Ringer Spy TeeBee sends along this review of the Cannes footage from New Zealand!
OK, I attended the first New Zealand showing of the cannes footage last night at the Embassy theatre in Wellington. It was an invitation only event for people associated with the media, the LOTR production and the Embassy theatre development scheme. The event was geared up as a fund raiser for the the Embassy theatre restoration trust and backed by Peter Jackson and Newline Cinema. Anyway they had too many people turn and did two sittings. A “Mr Voice” type presenter handeled the show, firtsly covering the restoration of the Embassy and how much would be ready for the December 19th premier of LOTR. Then he outlined how members of the public could become “trustees” by buying one of three differant packages. The most appealing package was for $850 per annum for 3 years which included 1 seat to a black tie dinner prior to the opening night of LOTR, one seat at the premier benefit showing (which will be arranged and presented by Peter Jackson) on the 19th of Dec, 1 pass to 6 premiers of new movies per annum for three years (plus related cocktail evenings and galas) + 10 passes per annum to any movie. This isn’t a bad deal with the opening night premier being worth the money on its own.
So after showing us a few old pictures of the embassy and some future pictures we came to the now well known Cannes footage. Now before I get into how I felt about this footage I have to let the readers know that I am also a big Star Wars fan. For several months before The Phantom Menace came out I got myself in such a tizz over that movie that my expectation level got to the point that I was telling everyone that this would be the best movie ever made, even before I saw it. So you can imagine that when I did finnally get to see it I was dissapointed about several aspects of the movie which have already been thrashed out on the web. I promised myself after that, that I wouldn’t get into such a deluded state again. Well you know what, I have got myself like that again. You know its hard living just down the street from Weta Studios, having filming taking place in your neighbourhood, seeing stars walking around and having Peter Jackson living in the same street. Well with all these factors drawn in plus alot of over-the-top reviews on the net about the cannes footage I expected to be blown away.
So warning here folks: DONT SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS TO HIGH – YOU WILL BE DISSAPPOINTED. The footage was good but there were flaws, especially in the Moira Mines sequence. The opening shots of Hobbiton were very nice and the shrinking of the hobbits done very well and of course the details of the sets and costumes were fanastic. The council sequences looked good too but were too breif to make a judgement on. Which brings us to the Mines of Moira sequence. I dont know if it was the colour or the darkness but the whole sequence was like a blur, especially the battle with the cave troll where a state of confusion reigned. Very very busy, with the camera never locking into one sequence for too long. Its true that some of the fellowship CGI characters look slightly cartoonish when is close action with the cave troll. But I will put this down to an incomplete work where colour correction and “tweeking” of the special effects will improve the final outlook. Dont forget I am a fussy bastard and am heavily engrained with the whole LOTR concept – so my expectations are very high. The two people I was with thought it was the best film covergae they had ever seen – of course they had never read the books or seen any material on the movies prior to this showing. From their point of view it was breathtaking and they cant wait for Dec 19. From my point of view it has knoked me down a couple of pegs and brought some sort of reality to my own expectations. I am happy seeing the cannes footage. I now know what to expect and can comfortably go to the premier in the right frame of mind. For all you fanatical Rings fans: my advice is dont get overhyped with the the expectation – go along to see a good movie and make your own judgement if it is great. Dont go along to see a great movie because even if it is it will never live up to your wildest dreams. I expect to see something great – but if it is better than that then I will be very happy!
If this movie series does nothing else it will stamp New Zealand as a country everyone will want to visit. Stunning vistas, incredible backdrops and scenery and unspoiled lanscapes embed New Zealand as the most beautiful country in the world. For people like myself who live here, we take it for granted that the great outdoors are on our doorstep. LOTR will showcase New Zealands landscape like no movie has ever done before for any country. Some of the panoramic shots made me salivate at the mouth – and that is saying something because I have visited most of theses locals myself!
Enjoy the LOTR, have envy for us New Zealanders – and I hope, I really hope that this movie will live up to its promise.
Ringer Spy Taniwha from New Zealand sends along the personal invite he recieved a few days ago:
October 23, 2001
A Personal Invitation to
(1) VIEW EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW FOOTAGE OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS (2) SEE DETAILS OF EMBASSY REFURBISHMENT FOR PREMIERE SEASON (3) ACQUIRE PRIORITY RIGHTS FOR GALA OPENING
Time 5.30pm for 6pm (sharp) unveiling in the theatre (finishes 7pm) Date Thursday October 25, 2001 Place The Embassy Theatre
Embassy Theatre Trustees invite you to the special, exclusive launch of an exciting new concept, including a range of options, which can guarantee your place at the Black Tie Function & Gala Opening of The Lord Of The Rings, December 2001.
