Go back to Special Reports Archives


August 26, 2002 - September 01, 2002

9-01-02 Latest News

Tolkien At The Worldcon 2002 Masquerade
Strider @ 4:57 pm EST

The Cheap-Jack Master writes:

An important scene from 'Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' was presented in the Masquerade presentation of the WorldCon 2002: ConJose in San Jose, California on Saturday night. Near the end of the nights presentation of costumes, several attending costumers presented a new version of the Mirror of Galadriel sequence, but with a very Star Trek/South Park twist. Apparently, as Galadriel was showing her mirror to Frodo, a freak ionic storm occurred, swapping Frodo and Galadriel with their evil counterparts from the Mirror universe. 'Evil Frodo' appeared first, menacing the crowd. He could be identified as the evil twin of Frodo due to his distinctive goatee - a sure sign that he was evil.

He was then followed by the Mirror universe Galadriel, who was shown to be equally evil, due to her equally distinctive goatee. The appearance of the goateed Galadriel got the biggest laugh of all the entries that were attempting to be humorous.

8-31-02 Latest News

Media Watch: Entertainment Weekly Talks FOTR DVD & TTT
Xoanon @ 11:59 am EST

TORN friend Gillian Flynn writes a small blurb on TTT, focusing on our own Miranda Otto (Eowyn). And the DVD rentals/purchases is dominated by the FOTR DVD (and why wouldn't it?! HA! -Xo) Take a look


'The Hobbit' performed in Los Angeles
Xoanon @ 11:33 am EST

Press Release from ComMedia LLC

A TREAT FOR TOLKIEN LOVERS YOUNG AND OLD!

OPENS IN TOPANGA, CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER 28TH

The recent success of the academy award winning film “The Fellowship of the Ring” has introduced a mainstream audience to the classic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, written by J.R.R. Tolkien. But few outside a group of hardcore fans realize that characters depicted in the movie had their origin in an earlier Tolkien novel, “The Hobbit”. With the next “Lord of the Rings” film installment not due until Christmas, audiences can now whet their Tolkien appetites with a professional theatrical production of this famous prequel.

ComMedia LLC (a doing-business-as name for Klappert Consulting LLC) just signed a contract with Actors’ Equity to assure the best production of the work. With it, Director Jon Ecklund and Producer Walt Klappert have been able to hire veteran actors including Gregory Berger Sobeck and Meg Brogan to fill the boots and hairy feet of Tolkien’s characters. They have also brought on designer Melissa Scheuerman to create the elaborate characters’ costumes and properties that will recreate Middle Earth. The production is based on scenes from the 1991 dramatic adaptation of “The Hobbit” by Markland Taylor by special arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois.

“The Hobbit”, written in 1937, predated the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy by seventeen years. The novel established the “Middle Earth” fantasy universe, and the familiar characters Gandalf, Bilbo Baggins, Elrond, and Gollum. Most importantly, “The Hobbit” introduced the “One Ring”, the control of which was the central plot point in the later trilogy.

The story begins with the wizard Gandalf recruiting the reluctant hobbit Bilbo Baggins to join him and the dwarf Thorin in a quest to recover a priceless treasure stolen by the evil Dragon Smaug. In their travels, they encounter friendly elves and humans, sinister trolls and goblins, and the riddle-playing Gollum, whose lost ring proves invaluable in the success of their venture.

This is a production for the whole family. The setting of the performance is in scenic Topanga Canyon, which resembles Tolkien’s description of the Hobbit’s Shire.
The play opens Friday, September 28th. Tickets are $19 except for Saturdays when the price is $21.

Tickets can be purchased at ticketweb.com (see CA-Southern or search “hobbit”), or by calling 800-965-4827. The Topanga Comm House is located at 1440 Topanga Canyon Blvd., in Los Angeles.

