Battle of Helm's Deep Recording at Wellington
LOTR Director Peter Jackson had an unusual idea to gather as many people to chant in Black Speech, during the New Zealand vs England 2nd ODI on this day in 2002!
The Lord of the Ring's Trilogy was a masterpiece of Peter Jackson but did you know that the 'Uruk Hai' chanting at the Battle of Helm's Deep in "The Two Towers" was recorded during the innings break of the New Zealand vs England ODI at Wellington which was exactly 23 years ago?
"Where can we find so many people?"
Peter and the filming crew had a very tedious task of getting a sound bite from a large audience and this was specifically for the scene where the 'Uruk Hai' were marching towards Helm's Deep. Getting a group of 50 or 100 was not enough, because to make the sounds feel realistic, they needed much more, say 20,000. So where can you find so many in one place?
The team finally got an idea to go to the New Zealand vs England ODI in Wellington, the same location where they were filming and with the help of the New Zealand Cricket Board, Peter got his script and crew into action after the Innings Break when New Zealand put on a score of 244!
A Memorable Win and 'Half Time Show'
Just before England were bowled out for 89 by New Zealand, which was only part of the reason why the match was a memorable one for the home crowd, Peter Jackson instructed 20,000+ spectators present to chant in Black Speech (the language used by the Uruk Hai in the film) that was on display on the screen.
It was definitely a brilliant move, involving many people in one place and a chance to connect with the audience since their success in the first part of the Trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring. Once the recording was successfully captured, the match resumed and New Zealand won by a thumping 155 runs!