A BIG thank you to Diamond_T and Ringer Spy Meriadoc for this transcript of Astin on ‘The View’.
OSCAR WATCH is on the screen. Shot cuts down into the studio to Star:
STAR: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the epic adventure fantasy that fans and critics absolutely adore; count me in! Sean Astin is on our Osacar Watch and has quite an appitite for more than just adventure. Take a look: (clip of Frodo, Sam and Gollum and the lembas incident; after Smeagol’s line about Sam, “He took it!” the clip ends. Star replies…)
STAR: Big liar! He did not! *laughter* Please welcome Sean Astin!
*Sean walks in, kisses all the women and sits down on the couch*
SEAN: Hello, how are you?! You guys are so much fun! I was having a ball listening to you!
STAR: Now, you’ve been married for 10 years–
SEAN: 11!
STAR: 11years! The romance is still in it…
SEAN: Well, thank you for the opportunity to talk about it. *laughter* You get these moments in your life when you wwe’re talking about you made it through the 50 year thing; I was ssitting there thinking there thinking : we’re gonna make it, too. When I do something stupid, I’m going to cop to it. So…I was quoted in ‘People” magazine; they didthis little–with all the success of LOTR you talk, and people like get–put in the magazines, and so there, you have to think about what you’re saying. And they did this thing that was like ‘stream of consciousness’ well, they’d throw out a word, and I had to throw out something else. So they said something like ‘prenuptial agreement’or something, and I said ‘am I still eligible?” But, *audience groans* when I said…yeah, I know *the women all groan* and I was thinking like it was a stupid question ’cause I’m like the old married guy who was…whatever, but in PRINT, it looks like…
JOY: So, what did she say, your wife?
SEAN: She was, she was, well you know what she said? She was great about it! She just read it to me, she said ‘this is what your daughter brought me…*women groan LOUDLY, and go OOOHHHH* I know, and she reads it to me, and she says, this is what your friends, we actually, we were in Hawaii where our friends got married, she read it to them out loud and Michael, who is always on this sort of guy side of things, was like “you guys are stupid!”*laughter* “You guys are so stupid!” So, I want to look at my wife with the same of passion that you were talking about–
STAR: The glow?!
SEAN: Right, the glow, and when I get back to Los Angeles, the day after tomorrow, I am gonna kiss her so deep…and beg for her forgiveness! *women all sigh and go AAAHHHHH*
STAR: See, now you just did that! She’s in love again!*applause*
SEAN: I told her last night, I almost couldn’t sleep last night, I am really grateful to come on the show, ‘cuase it gives me a chance to sort of, redeem myself-
JOY: It doesn’t seem like you’ve been married so long, you look so young.
SEAN: I got married young.
JOY: How old were you when you got married?
SEAN: 21
JOY: Wow! That’s young!
SEAN: We have two girls… Alexandra and Elizabeth.
NEW HOST: Are they 7 and 1?
SEAN: Exactly! Seven and 16 months. Yeah!
STAR: I mean I have to tell you, that seems like the perfect person to play Samwise, ’cause you know, Sam is our Man! *Sean laughs*
SEAN: Yeah.
STAR: We love him! He is like the most wonderful hobbit! He has Mr. Frodo’s back all the time!
*Star starts smiling and weeping simultaneously*
STAR: In case you haven’t figured it out, I have seen all three!
*Star has the largest grin ever made on TV, and she’s smiling at Sean
broadly*
SEAN: You are so sweet!
STAR: And now, everybody else in the world seems to have seen them also… *playing a clip of Frodo and Sam discussing Gollum after the ‘pond conversation’ and scuffle simultaneously* Oscar buzz! Number One Movie. That must make you feel really good!
SEAN: You know, I sort of didn’t believe it for the first couple of years, but the last week has been so…it’s been so much fun. People have been so nice, and the critics have been so nice, and it’s just…yeah! It feels good!
STAR: There’ not being really nice…it’s good!
MEREDITH: It’s a good movie. That’s right.
SEAN: Listen, there’s entertainment reporting, and there’s serious
criticism and there’s a lot of different opinions. People always have a reason for writing their story, and there…I’m just saying that feels really good-
MEREDITH: So you read all this stuff?
SEAN: Oh yeah.
MEREDITH: A lot of actors don’t.
SEAN: Well, *laughs* Eugene Leavy won Best Supporting Actor at the New York Film Critics, and he was at the awards last night, and he was basically saying he quoted Al Franken saying that “Any actor who says he doesn’t read his reviews is a lying liar!” Basically! *laughter* No, I read them, and I actually…I like when they say stuff that’s critical, I mean I learn from it, I really do.
NEW HOST: Now, you gained…what… 35 pounds for this role?
SEAN: Why are you bringing that up? *laughter* “Cause it’s hard, it’s hard to lose.
