News Detail
Hobbit was almost filmed in Britain, director reveals
‘The Hobbit’ director Peter Jackson on Tuesday said the low point making his Tolkien epic was when the production almost moved from his native New Zealand to Britain because of a union dispute.
Jackson, who will host the world premiere of the first instalment of his trilogy in Wellington on Wednesday, said studio executives went as far as scouting locations in Scotland and England when the row erupted in late 2010. The Oscar-winning director feared not being able to use the rugged New Zealand backdrops that were an integral part of his first Tolkien project, the blockbuster ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. ‘The Hobbit came very close to not being filmed here,’ he told Radio New Zealand. ‘The worst time for me was when a huge box arrived in the office... this large cardboard box arrived and they had sent a location scout around England and Scotland to take photographs. ‘They literally had the Hobbit script broken down into scenes, and in each scene there were pictures of the Scottish Highlands and England and this and that, to convince us we could easily go over there to shoot the film.’ In the event, the dispute was settled when New Zealand’s conservative government amended labour laws to minimise union representation on set, also offering financial incentives to keep the production in the country. ‘It was not the happiest time for anyone,’ Jackson said. As part of the deal reached with the government, the New Zealand tourism industry is using the trilogy to try to revive flagging visitor numbers, promoting the country as ‘100 percent Middle Earth’ in a worldwide campaign. The hype will reach a crescendo Wednesday when up to 100,000 people are expected to line the streets of Wellington for the premiere of ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’. Jackson also defended his decision to shoot ‘The Hobbit’ at a groundbreaking 48 frames a second, rather than the standard 24, a move that drew mixed critical reactions when a preview was screened in Las Vegas in April. Countering criticism that the footage was too clear and lacked warmth, Jackson said it offered a ‘more immersive’ experience for movie-goers that eliminated the blur and ‘stagger’ seen at 24 frames a second. He likened the higher shooting rate to the introduction of compact discs, saying it was the way of the future for film. ‘I personally think it’s fantastic, but it’s different,’ he said. ‘I remember when CDs came in and there was a nostalgic feeling that the sound of a needle on vinyl was what music should sound like — suddenly you’ve got this pristine clarity and a lot of people were nay-saying it.’ The first ‘Hobbit’ movie will be released globally in December. The second, ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’, is due in December 2013 and the final chapter ‘The Hobbit: There and Back Again’ follows in July 2014.--(AFP)
Multimedia
-
Kick box office collection: Salman Khan set to beat Ranbir K
After beating Shah Rukh Khan, Salman is eyeing for his ex-ladylove’s alleged current boyfriend. Salman Khan is on a record breaking spree with his recently released film, Kick opposite Jacqueline Fernandez. After beati READ MORE
-
Silent film tops documentary poll
A 1929 silent film has been voted the greatest ever documentary in a poll of some 300 film-makers and critics. Man with a Movie Camera, directed by Dziga Vertov, was picked by more than 100 cineastes who took part in the READ MORE
-
James Garner, Rockford Files star, dies aged 86
James Garner, the US star of hit TV series The Rockford Files and Maverick and films including The Great Escape, has died aged 86. Garner had suffered ill health since a severe stroke in 2008. "Mr Garner died of natural READ MORE
-
Huma Qureshi to romance John Abraham in Sanjay Gupta’s Mum
The actor debuted in with Gangs of Wasseypur. In yet another movie uncovering the murky side of Mumbai and delving into the dirt of underworld and politics, Huma Qureshi will be seen playing the love interest of John Abr READ MORE
-
Kangana Ranaut: Coming back to paparazzi is a bit intimidati
The Queen recently returned from New York after finishing a filmmaking course. Kangana Ranaut, who was away from the limelight to pursue her filmmaking course in New York, is back with a bang. However, she finds the papa READ MORE
-
Riteish Deshmukh: I almost stopped going to the gym as I was
