(via fuckyeahraaarmitage)
November292011
Sir Ian McKellen’s Blog | 29 November 2011 |Moving On
THE HOBBIT is on the move for a couple of months, visiting a dozen or so locations up and down New Zealand.
Filming outdoors is at the mercy of changeable spring weather, sudden showers and variegated skies. So the daily question is “What’s the forecast?” Were it to rain too hard and persistently, we would have to take shelter and just wait: but so far we are on schedule, illuminated by regular sun and the pretend sunshine of Andrew Lesnie’s massive lamps, fed by off-site generators. The other day it was drizzling but we carried on filming, as the 3D cameras couldn’t register the rain. A pity. Rain in a 3D movie would be outstanding, in every way.
FIve hundred of us travel with the efficiency of an army or a circus on the move, each supplied by the production with transport, shelter and a bed. As tourists in New Zealand know, this is the land of homestay, with beds and breakfasts. Hotels are rare except in the cities and, of course, most of our locations are in the wilds. We travel with my own feather-filled pillow and I have no complaints. As long as the weather holds, it’s a bit like being on holiday. Steve Thomson is my assistant (look for him on the films’ credits.) He makes sure I’m on time and comfy. We met 11 years ago on Lord of the Ringswhen he was masseur for actors’ aching limbs.
Steve knows much about most of New Zealand. He steers our Toyota land-cruiser Prado, north from Wellington along the west coast of the North Island, close by the majestic Taranaki volcanic peak, though tantalisingly it was only visible for a minute or two, shrouded by cloud. Maori legend says he’s a mountain god in mourning for his lost love. He can be seen more clearly as the double for Mount Fuji in The Last Samurai.
Our route is along rural roads over farmland and through the bush, not at all busy, and affording wondrous views. Now, as spring settles in, lambs and calves galore chomp the growing green that reminds me of the Lake District, the national park back home in northwest England, where, so he told me, Edmund Hillary climbed for the first time after Everest. The difference is that the British countryside up hill and down dale, has been ploughed over the centuries, tamed by hedges, fences, walls. In New Zealand you can go for miles without sign of a human occupation, yet it often looks familiar, as if the props department had given a make-over to the Lakeland fells, the Welsh hills or the Scottish lowlands.
Then, round a bend in the empty road, without warning, a live volcano! And another! Then the curving, surfing coastline, thermal springs, the caves, the virgin forest! God’s Own. The earthquakes. Steve and every other Kiwi I know has strong views on safe-guarding their land and regrets that forests have been felled (though never wantonly) and species died out: yet much protected wilderness remains. It’s as if New Zealand, overflowing with vegetation, looked even better for a trim. From the air, the rolling fields of small farms (or stations, as they are called), are very beautiful, the result of laborious deforestation.
Thank goodness there are so few wayside advertising signs to defile the beauty. Currently, though, the views are challenged by posters of the Prime Minister’s confident grin, begging votes for the imminent general election. I prefer rugby players to right-wing politicians, so have welcomed the other temporary signs: the flags, banners and bill-boards still cheering on the triumphant champions of the rugby World Cup: “Go All Blacks”.
Close by Taranaki, Steve stopped, I insisted, at Stratford, a country town where there are an abundance of streets named after Shakespeare’s characters, including a main thoroughfare, Regan Street. I wonder if the locals realise or care that King Lear’s middle daughter was a psychopathic torturer and murderer.
In the central Prospero Place stands the mock-Tudor tower which is the country’s only glockenspiel, according to the proud guide-books. It’s an ugly edifice and maybe even one glockenspiel is too many. Thrice daily, mannequins of Romeo and Juiiet emerge from their prison into the daylight. But I’ve seen other glockenspiels and wasn’t troubled that we missed the action of the one in Stratford.
