Favourite Miniature/Big-ature

[Saruman]

If you have the Collector's DVD Edition of FOTR, you'll know what I mean when I say how great the Miniatures (or, as Weta appropriately titled them, 'big-atures') were. Miniatures were superimposed into live action and CGI, creating many large scale shots such as the awesome shots of Barad Dur, and the pan over Isengard's mines. Which one amazed you the most? I can't decide.lol

[Kenzie]

i thought lothlorien was great with the trees and all!!!

[Enelya]

definetly Barad-dur. it was every thing i imagined it to be. it just looked evil, tho Lothlorien was also very cool:thumbs:

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

I chose Orthanc. I've seen it being created. I thought it was pretty cool :thumbs:

[Bonos-Girl]

i chose orthanc too....its so cool!! lol

[Elfdaughter]

OK...I chose 'other'. I saw the thing about how it was created, and it just amazed me. My choice is.....*drumroll*.............Imladris.

[Hobbit]

I go for the Argonath. I think that was a really cool Miniature.
It kinda resembles the glory of Numenor but also that their time is over.
It's great! :thumbs:

[Kenzie]

yhea orthantic was really cool ... but lothlorien was still my fav

i loved the how the buidings were twisted around the trees and the roots of the large trees were great. it wasn kinda how i imagined it... but better

[Hobbit]

Wasn't there a painting of Lothlorien with the houses spun into the trees?
Or was that made after the film?
Anyway Lothlorien was cool, but I stay with the Argonath: when the fellowship passes it I get the feeling like they enter an old, longlost realm and I get some kinda "mythical" feeling.
Anyway it's great.

[Kenzie]

on the EE DVD when they were explaining how they did the argornath. they put a lot up detail in it ... they even put into consideration that when it was being bulit (like if the gondorains or who ever really built it and it was a real thing.) that at some point it could no longer be carved out ouf the mountian (or whatever that was) and they would have to carry up blocks of stone. and if you really look you can see where the blocks begin!!

[Elfdaughter]

Yeah, I know. The detail in everything is so precise! It's fantastic.

[Kenzie]

i think it was funny how for somthings that they had to age they like smashed with rock s lol

[Hobbit]

Yeah. That had to be hard for the people of the disigningteam thought: they spend long days making statues and the first thing that they do with it is smashing it into pieces :(

[Kenzie]

yhea it must have been quite disapointing

[Lasgalen]

I didn't vote yet because I can't decide. I am leaning towards the Argonath because they looked so real.

[Kenzie]

yhe like i've said in the former they were great!!

[Catz]

i think as far as pure detail goes, you cant beat Rivendell.........that model was never meant to be seen at the resolution that it was finally seen at........that it held up under that sort of closeup just shows the kind of attention to detail that they displayed when making the model
:catz:

[Lasgalen]

All the models were great. That is why I can't pick one to vote on. They did a great job with the miniatures.

[Frodo's Love]

I do love the Argonath. Even after seeing the miniatures they still appear so big and real to me. When I watch that part of the movie where the Fellowship reaches them, I'm still deeply impressed. So here's my vote for the Argonath :grin:

[Beleriel]

I did love them all and it is VERY hard to choose I think.

But, in the end Ive gone for one you havent got there. Mainly because when I first saw it I was mind boggled. I remember thinking WOW what an amazing environment how did they DO that. It was in the Mines of Moria when they panned back, and back and back from the Fellowship, showing the vastness of the caverns of Moria.

It just blew me away. I was completely gobsmacked and sat with my mouth hanging open at the sight of it!

So MORIA gets my vote. ;)

[Lessa]

I put other because I couldn't decide. Like B I loved Moria but Imladris took my breathe away as did the elven city in the heart of Lothlorien.
Every single ''miniature'' had so much love and attention to detail poured into them that they stand up as works of art in their own right. Everything looked so totally believeable that they looked real.

Lessa

[Hobbit]

I agree there. Every miniature was great on it's own, and each had it's own special "feel" over it.
It's surprising how beatiful and realistic they managed to make something as unbelievable as entire palaces in trees at Lothlorien. Great job from the disigning team.