8-30-02 Latest News

FOTR & Guinness
Xoanon @ 1:05 pm EST

From: MS

LotR:FotR made it into the 2003 Guiness World Records! On page 185 there is a nice half page color photo from the movie of the hobbits brandishing their swords (and looking rather frightened), with caption reading: "Most latex feet made for a single film"; perhaps not the greatest reason to get in there, but the picture looks good.

Sala Baker At Attend Collectormania 2
Xoanon @ 12:41 pm EST

Collectormania 2
September 20, 21, 22.
MK Center, Milton Keynes UK
Admission: Free

Sala Baker, who appeared in Lord of the Rings (as Sauron and Lurtz) will be making his first UK appearance at Collectormania 2 this September. Sala will be joining an impressive lineup of guests at our second huge, free mega-event. Confirmed Guests so far include

Rutger Hauer (Bladerunner, The Hitcher)
Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Ray Park (Darth Maul from Star Wars, The X Men)
Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett from Star Wars)
Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett from Star Wars)
David Soul (Starsky and Hutch, Salems Lot)
Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes, Star Trek, Weird Science)
Michael Sheard (Mr Bronson from Grange Hill, Star Wars, Indiana Jones)
Garrick Hagon (Biggs from Star Wars, Batman)
Jerome Blake (Star Wars)
Tom Baker (Dr Who)

There will be over 300 dealers tables of comics, cards, sci-fi, film and tv memorabilia plus displays of original screen used movie props and costumes. Admission is free, you don't require a ticket, just turn up and enjoy the event! Special events are planned over the 3 event days, please check the website for up to date info. [More]

8-29-02 Latest News

Get Your Free Éowyn Card!
Xoanon @ 2:29 pm EST


Eowyn Card From Decipher

(Norfolk, VA, August 29, 2002) Beginning September 1, players and collectors of The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game will be able to pick up a free Éowyn card, an alternate image preview of the upcoming The Two Towers base set. Available exclusively at participating retailers and through the Decipher store (http://shop.decipher.com) and The Lord of the Rings Fan Club store (http://shop.lotrfanclub.com), the card will be given to all customers for every $10 purchase of The Lord of the Rings trading card game. The Éowyn card offers a sneak peek at what¹s in store with the upcoming set, which will be released on November 6, 2002.

This card, which will present Éowyn, Lady of Rohan, features: the new Rohan culture card template; the new Théoden signet; and a new character key word, Valiant. This promotional offer is valid from September 1 through October 31, 2002 or while supplies last. To find the Retail Fellowship store nearest you, please visit decipher.com. Information about international programs for the release of translated versions of Éowyn preview cards will be announced shortly on decipher.com.

The Quest to Middle Earth
Demosthenes @ 7:41 am EST

This is taken from the Barnes & Noble Bookstore's Events Calendar in Smithfield, RI. USA.

So you've read the series and you think you know all about J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Join us for a contest of wit and knowledge as we challenge our guests to answer questions about the books and its characters. All are welcome to participate, and prizes will be awarded. Hobbits remember shoes must be worn in the store.

The Quest to Middle Earth
Saturday 31st August at 1:00pm
Barnes & Noble Bookstore's
Smithfield, RI. (Rhode island) USA

8-28-02 Latest News

ANCANAR At Ring*Con 2002
Xoanon @ 6:00 pm EST

From The Folks at Ancanar.com:

- We are proud to announce the news that Ancanar will be at Ring*Con 2002 this November.

- As many of our fans know, a special teaser trailer will be released online within weeks, but an extended version of that trailer will be screened at the convention. In addition, Ring*Con attendees will be treated to a presentation of scenes from the film, clips that will not be seen anywhere else.

- There is also a possibility of a Q&A discussion session with the directors and cast members, but that will be confirmed as the convention moves closer.

- For more information about Ring*Con and Ancanar, visit the official sites:

RING*CON Website

ANCANAR.COM

Q & A With Douglas Anderson
Xoanon @ 8:24 am EST

From: The folks at Houghton Mifflin Books


Pick up your copy at Amazon.com today!