The Gala Opening, with the eyes of the world on Wellington, will be the most significant event in New Zealand’s cinematic history. It will confirm the Embassy’s place as a world-class showcase. You are offered the first opportunity to be part of it.
There will be heavy demand for the 800 seats available. Please confirm your acceptance WITHOUT DELAY. You must bring this invitation with you.
Embassy Theatre Trustees, Bill Sheat (Chairman), David Carson-Parker (Deputy Chair), Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Mary Varnham, Nigel Hutchinson, Bill Gosden, Lindsay Shelton, Anna Locker-Lampson, Paul McLean, Brian Mudge, look forward to entertaining you personally October 25.
I discovered today that the Swedish dairy company Arla is runnig a Lord of the Rings theme on the back of their milkbottles! (Note for foreigners: Swedish milkbottles are actually more like oblong cardbard boxes than bottles.)
The headline is “Facts about the Lord of the Rings”. Under the headline is an ink drawing of Arwen sitting on a horse standing on its hind legs. She is holding a sword in her right hand and what looks like a hobbit is sitting in front of her in the saddle. (Can they possibly have been confusing her with Eowyn?) A flourish banner says “Arwen”.Then there is some text and, at the bottom, a picture (from the film?) that looks a lot like a black rider. At the very bottom is an ad for a Lord of the Rings look- alike contest. The first prize is a ticket to the premiere. The text reads (in my translation):
She is the most beautiful of all living creatures. Her hair is dark as a river by night and her eyes are celestial blue. The nationality that she belongs to is the elves, and as an elf she lives the life of an immortal. But Arwen’s destiny is that she falls in love with a mortal man, Aragorn. A man she has the deepest feelings for and whom she can not live without. She knows that her love to this man is an impossibility, but despite this she does everything in her power to shut her eyes to reality. Eventually her feelings for Aragorn leeds her to a terrible decision. A decision that means that she has to choose between eternal life or give up her immortality for the man she loves…An accurate account of the “facts” or simply too much Barbara Cartland? You decide!
I have been searching the dairy section in my local store, but all the bottles had the Arwen theme. Maybe they’ll change character next week.
I have tons of info on the FOX special and it looks like it will be bigger then the Angel World Premiere Theatrical Trailer (in my opinion).
On THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2001, from 8:00-8:30pm (ET/PT), FOX presents an ORIGINAL special, QUEST FOR THE RING, a sneak preview/behind-the-scenes look at the year’s most anticipated movie, “The Lord Of The Rings”!! FOX viewers will get the first look of the most highly anticipated movie of the year!
This 30-minute special shows the expansive scope of “the biggest film production in history”, introduces the story and characters, visits locations, interviews members of the star-studded cast including Elijah Wood, Liv Tyler, Ian McKellan, Cate Blanchett, and best of all, it closes with an exclusive world premiere film clip.
I have been speaking to a minion at WHSmiths & they told me that I would be better off to hold fire a couple of weeks on their LOTR goodies.
The reason is they will be starting a LOTR promotion Money off when items are purchased together, when & what exactly I have yet to find out but you will be the first to know!
It’s a costly business buying all the excellent shiny merchandise coming out, I know what my list to Santa is full of: LOTR!!!!
A friend of mine went to see ‘Moulin Rouge’ at a cinema here in Cape Town, South Africa last Saturday. We already new that the new (and old) Teaser Posters were up at all the cinemas here and that the films are definitely being released here on December 19th as well, but we didn’t really know when the other forms of marketing were going to begin (besides articles in newspapers, which I’ll get to later). Well, my friend (who we’ll call ‘Nicky’) went to buy her ticket for the film and lo and behold, what should be on the back of the ticket? None other than an advert for ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’! I’m not sure as to whether every ticket has this advert on it, or if every ticket has a different advert for a different film on it, but my friend thinks all the tickets had the same advert (for ‘The Lord of the Rings’) on them.
Great marketing me thinks, also (and I meant to e-mail this to you guys a while ago), there was an article in a newspaper here which basically said that Nu Metro (one of two leading cinema chains in South Africa) was counting on three films to “bring back the crowds into the cinema this year”, these films are: ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, ‘Mr. Bones’ (a South African comedy with a major South African comediain starring in it – I don’t think he’s that funny) and lastly, ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’. Well there you have it, I’m thinking South Africa will be going ‘Lord of the Rings’ crazy very soon.
