|
Lord of the Rings: The Film
Hosted by Michael Regina
Editor in Chief of theonering.net
Thursday,
Nov. 29, 2001; 1 p.m. EST
On Dec. 19th the first of three highly anticipated Lord of the Rings films will open nationwide. Adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's best selling books, the film is expected to break box office records around the world.
Can the movie live up to the hype? Will the film be faithful to the text? How did they make Elijah Wood so small?
Michael Regina, Editor in Chief and Segment Producer for the popular Lord of the Rings Web site TheOneRing.net, will be online to take questions and comments on the upcoming films from casting and sets to merchandising and sequels.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Michael Regina: Hi there, my name is Michael Regina, I'm the Editor in Chief of TheOneRing.net, the premeire LOTR fanclub. We've been in operation for over 2 1/2 years and are on the leading edge of all things Tolkien. I was delighted to be asked to participate in this chat today, and feel free to ask me anything related to the films, the books, or anything else you want to know about. I will try my best to answer you!
Fairfax, Va.:
As a long-time fan, I was truly disappointed many years back by the first movie, which took a very cartoonish approach to the "Fellowship." In fact, I don't think they ever made the final two film instalments of what had been intended then as the full trilogy. Am I right in that? And how sure are you that the new movie will be substantially better?
Michael Regina: I've been a long time fan myself, and yes I was devistated by the production values of the Rankin/Bass, Bakshi cartoons of the late 70's.
However, where those were hollow, misrepresentations of Tolkien's work, I truly feel that Peter Jackson and co. have really done an amazing job in re-creating Middle-earth.
I've been following the production for over 2 years, from day 1 and I am always amazed at the attention to detail that has gone in to everyhting about the movie.
There were Tolkien linguist experts on hand to make sure the names and places were pronounced correctly, intricate details from the murals in the Golden hall to the names of statues and busts at Minas Tirith...all finley detailed to the ninth degree...truly spectacular.
And I've spoken with so many people involved in the production, they truly love Tolkien's work and treat it as 'The Word', just like the fans do.
Manassas, Va.:
Are there any TV specials you're really looking forward to seeing about TLOTR? What should we look out for?
F. Baggins
Michael Regina: Well, it's funny you should mention that, just tonight on the FOX Netowrk (there's a plug for you) there will be the first of 3 LOTR specials called 'Quest for the Ring'. It will have some behind the scenes footage from FOTR. With some amazing interviews and cool things to see.
Check your local listings tonight at 8 pm EST. I know I will certianly be watching!
Reston, Va.:
I have enjoyed being a regular visitor to theOneRing.net and have only you to blame in having my fiance rolling her eyes at my near giddiness at having LOTR hitting the screen.
Michael Regina: Well...I'm sorry she feels that way :) Actually, alot of the loved ones who live or work with the folks on TheOneRing.net tend to have a love/hate relationship with LOTR. They love the fact that we're working on this mammoth production and it looks so amazing. But they also hate the time it takes to work on the site! It takes many many hours to get this site the way it is, and there are so many hard working, dedicated folks who work at it day and night.
Toronto, Ontartio, Canada:
Is Tolkien's estate making money off the film and merchandising?
Michael Regina: Ah! A fellow Canadian! To awnser your question, no, the Tolkien estate has sold the rights to LOTR many many years ago. Film producer Saul Zaentz (sp) now owns the rights. With AOL/Time Warner leasing them to make these films.
The Tolkien family are notorious for wanting to stay away from the limelight in regards to LOTR and anything else Middle-earth related. They do not take calls or answer letters. And that is just they way they want to keep it. Unfortunately...
Cambridge, England:
Have you seen the movie? If so, what types of awards/records, etc. do you think the movies will get? I am thinking Oscars, box office, or both.
Michael Regina: I have yet to see the whole film, actually, it is beeing screened not 30 minutes away from me as we speak! I was unable to get in invite, due to the 'executive perks' that I am lacking...I will be seeing it on the 13th, and again on the 17th..and of course..THE day of days...on the 19th..
As far as Oscar nominations or wins, I really do hope we can get nominated for such things as Art Direction, Camerawork, Lighting, Set Desgin, Costumes, Special Effects or even sound editing.