A conversation with Douglas A. Anderson about The Annotated Hobbit

What exactly is an “annotated” book? And what precisely can be found in your Annotated Hobbit?

An “annotated” book prints the full of the text being annotated, and in the margins alongside the text the annotator adds commentary. So in The Annotated Hobbit, I have the full of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, along with about three hundred annotations, covering Tolkien’s sources and influences, the relationship between The Hobbit and Tolkien’s other writings, and the textual differences when Tolkien revised the book. There are also over a hundred and fifty black-and-white illustrations, including Tolkien’s own artwork, and various artistic interpretations of the story that were published with foreign translations, including Estonian, Japanese, French, Russian, etc. I have also included the longest version of “The Quest of Erebor” by J.R.R. Tolkien, which is a chapter-sized retelling of the story of The Hobbit from Gandalf’s point of view. It was originally intended to be part of an appendix to The Lord of the Rings but was omitted for reasons of space. And there is a long introduction on the writing and publication of the first edition of The Hobbit, and at the back of the book, an appendix on runes, a bibliographical guide to Tolkien’s works, and a detailed listing of the forty-one translations of The Hobbit.

You say Tolkien himself revised the text of The Hobbit. Why?

He actually revised the published text twice. The book was first published in 1937, and after it was successful, Tolkien was pressed for a sequel. He began The Lord of the Rings in December 1937, and the way the sequel grew during the process of writing made it necessary for Tolkien to go back and rewrite the Gollum chapter. In the first edition, Gollum wasn’t quite so nasty a character—Gollum actually shows Bilbo the way out, in return for not being able to provide Bilbo with a present for winning the riddle-game. And Bilbo says goodbye to Gollum as he leaves!

The revisions to the Gollum chapter were published in 1951, a few years before The Lord of the Rings began to come out. In 1966, Tolkien published a further revised text of The Hobbit. This second set of revisions fixes a lot of small but interesting points, and brings the world of The Hobbit more into accord with that of The Lord of the Rings.

The Lord of the Rings is a work for adults that is a sequel to a children’s book. Can you elaborate on the relationship between the two works?

It’s actually a more complex situation than that. In his early twenties, Tolkien had begun working on an elaborate invented mythology—complex histories and legends of elves and men, with much work on the imagined Elvish languages. This “legendarium” was written and rewritten in various forms throughout Tolkien’s life. A version was published posthumously as The Silmarillion in 1977. The Hobbit began merely as a story Tolkien told to his children as they grew up in Oxford in the early 1930s, but elements from the “Silmarillion” stories crept in. After The Hobbit was published, and the publisher asked to see Tolkien’s other writings, he submitted some of the various legends, but they were not found suitable as a successor to The Hobbit. When Tolkien began to write The Lord of the Rings, an actual sequel to The Hobbit, the new book quickly took on the grander scale and more high tone of the earlier legendarium, and it became as much a sequel to “The Silmarillion” as it was a sequel to The Hobbit.

The first edition of The Annotated Hobbit came out in 1988. What was the original inspiration for your book, and how does the new “revised and expanded” edition differ from the earlier version?

Strangely, the revisions that Tolkien made to the text of The Hobbit were the inspiration for doing the annotated edition. I had known that Tolkien revised the text, and if you are really interested in the details of Tolkien’s invented world and its evolution, you can’t help but wonder what he felt he needed to revise, when he revised it, and why. For such bibliographical work, I photocopied the appropriate editions of The Hobbit, pasted the pages next to each other on one-foot by four-foot sheets, and read them across, using various colored highlighters and pencils to note the changes. I had thought about the possibility of doing a variorum Hobbit, but found that there weren’t really enough changes to justify that. So I thought—well, there are a lot of other interesting things to say, so how about an Annotated Hobbit?

