Authored by “Got News Precious” contributor Martin Burrows.
Modern computer technology has already contributed so much to Middle-earth – you only have to look at the new Hobbit trailer to see how much of Middle-earth is made with CGI – but its some more mainstream digital trickery by the art & promotions folk which has seen Middle-earth grow so big that the shire stretches from New Zealand all the way to Northumberland, UK. Were it not for some eagle-eyed locals it might even have remained unnoticed.
When the latest poster for The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey was revealed at Comic-Con, it drew widespread admiration for its atmospheric depiction of The Shire. What was presumed to be a CGI treatment, however, has now been revealed by The Northumberland Gazette to have been some basic photoshopping.
In an article titled “Middle Earth is closer to home than you think“, local Phil Murray explains that “the backdrop proved to be none other than the view from Corby Crag, above Alnwick, looking west towards Edlingham Castle and the Simonside Hills.”
The article goes on to explain that the Alnwick to Wooler railway viaduct can also be clearly seen in the poster. Somehow I can’t imagine Hobbits approving of complex machines such as trains!
Its perhaps no surprise that the image was chosen to be used as the basis of the backdrop, as Alnwick (mainly in the form of its impressive castle) has already played a part in a number of fantasy and period pieces, including Harry Potter, Elizabeth and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. There must be some magic in the area!
While some commentators have noted that its seemingly essential to have a view of England in order to make a view of the shire look authentic, its unlikely that the proud Kiwi film makers would agree. That’s why it was interesting to see that when the trailer page was released on the Apple trailers site this week that the poster image being used as the site background had changed somewhat, with a time-warp-esque jump to the left, removing the most noticeable landmarks of Edlingham Castle and the railway viaduct. A site design decision or a sign of an embarrassment-led re-branding? If the new image ends up on TheHobbit.com, then we’ll soon know.
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