I really hope PJ can be nominated for a 'Best Director' but these big Hollywood blockbusters are normally shunned by the Academy for Best Director or Best Film, but here's hoping.
Arlington, Va.:
What sort of interest and traffic are you seeing on your site and do you wish to draw any box-office predictions from it?
Michael Regina: We traffic is not usually a judge of box office success, but if it can shed even a little bit of light, I'd be happy.
Our site has had well over 232 million hits in it's 2 1/2 years of operation. That is unique individial people. If you factor in the notion that each one of those people visit about 5 pages per visit, that's over a billion hits...those numbers just boggle the mind.
Daily we are seeing over 170 000 hits, this number has jumped recently, due to the hype I'm assuming. All in all my partner Bill has taken to putting our servers in his fridge to keep them cool :)
Somewhere, USA:
Please tell me that they will be subdued in the marketing of this film. I just don't want to see tiny Hobbit mugs snuck into every McDonald Happy Meal.
Michael Regina: Well, you'll be happy to know that the Golden Arches have nothing to do with LOTR, but the King of Burgers has laid claim to Isildur's Bane...
Burger King is doing a mass advertising blitz related to LOTR. Kiddie toys and all, and while I don't gag about it on the site much I'm not a big fan of these types of things. But New Line do want to make some money back after all, so I don't blame them.
The funny thing is for months we've been joking about the 'Lord of the Onion Rings' type of tie ins..and then BK go ahead and actually do it! It's rather hilarious.
I think alot of the hard core fans who love Tolkien's work for what it is, the most wonderious tale ever told will be upset about all the tie ins. But you have to realise that this is a business. and deals need to be made sometimes.
Rockville, Md.:
I'm concerned about the changes made to the story -- new scenes for Arwen, no Bombadil. How signiifcant are these changes?
Michael Regina: Alot of people are worried about changes. The one thing PJ et all tried to do was make sure that all of the magic and quality of story and plot in the books was retained.
but there is a major stumbling block you run into when transferring a book into a script. There are entire passages in Tolkien's story where there is no spoken dialog, but many things are discussed. If you get my meaning, so things had to be changed, re-arranged, altered.
Why take Tom Bombadil out? Well, PJ theorized that Tom tends to take away form the main story arc, and at a very important time, the Hobbits are leaving their comfortable world, and going out in the big-bad middle-earth. He didn't want to distract people with adding another character, and a rather odd one like Tom, to boot.
With regards to Arwen, I really think this is much ado about nothing, the lady's role certianly has more presence than in the book, but Peter simple used items from the appendix and added them (here and there) into the main story arc.
Reston, Va.:
Hi Michael!
I have a question about how the height of the Hobbits is handled. In the previews that I've seen, they aren't shown against more "normal" sized characters such as Men and Elves. Do you think that the height is dealt with "realistically"? Thanks!
Michael Regina: Hi there, :)
Well, I really love the way PJ et all handled the 'size does matter' issue of the Hobbits and Dwarves vs. Men and others.
First of all, all the Hobbit boys, and Ian Holm are natually short characters. (Elijah would kill me if he read this), so they already had that short stature to begin with.
The main device used was extremely simple, they simply had the tall characters closer to the camera than the short ones! To the 2 dimsensional eye of the camera, they look like they are in the same room or walking next to eachother, but in reality they are far apart.
I say the word 'simple', but a lot of work needed to go into the process. For instance all sets which used both hobbit and men needed to be scaled down, so you would have a regular sized bag end where Frodo and Bilbo would look their size..then a 'small' version of the set where Gandalf walks around and bangs his head on the roof!
Of course, computer wizardy was also used, but they trusted the 'old school' method more often than not, simply because it looks better, and is far less expensive!
As a side note, the 6 foot tall John Rhys-Davies recently said to us on an exclusive on camera interview (to come online later today) that he spent much of the shoot on his knees...AFTER he got the role :)
Jackson, Miss.:
I really enjoy your site. I have frequented it for over a year now and do not grow tired of the relevant news it has. My question involves logistics. HOW do you stay on top of all that news all the time? Other than spies and chat rooms what other mediums do you use to garner your in depth information?
P.S. Keep up the great work!
