LOTR

[Richmond Clements]

I've been watching the lord of the rings dvd and working through the commentaries.
They keep refering to the 'other actor' who was originally to play Arragorn. What I want to, know is, who is the actor in question and why they got rid of him?
Thanks, I know you can help, you lovely lovely people.

Link: rac

[GordonR]

According to the imdb, it was Stuart Townsend, who lasted for four days of filming before leaving the production due to "creative differences."

He's in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film, apparently, playing Dorian Gray.

[Richmond Clements]

Stuart Townsend? Isn't he in that Anne Rice crap too?
Thanks for the info.
I just hope they don't destroy the League with thier hollywood we know better ways.

Link: rac

[Leigh S]

"I just hope they don't destroy the League with thier hollywood we know better ways"

You're too late!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!

[Leigh S]

...

Link: http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=fan&page=messagethread&choice=3653" target="_blank">BWAHAHAHAHAH!

[Tiplodocus]

Yeah.  I remember reading that they decided that he just looked too young for the part which is understandable as I always imagined Aragorn as being in his fifties until I saw what a fine job Viggo Mortenson made of the role.

[GordonR]

>>Yeah. I remember reading that they decided that he just looked too young for the part

*cough*movie studio PR bollocks*cough*

The silence about what really happened to the first Aragorn is deafening. All those 'Making of...' books and DVD discs crammed full of interviews, audio commentaries and behind-the-scenes features, unused footage etc, and there's barely a mention of the poor guy. It's like he's been airbrushed out of the picture completely.

Since they'd been filming for a couple of days, before he 'left' (ie.  got royally fired) there must be footage of him in the role (plus rehearsal tapes, costume footage etc) but I bet you won't be seeing any of it turning up on any DVD Special Features menus anytime soon.

Don't kid yourself.  He went because of a big bust-up on set.  Which means a) everyone thought he was a twat, and/or b) he thought everyone else was a twat.






 

[Quirkafleeg]

yeah I noticed his lack of appearence in the 'official record'

Reading between the lines (and what Christopher Lee has said), and due to the hudge nature of the project I get the feeling that Jackson would not/could not tolerate any 'what's my motivation?', 'why do you want me to do this?', twatish behaviour and general fannying around on set and it was 'we are all in this together, get on with it'

Though it's a bit odd that they got all the way through pre-production, rehearsels etc before they realised they coudl nto work with him

[Tiplodocus]

Aaah. I just accepted what seemed like a perfectly logical and simple explaination when I should have gone searching for some conspiracy theory. I blame that nice Peter Jackson chap; he looks incapable of lying.  So I take it there's evidence of this bust up?  Ubergeek Harry KNowles famously visited the set - maybe he saw it? (or maybe he ate Townsend?)

Funnilly enough, I was watching SUPERMAN on DVD the other day and that has some great extras and "making of"s where they don't gloss over the fact that the producers got rid of Richard Donner desppite him turning in a critical and commersial blockbuster and hired Richard Lester for Superman II.  In the commentary when they are going over the credits Donner completely blanks the producers "Who are these guys?"

[GordonR]

>>Funnilly enough, I was watching SUPERMAN on DVD the other day and that has some great extras and "making of"s where they don't gloss over the fact that the producers got rid of Richard Donner

That's because that commentary was done more than 20 years after the film was made.  ie. it's all ancient history, and people are morel likely to speak the truth.

DVD commentaries are done more or less as standard now, and are often recorded *before* the film has even premiered at the cinema yet.  Remember that next time you listen to one: the people involved are still in the stage of endless interviews and promotion build-up to the film's release, and are in hype mode.  It's maybe uncoscious, but they're still trying to sell you the film, so don't neccesarily believe all the cosy stories they tell you about what a great time they had on set etc, since it may well be all bollocks.

This goes doubly so for the LotR stuff, which is part of a rolling three year process of marketing and publicity - ie. the release of the Two Towers DVD is also part of the promotional build-up for the cinema release of Return of the King.

We'll probably have to wait for the LotR 20th anniversary special edition boxed set to get any proper good dirt on who really hated/was shagging who on location...  ;->

[Art]

Crossroads had a "pop-up Britney" option. You can't tell me that was a hollow PR move.

[Richmond Clements]

'Funnilly enough, I was watching SUPERMAN on DVD the other day and that has some great extras and "making of"s where they don't gloss over the fact that the producers got rid of Richard Donner desppite him turning in a critical and commersial blockbuster and hired Richard Lester for Superman II. In the commentary when they are going over the credits Donner completely blanks the producers "Who are these guys?" '

Superman has a great commentary, one of the best I've heard. Donner is great, as from the distance of years (not to mention the sucess of things like Lethal Weapon) he does not give a fuck.

Link: rac

[Tiplodocus]

If there's footage of Liv Tyler shagging *anything* I'll buy it.

Bugger. Mister Rennie is, as is often the case, probably correct here. I think you've got a good potential starting point for one of your columns here.  Will Bish-OP do Thrill POwer Overload 2 in twenty years time and give us some really juicy gossip about the last few years?

I do seem to be being unbelievably niaive (and bad at speling) today.  I think I'll get back to being a miserable bitchy sod.