[Kenzie]

you can imagine how much time it must have taken to create every one of them to perfection ... and there is not way in wich i would change them

[Beleriel]

eh... imagine if they were to auction them off or something, after all the filming has ended!

Wouldnt THAT be cool. I wonder how much people would be prepared to pay to get their hands on one! Thousands I bet!

[Kenzie]

they would get A LOT of money lol

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

I would think tens of thousands might be more likely. lol Even a million maybe? Those people really put in a lot of effort on the miniatures! lol

[Saruman]

Remember how big the Barad Dur bigature was. That would definitely sell for a lot!

[Lasgalen]

Even if I had the money, Where would I put the thing? I wouldn't have room, although it would be really cool to own.

[Beleriel]

Oh I would find space somehow! The middle of the living room seems fine to me! roflmao

[Saruman]

It's a little taller than that...;)

[Beleriel]

so, I'd raise the roof! You can always find a solution to these problems! lol

I think I would love one of these big-atures and I would just prioritise the space for it!

haha... oh well! lol

[Hobbit]

I hope you'll one day be able to get one Bel (than you could send in lotsa pics so we can see them even better).

But if I would have made one myself I wouldn't sell it for all the money in the world.
I mean it's an unique monument of one of the greatest filmprojects ever. Not to mention the ammount of time it took to make one.

[Beleriel]

Yeah, sadly I think you are right Hobbit. I was just dreaming I guess!

I dont think the general public will get a single look in at ANY props from the films really...... I cant see it. But it would be just so cool to get your hands on anything really wouldnt it?

[Lasgalen]

They should make a LotR museum for all the cool props and costumes.

[Saruman]

So for ROTK, the bigatures we'll see are:
Minas Tirith (saw a little of it FOTR)
Minas Morgul (we've only seen the gates)
Cirith Ungol
The Grey Havens

[Periantari Andruil]

yeah i can't wait :whoohoo:
all right for my favorites..i cannot decide either... all were really well done... but when i first saw the choices, i would have to go with the caverns of Moria because it was just really awesome. (and the music that went along with it was great) =)
Argonath (for the detail and the realness), Barad-dur (for the lava on bottom) and Lothlorien (for the sheer beauty and the workmanship they needed to do on it) are all really well done and are also my favorites (hehe i like all, what can i say?) ;)
... but then others said Rivendell which was also sooo beautifully done (especially like the scenes when Frodo is looking out from the balcony and when the Fellowship is leaving Rivendell) ... so i really can't decide =)

[Hobbit]

Every realm got it's own beauty (sometimes a weird kinda beauty like the Barad Dûr, but it has got this really evil kinda beauty)
But I just love the Argonath a bit more then the rest for the first time I saw the Argonath I got the chills.
It's just the... "power" of the scéne and the statues and the great music that goes along with it..

[Kenzie]

yhea expesialy when they went past the ginat foot!!!

[Lasgalen]

For a sneak preview of Grey Havens (Puertos Grises), go to:
http://www.elfenomeno.com/peliculas/multimedia/versec.php?id=91&nombre=Puertos%20Grises

I was a little disappointed. Not my idea of an Elven Haven.

[Kenzie]

hhmmm ... well not exactly mine either .... but that may not be the finished product... and they haven't added mist and lighting and stuff like that yet ... we'll just have to wait and see

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

Huh? That thing with some stairways and a dome with flowery patterns is the Grey Havens??
Oh well, but as Kenz says, they haven't added in all the special effects... you know... mist, lighting, tranquil music, and the elves. Nothing like good atmosphere to bring out the beauty of a scene. Have faith in PJ's special effects crew. lol

[Hobbit]

I agree with Win..
and also you don't see the background yet: I mean the mountains, the forests and the white tower on the back and the view over the sea, the seaguls flying over..... that should make it alot more like an elfharbor
But I myself didn't expected too much of the Grey Havens (for one I don't think anything grey can look really... well... beautiful and full of life in the way like the elfrealms we've seen before.... but that's just my two cents)
Besides I think since Lothlorien and Rivendell are the prettiest realms they didn't want Grey Havens to have the same feel as they did.

[Bonos-Girl]

i think grey can be beautiful, depending on the shade of greay of course! if they had soft greys, maybe slightly blue-ish greys or something...

it doesn't look too bad...and with special effects and stuff it might look quite good in the end...

