michaelomiya
12-06-2003, 12:33 PM
Obtained tickets to a KCET-sponsored, premiere event in Palm Springs last night. It was for an advanced showing of The Return of the King. The event was also emceed by Sir Ian McKellen, who gave a 15 min speech and was then interviewed for 45 minutes, prior to the showing of the movie.
If anyone is a fan of Tolkien or of the Peter Jackson-adaptation's, you WILL NOT be disappointed. This final episode of the trilogy brings all stories to a satisfying close, and with a finality that leaves no stone unturned.
We left LA at 3:30 and got in line at about 5:20pm. The auditorium was at full capacity (not surprisingly) at 548 attendees, and very well behaved! (maybe it was the $50 face price/ticket).
The lecture by Sir Ian included discussions on his filmology, the cast and crew of the LOTR's, New Zealand (which he characterized as "God's Country" and very progressive w/ a woman as prime minister, and several openly gay council persons!), thoughts and insights into the field of acting, and closed w/ a monologue from Hamlet. The guy's got experience, insight and a prescence that illuminates the stage - and it's this gift that makes his protrayal of "Gandalf the White" so compelling.
After several anectdotes about the making of the movies and Rings fans around the world, he bid the audience farewell and the first official public screening commenced.
A perfect movie.
If anyone is a fan of Tolkien or of the Peter Jackson-adaptation's, you WILL NOT be disappointed. This final episode of the trilogy brings all stories to a satisfying close, and with a finality that leaves no stone unturned.
We left LA at 3:30 and got in line at about 5:20pm. The auditorium was at full capacity (not surprisingly) at 548 attendees, and very well behaved! (maybe it was the $50 face price/ticket).
The lecture by Sir Ian included discussions on his filmology, the cast and crew of the LOTR's, New Zealand (which he characterized as "God's Country" and very progressive w/ a woman as prime minister, and several openly gay council persons!), thoughts and insights into the field of acting, and closed w/ a monologue from Hamlet. The guy's got experience, insight and a prescence that illuminates the stage - and it's this gift that makes his protrayal of "Gandalf the White" so compelling.
After several anectdotes about the making of the movies and Rings fans around the world, he bid the audience farewell and the first official public screening commenced.
A perfect movie.