The new revised edition is greatly expanded from what was in the 1988 version. There is at least twice as much text to the annotations themselves, and the introduction is something like four times the size of that in the first edition. There are many more illustrations, and the color insert is new. Plus there are some new items by Tolkien—a few never-before-published poems, including one called “Glip” about a Gollum-like creature written a few years before The Hobbit, and the long version of “The Quest of Erebor” (a shorter version appears in Unfinished Tales, edited by Christopher Tolkien). The design of the new edition is much superior too—the book has a more integrated and comfortable feel to it.

How do you come to be interested in Tolkien?

I first read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when I was thirteen. I was visiting my older sister, who is nine years older than I am, and I was bored and complaining that there was nothing to read. She stomped in from the kitchen, grabbed the Tolkien books, and thrust them at me, saying: “Here. Read these. You’ll like them. Now leave me alone!” And I did like them.

Since then, my interest in Tolkien has evolved through various stages. At first, I relished the simple details of the imagined history of Middle-earth. Then I became interested in the medieval works that were Tolkien’s inspiration, and following that, in Tolkien’s own medieval scholarship. Along the way there came an interest in learning more about the author, and in collecting his complete works, and then in finding the variant forms. I became interested in publishing history, in the literary tradition of fantasy before Tolkien, and in mythology and children’s literature. An ever-widening net, and when I had learned something in any one of these different fields and come back to Tolkien, I could see further depths in what he was doing as a literary writer. And there are many dimensions yet to explore!

What is the most surprising or intriguing thing you uncovered in your research?

Probably that Tolkien did indeed think of hobbits as having pointed ears. There were suggestions of this before, as in a letter where Tolkien refers to hobbits as having “ears only slightly pointed and ‘elvish.’” But there is further evidence. And I had never realized before that in Tolkien’s own illustrations—if you look closely at the really good and large reproductions (like those found in J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator, by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull), you can see Bilbo’s ears are drawn as pointed!

The question of elves and pointed ears is another matter entirely. Tolkien made no close-up drawings of elves, but there is in Tolkien’s notes on Elvish word relationships a mention that Elven ears were more pointed and leaf-shaped than human ones. This statement has sparked many debates. But Christopher Tolkien and I agreed that all that can be said with certainty is that at one time, probably in the mid-1930s, J.R.R. Tolkien held this view.

Click here to read an excerpt from The Annotated Hobbit!

Click here to purchase the book at Amazon.com

Lord of the Rings locations tour including TTT Premiere!
Tehanu @ 12:10 am EST

The head of Red Carpet Movie Tours, Vic James, emailed to say how the LOTR Locations tours are going, and also to tell us about a special tour planned to coincide with a midnight showing on The Two Towers when it premieres in Wellington, New Zealand....

"I have just completed a 10 night Ultimate Fantasy tour with some VIPs from Singapore. A great trip. The highlight was a 2 hour flight in Queenstown. We flew over : the Pillars of Argonath; the Ford of Bruinen; the River Anduin; Lothlorien; Amon Hen; Isengard; the field of Cormallen; the lawn of Parth Galen; Nen Hithoel and Amon Lhaw. Fantastic! Also stayed at a budget hotel right on the lakefront @ $55 share twin (has en suite). I could spit into the Lake!

At present I am planning the Premiere Tour for this Xmas. We will have a midnight screening at the Premiere theatre (Embassy) and pre-show drinks on site!

"The Red Carpet Movie Tours website will have a special addition soon re the tour - keep a look out for it. Meanwhile the itinerary is posted below."


'THE TWO TOWERS' PREMIERE SPECIAL 2002
December 16:The 'pilgrimage' leaves Auckland and heads South to the site of Hobbiton (the 'jewel in the crown'!). Afterwards we have lunch at Oraka Wapiti Deer Farm (included). Our journey then continues to the shores of Lake Taupo. (Accommodation at The Tui Oaks Motor Inn or Copthorne Manuels).

December 17: Today we head for Tongariro National Park and the sites of Emyn Muil, slopes of Mordor, Mt. Doom and other locations to be seen in the 2nd. film. (The Hobbit Lodge or Powderhorn Chateau).

