>>9739857The original LotR trilogy are a goddamn masterclass in special effects, using forced perspective, body doubles, miniatures, and CGI to make things look as real as possible. Jackson had unfortunately changed the way he shot films almost entirely by the time The Hobbit trilogy happened and things got a lot more cartoony. That said
>>9739895 occurred early in filming while McKellen couldn't be on location with the rest of the cast due to scheduling issues and the production had to find a workaround. McKellen, being an absolute powerhouse, came around later and admitted that while he was stressed at the time he thought it was an interesting challenge.