MEREDITH: It’s hard to gain and hard to lose?
SEAN: Easy to gain and hard to lose.
NEW HOST: It must have been harder to move around, and do the stunts that you had to do..and perform…really well…
SEAN: No, I wasn’t a happy camper at 195, 197 pounds. I’m 5’7″ and it was uncomfortable.
NEW HOST: Was it really?
SEAN: Yeah, just in your skin. You look in the mirror, and you’re like, “who is that fat guy looking back at me?” You know, I remember, you know…my daughter sees a picture of me at 17 with ripples in my abs and she like,” Daddy, what are those bumps on your stomach?” I’m like…naw….*laughter* It’s hard to go back.
NEW HOST: How did you get it off?
SEAN: I got on the treadmill and just didn’t stop. I was like Forrest Gump, I was running and running *laughter*..youknow what I mean? Water, I drank lots of water; water is the magic elixir of life. You know, and as much as you can drink.
MEREDITH: I was thinking about wine–
SEAN: Well, your body isn’t 70% wine…
MEREDITH: I was kidding. You have two of the coolest parents ever. Patty Duke Astin who was in “The Miracle Worker” , and John Astin who we loved in “The Addams Family”. They are great, great actors. Was there any hesitation in you getting involved in the field? Following in their footsteps?
SEAN: Um…no,I don’t think there was any apprehension, I mean, there were um…my dad wanted to make sure that I was always subject to the same curriculum academically, and my mom was concerned that I would suffer some of the same disappointments that she suffered throughout her life, just in terms of the spells when you’re working a lot, and when you’re not working, and those kinds of things, but ah…no. They were pretty…you know: you judge based on the kid’s personality, and I seemed like I really wanted to do it, and that I had a good perspective about everything else in my life. So, they were pretty proud and excited and actually kind of, you know, helped me a lot.
STAR: That’s interesting so if you weren’t an actor, I read that there might even be some politics in your future because you enjoy-
SEAN: You mean my talking about the debates…I was loving your talking about the debates last night, and I agreed with….well, I thought it was it was great! I thought that it was really good that Carol Mosely Braun and Rev. Sharpton…I actually loved everything that they were saying in the debate. I thought it gave it; I thought that it was a serious debate last night. I love politics!
NEW HOST: Gave it dimension.
JOY: It really did.
STAR: You’re a junkie is what I’m told?”
SEAN: I am a political junkie there is no question.
JOY: What do you want to run for?
MEREDITH: This is the year for you.
SEAN: I don’t know. My mom tells this story about when I was a kid, I would walk down the airplane [aisle] and say, “I’m running for Mayor, please vote for me.” *laughter* When I was one. *laughter* I don’t know, I just uh. I like, I like our society. I like being involved. I like thinking about it.
JOY: You’re a perfect kind of candidate: you’re smart, and you’re
motivated, and your heart’s in the right place.
SEAN: No…no, not for another like 15 or 20 years will I run for anything. But, you know….
NEW HOST: You started campaigning early… I mean
SEAN:Exactly. I got a head start.*laughter* Exactly.
STAR: Just a little bit advice: No wet t-shirt contests! *smiles*
SEAN: Yes…heeheehee. Yeah…you know what? I was listening to you guys talk about that: She’s, she made a decision, she’s stepped down, but her life isn’t gone; she’ll do something else. And maybe she’ll come back…and do a movie or something.
*laughter and lots of talking over each other*
STAR: Let me get him out of this one. Our thanks to Sean Astin. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is playing in theaters everywhere. We talk about the fight scenes, the battles, but this is a true test of friendship, and I love this film! You’ll love it, too. We’ll be right back.
Dennis Michael writes: I just returned from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas where I was working as a consultant to DTS, the Cinema and Consumer Surround Audio company. I gave 15 presentations a day about DTS, complete with film clips and music videos, and to no one’s surprize, the lead-off clip in our presentation was a 6.1 DTS-ES Discrete Surround clip from The Two Towers…Frodo, Sam and Gollum in the marshes hiding from the Black Rider on a Fell Beast. (And I had nothing to do with the selection of the clip, fyi…it was a done deal even before I was hired.) Cast members were well represented, because the other clips shown were from Pirates of the Caribbean with Orlando Bloom prominently shown, and a X-Men 2 clip with Sir Ian.
Brass from New Line dropped by at one point in the trade show to catch our 15 minute demo, and left with big smiles.
