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DanielLB
Elvenhome
Jul 7 2011, 10:08pm
Post #1 of 23
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First LOTR Images
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With the first clear pictures of the Dwarves released today, a question has come up.
Now, I was never old enough when FOTR was in pre-production/beginning of filming (I would have been 9/10 years old so never really used the internet, but had read the books - so yes, did have pre-conceptions of the characters before the films). But when the first images of the characters trickled onto the internet, what were people's perceptions then? Were they as split as today (i.e. the beard length), where people either love the Dwarves, or dislike them (to a certain amount of degree)? Did people complain about the look of the Aragorn, the gingerness of Boromir or any other characters?
Does anybody remember/know the feeling of TORN members at the time, and does anyone have these original pictures of the first shoots?
Edit: And did peoples views change? Did people come to accept the way the characters looked, or do people still outright hate the designs/costumes etc?
The reason I am asking this, is that although the Dwarves were certainly not how I imagined them, I still think they are brilliant and amazing to look at. I just wonder what my perceptions would have been at the time of LOTR when the first pictures were released, and whether I would have agreed then.
Thanks, Dan
(This post was edited by DanielLB on Jul 7 2011, 10:11pm)
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Hengist
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jul 7 2011, 11:03pm
Post #2 of 23
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picture was one of the 4 hobbits and I remember the general consensus was very positive. For me personally it seemed to suggest the film makers "got it"
I also remember an early picture of Arwen with a scratch on her cheek. For many this was proof that Arwen saved the hobbits, was part of the fellowship, fought at Helms Deep and replaced Eowyn in killing the Nazgul. As we know now she scratched her cheek on a branch. Thats one of the reasons I'm a "wait and see" on the hobbit and am not going to get so intense on every little aspect of the one or 2 images we have so far (though I can understand the excitement fot those that do)
" So let me get this straight. You want to fly on a magic carpet to see the King of the Potato People and plead with him for your freedom, and you're telling me you're completely sane? "
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Darkstone
Elvenhome
Jul 7 2011, 11:41pm
Post #4 of 23
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IIRC, it was a shot of them on Weathertop, with Frodo holding a sword, which caused some moaning about the lack of Sting..
******************************************
Brothers, sisters,
I was Elf once.
We danced together
Under the Two Trees.
We sang as the soft gold of Laurelin
And the bright silver of Telperion,
Brought forth the dawn of the world.
Then I was taken.
Brothers, sisters,
In my torment I kept faith,
And I waited.
But you never came.
And when I returned you drew sword,
And when I called your names you drew bow.
Was my Eldar beauty all,
And my soul nothing?
So be it.
I will return your hatred,
And I am hungry.
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weaver
Gondolin
Jul 8 2011, 12:56am
Post #5 of 23
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not quite what you are looking for, but you might enjoy a visit here...
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Link to Old TORn Site
You can also access our old site from the menu on the left -- it's the very last link!
Unfortunately, you can't go back over a year on the message board links..but if you hunt through the Spy Reports, and Greenbooks, and just generally poke around you can get to at least some of the stories that were posted on TORn when the films were first coming out.
Under Movies, there are some frame-by-frame analysis features on the trailers as they came out also -- interesting to read some of that speculation, as well as to get a feel for how enthusiastic people were about getting their first glimpse of the films...Xoanon also did a detailed commentary on the original two-script version of LOTR by Jackson...
Me, I found out about FOTR about a week before it came out. I remember stumbling around on the web -- it was actually the very first search I ever did online for anything (!) -- until I got to a page where they had images of all of the cast members, in costume...the site could have been TORn, or another fan site back then I guess. I remember looking at all the pictures and thinking some looked exactly right -- Gandalf, especially, so that got my interest. But I was frankly puzzled by that young guy cast as Frodo, and not at all sure about the other hobbits either..I was also surprised that aside from Christopher Lee, I had never heard of any of the actors.
I had been so let down by Bakshi that I really did not want to get my hopes up at all until I saw the films in the theater. I kept expecting the worst and hoping for the best!
