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June 05, 2005 - June 11, 2005

News for Jun. 11, 2005

Hall Of Fire This Weekend - Star Wars And LoTR!

6/11/05, 8:56 am EST - Demosthenes

Fantasy fiction has become a dominant force in modern society.

In a time of 15-second attention spans, the longevity of Lord of the Rings shows little sign of abating. And since bursting onto the silver screen in 1977, Star Wars has grabbed and held the imagination of generations of fans.

This weekend in Hall of Fire, we'll be asking you what it is about these two tales that has created such an enduring passion amongst their devotees to the extent that each appears to have become a world-wide phenomenon. [More]

News for Jun. 10, 2005

Alias publishes "The Art of Maya," third edition

6/10/05, 11:04 am EST - Xoanon

Alias today announced that on June 17 it will officially launch the third edition of The Art of Maya. This book offers a look inside the world of the 3D computer graphics used in many well-known animation and special effects projects made with Maya software. The work of various companies referenced in the book include: Turner Studios; The Mill; Weta Digital and its work on the The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; and Oddworld Inhabitants and its latest game Stranger’s Wrath. "Maya Master" Derald Hunt of Turner Studios will be on hand to speak at the launch, taking place in Vancouver at Chapters’ Broadway and Granville location, Friday, June 17 from 5-7 p.m. [More]

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LOTR Exhibit Dinner in Indianaopolis

6/10/05, 10:40 am EST - Xoanon

Haldirriel writes: I wanted to pass along some info about the exhibit in Indianaopolis this fall. Reservations are being taken now, though the exhibit tickets do not go on sale until August 1. The Indiana State Museum will host Taste of New Zealand, two special events in honor of The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - the Exhibition. On Friday, Oct. 14, and Thursday, Nov. 3, guests can enjoy an evening of New Zealand wines and special dishes in the L.S. Ayres Tea Room. The cost is $65 per person. Seating is limited to the first 60 guests and each dinner begins at 7 p.m. [More]

Utah LOTR Summer Lecture Series

6/10/05, 10:36 am EST - Xoanon

SALT LAKE CITY - Join "Into The West" - Lord of the Rings Fellowship of Utah for a FREE summer long lecture series on costuming. Melonie Mortenson of Utah Opera Company and Shakespeare Festival fame will guide participants month by month through the labrinyth of choosing fabrics, pattern adjustment to the final creation of a fantasy costume. Meet at Murray Borders Books and Music, 132 East Winchester, Thursday's June 23rd, July 28th and August 11th at 7 P.M. [More]

Call for Entries for: In Fellowship

6/10/05, 10:30 am EST - Xoanon

Jo-Anna from The Gathering of the Fellowship writes: Submissions Call from In Fellowship, the Tolkien-based Journal of the Gathering of the Fellowship We are very pleased to announce the upcoming publication of the premiere issue of In Fellowship in July, 2005. [More]

News for Jun. 09, 2005

Atlanta's Andúnië Holds Meeting on June 12

6/09/05, 9:37 am EST - weetanya

Jef writes: Tolkien fans in and around the Atlanta metropolitan area are invited to the June meeting of the Andúnië Smial of the Tolkien Society at 6pm on June 12 at Emory University. For directions and details, see our listserv: [here]

SHOP: Hooded Rohirrim Bust For Sale

6/09/05, 8:54 am EST - Celeborn

Hooded Rohirrim Soldier Bust Comic Con Exclusive

Sideshow Weta Collectibles Comic-Con Exclusives are now on pre-sale. This year they have a Hooded Rohirrim Bust as the Lord of the Rings exclusive for the show. The piece is limited to 1,000 pieces worldwide. Place your order at their site, and then just pick it up at the show! [Click Here]

News for Jun. 08, 2005

The Icelander Cometh

6/08/05, 10:27 pm EST - Xoanon

For a few years, Emiliana Torrini wasn't sure she'd ever make music again. Then the phone started ringing. Fisherman's Woman -- Iceland-born songstress Emiliana Torrini's second album -- begins on a positive enough note: "Home alone and happy/ Nothing brings me down," Torrini coos on the opening track, her warm, dulcet voice draped gently over a comforting bed of folky guitar-picking, piano plinks, and the slightest breaths of percussion and electric guitar hovering in the background. [More]

Blanchett, Boyd & Serkis' 'Lost Souls'

6/08/05, 10:24 pm EST - Xoanon

djdeathskiss writes: A friend just found a dvd that I thought everyone might want to know about. It is called 'Stories of Lost Souls', and is a collection of six short films, including 'Sniper 470' starring Billy Boyd, 'Bangers', starring Cate Blanchett, and 'Standing Room Only' featuring Andy Serkis and Hugh Jackman. The films also feature Keira Knightley, Paul Bettany, James Gandolfini, and Michael Gambon. It was released this year through Sterling Video, and my friend found it in a bargain bin at WalMart for about $5!

Kiran Shah Live Chat - Submit Your Question Now!

6/08/05, 8:16 pm EST - Demosthenes

TheOnering.net and Hall of Fire are hosting a live Q&A session with LoTR stunt and body-double Kiran Shah on Saturday June 18 from 5.30 EDT on the TORn IRC server. In Lord Of The Rings, Kiran doubled as - and did stunts for - all four of the main hobbits at one time or another. He worked most closely with Elijah Wood, doubling for Frodo.

