*TTT - Gollum (CGI and Andy Serkis)*

[Roquen]

Ok, my feelings about Gollum/Smeagol...<P>Seems to be a lot of talk about the fact that people laughed at him fighting himself. Well, I laughed, and I think we are meant to. At the start of that scene the whole theatre started to laugh, but this, I think, was only to lull us into one way of thinking. By the end of that scene there wasn't a murmer in the whole place. I felt real shame for finding it funny because of the sadness I felt at the end, and that leads nicely to my next point.<BR>NEVER have I watched a movie and compleatly forgotten the fact that I'm watching a CG character! I've heard many times in movies that "you won't believe how real this character looks!" but rarely have I believed it... until now! I sinceraly DO NOT wish to start the whole Starwars/Lord of the Rings debate, but when I saw EP 1/EP 2 I was intentionaly looking at the gaps in the CG work. Don't get me wrong. I'm a massive Starwars fan and the work done is superb! BUT within about 2 seconds of seeing Gollum/Smeagol my brain just wasn't on the lookout for that stuff. WHY??? Because he is just so ALIVE!!!! I hadn't realized that my focus had switched from looking at a CG character to watching one of the best performances ever until the film had finished! That is just how it should be. My thanks go to the whole CG team, Andy Serkis and PJ and all involved for creating the first seemless CG I have ever seen!!! He was truly spot on to how I believed him to be! Can't wait for the ExtEdition and RotK!<P>Oh, and a "Merry" Christmas and Happy Hloidays to you all!<p>[ December 26, 2002: Message edited by: Roquen ]