Weaver
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Jul 8 2011, 4:01pm
Post #6 of 23
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Me, too, about not getting my hopes up
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Although the Gaffer and I did see an early trailer for FotR, the May before the December release, just the scene of the Fellowship coming up over the hill. I don't remember now whether that had Shore's FotR theme in crescendo, as it does in the movie itself, just that we both sat up and said, "Wow! That looks really good! Maybe this won't be a disaster after all."
I didn't look for any further photos, though. Then we saw a friend at a convention on Labor Day weekend, and she had a day-planner she'd bought expressly for its photos from FotR. I was able to turn the pages and say, "That's Frodo. That's Boromir." (I had heard of Sean Bean before, and felt that his being in the movie boded well.) I was also a bit surprised at Frodo's youth.
There must have been a photo of Viggo as Aragorn in there, but I don't remember it. It was that first shot of him at the Prancing Pony in the actual movie that, again, had me sitting up in my seat and thinking, "Wow! Way to go!"
It's fun to now be a fly on the wall for all the discussion of the making of The Hobbit, since I only got to TORn after FotR was in the theaters.
* * * * * * *
Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?
A man may do both. For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time. The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day!
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Jul 9 2011, 2:08pm
Post #8 of 23
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It was just for FotR, not the entire trilogy, and only had the one scene that this trailer shows at the end, of the fellowship coming over the hill. It went by very quickly but left quite an impression! We saw it in May '01, quite some time before the actual release of FotR.
Your trailer is a cool one, though. Thanks!
* * * * * * *
Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?
A man may do both. For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time. The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day!
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dream wanderer
Lindon
Jul 9 2011, 8:41pm
Post #9 of 23
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I remember the scene of Frodo and the other hobbits standing on the road. Frodo is looking away into the distance and that 'swirly' other dimension' effect with blowing leaves and strange sounds begins. He starts yelling to get off the road. I remember thinking at the time that PJ had nailed it.
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Bound
Nargothrond
Jul 9 2011, 9:26pm
Post #10 of 23
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I can't recal the very first thing I saw but I clearly remember seeing this video - it took me hours to download ( pre broadband and pre youtube (how did we live without either) )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UDTbQrOGa0
I must have watched hundreds of times and i got goosebumps everytime when Peter said - now is the time...
The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed
(This post was edited by Bound on Jul 9 2011, 9:27pm)
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Gandalf'sMother
Nargothrond
Jul 9 2011, 9:37pm
Post #11 of 23
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And remember thinking it looked ham-handed and amateurish (the warping, that is). Definitely not one of LOTR's better scenes.
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weaver
Gondolin
Jul 9 2011, 10:22pm
Post #12 of 23
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I liked the way that whatever was coming toward them "distorted" reality for Frodo -- one time, my youngest kid almost got hit by a car right in front of me, and another time, as a kid, I was almost hit. In both cases, what I was seeing got very "warpish" in response to that kind of imminent, scary threat coming at me or my son. I thought the effect they used in this scene, and Elijah's terrified response to it, really captured that "fear/adrenalin" experience very well. But if you don't look at the scene through that filter, I guess it might not work as well for you...
Weaver
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eralkfang
Menegroth
Jul 10 2011, 8:43pm
Post #13 of 23
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Thank you guys so much for sharing your memories; I was also just a wee lass at the time, so it's fantastic to be able to hear what it was like.
Those trailers are both fantastic, especially the one that starts with the crew and then opens up into the film… I love the moment when the film screen goes widescreen at the movie theater, so of course I loved it.
But they also mildly remind me that New Line released the frankly hilarious Dungeons and Dragons in the summer of 2001; all the late nineties/early aughts effects, I suppose, although they do a fine job promoting it here. I'm surprised to see that they included shots from all three films in the earliest trailers—it really lets you see how much care was put into filming it like one story rather than three different films. I don't think we'll see that again in film anytime soon.
And I love that in the group introduction shot Return of the King's release date is placed over Aragorn's face. I suppose you think that's very clever, Jackson. 
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Zizix
Ossiriand
Jul 10 2011, 9:52pm
Post #14 of 23
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I think that video may have been the first thing I saw
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I only remember that it was an internet video with a hairy guy (obviously PJ) and Uruk-Hai coming over the hills.
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Maiarmike
Hithlum
Jul 11 2011, 12:59am
Post #15 of 23
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That's called a "vertigo" shot.
