Posted on 07/16/2008 1:35:23 AM PDT by Oyarsa
Christopher Lee offers his voice for Smaug… won’t go back to NZ. July 13th, 2008 by Compa_Mighty
In a bittersweet note, forummer DiveTwin reports this note that appeared in Cinematical:
(Excerpt) Read more at theonering.net ...
> Lee isn’t interested in filming in New Zealand again because it is simply too far away, for too long of a time.
Oh well, we can do without him in New Zealand. I am certain there are plenty of talented, local voices who wouldn’t mind being Smaug.
Being in New Zealand is a privilege, not a right. Mr Lee doesn’t want to be here? Fine. We don’t want him, so we’re all happy aren’t we?
Give him a break, what is he like 90.
I guess if Gimli can do Treebeard’s voice then it’s only fair that Saruman do Smaug’s voice.
What the hell is wrong with you? The man seems to regret that he cannot go. This is not about some manufacture slight to you’re ego. He is 86 freaking years old! He does not want to travel half-way around the world and leave his local comforts for a place where he might never leave for a job he can do in a London studio.
Jeeze Louise! Talk about an inferiority complex!
Ok. Ok. I will happily travel to New Zealand. Where can I pick up my travel tickets and travel plan for the Triolgy film sites. ;)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Christopher Lee role in which I haven’t enjoyed his performance to the max. :)
> Ok. Ok. I will happily travel to New Zealand. Where can I pick up my travel tickets and travel plan for the Triolgy film sites. ;)
(big grin!)
One of the local best-sellers, the Site Guide. Be prepared for a fair bit of travel, as the trilogy was shot all over the place in NZ. “Hobbitown” is in a place called Matamata, which is half-way between Auckland and Rotorua, about 1 1/2 drive either direction. It is a great place to start.
A fair bit of filming was done in and around Tongariro, which is south of Taupo, about 4 hrs drive from Auckland.
Most or all of the special effects would have been done at Weta Studios, which is in Wellington.
> He does not want to travel half-way around the world and leave his local comforts for a place where he might never leave for a job he can do in a London studio.
Precisely. Just another whinging Pom.
In the 1960s, they were filming "The Battle of Britain," and Lee auditioned for the role of a pilot, and was rejected.
"You're too big to be a pilot," the casting director told him.
Film of The Hobbit!! Yippieee!!
You say that being in New Zealand is a priviledge and not a right. That is true. However, going to New Zealand is a choice, and when health and age and time converge against you, and what is at stake is a voice role in a movie, then only a fool would opt to travel.
> You look at it as a snub to New Zealand .....I look at it as an old man being sensible in his last days.
I guess I do. In New Zealand we take a great deal of pride in our hospitality, and we show all of our guests a really, really good time, in the hopes that they will tell all their friends and especially come back and visit us again.
While he was here, Mr Lee would have been treated like Royalty. And make no mistake, the Lord of the Rings is a very big thing here: we *want* people from overseas to come visit, to see the filming sites, and to have a wonderful, unforgettable time. And to tell all their friends about it.
So with this article what happened? “Lee isn’t interested in filming in New Zealand again because it is simply too far away, for too long of a time.” And it is an article that is circulated on a LOTR fan site: the very place where potential NZ tourists might hang out. Thanks, Mr Lee. Sorry that visiting us was such a chore for you.
Think of it this way: pretend you live out in the countryside, a fair way off the beaten track. And you like to have guests, and your hospitality is legendary. How would you like one of your guests to go back home to the big city and tell everybody that they weren’t interested in visiting you again?
It’s bad manners at the very least.
Yes, it might not be sensible for him to travel to NZ in his latter days. But it was hardly necessary to burst into print about it.
You must realize that for a person of Mr. Lee’s years, in his condition of health, the possibility of acquiring a potentially fatal deep-vein thrombosis through a very long flight to NZ is quite real. He is wise not to want to risk his life. For elderly people, it’s also scary to leave their usual health-care facilities and providers (and I’m sure he has the best in Britain, not National Health guys). My own dear MIL hates to leave Florida to visit us here for just that reason and always wants us to go visit her instead, because she has to see her doctor so frequently.
So tell us, do you usually insult everybody who chooses not to visit your beautiful country? That would mean that you’d have to hate nearly six billion people.
