Has anyone here tried to order anything from Weta in the last couple of days, specifically from the US warehouse?

I ask because I went to pre-order the new mini Rivendell helm and the only option I am given for shipping at checkout is UPS at $69. With the item itself costing $79, this is a non-starter in terms of expense. For comparison, I recently ordered the Mirkwood and Erebor helms and was given the option to choose USPS also, for a much cheaper rate of about $33 per helm.

I sent Anthony a question asking if there was a glitch, but just to experiment, I went back and tried a variety of different items in my cart, including some that are already in stock, and none of them give me the USPS option anymore, including the two helms I ordered one week ago!?!? What is going on here?

Of the folks that post here, only N2, Kit, and sometimes Buckeye and Arwyniel order anything from Weta so I'm wondering if one of you can test this out for me. You don't have to finish the purchase, just put something in your cart and go as far as choosing a shipping option. I'm curious if only UPS will show up for you. If that is the only option for Canadian customers now, I am definitely out of this game for good.

Valkrist wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 9:02 am Of the folks that post here, only N2, Kit, and sometimes Buckeye and Arwyniel order anything from Weta so I'm wondering if one of you can test this out for me. You don't have to finish the purchase, just put something in your cart and go as far as choosing a shipping option. I'm curious if only UPS will show up for you. If that is the only option for Canadian customers now, I am definitely out of this game for good.

Well I tried with 2 different items in my cart , the new Hobbit hole and the Rivendell helm and only got NZ shipping (not sure which method that is?) and the helm was UPS only @ $19 which is rather high for me. Curious as to what Anthony has to say.

Thanks N2, sounds like something is wrong for sure. I ordered the new Hobbit #16 hole recently and those only come from NZ, but over regular post. For those, you normally just get tracked and untracked options. Also, I know the helms definitely come from the US warehouse because it says so on the item page, and all items from the US used to have the option of UPS or USPS, with the only caveat being that if the item was deemed oversize, then it would be UPS for sure, no matter what selection you made at checkout (they would charge you the difference later.)

I also had the same results. I added one of those weird epic figure things and only got UPS on that as well. $25 to ship a $30 item. Ridiculous.

Given it's not just me, I'm kinda shocked no one has raised this over at FoU yet. Given the number of active customers over there and how much they order, someone should have noticed this by now and spoken up.

Is USPS on strike or something?

I am alive!

Thranduil wrote: Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:30 pm I am alive!

Huzzah!

Black Friday deals are starting to peek through. Some things in there I would like to get. However, the problem with the shipping costs continues to be ignored, and it's been five days and counting and still no reply from Anthony or anyone else on this glaring issue. I find it inexplicable that on the eve of an event like Black Friday, that they are allowing this to stand.

Zero purchases for me if that's the case.

Others are raising the postage prob too now I see. EU ate experiencing the same problem.

Is the shipping from the NZ warehouse to Canada now fixed Val? I heard it was

Just tried with Farmer Maggot's House and everything seems correct, but then I don't know if it was messed before as I was only trying things from the US warehouse. Hope they get on this ASAP.

Growing exasperated with this problem and pretty much out of patience after waiting nearly a week for a response. I sent Weta support a third email today and pretty much unloaded on them regarding the poor service and basic lack of acknowledgment. I understand Anthony is only one man and he may not even be at his desk this week, but any company that wishes to run a reputable business can surely afford to place someone else on the job if even for a few days? All I keep getting is an automated reply and no answer that is worth my time.

If they're not even aware of this shipping problem by now, they certainly aren't going to have it resolved in time for Black Friday. So much for being able to order what I wanted next week. Heck, if this is never fixed, I will never order from them again. Paying $69 shipping for a $80 item is highway robbery. After customs, taxes, and UPS brokerage, it will cost over $120 in shipping alone... for a $80 item!!!

I think this was my fastest Black Friday sale with Weta ever. In and out. For those not aware, btw, it started one day earlier than announced... as in it's on right now!

Thankfully the shipping problem was resolved just this morning! Long story short, looks like Anthony came down with something nasty, they had to add a new person, Lorien (yes, that's her name) to help with the massive backlog of emails, and things are finally up and running. Disaster averted.

