Christopher Lee boycotts Rings premiere

[Billythekid]

Dunno if you heard this....


http://news.ninemsn.com.au/Entertainment/story_43518.asp

Christopher Lee boycotts Rings premiere


British actor Christopher Lee is to boycott The Return of the King film world premiere in Wellington after learning all his scenes as the evil wizard Saruman have been cut.

Lee, 81, said he had expected to appear in seven minutes' worth of climactic scenes in the final Lord of the Rings film.

"Of course I'm very shocked, that's all I can say," he told Britain's ITV television channel. Asked if he would attend the premiere, Lee said: "No, what's the point of going?"

Most of the film's main stars, including Sir Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin and Liv Tyler, are to attend.

Lee said he could not say more because he had signed a confidentiality agreement.




Lee was a friend of the trilogy's author JRR Tolkien and reads the book at least once a year.

A Lord of the Rings spokeswoman in Wellington said Lee had been invited to the premiere, but was not expected to attend because of his age.

Details of the cuts were revealed on the internet last week in email correspondence between director Peter Jackson and American Harry Knowles, who runs a film news website.

Jackson said he had planned to open The Return of the King with a scene involving Lee and the character Wormtongue, played by American Brad Dourif.

"The trouble is, when we viewed various Return of the King cuts over the last few weeks, it feels like the first scenes are wrapping last year's movie ... We felt it got Return of the King off to an uncertain beginning."

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I read the AICN/Jackson interview... The scenes will be available (as deleted scenes) on the DVD, just not in the film released in the theaters.

 

[Stout]

Man, it's already sounding as if Return's going to pi$$ me off just as much as, if not more, than Two Towers. I give a damn if it's on the DVD...we're not going to get the confrontation with Saruman and the throwing down of the Palantir? What crap. They started out well with this series, but turned it into junk.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Originally posted by Stout
Man, it's already sounding as if Return's going to pi$$ me off just as much as, if not more, than Two Towers. I give a damn if it's on the DVD...we're not going to get the confrontation with Saruman and the throwing down of the Palantir? What crap. They started out well with this series, but turned it into junk.

Junk = not following the storyline closely enough for you

But the movies are far from junk man...

Still, I am kind of surprised about not having Saruman in ROTK...

Mike

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Stout,

I just wanted to add, yeah, it bothers me a little bit too that some things are in the movies...but you know what? He includes A LOT of that in the Extended Version DVD's, which are mroe for the die hards, like you and me.

Saruman is in the extended version, according to BIM, so that is enough for me.

I know the Two Towers Extended version is going to have 45 extra minutes, including the scene when the Orcs run back into the Ents outside of Helms Deep, which is one scene I really wanted to see.

Think of the movies more as made for the wider audience, while the DVD's are for you and me.

Cause I can see how there is so much going on in ROTK, that to include Saruman might just be too much.

Mike

 

[Ryanwb]

I read last year that they filmed three death scenes for Saruman. I don't understand how they can just not tie up that end....I mean he was a main antagonist in the story

 

[justAndy]

WE know how Saruman dies...

That tail end of the epic - "The Scouring of the Shire" - maybe they put it on the DVD, but i bet the big end scene for the movie will be the *********** of the Ring and final battle

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Originally posted by Ryanwb
I read last year that they filmed three death scenes for Saruman. I don't understand how they can just not tie up that end....I mean he was a main antagonist in the story

Maybe they'll have Gandalf saying something like "Treebeard has Saruman contained, our focus is on Minis Tirith..." or something like that.

That's essentially what happened. And I don't think Saruman ever dies in the books, he just wanders...of course, I need to read the final book again.

Mike

 

[Chaplin]

Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by andikrist
That tail end of the epic - "The Scouring of the Shire" - maybe they put it on the DVD, but i bet the big end scene for the movie will be the *********** of the Ring and final battle

Word is that the script never even included the Scouring of the Shire.

 

[Stout]

Originally posted by Chandler Mike
Stout,

I just wanted to add, yeah, it bothers me a little bit too that some things are in the movies...but you know what? He includes A LOT of that in the Extended Version DVD's, which are mroe for the die hards, like you and me.

Saruman is in the extended version, according to BIM, so that is enough for me.

I know the Two Towers Extended version is going to have 45 extra minutes, including the scene when the Orcs run back into the Ents outside of Helms Deep, which is one scene I really wanted to see.

