Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:
Our discussion has been light:
It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog
However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB
Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr
Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog
Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB
Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed
To the very philosophical:
…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla
To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…
…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB
Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog
…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1
Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed
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Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom
…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253
Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed
So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.
This one almost slipped through our fingers. Today, December 16th, is Miranda Otto's birthday! Miranda was born on December 16th 1967 in Brisbane, Australia. That makes her 35 today, happy birthday Miranda!
I used to work in a cold storage warehouse. When it is -20°, those heat packs keep your toes warm -- and make you painfully aware how cold the rest of your feet are.
EERRR... Pencils down. Test over.
Deb, what is our Elijah talking about here, do you know?
TORN also linked to this report:
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| © 2001 Sue Schneider | |
| Elijah Wood at THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING L.A. premiere event. |
| CINESCAPE Scoop Longer wait for RETURN OF THE KING? |
| Wood lets slip interesting tidbit |
|
Dateline: Monday, December 16, 2002 |
|
By: MIKE WHYBARK |
| By: News Editor |
| Source: CINESCAPE reporting |
While recently discussing this week's highly anticipated opening of THE TWO TOWERS, Elijah Wood made a comment that can rightly be considered interesting. The comments were in response to a journalist's remark about the difficulty in waiting another year for the final film of the trilogy.
Wood said, sympathetically, "I know, and it might be longer too."
The film or the wait, Elijah?
The young actor backtracked, responding disingenuously, "What? I didn't say anything."
'Finding Hobbiton'
"I didn't expect to find any authentic evidence of Middle Earth still remaining in New Zealand. So, when I stumbled upon www.hobbitontours.com, I
just couldn't pass up the opportunity to jump aboard the Hobbiton express and see a piece of filming history. As I stood at the Matamata
Information Centre with bright orange ticket in hand, I couldn't hold back the geeky smile.
Photo 1
I was fortunate enough to be in a small group of other tourists led by Russell Stevenson, part owner of the property that was once just an ordinary sheep farm. He reminded us that it is still a working property, complete with authentic gates which visitors are encouraged to help open. And then close, after the bus had passed through! While the beautiful hills are still full of white woolly bodies, all those on board were keen to get a small glimpse of The Shire..."
Our tour passed the backstage areas of the property where a mini-city was constructed during filming. Animal wranglers, expert gardeners (should have just asked the Gamgee) power generators, toilets, lighting, plumbing, kitchens and costume/makeup vans had to be organised within the property. Apparently, at the height of activity over 400 people were fed three hobbit-sized meals a day. In all, a logistics nightmare. After seeing the backstage, Russell then drove us into The Shire.
The sign said: 'Welcome to Hobbiton' - it should have read check your brains at the gate and prepare to see some really cool stuff.
I walked along the path that leads to Bagshot Row.
Photo 2
According to Russell, we haven't seen the end of the Shire in the films. (Shhh! you didn't hear that from me. Big Yay! for the Shire. Can't wait to see more though!)
Photo 3
Photo 4
And saw across the lake toward the Pub and the Mill. All of these structures were created from scaffolding pipes and polystyrene cladding.
The Bridge, despite being made of pipes, plywood and polystyrene, had enough strength to withhold a 4-wheel drive!
Photo 5
From the top of the hill, we can look over the party field and see the Party Tree, which still has remnants of ribbons and decorations within its
branches. It was from this very spot, where Sir Ian McKellen and Ian Holm sat smoking pipe weed and contemplating Bilbo's Eleventy-First
birthday bash.
And then, we found it. Bag End. THE Bag End. It's right on the top of the hill, overlooking the Party Field, right where it should be.
Theres still a little bit of evidence of the wonderful garden Samwise would have maintained, with a small cobblestone stairway still set into the beautiful green grass.
Photo 6
And, of course, the window that poor old Sam would have been pulled through ...
Photo 7
You may have spotted the obvious lack of the big tree, which is featured on the top of Bag End. This tree had actually been transported from a neighbouring property (all 28 tonnes of it), then stripped and manicured to look exactly the way it does in the film.
Photo 8
Many small hobbit holes dotted the greenery, with a score more having been taken down after filming. Still, there was enough holes here to house a small army of hobbits.
Photo 9
Without retelling all of the tales and anecdotes, its hard to convey just how wonderful this tour was. Although The Shire has been left to regenerate into its natural state, the experience was really wonderful. The tour guide was more than willing to answer any questions and was always ready to recount some small snippet of information about the magical filming process.
Asked if there were plans on recreating an actual Hobbit Hole, Russell explained that it would be so difficult to do justice to the magic that
Peter Jackson created over 6 months of preparation before filming began.
Due to its remote location, maintaining a hobbit-garden would be extremely difficult despite the hundreds of sheep that would simply LOVE to make a
hobbit-sized meal of any pretty plants. Without hiring a fleet of gardeners, a recreation simply wouldn't hold up to the high standards that was created for the film. Visitors would likely be disappointed with any attempts, so the set was kept as it was left by the film crew when they
stopped filming back in February, 2000.
I tend to agree with him. The experience was more about learning how the film was constructed, rather than seeing the actual sets. We saw how the image was built, and how the small town of The Shire was created and to the lengths that Peter Jackson's team went to make everything as authentic as possible. (The thatching on the Golden Dragon Pub is real thatching, made from reeds from the Hobbiton Lake!)
I'm really glad I took the opportunity to visit the set, as it gave a unique look into the almost fanatical way the films were brought to life.
If I ever need another reason to praise the work of all those who worked on this film odyssey, this would be it. Long live Middle Earth!
May all your days be filled with Hobbit cheer.
Jac.
Photo 10
THE END
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