Great story - Awful attempts at accents.

It is remarkable how often really strong readings are ruined by terrible attempts at accents. Case in point: British readers attempting New Zealand accents. If you can't do it justice consistently, just do not attempt it. Luckily it doesn't ruin what is a great story about a truly epic film production.

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Behind the curtain

Brilliant peak into the making of LOTR. It sets up all the pieces, from directors,producers, studio heads right down to stunt people. Then lovingly traces each of these people's origin story right up to the point where they start to work on the films. Even though I loved the extended edition documentaries, I didn't think that they were a little bit sanitized and a little overproduced. This account is the perfect balance to that, the trials and tribulations about how this story made it to the big screen is laid out in full.

Apart from all this it's just a fascinating look into the inner workings of the business of movie making.

Two thumbs way up!

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Behind the scenes of middle earth

A story in its own right. An excellent in sight into the highs and lows encountered to bring the most famous trilogy of films to the big screen.

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Great book, shame about the reader

Excellent book, an in depth discovery and history of the making of the films, right up to Amazons announcement of a show.
The only issue is the reader - who has clearly never seen any of the rings or hobbit movies. He can’t pronounce any of the names or places, which is embarrassing - you’d think of you were going to spend 22 hours reading a book on a set of films, you’d at least watch one of them.

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Fun behind the scenes read

I am by no means a LotR super fan, but I am a compulsive ‘Making of…’ documentary watcher. The nuts and bolts fascinate me.

This books really did go into the history of the saga of getting LotR onto the big screen. From Tolkien selling rights to the announcement that Amazon would be taking a jaunt to Middle Earth.

Loved hearing from the actors and the makers. The narrator did a great job with the accents and keeping you interested when it would be quite easy for the mind to wonder after 20 hours.

Sadly the Hobbit did not take up much and seemed to be almost thrown in at the end as a ‘oh yes, there was also these three films’.

A lot was made of the New Zealand mind set. That this was a major factor in the success. That an almost MacGyver-ing view of life is in their DNA. This did get annoying. Perhaps because the minute I spotted it I couldn’t stop. It strikes me that this get it done with chewing gum and mud view is more of a creatives thing than specific to NZ and Jackson. (Eg. Jim Henson).

All in all a great listen and well worth the credit.

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Middle Earth revealed

This painstaking account of the Kiwi director's journey from satirical schlock meister to ostensibly the Ruler of Middle Earth will delight Tolkein fans, but is also a fascinating description of the film process, and a small travel guide to the wonders of New Zealand.

From discussions and arguments about where the money's going to come from to make the first film, to the final post production flourishes, every twist and turn of the making of six extraordinary films is outlined in Nathan's relaxed and amusing prose, and read brilliantly by Tristram Wymark, who gets ALL the accents and voices right. The only tiny quibble I have is that Nathan confuses the actors Luke Evans and Lee Pace, but that's the only hiccup in a long and complex piece.

I've always found the film making process fascinating, but even if listeners don't share my interest, it's a highly entertaining and intelligent book, well worth the monthly credit.

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4 people found this helpful

Entertaining and Informative

I was obsessed with the Lord of the Rings films and I watched each one of the trilogy multiple times. They remain my favourite films ever. This comprehensive account beautifully describes the unlikely journey which led to their production. I was fascinated throughout.

I’d wholeheartedly recommend this book.

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1 person found this helpful

How to make a Hollywood blockbuster

Great storytelling and narration is top notch. Really enjoyed the behind the scenes of how they made this happen.

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An epic account

Thoroughly enjoyable and an amazing detailed account of the creation of Middle Earth. A must for fans. I’m a big fan of the films, and still learnt loads of new information! I also got the need to witness the acting and creative skills of many of the actors and the holy trinity writing team so bought a few post rings Viggo films, and the wondrous ‘The Lovely Bones’.

What I’m most thankful for, is more insight into the integrity of Peter Jackson. I’m so pleased he doesn’t care much for adulation or awards. A man of heart & in his work it shows. I didn’t go to the cinema until the LOTR films came out as I generally don’t like the machine of Hollywood & it’s tedious repetitive formulaic movies. You know, I loved that dirt under the finger nails in the trilogy.

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3 people found this helpful

As Epic as the Movies

As a huge LOTR fan I found this in depth narrative of how they came to be and the many who made them happen, Peter Jackson (along with a significant supporting cast) to be immensely enjoyable and well written and narrated. The only bad thing was it had to end at some point !

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