.
AS: “I was terrified when we started because Gollum was such a fantastic creation of literature. And Tolkien invested so much in him. He must’ve loved the character if you go by the writing. To a lot of people, the fans of the book, he was memorable character going right back to The Hobbit. So the responsibility was very huge. Peter felt that responsibility and I felt, as an actor taking it on board, that there was a big responsibility.
“Because there hadn’t been an example of a CGI character working well in a live action film before, early on I was kind of questioning whether this was a good idea – to be actually frank about it. There were stages all the way along the line when it could have gone wrong but, the fact is, Peter had such a persistence of vision about how he wanted to do it that. It really emanates from the fact that he wanted him to manifest himself as a CG character but that the performance had to come from an actor. So he was going to go to any lengths to get that reality and reciprocal energy you get between actors on a set rather than an actor and a tennis ball on a stick – which is how, previously, it’s been done. There’s just no the CG character’s not rooted to the environment, not rooted to the person it’s acting with.
“The psychologically complex nature of Gollum and also his dramatic function within the scenes means he has to be driven for real, from a sense of emotional truth.”
Complex is just the word. I thought he was impressive in The Two Towers but we find out they were just the outer layers of the onion in The Return Of The King. We find out we didn’t really know him at all.
AS: “It shifts again doesn’t it? That’s really clever from the writers’ point of view. They were at a point where they said, ‘well we could just stick with what we’ve got for the third film or take him down this psychological thriller journey.’ So it’s great.
You get a pay off, seeing where he comes from, his back history, that he once was a Hobbit, a human being who’s kind of been landed with this addiction, and then you actually get to see this what we’ve established in The Two Towers is Smeagol, this childlike side, this naïve side that’s been abused. Now Smeagol begins to be the one that¹s manipulative – like children can be. I mean, I’ve got two young children and they can be very manipulative [laughs]! And that Gollum is conversely, the one we thought was the dark side, the vengeful side, the evil side if you like (which I don’t particularly believe in, evil that is) and he’s almost overpowered by this manipulation by Smeagol. It’s almost like you trust Gollum more because it’s coming from the gut. At least his emotions are up front! He’s on the attack for what he wants, whereas with Smeagol, you don’t really know where you are with him.”
Was there a moment where this new change in his characterisation made you feel as though the rug had been out from under you as an actor and what you’d already committed to film?
AS: “It was ultimately the way to go of course but initially, yes, I did question it. The construct of how I imagined the characters to be was what you saw at the end of The Two Towers. I remember coming back to do reshoots on The Return Of The King and Fran [Walsh, co-screenwriter and Peter Jackson’s longtime partner] said, look, I think we should go this way with it.’ And you’re right, it did make me question my world view a bit [chuckles]; but I realised she was right. I suppose it’s the point at which you write him off and say he’s irredeemable as a character; which I still think we’ve managed to not do. I still think we’ve handed that responsibility back to the audience. The point at which you write him off is the point where you go, ‘right that’s it. Forget. I’m not interested in the character any more, really.’ I think we’ve managed to keep that open right to the last second.”
What’s his accountability? Do you think the evil inside the ring chose him to be a ring-bearer?
AS: “That’s it. It’s really about why and how the ring found him, and that thing Gandalf said about how Gollum will have his part to play in the journey; so be careful how you deal out judgement. That’s the nub of the argument of how and why we played Gollum they way we did.” When we look at Gollum’s origin – this reminded me of a question I’ve had since the first time I read the book: were Gollum’s action a product of the ring or was it an inherent evil in him that was there from the beginning? I mean the first time he meets the ring, he chokes his cousin to death. And though it’s not in the movie, he starts out by using the power of invisibility of the ring to spy on people, gets sprung by his tell-tale ‘Gollum’ sound, and eventually takes to eating Hobbit babies before being run out of Hobbiton.
“That’s a good observation. Going back a bit to when he chokes his cousin, Deagol, to death having said that, his cousin is also consumed by it. It’s just that Smeagol doesn’t have the moral stature to withstand the impact of the ring. I mean, he just doesn’t have it. “[Sighs] It’s like a child murderer really. I keep thinking about a child committing a murder because the don’t have the ability to police their emotion or what they choose to go with on the spur of the moment. So he pays for that moment for the rest of his life. It’s almost like a gut reaction. This thing is so powerful and beautiful and consuming that he can’t stop or police himself.
“It’s like, in England, we had Jamie Bulger murder, and those two boys who were imprisoned as a result. The question is, at what point are children culpable? I always think about with Smeagol. At what point is he culpable for he’s done? That moment of loss of innocence with children – I mean I see my two children doing things and I think, ‘are you aware of that being a malicious act?’ Do you know what I mean?”
Yes, I’m a father myself and – not that my little girl has too many moments like this!- but you quickly become aware that under certain circumstances no one can be meaner than kids.
AS: “That’s right. And you think how the hell have you come to be doing that? And yet if you demonise them, you cease to be able to understand them so that’s primarily why chose to make Smeagol as empathetic as possible to the audience.”
Kids have to test the boundaries, there’s no other way for them to learn first-hand how the world works.