December 18: The River Anduin beckons us, as does the ranch where the Lead Black Rider lives - and his magnificent horses. Who is carrying the Ring? Upon reaching Wellington we shall head for the site of Rivendell. (The Bay Plaza or Copthorne Plimmer Towers).

December 19: Premiere Day! Find yourself a good viewing spot alongside the Red Carpet, autograph book in hand! Tonight we shall have our own celebratory function, prior to attending a midnight screening of 'The Two Towers'. (cost included)

December 20: For those not continuing on our tour, please plan for your departure. Fans heading for the South Island portion will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Christchurch. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your accommodation (Thomas's Hotel or Copthorne Central).

December 21: This morning sees us heading to the stunning location for Edoras. Cameras at the ready! From there we transfer to Geraldine for lunch, followed by a late afternoon visit to the Pelennor Fields. En route we will view lakes Tekapo and Pukaki, plus New Zealand's highest mountain, Mt. Cook (12,000 feet). Tonight we stay at the McKenzie Motor Inn (buffet dinner and breakfast included).

December 22: Up early for the trip to Queenstown via the scene of The Great Chase (Arwen & Frodo) plus a meeting with New Zealand's No.1 fan, Ian Brodie, who has Weta figurines and LOTR guide books for sale. Later we will stop at Mrs. Jones's Fruit Stall. (Accommodation at Thomas's Hotel or the St. Moritz).
December 23: Today our coach will take us to the summit of Kelvin Heights Deer Park. Here the refugees from Rohan took flight and Gandalf continued his trek. We then transfer to Arrowtown, the scene of The Ford of Bruinen.

December 24: Time for some selected optional extra activities.
An unforgettable ride in a fixed-wing aircraft. 2 Hours in length; $260 per person. Visits the sites of The River Anduin, the Pillars of Argonath, the Ford of Bruinen, Lothlorien, Battle of Amon Hen, Isengard, the Field of Cormallen, the Lawn of Parth Galen, Nen Hithoel and Amon Lhaw.
River rafting the Kawerau River past the site of The Pillars of Argonath.$119 per person.
The Dart River Jet Boat Safari through LOTR country.$145 per person
4 wheel drive safari to Skippers Canyon and The Road to Mordor. POA
Dart Stables horse trek to Lothlorien. POA

December 25: More optional activities. Don't forget Christmas Dinner at the top of the Gondola. (cost included).

December 26: Your Fellowship trek is over. Time to make your own way to whatever activity or location you choose next.

Well! That sound interesting? You can find out more at Red Carpet Movie Tours.

( Prices and options available upon registering your interest)

8-27-02 Latest News

Artek Images - a DVD inspired by Middle-earth
Tehanu @ 1:01 pm EST

Here's a link to some REALLY nice pictures of New Zealand from Artek Why link to them? Here's some words from the DVD's creator, John Banks: "I've send this to TORN for a number of reasons. Primary of these is that this project might be of interest to those who know & love LOTR. Nature is really the central character of these short explorations. Much of the disc was filmed in England as well as some other far flung locations. Green woods, waterfalls and forest trails are the main locations as are castles, temples and other ancient structures. Like countless others, LOTR inspired my youth with visions of tramping through the woods in search of secrets and wonderment.

Luckily, this inspiration has never faded and still motivates much travel and artwork. Although this work is not a literal vision of any of the events in LOTR, it is heavily influenced by the sentiment of Tolkien's green, visual writing."

"The section entitled "Journey Cycle" is probably the most journeylike, it was modeled after the monomyth cycle of Joseph Campbell."

