locations for ep 404 Aithusa
Oct. 22nd, 2011 10:16 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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merlinlocationsOMG, insert more superlatives here! It's not meant to work like this, is it? That shows just get better and better...? Not that I'm complaining, mind you!
OK, along with excellent use of the usual, we had another strong Locations episode this week. A couple of these are working theories for now, but I'll research and explore...
♦ We were back at Clearwell Caves for the Druids' cave, maintaining canonical consistency with ep 312 The Coming of Arthur, Part One. I suspect that the bit with Julius Borden shimmying down the rope was done in front of a green screen, but otherwise that's the Caves.
♦ Of course much use was made of the Chateau de Pierrefonds and the studio sets in Cardiff. In fact, I was delighted to see more use made of the Chateau, with a few bits we haven't seen before. Nicely done!
♦ I am guessing that Arthur, Merlin and the Knights rode through some part of the Brecon Beacons, but (like the 'generic forest scenes') these ones are going to be difficult or impossible to pin down.
♦ It was a delightful shock to find ourselves back at the dramatic Porth yr Ogof, which served as Balinor's cave in ep 213 The Last Dragonlord. Beautiful place, and I love it to death - but I am still trying to get my head around that! I mean, was it meant to be Balinor's cave or not...? In an episode about dragons and dragonlords, which is consistent enough to use Clearwell Caves again for the Druids' hangout, it's tempting to conclude it is. Which would mean that Balinor was kind of guarding the way to the egg. But Merlin didn't seem to recognise it or react to it at all, and surely he would have had quite an emotional (if private) reaction. Hhhmmm... {ponders} Anyway!
♦ On the other hand, they reused the waterfall sequence from ep 208 The Sins of the Father, if backwards, without any reason to think it had anything to do with the journey to or from Morgause's castle. The waterfall seemed to be Sgwd yr Eira again, though this time in its natural setting. Still, given the walking distance needed to get there, I assume the actors were filmed against a green screen.
update: OK, I'm rethinking that assumption. Julia commented on the website that they were filming at the actual waterfalls, and there are publicity shots that seem to be taken there. Though it still seems a long way to trek with equipment and so on - especially as I understand there is a steep climb down to the actual falls. But maybe the Brecon Beacons people gave them permission to drive in closer than members of the public can...? Any thoughts here would be appreciated!
♦ The path between the mossy cliffs where they were ambushed by Borden did look very much like Puzzlewood - only I can't recall seeing anything quite like it. Still, I'm sure there's bits of it that aren't open to the public. A working theory for now!
♦ Now, I'm a bit giddy over the stairway where Borden and Merlin are approaching the room with the dragon's egg. I'm pretty sure it's Chepstow Castle. You can see the photos I took here and here on flickr... At the time I thought it looked like a terrific place to film! If you're visiting, it's the stairs down to the wine cellar. LOL! But of course you won't find that impressive hall at the top, as that was filmed in green screen. (I really loved how the stairs emerged into the room.)
♦ And now I'm stretching a bit, but the bit where Merlin runs away from the collapsing tower and then meets Arthur and the Knights -that felt like it was just behind Castell Coch. I could be totally wrong about that, but it was the right kind of trees, with that edge of ground beyond which there's a steep slope, and they might even have used some of the base of the Castell for the tower. Again: a working theory!
update: And my guess was wrong! :-D![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
archaeologist_d was lucky enough to watch them filming this near the Chateau de Pierrefonds.
Phew! :-D
ETA: OK, Alice Troughton was asked on Twitter about Porth yr Ogof, so I followed up with her about whether it was meant to be Balinor's cave or somewhere else. She says it was a reuse of a location, and not meant to be the same place: source. She wasn't the director - Alex Pillai was - so I guess we can feel free to interpret how we like. But given Merlin's lack of reaction, I think I'll go with that... tempting though it is to think of Balinor guarding the way to the egg!
OK, along with excellent use of the usual, we had another strong Locations episode this week. A couple of these are working theories for now, but I'll research and explore...
♦ We were back at Clearwell Caves for the Druids' cave, maintaining canonical consistency with ep 312 The Coming of Arthur, Part One. I suspect that the bit with Julius Borden shimmying down the rope was done in front of a green screen, but otherwise that's the Caves.
♦ Of course much use was made of the Chateau de Pierrefonds and the studio sets in Cardiff. In fact, I was delighted to see more use made of the Chateau, with a few bits we haven't seen before. Nicely done!
♦ I am guessing that Arthur, Merlin and the Knights rode through some part of the Brecon Beacons, but (like the 'generic forest scenes') these ones are going to be difficult or impossible to pin down.
♦ It was a delightful shock to find ourselves back at the dramatic Porth yr Ogof, which served as Balinor's cave in ep 213 The Last Dragonlord. Beautiful place, and I love it to death - but I am still trying to get my head around that! I mean, was it meant to be Balinor's cave or not...? In an episode about dragons and dragonlords, which is consistent enough to use Clearwell Caves again for the Druids' hangout, it's tempting to conclude it is. Which would mean that Balinor was kind of guarding the way to the egg. But Merlin didn't seem to recognise it or react to it at all, and surely he would have had quite an emotional (if private) reaction. Hhhmmm... {ponders} Anyway!
♦ On the other hand, they reused the waterfall sequence from ep 208 The Sins of the Father, if backwards, without any reason to think it had anything to do with the journey to or from Morgause's castle. The waterfall seemed to be Sgwd yr Eira again, though this time in its natural setting. Still, given the walking distance needed to get there, I assume the actors were filmed against a green screen.
update: OK, I'm rethinking that assumption. Julia commented on the website that they were filming at the actual waterfalls, and there are publicity shots that seem to be taken there. Though it still seems a long way to trek with equipment and so on - especially as I understand there is a steep climb down to the actual falls. But maybe the Brecon Beacons people gave them permission to drive in closer than members of the public can...? Any thoughts here would be appreciated!
♦ The path between the mossy cliffs where they were ambushed by Borden did look very much like Puzzlewood - only I can't recall seeing anything quite like it. Still, I'm sure there's bits of it that aren't open to the public. A working theory for now!
♦ Now, I'm a bit giddy over the stairway where Borden and Merlin are approaching the room with the dragon's egg. I'm pretty sure it's Chepstow Castle. You can see the photos I took here and here on flickr... At the time I thought it looked like a terrific place to film! If you're visiting, it's the stairs down to the wine cellar. LOL! But of course you won't find that impressive hall at the top, as that was filmed in green screen. (I really loved how the stairs emerged into the room.)
♦ And now I'm stretching a bit, but the bit where Merlin runs away from the collapsing tower and then meets Arthur and the Knights -
update: And my guess was wrong! :-D
archaeologist_d was lucky enough to watch them filming this near the Chateau de Pierrefonds.Phew! :-D
ETA: OK, Alice Troughton was asked on Twitter about Porth yr Ogof, so I followed up with her about whether it was meant to be Balinor's cave or somewhere else. She says it was a reuse of a location, and not meant to be the same place: source. She wasn't the director - Alex Pillai was - so I guess we can feel free to interpret how we like. But given Merlin's lack of reaction, I think I'll go with that... tempting though it is to think of Balinor guarding the way to the egg!
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Date: 2011-10-22 09:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-22 10:18 pm (UTC)Have fun planning your Locations Trip, my love! ♥
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Date: 2011-10-23 12:09 am (UTC)I´m too *bounce* :)