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February 20, 2006 - February 27, 2006

News for Feb. 27, 2006

Ziegfeld Theater Trilogy Report

2/27/06, 10:33 pm EST - Xoanon

Laithaine writes: For all of New York’s previous Theater Glory, there are very few one-screen movie theaters left to remind us of the majesty that used to exist before the institutional multiplex mega movie houses. The Ziegfeld is one of them! All weekend, this hidden treasure has been running a Lord of the Rings Movie Marathon and if it ever happens again, I urge everyone who can to get there and see the spectacle! [More]

Living is artistic for Viggo

2/27/06, 10:29 pm EST - Xoanon

For Viggo Mortensen, acting in big budget Hollywood films is just one form of artistic release. Voted one of the world's most beautiful men by numerous magazines, Mortensen is also an artist, photographer and a jazz musician. "It is all one thing, there are all different ways of expressing yourself," said Mortensen, in Sydney to promote his Oscar nominated film A History of Violence. "You don't have to make something that people call art. Living is an artistic activity, there is an art to getting through the day." [More]

Sean Astin on "24"

2/27/06, 3:19 pm EST - Xoanon

Be sure to tune into FOX tonight at 9PM (it has now moved to 10PM in Canada) EST to catch a new episode of "24" with Sean Astin. Sean has joined the cast of the hit show in it's fifth season, he plays a savvy government agent who has taken control of 'CTU' the Counter Terrorism Unit.

ORC Fan Film Online Soon!

2/27/06, 9:49 am EST - Xoanon

Watch this space soon for news about the Fan Films seen at ORC: 2006! More news soon!

Mortensen in Sydney Report

2/27/06, 9:44 am EST - Xoanon

LeafOfHumanTree writes: Viggo Mortensen was at the Sydney premiere of A History of Violence tonight at the George St cinemas. Viggo was an absolute gentleman and generous with his time. He signed everything for everyone, posing for photos, chatting to fans in different languages and shaking hands. [More]

News for Feb. 26, 2006

Open Casting Call for Vacaville ME Festival

2/26/06, 9:06 pm EST - Xoanon

Celebriel writes: The second annual Vacaville Middle Earth Festival is seeking volunteers of all acting skill levels to perform at the April 21-23, 2006 Festival. Please come to the open call audition Saturday March 4, 2006 at 10 am at New Town Square, Main St., Vacaville CA. Please bring or wear your costume if you have one. This a volunteer gig but will be great fun and a chance to strut your LOTR stuff. Questions? Call Shirley @ (707) 451-7539 (between 10am – 9pm) or Chris @ (707) 450-6758.

Trilogy Screening in Westerly, RI

2/26/06, 11:53 am EST - Xoanon

FanofFrodo writes: I wanted to let all the LOTR fans in the RI/CT area know about a trilogy showing. The Revival House in downtown Westerly will be showing the three movies starting at 12:00 noon today (February 26th). Here's the link for their site and showtimes. It's a small theater, so I hope it will be packed with faithful fans! [More]

News for Feb. 25, 2006

New Decipher 'WETA' LOTR Cards

2/25/06, 11:33 am EST - Xoanon

New Decipher LOTR Cards Jonotrek writes: Decipher just released a new set of 15 cards including nine all-new WETA Collection cards (cards created by WETA specifically for the game). New companions appear from outside of the movies such as Halbarad, Grimbeorn, and Elrohir! The cards will be found in three different fixed boxes. Each box contains ten premium cards (two copies of five different cards) and four booster packs from the last three expansions. This product has been created for the popular booster draft tournament format. [More]

Happy Birthday Sean Astin!

2/25/06, 11:22 am EST - Xoanon


Today is Sean Astin's birthday! Sean Patrick Astin was born February 25, 1971 in Santa Monica, California. That makes him 35 years old today! Happy Birthday Sean!

