Sunday, March 20, 2005
"Now is the age of the Queen..."
I have been incredibly fortunate in the kindness of my friends since I have gotten back from New Zealand. One of the many kindnesses I have received was a ticket to see Peter Jackson speak at the State Theatre last weekend (as an added bonus, interviewed by David Stratton).
As I've mentioned previously, I have been a great fan of Peter Jackson for many years. I can remember incredibly clearly how I found out about him. It was around 1992ish, and I had a strange fixation on Russ Meyer films. I had picked up a street press magazine because it had a retrospective article on Russ Meyer (titled, I recall, "Storm in a D Cup"). On the opposite page was an interview with some Kiwi bloke about the freaky zombie flick he'd just made. I read the article, captured as I was by a description of the gore effects. So far as I can remember, somewhere in the interview, Peter Jackson commented that he'd made the film because a friend had a whole lot of animal innards on hand, and he'd thought that the best way to use them was to make a movie about zombies. Just the idea that you would (and could!) make a film because you had some materials kicking about blew me away. I vowed to see the movie when I got a chance, and eventually managed to catch it (where, I can't remember).
I kept my eye out for Peter Jackson's movies after that, always falling in love with the worlds that he created. And when the news finally leaked out that he was making the Lord of the Rings trilogy, my first reaction was not "Yay!! Finally, Lord of the Rings movies!!" but "Yay!! Finally, Peter Jackson is getting the work and recognition he deserves!!" I was absolutely convinced he would create a complete world, an emotionally resonant world, and that I would once again fall in love with it. And I did.
So, as you can imagine, I was tremendously excited to see him in person, and he really did not disappoint. He looked tired and seemed a little spaced, but given that he's still in principal photography for King Kong, that's not surprising. I was also slightly taken aback by his physical change - not quite so hobbitish any more. It was wonderful of him to give his time to support the LotR exhibition that has been travelling the globe.
The question and answer session didn't really cover new ground, but the humour and emotion that he brought was really engaging. My favourite moment was definitely when he was asked the question "When did you first read LotR?" and the answer he gave wandered into how he made Bad Taste over 7 years, with no funding, with his friends as cast and crew. And then in the middle of an answer to a different question he stopped for a moment and said "I never did tell you when I read LotR, did I?"
He kindly brought his own dvd of outtakes to show a deeply deeply appreciative audience. As Neb said to me afterwards, "I don't want to see Aragorn or Gandalf in outtakes - but fuck it was funny!!" There was an element of "Noooo!! Aragorn and an Uzi, it's all shades of wrong!!" but mostly it was a wonderful example of the willingness of the cast and crew to not only produce such strong work, but to take the mick occasionally (and very funnily). And flub (and ad lib) their lines beautifully ;) "They've gone into Fangorn? What the fuck did they do that for?!"
It was a truly amazing, and probably once in a lifetime experience, to share in Peter Jackson's passion, humour and memories of his life thus far as a writer/director. The memory of those two hours, in the darkened State Theatre, surrounded on all sides by other Peter Jackson fans (whether for LotR alone or all of his films, it doesn't matter), is very precious for me, and I feel very lucky to have been there. And the standing ovation he received at the end of the lecture was the tribute and thanks that we all gave for the joy and wonder (and occasional grossness) that he has given us over the years.
Bring on King Kong!
As I've mentioned previously, I have been a great fan of Peter Jackson for many years. I can remember incredibly clearly how I found out about him. It was around 1992ish, and I had a strange fixation on Russ Meyer films. I had picked up a street press magazine because it had a retrospective article on Russ Meyer (titled, I recall, "Storm in a D Cup"). On the opposite page was an interview with some Kiwi bloke about the freaky zombie flick he'd just made. I read the article, captured as I was by a description of the gore effects. So far as I can remember, somewhere in the interview, Peter Jackson commented that he'd made the film because a friend had a whole lot of animal innards on hand, and he'd thought that the best way to use them was to make a movie about zombies. Just the idea that you would (and could!) make a film because you had some materials kicking about blew me away. I vowed to see the movie when I got a chance, and eventually managed to catch it (where, I can't remember).
I kept my eye out for Peter Jackson's movies after that, always falling in love with the worlds that he created. And when the news finally leaked out that he was making the Lord of the Rings trilogy, my first reaction was not "Yay!! Finally, Lord of the Rings movies!!" but "Yay!! Finally, Peter Jackson is getting the work and recognition he deserves!!" I was absolutely convinced he would create a complete world, an emotionally resonant world, and that I would once again fall in love with it. And I did.
So, as you can imagine, I was tremendously excited to see him in person, and he really did not disappoint. He looked tired and seemed a little spaced, but given that he's still in principal photography for King Kong, that's not surprising. I was also slightly taken aback by his physical change - not quite so hobbitish any more. It was wonderful of him to give his time to support the LotR exhibition that has been travelling the globe.
The question and answer session didn't really cover new ground, but the humour and emotion that he brought was really engaging. My favourite moment was definitely when he was asked the question "When did you first read LotR?" and the answer he gave wandered into how he made Bad Taste over 7 years, with no funding, with his friends as cast and crew. And then in the middle of an answer to a different question he stopped for a moment and said "I never did tell you when I read LotR, did I?"
He kindly brought his own dvd of outtakes to show a deeply deeply appreciative audience. As Neb said to me afterwards, "I don't want to see Aragorn or Gandalf in outtakes - but fuck it was funny!!" There was an element of "Noooo!! Aragorn and an Uzi, it's all shades of wrong!!" but mostly it was a wonderful example of the willingness of the cast and crew to not only produce such strong work, but to take the mick occasionally (and very funnily). And flub (and ad lib) their lines beautifully ;) "They've gone into Fangorn? What the fuck did they do that for?!"
It was a truly amazing, and probably once in a lifetime experience, to share in Peter Jackson's passion, humour and memories of his life thus far as a writer/director. The memory of those two hours, in the darkened State Theatre, surrounded on all sides by other Peter Jackson fans (whether for LotR alone or all of his films, it doesn't matter), is very precious for me, and I feel very lucky to have been there. And the standing ovation he received at the end of the lecture was the tribute and thanks that we all gave for the joy and wonder (and occasional grossness) that he has given us over the years.
Bring on King Kong!
