Gandalf The Grey | Sir Ian McKellen has been telling the folk over at Rotton Tomatoes why he prefers Gandalf The Grey over the more spiritual Gandalf The white.
“Grey Gandalf is my favourite, Peter Jackson’s too, we always preferred Gandalf the Grey. Peter liked him because he got down and dirty. He slept in the hedgerows; he was closer to the earth and not quite so spiritual. He’s also funnier… he’s got more variety to him. We thought there was more scope in that Gandalf.”
Sir Ian is in Spain for the San Sebastian Film Festival where he picked up a special Donostia award recognising his achievements in acting.
He started the interview by discussing his worries about typecasting but quickly put to bed any worries about whether he may be having second thoughts.
“If you play a part that gets an awful lot of attention,” he explained, “forever after you’re being asked by directors to play the same part in their movie. But I played the best wizard, and I’m happy to revisit him, which I shall do in The Hobbit with Guillermo del Toro.”
“He appeals to really young people. Gandalf has 8 and 9 year old fans who’ve seen his films a great deal more than I have. Their faces when they meet the actor who plays Gandalf are wonderful to behold, so that’s been special.”
Source: Rotton Tomatoes
Gandalf - Who was he?
As well as Gandalf The grey and later ‘The White,’ Gandalf was also known as The Grey Wanderer, The Grey Pilgrim, Stormcrow, Greyhame and several other aliases.
He was one of the 5 Maiar (a lower angel) who first appeared in Middle Earth about 1000 years into the Third Age. The other 4 were Saruman, Radagast, Pallando and Alatar.
They came to Middle Earth in the form of old men and the color refers to their rank with white being the highest.
Gandalf took to wandering and was the only one to show an interest in Hobbits.
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Nicely done - Love the full list of istari in there!
- Jack M.
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i love gandalf! im sooooo excited for the hobbit movie!!
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What’s wrong with spiritual?
I used to think Gandalf the Grey was better, but now that I think about it, Gandalf was still the same in attitude. He didn’t become any less funny or serious in the books, but in the movies for some reason they decided to draw the line between one old man and another.
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The article says “He was one of the 5 Maiar (a lower angel) who first appeared in Middle Earth about 1000 years into the Third Age. The other 4 were Saruman, Radagast, Pallando and Alatar.”
I’m just wondering where the names Pallando and Alatar were sourced from? I’ve read the LotR & appendices, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit.. and a few of the H.o.M.E books, and never found the names of the two blue wizards, mentioned in the article as Alatar and Pallando. In fact, I think I recall mention in some book that their names have been forgotten or something.. can anyone briefly clarify this for me?
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The blue wizards are referred to as Alatar and Pallando in unfinished tales in the chapter on the Istari. Alatar could translate from Quenya as ‘after-comer’ referring to the fact that he was the second of the Istari to be chosen (they were both chosen by the Vala Orome).
Also in ‘The Peoples Of Middle Earth’ they are given two alternate Quenya names Morinehtar and Rómestámo meaning Darkness-slayer and East-helper.
Hope this helps.
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There is definitely some mystery surrounding Pallando and Alatar, the Blue Wizards. They can be found in Unfinished Tales. What we can derive from Tolkien, is that they traveled as emissaries to the far east and south, but what kind of success they had in altering or changing Middle-Earth in any way, we do not know except for the reference that they could of been founders of secret cults and “magic” traditions.
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i cant wait for the the movie to come out. i think that peter jackson really brings it to life
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Ahh.. thanks roan and greymantle for the info
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will del toro ruin this ? should just be jackson
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he is already messing with the design of the creatures etc–think he gona kiddie-fy it like lucas did with second trilogy of wars
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I’m really hoping to see Radaghast in the movie. As it is said he was part of the white council and if Jackson is smart he will include the goings on of Gandalf and the white council in the hobbit movie as it was where Gandalf went when he left Thorin and company in the Mirkwood.
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I hope Del Toro doesn’t stuff this up and use scenes that best fit a video game or use characters that are designed to sell McDonalds toys and what have you. Just stick to the damn book for a change, it will make for a cracking movie/movies. Please Del Toro, don’t mess with it for the sake of little kids, it is a masterpiece that can’t be re-done anytime soon if you ruin it.
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