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Day 4 - Two Towers, One Party (Page 5 of 6)Click here for Day 1 report Click here for Day 2 report Click here for Day 3 reportBack to Page 4 of Day 4 report Forward to Page 6 of Day 4 report Move mouse over any picture for explanatory text Click on any picture to see a larger version. VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS WEB SITE ARE THE PERSONAL OPINION OF IAN SMITH AND DO NOT IN ANY WAY REFLECT THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF DECIPHER, THE OFFICIAL FAN CLUB MAGAZINE OR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS OF THEONERING.NET (TORn) |
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Andy Serkis proved to be another celebrity that nearly passed us by in the Press lobby. Fortunately I'd got the hang of it by now (be as loud
as possible!) and shouted to him for a photo for the fan club magazine. He stood patiently and flashed a 'Peace' sign at us (see below left) and
was then gone.
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The reason for Andy's swift exit was soon to become clear - he was needed on stage! Aware of a lot of noise from the main hall, we headed for the stage area. We weren't allowed through to the main balcony as it was apparently full, so
made our way down to the main floor. The place was packed, but not so packed that it was impossible to get a few rows from the front. Arms with
cameras held over people's heads seemed to be everywhere!
There were a lot of people on the main stage. We'd unfortunately missed Dom and Billy arriving on stage and clowning around with the instruments left on stage by rock band Emerald Rose. But we did arrive in time to see most of the cast and crew being introduced to the audience by hosts Quickbeam and Sean Astin. The first person I remember seeing introduced was Bruce Hopkins, who leapt to the mic with a rousing, if accusatory, "Where were you when we needed you at Helm's Deep?!", which only made people cheer even louder. Sean made a brief reference to the political situation in Iraq, reprising his role as Sam in the movies after looking around at the audience and saying "When I look out I'm reminded that there is some good in this world", which got the expected reception (my ears were still ringing from the shrieks a few hours later). Sean - a man whose name it is apparently impossible to pronounce without using the prefix 'adorable', if this event's fans were anything to go by - effectively became the main host for what followed. He mentioned the short movie 'The Long and Short of It' which he directed, on location in New Zealand, and featuring cast and crew members from 'Lord of the Rings', including director Peter Jackson as a bus driver. To rapturous applause he announced, "We're pretty sure it will be included on the THEATRICAL release" (I'm assuming this means the first version, not the extended edition). A variety of oscar winners, art directors, and other cast members were introduced... and I wasn't taking notes. I do remember Billy and Dom messing around on the right hand side of the stage as different people were introduced. Billy started looking furtively and suspiciously at Dom, who did the same and the two started circling each other suspiciously. Alan Lee got one of the biggest cheers of the evening, and a reception which he later told us he thought was 'wonderful', introduced by Sean as "the man who broke his arm painting Rivendell". He seemed quite taken aback at the enthusiastic reception, and was one of several of the crew who turned the tables on the audience by producing a digital camera and taking pictures of the audience. Several of the crew wore the red TORn 'II' brooches that they had been sent to wish them luck for the oscars (and there was me, worrying about wearing my Weta pin for fear it would damage my tux - oops!) A special surprise was a live phone call from Peter Jackson who had avoided this year's party because of the political situation, not wanting to risk being delayed in Los Angeles with work to be done on 'Return of the King'. There were problems with PJ seemingly unable to hear everything Sean said, and with a lot of the audience not being able to properly hear what Peter said as the sound was being amplified through a distorted phone speaker. However the sentiment was very much appreciated and one could almost feel the sense of joyful revenge Sean Astin must have had in being able to say to his former director "You just have to speak.. slowly,... loudly,... and clearly". Dominic Monaghan strode up to the microphone and apologised for the fact that he and Billy had to leave straight after the stage appearance (they went on to the Vanity Fayre party): "Billy and I just realised we left the oven on. We've got to go!", he explained. There was one final surprise before