Sir Peter Jackson, the visionary director behind cinematic masterpieces like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong, is celebrated globally for his storytelling prowess and innovative filmmaking. But where exactly did this acclaimed director originate? The answer lies in the stunning landscapes of New Zealand, a country that has not only shaped his personal journey but also become an integral part of his cinematic identity. Understanding where Peter Jackson is from is crucial to appreciating the unique perspectives and the very grounding that informs his extraordinary work. This article delves into Peter Jackson’s New Zealand roots, exploring how his upbringing and environment in this island nation have significantly influenced his life and career in filmmaking.
Peter Jackson’s story begins in Pukerua Bay, a small coastal town nestled at the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island. Growing up in Pukerua Bay, which he describes as a town of about 800 people, Peter Jackson experienced a childhood that was rich in imagination and adventure, a setting that sounds almost like something straight out of the fantastical worlds he would later bring to life on screen. He fondly recalls it as a “Wuthering Heights-like Goonies type town,” emphasizing its romantic and adventurous atmosphere. The town’s dramatic natural features – “right on the edge of the coast, thundering waves along the beach, stone caves inside the mountains, lots of hills, waterfalls, streams going down, houses perched in amongst hills” – painted a vivid backdrop to his formative years. His own house, perched “on the edge of a cliff that sort of plummeted right down into the ocean,” served as an “adventure playground,” igniting his youthful imagination and fueling his sense of wonder.
As an only child, Peter Jackson spent considerable time alone, a circumstance that further nurtured his imaginative inner world. He immersed himself in books and conjured up adventures within his local surroundings. He recounted a charming anecdote of his childhood fantasies, being “convinced that at some point I’d be going through some of the bush and into a stream and I’d find an old flintlock — a gun from the 1800s — that somebody had dropped.” This dream of discovering a piece of history during his explorations reflects a childhood imbued with curiosity and a yearning for adventure. He and his friends even orchestrated “midnight adventures,” waking up at three in the morning to bike around the hills and beaches, experiences reminiscent of the children’s adventure stories by Enid Blyton, which were a significant influence on him. This early exposure to a landscape ripe with natural drama and his self-directed, imaginative play were crucial elements in the development of his storytelling mind. The dramatic coastline, the hidden caves, and the sense of untamed nature in Pukerua Bay seem to have laid the groundwork for the epic landscapes and fantastical settings that would become hallmarks of his films.
Jackson’s journey into filmmaking was sparked by a combination of his environment and early media exposure. Television arrived in his home when he was five, and he was immediately captivated by shows like Thunderbirds, with its “fantasy elements” and “models of spaceships and interesting sort of gimmicks and gadgets.” This early fascination with visual storytelling and special effects was further amplified when he saw the original King Kong at the age of nine. This film, he states, “really accelerated a burgeoning interest in special effects, models and films.” He began making models himself, not just from kits, but also creating his own from cardboard boxes, demonstrating an early hands-on approach to creation that would characterize his filmmaking career.
A pivotal moment arrived when his parents received a Super 8 movie camera as a gift. While intended for family home movies, young Peter Jackson quickly commandeered it for his own creative purposes. “I grabbed the camera immediately, because I thought, ‘God, now I can get my spaceships that I’ve made, my models, and I can film them, just like Thunderbirds.'” He experimented with rudimentary special effects, even setting fire to plastic model airplanes to film dramatic crash sequences, showcasing a raw, untamed passion for bringing his visions to life. His interest in stop-motion animation, inspired by Ray Harryhausen’s work in films like King Kong, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, and Jason and the Argonauts, further solidified his path toward filmmaking. Despite the limitations of his equipment, including a Super 8 camera that wasn’t ideal for stop-motion, he persevered, driven by a desire to emulate his cinematic heroes. He even dreamt of becoming Ray Harryhausen’s assistant, focusing solely on special effects at this stage, without yet considering directing.