[Hobbit]

Yup, I think in the end it would look perfectly for the scénes I've got no doubt about that. :)
Grey can be beautiful but not in the way we've seen the elvenrealms so far like Lothlorien and Rivendell. A sober and grey elfharbor is just great for the sadness of the passing of the elves and the last goodbye to Frodo, Gandalf and the elflords.

[Lasgalen]

You are right, Win. Once they add effects and Elves, it should look much better.

[Kenzie]

i actually had tears when sam and frodo were saying goodbye. so when i picture the grey havens i picture it with a lot of mist as the thing theat would really make it seem grey... like a fog kind of a thing

[Hobbit]

The only image I had of the Grey Havens when I read the book was a grey dock with a white elvenship departing over the endless sea while the night falls with a strong seawind blowing in the Hobbits faces and seagulls flying in the clouded over as if they we're waving the elves goodbye...
I'll be happy if we see something like that in the movie.
I hope the city looks a bit foggy like you said Kenzie.

[Kenzie]

yhea i never really thought about much except for a dock with fog lol lol ... but the place looked sad to me

[Bonos-Girl]

i pictured quite light mist, but quite kinda thick at the same time....i dunno how to explain it really.....

[Kenzie]

like they just disapeared once they set sail.. i think once it's a finished product it will suit the amoshpere

[Bonos-Girl]

yep, kinda like that...it'd be so cool!!

[Kenzie]

yhea i hope they do a good job ... cause it's like the last scene in the trilogy ... and really important showing that frodo found peace

[Hobbit]

That would be cool, but I hope the last scénes are kinda like an epilogue (we've already seen an prologue) when we see what happenes to the other members of the fellowship. I so hope the last shot is Sam setting sail and then sees a glimp of Valinor..
(I've read somewhere that the last we will see is Arwen's death and then Galadriel would say something like: And with the passing of the Evenstar the history of the great queste of the Ring has ended and non now live who remember it..)
But back to topic: the grey havens will be as touching as it should when the effects are added.

[Kenzie]

i just want to coment on what you said before we change- yhea i thing that and epoluge would be the best way to go that you say it.

i thought it was cool how they had artists go to locations and dray in buildings for the imladerous set... very good idea

[Gwaihir]

All of them were very realistic and I had hard time deciding. But in the end I have decided on Orthanc. It was very cool and looked very real. I like the circle around the tower, too. :)

[Luvara]

I decided on the Argonath!

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

The Argonath's really grand :thumbs:
But I voted for Orthanc :grin:

[Frodo's Love]

Originally posted by Hobbit
The only image I had of the Grey Havens when I read the book was a grey dock with a white elvenship departing over the endless sea while the night falls with a strong seawind blowing in the Hobbits faces and seagulls flying in the clouded over as if they we're waving the elves goodbye...
I'll be happy if we see something like that in the movie.
I also hope to see something like that in the movie. Sad, but yet hopeful. I think PJ will make the Grey Havens look absolutely stunning.
I know now already that I will cry my eyes out...mecry

[Kenzie]

i may not cry my eyes out but i will certianly shed some tears (thats what happend when i read the book :blush: lol)

i really like lothlorien ... i lived the desighn of it and how the buildings twisted up the trees

[Hobbit]

Lothlorien is great... the disign is tunning and the effect overwelming

I'm glad we've seen those pics of Grey Havens.
Sure they don't look like an elfharbor now, but I can't wait to see at the sea in light fog, with the white tower in the distance and the perfect special effects, the best music and of course the "feel" of joy, friendship, sadness and grief at the same time...
This might just become my fave bigature then

[Kenzie]

yhea that might just be!! it just needs some fixin up and it should suit the purpose perfectly!!

[Beleriel]

Originally posted by Lasgalen
For a sneak preview of Grey Havens (Puertos Grises), go to:
http://www.elfenomeno.com/peliculas/multimedia/versec.php?id=91&nombre=Puertos%20Grises

I was a little disappointed. Not my idea of an Elven Haven.

