How exactly did LOTR get entrusted to Peter Jackson?...

[AlienClown]

I would like to know how and why all 3 LOTR films were given to Peter Jackson. With someone of his track record, and the epic-like expectations of LOTR, he's just not the type or caliber director I would think would be given such a difficult and complex task. So if anyone has any info, please share.

[FunkinMunky]

Hes done the Frighteners,Bad Taste,Dead Alive,and Beautiful Creatures I believe is the name of the latter...All movies were pretty good,and Jackson has an eye for horror/sci-fi..story-telling...

[Scorchlord]

Have you ever even seen any of Jackson's movies, AC?

[takayamaRyuji]

Don't forget the insane "Meet the Feebles." If you haven't seen that one yet, rent it!!

"Oh, sodomi-a..."

[AlienClown]

Yeah I have seen Bad Taste, Frighteners, and Dead Alive, and I did like those. I just don't see how the entire LOTR trilogy and Jackson match up, all that needs to be done to change my mind is to see the first film, and see how I like it.

[Tuukka]

From artistical point of view, what convinced New Line was Heavenly Creatures and Forgotten silver. They are his best, most mature, and most sophisticated works. They both also have a strong visual style that suits LOTR very well. Forgotten Silver is a fictional "document" and not very well known, but Heavenly Creatures was one of the most critically praised films of 1994 and won several major awards. Granted, it's not for everyone's taste, but Jackson's talent is obvious.

Jackson wrote the screenplay for LOTR with his wife (they were both oscar nominated for Heavenly Creatures). He has his own high quality SFX company WETA to handle the effects, and Jackson was able to organize the whole shooting in his homeland New Zealand, the ideal place to shoot LOTR because of the locations.

So how did LOTR get entrusted to Jackson? There was no other choice. Jackson wasn't hired to do LOTR. LOTR has been his baby right from the start and he had already planned everything ready, when he started asking money from studios. Jackson had spent a long time doing SFX tests for the films with WETA, and they showed New Line a dockumentary about the making of the film. We have seen a lot of glimpses of that dockumentary in the first internet preview. After seeing the documentary New Line agreed to finance the films.

Jackson has never done anything this big, but he has always been a good organizer, a lot better than most big budget directors (Tim Burton, anyone?). He is good at handling actors, action, SFX and drama. He knows how to combine realism and fantasy effectively. He has a very strong visual sensibility. And LOTR is a matter of heart to him. So in my opinion he is pretty much an ideal choice for the films.

[takayamaRyuji]

Tukka, thanks for all that background info!

[someguy]

Peter Jackson said in an interview that he waited for a ovie to come out on them,but when there wasn't,he put matters into his own hands.