CatoCooper13
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2003
- Messages
- 6,441
- Reaction score
- 4
British actor Christopher Lee is to boycott The Return of the King film world premiere in Wellington after learning all his scenes as the evil wizard Saruman have been cut.
Lee, 81, said he had expected to appear in seven minutes' worth of climactic scenes in the final Lord of the Rings film.
"Of course I'm very shocked, that's all I can say," he told Britain's ITV television channel. Asked if he would attend the premiere, Lee said: "No, what's the point of going?"
Most of the film's main stars, including Sir Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin and Liv Tyler, are to attend.
Lee said he could not say more because he had signed a confidentiality agreement.
Lee was a friend of the trilogy's author JRR Tolkien and reads the book at least once a year.
A Lord of the Rings spokeswoman in Wellington said Lee had been invited to the premiere, but was not expected to attend because of his age.
Details of the cuts were revealed on the internet last week in email correspondence between director Peter Jackson and American Harry Knowles, who runs a film news website.
Jackson said he had planned to open The Return of the King with a scene involving Lee and the character Wormtongue, played by American Brad Dourif.
"The trouble is, when we viewed various Return of the King cuts over the last few weeks, it feels like the first scenes are wrapping last year's movie ... We felt it got Return of the King off to an uncertain beginning."
©AAP 2003
Lee, 81, said he had expected to appear in seven minutes' worth of climactic scenes in the final Lord of the Rings film.
"Of course I'm very shocked, that's all I can say," he told Britain's ITV television channel. Asked if he would attend the premiere, Lee said: "No, what's the point of going?"
Most of the film's main stars, including Sir Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin and Liv Tyler, are to attend.
Lee said he could not say more because he had signed a confidentiality agreement.
Lee was a friend of the trilogy's author JRR Tolkien and reads the book at least once a year.
A Lord of the Rings spokeswoman in Wellington said Lee had been invited to the premiere, but was not expected to attend because of his age.
Details of the cuts were revealed on the internet last week in email correspondence between director Peter Jackson and American Harry Knowles, who runs a film news website.
Jackson said he had planned to open The Return of the King with a scene involving Lee and the character Wormtongue, played by American Brad Dourif.
"The trouble is, when we viewed various Return of the King cuts over the last few weeks, it feels like the first scenes are wrapping last year's movie ... We felt it got Return of the King off to an uncertain beginning."
©AAP 2003