Nearby, the King’s Theatre, still presenting the occasional amateur stage production, is most nights a cinema, administered by a charitable trust. In the lobby are remnants of publicity for Lord of the Rings, plus a film bookshop. On Saturday evening we dropped in to meet the manager and projectionist, who were expecting “maybe a dozen” patrons to turn up in the 300-seater theatre. Unfortunately Steve and I had to move on from Stratford and so missed our second show of the day there.
Our first filming destination was Matamata, where eleven years ago Gandalf the Grey made his entrance into The Fellowship of the Ring, greeting Ian Holm’s Bilbo on the doorstep of Bag End. The site has since been sign-posted as “Hobbiton”, where tourists in search of Middle-earth could ponder the paltry remnants of our filming, a couple of round green doors propped against the hillside. That meant that the village had to be re-built and the gardens re-plotted for The Hobbit.
All our trucks, trailers, generators, dining tent and loos were hidden behind and below the surrounding hillocks but it was nostalgic to clamber up the path that leads to Bag End where this time Martin Freeman’s Bilbo will be surprised by Gandalf. We filmed there for less than a week, this time leaving everything behind, so future visitors do not have to guess at but actually see Hobbiton in its glory. They will even be able to get a snack at the Green Dragon. Peter Jackson, who likes a laugh, suggested I take up residence as a tour guide in my blue pointy hat. I’m thinking about it.
— Ian McKellen, Paradise NZ, 29 November 2011
June12011
Congratulations, Dear Watson
The cat is out of the bag. The actor is named. The latest recruit to the Jackson troops is the superb Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock Holmes to Bilbo’s Watson. Martin Freeman let it slip when he picked up his BAFTA.
Martin told me he was “chuffed” about the prize. So was the entire crew back here in Wellington; and about Benedict. Now, what can he be playing in The Hobbit?
Philippa Boyens showed me a snippet of his screen-test, played in close-up into the camera. It was electrifying, vocally and facially. Yes, what can he be playing?
I worked with Timothy Cumberbatch in a Shaw double-bill in 1966. Perhaps he thought his surname might be a hindrance, because his stage-name was/is Timothy Carlton — a dextrous light comedian with charm and long legs. (Not as long as those of Sian Phillips who was en travestie in the same play, Man of Destiny.)
More recently, in Asylum, I worked with Mrs Cumberbatch, Wanda Ventham, one of UK television’s most popular stars. Now I get to work with the son — or do I? Depends, of course, what he’s playing.
The sleuths are the third double-act in The Hobbit.
The current Sydney Theatre Company production of Uncle Vanya, couples Galadriel and Elrond as Yelena and Astrov. I wish I could see them at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC in August. But then they will both miss The Syndicate.
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s King Lear came to Wellington in 2007, when I introduced Sylvester McCoy to one of his Dr. Who fans, Peter Jackson. Now Lear and his Fool are a couple of wizards.
— Ian McKellen, Wellington, 31 May 2011
On the Queen Charlotte Track, South Island, New Zealand
May302011
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May192011
Some more Hobbit casting news today. As we near the end of our first shooting block (we have a break in less than three weeks to get some editing and visual effects work done, plus prepare for very big scenes coming up), we are looking at characters featuring in sequences that take place a little later in the story.
We are thrilled to confirm that Stephen Fry will be playing The Master of Laketown. I’ve known Stephen for several years, and we’re developing a Dambusters movie together. In addition to his writing skills, he’s a terrific actor and will create a very memorable “Master” for us.
The Master’s conniving civil servant, Alfrid will be played by Ryan Gage. Ryan is a great young actor who we originally cast in a small hobbit role, but we liked him so much, we promoted him to the much larger Alfrid part.
Last, and certainly not least, is Conan Stevens, who will be playing an Orc called Azog (orcs are never called Roger or Dennis for some strange reason). And yes that’s his name - Conan! Isn’t that cool? Azog is played by Conan! Here’s a photo of Conan and I together … I’m pretty tall … probably at least 6’5” or 6’6” I would guess, so that gives you some clue how tall Conan is! You can learn all about him at www.conanstevens.com.
