LOTR:John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Interview (MUST READ)Islam Vs. The West

http://promontoryartists.org/lookingcloser/movie%20reviews/Q-Z/returnoftheking-jrd.htm ^ | 12-05-03 | Jeffrey Overstreet

[OXENinFLA]

On Wednesday, Dec. 5th, Jeffrey Overstreet joined several other privileged film critics, including Steven D. Greydanus (Decent Films), Andrew Coffin (World), and Michael Elliott (Movie Parables) to talk with members of the cast and crew for the year's most ambitious, exhausting, and gloriously realized film.

------------

(There's some stuff about the movie but then this question is asked.)

Jeffrey: How much of Tolkien’s Catholic beliefs and perspective resonate with you?

I’m burying my career so substantially in these interviews that it’s painful. But I think that there are some questions that demand honest answers.

I think that Tolkien says that some generations will be challenged. And if they do not rise to meet that challenge, they will lose their civilization. That does have a real resonance with me.

I have had the ideal background for being an actor. I have always been an outsider. I grew up in colonial Africa. And I remember in 1955, it would have to be somewhere between July the 25th when the school holiday started and September the 18th when the holidays ended. My father took me down to the quayside in Dar-Es-Salaam harbor. And he pointed out a dhow in the harbor and he said, “You see that dhow there? Twice a year it comes down from Aden. It stops here and goes down [South]. On the way down it's got boxes of machinery and goods. On the way back up it’s got two or three little black boys on it. Now, those boys are slaves. And the United Nations will not let me do anything about it.”

The conversation went on. “Look, boy. There is not going to be a World War between Russia and the United. The next World War will be between Islam and the West.”

This is 1955! I said to him, “Dad, you’re nuts! The Crusades have been over for hundreds of years!”

And he said, “Well, I know, but militant Islam is on the rise again. And you will see it in your lifetime.”

He’s been dead some years now. But there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of him and think, “God, I wish you were here, just so I could tell you that you were right.”

What is unconscionable is that too many of your fellow journalists do not understand how precarious Western civilization is and what a jewel it is.

How did we get the sort of real democracy, how did we get the level of tolerance that allows me to propound something that may be completely alien to you around this table, and yet you will take it and you will think about it and you’ll say no you’re wrong because of this and this and this. And I’ll listen and I’ll say, “Well, actually, maybe I am wrong because of this and this.”

[He points at a female reporter and adopts an authoritarian voice, to play a militant-Islam character:] ‘You should not be in this room. Because your husband or your father is not hear to guide you. You could only be here in this room with these strange men for immoral purposes.’

I mean… the abolition of slavery comes from Western democracy. True Democracy comes form our Greco-Judeo-Christian-Western experience. If we lose these things, then this is a catastrophe for the world.

And there is a demographic catastrophe happening in Europe that nobody wants to talk about, that we daren’t bring up because we are so cagey about not offending people racially. And rightly we should be. But there is a cultural thing as well.

By 2020, 50% of the children in Holland under the age of 18 will be of Muslim descent. You look and see what your founding fathers thought of the Dutch. They are constantly looking at the rise of democracy and Dutch values as being the very foundation of American Democracy. If by the mid-century the bulk of Holland is Muslim—and don’t forget, coupled with this there is this collapse of numbers ... Western Europeans are not having any babies. The population of Germany at the end of the century is going to be 56% of what it is now. The populations of France, 52% of what it is now. The population of Italy is going to be down 7 million people. There is a change happening in the very complexion of Western civilization in Europe that we should think about at least and argue about. If it just means the replacement of one genetic stock with another genetic stock, that doesn’t matter too much. But if it involves the replacement of Western civilization with a different civilization with different cultural values, then it is something we really ought to discuss—because, g**dammit, I am for dead white male culture.

You do realize in this town what I’ve been saying [is like] blasphemy…

…but we’ve got to get a bit serious. By and large our cultures and our society are resilient enough to put up with any sort of nonsense. But if Tolkien’s got a message, it’s that “Sometimes you’ve got to stand up and fight for what you believe in.” He knew what he was fighting for in WW1.

[With that, he departed our appreciative and applauding table, saying:] Try and put verbs in my sentences.

[OXENinFLA]

Wow!

[evad]

Rush sez the libs are going to go absolutely ballistic over this movie..
a complete meltdown :-)

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

What is unconscionable is that too many of your fellow journalists do not understand how precarious Western civilization is and what a jewel it is.

Insert Wild, Sustained Applause Here. :)

[OXENinFLA]

Now it makes me wonder how he got along w/ Viggo on the set.

