Peter Jackson changed the game with one of his earliest horror genre outings, and it’s now back as a streaming sensation.
The New Zealand filmmaker has enjoyed a very unique journey through the film industry, beginning with multiple splatter films, including the cult favorites Bad Taste and Braindead, before transitioning to drama with the Oscar-nominated Heavenly Creatures and overlooked mockumentary Forgotten Silver. This would all build to his groundbreaking work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and his later return for the Hobbit prequel trilogy.
How Well Do You Know The Lord of the Rings?
“ One does not simply walk into Mordor.”
The One
Ring My precious
The Shire Second breakfast
Fellowship Nine Walkers
Mordor Mount Doom
Wizards Istari of the West
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The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was shot back-to-back in New Zealand over an unprecedented 438 days of principal photography. Which New Zealand filmmaker directed all three films?
✓ Correct! Peter Jackson — a lifelong Tolkien fan who’d previously made splatter-comedies like Braindead — spent nearly a decade on the trilogy, shooting all three films simultaneously in New Zealand from 1999 to 2000. James Cameron is Avatar; del Toro nearly directed The Hobbit before dropping out; Ridley Scott did Gladiator — released the same year Jackson started shooting.
✗ You shall not pass! The answer is Peter Jackson. Guillermo del Toro came close to directing The Hobbit before leaving the project (Jackson took over). James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic) and Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Alien) have no connection to the trilogy. Jackson’s 438-day back-to-back shoot in New Zealand is still cited as one of cinema’s most ambitious productions.
Beyond exploring the tales of Middle-earth, Jackson has since become better known for his work as a producer and a documentarian, which has included everything from Steven Spielberg’s adaptation ofThe Adventures of Tintin, the post-apocalyptic steampunk epicMortal Engines, and widely acclaimedThey Shall Not Grow Old. As he looks to finally get back in the director’s chair with the long-awaitedTintinsequel, one of Jackson’s more underrated outings is enjoying a resurgence on streaming.
The Frighteners Has Swiftly Begun Haunting Shudder’s Top 10
The Horror Classic Is Overtaking Multiple New Releases
Co-written and directed by Jackson,<em>The Frighteners</em>marked the filmmaker’s first Hollywood venture, centering on Michael J. Fox as Frank Bannister, a former architect who, after an accident, has the ability to see ghosts and works with two spirits to con various people in his small town. When a string of mysterious deaths begin occurring, Frank realizes his unique ability may be the only thing that can stop any more deaths from occurring.
Also starring genre icon Jeffrey Combs,Little Women‘s Trini Alvarado,E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial‘s Dee Wallace Stone andThe Addams Family‘s John Astin, among many others,The Frightenersmemorably saw a troubled initial run upon its 1996 release, being rushed into a summer release that hampered its box office chances, even while critics were generally favorable. The years since have seen the horror film amass a strong cult following, which looks to have built to its new streaming run.
On the heels of the film’s 30th anniversary,The Frightenersis quickly climbing streaming charts onShudder. At the time of writing, Jackson’s horror classic sits at the No. 6 spot on the platform. Though the lower rung of the Top 10, it is worth noting that it’s charting above multiple newer releases, including the star-studded witch thrillerForbidden Fruitsand found-footage horror-thrillerWhat Happened to Dorothy Bell?.
The Frighteners Quietly Changed Cinema Forever For 1 Key Reason
Jackson’s Hollywood Start Wasn’t The Only Major Result Of The Film
While bringing the filmmaker to the United States was certainly one of the biggest outcomes from the horror classic,The Frightenerstruly changed cinema history by ushering in the full launch of Wētā FX, known at the time as Weta Digital. The digital visual effects studio had technically been co-founded by Jackson and utilized forHeavenly CreaturesandForgotten Silverprior, but the 1996 production would become their biggest at that time and see them begin their expansion into the powerhouse they’re known as today.
In the decades since,Wētā FX has earned eight Oscar victories for their work on bothThe Lord of the RingsandAvatarfranchises, as well as Jackson’sKing Kongreimagining and Jon Favreau’sThe Jungle Bookremake. They’ve also become one of the most sought-after VFX studios alongside George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic, having worked on everything from Fox’sX-Menfilms to multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe titles and Robert Pattinson-ledThe Batman.
As it’s currently enjoying its 30th anniversary, it will be interesting to see ifThe Frighteners‘ newfound streaming resurgence leads to growth in its already passionate fanbase. Even if it doesn’t, though, it’s hard to deny the massive impact this cult horror hit has had on cinema and will remain for many a favorite go-to viewing around Halloween season.
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