His panel was the first of the convention, and getting through this would have been a tough job for everybody. But Jørn Benzon did well, though you could tell he was very nervous in the beginning, especially when confronted with an almost empty main hall. By the end of the convention, however, he had become quite confident on stage.
Panels with "extras" or crew are just as interesting as those with the actors, for you get an insight on how a movie is done from a different angle. And when the movie in question is a monster project like "Lord of the Rings", many a tale can be told.
Did you know, for example, that there was "Orc training"? Sounds a little odd, that's true, but one has to learn first how to walk in these heavy costumes to avoid stumbling and falling, for the view is restricted by make-up, prosthetics and helmet. Heck - I fall over my own feet and I'm NOT wearing a helmet!
It is a pity we never get to see the Orc's from behind – the crew was handing out "Chupa Chups" lollipops to the extras so that their sugar level's didn't drop (it was cold, it was raining, it was tough, tough work), and whenever they continued to shoot, the lollipops were placed in the back of the costume of the Orc in front, so you could see an army of Orcs armed with 15 to 20 lollipops… Saruman's secret weapon!
As fascinating as Orcs are: Jørn's fans were mostly interested in his work as Rúmil, the archer. The only place arrows were shot, however, was the studio, in front of a blue screen. Everything else was "make-believe".
And – has he ever shot anybody? "No – but I will try harder." Jørn was also the one who aimed the arrow at Gimli in the scene where the fellowship arrives in Lothlórien. He was very impressed how professional and calm John Rhys Davies handled this scene – the arrow was really only an inch away from his face, and Jørn was sweating water and blood in fear he might incidentally release the arrow and reduce the fellowship to 8 members, but John Rhys Davies was as calm as one can be.
While he admired all the actors, the one who left the greatest impression was Sir Christopher Lee. "He is the actor of all actors!"
A lasting impression of an entirely different kind was the tattoo Jørn got ("My mother hates me now!") – an Elven "Rúmil", made by the same guy, by the way, who needled the Elven "9" for the members of the Fellowship.
Being on Lord of the Rings was a dream come true for all involved, or, as Jørn puts it:
"Everybody would go to New Zealand crossing the sea in a bathtub, with a paddle, if Peter Jackson called." |
