The Lord of the Rings - SFX

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The Lord of the Rings 3 SFX It took one year to film The Lord of the Rings , and it took one year to add the SFX (special effects). Are there too many special effects in movies today? Do we still get good stories and good acting?

Everything about The Lord of the Rings movie is BIG: lots of special effects, lots of famous actors, and lots of money. J.R.R. Tolkein 9s well-known book of the same name was written in 1954 and it was immediately popular.

It is a wonderful story about dwarves and magic in a fantasy world. Millions of people wanted to see this fantasy world on film, but it wasn 9t possible 3 until now. Modern special effects are perfect for The Lord of the Rings .

8They 9re using every trick in the movie trick book, 9 says Dave Golder, who wrote the movies. Peter Jackson, the director, has made three Lord of the Rings movies and there are about 500 special effects in each movie. The cost is enormous 3 probably $100 million for each movie.

Jackson 9s company, WETA, worked hard on the special effects. For example, one special effect 8shrinks 9 actors down to ... more. less.

the size of a dwarf. Almost every frame of the movie has a special effect in it. Today, special effects are excellent. But can computers do everything? What about other movies? People did not like Star Wars: The Phantom Menace when it came out in 1999. They said it was boring, too many special effects and no story. Special effects are often used for fantasy or war movies, but sometimes they are used for other movies, too. One of the best movies of 2001 was Amélie . It is a romantic movie about a young woman. Amélie works in a café in Paris and she tries to help people with magic. Amélie has lots of special effects, but they are funny, or about love. However, special effects are very expensive, and Amélie cost about $50 million. It is possible to make a great movie without any special effects. Billy Elliot , which came out in 2000, is one of the most successful British movies ever. It is about a young boy from a poor family. He wants to be a dancer. Lots of people all over the world went to see Billy Elliot and loved it. They loved the story and the excellent acting. Billy Elliot only cost $5 million. But The Lord of the Rings has everything, a great story 3 it is one of the most famous books ever written 3 and great special effects, too. Penguin Dossiers Copyright © Pearson Education Ltd 2005 Photograph copyright © New Line Cinema 2001 Published 20/04/05 Visit our websites penguinreaders.com | penguin.co.uk | longman.com © Pearson Education Limited 2005

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