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Ivanwho? New Zealand based fantasy TV show whelms Tolkien fandom - Lord of the Rings news - J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

August 11, 2000 at 03:07:00

A new television series hailed as having computer effects comparable to those of Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings' movies has not induced fans to create Web sites or start discussions on the Internet.

At least, not so far as we can determine. Xenite.Org reported on the premier of the 13-part television series, which has been compared to the "Lord of the Rings" project on a technical presentation level. The show boasts Elves and Goblins and CGI effects.

Produced in New Zealand, Dark Knight is loosely based on Sir Walter Scott's medieval novel Ivanhoe. One New Zealand writer says "Sir Walt's novel has been smothered almost completely in this comic book-style rendition, complete with gratuitous sorcery."

The New Zealand Herald reported in March that "Computer graphics experts from around the world are working on a $20 million TV series being filmed at Avalon Studios in Lower Hutt." (The amount would be around $10,000,000.00 in US dollars.)

A Herald reporter recently expressed hope that the time slot for the series would be changed.

Currently being broadcast only in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the television show has two official Web pages. The New Zealand page boasts animation and a short film introduction along with music, episode information, and more. The UK site merely provides pictures, a brief amount of information, and cast biographies.

Some of the television show's production crew have previously worked on the highly acclaimed Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, both of which have been recognized for the high quality of their presentation, acting, and writing when compared to other fantasy action/adventure television shows.

Despite the low-key press blitz, more than 1,000,000 people (equivalent to about 1/4 of New Zealand's population) tuned in to watch the show's debut in the United Kingdom. And yet, if the show was so widely anticipated, why haven't any fan sites shown up on the Internet? We have searched through a dozen search engines and directories and found nothing relating to the show.

The inclusion of Elves and Goblins was viewed as an aspect which might appeal to fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, who should be curious to see how they might be portrayed on television. The next opportunity for a pre-LOTR interpretation of Elves and Goblins will be in the much-anticipated Dungeons and Dragons movie.

A search for information on the actors starring in Dark Knight produced nothing about actress Charlotte Comer, who plays the martial arts-trained Rebecca (a far cry from the gentle Jewish maiden of Sir Walter Scott's novel). Benjamin Pullen has had roles on a few shows such as Highlander and in the ill-received movie Hawk the Slayer. Pullen also had a role in the 1997 United Kingdom film Prince Valiant.