-
W
O
R
D
S

Source: P.A.
Date: October 14, 1999

The filming was on Mt Victoria, which is a mostly wooded hill near the center of Wellington. The trees are mostly pine. The scene they were filming was the one where the hobbits hear the ringwraith coming along the road and hide behind a tree. The ringwraith stops, dismounts and peers around before riding off.

The crew has done an amazing job preparing just this short scene. A huge tree stump (several metres tall) was brought up from the South Island for the Hobbits to hide behind, mushrooms and ferns were planted, and oak leaves were scattered around the place. The tree roots were half protuding from the steep bank where the filming was taking place, and the hobbits hid down among them while the rider came along the path above. The set was very busy, and a TV3 news crew managed to sneak in and grab a few pictures before people realized they weren't a camera crew for LOTR.

Source: David Hill
Date: October 14, 1999

I heard on the radio this morning that filming will be moving soon (in the next week or so) to Matamata. (They had the Mayor preparing the hotels, the square etc). Matamata is a small town about 5-6 thousand located past Hamilton.

Source: Sondar
Date: October 13, 1999

The official announcement that Kevin Conway is playing Theoden is right. The one thing that they have failed to announce though is that Peter Jackson is going to use CGI to superimpose J.R.R. Tolkien's face over his.

The one condition that the Tolkien estate put on this use of Tolkien's face was that no heavy metal music or artists be involved with the movie!

Source: Stevanos
Date: October 12, 1999

While holidaying in the Wye Valley (England/Wales) I met two New
Zealanders who had an interesting rumour on the Sean Connery sightings.

The rumour is that cardboard cut-outs of Sean connery have been placed in strategic places and are moved around to fool Lord of the Rings spotters.

So, if you happen to "see" Sean Connery, pick up a stick and strike "him" one to see if he's real. Of course, if he is, you'll soon know it...