News from the set

Ringdrotten wrote:

Saradoc wrote:

Ringdrotten wrote:The news have so far been few and conundrumatic

Conundrumatic....

Speak English! I don't know the meaning of half- well one- long word, and I don't believe you do either! When

I was only trying to sound as respectable as Odo

I forgive you! Will filming actually start on the 28th though? Knowing this film project, maybe the 28th of March 2012 may be closer to the mark! Any more delays and I will be extremely angry!

Well, the filming date has been pushed back many, many times (I remember when the first announcement of a date was given for March 2010 ), but the updated date on McKellen's blog is consistent with the date at which filming actually did start: March 21 of this year. I think that it's probably accurate.

It would start on my birthday, wouldn't it?

After waiting more than a week for Sir Ian to update his blog- he has! And its a load of old pants about PJ's children (and inaccurate too!- speaking about the kids part in LotR in relation to Pj he writes; 'It wasn’t their fault if dad reduced their appearance in LOTR to the length of his own Hitchcockian, two-second appearance as a reveller at the Prancing Pony.' Except PJ is in all 3 films and so are his kids!).
As regards the filming or actual news there is sadly not a word.

Sure, they're in all three films, but only in couple-second cameos in each one. I've never understood the complaints about the cameos; it's a cinematic tradition that goes back at least to Hitchcock, and it really makes me wonder if some people are not actively looking for reasons to be upset with PJ.

That said, I really don't care about PJ's children. Their business is their own. Maybe if they were actively working on the films I'd be interested, but it's a moot point anyway.

My only problem with the cameos is how distinctive his children look- it seems odd there are a couple of hobbit kids, a couple of Rohirrim kids and a couple of Gondorian kids who all look exactly the same!!
My complaint was more that for a Hobbit blog it was entirely devoid of anything hobbity.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:My only problem with the cameos is how distinctive his children look- it seems odd there are a couple of hobbit kids, a couple of Rohirrim kids and a couple of Gondorian kids who all look exactly the same!!

I recall one of the documentaries pointing out PJ's kids in FOTR, and his daughter at least was fairly prominent for an extra, but despite watching the films a ridiculous number of times I have no idea where they show up in TTT or ROTK. If you know what to look for (and where) then perhaps it's odd, but I don't think it's particularly obvious.

My complaint was more that for a Hobbit blog it was entirely devoid of anything hobbity.

Meh. I see your point, though I don't mind if McKellen wants to blog about non-Hobbit related matters. It just means I'm unlikely to follow his blog avidly.

"I have no idea where they show up in TTT or ROTK."- Eldo

I spotted them first watch through of all three films when I got the dvd's- I didn't notice them at the cinema as the films are a year apart- but watch them close together or back to back and they are pretty blatant. (in TT they are in the caves at Helms Deep with the wimin folk and in RotK they are in the street throwing flowers at Faramir and co as they head for Osgiliath. The girl is particularly distinctive looking and seemed quite easy to recognise to me (and as in FotR Pj keeps the camera on them a bit longer than the average extra gets). I don't mind directors making a cameo in their own films if its not intrusive, fair enough, but seems to be starting to go a bit far when you begin including your family too.

Well they are doing something, even if it is just laying around in trailers and mo cap suits!

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2011/03/29/43072-torn-exclusive-first-pics-from-the-hobbit-set/

Is it just me or does Andy Serkis' hair look really shaggy?

Neat pictures either way. Thanks Kafria!

TORn has five more pics from the set today - claiming they include one of Martin freeman as Bilbo, but I'm not convinced!

Also Ian MacKellen has a new blog, about beard and costume prep, doesn't really tell you anything, but I enjoyed it and showed he is getting ready to film at least!

Not got the book to hand but is Gandalfs beard in TH not long enough to tuck in his belt? And his eyebrows so bushy they stick out past the rim of his hat?

I think you're right, though I can live with the beard & brow length he had in the LotR films

Pettytyrant101 wrote:And his eyebrows so bushy they stick out past the rim of his hat?

I have tried, I really have, but I cannot hold a mental image of this without bursting out laughing. Does Gandalf have some sort of mutant skull structure, or does he have two afros growing out of his forehead? Either way, it's absurd if interpreted as anything but fairy tale exaggeration.

Maybe his hat has a small brim!

Exactly what I was thinking, it says his hat was pointy not wide brimmed! And is it not a different colour- I seem to remember a blue hat not a grey one in TH.

Looks blue enough to me

Yup that looks pretty blue! I stand corrected sir!

But it is too wide for the eyebrows! I've never had a problem imagining a bushy eyebrowed Gandalf as I always thought it would just look like the old UK politician Dennis Healey (but more so);



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Well, that looks pretty badass

Yeah I think Gandalf would suit having ones like that for all those descriptions of when he's annoyed and has 'bristling eyebrows'.

Whoa. Weird eyebrows...

I'd love eyebrows which could actually portray the feelings I'm experiencing! That'd be sweeet!

I would prefer to ave hair that does that. It would go red when i'm angry, blue when i'm feeling sad, and green when i'm feeling sick etc.
If i was tired it would be messy, and if i felt bouncy and jolly it would be curly etc.
Coolio!

I’m very sorry to have missed, the other sunny day, the first mass emergence from their trailers and make-up chairs, of not only our 13 heroic dwarves but also their 13 small-scale doubles — shorter, near-identical versions of the principals. Looking at the designs, they are nothing like garden furniture (those are gnomes NOT dwarves). Everyone who saw the first parade of two Thoren Oakenshields plus 24 assorted dwarves was mightily impressed!

With Bilbo already filming, this was final proof that The Hobbit is well and truly underway.

An extract from macKellens latest blog!

http://kingunderthemountain.com/

Little piece on a cinema opening in NZ that has some hobbit references