Oh! I dont think that looks right at all! There's far too much stone! It looks like a construction of men!! :o

I always imagined the Grey Havens to be a sandy shore, with wonderful trees overhanging it and the 'grey' bit referring to the misty weather predominant there...

*reels with the shock* I cant get over that! I think I need some chocolate to comfort me!!!!! :o lol

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

*hands Bel some choco*

heh... you thought it was at the seaside? :p I doubt the ships would be able to draw near the shore/beach though lol

[Kenzie]

yhea thats true they'd get scraped by rocks and we'd have a titanic remake!! lol

anyway...

i didn't imagine as much stone too.. but i did imagine some... but lets hope they do add some trees though B, the elves are very outdoorsie and it would only look right.. but like we've said before i think that when the special effects are added (including fog and mist) that it will tur out fine!!

[Hobbit]

I actually imagined lotsa stone. It was in fact a city and the region it was located in was a hill-land. and Wins right: the ships might strand at the shore..... although elvenships might be light and graceful enough to avoid that lol

I'm sure the Grey Havens will be great when all the extra stuff like special effects are added. It will most probably live up to my expectations... and I hope everyone else's aswell

[Kenzie]

yes i belive they will live up to mine too... my magination is pretty flexible! lol

[Hobbit]

lol Mine too lol
But I do prefer to have at least some kinda view about how it should look like and the way it looks now I think it does...
Can't wait to see a kind of view over the Grey Havens in the movie, so we can see all of it...

[Kenzie]

yhea i ssoo can't wait for ROTK to come out!! what other bigatures or minatures will be in ROTK.... mount doom?

[Hobbit]

Guess so..... and of course the black gate, Minas Tirith, Osgiliath and Cirith Umgol.... can't wait to see them all...
I wouldn't be surprised if one of them became my new fave...

[Kenzie]

OoOo minus tirith!! yay i can't wait for the white city!!! i hope they make it stunning!! i have seen so many interpertations of it!! i hope they like combinde them all or somthing!! just so long as they have they seven levels!!

[Hobbit]

Well, in FotR Minas Tirith was already seen, when Gandalf goes to read the account of Isildur...

The city looks quite cool: it's built against a mountain

[Kenzie]

woops i guess i don't pay attention that much ... but i kinda think i remember... must go watch the movie again lol

[Hobbit]

Well, in FotR Minas Tirith was already seen, when Gandalf goes to read the account of Isildur...

The city looks quite cool: it's built against a mountain and it has seven leves..
I love it when you see Gandalf at the hill looking at Gondor and Mordor in the distance: you see shadow coming from Mordor, while the sun brightly shines over Minas Tirith and over Osgiliath the shadow and the light come together in a sort of grey...
Minas Tirith is gonna be a great Big/miniature :)

[Kenzie]

thanks for renewing my memory hob!! yes i do recal that now... i justcan't wait to see more of it shall i say!!

[Luvara]

I think Mount Doom will be pretty cool! :thumbs:

[Kenzie]

yhea it will be i can't wait to see the battle at pleanor feilds.. but thats kinda off topic

[Luvara]

yeah! lol

[Hobbit]

:nono: In Win's absense I think I will have to play the party pooper lol
Try to keep on topic people, there are plenty other places to discuss the Pellenor Fields, but only one to discuss our favourite Bigature or miniature...
So as much as I love you two, try to stay on topic... thanks lol
Say did anyone like Barad Dur (not in the way like wanting to live there but as miniature/bigature)
I thought it was perfect as a dark palace and I couldn't believ me eyes the first time a saw the overview over the castle in FotR: it just looked so creepy and scary as it should :o
The Argonath is myn fave but Barad Dur is a great and amazing big/miniature aswell..

[Luvara]

lol sorry!
yes, I really liked Barad Dur, it looked like I expected it to do... Pretty scary, but very good! :thumbs:

[Beleriel]

erm... just to justify my comments about The Grey Havens... I imagined that the boats would anchor offshore and that they would get into ickle boats to go out to it! If you see what I mean?

hmmm... Ive seen some pics somewhere of the miniature of Minas Morgul..... now where was it? ...... it looks pretty cool... Ill see if I can go and find it! *thinks deeply* hmmm......

