USA: DIRECTOR PETER JACKSON AND MEMBERS OF HIS CAST TALK ABOUT LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIE "FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING"

Record ID: 392439

  • Title: USA: DIRECTOR PETER JACKSON AND MEMBERS OF HIS CAST TALK ABOUT LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIE "FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING"
  • Date: 3rd December 2001
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 3, 2001) (REUTERS) SMV (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIV TYLER SAYING: "Things were getting out so a lot of those rumours were happening and it was hard for me but at the same time felt kind of excited that people were going so far off track because when see the film they'll be surprised, because my job was to just completely capture th
  • Embargoed: 18th December 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAZWL90M4LK55BRTJ28FZNW974
  • Story Text: With the big screen version of "The Lord of the Rings" set to hit theaters, director Peter Jackson and his stars Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood believe that even with New Zealand standing in for Middle-Earth, their film remains true to the vision of Hobbit creator J.R.R. Tolkien.
    Elijah Wood is almost lost for words when he describes the experience of filming the three "Lord of the Rings'' movies back to back in New Zealand.
    "What gets me through all of this is the fact that I have some of the best friends of my life as a result of this, and that will sustain as we continue on," the actor told Reuters.
    "The fanaticism will come and go but at the end of the day the fellowship will always be there."
    That fanaticism was at a fever pitch on Monday's (December 10) world premiere of "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.'' The trilogy took over two years to film at a cost of $270 million (USD).
    Now 20, Wood had only just turned 18 when he landed what many would consider the role of a lifetime -- that of the hobbit Frodo Baggins in director Peter Jackson's ambitious big-screen adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novels set in the mythical realm of Middle Earth.
    Wood's slight frame and blue-eyed, innocent looks seemed to make him a perfect candidate to play the child-like, diminutive hobbit, one of Tolkien's imaginary race of small folk who live underground.
    The 2,400 strong cast and crew were asked to commit to an 18-month filming schedule in New Zealand, with all three films being shot at the same time, out of sequence, in some of the most remote parts of the country. Director Peter Jackson took the daunting task of adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy into a live action film -- an unprecedented process. "I just simply chose to look on this as an opportunity of a lifetime that I'm a filmmaker making the ultimate fantasy story," Jackson told Reuters.
    Luckily for everyone, New Zealand itself was an easy sell. "I just had a fantastic time there, it's a beautiful country, stunning countryside, people are great, very accommodating and supportive," said co-star Sean Bean, who plays the human Boromir. "So it was an ideal place for us to be, we were out, we were away from everybody, we created our own world, our own middle earth out there which was perfect and we could really focus on what we were doing."
    Sir Ian McKellen, who plays the wizard Gandalf, stands behind his director's finished work. "It may be the most read book of the twentieth century, but it's the most difficult book to film, and so everyone is crossing fingers that Peter Jackson has brought it off and I can tell you it has." .
    American actress Liv Tyler, who plays the elf princess Arwen, was initially a bit put off by the rabid attention paid to the secretive film shoot, but believes fans of the books will be pleased. "Things were getting out so a lot of those rumors were happening and it was hard for me but at the same time felt kind of excited that people were going so far off track because when see the film they'll be surprised, because my job was to just completely capture the essence of who Arwen is, and I think I did that."
    On the eve of the premiere of the first film "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,'' the film's stars were unanimous in their praise of Jackson, saying only his vision and drive kept them going through a punishing filming schedule.
    At these times, Jackson would cobble together a few scenes and screen it to the cast and crew so everyone could see what he was trying to achieve.
    Published in the 1950s, The Lord of the Rings is an epic struggle between good and evil played out by a cast of hobbits, elves, wizards, dwarfs, humans and orcs.
    Until now, filmmakers have shied away from tackling Tolkien's tales -- apart from an animated version in 1978.
    Everyone involved in the $270 million project was aware that it was being heavily scrutinized, not only by the film industry waiting to see whether they could pull off such an ambitious undertaking, but by Tolkien's legions of fans.
    "I didn't try to second guess what millions of other people would expect to see, because it would be a losing battle to try to do that, it would be a waste of time, and so what you are going to see is my interpretation and my version of the story and that's all that I can really offer up," Jackson told Reuters.
    "It was unique this experience and I hope it will be for people who watch the movie, but for us there, it is rare you are on any movie where the cast and crew actually care about and like the script," said Viggo Mortensen, who plays Prince Aragorn.
    "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' will open in cinemas around the world on December 19. Two further installments,
    "The Two Towers'' and "The Return of the King'' will follow at the end of 2002 and 2003.
    --
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