The Hunt for Gollum - Fan Film Takes It to the Next Level

 

Video by Independent Online Cinema on

youtube

I stumbled on this film today while browsing for something to watch that I hadn't seen or didn't want to see. What I found was a done not-for-profit Lord of the Rings fan film "The Hunt for Gollum". The film is very well done; proof that your too can make a movie.

The all volunteer crew and cast spent two years lovingly hand-crafting this tribute to the Lord of the Rings series and an homage to the Peter Jackson films.  The film managed to stay within a doable budget with clever shot angles, brilliant film editing and a talented cast of amateur actors. The film doesn't try to do too much, one of the traps so many fan films fall into. The action covers a single story arc from within the LOTR universe. It chooses its subject well so that it is the story that takes center stage and not the special effects, of which there are few. It's very clever the way they did it.

I have to hand it to the actors who portrayed Strider and Gandalf. They made them believable. Strider's fight scenes with the orcs were very well done. Somebody certainly knew how to choreograph fight scenes! The guys doing the orcs were no slouches either. The big fight scene was worthy of a multi-million dollar special effects blockbuster, albeit as an episode within the film. .

Apparently, gifted amateurs can make a very good film on a very low budget.  All you need is a smart director , talented film editor and enthusiastic volunteer actors with some degree of ability. The love and respect for the material these people had is evident throughout the film. And this was no rogue operation. They had permission of the Tolkien family to make it. And they didn't steal anything from Peter Jackson. Everything is original right down to the music. The 40 minute film is based on appendices and supplemental story material from The Silmarillion and other Tolkien materials.

And surprisingly, given some of the truly cringe-worthy fan films that have come out of late, this fits nicely as a supplemental chapter to the Peter Jackson films. I'm going to grab this one and add it to my digital collection. I don't think the makers will mind. And if you're a LOTR fan, I highly recommend you see this one to complete your viewing of all things Middle Earth.

Great job guys. My hat is off to you. A decade or so ago, George Lucas predicted that in not many years ordinary people would be able to make high quality films with over-the-counter computer and video equipment. The only limitation they would have, Lucas said, was intelligence and artistic sense. Given how well this film came out, not every good filmmaker is working out of Hollywood. Had they chosen to make this a for-profit film, with a little marketing, it might have made a little money. As it is, it's an act of love by fans of JRR Tolkien and Middle-Earth.

Made in 2009, I can't think how I missed "The Hunt for Gollum" for this long. Three pineapples!

© 2020 by Tom King

 

Chuck: A Nerd's Delight

Chuck (currently on Amazon and stored on my hard drive), was a dead lock to be a hit with someone like me. And it was.

The show is about a nerdy electronics store computer troubleshooter. who gets a massive CIA database called The Intersect downloaded into his brain. The Intersect flashes into his conscious when he needs information or some kind of skill. It's basically the kind of hero fantasy every kid who has been bullied, pushed around and isolated by the cool kids dreams about.

Zachary Levi, the titular hero, is terrific. He's got all the insecurities the rest of us nerds have, and yet he rises to the occasion when challenged. His breath-takingly beautiful girlfriend/CIA handler Sara Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) leads Chuck through outrageous adventures and an on again, off again romance. Adam Baldwin plays John Case, NSA agent tough guy with his usual snarly swagger. The rest of the crew of the Buy-More electronics store, which provides the cover for a CIA base underneath, are a rag tag gang of geeks, nerds and odd-balls. 

Chuck is funny, sweet and often marvelously violent with Chuck exercising his Intersect-provided skills as a kung-fu master, swordsman, tranq pistol marksman and gymnast when he needs to get through laser security systems to save the day. It's a great story with some great guest stars like Timothy Dalton, Linda Hamilton, Scott Bakula, Brandon Routh and Chevy Chase. Joshua Gomez is fun as Chuck's best friend, Morgan.

Great show for binge watching. Wish they'd had several more seasons before CBS canceled them. They had a very devoted fan base. I've got all five seasons and it was well worth it. Right now Chuck the series on Amazon Prime Video and shows up in other streaming services as well. The best way I can describe Chuck is "James Bond" meets "Big Bang Theory" with a dash of "Spies Like Us".

One of my favorite TV shows. Up there with Firefly, it gets 3 pineapples.

© 2020 by Tom King