Kept it simple and cheap this year: Gimli, Moria Orc, and Smaug minis - all three for $150, and the DG 1:30 Ringwraiths - 2 for $70 (only hope of ever owning the Nine in any format as the 1:6 line is too expensive now.)

Will be nice not having to find room for large items this time around.

Peace!

Valkrist wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:19 am I think this was my fastest Black Friday sale with Weta ever. In and out. For those not aware, btw, it started one day earlier than announced... as in it's on right now!

I find it not a little bit amusing that Weta - a New Zealand based and operated business-- "observes" Black Friday, which started out as a kickoff Christmas shopping day following Thanksgiving in the U.S.

Does Australia observe it? (I bet not, but I could be mistaken).
I can see Canada observing it because of the current cross border economy.

Still....is it another US cultural export?

We are sort of staring to tag along with it. I get Weta doing it though. Their US customers expect it.

Oh it most definitley is a cultural export, and as Idril pointed out, with so many of their customers over here, it totally makes sense for them to cater to North America. Even the peeps in Europe expect it now, and I'm sure it won't be long before many other overseas companies start riding the wave. Same goes for Cyber Monday.

Well, the new Gollum 1:3 statue is officially available for pre-order... by the very wealthy. The price is simply outrageous.
https://www.wetanz.com/shop/figures/mas ... ref=search

Really unbelievable.
But I guess there are about 600 people in this world (and really a lot more) for whom this price is merely chump change.
But I'm also guessing, (as I mentioned previously) there are quite a few people that will buy this on the "Credit card and make minimum payments" plan, thereby [ultimately] paying about $5K for it.

Still, it's a little disheartening knowing that Weta's high quality collectibles are pretty much out of reach of middle class collectors.

It is an expensive new high end line. The price is what I expected as I had no real wishful thinking on it. I knew they were touting it as high end and not for the bulk
of customers. I can only think they wanted to outdo Prime1 or perhaps to appeal
to a new breed of customer.

I was surprised at the high LE size. I guess they know their market but it seems high for such a pricey item.

They plan on releasing around one statue a year in this line. I guess if that is all you collect....

One important detail missing from your post, Idril: are you still getting this statue like you intended? You seem unsurprised by the price which means you had to be prepared for it.

It's about what I expected but it is sad for me to actually see it confirmed because it means I will never be able to collect a statue in this line. I had no interest in Gollum, but I would love to see what an Aragorn, Gandalf, or Frodo would look like in this format. Heck, can you imagine the entire Fellowship like this (in non over-the-top action poses)?

Another thing to bear in mind is that Weta's overall prices continue to rise at a geometric rate. If anyone thinks that the next statue in this line to come out in one year won't cost $2K+, they must believe unicorns are real too.

The real irony here is that just a few short years ago, you could buy 7 or 8 1:6 statues for what this one costs. Today, you can get 2 or 3. You tell me if your salary at work has increased by that much over that period of time...

Im getting it.

Mainly because I don't get much poly anymore. Also I don't have Gollum.

Now if it was Gandalf or something, I would be quite torn.

Im mostly disappointed in that the ED size. I was hoping for 100. I wouldn't have thought they could sell that many

The price of their stuff these days is a real put off. I work in film myself, and as such have a fairly healthy income, but given that I'm saving for a deposit on a house/paying rent and the upkeep of a car, I can't ever justify the ever-increasing prices of their statues. I own a couple, but nowadays I buy most of my stuff on the secondary market, whenever I see a bargain. With the UK stockists of UC not having any product this year (If anyone knows why please share!), I'm really struggling to put my hands on any LOTR/Hobbit stuff!

I also love the way WETA have marketed this ... 'Special premium box featuring exclusive art print by Alan Lee' - PREMIUM BOX?! its packaging.

Idril, if it's mainly because you don't already have a Gollum, then I can think of at least four other options off the top of my head that cost only a fraction of that price. Granted none have the wow-factor of this piece, but for that price it should be made of gold and have saphires for eyes. Gollum Enraged in particular is a very cool and well-made piece.