In the few moments that I was able to check out the other exhibitors in the gigantic trade show, I noticed that TTT-EE was probably the most popular programming on Monitors, Plasmas, Flatscreens and Home Theatre arrays, with only “Finding Nemo” in the same echelon. Moreover, during the entire four day trade show, we only had one opportunity to relax and watch any programming for our own entertainment, and the DTS staff went for TTT-EE. We watched the end of the battle of Helm’s Deep and the destruction of Isengard on a demonstration home theatre system valued at roughly 600 thousand dollars retail, tuned up by some of the leading audio engineers in the business. (and oh my goodness, did it ever rock.) The Audio Industry clearly recognizes the incredible quality of the sound work in the trilogy, and I fully expect ROTK to be featured in a similar way next year.
Hope you guys are all doing well, look forward to seeing you in town at OscarTime.
Ringer Lisalas writes this great review from National Geographic’s ‘Beyond the Movie’ special DVD.
I rented the National Geographic Beyond the Movie: Return of the King special on DVD. I thought I’d give y’all a run-down on what the special is about.
It is narrated by John Rhys-Davies (Gimli). There are interview clips with most of the cast (Wood, Weaving, Rhys-Davies, Astin, Boyd, McKellan, Bloom – who is wearing an odd striped knit hat!, Lee, Wenham), as well as clips of Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens.
Tons of scenes from FOTR and TT are included, which disappointed me a little, since I was hoping for more of ROTK. There were some ROTK scenes as well, which I will detail in a minute.
The premise of the special is to relate universal themes from the film to persons from history. The historical persons compared to LOTR are: William Wallace, Queen Elizabeth I and her advisors Robert Dudley and William Cecil, Theodore Roosevelt, Rasputin, Ben Franklin, Lewis & Clark, King Henry, Tolkien’s own experience in WW1, George E. Pickett (Civil War battle at Cemetary Ridge), Hitler & Churchill, Hilary & Tenzing (Mt. Everest), and Hanson & Perry (North Pole). I found the comparisons to be quite interesting, even if some were a bit on the simplistic side. (Example – Queen Elizabeth is purported to have been in love with Robert Dudley and the comparison to LOTR is that Aragorn is also in love.) The Rasputin part was particularly interesting, in my opinion.
One interesting idea from Professor Michael Drout, who is identified as a Tolkien expert, is that the friendships formed in LOTR are those that can only be formed by facing death together. I thought that was interesting and perhaps this is why so many people have a hard time believing in such strong friendships, even love, between men. Very few people today have faced the kinds of situations that the characters in LOTR faced.
OK, on to the shots from ROTK. I think I noted most of them, although I may have missed one or two. There are 3 that will possibly be in the EE, since they were not in ROTK. (I put them at the end.)
2 scenes of the Rohan encampment with Aragorn, Theoden, and Legolas riding through
Aragorn and Theoden overlooking the encampment.
Aragorn: 6000 will not be enough to break the lines of Mordor.
Sam attacks Gollum.
Frodo: Leave him alone!
Sam: I heard it from his own mouth! He means to murder us!
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli approach the entrance to the Paths of the Dead on foot. Aragorn enters.
Arwen: It is time. Give him the sword of the King.
scene of Elven swordsmiths.
Elrond presents the sword to Aragorn
Elrond: Become who you were born to be.
Pippin and Gandalf approach Theoden’s seat.
Gandalf: There will be a time to grive for Boromir but it is not now.
Quick shots of Gondorian soldiers led by Faramir leaving Minas Tirith.
Orcs catapulting fiery missles.
Nazgul sweeping through the army.
Shot of Aragorn on horseback in Gondorian armor. Also shows Gondorian army.
Shows Rohirrim briefly (as in the trailer) with Aragorn’s voiceover “I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me.” Shot of Eowyn and Merry in armor cheering. Then a shot of Aragorn from the back raising his sword.
Frodo: I need you on my side.
Sam: I’m ON your side, Mr. Frodo.
Frodo: I know, Sam. I know. Trust me.
Gondorian soldiers enter the courtyard at Minas Tirith. Gandalf and Faramir meet.
Faramir: They’ve taken the bridge and the west bank.
Gandalf and Pippin on horseback, with Merry watching. (Stable at Edoras)
Gandalf: Run, Shadowfax! Show us the meaning of haste.
Pippin: MERRY!!
Miscellaneous battle scenes.
Gandalf on Shadowfax rides up on the wall at Minas Tirith overlooking the orcs attacking. (from trailer)
Quick shots:
Legolas aims.
Aragorn charges on foot.
Eomer charges on horseback.
Sam enters the Tower.
Frodo climbs up the stairs to Cirith Ungol.
Frodo crawls up Mt. Doom. (last scene in the special)
Now for the clips that appear to be from ROTK, but were not in the theatrical version. I am hoping these will be in the Extended Edition!
Snippet of Merry bowing to Theoden outside at Edoras. (We have seen this picture.)
Merry: I offer you my service.
Theoden: And gladly I accept it.
Legolas is shown wearing the blue outfit from the Coronation, surrounded by men drinking in a celebratory manner.
