"My dear, you don't look anything like Sauron now."
In the manor at the foot of Victoria Mountain, hidden among the well-arranged trees, Cate Blanchett seemed somewhat dissatisfied. "I've been waiting for this moment for so long. I even put on makeup specially before coming..."
Her blonde hair and white dress made her resemble Queen Galadriel coming to Wellington.
In contrast, Duke was just wearing a casual summer outfit.
"Sorry, Cate." Duke walked over, embraced Blanchett from behind, and the two leaned against a long bench. "I tried Sauron's outfit, but it was too cumbersome. When I wore those things, I couldn't communicate deeply with you."
As he spoke, Duke lowered his head and kissed her white earlobe.
Both Duke and Blanchett were incredibly relaxed, free and easy in the woods. It was as if one of them was the true ruler of this golden forest, and the other was the most powerful being in Middle-earth.
A few days ago, Duke had instructed the housekeeping company to specifically organize the forest, making it more in line with the atmosphere of Lothlórien. He had also given Tina and the few servants in the manor time off that morning, transforming the place into a private world where he and Cate Blanchett could do as they pleased.
"Stop it, Sauron!"
No wonder Cate Blanchett was one of Australia's best actresses. She quickly got into character, breaking free from Duke's hands, turning to face him, and slowly retreating while saying, "This is the Golden Wood, not your Mordor!"
Her face tensed. "You have no power here. I'll expel you again like I did in Gorgoroth."
"What will you use to expel me?" Duke took step after step toward her. "My Lady!"
"I..." Blanchett's voice suddenly changed. "Don't come any closer. Celeborn is nearby."
"Is he? Maybe Celeborn will enjoy the scene he sees next."
As Duke was almost a foot away from Galadriel, Blanchett took another step back, leaning against a large tree. "I warn you, Sauron. I will expel you."
"Then use your methods," Duke stopped, his eyes meaningfully scanning her. "I'm curious to see how you'll expel me."
"I will conquer you!"
Blanchett's voice was full of power, and the face belonging to Queen Galadriel tightened even more. "You'll witness the most powerful side of the Noldor elves."
With that, Blanchett suddenly reached out, pulling up her white satin dress. Her smooth hands and slender legs were displayed one by one before Duke's eyes.
"Submit, Sauron." Blanchett's skirt was now at her waist.
"My Lady, although I would love to submit before your beautiful body..."
Duke stepped forward and pressed Galadriel against the thick tree trunk. "I think conquering the descendants of the Noldor elves would be more fulfilling."
"Celeborn won't let you off!"
Cate Blanchett twisted and turned, putting up a feigned resistance. Duke simply grabbed her hands and pressed them above her head...
The strongest man and woman in Middle-earth began another intimate combat, seemingly determining who was stronger in this beautiful forest.
From the start to now, Duke and Cate Blanchett's intentions were simple. They were drawn together by hormonal attraction, seeking the simplest pleasures and thrills. They never discussed anything else, and once in character, they always tangled and fought with lightning speed.
Ang Lee once said that the core of Western society and culture was "sex." Over the past 20 years, Duke had been deeply influenced by Western society, and Cate Blanchett was also a typical Western woman who could let go. The physical compatibility between them far surpassed the spiritual level.
Perhaps because of this primitive drive that fueled their relationship, Duke found Cate Blanchett far more enticing than others, even comparing her favorably with his best former partners, Naomi Watts and Charlize Theron.
So, when Cate Blanchett left Wellington and returned to Los Angeles, Duke simply had his private plane send her back directly.
What Galadriel took away was not just Sauron's conquest but also the mementos prepared for the actors by the crew.
Others might believe that the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, directed by Duke, would create brilliance, but only Duke knew that this series might become the most glorious moment of many actors' lives.
Take Elijah Wood, for example. His baby face became synonymous with Frodo Baggins.
After sending Cate Blanchett off, Duke led the crew to leave Wellington and arrived at the nearby small town of Braney, preparing to film scenes for "The Hobbit." The Hobbiton set, designed and constructed two years ago, was located near the town.