Think of the movies more as made for the wider audience, while the DVD's are for you and me.

Cause I can see how there is so much going on in ROTK, that to include Saruman might just be too much.

Mike

That's very cool that the Ents (actually the Huorns, I think they're called-kinda like dark Ents) are included at Helm's Deep, as they should, in the extedned version.

Does this mean that there will be no elves in Helm's Deep? That Gimli will stop being a laughingstock? That the Ents actually decide that they will go to Isengard without being coerced? That Faromir won't be a mirror image of his tragically heroic brother, that he'll actually be all that Boromir could not? That Frodo and Sam will not, as the writer and director idiotically made them do, be taken to Osgiliath?

If they fix all of that in the extended-version DVD, then I'll be happy. Those were the things I specifically hated that were sooooo unneccesary. The director cried the time factor bit, but all of this crap actually took MORE time, much more time, than doing it the right way in the first damn place.

Ah well, we shall see. I'll buy the stinkin' extended version DVD regardless.

Oh yeah...and Aragorn falling over the cliff on the back of a Worg...what the HELL was up with that???

 

[Stout]

Originally posted by Chandler Mike
Maybe they'll have Gandalf saying something like "Treebeard has Saruman contained, our focus is on Minis Tirith..." or something like that.

That's essentially what happened. And I don't think Saruman ever dies in the books, he just wanders...of course, I need to read the final book again.

Mike

Saruman is murdered by Wormtongue at the end.

 

[Stout]

Re: Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by Chaplin
Word is that the script never even included the Scouring of the Shire.

No. Oh please God no, TELL me this isn't so!

My God!!! The whole excuse for having Merry and Pippin 'trick and convince' the Ents in the first place (which was soooo stupid in that movie) was to begin to develop their characters.

Now, after that battle-cry for massacring the text, they're going to leave out their final plot tie-ups? Their final show of their true grit and mettle?

What a crock of $h&t!

 

[Chaplin]

Re: Re: Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by Stout
No. Oh please God no, TELL me this isn't so!

My God!!! The whole excuse for having Merry and Pippin 'trick and convince' the Ents in the first place (which was soooo stupid in that movie) was to begin to develop their characters.

Now, after that battle-cry for massacring the text, they're going to leave out their final plot tie-ups? Their final show of their true grit and mettle?

What a crock of $h&t!

What are you so surprised for? We discussed this last year. For purists, it sucks, but when telling a story, it's really anti-climactic.

And I also believe that Jackson probably thinks that Pippen and Merry's roles in the battles in the end were good enough shows of their true grit and mettle.

Also keep in mind, that there were rumors that ROTK was edited extensively--apparently, the original cut was 6 HOURS LONG and he was having problems cutting stuff out.

 

[Stout]

Re: Re: Re: Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by Chaplin
What are you so surprised for? We discussed this last year. For purists, it sucks, but when telling a story, it's really anti-climactic.

And I also believe that Jackson probably thinks that Pippen and Merry's roles in the battles in the end were good enough shows of their true grit and mettle.

Also keep in mind, that there were rumors that ROTK was edited extensively--apparently, the original cut was 6 HOURS LONG and he was having problems cutting stuff out.

So why did they show the shire being put to the torch in the mirror in Lothlorien? That will turn into foreshadowing for...reading the booK???

Why did they change things around for Pippen and Merry if they aren't going to do anything but include one facet of them in the final movie anyway?

Why, why why? I'll tell you why. Because this movie's being done by someone incompetent. I wouldn't have thought it after seeing the first one, but it's obvious that no foresight went into this at all.

And before you say he can't be incompetent because the movies were so well-received...well, given the amount of spectacle and hype that went into it, just about any professional could have made these. Hell, the last Matrix movie is drawing a lot of so-called 'true fan' ire, rightly so, but it's still doing very well. Why? People like seeing cool-looking stuff, that's why.

Okay Brandon, breathe, breathe, calm down! Lol I'm going to *try and* give ROTK a fair shake before I see it...I will pray it doesn't let me down.

 

[Stout]

Re: Re: Re: Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by Chaplin
And I also believe that Jackson probably thinks that Pippen and Merry's roles in the battles in the end were good enough shows of their true grit and mettle.

Well, I think you know what I think of what Jackson thinks *or doesn't bother to think about*!

He had such a golden opportunity after creating so fine a first installment to this series...I think a monkey could have done the last two right after that. Alas, if ONLY we would have had that monkey instead!