Michael Regina: Well, I certinaly do lose alot of sleep :) BUT I cannot take all the credit for the hard work and dedication seen on the site. We have a staff of over 50 people from around the world that work on the site 24/7.
We have artists, and writers, and computer wizards who work non stop to keep the site up and running. So when you're cozy in your bed in Jackson, we have folks in Sweded checking on all the latest news to post on the site.
At times it is run like a newspaper or magazine, we have deadlines and need to get news stories out at a specific time. But usually we just have a policy where the front page editors post the news they get in the mail, and make sure it's accurate, clean (language and so on) and is LOTR related. You should really thank the staff for all the hard work, without them, I'm just a guy in his basment online...
Delray, Va.:
Will we see fans lining up ahead of time around the world like many did for Star Wars Episode I?
Michael Regina: Yes indeed! Apparenlty in sweden and Norway there were massive line-ups simply for tickets to the opening day! something like 60 thousand were sold in 2 days..
We have an entire 'line party' page setup:
http://theonering.net/movie/lineparty/
Where people can check to see if there is a line forming locally, and they can join it, if not they can make one. We have over 300 lines with over 1000 people joined already! For any Montrealers out there, mine is in Kirkland..discount ticket prices! woo hoo!
Cambridge, Mass.:
I love your site and I can't wait for the movie.
Your site traffic is fueled by interest and enthusiasm for the movies -- how do you keep that going but retain an objective eye about the movies so that you are not percieved as just another branch of New Line's marketing machine?
Michael Regina: Hello and thank you, that's a tough question you ask. How do we make sure we play nice but don't seem to be in the pocket of New Line...
Well, I've certianly had my fair share of calls at 4 in the morning from angry New Zealanders or LA folks..but all in all we have a great relationship with them, and it's all due to one simple word: Respect
We respect the hard work and dedication PT et all have put into the project, and New Line's dedication to making the fans feel involved.
New Line respects our claim as the flagship for all fans and fansites, and our dedication to the project as well. So it works out very well for eachother.
They leave us alone with the good and the bad stuff, so, they don't tell us to post things, or take down things (with the small exception of some computerized Gollum images).
And in regards to keeping focus, it's very simple these days, LOTR is everywhere, so we try to cover it all. From the magazine articles, to TV listings, to the actors, stage plays, book reviews, conventions...it's enough to keep us very busy indeed
Cambridge, Mass.:
Ian Holm plays the part of Bilbo in this movie...and he also played the role of Frodo in the legendary BBC radio play adaptation of the story. Could it be said of any of the cast that they are true "fans" of the story? In other words, did any of the actors and actresses take part in the film because they are fans of the books, and not just because it was an interesting movie to make?
Michael Regina: Yes, the Ian Holm connection is a nice piece of trivia.
Alot of the actors, much like the general public, either knew or read LOTR sometime in their past.
Of them all I think Christopher Lee (Saruman) can hold the title of 'head LOTR cast geek' as he loves Tolkien's work and even met the good professor many many years ago.
Sean Astin and Elijah Wood were very keen to get the roles of Hobbits, and made tapes of themselves to show PJ when he was casting a few years back.
Ian McKellen is a great lover of these books, and has much respect for them.
Orlando Bloom tried reading them in his youth but his attraction to ladies and cars gave way and Elves and Dwarves took a back seat.
Many of the talents actually read the books while filming the movie...
Billy Boyd read LOTR over again every morning while they were attaching his Hobbit feet...
Woodbridge, Va.:
In your own opinion,do you think LOTR has the stamina to beat Titanic as the highest grossing movie ever with all the buzz going on about now?
Michael Regina: Alot of folks are asking me about Box Office sucess and beating Harry Potter or Titanic.
I really don't know, to me, LOTR hype has been at 150% since March of 1999, so I don't know what all this 'new hype' is about, hasn't the world been waiting for this since Summer of 99? :)
I hope, and I know alot of other do as well, that LOTR becomes something more than an 'event' movie, it becomes the benchmark for the future of filmmaking. It becomes inspiration to millions on young writers and filmmakers out there to work on thier films and books, and try to do something like it.
I hope the trilogy becomes as common as Star Wars, and that the books are ever praised for their beauty and wonderous storytelling.