I also agree the edition size is way too big. The only way to even come close to making the price of this statue easier to swallow would be knowing that you are getting a very rare piece. As is, I think Weta have outsmarted themselves and this statue is going to sit in their warehouse for a long time.

I'm relieved I am not the least bit tempted. I wouln't be able to fully enjoy it over the feelings of guilt I would have when looking at it. With exchange, shipping, taxes, and customs, it would be about $2600 CDN. That's more than my two mortgages plus all utilities combined for one month!

Jamie, agreed on the box. Had to laugh when I saw that. Who is going to display the box? How much of the price of this statue is allotted to a frivolity like that? Wouldn't an art book be more useful and practical?

Well that's just the thing Val. I'm not that interested in poly much anymore. I'm not desperate for a Gollum either. I have very few statues now in fact. I'm happy to think of just getting maybe a couple of special statues and forgo the majority.

Im asking Weta for clarification on the Alan Lee artwork. It will be beyond ridiculous is the artwork is part of the box

I had zero interest in Gollum, but I had passing thoughts about perhaps being able to pick up something like Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, or Gandalf in this line. Gollum is the smallest character of the Fellowship, so I can only imagine what the cost of a human-sized character will be. I can see now that I should just bury those thoughts altogether.

As for the edition size on Gollum . . . IMO, anything over 250 is FAR too large.

I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up as the only figure produced in this line .... if the sales don't go as planned, would they really invest in another figure which would likely hit the £2000+ mark? I imagine gollum was chosen partly because he's essentially naked - only a torn cloth and no weapons. IF they did a character like Aragorn, the clothes/weapons etc would need to be fabric, and I imagine thats a LOT harder to do well. perhaps they'll go for armoured characters (orcs etc) that have minimal clothing

I see what you mean, Idril. For myself, it would be a line to consider indeed given that by himself, Gollum is far cheaper than all the money I spend on other statues combined over one year, especially with them reaching $1000 now. I suppose this new 1:3 line is going to represent a crossroads for many. You either take one path or the other, but you have to be rich, insane, or rich and insane, to take both.

Buckeye, my thoughts exactly. This firmly shuts the door on any flights of fancy about owning a more popular (and bigger) character.

Jamie, agreed on your points, but I don't think they would be stupid enough to sink resources into producing an orc at this price point. No one, and I mean no one, would pay that kind of money for an orc. Even the rare and highly sought Azog on Warg (which I think is extremely overrated) goes for less that amount on eBay and has been sold out since it was released. I know you're just using an example, but an orc would sell 10 times less than Gollum. I also feel Weta is testing the waters and Gollum could very well be a one-shot deal. They've been there before with the Barrel Rider series, the 1:10 Vinyl line, and now there's rumours they may be giving up on the 1:30 diorama line.

I find the latter to be sad news. I wasn't a fan at first, and still am not due mainly to the amount of space required to display these things. The first set they chose, Dol Guldur, is far too sprawling, but couldn't really have been done any smaller. Still, I ordered the two mini Ringwraiths during Black Friday and received them yesterday. I am stunned at how well done and cool these things are (Idril, you were absolutely right) and am sad now that Weta may decide to not do any more. I think having all the Nine in this format would be so very cool and I deplore the fact that they would even consider not finishing yet another line. I get cancelling further projects, but at least have some integrity and respect for your customers that bought into the first set on the premise that it would be completed.

I'm glad you liked the 1:30 scale figures Val. One of the reasons I made sure to post about the decision going forward on the DG figures was to get some heated response. I really think they should continue. People would buy Rad and the sleigh even if they didn't buy the dio and the more figures they sell the more dios they may sell. Weta did say the sleigh would be next if it goes ahead or maybe only the sleigh the sleigh will be done.

But they did say they will produce an Lotr one and see how that goes. It is likely to be Balins tomb. That could be amazing with the fellowship and Cave troll.

I saw the Gollum at the Cave and it is in another league. It could be sold in jewelry stores with the Royal Doulton and put them to shame.

