It’s great news that New Line and the Tolkien Estate have settled their lawsuit, but looking at the…
Continue ReadingIt’s great news that New Line and the Tolkien Estate have settled their lawsuit, but looking at the amount of work going on at the Hobbiton set in the past month, it seems as though the outcome was never in doubt. Here’s images from Holly, who saw this during her Red Carpet Tour through Hobbiton in August.
Celebriel sends along this article about the closure of NZ’s Deer Park, a filming location for many scenes in LOTR (notably the flight of the Rohan refugees to Helm’s Deep and Aragorn’s fall over the cliff). Queenstown tourist attraction Deer Park Heights has been closed to visitors after nearly 40 years. Owner Frank Mee said he was closing the park, but it was not for sale. He said the park had been making money and was “very popular”. “Everyone is going bankrupt in Queenstown, but we are not. . . we’re just getting too old, so we’re giving up,” he said. Mr Mee was born in 1922 and he, and his wife Jean, opened the park in 1970. More..
Ian Brodie, founding curator of the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum, is taking up a new position as media and communications manager at the Hobbiton tourist attraction at Matamata, near Hamilton. Meanwhile, a proposed $10 million revamp of the Wanaka museum is on hold indefinitely. Mr Brodie (52) has worked at the museum since it was founded in 1992 by Sir Tim Wallis. More..
TheOneRing.net delivered a 10:30 a.m. panel today at Comic-Con on its first full day of programming. TORn staffers Calisuri (owner), Quickbeam (celebrity) and MrCere (senior staff) were joined by Ian McKellen’s webmaster Keith Stern and Weta’s master chief, Richard Taylor. Continue reading “TORn panel at Comic-Con: Full house + GDT”
Tyellas writes: The potter who did extensive work for the Lord of the Rings films, Mirek Smíšek, is currently having a gallery show in Waikanae, about 1/2 hour north of Wellington. This show reviews 60 years of his exceptionally graceful work, and shows us why he was chosen as the potter for Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth. Smíšek’s studio, which he shares with his partner Pamela Annsouth, who produces her own gorgeous works, can be visited by appointment, as noted here. More..
Thanks to the folks at Red Carpet Tours for this one: A spy has uncovered some exciting developments regarding a film set for The Hobbit – but all he can say at the moment is that an official announcement will be coming from Peter Jackson’s people later this week. Stay tuned!
