Posted on 12/08/2003 1:59:41 PM PST by KantianBurke
BERLIN (Reuters) - New Zealand film director Peter Jackson (news), tipped to win an Oscar for his "The Lord of the Rings" epic, said Monday he would like to make "The Hobbit" prequel to the trilogy and work with some of the same actors again.
Speaking to journalists in Berlin ahead of the European premiere of the last part of the "Rings" trilogy -- "The Return of the King" -- Jackson said he was sad but also relieved that the mammoth project he has worked on for seven years was over.
"I'm glad there's not a fourth Lord of the Rings film next year," he said. "I feel very tired and exhausted."
"I've been working very hard this year. It was the hardest year of the whole seven really," he said, adding that the last part had twice as many computer-generated shots as the second, "The Two Towers," which won an Oscar for digital effects.
"It's my favorite because it has a stronger emotional depth than the other two films, it has a sense of closure," he said.
Despite his exhaustion, Jackson is not resting on his laurels and said if complex rights issues can be resolved he would like to direct "The Hobbit," J.R.R. Tolkien's prequel to the "Rings" trilogy set some 50 years earlier.
"I'd be interested in doing it because I think it would give continuity to the overall chapter," he said.
While many of the lead "Rings" characters do not appear in "The Hobbit" story, the wizard Gandalf, played by Ian McKellen (news), and Gollum, the cave dweller corrupted by the powerful ring, do and should make a comeback. Arwen, the elf princess played by Liv Tyler (news), could also feature again, Jackson said. (UGH! WTF?)
STAND TEST OF TIME
Jackson made movie history by filming all three parts of the "Rings" trilogy simultaneously. The first two films have earned a combined $1.8 billion and won a total of six Oscars (news - web sites).
Barrie Osborne, the producer of the trilogy, and Philippa Boyens, the writer, both said they hoped for more Oscars for the third installment, especially one for Jackson's directing.
"The film is a memorable film that will stand the test of time and be around forever and ever. However winning depends on what's happening in the world, what other films are out there that you're competing with," Osborne said.
Boyens added: "Peter didn't make these films to win an Oscar...It's always been really hard for fantasy films or films perceived as fantasy to get that kind of acknowledgement."
Jackson, 42, has certainly not let fame go to his head. He met journalists in an upmarket Berlin hotel barefoot and wearing a faded shirt and threadbare shorts. While he said "Rings" was the hardest thing he would ever do, more challenges await.
"I just love making movies. I have done since I was seven years old," he said.
Jackson will take a few weeks off over Christmas and then start writing the script for his next project, a remake of the classic "King Kong" which, like the "Rings," he will also film in New Zealand, using the same team of special effects experts.
Richard Taylor, whose special effects workshop made 48,000 props for the trilogy and whose work earned two Oscars, says "King Kong" will be even better than Lord of the Rings.
"I have every aspiration to make King Kong much cooler," he said. "It's going to be a very beautiful film."
In the interviews he doesn't come across as very bright, which might explain his searching for meaning at an ANSWER rally.
There is a thread on Warofthering.net needling Mortensen for his nasal speech and propensity for mumbling his words. Also check out his greeting on the official website -- he's practically unintelligible. On top of that is his tendency to ramble when he speaks or writes (read the introduction he wrote for The Two Towers Visual Companion.
He strikes me as a man who has smoked too much weed in his life and its largely destroyed whatever brain cells he ever possessed.
Mr. Jackson, please! The Hobbit is much shorter and is perfect for faithful implementation. You can do the film without ANY change to the story (maybe with some adjustments to be in sync with already filmed LOTR). Please - the book is beautiful and you can follow it exactly. I promise to go to see the film three times if you do it that way :)
Film can be a littler longer since the viewer base is already established, so no major cuts are necessary.
Aragorn to Theoden: "Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not."
Yes, but Hobbits age very slowly, and 30somethings are considered "teens". A 50 year old Hobbit is like a young buck.
There you are! I didn't see you down there. :^)
Yes, a hobbit with spidey senses is just the thing this hobbit needs to take on Shelob-class arachnids.
They met when Lewis was still an atheist and had a great time arguing about the Whichness of What.
I LOVED the Narnia books as a kid. Someone gave them to me when I was hospitlased undergoing some very painful and extensive back surgery ( Six weeks in full traction and a surgery every 10 days is no joke! ) With those books, though, I couldd get away from what was happening to me and I was in Narnia. I reread the Fellowship during the same time, and noticed some similarity in flavor which i did not figure out til later.
I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Uncle who gave me The Hobbit for my 10 birthday and for the friend who gave me the Narnia series... both of those helped set me on a lifetime of happy geekdom! ;-)
Tia
NOT TRUE! Remember, the ring has greatly slowed Bilbo's aging process. Look at the difference between Bilbo at the beginning of FOTR and at Rivendell. He's 111 years old but looks 50 - the age he would about be in The Hobbit.
You're right. I didn't know he was that old and hadn't thought about the perspective of playing the part of lead character (with action sequences) for an entire film. I'm sure Kiwiwood can find someone who resembles Mr. Holm... or at least create someone via make-up, prosthetics, special effects as New Line is so adept at. I'm certain it'll happen - at least by 2006.
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