Wait until you see next one in this line. Yes they are currently working on it and yes, despite how this one goes, I still think it will be released. I can't say anymore but it is going to be bigger than Ben Hur.

Hopefully the Charlton Heston Ben Hur and not the abominable remake.

As for DG, your news is still disappointing seeing as Radagast and the sleigh hold no appeal for me and you mention it could potentially be the last piece they do. I would consider the Brown Wizard on his own but i found the bunny sleigh too whimsical and more at home in the Narnia series than Tolkien's world (yes, foxes that speak notwithstanding.) Really wish they would consider releasing the wraiths they completed the prototypes for; why let all that work go to waste? I'd prefer to own six of the Nine than just two.

Well - guess I can say it isn't a rehash.

I too would love the nine in this format - and Sauron too. The only way we will get the them.

Btw - saw the new wraith 1/6 too. Not getting it myself but a step up from the Witchking. Amazing detail

Was browsing through eBay last night on my search for mini helms and I was stunned by the amount of Chinese knockoffs of Weta stuff. I found a Minas Tirith, an Argonath, and pretty much every single Hobbit hole released to date. The first two were pretty terrible and obvious fakes, but the Hobbit holes were very close to being passable. The giveaway was that the paint was way too bright, some minor details were missing, the prices were too good to be true, and every single one was from a seller located in China with a name that wasn't even translated into our alphabet.

Maybe this is why Weta stuff is suddenly catching fire in China. Are we about to see a flood of counterfeits hitting online marketplaces? Buyer beware!

I wonder if Weta tries to pursue and shut down these things. I remember back when the UC stuff was being knocked off left, right, and centre in places like Pakistan, and it being mentioned that there wasn't much that could be done because US IP laws can only reach so far. It's a sad, sad world.

Found I had been given a copy of the new Weta catalog and our fav Rohan warrior is in it. Must be soon to be released.

Wow, after all this time what a way to have it released. You would have thought if they where going to put it in a catalog there would have been some sort of web teaser first. My guess is this will be the same price as the MOS $699

I have to echo N2's surprise here: for what is easily the most anticipated Weta statue of the last few years, this is the most surprising and underwhelming method of reveal I've ever seen. Weta totally stumbled on this one. No email fanfare, newsletter, big announcement, comic con reveal... nothing. Just sneaks into a catalog page like a thief in the night.

A few comments on the statue, though that is only one angle for now:

- Love Eomer's pose and what detail can be seen.
- Despite all the cries and requests for a non-screaming face, there he is... screaming (though kinda hard to justify any other expression given he is charging on a horse).
- Firefoot looks awkward in that photo, almost like a dog or some other kind of animal, but it does not look like a horse at first glance, I hope other angles are more flattering and evoking of a horse.
- Hate, hate, hate the terrain. Looks like Weta had their work cut out for them to pull this one off, but seriously? My first thought was, he is flying on a magic carpet? Then it reminded me of some kind of whole wheat cracker, and then a piece of beef jerky. Weta has done so well with terrain bases lately but this one looks lame. Part of the problem that I see that is creating this vision in my mind is that it is a thin slab supported by a thin wedge, which just makes it look like a ramp or surfboard. Why couldn't they have done a solid chunk of terrain like Dain and the Boar? I know it would add more weight to the statue, but I wouldn't care about that if it just looked better.

Anyhow, I know it sounds like a lot of complaining but I am optimistic that when all the angles and photos are in, that I will fall in love with it. Whatever the case, there is no way I'm not getting him, but I also want to love it for the price I know he will cost. I actually think $699 might be optimistic because Weta has developed a nasty habit in the past few months of increasing the price of the statues with every release, at about a rate of $50 for every two months. I think this guy might be $799 because they know he will sell out, no questions asked. At least I have over $700 Weta dollars ready, so I will get the last laugh on this one.

Two last things: so nice to see that they can't be bothered to spell 'Khamûl' correctly.

and...

Someone please send an ambulance over to Buckeye's house to check on her.

...cringe.... and goes into hiding

I hope I didn't pre-empt the fanfare by revealing this. The catalogue doesn't have anything we haven't already got for pre-order at least except Eomer.

