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“It could have been the biggest flop in movie history – the decision to shoot not two but three films at once. Had ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ failed to impress audiences and critics alike, what hope would there have been for the two films that followed? And yet our very own Peter Jackson has achieved the unthinkable – with ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ and ‘The Two Towers’ rated amongst the top ten highest grossing films of all time, the final instalment in the trilogy, ‘The Return of the King’, has opened to rave reviews.
“The story of Peter Jackson and his creation of Tolkien’s Middle Earth at the bottom of the world has captured international attention. How did this unassuming New Zealander do it? And not only that, but do it in his own backyard with a predominantly local crew, far away from the hype of the Hollywood machine? In this 3 Special from ABC News, American correspondent Jay Schadler reports on what has become The Lord of the Rings phenomenon.
“Granted exclusive access to cast, crew and sets during the final days of filming for ‘The Return of the King’, Schadler spent an entire day with Peter Jackson, gaining a unique insight into both the director’s methods and creative vision for the film to end them all. He witnessed first hand the wizardry of Weta Workshop and was also privy to life off the set for the tight knit cast.
“Inside LOTR: Return of the King features practical jokes, anecdotes and an all round willingness to share something of what can only be described as a life changing experience. But perhaps the last word here should go to Sir Ian McKellen, who could be speaking for everyone, cast and crew, when he says, ‘It’s about doing something that really matters, which is doing your best against the most amazing odds.’” - TV3 publicity.