 

[Chaz]

I have not read the books but they can't be easy to make into a movie or three.

Book to movie translations always leave stuff out and completely change other things.

I don't know why Lord of The Rings should be any different.

 

[Chaplin]

And Stronso, what's the deal? You're wasting your week of Movie-A-Days!

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by Stout

Okay Brandon, breathe, breathe, calm down! Lol I'm going to *try and* give ROTK a fair shake before I see it...I will pray it doesn't let me down.

Yes, you really need to relax...

Jackson incompetent? I doubt ANYONE could have done as good a job as he has. Hands down, this is probably one of the, if not THE best set of movies to get their story from a book...I would just have to think so.

Sure, some things are wrong, but the main story is there, and A LOT hasn't been changed...I think he's been very faithful in telling the story.

Also, I need to check up on Wormtongue killing Saruman...I seem to remember Saruman wandering around, and causing trouble at the end, in the Scouring of the Shire.

Also, Saruman is immortal, like Gandalf, I doubt Wormtongue could just kill him.

Man, it's been awhile since I read the books.

Mike

 

[Stout]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by Chandler Mike
Yes, you really need to relax...

Jackson incompetent? I doubt ANYONE could have done as good a job as he has. Hands down, this is probably one of the, if not THE best set of movies to get their story from a book...I would just have to think so.

Sure, some things are wrong, but the main story is there, and A LOT hasn't been changed...I think he's been very faithful in telling the story.

Also, I need to check up on Wormtongue killing Saruman...I seem to remember Saruman wandering around, and causing trouble at the end, in the Scouring of the Shire.

Also, Saruman is immortal, like Gandalf, I doubt Wormtongue could just kill him.

Man, it's been awhile since I read the books.

Mike

Yeah, I meant that Wormtongue kills him in the Shire at the very end.

And yes, he is immortal, I think, but I think the body is gone...something like if you, in fantasy, kill the avatar of a God, that avatar is dead. Dunno. I'm rambling now. All I know is Wormtongue stabbed and killed him near the end.

 

[Stout]

On a cool note, my friend calls me from his vacation in L.A. today...seems he ran a red light, and some guy pulled up beside him, rolled down his window, and asked him if he knew red meant stop. My friend was wondering who he was, then he said...

Holy $%&t! You're Aragorn!

At that point, Viggo quickly rolled up his window, after a glance that indeed gave him away, and drove off quickly.

My buddy was upbraided by the man himself. I told him to hang his head in shame.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Originally posted by Stout
On a cool note, my friend calls me from his vacation in L.A. today...seems he ran a red light, and some guy pulled up beside him, rolled down his window, and asked him if he knew red meant stop. My friend was wondering who he was, then he said...

Holy $%&t! You're Aragorn!

At that point, Viggo quickly rolled up his window, after a glance that indeed gave him away, and drove off quickly.

My buddy was upbraided by the man himself. I told him to hang his head in shame.

Dude, dont' cross Strider, that dude will waste you, lol.

Mike

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Originally posted by Chandler Mike
Dude, dont' cross Strider, that dude will waste you, lol.

Mike

I give a lot of "juice" to a guy that busts a tooth on the set, and chooses to super-glue it back into to place to finish the shot!

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by Stout
Yeah, I meant that Wormtongue kills him in the Shire at the very end.

And yes, he is immortal, I think, but I think the body is gone...something like if you, in fantasy, kill the avatar of a God, that avatar is dead. Dunno. I'm rambling now. All I know is Wormtongue stabbed and killed him near the end.

Apologies Stout...pretty amazing, I've read the books about 10-15 times, yet forgot that very end with Wormtonque...he does indeed slit Saruman's throat...

Mike

 

[Stout]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: WE know how Saruman dies...

Originally posted by Chandler Mike
Apologies Stout...pretty amazing, I've read the books about 10-15 times, yet forgot that very end with Wormtonque...he does indeed slit Saruman's throat...

Mike

No apologies necessary. Let's just hope the last movie doesn't shred the book like another that will remain nameless! Lol

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Hey Stout,

Weird, I was reading some review in Entertainment Weekly, and in it it says..."Sam fights a Spider, Frodo is left to die, Aragorn follows the Paths of the Dead and Gandalf faces off against Saruman..."

Interesting that they would say that when supposedly they don't haev that in the movie. Wonder if EW hasn't even seen it.

Mike