I actually like the scree under the horses hooves. Looks perfect. Not sure on the wedge bit either. I'm also concerned about the polystone horse tail at that angle. It may look bad.

But I am likely to get it anyway. That armour. Like WOW.

Idril, why hide? You did nothing wrong. Weta printed the catalog, not you. Their fault for leaking themselves.

As for the slope, I'm not sure if I got my point across. It's not the realism or accuracy of the terrain depicted, it's the cutaway shape and the odd visual it creates. I almost feel Weta is getting too daring with their poses and it's getting away on them. Love the idea of a downhill charge but the execution is leaving a lot to be desired (at first glance!)

Agreed on the armour, it looks amazing. Plus, we finally get Guthwine!!! Well... sort of.

EOMER!!!! Yes, yes, YES!

I'm ready to pre-order this *instantly.* And the timing is good. I just made my final payment on Isildur.

They've got to provide more pics of this piece. I'm absolutely dying to see all of the glorious details.

Got both of my helms today. The Gondor helm #400/750 and applaud Weta for upping there game in the packaging department as the helm was packed with layers of foam for added protection. The Uruk-hai helm #629/750 is also good, but I also had the front spikes bent, but heated them up with a hair dryer and bent them back into alignment - should have taken a photo of before and after just incase it did not work. Hope others arrive better. On to the photos and I do apologize once again for not having a space to take decent photos yet (I will remedy that eventually) and the iridescent paint on the feathers don't come across either as is looks great in person.

Those look absolutely awesome, N2, thanks for sharing. Mine have shipped but I don't expect them until the new year.

How does the finish on the Guard Helm compare to the SSW Fountain Helm? Now that I am collecting the older helms, I really lament the fact that Weta decided to go with these very light polystone (really just feels like plastic) new ones. Also, if a piece got bent, the metal was much more forgiving if you needed to put it back to its proper place. One of the fins on my Mirkwood mini helm is slightly out of alignment with the other so I'm going to have to try the blow dryer fix.

I'm sorry, but all of my other helms are all packed up otherwise I would have taken a side by side with the white feathered version. If I had to guess the new one is slightly more shiny or more silvery. I too wish they were metal as they have such a great feel as well as durability to them. As for using the dryer, my only advice is go slow and try and localize the area you want to bend back because if you do too big of an area you can risk bending more than you want out of shape. I did have to use the "High" setting on the dryer and hold the piece into shape until it cools down. I have had to do this on a few pieces such as the front spike on the Witchking statue.

Haldir and Eomer statues have been put on display in the Weta Cave.

Haldir in Helms Deep armour looks amazing armour - not too sure about the face though

But more pics of Eomer now. It looks pretty darn good. That base may just be an issue depending on how you display it

Idril wrote: Fri Dec 22, 2017 1:21 pm Haldir and Eomer statues have been put on display in the Weta Cave.

Haldir in Helms Deep armour looks amazing armour - not too sure about it he face though

But more pics of Eomer now. It looks pretty darn good. That base may just be an issue depending on how you display it

I agree with your comments on both pieces. The Haldir statue is terrific, but the face kind of puts me off. The Eomer statue is incredible . . . but then I'm predisposed to like anything about that character. I was one of many on the FoU forum who expressed hope that Eomer wouldn't be sculpted screaming. The fact that he is screaming is disappointing, but clearly appropriate for the pose and movie moment it captures.

Are these pics posted somewhere? FoU hopefully and not Facebook? Guess I'll go check.

Edit: Never mind, found them.

Oh man... that face! How did that get approved?!? Weta has hit some statues out of the ballpark lately in terms of quality but what happened with the likeness on this one? Come to think of it, there have been some stinkers of note in recent memory: the newer Boromir and Legolas come to mind, and even Isildur (which I love overall) is a less than perfect likeness. I don't get how they can do the new Galadriel, Saruman, and Elrond and they look 100% spot on, and then Haldir comes out looking like a victim of botched plastic surgery... he just looks plain awful, with those teeth and wonky eyes. I want the character so bad but the face is turning me off completely. That looks nothing like Craig Parker; it reminds me of one of the early SSW statues... the bad ones.