The press release says, "2002 Artek Images has released Illuminated Manuscripts, a new DVD featuring a series of digital animations exploring the visionary nature of journeys. Layering an original soundtrack over photographic scenes of temples, waterfalls, forests and doorways, this DVD introduces a new experience of art that draws from video, music, nature, and special effects. Illuminated Manuscripts features organically styled computer animation by John S. Banks and world/electronic music by composer Fritz Heede. This disc contains 17 beautiful works that explore visions of lost worlds and journeys of discovery. With original sources drawn from ancient sites, deep green nature and lost languages, Illuminated Manuscripts will appeal to anyone interested in Animation, Nature, Meditation and Fantasy." It's available here from Amazon

The Annotated Hobbit
Demosthenes @ 4:38 am EST

Reading through rec.arts.books.tolkien, I stumbled upon this very interesting review of a new (apparently released just last week) revised edition of the Annotated Hobbit by Douglas Anderson.
---

I just received a review copy of the new edition of the Annotated Hobbit (working in the industry has some benefits). I have only been able to skim over it.

Some changes from the first edition are that it includes some colour plates (from JRRT and other artists) more commentary on some of the black and white illustrations, the notes on the textual revisions of The Hobbit are now included in the body of the book instead of as an appendix. Some of the annotations are expanded (for example the 'pointy ears', the 'scientific version revision', the two Thrains controversy is addressed, Thranduil's hair is mentioned). There is an expanded bibliogaphy.

All new to this edition is the inclusion of the 'Quest of Erebor' one version of which was included in UT. The UT version was the compressed 'C' text, with extracted passages from the longer 'B' text given at the end. The entire 'B' typescript is given as an appendix in this
edition and does include previously unpublished information.

__________________
Tar-Elenion

Dragon*Con Swiftly Approaches!
Jincey @ 1:19 am EST

I'm sure everyone's heard by now that America's largest FAN-run sci-fi/fantasy convention, is once again descending upon Atlanta, GA this weekend (Fri Aug 29 - Mon Sept 2)! Here's a brief line-up of the JRR Tolkien: Welcome to Middle-earth fan track to be held in the Greenbriar Room at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency:

TheOneRing.net once again journeys to the Deep South to tell the tale of that which is closest to anyone who is a regular of this site: previews and a behind the scenes look at The Lord Of the Rings: The Two Towers. TORN founders Calisuri, Tehanu, and Corvar will be attending and presenting this hugely popular program. (Note: Saturday?s TORN presentation will be in the Centennial Ballrooms. Sunday's will be in the Greenbriar.) They'll have a session about webmastering with Saulone of ThereandBackAgain.net. Saulone will also have a session about ThereandBackAgain.net, showing his incredible artwork and telling how he came to be influenced so deeply as an artist by Tolkien?s works.

Tom Shippey, renowned Tolkien scholar and author, joins Dragon*Con for several sessions, including two with the Tolkien Track. If you haven't read JRR Tolkien: Author of the Century, you have 3 ½ days to do so. ; ) This book is a definitive study of Tolkien and his works. Tom will be discussing philology and Tolkien's place in the modern world. If you have an interest in the created languages of Middle-earth, be sure to catch these sessions!

Master metalsmith and historical re-enactor Joe Piela joins us for the first time this year. Joe has studied Tolkien's battle related passages and brought this knowledge into his work as a metalsmith. He's bringing many items created in his Lonely Mountain Forge for display and discussion. Roleplayers and weapons collectors will find these sessions of great interest.

In the arts, The Butler Ballet has been working on a new dance composition based on Tolkien's touching story about Beren and Luthien, entitled The Silmaril. The Butler Ballet is a pre-professional dance company of Butler University, world famous for the great artists and choreographers that begin there. Slated to be premiered in 2003, there's already a buzz in the dance world about this new work. Please join us for a preview, brought to Dragon*Con, by Stephan Laurent of The Butler Ballet.

Returning for their third year, Jeff Sherrill & Paul Dunne bring back their popular Elvish 101: An Introduction into the basics of Tolkien's created languages. Learn the history behind the words (and how to pronounce them!) Jeff and Paul will set you on the path to fluency in the Elvish languages!