Legolas: So….it’s…a drinking game?
Men raise mugs and growl. “arrrrr”
Legolas: And what exactly is the point of it?
Gimli: Last one standing wins!!!
Legolas then sips tentatively from the mug with his eyes looking over the rim uncertainly.(I bet this ends with Legolas drinking all the rest under the table. hee hee)
Quick shot of Gandalf and Pippin on Shadowfax facing off against the WitchKing on the fell beast at Minas Tirith.
So, that’s it! It was an interesting view, although I was disappointed that there wasn’t MORE from ROTK included. Go rent it!
Ringer Spy Nazz attended the MANY press confrences during the ROTK media blitz last month. In this article he chats with Bernard Hill.
Special thanks to Rip It Up Magazine in South Australia for this transcript.
Bernard Hill at the ROTK Wellington Premiere
“Peter Jackson? I’ve worked with Jim Cameron [as the captain of the Titanic] and I thought he was tough. But seriously, a similar thing I noticed with Jim Cameron but particularly Pete is that he’s made a reputation of the ability to present high tech aspects of filmmaking onto the screen. Normally director like that come at it from a technical history and background and they’re not very good at working with human beings. With Pete, quite the opposite is true. Because he’s such an amazing guy himself and he’s got his feet quite firmly planted on the ground and is very rooted to his culture and family here in New Zealand, it’s a platform that he stands and operates from – and embraces everyone who comes near him on the set.
“What was remarkable about working on the whole project was that it was a very egalitarian society. Nobody would be allowed to take themselves too seriously. Everyone was just the same. There was no hierarchy at all. Even the person who went around with the water bottles had the same feeling that they belonged as much to the film family as the people in the high profile areas – it helped me enormously and I’m sure it helped other people too. That really set him apart. You can all clap now if you like.”
Click for more images
Diana W writes: I went to the event. I arrived at Barnes & Noble at 2:30pm and I waited until 7:00. At first, there were not that many people except for more enthusiastic LOTR fans. When he came, the crowd was whooping and cheering. He briefly explained why he wrote the book, and acknowledging the fact that though many fans already know a lot about his experiences through his many interviews and the DVD extras, there is still much more to say. He then read a passage from his book (about how he came to portray Hobbit-Smeagol as he is portrayed on the film). He ended the excerpt at the point in the book about his daughter being able to see through his rather frightening Smeagol-turning-into-Gollum makeup. He then acted out the Stinker-Slinker scene from “Two Towers,” to the audience’s delight. Afterwards, he answered questions until he was told “two more questions.” Among the questions asked was one concerning a possible role for Andy in Peter Jackson’s “King Kong.” He said that it is possible, since the motion capture allows any actor to manipulate or puppeteer the digital image. Another question was “a bit of trivia;” it concerned the end of ROTK, where there was a hobbit (a slightly hunched back one?) in the background near the end of the film. The audience member asked if it was he who played that small part, possibly implying Gollum is still lingering around (in a spiritual sense). Andy replied that it wasn’t he who played that hobbit. One particular memorable moment was when one fan asked that since Andy had played Smeagol/Gollum for such a long time, was it ever hard for him to return to “the Andy.” Andy said something that amounted to “no” but he also did a Gollum impression while he was answering (the audience laughed).
People were allowed only to bring Mr. Serkis’ book to be signed (no memorabilia whatsoever). I was in the front row, and I was able to get my autographed book quickest. He was very polite, but since there were nearly a hundred or more people waiting for him, he spoke few words. I took some photos, and being in the first row, I have no obstruction. However, I used flash for half of my photos (they non-flash photos look absolutely fine, even better, than the flash ones!) but they turned out dark when I put them on the computer. Feel free to lighten the pictures. I took some pictures of his reenactment of the Stinker-Slinker scene; I think you’ll be able to discern where that is!
I can’t think of much more concerning today’s events; my head is swimming with thoughts! I hope other fans’ accounts can supplement my synopsis of a report.
Beverly Hills, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced the seven films being considered for Achievement in Makeup for the 76th Academy Awards(R).
The films in consideration are listed below in alphabetical order:
“Cold Mountain”
“The Last Samurai”
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”
“Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World”
“Monster”
“Peter Pan”
“Pirates of the Carribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”
Ten-minute clip reels from each of the seven films will be screened for the Makeup Award Nominating Committee on Saturday, January 24. The members may nominate up to three of these seven films for Oscar(R)
consideration, recommend a single film for a Special Achievement Award or elect to recommend that no award be given in this category.
Any nominated films will be announced along with nominations in 24 other categories on Tuesday, January 27, at 5:30 a.m. PST.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2003 will be presented on February 29, 2004, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland(R) and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. (PST) with a half-hour arrivals segment.