News for Feb. 24, 2006

Tolkien Reading Day

2/24/06, 9:44 pm EST - Xoanon

Tolkien Reading Day is an event to encourage the use of Tolkien's works in education and library reading groups. Launched in 2003 the reading day event has sparked interest in reading and reading groups across several nations and ages from Primary schoolchildren to University students and library users of all ages. Hence the circulation of this release to the media, educational press and county library services. [More]

How Digital Animation Conquered Hollywood

2/24/06, 9:38 pm EST - Xoanon

Old-timers in Hollywood sometimes talk about a golden age of animation, seven or eight decades ago, when cartoons were funny, beautiful, and perfect. But the truth is, toons have always been a bit of a backwater - the province of Disney kiddie flicks, Looney Tunes, maybe a rudimentary special effect. Until recently. These days, animation is everywhere. Pixar masterpieces like Toy Story and The Incredibles prove that a digitally animated movie can have more heart than a live-action film. Depictions of the fantastic - flying superheroes, ferocious velociraptors, battling starships - rely on software to maintain the audience's suspension of disbelief. Even the most realistic movies call on animators to simulate an ungettable shot or to make a moment just a smidge more perfect. [More]

Golden Words From Golden Gun...

2/24/06, 9:34 pm EST - Xoanon

Adele sends this in: Old trouper Christopher Lee, whose 250-film career includes one of the most memorable Bond villains, is in no doubt who has made the best 007 to date. Despite working with Roger Moore, and contrary to the general consensus so far that Sean Connery's Bond was the definitive, Lee has given the rosette to the ousted Pierce Brosnan. [More]

EA's Battle for Middle-earth II!

2/24/06, 10:55 am EST - Celeborn

If you didn't know, EA Games is releasing 'The Lord of the Rings™, The Battle for Middle-earth™ II for XBOX 360 this September 2006. But for those of you with PCs, your wait is nearly over! March 2nd is just around the corner and the game will hit store shelves then! [BFME II Homepage] [BFME II Hits GOLD] [Xbox Release]

News for Feb. 23, 2006

Ian McKellen Makes Donmar Debut in Ravenhill’s The Cut Feb. 23

2/23/06, 9:08 pm EST - Xoanon

The Donmar Warehouse’s new season kicks off Feb. 23 with the world premiere of Mark Ravenhill’s The Cut, which marks the Donmar debut of Sir Ian McKellen. Directed by the theatre’s artistic director Michael Grandage, The Cut officially opens on Feb. 28. The play centers on Paul (McKellen) who, according to production notes, is a loving husband harboring a shocking secret. McKellen is joined by Deborah Findlay, who appeared in the National Theatre production of Ravenhill’s Mother Clap’s Molly House and was last seen at the Donmar in The Vortex, Grandage’s inaugural production for the theatre as artistic director. [More]

LOTR Online Update

2/23/06, 9:05 pm EST - Xoanon

Meghan, Online Community Manager for The Lord of the Rings Online writes: "Steeped in the histories of Middle-earth, Lore-masters are able to aid their fellows in recovering from maladies caused by the forces of the Dark Lord...." You can find more info about the Lore-master (and an avatar!) on our Playable Classes page here.

In other, and some might say bigger news, this morning we announced our partnership with Midway Games for co-publishing and distribution of LOTRO in North America. This is great news for all of us here at Turbine, and we're excited to be working with such a terrific partner. You can find the full press release here.

Trilogy Screening at Ziegfeld Theatre in NYC

2/23/06, 8:52 pm EST - Xoanon

Lightsteward writes: I've recently taken over maintaining the NYC Line Party list for Lightwards, who was our Line Party organizer over the years here in NYC. I was hoping you could list this news item on the site a.s.a.p.. The historic Ziegfeld in NYC is showing the LotR Trilogy as part of their Hollywood Classics series this coming week. The Ziegfeld is the largest and most magnificent single screen venue left in NYC and is the location of most major film premieres in NYC. This is the first time that the LotR films will play there, as none of them ran there. Previously only the first two films had premieres there. So this is a real first for fans of the films who want to see the movies under prime conditions. [More]

Join us this Saturday for 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'

2/23/06, 6:34 pm EST - maegwen

As part of our popular Movie Watch chats, this weekend TORn's IRC gang will be settling in to watch the second of the four Harry Potter films, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." We will follow up with "Prisoner of Azkaban" on March 11th, and "Goblet of Fire" on March 25th. [More]

Join us Saturday in the #moviechat channel on our IRC server at 5:30 pm EST when we pop our copies of the film into the DVD player. After the usual confusion we'll all press play on our individual players and proceed to cheer and jeer (or discuss and argue, if you like!) the finer points of the film.

For information on IRC chat and how to take part in the fun, visit our FAQ. Chat is family-friendly and easy in TORn's lively chat rooms. If you've never checked it out, this is a great chance to meet the regulars and have some fun. [Join the chat now!]

