Weta Workshop ‘s new animated series Jane and the Dragon brings out the playful side of director Richard Taylor. He talks to Grant Smithies. Richard Taylor grins a goofy grin. His eyes shine brightly behind his wire-framed specs. This being New Zealand Music Month, the special-effects whiz and director of Weta Workshop in Wellington is remembering the Kiwi bands that blew his mind as a teenager. The Gordons. Mangaweka Viaduct. The Screaming Meemees. “My favourite Meemees’ song had a line that went something like, ‘My girl’s got pointy ears, oh yeah, shake shake!’,” he says, beaming. [More]
Category: Original TORn
STEVEN Spielberg will join forces with Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson for the New Zealander’s new film. Spielberg’s DreamWorks film studio won the right to finance Jackson’s film The Lovely Bones after fierce bidding by three other major US studios last week. DreamWorks will put at least $79 million into the film, which is an adaptation of Alice Sebold’s best-selling 2002 novel about the murder of a 14-year-old girl and the impact it has on her family. Spielberg, who has reportedly been wanting to work with Jackson for some time, said he had been passionate about securing the film. [More]
The Visual Effects Society has named the entire LOTR Trilogy on their list of the most influential visual effects film of all time! From a select list of 50 titles, LOTR came in at the following numbers:
19. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
33. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
36. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Peter Jackson’s ‘King Kong’ was named 38th on the list, the original Star Wars comes out on top. Click here for the whole list. [More]
Mehtariel writes: I was wondering if you were interested in telling folks about the Collectormania party in Milton Keynes (England) last weekend where Beecake (Billy Boyd’s band) played. There are many photos now online and video clips too. I do not mind sharing my pics. I also want to thank you for all that you have done to keep everyone informed about what our favorite LOTR folks are up to these days. I appreciate your dedication to the site. [More]
Anon-a-mouse sends along these links to the many many many reviews of ‘Children of Hurin’ over the past few weeks:
The Lord of The Rings stage musical opening in London this summer has cost £8m, needed a crew of 80 to build it and a cast of 50 to perform it. The historic Theatre Royal, Drury Lane had to be refitted so completely that English Heritage oversaw some of the work. The new stage alone has 17 pneumatic lifts and three turntables, the wardrobe uses 500 pieces of armour and the actors playing talking trees need 10ft stilts. [More]