To create a real Shire, Duke had instructed set designers a year before filming to plant various trees, flowers, and vegetables in front of the pre-set scenes, even building small bridges and other auxiliary landscapes. New Zealand, entering the hotter season in December, had seen all the plants grow lush, and the landscape captured on film was truly magical.
However, there were some shortcomings.
Duke walked around the Shire and Hobbiton, generally satisfied with the overall scene, but the only thing he wasn't happy with was the landscape near Bilbo Baggins' Bag End.
When choosing the filming location, Duke had personally confirmed that the place where Bag End was built had an ancient crooked tree above it, just as described in the original work. Perhaps this tree was too old, and had already passed its prime. Even in December, its leaves looked sparse.
"Bill."
Stopping in front of Bag End, Duke looked up at the tree above and said to the head of the props team, "The leaves are too few, it will affect the filming effect."
Bill thought for a moment and quickly suggested a solution. "We can use fake leaves and hang them on the branches."
Soon, Bill brought in the relevant technicians for calculations, and the result was a shocking workload.
The crooked tree was so old and slanted that the prop team needed to first secure it with steel cables and supports before starting the work with a lift. They would remove the withered leaves and attach artificial leaves to achieve Duke's desired effect, requiring around 250,000 artificial leaves and ten people working for about a week to finish.
Aside from this, the crew had rented an abandoned slaughterhouse building near the town to create the interior of Bag End, as well as two sets of Bag End.
One was built according to Hobbit height, and the other was made for real humans, with all props being created in two sizes.
Scenes without close-ups of Bilbo or Frodo, and those with Gandalf, were filmed in the smaller set with dwarf stand-ins and Ian McKellen, while scenes with just the Hobbits were filmed in the larger set.
For close-ups with Gandalf and either Bilbo or Frodo, it was the most challenging filming.
However, technical problems were never a challenge for a Hollywood director like Duke. Using props and special shots, he could easily achieve the desired effects.
For example, in Bag End, to make the four-foot-tall Frodo Baggins appear shorter next to the seven-foot-tall wizard Gandalf, Duke had the Hobbit actor kneel while delivering his lines.
At times, he would use a "forced perspective" technique, placing Ian McKellen close to the camera in the foreground on a higher platform, with Elijah Wood positioned further away on the ground, creating the visual illusion of a size difference.
To make the "forced perspective" more realistic, Weta Workshop had specifically developed a system for Duke that included pulleys, platforms, and computer software. When the camera platform moved, the actor's platform would adjust accordingly, ensuring the correct visual ratio between Gandalf (7 feet) and Frodo (4 feet).
The Hobbiton scenes were incredibly important. They were the true beginning of the trilogy, and if they couldn't captivate the audience, it would negatively affect the entire film.
A good start is the key to a movie's success, and that's no exaggeration.
Epic battle scenes would be created in the opening prologue with an alliance of elves and men, but no intense fighting would take place in Hobbiton. The beautiful landscape and the portrayal of the magical Shire were crucial not only for character development but also for the film's atmosphere.
For the landscape shots of the Shire, Duke shot them tirelessly, not only repeating the same angles but also changing the camera positions. He was particularly skilled with wide-angle shots during sunrise and sunset, capturing countless takes.
Of course, Duke was never opposed to using CGI technology. The shots filmed would be appropriately enhanced with CGI in post-production to ensure the best effect on the big screen.
No matter the era, advanced technology eventually replaces outdated techniques, and the film industry inevitably embraces digital technology over traditional film.
Not to mention, the much cheaper cost of digital technology made it easier for production companies and North American theater chains to promote it.
After filming in Braney for ten days, the prop team finally finished creating the tree above Bag End. A successful movie could not overlook any detail, and though the crooked tree would only appear briefly on screen, Duke insisted on maintaining the highest standards for himself and the entire crew.
He wasn't a perfectionist like James Cameron, but he never relaxed his demands on the crew.