> You must realize that for a person of Mr. Lee’s years, in his condition of health, the possibility of acquiring a potentially fatal deep-vein thrombosis through a very long flight to NZ is quite real.
Sure it is — NZ is about as far away from the UK as you can get.
> So tell us, do you usually insult everybody who chooses not to visit your beautiful country?
See #13, which explains the rationale of my viewpoint thoroughly. I don’t think it is an insulting viewpoint at all.
> That would mean that you’d have to hate nearly six billion people.
I don’t hate Mr Lee. However I do wish that our erstwhile guest hadn’t burst into print over his not being “interested” in returning. Even if he didn’t intend to return, there was no need for him to announce that.
That’s just plain bad manners.
HE’S 86!!! Weeping Jesus on the cross let it go! He’s not dissin New Zealand!
He’s saying “I’m frickin old! Every morning I wake up I’m surprised! I would rather die in my home with my family and things than in a hotel room!”.
Why in God’s name are you making this a personal issue? Are you guys THAT insecure?
> Why in God’s name are you making this a personal issue? Are you guys THAT insecure?
See #13 where I explain my viewpoint. I think that it is a very reasonably view to take.
...they weren't interested in visiting you again...BECAUSE THEY ARE ALMOST 90 AND PLAYING CHESS WITH DEATH! You left out the rest of the story pally.
It’s bad manners at the very least.
What is bad manners, and ingratitude as well by the way, is castigating a great man, who has played a significant role for the good of NZ, on a public website, for making a practical decision based on age and health that he probably wished he did not have to!
Yes, it might not be sensible for him to travel to NZ in his latter days. But it was hardly necessary to burst into print about it
Burst in print?
You're out of your mind. There is NOTHING in his statement the bears negatively on NZ in any way, shape, or form - unless your terminally paranoid.
ping
(whatever...)
Well remember, they wouldn’t let you into their country.
Or at least, they wouldn’t let your freeper name into their country.
So yes, it seems they have a certain insecurity problem :-)
> Or at least, they wouldn’t let your freeper name into their country.
Or nuclear anything, including power stations. It is a stupid policy, one that we pay the price for every winter.
I just got my June power bill: $650 for a MONTH.
> So yes, it seems they have a certain insecurity problem :-)
I’d have thought the opposite: if we felt insecure we’d welcome a few of your subs in our harbor. Indonesia is, after all, just up the road.
Speaking personally, I think it is a crying shame that the ChiComs can send warships into Auckland Harbor and the Yanks can’t. As policies go, it’s a stupid one.
With any luck, our Electricity strategy will get reviewed by the next Government and this foolishness will stop. $650 for a month’s electricity is alot of money in any language.
The following is NOT an insult to New Zealand:
I don’t want to travel to NZ because it’s too far away and I would be gone for too long.
The following is an insult to New Zealand:
I don’t want to travel to NZ because it’s a boring, ugly, stinking rathole full of unpleasant people.
See the difference?
Lee, 84 next month, said he never expected to see Jackson again and would now not be able to make another trip to New Zealand. "I'm too old now. The trip is just too long. It's such a tremendous journey. Sadly, I know I will never visit the Southern Hemisphere again. "Just last week I turned down a role in an Australian film." He added: "I love New Zealand. It's the most beautiful place in the world with the nicest people in the world."
Wow...that is some insult.
You're wrong...you know it...
Just walk away before you hurt yourself further.
Did you actually listen to his interview? I doubt it. Lee spoke with great warmth of the people of New Zealand, said you were the nicest people, and emphasized clearly that yours is the most beautiful country in the world. That’s very good PR for New Zealand, not an insult. At no time in the interview did he use the expression “not interested.”
He also pointed out that Saruman is not in the Hobbit. Since Smaug is not a human character, there would be no reason for him to travel to NZ to do the voiceover work.
At the very end of the interview he speaks of what he will do “if I am still alive” and nearly gasps, “It’s too far. It’s too far. It’s too far.”
There is no insult in any of that and does not discourage anyone from visiting the nation he extols. He is an exhausted and very old man.
> Did you actually listen to his interview? I doubt it.
You’d be right. Audio is blocked here, and I read everything available in print from the links — which included the “not interested” bit.