Jackson’s parents played a crucial role in nurturing his early passion. Despite their “very gentle, simple, conservative” nature and initial hopes for him to pursue a more conventional career like architecture, they wholeheartedly supported his filmmaking endeavors. He acknowledges the immense importance of parental support, stating, “unless you have the wholehearted support of your parents, I think any nutty kind of hobby or just passion that you have, you’re going to get cold water thrown on it.” They tolerated his “nutty ideas,” from building trenches in their garden for World War II movies to commandeering the family oven to bake foam latex monster heads, filling the house with “toxic fumes.” This unwavering support allowed him to explore his creative passions without restraint, a factor he recognizes as critical to his later success. He emphasizes the lesson for future parents to “let them find their passions. You can’t impose a passion onto anybody. Somehow you are born with it, or things get triggered during your childhood.”
Despite his burgeoning passion, Peter Jackson’s path to professional filmmaking wasn’t straightforward, especially given his location. “New Zealand didn’t have a film school. New Zealand didn’t have a film industry when I was starting out with my early films.” He initially assumed he would have to leave New Zealand to pursue his filmmaking dreams, imagining a career overseas, perhaps working with his special effects idol, Ray Harryhausen. However, the landscape began to shift during his teenage years. Roger Donaldson’s Sleeping Dogs in 1977 marked a turning point, becoming “New Zealand’s first real feature film.” This was followed by other significant films, and “suddenly, with a hiss and a roar, the New Zealand film industry got underway, and the government formed the Film Commission.” This nascent film industry emerged just as Jackson was becoming serious about filmmaking, creating a local opportunity where previously there seemed to be none.
Upon leaving school at 16, Jackson’s immediate goal was to earn money to buy a 16mm camera, a significant upgrade from his Super 8 equipment. He took a job as a photo lithographer at a newspaper, a job he “didn’t particularly like,” but it was a means to an end. For seven years, he worked at the newspaper, spending the first two years meticulously saving for his camera, even living at home to minimize expenses. This period of focused saving and dedication underscores his unwavering commitment to his filmmaking aspirations. Finally acquiring a Bolex 16mm camera, he embarked on a project that began as a short film but evolved into his first feature, Bad Taste. Filming on Sundays and fueled by his week-long anticipation while working at the newspaper, the project grew organically over four years. This self-taught, hands-on approach, born out of necessity and passion, became a defining characteristic of his early career.
The New Zealand Film Commission’s eventual support was crucial in transforming Bad Taste from a weekend project into a fully realized feature film. After investing his own savings of $17,000, the Film Commission recognized the potential in his 75 minutes of footage and provided additional funding. This support allowed him to quit his newspaper job and dedicate himself fully to filmmaking. Bad Taste became a surprising success, particularly at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the “fastest selling New Zealand film ever” and achieving profitability quickly. This unexpected triumph not only launched his professional career but also highlighted the potential of New Zealand filmmaking on the international stage.
Throughout his career, Peter Jackson has remained deeply connected to New Zealand, choosing to film the vast majority of his movies, including the monumental Lord of the Rings and King Kong, in his home country. This decision has had a profound impact, not only on his own career but also on New Zealand itself. “Tourism in New Zealand has certainly exploded since The Lord of the Rings films came out.” The breathtaking landscapes showcased in his films have become synonymous with Middle-earth, drawing fans and tourists from around the globe to experience the real-world locations. Beyond tourism, Jackson’s success has significantly boosted the New Zealand film industry. His work has demonstrated the country’s capacity for large-scale, high-quality film production, attracting international productions and fostering local talent and expertise. He notes, “the government will put more money into filmmaking. They do seriously understand the benefits that a film can bring to a country now, and I think it maybe took Lord of the Rings to happen before they fully appreciated that.” New Zealand has become a sought-after filming location, recognized for its stunning scenery and skilled film crews, a legacy in part attributable to Peter Jackson’s commitment to his origins.
In conclusion, Peter Jackson’s origins in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand, are far more than just a geographical fact; they are fundamental to understanding his journey as a filmmaker. His childhood environment, filled with natural wonder and imaginative freedom, his self-driven path into filmmaking in a nascent industry, and his unwavering commitment to filming in New Zealand have all intertwined to shape his unique cinematic vision and his remarkable career. From the small-town boy dreaming of adventures in the hills to the globally acclaimed director bringing fantastical worlds to life, Peter Jackson’s story is deeply rooted in the landscapes and the spirit of New Zealand, a place that continues to inspire and define him.
