The Hobbit to be filmed in the UK?

[thatone1967]

Martin Freeman has been cast as Bilbo Baggins, and apparently due to industrial action in New Zealand, they are looking at alternative filming locations, UK Included..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11604...

[Einion Yrth]

They'd struggle to 'cast' the misty mountains in the UK. The pennines just won't do it.

[SkinnyBoy]

plenty of gollums to choose from though

[whirligig]

Einion Yrth said:

They'd struggle to 'cast' the misty mountains in the UK. The pennines just won't do it.

I dunno - having driven through Glencoe the other day there are misty mountains aplenty.

[Halb]

Great news! I wonder who is casting

[Jasandjules]

Well I guess that saves on Make-up money........

[ewenm]

thatone1967 said:

Martin Freeman has been cast as Bilbo Baggins, and apparently due to industrial action in New Zealand, they are looking at alternative filming locations, UK Included..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11604...

I read that as Morgan Freeman and got confused

[Halb]

Like the Wiz back in the 70s, bt thi shall be called the Hoob.

[MGZRod]

ewenm said:

thatone1967 said:

Martin Freeman has been cast as Bilbo Baggins, and apparently due to industrial action in New Zealand, they are looking at alternative filming locations, UK Included..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11604...

I read that as Morgan Freeman and got confused

Glad it wasn't just me

Was a bit like "Eh?!"

[grumbledoak]

Stupid Unions, could cost them badly.

Still, we've got some great mountains in Scotland. And no shortage of extras with hairy feet.

[Halb]

grumbledoak said:

Stupid Unions, could cost them badly.

Still, we've got some great mountains in Scotland. And no shortage of extras with hairy feet.

and lots of goblins?

[FasterFreddy]

They don't need mountains. Just a big render farm

[Don]

FasterFreddy said:

They don't need mountains. Just a big render farm

This. They'll be using a vast amount of CGI anyway so why not go ahead and do the scenery!

[davido140]

Weren't locations in middle earth based on places around the UK when Tolkein wrote the books?

[grumbledoak]

davido140 said:

Weren't locations in middle earth based on places around the UK when Tolkein wrote the books?

The Hobbits were the English, the Shire the Home Counties. Mordor was Basingstoke.

[mybrainhurts]

whirligig said:

Einion Yrth said:

They'd struggle to 'cast' the misty mountains in the UK. The pennines just won't do it.

I dunno - having driven through Glencoe the other day there are misty mountains aplenty.

...Winnats Pass is nearer and more compact

[ViperPict]

grumbledoak said:

davido140 said:

Weren't locations in middle earth based on places around the UK when Tolkein wrote the books?

The Hobbits were the English, the Shire the Home Counties. Mordor was Basingstoke.

Apparently The Shire was based on Aberdeenshire, as homage by Tolkein to one of the original Victorian fantasy writers, George MacDonald.

[davido140]

grumbledoak said:

davido140 said:

Weren't locations in middle earth based on places around the UK when Tolkein wrote the books?

Mordor was Basingstoke.

I live in Basingstoke, from now on I'm going to refer to it as Mordor!

[Einion Yrth]

whirligig said:

Einion Yrth said:

They'd struggle to 'cast' the misty mountains in the UK. The pennines just won't do it.

I dunno - having driven through Glencoe the other day there are misty mountains aplenty.

The misties are supposed to be of alpine stature: Bidean nam bian, while impressive, isn't.

[Halb]

davido140 said:

Weren't locations in middle earth based on places around the UK when Tolkein wrote the books?

The English bits like the Shire were parts of where he grew up, and the goblins technology was the way industrialisation was moving through the Midlands. Doubt he lived near anything like the Lonely mountain or the Misty Mountains.
edit, though I think the desolation of Smaug may also be connect to industrialisation.

Edited by Halb on Monday 25th October 09:58