Hobbit hole?

[anduin]

<img scr= http://www.theonering.com/images/bag-end1.jpg> Sorry, if this image doesn't come up...it is my first time posting here. If not cut and paste URL and check out this pic. theonering.com thinks it's a fake, I was just wondering what others think. Hey, if it is real, I think they are right on the right track. What do you think?

[anduin]

Well that didn't work, so here is the URL <A HREF=http://www.theonering.com/images/bag-end1.jpg >http://www.theonering.com/images/bag-end1.jpg </A> BTW, how do you post a pic?

[Loopy]

Regarding ID4's assessment at theOneRing.net Spy Reports... ...the gates and the shadow on that chinmey definitely are VERY fishy. I don't know about the smudging and halo on that guy in the garden -- it's hard to tell with such crummy compression. And regarding the way he is lit, I agree that it is unlikely. There should be more light on his face. But here's what bothered me most about him. I didn't notice it in the picture at Spy Reports because it is too dark, but then I went to the link anduin posted and...the guy doesn't seem to be casting a shadow.

[bmilder]

Hmm... If it is a fake, it was very well done. Another thing is the faint fence in the background, which to me gives it more credibility (in a movie set). And anduin, you post pics with HTML. Like this [img <A HREF=src=http://www.website.com/image.gif] >src=http://www.website.com/image.gif] </A>but with < and > instead of [ and ] Just remember to leave out quotation marks, the ezboard server doesn't like them and messes up your link.

[The One Ring]

Here's the picture. Personally I think it is real. Why would a fake have cables, the man watering plants, etc.? <img src=http://www.ringbearer.org/images/bag-end1.jpg>

[anduin]

Here's a link to a great illustration of Bag End: <A HREF=http://www.thelordoftherings.com/multimedia/nasmith-35.html >http://www.thelordoftherings.com/multimedia/nasmith-35.html </A> I hope this link works. :)

[Darth Tater]

I do a lot of work in photoshop (we'll have a new banner here soon that I made) and I can tell you I coulda faked that in about a half hour. In an hour I coulda made it look much more like the real thing. It's a fake.

[vlattimo]

I agree with Darth, I 'm a graphic artist/webdesigner and it isn't a really top-notch job. You could do the same thing with any imaging software off the shelves.

[The One Ring]

I agree that such a picture would be easy to fake. And maybe this one is a fake. But wouldn't the fakers do a better job? I could do one myself (I do some occasional photo creating and editing) that looked better. For the current argument, just go to <A HREF=http://www.lordoftheringsmovie.com/allcomments.php3?id=193 >http://www.lordoftheringsmovie.com/allcomments.php3?id=193 </A>or <A HREF=http://www.theonering.net/spyreports.html >http://www.theonering.net/spyreports.html </A>.

[Loopy]

Conversely, if it was a real picture wouldn't the objects do a better job casting realistic shadows? But seriously, there are a lot of people out there who don't spend a lot of time doing image editing and wouldn't notice mistakes that seem obvious to us. And if people really want to believe it's real...well, denial can go a long way to help that. On the other hand, it could be that the fakers weren't really expecting to fool anyone at all, and just wanted to stir up rumors or draw attention to themselves.

[Hernalt]

All I can say is, Don't let TPMitis (imflammation of the egocentric expectation) start infecting our enjoyment of LOTR. LOTR deserves more. Granted, we can't blame Jackson like everything was His vision and He Failed Us, as we did with Lucas during the epidemic of TPMitis. There appear to be people who sound off immediately about the detractions they detect about this Bag-End photo without giving so much as a nod of acknowledgement to the obvious effort that went into it, be it a real set or painstakingly crafted image. This doesn't have to be a religious experience - I'm only suggesting perhaps to give credit where it's due. As for whether this is an image or set, the answer was to me so obvious that to state it here would mean there was any debate about it at all. So we shall be patient. Nevertheless, whoever accuses forgeries could, at their discretion, give some form of credit or compliment. And as a hypnotist recently assured after his subjects awoke from embarrassing adventures, 'We are all the best of friends...'

[Darth Tater]

Really I can't compliment it, since it looks like hardly any work was put into it. But I can compliment the braveness of the guy who put it up on the web.

[anduin]

After a long hiatus from AICN, I decided to check back with them to see what they have dug up on the LOTR Movie. These pics are from an article that they published back at the beginning of November, so it isn't really new news. The pics came from a Russian Newpaper. What is interesting, however, is the article contained, in addition to the three pics below, the original "Hobbit hole" pic from above.... <img src= http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Quarter/1366/lotr-hobbiton1.jpg> <img src= http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Quarter/1366/lotr-hobbiton2.jpg> <img src= http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Quarter/1366/lotr-hobbiton3.jpg> It doesn't even look like they were taken at the same time as the original pic of the Hobbit hole. Also look at the chimneys....the close-up shows a chimney at the front of the hole, the other three show chimneys at the back of the holes. Looks like all who claimed the original pic was a fake were right....that is, if compared to the three ;) Any ideas on whether or not these three are the real thing?

[Elanor]

Well, they look great to me! Thanks for posting them, anduin! oh, I want to see this movie so much!!!

[Fat middle]

Hmmm, Jackson has my approval :) BTW, were there sheep in the Shire?

[anduin]

LOL!! I don't remember there being any sheep in the Shire.....good catch Fat Middle!! Maybe they will be herded and removed before they use those sets, or maybe this is an indication that THESE photos are fakes also.....hmmmm....

[Darth Tater]

Well, those ones look very real and are supposedly the real thing.

[Hernalt]

The first picture may still be a fuzzy shot of a set not included in the nice-pictured set. It was obviously taken while the sun was high and bright. The chimney sure doesn't match any in the other pictures, but notice the green mesh which they use to (whoknows?) which is draped over the fences. Also, the fences in the first and later pictures have three boards and appear the same greyish color.

[Darth Tater]

I noticed that, but it's been confirmed as a fake, so maybe the folks had seen the set but couldn't get pictures so they made some themselves.