War Creates Strife For LOTR

Skilled extras are desperately needed for **The Lord of the Rings **- and it seems director Peter Jackson has lost his best hope to the troubles in East Timor. Jackson hoped to cast the majority of the 15,000 mounted extras needed for the trilogy's battle scenes from New Zealand's army, but the conflict in East Timor has called thousands of soldiers away. Now casting agents are desperate for extras with good riding skills, and are combing the country. The news is a minor setback for a mammoth project that sees Jackson film each part of the 'Rings trilogy simultaneously, while managing to maintain a reasonable level of secrecy on set. Not totally secret though, as regular visitors to the ultimate LOTR site - www.theonering.com - are aware...