Got a busy day’s shooting ahead, so I’m about to jump in the car - but look out for the beginning of the 20 questions answers very soon. Thanks for the questions - many are very insightful. I’ve been through all of them and have a list ready to go.
Cheers,
Peter J
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May102011
THE HOBBIT, 2 Elves, and another Wizard
Martin Freeman has left The Hobbit.
This is not another April Fool, just a May Fact. Before signing as Bilbo, Martin had agreed to make three 90-minute TV films in London, again playing Dr Watson to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes. No worries: he’ll be back in Middle Earth after our first hiatus, during which Peter Jackson will have spare time to edit the scenes already completed. The rest of the cast remains on duty for another few weeks, working on hobbit-less sections of the film. These involve dwarves of course but also elves, with Hugo Weaving back for a stretch as Lord Elrond.
Hugo was recently onstage as Astrov in Chekov’s Uncle Vanyafor the Sydney Theatre Company, whose director, Cate Blanchett, played Yelena. Before she returns as Galadriel, they will reprise their production at Washington DC’sKennedy Center in August. I shall miss the revival, because of my own play, Eduardo De Filippo’s The Syndicate at Chichester Festival Theatre and a short UK tour.
Another slim-line elf returning from LOTR, is a local: New Zealand’s actor/comedian/singer Bret McKenzie. Last time, he was an extra at Rivendell, the elven Last Homely House in the East. Under a tree at the Council of Elrond, he silently witnessed the forming of the Fellowship. Wordless maybe but not unnoticed by fans of the beautiful, who gave him the acronym F.I.G.W.I.T. (“Frodo Is Great! Who Is That?”) I confess Gandalf didn’t take much notice, distracted by the main action that involved all the main characters.
I only joined Bret’s fan-base, when he joined up with Jermaine Clement in their hilarious tv seriesFlight of the Conchords. Now he is briefly back in Rivendell as a senior official at Elrond’s Court and he has a name “Lindir”, which means “singer”. Tolkien has plenty of songs in The Hobbit but the script doesn’t indicate that Lindir will be singing any of them. If, as he promises, Bret makes a Conchord feature film ere long, I shall angle for a non-speaking part as BIGWIT. (“Bret Is…” etc.)
And there’s another wizard in town, preparing to make his appearance as Radagast the Brown, the eccentric friend of Gandalf’s, played by Sylvester McCoy who was last in Wellington in 2007, King Lear’s Fool in the Royal Shakespeare production in which I was his nuncle, now Sylvester’s nick-name for me. This week he has been trying out his make-up and costume. At the prospect of our scenes together, Nuncle couldn’t be happier.
— Ian McKellen, Wellington, 10 May 2011
April242011
Unfortunately today The Hobbit has suffered a loss with the departure of Robert Kazinsky, who was to play Fili in the films.
It was announced by Peter Jackson late this evening on his Facebook page, where he said:
I am sad to report that Rob Kazinsky, who was cast in the role of Fili, is having to leave The Hobbit and return home, for personal reasons. Rob has been terrific to work with and his enthusiasm and infectious sense of humour will be missed by all of us. I should say that Rob’s departure will not affect ongoing filming of The Hobbit, nor will it impact work done to date, as we had yet to film much of Fili’s storyline. At the moment we are shooting scenes featuring Bilbo without the Dwarves, which will give us time to find a new Fili. I’ll keep everyone posted with updates as they come.
Cheers,
Peter J
Rob took to Twitter to say:
Thanks for all your support, Peter and team have been the most wonderful and supportive team to work for and it’s with a truly sad heart… that things have turned out this way. The Hobbit will go on to be as great as i’ve seen and I will miss the family and friends that i’ve.. here, From every disaster i’ve tried to make an opportunity. “john d rokerfeller”
It has been a complete treasure getting to know Rob these past few months through his tweets, the press conference, and most recently the video blog from the Hobbit set—and it really is hard to see him go.
I wish him the very best, and look forward to seeing wonderful things from him in the future.
(Source: facebook.com)
April142011
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