The Ek Villain actor recently stated that he would was embarrassed to face Salman Khan upon being repeatedly questioned about the star’s cameo in Lai Bhaari. The actor, who was in the city to promote Lai Bhaari, has b READ MORE
-
The day Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan hug at Iftaar party,
The Satyamev Jayate host was seen posting a tweet the same day Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan created headlines with their hug.Read on to know more… Aamir Khan is known to be a rather private person even when it comes READ MORE
-
Game of Thrones finale beats previous season's viewers
The closing episode of fantasy TV series Game of Thrones drew 7.1 million viewers on HBO in the US on Sunday, beating the 5.4 million who tuned in for the previous season's last episode. Once repeats were taken into acco READ MORE
-
New TV channel launches for ‘comfortably British’ Muslim
British Muslim TV, a new channel aimed at British Muslims will be launching in the UK this June. Its arrival joins an already growing number of specialized, niche channels for religious and ethnic minorities in recent ye READ MORE
-
Afghan music students make British debut at Festival Hall
Pupil from Afghanistan’s first music academy will make their British debut at the Royal Festival Hall tonight. Six musicians aged 11 to 17 years old have made their first trip abroad for a cultural, musical and social READ MORE
-
How to become the next PM of India? Drink tea with Rajinikan
With NaMo flags flying high everywhere, Bollywoodlife brings you the to-do list for the future prime ministerial candidates. What’s the big news today? Now that’s a no brainer. It’s Abki baar Modi sarkar of course READ MORE
-
Juhi Chawla mocks Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Si
The Lok Sabha Elections 2014 saw some heated war of words between Bollywoodwallahs we had leading actors and filmmakers siding with different political parties and some who even were candidates for them. However nobody r READ MORE
-
Austria wins Eurovision Song Contest
Austrian drag act Conchita Wurst has been crowned the winner of the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest held in Denmark's capital, Copenhagen. The singer, whose real name is Tom Neuwirth, won with the song Rise Like a Ph READ MORE
-
ABCD 2 first look: Varun Dhawan to match steps with Prabhu D
Prabhu Dheva has confirmed his dates for the much anticipated sequel. Read on to know more. Disney India has announced a sequel to the2013 hit dance based film ABCD (Anybody Can Dance). The sequel is called ABCD2 and wil READ MORE
-
Salman Khan hit-and-run case: Actor arrives in court, eye wi
The Jai Ho actor has appeared in the Sessions court for the retrial of one of his cases a while ago. Salman Khan appeared in Sessions Court Bandra in jeans and blue striped shirt for the retrial of his 2002 hit-and-run-c READ MORE
-
Yeh Hai Mohabbatein: Will Shagun bring Ishita and Raman back
While we were hoping for some romance on Star Plus’ show Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, there was drama that unfolded. However looks like the recently separated lead couple will come together thanks to circumstances and Shagun.. READ MORE
-
Aditya Roy Kapur’s weighty issues
Aditya Roy Kapur manages different looks for his two upcoming films. Bollywood actor Aditya Roy Kapur will be sporting two distinct looks for Aditya Chopra’s ‘Dawat-e-Ishq‘ and Abhishek Kapoor’s ‘Fitoor‘.... READ MORE
-
Does John Abraham feel intimidated by Aamir Khan.?
If sources are to be believed, Welcome Back and PK will release on the same date. Director Anees Bazmi and producer Firoz Nadiadwala might be sweating over an imminent clash between their film Welcome Back and Aamir Khan READ MORE
-
Rati Agnihotri’s son, Tanuj Virwani: Mom taught me to be p
Newcomer in the Bollywood film industry Tanuj Virwani, who will next be seen in the film Purani Jeans, says he is determined to make it a success in Bollywood. After debuting in Bollywood with flop film Luv U Soniyo, the READ MORE
-
Oscar Pistorius: I did not pick on Reeva Steenkamp
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has denied "picking on" his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, as his cross-examination continues. He was commenting on a mobile phone message Ms Steenkamp had sent him. The Paralympian als READ MORE
Clippings
Iran and blame the victim game
Tehran is continuously interfering in Afghanistan and pressurizing Kabul under one pretext or the other. Iran’s meddling into our internal affairs while giving it name of concern as Tehran did it recently when its ambassa...
