The Lord of the Rings trilogy is considered one of the best fantasy narratives ever made. Adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien’s popular book series, the films were a critical and commercial success in the early 2000s. The films also received several prestigious awards including the Oscars in various categories, for their glorious achievements in filmmaking.
Peter Jackson was responsible for bringing Tolkien’s narrative and characters to life. However, he was not the first individual who wanted to adapt the books. The members of the Beatles previously attempted to make a film adaptation of Tolkien’s book series and they approached a legendary director to helm the project.
The Beatles Approached Stanley Kubrick to Direct The Lord of the Rings
Peter Jackson brought a well-realized and highly entertaining three-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings book series in the early 2000s. The films are now considered some of the best in fantasy storytelling and are admired by fans worldwide to this day. But several attempts were made to adapt the books in the past, including one by the Beatles.
According to Variety, The Beatles attempted to make a film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings book series and had approached Stanley Kubrick to direct the film in the 60s. The members of the Beatles would play significant characters in the film including John Lennon as Gollum, Paul McCartney as Frodo, George Harrison as Gandalf, and Ringo Starr as Sam.
However, Kubrick declined the offer claiming that the project was unfilmable. Even the writer of the books Tolkien turned them down. Additionally, it must be said that Hollywood had not reached the technological heights that would have done justice to the film. Thus, three decades later, Peter Jackson adapted the books and gave audiences some of the most visually stunning iconic films.
Viggo Mortenson Did Not Like Peter Jackson’s Overreliance on CGI
Viggo Mortensen played Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. The actor while reflecting on the trilogy talked about the making of the films. He singled out a pet peeve he had while making the trilogy which was Jackson’s overreliance on CGI in the two sequels.
According to him, the gritty and authentic nature of the first film got lost when Jackson wanted to employ CGI for the latter two films. Mortensen told The Telegraph,
“In the first movie, yes, there’s Rivendell, and Mordor, but there’s sort of an organic quality to it, actors acting with each other, and real landscapes; it’s grittier. It was grandiose, and all that, but whatever was subtle, in the first movie, gradually got lost in the second and third.”
Mortensen has gone on to do character-driven roles and dramas and has rarely ventured into the fantasy/blockbuster space since then. He seems to enjoy making films in an authentic environment more rather than being in a green screen, imagining giant battles and scenarios around him.
Also read: Peter Jackson Desecrated His Greatest Creation, Called Lord of the Rings “Pretty Basic”
