Best and Worst Techie Moments in LotR - Page 2

AL.D · 04-10-2004, 10:32 AM

The Lord of the Ring’s films are amazing examples of how to combine CGI effects, miniatures, and camera techniques successfully. The clever use of duplicate big and small sets, combined with forced perspective tracking shots in Fellowship of the Ring is second to none, and the big Minas Tirith shots in Return of the King are some of the best model-work I’ve ever seen in a movie. And then there is Gollum. Has ANY other film even come close to creating this kind of believability in a CGI character? I mean, Yoda was good, but…!
Of course there were dodgey shots too, and it’s a relief to see that WETA aren’t perfect. I cringed at the terrible keying as Frodo ran toward the Crack of Doom, and sucked my teeth as the population knelt in front of the Hobbits in RotK revealing some far from perfect blue-screen. Did anyone else notice the wide, helicopter track-in to Edoras in RotK where the smoke flowed INTO the chimney’s and the flags flapped backwards as it had obviously been reversed?
Maybe not. Maybe this is merely my own personal area of pedantry that deserves to be ignored. Or perhaps you DID spot a few dodgey filmaking tricks and are dying to show how eagle-eyed you.

Here are my best and worst techie bits:

They got it right with:
1) Gollum. Brilliant in TT, even better in RotK.
2) Minas Tirith miniature. Amazing detail.
3) Fire FX on Balrog and Balrog animation
4) Great sound editing in the Mines of Moria. There is no music during the first part of the battle with the cave troll, and it is so much more intense because of it.
5) Eagles appearing out of the clouds in Mordor. Beautiful design, fab animation, 100% Tolkien.
6) Mumakil. Wonderful animation and design. I got the same thrill as I got from seeing the At-At walkers in Empire Strikes back.

They let it slip with:
1) Frodo sliding along the ground in RotK as he enters the Crack of Doom
2) Gadalf standing on the broken Bridge of Kazad-Dum with the Balrog in foreground in FotR. Terribly keyed…and used again in the intro to RotK.
3) ‘You bow to no-one’ but you don’t chroma-key so good in RotK
4) Osgiliath. Looked like a set.

04-10-2004, 10:32 AM	#1
AL.D Sapling Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: London Posts: 13	Best and Worst Techie Moments in LotR The Lord of the Ring’s films are amazing examples of how to combine CGI effects, miniatures, and camera techniques successfully. The clever use of duplicate big and small sets, combined with forced perspective tracking shots in Fellowship of the Ring is second to none, and the big Minas Tirith shots in Return of the King are some of the best model-work I’ve ever seen in a movie. And then there is Gollum. Has ANY other film even come close to creating this kind of believability in a CGI character? I mean, Yoda was good, but…! Of course there were dodgey shots too, and it’s a relief to see that WETA aren’t perfect. I cringed at the terrible keying as Frodo ran toward the Crack of Doom, and sucked my teeth as the population knelt in front of the Hobbits in RotK revealing some far from perfect blue-screen. Did anyone else notice the wide, helicopter track-in to Edoras in RotK where the smoke flowed INTO the chimney’s and the flags flapped backwards as it had obviously been reversed? Maybe not. Maybe this is merely my own personal area of pedantry that deserves to be ignored. Or perhaps you DID spot a few dodgey filmaking tricks and are dying to show how eagle-eyed you. Here are my best and worst techie bits: They got it right with: 1) Gollum. Brilliant in TT, even better in RotK. 2) Minas Tirith miniature. Amazing detail. 3) Fire FX on Balrog and Balrog animation 4) Great sound editing in the Mines of Moria. There is no music during the first part of the battle with the cave troll, and it is so much more intense because of it. 5) Eagles appearing out of the clouds in Mordor. Beautiful design, fab animation, 100% Tolkien. 6) Mumakil. Wonderful animation and design. I got the same thrill as I got from seeing the At-At walkers in Empire Strikes back. They let it slip with: 1) Frodo sliding along the ground in RotK as he enters the Crack of Doom 2) Gadalf standing on the broken Bridge of Kazad-Dum with the Balrog in foreground in FotR. Terribly keyed…and used again in the intro to RotK. 3) ‘You bow to no-one’ but you don’t chroma-key so good in RotK 4) Osgiliath. Looked like a set.