[VRWCmember]

No wonder they pretty much left him completely out of the special features and interviews on the DVDs of the first two movies.

[Pest]

bump

[stuartcr]

If that is the fate of the world, then that must be the way God wants it. I can't see how anything can happen without the hand of the Almighty being involved.

[HarleyD]

I saw his interview on the extended DVD and thought he was a jerk. I stand corrected.

[Rummyfan]

Bump for later.

[stop_fascism]

Now I've heard everything. An actor who can think. I thought those were mutually exclusive.

[proust]

"Now it makes me wonder how he got along w/ Viggo on the set."

I'd imagine that Rhys-Davies was a gentleman through and through.

[OXENinFLA]

I mean… the abolition of slavery comes from Western democracy. True Democracy comes form our Greco-Judeo-Christian-Western experience. If we lose these things, then this is a catastrophe for the world.

[CyberCowboy777]

BTTT!

[evad]

wonder how he got along w/ Viggo on the set.

You'll have to help me out here..I'm not aware of the prollems with VM.

[Ryle]

Ping?

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1036059/posts

[Fangorn]

Another reason John Rhys-Davies stays on my favorite actors list. It is so refreshing to see a literate, articulate counter to Paris Hilton, Natalie Maines, and even Viggo Mortensen(sp?)

[Marie Antoinette]

Bump to self! Going to see ROTK in a few minutes so don't have time now :-)

[vigilo]

"If that is the fate of the world, then that must be the way God wants it. I can't see how anything can happen without the hand of the Almighty being involved."

God expects us to fight against evil.

[ecurbh]

Ring Ping!!

There and Back Again: The Journeys of Flat Frodo

Anyone wishing to be added to or removed from the Ring-Ping list, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[ArrogantBustard]

Now it makes me wonder how he got along w/ Viggo on the set.

He plays the role of a dwarf ... but he's an immense bear of a man. Remember Sallah in the Indiana Jones movies? Same actor ... maybe Viggo was a bit intimidated. ;'}

[CasearianDaoist]

It may be that God wants us to act as a moral and spiritual force in the world. It may well be a challenge to us.

[evad]

keeeerist...
damn...just damn

Well, I'm sorry..I gots to see LOTR III but after that, he's toast

[what's up]

Must have been some pretty interesting discussions between Gimli and Gay Gandalf and No-Blood-For-Oil Aragorn during filming.

Wasn't Rhys-Davies also in the Indiana Jones movies or am I thinking of someone else?

[Tolik]

 

 

Full Name: John Rhys-Davies Birthdate: May 5, 1944 Birthplace: Wiltshire, England Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Brown Height: 6' plus Spouse: Deborah Children: 1 Son   Biography: John Rhys-Davies studied at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and in addition to his distinguished theatre work - Othello, Macbeth and Falstaff - has taken leading roles in many movies among them Victor/Victoria, The Living Daylights, King Solomon's Mines and the 1992 remake of Conan Doyle's The Lost World in which he starred as Professor Challenger. Dynanism is something that the Welsh-born actor well understands, having played several such film parts, including his memorable appearances as Harrison Ford's roguish sidekick, Sallah, in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. His prolific television-credits include playing Vasco Rodriguez in James Clavell's Shogun, Agent Malone in the British series The Untouchables, and Joe Gargery in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Rhys-Davies has also starred in the TV mini-series War and Rememberance and has made guest appearances in Murder, She Wrote and Star Trek: Voyager, in which he was twice portrayed Leonardo Da Vinci! source: Official LotR Movie Guide

 

• Cast in the role of Gimli
 

• Providing the voice of Treebeard
 

 

• "There is an energetic ferocity in Gimli that the film needs. It's often these minor characters who really have to impart a sense of energy and dynamism to a film so that the heroes can actually take their time to respond and be thoughtful and reflective." - Southland Times, October 12th 2000
 

• "Speaking on behalf of the Dwarves, there are those that see our attempts to earn an honest living, by delving into the Earth, and transmuting it into beautiful things. There are those that are jealous of our culture and would doubtless say that that means we're materialistic and greedy. Well, so we are materialistic! It's a proper way for a dwarf to be!" - Sci-fi Channel
• "I think you'll find me small enough" - Southland Times, October 12th 2000
 

Chapter II: John Rhys-Davies Interview - Elves Report. You Decide

John Rhys-Davies talks to Ingrid at DragonCon in Atlanta about Tolkien, the movies, and New Zealand
 

 

• John Rhys-Davies .wav 56k [download]
• John Rhys-Davies .wav 95k [download]
 

 

(spoilers)

 

Gimli listing in the TORN Scrapbook

John Rhys-Davies listing in the TORN Scrapbook
 

Professor Maximillian P. Arturo in Sliders (TV Series) (1995)
Sallah in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1989)
 

John Rhys-Davies - IMDB
E! online Fact Sheet
 

 

[Pikamax]

bttt

[Cicero]

I can't see how anything can happen without the hand of the Almighty being involved.