[Hobbit]

I totally forgot about Minas Morgul! I would love to see them Beleriel..... is it such an evil place as we all think :grin:

And about the Grey Havens: it's possible, but I believe Frodo and Gandalf boarded the main ship and not an ickle boat.
I love your thinking though :grin:
I would so love to see an overview of the Grey Havens in the movie so we can see how it's supposed to look like.... and so we can check out the great miniature...

[Kenzie]

lol i totaly forgot about minus morgal too!! hehe that should be neat as well!!

[Beleriel]

oh.... *disappointed* I found the pictures... they are not very good! I dont think its worth posting them really.

If you want to look for yourselves they are at this link...

www.herr-der-ringe-film.de - Mordor

If you go to the index and onto Minas Morgul they are there. But you cant see an awful lot.

Edit: er well I cant get the link to work either. If you want to look copy and paste it into the address bar..... it works that way! :rolleyes:

[Kenzie]

yhea the coppie and pasting does work! your a great pic finder B lol

[Saruman]

It doesn't work when I copy and paste it either.

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

Originally posted by Hobbit
:nono: In Win's absense I think I will have to play the party pooper lol
Try to keep on topic people, there are plenty other places to discuss the Pellenor Fields, but only one to discuss our favourite Bigature or miniature...


lol That's very kind of you lol Thanks very much. I'd have freaked out if I came back to see this thread turn into a 'fave scene' topic lol

Hey picture ranger (referring to Bel lol), for once, your link doesn't work... even when I copied and pasted it.

[Hobbit]

Win, you're welcome ;) :thumbs:

And the link doesn't work for me too Bel... :(

[Lasgalen]

Originally posted by Beleriel
Oh! I dont think that looks right at all! There's far too much stone! It looks like a construction of men!! :o

I always imagined the Grey Havens to be a sandy shore, with wonderful trees overhanging it and the 'grey' bit referring to the misty weather predominant there...

*reels with the shock* I cant get over that! I think I need some chocolate to comfort me!!!!! :o lol Funny you should say that. I posted Grey Haven pics on another board, and the response was that they thought maybe it was Minas Tirith miniature instead of Grey Havens. Guess we will have to wait for the movie to find out.

[Kenzie]

ooo and i just can't wait to see and find out!!

[Luvara]

Originally posted by Lasgalen
Funny you should say that. I posted Grey Haven pics on another board, and the response was that they thought maybe it was Minas Tirith miniature instead of Grey Havens. Guess we will have to wait for the movie to find out.

do you still have those pics? :grin:

[Lasgalen]

Luvara,
I didn't download them, but they are still available for viewing at
http://www.elfenomeno.com/peliculas/multimedia/versec.php?id=91&nombre=Puertos%20Grises

[Kenzie]

they do have a very aged look wich is good... cause they were pretty old

[YayBoromir!]

I like the Argonath...they made a big impression on me after seeing the film, and I loved the way the creators thought about the quarrying of the rocks in the nearby hills...now that's attention to detail!

[Kenzie]

yhea i thought the hole quarrying thing was really cool too... i never would have though of that untill i saw the EE DVD... i loved it when they rowed past it and you saw the giant foot... i thought that was great!!

[Frodo's Love]

I felt quite small when I saw the Argonath on screen, and the effect didn't change for me actually, even after seeing the documentation on the EE DVD. They still impress me. You're right about the giant foot and the tiny boats. It looked stunning!

[Beleriel]

Originally posted by Winyaél Greenleaf
lol That's very kind of you lol Thanks very much. I'd have freaked out if I came back to see this thread turn into a 'fave scene' topic lol

Hey picture ranger (referring to Bel lol), for once, your link doesn't work... even when I copied and pasted it.

EEEK! cant have my reputation spoilt!! :o

try this link! for what its worth!

http://www.herr-der-ringe-film.de/v2/de/galerie/setsuszenen/minas-morgul/minas-morgul-1_1.php

HA! that one works! Although I dont think you can see very much in those pics! ;)

Is my reputation as picture Ranger restored yet?? (I LIKE that by the way..... very good! lol )

[Saruman]

It works this time! And, from what I can see, Minas Morgul is very impressive.