Second edit: The pictures of Eomer at the cave are underwhelming but I hope it's just the angle, lighting, or... something...? After all this waiting and anticipation I wanted to be blown away and I'm not. The surfboard really bugs me, the horse pose looks awkward (I know it looks like that going downhill,) and Eomer's face in those photos, especially the eyes, don't look right. I know Karl Urban makes some seriously vivid screaming faces but something looks odd about the statue. Looked way better in the catalog page, which was a more distant photo, so not a good sign. This one definitely needs a closeup once it is in the order page.

Before anyone reminds me, I do remember feeling misgivings about Galadriel's in-hand face photos too and then she ended up looking amazing in real life. I'm hoping Eomer is the same. Haldir, however, looks beyond hope.

Random observation:

(Yeah, it's a slow news day at UCF and I'm bored. )

Just finished chapter four of Weta's Middle-earth: From Script to Screen and it left me feeling extremely irritated. I know some of you will laugh or just roll your eyes, and that's fine because seriously, why am I getting annoyed at something that is 100% fictional?

Hear me out.

I'll start off by saying that overall, I think the book is fantastic. For someone that did not buy the horde of books that Weta put out on all six movies, and for someone for whom watching the video appendices feels like a lifetime ago, there is a treasure trove of new and forgotten information in that book. However, it irritates me to no end when someone as respected as Daniel Falconer, the book's writer, can make a glaring mistake not once, but repeatedly.

Chapter four is titled The Misty Mountains, and deals with filming scenes related to that location in both FOTR and AUJ. All good there. The problem is that Daniel asserts multiple times that the mountain pass used to traverse the Misty Mountains in both movies by the Fellowship and Thorin's Company is one and the same. Over multiple pages, the pass, known as the Redhorn Pass for the fact that it goes around Caradhras, is apparently the one and only way to go over this range. Or at least you'd think so after reading this chapter.

I know what you're thinking right about now: dude, take a chill pill. Yet, it made me see red. I would challenge even the most casual of Tolkien's fans to not understand the difference between the High Pass and the Redhorn Pass. The blatant and stupid disregard for basic geography was nearly too much for me to take. Not once in the entire six movie saga was the map of Middle-earth compressed in any way (though I do have my issues with how fast an army from Dol Guldur got to Erebor) so why would Daniel make such a dumb mistake here? Even the movies themselves make it fairly clear that it is not the same location: in FOTR, after leaving Rivendell, it is explained the Fellowship must travel south for many days before attempting the Redhorn Pass. It is not a short jaunt. We see them doing this. In AUJ, Thorin's Company is seen leaving Rivendell and almost immediately begin their ascent into the mountains. Why? Because the High Pass is literally right there on the map.

Yet in the book, Falconer goes on and on about how both companies travel over the same pass, completely oblivious to the fact that he is placing Moria and Goblin-town at the exact same physical location. Then there's the sheer lack of logic in all of this: it made sense for the Fellowship to go south and then cross. They were headed for Mordor after all, far to the southeast. Yet Thorin's company was headed due east by northeast. Going to the Redhorn would have added weeks, if not months, to their journey. Not to mention that the Carrock, Beorn's House, and the Forest Gate, all locations we are shown in AUJ, lie directly east of the High Pass and much farther north in the Anduin vale than the Dimrill Dale and Lorien, where the Redhorn Pass comes out. Just ridiculous.

It's one thing when you're just inventing things and acknowledging it: Daniel Falconer fully explains the High Fells of Rhudaur were a movie invention to simplify the history and nature of the Nazgul. Fair enough. However, we have maps, and most of us read the books. We know the difference between the High Pass and the Redhorn Pass, and they are a couple of hundred miles apart. Seriously, Daniel? I expect better from someone like him.

There's a lot of book to go, and I've caught a few very minor errors here and there with regards to ME references, but nothing as egregious in my mind as this one. Being less than a quarter of the way into the book, it makes me fear if there might not be a bigger doozy lying ahead.

Just to clarify, I am a university graduated and certified editor. Things like this really pick my you-know-what.

