Well I knew this would happen, the big M even told me about some nasty email messages. The truth is, the poor guy has been getting flack for the LOTR script review, that's unfortunate because they were really excited about that review over at AICN... this is a section of his latest rant on Ain't It Cool News:

Who am I to write of media responsibility? I mean, I recently heard a publicist describe Harry and I as "pirates and rabble-rousers." I'll tell you who I am to write of media responsibility... I'm someone who's doing his best to define it for himself every day. Sometimes I think I get it right, and sometimes I think I get it wrong. It's never a giant thing in either direction, though. It's normally just a matter of degrees, and I try to take whatever lesson I can from each decision, each outcome. For example, I think I would handle my review of the LORD OF THE RINGS script differently if I wrote it today than I did two weeks ago. I vehemently defend our right at AICN to review material as it progresses from one stage of development to the next. I think it teaches people about the way great films really happen -- fight after fight, each one a step forward or back in that drive to make something special. I think I would have probably revealed a few less details if I were writing the review again, leaving out certain things, hinting at more than I confirmed...

What is that expression?...'shooting the messenger'

For the rest of that rant click here

Moriarty has also been known to post on our Message Board, why not register and post a message here. He's also been seen on our chat room, Barliman's

Harry over at AICN had the chance to ask Ian Mckellen a few questions about his roles as Magneto and Gandalf.

H: Due to what I consider to be your amazingly convincing portrayals of some older characters in recent film, many fans feel that you are 'not physical' enough to play the roles of Magneto and Gandalf. In actuality you are quite younger than they perceive... With this little forum... How would you address their fears?

Ian: "Both Magneto and Gandalf are characters who must appear to possess some superhuman attributes and abilities. However, part of their charm is that each of them is also recognizably human. As for the physicality of these two icons, I am a little relieved that both movies will take advantage of the latest special effects technology. Throughout my career on stage I have enjoyed playing characters who are much stronger and athletic than I am offstage. As Romeo, which I played when I was 37, I climbed up and down the proscenium arch 8 times a week. Ten years later as Coriolanus, I fought hand-to-hand combat with shield and sword in a sand pit, semi-naked. Last year as Captain Hook I fought the actor playing Peter Pan (40 years my junior) and would have easily defeated him if he hadn't called on a crocodile to support him. Meanwhile I had clambered up the rigging of the Jolly Roger 30 feet above the stage in high-heeled boots and a hook on my left hand. I'm very much looking forward to playing Magneto and a much older Gandalf."

For the rest of the interview, go here.

Congratulations to Mark Nelson! His name of "Barliman's" was chosen as the official title of TheOneRing.net™ chatroom! Mr. Nelson has won an offical TheOneRing.net™ t-shirt.

No, this isn't the release date thing (I hate the type of warring people are starting to dredge up here, summer of 2001 will NOT be SW vs. LOTR, it'll be the best summer in film history! period)

Anyway, this is a fun poll! Check this out.

Comingsoon.net this week is holding a poll/survey on whether the "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy will be able to outdo the "Star Wars" prequels. Please invite your visitors to vote in this poll and help your visitors' choice come out on top.

Check it out and vote your choice!

Christian has an exclusive interview with John Race, Chief designer of 'Orcs: Revenge of the Ancients'. John answers the questions you submitted in to us!

Check out the interview here

Check out the Tehanu Notes section for this "Scary Stuff" update.

Check out the new fan art, wallpaper and multimedia.

The fan writing section has also been updated. Find anything from a LOTR poem in spanish to a recipe for lembas!

Once again thanks to all the fans for their submissions. Please send all writing submissions to greenbook@theonering.net and all art submissions to calisuri@theonering.net.

Xoanon here,

Good friend of TheOnering.net Alastair Thomson from Scoop has sent me some of these interesting tidbits.

Apparently Peter Jackson needed a building that had 8m high studs. He got a former car factory.

Apparently Jackson wants some very small people. But there aren't any in the west because the kind of dwarfism that makes you under 4 foot and still in proportion - just really small - is easily correctable apparently at birth. Allegedly we now have 6 of these people - from india - in Wellington somewhere.

It seems PJ is geeting all elements together, anyone want to venture what he needs that big car warehouse for?

Not what you think here folks, but good news for you Star Wars Geeks! Check out the Spy Reports

Xoanon here,

This is the lowdown for all you Ringers out there who don't frequent the message boards or the chatroom. It seems that AICN's Evil Professor Moriarty has been posting replies to you all on our very own OneRing.net board. I have also been in contact with him and he tells me that he wishes to clear the air from his notorious 'Script Review' on AICN a while back. Below are some of the high points of a few of his posts, for more on all this go here.

1) Arwen and Aragorn:

"EXT. TROLLSHAW FOREST - NIGHT
ANGLE ON: STRIDER hurries through the DARK FOREST, collecting FIREWOOD.
SUDDENLY! STRIDER FREEZES as a SWORD BLADE touches his neck! A WHITE HORSE steps into FG.
ARWEN (o.s.)
What's this? A Ranger caught off-guard?
STRIDER slowly looks up. His eyes widen with RECOGNITION."