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

Wow! It does look great! And it achieved that evil and creepy feel too, as seen from the first pic. Thanks, Picture Ranger! lol

[Hobbit]

That looks great... so dark! :o
I first tought that shadow of a great batlike creature was on top of the tower (that was before I zoomed in)
The picture Ranger strikes again lol
I really hope we ge a good view of this miniature/bigature in the movie... that would rock

[Luvara]

oh! great pictures! I hope (and think) that Minas Morgul will be good in the movie! :thumbs:

[The Silmarillion]

I prefer the Argonath
the Special Extended DVD Version of 'The Lord of the Rings'

is just great ...
I am awaiting the second Version 'The Two Towers'

[Hobbit]

We all do ;)
Yes the Argonath is great. I choose it too:
it's perfect the way the statues are going over in the rocks.
And I love the part where they pass the big foot and you can see all the scratches and the small damage on the foot, showing that it;s ancient and belongs to a glorious time long gone.

[Lasgalen]

Yes, the attention to detail was extrordinary.

[Luvara]

It looks very real, like it's been standing there for thousands of years...

[The Silmarillion]

yeah, but what avout the 'Two Towers DVD'??

What do you think which kind of miniatures will be used
for the Special Extended Version of the Two Towers??
I think the two towers bârad-dur and orthanc (or other sculptures??)

Does someone know more about it?

[Saruman]

Well, someone at the Christopher Lee Web (http://christopherleeweb.com) found a picture of the Extended DVD packaging only yesterday. It looks like it will be a Gollum statuette. Go here (http://christopherleeweb.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54034).

[The Silmarillion]

Are you may be willing to send it to me
chinmoku@gmx.de or to post it here
because I can't see it

Here are also some pics:

http://free.ciserver.de/chinmoku/dvd_tt_enlarge.jpg

http://free.ciserver.de/chinmoku/dvdtwotowersthumbnail.jpg

http://free.ciserver.de/chinmoku/dvd5.jpg

http://free.ciserver.de/chinmoku/dvd4.jpg

http://free.ciserver.de/chinmoku/dvd3.jpg

http://free.ciserver.de/chinmoku/dvd2.jpg

[Luvara]

that's great! :thumbs:
back to topic...

In RotK, I wonder how Minas Morgul will look!

[The Silmarillion]

I have seen Minas Morgul
in the preview screenshots of game: The Return of the King

This was fantastic

[Hobbit]

Yes, The Silmarillion, the screenshots are very promissing..
Beleriel, our very own picture ranger posted some pics of Minas Morgul halfway down page seven of this thread, so people who haven't seen Minas Morgul yet can have another look at it.

I love the tower, especially the dark top... it seems to be shaped like a dark crown :thumbs:

[Luvara]

it looks very good, in a crepy way... :thumbs:

[Morgothian]

I think the Helmls Deep bigature was really good, but I think the Minas Tirith well be the best of them all. Just cause its such a awesome city the whole design of it is cool. So I am very much looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. Here is a link to the actual bigature its self.


http://www.theonering.net/scrapbook/group/816

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

Great pics, Morgothian. Now I have a clear idea of how huge the bigature is compared to people.
It's not very big, I realize, but it really looks huge in the movie.

[Saruman]

The miniatures are so fantastic, I want to shrink myself and live inside them!lol

[The Silmarillion]

lol
That would be my last wish ...
; )

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

No I wouldn't want to shrink myself lol I'll make the bigatures/minatures bigger! lol

[Hobbit]

Mini Saruman in mini Orthanc lol
That would rock! :thumbs:

It's cool to see that the huge structures in the movies are actually quite small comparred to humans.
It's strange to see

[The Silmarillion]

Yes, right I remind you of the Helm's Deep miniature
fantastic
but strange to see
The builders always had to bend down to continue building

[Hobbit]

Yes, but the result was well worth it. :thumbs:
Kinda cool that the special effects and the CGI was good enough to show us 10 000 people fighting on a miniature.
I also loved the black gate miniature: it looked almost as huge and impressive as Barad Dur and it really seemed like an unbreakable barrier.
Especially when you see it through the eyes of two small Hobbits (and gollum of course).
I think it's the best miniature in TTT.
My fave from FotR is still the Argonath.