The Hobbit - starts filming March 21

I think the idea that the production is to blame for the animals' deaths is stretching it a bit. They were under the care of a third party, if I'm reading the articles correctly. That makes it the responsibility of the care provider. Even the AHA said they didn't monitor the facility.

I figure it's just PETA wanting some free headlines by riding the coattails of a popular film. What do they expect us to do, boycott the film? Hell, I'll probably see it six times in theaters and buy every DVD and Blu-ray they throw at us, three times over just in case. This changes nothing.
 
I just want to say that I was in no way advocating PETA or their ridiculous claims. I just saw the link on MSN and thought I would pass it on.
 
Peter has released a statement on his FB about it: https://www.facebook.com/notes/peter-jackson/animal-allegations-on-the-hobbit/10151300381651558

Sounds like PETA overblown nonsense. If any animals were harmed it was after production was over. Which leads me to believe some wranglers were guilty here, not the production company itself. Someone flubbed seriously, and now they're trying to place the blame elsewhere.


Really, maybe you should read about it a better before commenting...:unsure


"Hobbit" farm had animal "death traps" that killed as many as 27: Handlers - CBS News
 
Really, maybe you should read about it a better before commenting...:unsure


"Hobbit" farm had animal "death traps" that killed as many as 27: Handlers - CBS News

I guess I need to repost what I said to you in your unnecessary private message? -_-:

Actually, I think you might need to brush up. PETA is an extremist organization. They have NOT done their research.

If you were to read closely, the wranglers accusing the production of the "killings" of these animals were wranglers that were fired from the production well over a year ago for treating animals FAR below the standards of the production and NZ animal laws.

Peter Jackson released a statement about it on his Facebook a few days ago: https://www.facebook.com/notes/peter-jackson/animal-allegations-on-the-hobbit/10151300381651558

Within the statement he gives several OTHER statements from animal owners and trusted wranglers from the crew.

The wranglers making these accusations are SOUR GRAPES. They were fired for mistreating animals. Their claims are false.

From the official statement from Peter:

To date, the only horse wranglers whose treatment of animals fell below the production’s standard of care seem to be the two wranglers who have chosen to level this new accusation on the eve of the premiere of the first Hobbit film and who were dismissed by the production over a year ago. Reports of their actions are documented in several written statements dating back to October 2011.

The production regrets that PETA has chosen to make such a serious accusation, which has distressed many of the dedicated Kiwis who worked with animals on the films - including trainers, wranglers, care-givers, farm workers and animal health care professionals - without properly vetting the source from which they received this information.

Never trust what PETA goes after. They go blindly after stupid accusations to get the spotlight shifted their way. They do more harm to animals than good and actually have a high animal KILL RATE in their "shelters". If you want to support a good animal organization, no kill shelter, support your local humane society, as their funding is low and they can only take so many at a time.

Being a huge Tolkien fan and a huge fan of Peter Jackson, I've kept up with this story from the beginning, so please don't assume ;). I believe my last post on the thread was the update from Peter.

If you believe anything PETA says, I honestly don't feel sorry for you. NZ has very strict animal laws, and if you are or were a fan of the production of LotR, you would know that not a single animal was left unloved; and there were far more animals in that production than on the Hobbit. At the end of the production, all animals went back to their respective, loving homes, or were retired into new ones. Viggo Mortensen himself bought two horses; his horse Brego, and the horse who played Asafaloth for the Arwen stunt women who loved the horse, but couldn't afford him.

Peter Jackson himself owns 3 pigs and let them be in the Hobbiton scenes in the Hobbit. On top of the fact he had tons of people donating their own animals to be used in the film. It seems not one of them came back with a scratch on them. The main horse that apparently was "hobbled", Shanghai, came back in better shape than ever. His own owner stated so:

“I am 100% happy with the return of Shanghai and his condition. In the term that he was leased he was picked up and returned to me two times. On both occasions there was not a mark on him and he was healthy and happy. He has shown no signs of ill-treatment. I would not hesitate in leasing him to the movie again.”
 
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The Heirs Apparent-ly aren't happy with some things.....

Tolkien heirs sue moviemakers over merchandizing

Shylaah

His heirs are never happy. Though I have to admit that a slot machine is about the sleaziest bit of merchandising that's come out. I wouldn't touch it, and I think it's ridiculous. They slap the logo and the faces of the actors on enough.

Though this is just another cherry on the icing of the constant *****-cake baking in Christopher Tolkien's oven. He will NEVER not be angry at the production of anything connected to his father's name. Deep down, it honestly stems from the fact that he's not making money from it. And that's because he decided to completely shun the production of the films from the start. Even when Peter Jackson lent an hand his way asking if he'd want to.

His own grandson, Royd, is in the films. The hatred for the movies tore the family apart for a while. Christopher's son Simon wouldn't speak to his father for years, and now he's coming out siding with his father -_- Tolkien’s grandson says Rings films ‘a juggernaut that tore my family apart’ | Hobbit Movie News and Rumors | TheOneRing.net

He can't step out from under his grandfather's shadow? Really? Sometimes I wonder if these two respect their father/grandfather in anyway? It's a bit sad really.

Christopher Tolkien just seems mad because his father sold the rights to stage, film and merchandising of LotR, back in 1968 to United Artists. He did this so his kids could have money for an education.

If that doesn't show love, I don't know what does. He even gave Christopher Lee the blessing to play Gandalf if the movies or a stage production were to ever happen. So the fact that his son so vehemently despises the movies is beyond me. Though I'm sure Tolkien wouldn't have approved of ALOT, still, he wouldn't have minded as much.

I got the full scope of how sour Christopher was, in a French interview he gave several months ago. He complained about finding 80+ boxes filled with papers after his father died. These papers had the history of Middle Earth on them. They weren't organized and they were mainly thoughts jotted down on the run.

He had nothing to complain about, as this is how Christopher compiled Silmarillion. And though I love alot of stories and scenes from the Sil, I always wonder if Tolkien would have wanted some of the histories that way, as he died before he could ever complete his full world.
 
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