Ian McKellen has published the journal he wrote during LOTR's filming

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Cinema Discusso > Ian McKellen has published the journal he wrote during LOTR's filming

giveme20quid: Jun 11, 2019; No wifin' in the pub!

http://mckellen.com/cinema/lotr/journal.htm

With a design straight out of Geocities. For real, though, this kind of insight is always fascinating to see.

# ? Jan 12, 2020 00:30

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# ? May 13, 2024 22:34

Sloth Life: Nov 15, 2014; Built for comfort and speed!; Fallen Rib

Thank you, a mate sent it time, it's awesome. Haven't read all of it yet but wonder if he outs anyone else

# ? Jan 19, 2020 19:39

I said come in!: Jun 22, 2004

I had to do a double take in making sure this wasn't in fact last updated back when the movies were brand new. No, this is literally a geocities website created in 2020.

# ? Jan 20, 2020 06:35

frogbs: May 5, 2004; Well well well

Will have to read through this!

I�d heard a rumor years ago that Peter Jackson was absent a lot on the LOTR sets, and that an AD/cinematographer/someone else was responsible for a lot of the filming. (This also helps explain the Hobbit). Will be interesting to see if he alludes to that at all.

# ? Jan 20, 2020 08:37

Torquemada: Oct 21, 2010; Drei GlÃ¤ser

Sloth Life posted:

Thank you, a mate sent it time, it's awesome. Haven't read all of it yet but wonder if he outs anyone else

I read all of if, who did he out?

# ? Jan 20, 2020 16:19

Basebf555: Feb 29, 2008; The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!; Fun Shoe

frogbs posted:

Will have to read through this!

I�d heard a rumor years ago that Peter Jackson was absent a lot on the LOTR sets, and that an AD/cinematographer/someone else was responsible for a lot of the filming. (This also helps explain the Hobbit). Will be interesting to see if he alludes to that at all.

I imagine that's true but I think you have to give Jackson some leeway there considering just how huge a project LOTR was. Location hunting, pre-production on multiple films at once, getting WETA off the ground basically from scratch(he'd founded it years before but they'd never done anything even close to the level of LOTR), he was responsible for a lot more than the typical director on the typical studio film.

The Hobbit trilogy was disappointing because the production went a completely different way compared to what happened with LOTR. But I guess because Jackson directed them all people are gonna try to figure out a way to say that one trilogy was good despite him and the other was bad because of him. We've seen that before in another iconic series that I won't mention.

# ? Jan 20, 2020 16:27

Al Cu Ad Solte: Nov 30, 2005; Searching for
a righteous cause

frogbs posted:

Will have to read through this!

I�d heard a rumor years ago that Peter Jackson was absent a lot on the LOTR sets, and that an AD/cinematographer/someone else was responsible for a lot of the filming. (This also helps explain the Hobbit). Will be interesting to see if he alludes to that at all.

That's pretty standard, especially on a huge production. Most of the time you've got the A unit, headed by the director, and the B unit, headed by the assistant director. I can't imagine how many filming units they had running at once with LotR, especially since they were shooting all three movies at once. I remember in some of the behind the scenes stuff Jackson would be, say, shooting the Helm's Deep battle and while on breaks he'd communicate to some other unit by satellite to give direction and stuff.

I think Christopher Nolan's one of the few dudes who shoots everything himself, even on huge productions.

# ? Jan 20, 2020 17:13

Ignis: Mar 31, 2011; I take it you don't want my autograph, then.

I said come in! posted:

I had to do a double take in making sure this wasn't in fact last updated back when the movies were brand new. No, this is literally a geocities website created in 2020.

This is, apparently, by the same guy who made the website for Gods and Monsters. It looks like he's some marketing guy who learnt how to use Frontpage real quick when he realized the Internet was going to be Big, and who also happened to be friends with Ian McKellen, but then never cared much to keep their skills up to date

# ? Jan 20, 2020 18:36

exquisite tea: Apr 21, 2007; Carly shook her glass, willing the ice to melt. "You still haven't told me what the mission is."

She leaned forward. "We are going to assassinate the bad men of Hollywood."

I started reading this entire journal in the same tone of voice Ian McKellen uses in his cameo on Extras.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyoWmkhRyp8

# ? Jan 20, 2020 18:50

DrVenkman: Dec 28, 2005; I think he can hear you, Ray.

frogbs posted:

Will have to read through this!

I’d heard a rumor years ago that Peter Jackson was absent a lot on the LOTR sets, and that an AD/cinematographer/someone else was responsible for a lot of the filming. (This also helps explain the Hobbit). Will be interesting to see if he alludes to that at all.

As noted, this isn't uncommon for a project of this size, and keep in mind Jackson was shooting 3 movies at once.

Also, they even go into this on the making of on the dvds. It shows the movie's producer shooting the fight at the end of Fellowship when Aragon cuts that guys arm and head off.

# ? Feb 1, 2020 12:05