Posted: January 07, 1999 at 10:03:54: by Olorin
Here is the original question and answer from the 20 questions session:----------------------------------------------------
Q - "I'm really curious to know whether there is going to be any consistency in the accents of the characters, and if so what accents they are going to use. In (my) ideal world, Frodo, Bilbo, Pippin, and Merry would speak English Country Squire and Sam would speak English Country Bumpkin--it seems important since the hobbit world is so closely linked to the idealised English countryside. Then if the other species had accents peculiar to themselves, that would be pretty cool. Or failing that, it would be GREAT if no one spoke with an American accent as that often seems to bring fantasy worlds crashing down. I am American, by the way. I just don't think it would suit Tolkien. Thanks! Leah E.” PJ: My preference is to use English accents as I think an American accent would feel as out of place in Middle-earth. If you are making Braveheart or Rob Roy, a King Arthur, or Robin Hood movie, then a basic aesthetic sense says that American accents are not appropriate (as in Costner's Robin Hood). The Lord of the Rings is a classic English story. However, I think that New Line are concerned that having no American accents will alienate a US audience, so that debate has yet to be resolved. There may be a way of figuring something out.
------------------------------------------------------ So, Peter Jackson doesn't want U.S. accents but he 'thinks' that New Line (the movie company) may be concerned. You will notice that he hasn't said anything specific. You should remember that of the 60-odd speaking parts, the vast majority will be New Zealanders who's accents are fairly close to an English accent. Elsewhere in the session PJ mentioned that some of the New Line excutives that he is working with are long-tim Tolkien fans. Couple this with the fact that 1. PJ wants to stick as close to the original books as possible and 2. New Line have (so far) given him a pretty free rein then I don't think you should be TOO worried about Bilbo having a Bronx accent or Aragorn speaking with a deep-south accent and chewing tobacco. I would guess that the worst we will hear is a non-descript 'transatlantic' accent. Sounds like that Tory rag, The Express, are stirring it. Don't believe everything you read in the papers.
| 