So, I guess that means that yes, I do indeed hope we smash the Box Office...but ask me that question again 3 months from now and I'll ahve a better answer for you. :)
Chicago, Ill.:
How much do you expect the release of these movies to generate new interest in the books themselves?
Michael Regina: There already has been a surge in population for these books in the past months. Countries from all over the world are reporting record book sales for LOTR and all other Tolkien books. I think these books will become even more popular if LOTR breaks the bank and heads for super stardom. I have my copy of LOTR (4 of each actually) and I hope everyone who sees the movie gets their own :)
Alexandria, Va.:
First I wanted to mention what a wonderful job your site does in putting out comprehensive "real" info on LOTR. I've been visiting it ever since it was started (does Xenite ring a bell?) and our own internet discussion group that's been around for 3 years now gets most of our news from you.
Well, for my question -- do you have any great scoops about film 2 -- The Two Towers?
Michael Regina: The Two Towers..well, that's a long way off..I do know how what treebeard looks like, and the details of the destruction of Orthanc...but other than that TTT is very far away! I just wand Fellowship to come out so I can sleep and go on a nice...long vacation!
If you want to know a bit more about TTT, check out my buddy Quickbeams' visit to the WETA studios last year in part III of his travel diaries to New Zealand:
http://greenbooks.theonering.net/quickbeam/files/nz_part3.html
Toronto, Ontario:
I recently viewed the exibit of costumes and 'artifacts' from the film and I noticed a costume for Gil-Galad. I assume this means flashbacks to events in the history of Middle Earth, or at least the ONE Ring. Do you know how much time will be devoted to these flashbacks?
Michael Regina: I have reports that the entire first 15 minutes will be devoted to the story of the Ring and 'The Last Alliance'(my personal favorite battle in ME history).
I know they will most likely be 'narrated' by either Cate Blanchett or Liv Tyler and will be used to 'catch us up' on the ring and it's whereabouts.
Rumors were abound that this 'prologue' was cut, but recent reviews (and little birdies) confirm that it is indeed included.
Davis, Calif.:
When are tickets going to go on sale in the US, and will they be sold on the internet in advance?
Michael Regina: Yes, indeed a few places are now selling tickets online, I think it really depends on the cinema and the owners. If the owner feels there is a market in his district to sell tickets well in advance he or she will do that.
I know up here in Canada tickets have started to go on sale. So the US will certainly not be far behind.
Forestville, Md.:
Still trying to find the time to read the book before the movie comes out -- sigh.
Will the movie be appropriate for kids 8 and over?
Michael Regina: I would go as far as to say 6 and over would be ok for this film. It really depdends on the child, if you know your child is sensetive to loud noises and violence, then maybe you'd better hold off.
Peter Jackson has never been a 'puff' director, he shows that violence is violence and it has nasty results. New Line did contract him to make a PG-13 film, so I wouldn't expect to much blood and gore, you'd have to wait for the DVD for that fun stuff :)
Michael Regina: I'm sorry I couldn't get to all of your questions, but I would certianly love to do another one of these chats in the near future if The Washington Post folks are interested. I hope you enjoyed some of the answers! I love hearing from people all over the world.
Thanks again!
----------------------------------------------------------
Michael Regina (Xoanon) Editor in Chief/Segment Producer
xoanon@theonering.net http://www.TheOneRing.net
PH: 514.947.5221
ICQ: 32063161
AOL: MVCR718
----------------------------------------------------------
washingtonpost.com:
That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the
discussion.
Stay tuned to Live Online:
Northern
Alliance Spokesman at 2 p.m. EST
Dirda
on Books at 2 p.m. EST
Real
Estate Live at 2 p.m. EST
Live Online Special Coverage: America
At War
Did you know that you can follow more than one Live Online discussion at
the same time? Just open another browser window and toggle back and
forth between discussions! And, if you miss one, catch up with the Live
Online transcripts.
Keep up with the latest in news, sports, politics and entertainment with
washingtonpost.com
e-mail newsletters.
NEW! Personalize your Post with mywashingtonpost.com.
Get customized news, traffic, weather and more.
| |
© Copyright 2002 The Washington Post Company | 