I haven't had the time to read it yet unfortunately. I can see why it would rub you though. It would annoy me too.

He isn't talking about the area they filmed in being the same is he?

Idril wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 2:36 pmHe isn't talking about the area they filmed in being the same is he?

Ah, if only, Idril... if only.

Sadly, no.

Much of the Hobbit movies was shot in-studio, using miniatures, or digitally anyway. That's one thing I've noticed about how the book describes the differences in shooting for the two different trilogies: LOTR was done on an epic scale with regards to just about everything. The Hobbit movies were mainly a shortcut in just about every way, with the reconstruction of the Shire being the only noteworthy effort that even approaches what they did for LOTR. Don't even get me started on CGI orcs.

I know the whole cgi thing with the hobbit has been a controversy since the movies first came out but after watching all of the appendices and also reading the chronicles books I believe the filmmakers turned to CGI in most cases out of necessity.

By the time Guillermo left and PJ came on board there wasn’t much time left to produce everything. In some cases things would have been CGI like Thranduil’s halls but characters like Azog and Bolg were proof of the lack of time. They didn’t have time to nail down a design that worked for PJ. Remember, the original design for Azog is still in the movies in the form of Yazneg and then it was changed to the design we all loved that was used for the dungeon keeper in Dol Guldur and that design was also used for Bolg at one point too.

The goblins in AUJ were another thing. Originally suits were made and actors were cast but each day less and less actors returned because of how tiresome it was to do what was required of them.

For the lack of time in bringing the designs and the world to screen I think they did an amazing job. Yes I’d prefer to see less CGI but even so, they’re still beautiful movies and I think they deserve some credit for what they managed to pull off.

I hear ya, Lindir, and I think for the most part, they did an outstanding job with the time they had. I'm just lamenting the fact that, quibbles with elements of the story itself aside, these movies could have looked so much better if done like LOTR. In the end I blame the movie studios, because they are always the ones breathing down directors' necks, holding slavishly to some unrealistic release date. I don't think the world would have ended if the Hobbit trilogy had been given one more year to do things properly. Also, I think PJ was very fatigued with the material by this point and just wanted it done.

In other news, my final payment for the War Troll went through a few days ago but I noticed that this statue had been sold out in the US warehouse for some time. When I didn't get a shipping notice, I contacted Anthony to see what was up. Turns out they oversold over here and had none left to ship to me.

Needless to say, after waiting four months and paying $1150 for a nearly sold out statue that only 400 of exist, this just wouldn't do. Anthony offered to ship one from NZ and I promptly said yes. I told him not to cancel the order on his life though he did offer a refund as the other option. Luckily, he emailed me yesterday and told me they managed to transfer a single Troll from the wholesale location (?) and that it would be shipping from the US after all. Today I got the shipping notice. Phew!

Setting release dates before films are made puts unnecessary pressure on the production. That and the fact that TH was written and filmed as two films, and then chopped into three after wrap.

A few weeks of additional footage was shot, but it really does bear there hallmarks of it being two films stretched into three. AUJ drags, as does DOS - it should've been kept as written, with film 1 going up to the death of Smaug, and film 2 having the extra fifteen minutes in it (saved by moving Smaugs death to film 1). Just think how far the fellowship travelled in LOTR in the space of a few minutes with an epic soundtrack, whereas in TH we spend far too long watching them travel (Trollshaws was too long, as was the warg attack, as was the stone giants, as was mirkwood spiders, etc etc)

and yeah, the design of the film suffered due to PJ only joining at the last moment. That and the god awful decision to use CGI instead of miniatures.

Jamie Shakespeare wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2018 9:54 pm Setting release dates before films are made puts unnecessary pressure on the production. That and the fact that TH was written and filmed as two films, and then chopped into three after wrap.

Not quite. It was officially announced as being changed to three films about a year and a half before BOFA was released, and at that time half of BOFA had not even been filmed. From the info I had as a licensee, I could see they were already planning on three movies just before AUJ had been released. I even told UC to expect it, as I thought that was actually the plan all along after filming had begun.

Haldir is up for pre-order.