In music, Steve Babb, of the band Glass Hammer pays us another visit, with premieres of new videos of two of the band's Tolkien-inspired songs. Currently at work on their seventh release, Glass Hammer has a huge following.

This year, the gaming world is represented by Universal Interactive and Games Workshop. Universal Interactive brings previews of their new video game based on the Lord of the Rings, including never before seen screen shots and a behind the scenes look at the making of an interactive video game. Games Workshop, famous for Warhammer tabletop games, has created a game for the Tolkien enthusiast, and is now adding more scenarios as the game grows in popularity. They'll be showing the latest additions to their LOTR game.

In celebration of JRR Tolkien, we will have a night of fun, in the tradition of the Prancing Pony. Drop in for an Evening in Bree to meet fellow Tolkien fans, maybe sing a song or two and enjoy live music by Emerald Rose. We'll have trivia questions galore. Dress in Middle-earth inspired costume for our costume contest, for your chance at very cool prizes provided by Sideshow-Weta Collectibles, Decipher, and Houghton Mifflin, to name a few. (Please note: Fire marshal rules will limit number of guests attending this. Doors will be closed when capacity is reached.)

TheOneRing.net will have a fan table set up at the Marriott Marquis. Stop by and meet the founders and staff of TORN (including Tehanu, our Kiwi Founder, who?s attending Dragon*Con for the first time!) We'll have drawings and giveaways throughout the convention and would love to meet you : )

For complete schedule listings and news, visit TORN's Dragon*Con [Schedule]. For more information about the enormous event that IS Dragon*Con, visit [Dragon*Con].

8-26-02 Latest News

NY Times Talks LOTR
Xoanon @ 11:20 pm EST

Tinidril sends in this blurb from the latest NY Times

"A case in point is the sequential release on DVD and VHS cassette of three versions of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." A release earlier this month will be followed in November by an expanded version, with 30 minutes of extra scenes woven in and interviews with the filmmakers, and then by a deluxe four-disc set with more features. New Line Cinema, which released film, is counting on some DVD aficionados to buy two and perhaps all three versions, leaving it to future scholars to ponder which is the definitive version of the movie"

Bilbo's Farwell Song
Xoanon @ 7:13 pm EST

TOLKIEN'S RING CYCLE FAREWELL HAS BILBO BOUND FOR A BOOK

It is the poem that signals the end of JRR Tolkien's association with his greatest creation, the mythical land of Middle Earth.

Now Bilbo's Last Song, a short poem marking the end of the famous Hobbit's adventures, is to be published to cash in on the new wave of interest in Lord of the Rings.

The poem, illustrated by Pauline Baynes -who is also known for illustrating the Narnia Chronicles of CS Lewis - is best known for having adorned the walls of Tolkien fans in the form of a poster in the 1970's.

Now, following the commercial and critical success of Peter Jackson's Oscar winning film of the Fellowship of the Ring, the first book in Tolkien's trilogy, it is being republished in book form.

Baynes, 80, was the only illustrator that Tolkien approved of, and it was she who adorned the poster version in 1974, which was published a year after he died.

The poem was given as a gift to Joy Hill, one of Tolkien's assistants.

Baynes, who became a close friend of JRR Tolkien, spoke yesterday of her delight at the poem's re-emergence accompanoied by pictures she created in 1990.

She said Tolkien had not only written it as a valediction for Middle Earth, but also his own life. "With this poem, I think he was sighing with relief: that's done. He was getting pretty old when he wrote it in the late 1960's, and so it is climactic in two ways. The poem is like a full stop, siganlling the end of it all," she said.

Bilbo's Last Song is onlt three verses long, and represents the last song Bilbo Baggins, the hero of The Hobbit and uncle to Frodo in Lord of the Rings, sings before he sails west and leaves Middle Earth. In Tolkien's world, at the end of Lord of the Rings, the remaining elves and other friends sail west and leave the realms of the mortal world forever, and pass into myth. It ends: "Farewell to Middle Earth at last: I see the star above your mast."