2) Scouring of Shire:

I'd have to answer carefully and say, "I can't address this issue at this time." That's not a committal in either direction on the question. I know this is a big one to most fans, but I'm sorry.


3) Lorien and Galadriel and her Mirror:

The whole deal about Galadriel and Lothlorien: Without spoiling the whole sequence, let me say that Galadriel's Glade is indeed in Lothlorien, and that Frodo visits it while in Rivendell. That's what I meant to imply in my initial review, and I'm confirming it again here. No mistake, no confusion.

Dwane has posted some pics and a number where you can pick up some great figurines of the Fellowship. Check it out in Dwane's Spy Reports!

Informix index maps Middle Earth
By AMANDA WELLS

PETER JACKSON'S graphics company, Weta Digital, has spent more than $1 million on Informix software so it can keep track of up to 1500 special effects destined for the Lord of the Rings film trilogy....

Check out this link for the rest of the article

Check out Christians Gaming Havens for some news. And remember to send him your questions to ask John Race, designer of 'Orcs: Revenge of the Acients'

In addition to the excerpt Xoanon posted (available here), SFX has provided another blurb about their interview with Billy Boyd. You can read it on their site.

The full article will be in the SFX on news stands September 1, I suggest you pick up a copy.

Xoanon here,

Scott B sent me this email he recieved from Michael Deluca.

I think it'll be end of September for a complete cast list. Winslet's unavailable, I'm afraid. I think she passed on the project due to the length of time it takes.

Oh well, would have loved to see her.

We have come up with 10 finalists in our "Name the Chatroom" contest! Choose your favorite name in the weekly poll area. (PS - This poll will only last for a few days, go get those votes in now!)
We will also be adding the second part of Balin's poll later in the week. Check the results from last week's poll here.

John Race, chief designer of 'Orcs: Revenge of the Ancients' wants to answer your questions!

In a first exclusive for Christian, head of Gaming Havens, he's got the ear of Mr. Race, but he needs your help! Send Christian your gaming questions and watch Gaming Havens for the answers!

Email Christian here

The good folks over at SFX mag have sent me over a small snippet of their recent interview with Billy Boyd. Boyd will play the young Hobbit Pippin in all 3 LOTR films. Here is what he had to say:

SFX: So just how tall are you?

BB: Five foot six, A wee bit taller than a hobbit.

SFX: And how do you feel about being shrunk down with computerized jiggery pokery?

BB: Well that's the thing - I'm not sure what exactly they're going to do with it. I think there will be times where they will use computers, but I think they're going to use more conventional means as well, trying not to swamp it too much with special effects because the story is so important.

The rest of the interview will be in the latest issue of SFX due out September 1st, be sure to get your copy today!

For more info on Billy Boyd, take a look at our Cast Page.

Xoanon here,

Philip C. Web master over at TolGalen passed this gem off to me, it's from NZ onfilm, it's a few more names to add to the crew list. Check out some of these movies that they've worked on!

Costume designer: Ngila Dickson, who worked on Heavenly Creatures and was till recently costume designer on Hercules and Xena.

Post-production producer: Jamie Selkirk, who will supervise editing with Jackson. Selkirk has cut all of Jackson's films - The Frighteners, Heavenly Creatures, Braindead, Forgotten Silver, Bad Taste & Meet the Feebles.

The production department is headed by Nik Korda (Lost in Space, Cleopatra, The Quest), who'll be working with Bridget Bourke (The Frighteners, Heavenly Creatures, Bread & Roses) and Elena Azuola (a US financial controller who worked on Stargate, Cutthroat Island, Lost in Space).

Associate producer: Rick Porras (Contact, Forest Gump, Death Becomes Her).

Casting department: Liz Mullane is currently "in the thick of Kiwi casting", and Sanders says US, UK & Australian casting directors "are nearing completion of their work".

Special effects: working alongside Richard Taylor and Charlie McClellan at WETA is Mark Stetson (joins as FX supervisor). He's worked on The Fifth Element, Bladerunner, and Ghostbusters. Steven Ingram (Willow, Never Say Die, Frighteners, Braindead) is the physical effects supervisor, working with Grant Major and Dan Hennah in the art department.

Camera: DP is Andrew Lesnie, an Aussie who shot Babe and Babe: Pig in City, Two If By Sea, and Temptation of a Monk. Specialized sword work is to be handled by Bob Anderson (Mask if Zoro, First Knight, 3 Musketeers, Highlander, Princess Bride) working alongside stunt coordinator Bruce Brown.

Assistant directors: Carolynne Cunningham (Moby Dick, Shine, Escape from Absalom, Heavenly Creatures)has been working as main unit 1st AD for some time as well as working with 2nd unit 1st AD Dave Norris (Via Satellite, Greenstone, Last Tattoo).