> Lee spoke with great warmth of the people of New Zealand, said you were the nicest people, and emphasized clearly that yours is the most beautiful country in the world. That’s very good PR for New Zealand, not an insult. At no time in the interview did he use the expression “not interested.”
It’s a shame that didn’t make it into the text because you’re right: it is brilliant PR for New Zealand.
And I should probably know better: the press does not necessarily report what was said.
My mistake: I withdraw my comments on that matter, without reservation.
Not only was he a pilot, he was also in British Special Forces.
When filming Saruman’s Death in The Return of the King (not in the theatre version, only on the DVD), Peter Jackson tried to tell him how to sound when he was stabbed by Wormtounge. He told Jackson that he knew too well how a man sounds when he is stabbed in the back.
I wouldn’t mess with him even in his 80s.
Wow...I can just imagine how bad it must get in the winter then! :-)
Yours is coming across quite clearly.
> Yours is coming across quite clearly.
You’d be most welcome to come visit sometime.
You never know who is a tough guy in real life. Ted Knight, (”Ted Baxter” on the Mary Tyler Moore show) was decorated five times for clearing mines on Normandy.
You do realize that, what with New Zealand being in the southern hemisphere and all, it is the dead of winter down there. Great skiing, I expect.
He’s 86 years old. Let’s see you spend the better part of a day on planes and waiting for planes when you’re 86.
Hell, if it wasn’t for us, you guys would be speaking German right now!
It’s not bad manners to not want to shorten the tail end of your life with an around the world trip. It IS on the other hand HIDEOUSLY bad manners to insult an old guy for not wanting to fly to the other side of the planet. So much for those famous NZ hosts.
That is true but it does seem to affect rumours about the 'second movie', which often include ideas like showing the meeting of the White Council. Saruman was the leader of the White Council, so this may mean that rumour is dead.
You do realize that there is a smiley in the post, don’t you :-)
Don't mind me, I'm one of the biggest pedants on FR.
See #26. The text available to me apparently did not capture the flavor of the audio interview (audio is blocked here).
I have withdrawn my comments without reservation.
1) Changing of the personality/motivations of major characters.
2) Changing of major aspects of the plot
3) Changing of the themes of Lord of the Rings.
While I realize that Jackson is not directing the Hobbit (for which I am very thankful) I do not believe that most directors tend to be rather free with existing plots and characters, and they are moreso when they provide "filler".
If a second movie was produced, I would hope they would limit it to information on the third age taken from the Silmarillion and the Unfinished Tales.
> Hell, if it wasn’t for us, you guys would be speaking German right now!
Highly unlikely. But I’m not going to rise to the “America-saved-the-whole-world-during-WW-II-so-you-should-be-grateful” meme: it is a thorough waste of time, and a canard anyway.
The short response to that is “you didn’t, we shouldn’t, and of course we aren’t.”
Then all is forgiven. Have fun down there.
The substance of the second movie remains a matter of conjecture and rumor. The reality of finances makes it certain that only a nuclear war has a chance of preventing its completion.
LOL! Didn't the RAF pilots, around the time of the Battle of Britain, have about a 6 week expected life span? Somehow I don't think the RAF was being TOO picky.
With the money these two films are going to make, they can afford a mil or two to film some scenes in London. Fans want to see Saruman in The Hobbit, and they don’t want the role recast.
They should do the right thing and spend a little extra to satisfy the audience. They’ll be reimbursed for it at the box office.
I’ve always wanted to visit NZ. I hear they are growing redwoods there and the first harvest should be due soon.
> I’ve always wanted to visit NZ. I hear they are growing redwoods there and the first harvest should be due soon.
They are indeed! Down by Rotorua: they’ve grown tall and straight, and you can walk thru the grove. They’re nothing compared to the majestic redwoods of Northern California, tho’: your Redwoods are something very special. One of the hi-lites of my youth was driving thru that part of the world: it was an experience I will never forget.
If you ever do make the trip to NZ, drop me a Private Message and look me up. I’m always good for a cup of coffee and a yarn with a fellow FReeper!
Yer on!
There you go again, DieHard, making friends and influencing people! ;-)
For what it's worth, I'll visit New Zealand. However; my wife is on a high protein/low carb diet and I'm on a single malt and beer diet.
Can your country meet these needs?
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