It's one of the big puzzles in histories. Most heresies have withered away over time. Most of the crueler religions have been ameliorated or defeated. Islam is the one great heresy that has done nothing but grow. It finished off the Roman empire. It finished off the great civilization of Egypt. It finished off the civilization of Persia. It brought down Byzantium and the Eastern Roman Empire. It has grown almost as fast as Christianity itself.

You can understand why, in a way. Islam is designed for conquest, and designed not to let go of anything once it has hold of it. But you still have to wonder what God has in mind.

[AD from SpringBay]

Amen to Gimli son of Gloin!

[mhking]

I've been a fan of Rhys-Davies for quite a while now. How he gets along in the cesspool that Hollywood has become is beyond me...

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[LowOiL]

Ditto on that Wow!

[Redcloak]

He plays the role of a dwarf ... but he's an immense bear of a man. Remember Sallah in the Indiana Jones movies? Same actor ... maybe Viggo was a bit intimidated. ;'}

...and he's a bear of a man who was wielding a battle-axe, if size alone wasn't enough to guarantee polite behavior.

[KarlInOhio]

This part bears repeating:

My father took me down to the quayside in Dar-Es-Salaam harbor. And he pointed out a dhow in the harbor and he said, “You see that dhow there? Twice a year it comes down from Aden. It stops here and goes down [South]. On the way down it's got boxes of machinery and goods. On the way back up it’s got two or three little black boys on it. Now, those boys are slaves. And the United Nations will not let me do anything about it.”

[BossLady]

LOTR Zing!

[4CJ]

But if Tolkien?s got a message, it?s that ?Sometimes you?ve got to stand up and fight for what you believe in.?

Kudos to John Rhys-Davies.

[B Knotts]

Western Europeans are not having any babies. The population of Germany at the end of the century is going to be 56% of what it is now. The populations of France, 52% of what it is now. The population of Italy is going to be down 7 million people.

This is the result of the embrace of the culture of death. Abortion, homosexuality, and...yes...contraception.

Pray that Europe reembraces its historic faith before it is too late.

[Alkhin]

What new ping list are you talking about? I may be interested.

[The KG9 Kid]

;)

[Itzlzha]

Rush sez the libs are going to go absolutely ballistic over this movie.. a complete meltdown :-)

Having seen the midnight show last night, I can fully attest to and confirm that! Aragorn and Theoden have a VERY intersting conversation; interesting to those who value freedom that is...so do Sam and Frodo.

Aragorn's rally speech to the troops (you see the end of it in the TV trailers) is just as effective.

Must have REALLY irked Vigo to have to say what he TRULY hates in his heart!

Kudos to Mr Davies for having the personal integrity NOT to smack the taste out of Vigo and Ian's mouths!

Perhaps now that he is contractually free, he may do so....and I will cheer him then as well!

[Lady Eileen]

bump

[SaveTheChief]

I knew there was a reason I liked him.

[Bob J]

I'm proud to say I've hosted the "gentle giant" and his lovely wife in my home. ;}.

[KC Burke]

Bang

Reagan isn't the only actor with a deep understanding of society it seems.

[TheAngryClam]

I hope for the return of the native, pagan Greco-Roman gods every day.

[stuartcr]

Sure, but only God knows the outcome.

[StoneColdGOP]

Wow....

because, g**dammit, I am for dead white male culture.

Again, wow!

[stuartcr]

True enough, but as I said earlier, only God knows the outcome of our acts.

[Rockitz]

The residuals from the LOTR series and speaking engagements will hopefully keep him well endowed long into the future. Certainly Rhys-Davies is a true "Hollywood intellect" in a world where that phrase is an oxymoron in most contexts.

[stuartcr]

I always wonder that, and why.

[StoneColdGOP]

I am sure they must have been interesting, but being professionals I doubt John Rhys-Davies made it a source of ill will between them simply because Ian McKellen happens to be gay and Viggo Mortensen happens to be a critic of U.S. foreign policy, and vice versa.