Bilbo's Last Song was a gift from Tolkien to Ms Hill, who was seconded from Allen and Unwin, the author's publisher, to help him with correspondence.

He used to joke that if ever a diamond bracelet fell out of an envelope it would be hers. When she was helping him pack up before he moved house, Bilbo's Last Song fell out of a book and she loved it so much he said it could be her 'diamond bracelet'.

Weekly Cast Watch
Xoanon @ 7:09 pm EST

To get more information, use the sites I use like the ones below. Simply find a movie or actor you want to see, go to one of the sites below and see if the film is playing in your area. mydigiguide.com, tv-now.com and IMDB.com








Viggo Mortensen
(Aragorn)







Liv Tyler (Arwen)








Ian Holm (Bilbo)






Sean Bean (Boromir)






Ian Mune (Bounder)





Martyn Sanderson (Bree Gatekeeper Harry Goatleaf)






David Weatherly (Barliman Butterbur)







Marton Csokas (Celeborn)







Thea Hartwell (Child Hobbit)





 

John Noble
(Denethor)






Noel Appleby (Everard Proudfoot)






Alexandra Astin (Elanor Gamgee)






Peter Mckenzie (Elendil)





 

Karl Urban
(Eomer)







Hugo Weaving
(Elrond)







Miranda Otto
(Eowyn)







David Wenham
(Faramir)





 

Cameron Rhodes (Farmer Maggot)







Elijah Wood
(Frodo)







Cate Blanchett (Galadriel)






Bruce Hopkins (Gamling)







Ian McKellen
(Gandalf)





Mark Ferguson (Gil Galad)







John
Rhys-Davies (Gimli)







Andy Serkis
(Gollum)






Stephen Ure (Gorbag)






Craig Parker (Haldir)







John Leigh
(Hama)






Timothy Bartlett (Hobbit)







Harry Sinclair
(Isildur)





 

Orlando Bloom
(Legolas)






Lawrence Makoare (Lurtz)






Robbie Magasiva (Mahur)







Ray Henwood (Man at
Rivendell)





 

Dominic Monaghan (Merry)






Robyn Malcolm (Morwen)







Bruce Spence (Mouth of
Sauron)






Megan Edwards (Mrs. Proudfoot)






Billy Boyd (Pippin)






Sarah McLeod (Rosie Cotton)







Sean Astin (Sam)







Christopher Lee
(Saruman)






Sala Baker (Sauron)






Brian Sergent (Ted Sandyman)







Bernard Hill
(Theoden)






Nathaniel Lees (Ugluk)







Brad Dourif
(Wormtongue)







Jim Rygiel (SFX)







Howard Shore (Composer)







Peter Jackson (Director)


Decipher's LOTR RPG Corebook
Flinch @ 6:19 pm EST

Decipher brings us the next phase in Roleplaying Games from their Roleplaying and Miniature Studio here in Culver City, CA. The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying game is bound in a brilliant Core Book featuring brilliantly designed pages full of character details, orders, races, weapons and enemies. The game, which will be released on August 28th, allows players to take up residence in Middle Earth and play out the role of one of the many races of Middle Earth, anything from an Elven Loremaster to a Hobbit Burglar.

Overall the Corebook's design gives players the blunt of the game, with upcoming releases to detail other aspects of Middle Earth. We here at Gaming Havens at TheOneRing.net will soon be delving deeper into the game and bring a pictoral of just what goes into making a character, and playing out a chapter. Check back here on the 4th of September for the first part in our Roleplaying Guide with myself, Lao of Gondor, and the rest of the crew from our Gaming League!

More On Billy And 'Sniper 470'
Xoanon @ 11:47 am EST

The folks from Hobbit's Corner send along these scans from the UK Sun about Billy Boyd in 'Sniper 470'.



Go back to Special Reports Archives