The Swords of the LoTR
Weta Workshop's new site is totally cool...did I mention that already? Check out the page on Weapons. Gorgeous close-ups of the weaponry used in LoTR. I want Sting! What a beautifully crafted piece that is!
Daniel wasn't interviewed in this article (although it is mentioned that he was heavily involved with sword design), but I still find the info. incredibly interesting. I saw some of the LoTR swords at the LoTR Museum exhibit in Boston, MA last fall. They are amazing in their detail and workmanship. I got to hold one of the real swords, avec white protective gloves, and it was really heavy, and long, as I recall. No sword wielding was allowed (understandable, but still a bummer) but it was fun to hang onto it for a few moments. I don't know how Viggo worked with the real swords for so many hours during takes. He must've be packin' some huge sword-wielding guns under all that Ranger garb.
;-)
I like how they talk about the swords as described by Tolkien...once again, a great attention paid to the books, which I appreciate. And where it wasn't described specifically, they filled in the blanks with their great imaginations...
B: How much did you rely on the descriptions in the books? Tolkien was rather vague, but there are several hints on the design and performance of the swords.
P: The swords are all based on Tolkien's descriptions, but these are usually so brief, and sometimes so vague when looked at critically (for example, "great-hilted") that it left the designs very open. It was more about fitting the designs to the characters, and making each one distinctive and recognisable, but this is really a question that John can answer better than me.
J: Very little, I think the other motto being : "Well, it doesn't say it WASN'T like that in the books..."
***
B: How come the swords wielded by Arwen, Elrond and the other Elves are curved?
J: Why not? It fits well with their style of combat, and it's very Art Nouveau. Did Professor Tolkien say they are all straight? Damn, I must have missed that bit!
***
The entire article can be read at:
The Men Behind the Swords in “The Lord of the Rings”
An interview with Peter Lyon and John Howe
By Björn Hellqvist
Peter Lyon at work
Daniel wasn't interviewed in this article (although it is mentioned that he was heavily involved with sword design), but I still find the info. incredibly interesting. I saw some of the LoTR swords at the LoTR Museum exhibit in Boston, MA last fall. They are amazing in their detail and workmanship. I got to hold one of the real swords, avec white protective gloves, and it was really heavy, and long, as I recall. No sword wielding was allowed (understandable, but still a bummer) but it was fun to hang onto it for a few moments. I don't know how Viggo worked with the real swords for so many hours during takes. He must've be packin' some huge sword-wielding guns under all that Ranger garb.
;-)
I like how they talk about the swords as described by Tolkien...once again, a great attention paid to the books, which I appreciate. And where it wasn't described specifically, they filled in the blanks with their great imaginations...
B: How much did you rely on the descriptions in the books? Tolkien was rather vague, but there are several hints on the design and performance of the swords.
P: The swords are all based on Tolkien's descriptions, but these are usually so brief, and sometimes so vague when looked at critically (for example, "great-hilted") that it left the designs very open. It was more about fitting the designs to the characters, and making each one distinctive and recognisable, but this is really a question that John can answer better than me.
J: Very little, I think the other motto being : "Well, it doesn't say it WASN'T like that in the books..."
***
B: How come the swords wielded by Arwen, Elrond and the other Elves are curved?
J: Why not? It fits well with their style of combat, and it's very Art Nouveau. Did Professor Tolkien say they are all straight? Damn, I must have missed that bit!
***
The entire article can be read at:
The Men Behind the Swords in “The Lord of the Rings”
An interview with Peter Lyon and John Howe
By Björn Hellqvist
Peter Lyon at work
posted by CarolynT at 9:37 AM
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