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It was used frequently by Alfred Hitchock to imply a sense of loss of control and something not quite right. Personally, I think it was perfect for the scene.
"I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge"
--J.R.R. Tolkien
"Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules."
--Walter Sobchak
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Jul 11 2011, 2:16am
Post #16 of 23
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Got a link for ya! And a story :)
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This was the first image I saw of the films when I learned they were being made. I remember I freaked out! It was like I was struck by lightening... there was Frodo and Sam!
As a yearly-reader of LotR since 1971, I was VERY defensive the upset that they were making the films... before I saw this pic ;) "If they're not going to do it right, don't do it at all!" Well... As soon as I saw this and started reading spoilers and seeing other production pics, I couldn't WAIT to see them!
I didn't find TORn until after FotR was released, but during TT and RotK there wer a LOT of the insights, angst, and dreams that we're seeing now for The Hobbit. Lovers of the stories are passionate about their characters and this world, so the discussions would fly!
If you'd like to see a LOT of first pictures and anything else you could wonder about as the films were created, go see TORn's LotR Filming Scrapbook! I promise you'll be lost there for HOURS!!!! :D
I'm so glad you're here to be a part of The Hobbit Madness! This is the BEST place to be to have fun while we wait!
*twitch*
 
I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world.
TORn's Observations Lists
Unused Scenes
(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on Jul 11 2011, 2:17am)
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reags
Ossiriand
Jul 11 2011, 5:56am
Post #17 of 23
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I feel so old reading this thread! 
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson."
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DanielLB
Elvenhome
Jul 11 2011, 6:50am
Post #18 of 23
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I found the images you were talking about on the archived site. Thanks very much!
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DanielLB
Elvenhome
Jul 11 2011, 6:54am
Post #19 of 23
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Its great to be here whilst the Hobbit is being made! Feels like I missed so much in the pre-production and run-up to FOTR being released.
I can't for the life of me remember the first LOTR related thing I saw. The first time I read the book was 1999/2000, and then I think my Mum told me they were making it into a film. I probably then saw an advert on TV or something for it.
It's so exciting to get the slooow trickle of information from PJ and co. Def keeps me coming back for more.
It's also interesting that even for the first LOTR images that people were somewhat split, like Frodo and the Sting/Arwen and the scar example. It's hard for me to say what opinion I would have had back then if I had seen those pictures for the first time.
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Maiarmike
Hithlum
Jul 11 2011, 8:24am
Post #20 of 23
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I hope they release something like that at the end of this year for The Hobbit, but I'm not holding my breath. All I remember seeing of The Lord of the Rings at the time of it's release was a trailer on television as the raging avalanche of water shaped like horses comes rushing at the Nazgul. I wasn't really into Tolkien at the time, since I was 13 or 14 at the time. But after FotR was on DVD, my dad bought it and I watched it and was blown away. I've been addicted ever since. 
"I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge"
--J.R.R. Tolkien
"Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules."
--Walter Sobchak
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Celedor
Ossiriand
Jul 11 2011, 11:56am
Post #21 of 23
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I remember a lot of complaints back in 1999, 2000 - although most weren't photo oriented but more along the lines of, "Why are they shooting in New Zealand? It's just a jungle!" But one complaint I really remember (because I read it on many message boards) was that Viggo Mortensen didn't have a manly enough voice to play Aragorn. People thought it was too high, and someone even said it sounded like he was breathing helium.
-Celedor-
www.jwbraun.com
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weaver
Gondolin
Jul 11 2011, 12:30pm
Post #22 of 23
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And glad you posted this thread! It has been interesting to look back and recall that a similar discussion to what's going on now for the Hobbit took place "way back then"....I'm looking forward to analyzing the Hobbit afterwards, too, my blood pressure can handle post- rather that pre-discussions a lot easier, I think!
Weaver
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DanielLB
Elvenhome
Jul 12 2011, 8:27am
Post #23 of 23
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Haha! How funny! I wonder if this person still has the same view?
It's interesting that people completely judge a character before we've even seen them act. I can't complain though. I think Oin and Gloin look great, but could turn out rubbish!!
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