the guests left the main stage, some 15 minutes after they'd arrived. Quickbeam announced an award, specially made by SideShow Weta Collectibles in place of "what should have been a real one" - christened 'The Golden Gandalf' award! This was given to Barrie Osborne for "a stunning, stellar and outstanding achievement in film making" and rounded off the proceedings nicely with Barrie announcing "The Spirit of the Rings carries on" and mentioning the reshoots that would be happening in New Zealand in May and June. Susan spoke to Barrie after the stage appearance, and asked him how he felt about the reception he'd got from the fans. "It's very weird.", he said "I'm not used to that. I thought 'Wow! Am I a rock star or what?!'. It's like I'm behind the camera - people don't know me, [so] it's thrilling. It's great to be a part of something which has fired people's imagination." Reaction to all the stage appearances was pretty euphoric (as it should have been - at the risk of sounding horribly gushy, we were truly honoured as fans to have all these guests show up at our party). I did hear one or two people voicing a complaint that the whole thing felt too much like a convention or a 'rock concert' and not the intimate 'mixing with the stars' party they had expected! Well, duh! The reality is that 'Lord of the Rings' is so huge now, I think it is impossible for any event with even just a single member of the cast present to be anything else other than a big event with an audience that wouldn't be out of place at a big convention or rock gig. But does any of that matter? Was this event 'special'? Undoubtedly! And, forgive my cynicism, but it will be amusing to hear next year, when I imagine the event will be even bigger, all those for whom this was their first TORn oscar party complaining about how much more 'intimate' this year was ;-)! Expectations for next year are worryingly high ("it's gonna be our year") and let's hope the movie franchise at last wins some of the more high profile Oscars. But the pressure on cast and crew to attend other celebratory events will be such that I would be surprised if we ever see such a large turnout of cast and crew as we saw at this event, particularly given that one or two of the cast were subject to some quite scary mobbing. Was the party 'fun' for the special guests? I have no idea (although I have my suspicions!). However, on the surface, things look positive and it is quite amazing that on Oscar night, of all nights, the cast and crew should choose to honour the fans with their presence. "Just walking into this kind of environment is lovely you know", Dominic Monaghan had said earlier, when asked how this fan party compared with other parties he went to. Fingers crossed for next year, then! You might expect this report to end here. But several of the cast, crew and Oscar winners stayed on and relaxed in the upstairs area of the club, which gave Susan and I a chance to try and grab some more pictures and quotes. Those will have to wait until the next (and final) page of this report. In the meantime, there was a snippet of the chat with Dom that I left out of the previous page's report. Prior to his appearing on the main stage with other cast and crew, Susan asked Dom if he was still on the Internet. Here's what he had to say: "Not as much as I used to be, but I will be because I've just bought a new computer. I don't go on sites so much. There's a site on the internet with a photo of me with Billy and Elijah and Orlando and I think Sean Bean and Viggo having sex!" How did that picture come about? "Goodness me, I don't know. I think it was a head replacement thing or", he added with a wink in his eye, "maybe it was just a drunk night in, in Wellington, New Zealand!" While you're waiting for me to process the last page of pictures (which include my personal favourite of all the pictures I took - one of Ethan Van der Ryn, with his oscar in one hand and a beer bottle in the other) you may want to read some of the other excellent party reports out there on the web... For a couple of excellent pictures of Andy Serkis (I'm so jealous!) amongst other things check out . North Westernesse Oscar Party report For an excellent report on the party, as viewed by one of the celebrities present, check out The official Bruce Hopkins web site. Or, for a more controversial review (more controversial than iansmith.co.uk? How can this be?! ;-)), check out Sam Cook (Yarlindi)'s party report. Click here for NEXT page of report on Two Towers, One Party Click here for PREVIOUS page of report on Two Towers, One Party |
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Don't forget you can check out reports of lots of other Lord of the Rings -themed events in the Web Logs section |
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| Email: ian@iansmith.co.uk |