Tolkien: The Lord Of Literary Fantasies

2/23/06, 4:53 pm EST - Xoanon

TAMPA - "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit ..." That famous first line, now 70 years old, introduced J.R.R. Tolkien to a small readership, and so began the cult of Middle-earth. After his "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy hit bookstores in the mid-1950s, Tolkien was fast becoming a worldwide cultural phenomenon. As complex as they appear, Tolkien's literary fantasies all grew from kernels, branching out into an interconnected family tree. But where did these ideas come from and how did he develop them? [More]

News for Feb. 21, 2006

Meet Alan Lee in Exeter This Weekend!

2/21/06, 7:49 pm EST - Xoanon

Claire writes: Meet Alan Lee at Waterstones Roman Gate Exeter Saturday 25th February at 11. At long last the local Oscar-winning illustrator is back on home ground and will be signing copies of his book, 'The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook' in the shop! No tickets required follow the link for more information on Waterstones. [More]

Order on Amazon
The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook [CA] [UK]

EE Trilogy Screening at Berkeley

2/21/06, 7:24 pm EST - Xoanon

Cameron writes: As an Employee Appreciation gesture, a group of us are hosting a Lord of the Rings marathon, showing the Extended Editions of the trilogy on a big screen. It will be on Saturday, March 11, in Berkeley. We have rented a screening room that is intimate and has great sound and high-backed comfortable seats. Since this would be an all-day event, we have hired a caterer, as well. There is some limited seating still available, and we thought we should make it open to the Faithful. Would any of you be interested in joining us for Lembas Bread (and second breakfast, elevensies…)? Please send me an email and let me know, and I will be happy to send more information about this event.

Mortensen heads to Sydney

2/21/06, 7:22 pm EST - Xoanon

Expect plenty of swooning from film fans when Viggo Mortensen arrives in Sydney next week to promote his new film, A History Of Violence. Mortensen's quick trip to Australia is set to take in Sydney and Melbourne, but there's no word yet on whether he'll jet across to New Zealand where he filmed The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Mortensen (or "Aragorn", as he is affectionately known among Rings fans) is not scheduled for any official promotional duties across the Tasman, but insiders have suggested the actor is considering ducking over to the country where he spent three years filming with Peter Jackson. The area surrounding Wellington is particularly dear to Mortensen's heart because of the time he spent working there. [More]

DVD Tuesday: Bean's 'North Country'

2/21/06, 7:19 pm EST - Xoanon

New to DVD this week is Sean Bean's 'North Country'. A fictionalized account of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States -- Jenson vs. Eveleth Mines, where a woman who endured a range of abuse while working as a miner filed and won the landmark 1984 lawsuit. [more]

News for Feb. 20, 2006

Symphony Coincides with Comic-Con

2/20/06, 1:05 pm EST - Xoanon

The San Diego Symphony Summer Pops will present the local premiere of “The Lord of the Rings Symphony” – composer Howard Shore's epic adaptation of his movie soundtracks featuring orchestra, chorus and vocal soloists as well as illustrations from the Tolkien books. As if that isn't enough to lure fans, the July 20 concert coincides with Comic-Con, the hugely popular event held at the San Diego Convention Center, adjacent to the Pops' site at downtown's Embarcadero Marina Park South. “We're almost positive that 'The Lord of the Rings Symphony' will be a sellout,” says San Diego Symphony executive director Edward B. “Ward” Gill. “It should be a blockbuster.” [More]

Henery Gee Update

2/20/06, 1:02 pm EST - Xoanon

Henery Gee writes: Just to let you know that I'm still on the road promoting my book 'The Science of Middle-earth' here in the UK. I'll be at the Brighton Science Festival on 23 February and the Cambridge Science Festival on 18 March. For full details you can visit my website henrygee.org.uk.

As you probably know, The Science of Middle-earth started life in the 'Green Books' section of TORn. Tom Shippey chose it as his book of 2005 in the Times Literary Supplement, and in the New York Review of Science Fiction said that it was "the most unexpectedly Tolkienian book about Tolkien that I have ever come across".

Order 'The Science of Middle-earth' on Amazon.com today! [US] [CA] [UK]

Sean Astin on "24"

2/20/06, 12:57 pm EST - Xoanon

Be sure to tune into FOX tonight at 9PM EST to catch a new episode of "24" with Sean Astin. Sean has joined the cast of the hit show in it's fifth season, he plays a savvy government agent who has taken control of 'CTU' the Counter Terrorism Unit.

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