If you want to get your question to the front of the queue, submit it to us early! [More]

Jason Schleifer interview on CGtalk

6/08/05, 2:39 pm EST - Corvar

Quentin wrote in to let us know that Jason Schleifer (a character rigger/animator for LoTR) was being interviewed at CGtalk. He definitely is giving some interesting technical answers to questions about his work. [More]

News for Jun. 07, 2005

Singing at the gates or Mordor

6/07/05, 7:15 pm EST - Xoanon

Spamalot and The Light in the Piazza were the big winners at Sunday’s 59th annual Tony Awards. Any early favorites for next year? The next big thing in theater, the musical version of “The Lord of the Rings,” is scheduled for its world premiere in 2006 in Toronto. Previews won’t begin until Feb. 2 and the show has yet to be cast but producer Kevin Wallace offered a preview Thursday night to tour operators and other invited guests at the Renaissance Center. Emphasizing “LOTR’s” human aspects before he mentioned its special effects, Wallace called the show “as powerful and emotional a story as you’ve ever experienced in the theater.” Some particulars: The show will run 3 1/2 hours, including two intermissions; the music is by Indian composer A.R. Rahman (“Bombay Dreams”) and Finnish folk group Varttina, and there will be Hobbits mingling with playgoers before the show. [More]

Peter Jackson’s $100,000 ragtime band

6/07/05, 7:07 pm EST - Xoanon

In lieu of coaxing Enya to do permanent in-house entertainment duties, Peter Jackson opted for the $99,975 LB-BGJ from Ragtime Automated Music, a cabinet containing a robotically controlled acoustic “band.” A touch-screen interface controls the whole works, sending MIDI signals to the mechanical elements that “play” the full drum kit, piano, accordion, guitar, banjo, electric bass, and 24 organ pipes. But oh, it’s not for him, it’s “for his wife.” Ahhh yes, robotic ragtime — the gift that keeps on giving. [More]

DVD Tuesday: Boyd & Dourif's 'Seed'

6/07/05, 9:38 am EST - Xoanon

Billy Boyd follows LOTR co-star Brad Dourif into the horror arena with 'Seed of Chucky' the 5th in the 'Child's Play' series. [More]

Science of Middle-earth Book UK Tour: Cafe Scientifique, Leicester

6/07/05, 9:18 am EST - Xoanon

Turgon writes: Henry Gee has posted some news at his website on the UK book tour for his book, THE SCIENCE OF MIDDLE-EARTH. Today (June 7th) he will be at the Cafe Scientifique in Leicester. Click here for the full schedule. [More]

Happy Birthday Karl Urban!

6/07/05, 9:15 am EST - Xoanon


Today is Karl Urban's Birthday! Karl was born on June 7th, 1972 in Wellington, New Zealand. That makes him 33 today! Happy Birthday Karl!

News for Jun. 06, 2005

Sequel talk surfaces as actors recall memories of Astoria

6/06/05, 4:42 pm EST - Xoanon

As fans of “The Goonies” took pilgrimages this weekend to sites made famous by the movie, a couple of the Goonies themselves came back to Astoria to share some of their memories of filming, as well as thoughts on the possibility of a Goonies sequel. “I remember distinctly the feeling I had as a 12-year old coming up here, where I was nervous, I was really nervous, because I knew that I was starring in this movie and I had a big responsibility to be good as one of the lead actors,” said Sean Astin, sitting on the porch of the Goonies house Saturday. [More]

Starring role for Boyd at Award Show

6/06/05, 4:39 pm EST - Xoanon

Lord of the Rings star Billy Boyd will be at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Thursday to host the 18th Annual Arts and Business Scottish Awards. The event will pay tribute to the best partnerships between business and the arts during 2004. [More]

IMDB Asks 'Who Should be #1?'

6/06/05, 2:41 pm EST - Xoanon

Heather writes: Today's (June 6th) Internet Movie Database poll asks "Of the top 10 films selected by users of the IMDb, which would you rather see at number one?" (instead of The Godfather, which is what made the #1 spot). Both ROTK and FOTR appear in the list of choices. [Vote]

News for Jun. 05, 2005

Exhibit a must-see for LOTR fans

6/05/05, 9:56 pm EST - Xoanon

HOUSTON — Willliam H. Butler III, known as Lord William Westcott of Welewen among fellow members of the Galveston-Clear Lake area chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, has read J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” books so many times he could recite Frodo’s and Sam’s adventures without much effort. “I probably read it (all three books) 10 to 15 times,” he said. [More]

Ian Brodie Nabs 'Queen's Birthday Honours'

6/05/05, 9:53 pm EST - Xoanon

A renowned children's author and a key player in the National Women's Hospital cervical cancer inquiry were among a group of five who head this year's Queen's Birthday Honours. Writer Joy Cowley, medical academic Professor Linda Holloway, founder of Villa Maria wines George Fistonich, Chief District Court Judge David Carruthers, and Judge Anand Satyanand are all made Distinguished Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit. The DCNZM is the equivalent of a knight or dame companion under the old honours system. The tourism industry has been recognised with the co-founder and director of the A J Hackett Bungy enterprise, Henry van Asch, being appointed an ONZM and the writer of the Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook, Ian Brodie, made an MNZM. [More]

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