AS: “Yeah. I think Tolkien writes Smeagol as being curious – and that’s a really big clue to the character. There’s a curiosity in him – that’s why we started with him hooking this worm. It’s almost like he’s just seeing what happens really. There’s a fascination of what actually happens [when you do things]. I guess it’s testing the boundaries of what you feel your power is in life. But I never saw him as evil or malicious.”
That’s an important perspective. I’m sure if people had asked Hitler about his motivations, he would have never considered himself evil.
AS: “He believed what he was doing is right.”
When an actor plays someone purely as just evil, there’s very little access to them as a believable human. It’s about the choices you make and their consequences.
AS: “Yes.”
This film is proof-positive about how casting can be everything. I had an advantage on most audience members because I knew your work and had been impressed by it before you were cast.
AS: “Really?”
One role in particular, assured me of your ability to play this character, and it was Bill Sikes in the recent BBC TV adaptation of Dickens’ Oliver Twist.
AS: “Oh right,” says Andy with surprise.
There was something about the way you managed to humanise a typically one-dimensional thug. If I can cite one tough scene in particular, it’s just as Bill decides to beat his longtime girlfriend, Nancy’s brains out for delivering Oliver to his grandfather. Instead of just maliciously going straight into the brutal rage, you wordlessly gave Bill’s a flicker of love just before they glaze over and he does the deed. It was heart-breaking.
AS: “Cheers.”
Now I would never, in a million years, have thought they’d have cast the net so far as to actually get the perfect people for the roles. I really enjoyed your work but was expecting far more ‘Hollywood’ actors for all the roles. What was it that brought Peter to you?
AS: “I guess it’s difficult to say why someone picked me,” he chuckles coyly, “but I think what Peter and Fran saw was and it’s interesting that you mention Bill Sikes, because I do like to redeem so-called irredeemable characters. I think Peter and Fran saw it was important to have some empathy for Smeagol. The combination of the physicality and the voice and the way I think I psychologically approached him as this thing consumed by an addiction that they really thought it was worth doing it with me.”
Alright, last question time: King Kong – are you going to, as the rumours suggest, get back in the motion capture suit to play him as well?
AS: “It’s umm it’s” (he splutters, seemingly caught on a subject he’s not quite ready to share or commit on.) “There have been talks about it but I’d do anything to work with Peter again. Nothing’s been confirmed or anything its it could happen or it could not.”
Well thank you.
Dedicated to Jenny & Michael Macklin-Shaw, my family and friends.
Having seen all three movies it’s time to take a look at the movie trilogy as a whole. How coherent are the different storylines? How well do the individual movies work on their own? How does the focus shift between characters from ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ to ‘The Return of the King’?
We can now sit down and judge how well the script-writers have adapted the story in the book to a set of movies. How well are the changes made to Tolkiens story justified? Are all the threads picked up or are some left hanging? What do you think were the most important parts of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ for Peter Jackson to tell? Join us in #thehalloffire as we take a look at Peter Jacksons ‘The Lord of the Rings’.
Upcoming topics:
weekend 170104-180104 The Great Whine and Cheese Party; Time to went all the frustrations with Peter Jacksons movies, and also time to share all your favourite moments.
Times: Saturday Chat: 5:30pm ET (17:30) [also 11:30pm (23:30) CET and 9:30am Sunday (09:30) AET]
Sunday Chat: 7:00 pm (19:00) CET [also 1:00pm (13:00) ET and 5:00am (05:00) Monday morning AET]
ET = Eastern Time, USA’s East Coast CET = Central European Time, Central Europe AET = Australian East Coast
Do you have a possible topic for Hall of Fire? Drop us a line at halloffire@theonering.net
Los Angeles, CA, January 2004 – Composer Howard Shore, who won the Academy Award in 2001 for his score for the first installment of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” can add a number of nominations to his list of honors. Shore recently received a Grammy nomination for “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and two Golden Globe nominations for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” for the Best Original Score and Best Original Song “Into The West,” performed by Annie Lennox and co-wrote with Fran Walsh and Annie Lennox. He also received a Broadcast Film Critics Award nomination for Best Original Score and is a front-runner in this year’s Oscar race for the three hours plus of new music he created for the final film in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy. The score for “The Return of the King” has been awarded Best Score by the Online Film Critics Society and the Las Vegas Film Critics Society.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” soundtrack spotlights guest appearances by acclaimed soprano Renée Fleming and renowned Irish flautist Sir James Galway. To date, the three “The Lord of the Rings” soundtrack albums have sold over 3 million copies worldwide and the first two albums have remained on the Billboard Top 100 Soundtracks chart since their original release in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
Shore has created a concert version “The Lord of the Rings Symphony: Six Movements for Orchestra and Chorus.” He debuted the symphony at the premiere in New Zealand in November, and is currently scheduled to conduct the work throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and Canada in concert dates this year.
New Line Cinema’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” currently in theatres, concludes the compelling journeys at the heart of J.R.R. Tolkien’s revered trilogy. Produced, co-written and directed by Peter Jackson, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” is produced by Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson. The screenplay is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Jackson based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien. Cast members include (in alphabetical order) Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, John Noble, Miranda Otto, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Liv Tyler, Karl Urban, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham, and Elijah Wood.
