11-14-03 Latest News

Hall Of Fire Chats This Weekend
Frode @ 9:43 am EST

Homeward Bound:

Gandalf and the Hobbits reach Bree and find that while things aren't quite right, Butterbur seems much the same as he goes on to explain what's gone wrong. Of course the companions can't stay long. The hobbits are anxious to get home to a troubled Shire, but for one of them there will be no homecoming. To Frodo the Shire will never again be a place where he can find rest.

Gandalf goes off to have a chat with Bombadil, and tells the hobbits that "You must settle the Shire's affairs yourselves, that is what you have been trained for". So now the four Hobbits that set out from the Shire are all that's left of the company. "It seems almost like a dream that has slowly faded." Merry says. "Not to me," Frodo answers "it feels more like falling asleep again."

What do you think about how Butterbur reacts to the news that the companions bring? What do you think Gandalf wants to talk to Bombadil about? What does Frodo mean when he says it feels like falling asleep again?

Join us in #thehalloffire as we take a look at Homeward Bound - Chapter VII of the Return of the King.

Upcoming Topics:
November 22-23: Durins Folk - Appendix A of the Lord of the Rings.
November 29-30: The Scouring of the Shire - Chapter VIII of the Return of
the King.

Times:
Saturday Chat:
5:30pm ET (17:30)
[also 11:30pm (23:30) CET and 7:30am Sunday (07:30) AET]

Sunday Chat:
7:00 pm (19:00) CET
[also 1:00pm (13:00) ET and 3:00am (03:00) Monday morning AET]

ET = Eastern Time, USA's East Coast
CET = Central European Time, Central Europe
AET = Australian East Coast

Do you have a possible topic for Hall of Fire? Drop us a line at
halloffire@theonering.net

Grandstand Seats At The RoTK Red Carpet
Demosthenes @ 3:06 am EST

Our old friend Ringer Spy Taniwha chimes in with this news about grandstand seats for the RoTK red carpet parade for the premiere.

Grandstand seats on sale for LOTR red carpet parade

Wellington City Council today announced that limited seats on grandstands alongside the red carpet for The Return of the King world premiere parade on December 1 are available to members of the public.

"The Council wants to make sure Wellingtonians and other members of the public have a chance to be part of the action. To this end we're making grandstand seats available for purchase and running several draws and competitions over the next two weeks for people to win free grandstand seats," Deputy Mayor Alick Shaw said.

Grandstand seats are on sale now, for $100+GST (NZ) plus booking charges through Ticketek offices nationwide.

Revenue generated from the sale of grandstand seats will go towards offsetting the cost to Wellington City Council of hosting the world
premiere.

More information on the grandstand seats and the red carpet parade is
available at www.wcc.govt.nz/lotr.

The Saruman Situation
Xoanon @ 4:13 pm EST

You may have noticed that my esteemed colleague Maegwen and others have been posting on the front page more often that before. They all do wonderful work and I’d be lost in space without them. The reason I’ve been away from my computer is due to a few pressing situations that need to get taken care of before Christmas. Car shopping with my father is never an easy task. He wants to look at every dealership in Montreal before he signs on the dotted line, but I love him for his tenacity. Seb, Khoba and I are working on the Montreal Trilogy Screening with Alliance Atlantis and New Line, lets just say a bucket of worms has been opened and we’ve been hard pressed to seal it shut again. And the last issue is something near and dear to us all….Saruman getting axed from ROTK.

This last issue is what has really kept me away from my inbox lately…over 1000 emails are pouring in to me daily these past few weeks. November and December have always been busy months on TORN but this is week’s news has really got the net buzzing. So why am I stressed over it? Well mainly because all the emails have the same tone to them, the same general sense of anger and tension that can be really draining to read about until the late hours of the night. So I’d prefer to stay away for a while and let it die down.

The problem is it’s not going away, and there really is nothing we can do about it, really.

For me, this whole Saruman situation started as a rumor fed to me via instant messenger. ‘Hey, I heard 2 major characters are going to be cut from ROTK’, said the anonymous stranger whom I never met. I asked where he’d heard this before, he tells me Moriarty and the AICN folks are talking about it in their chatroom. He claims they are waiting for the actors to be told before they break the story. I thought ‘dubious news, at best’, and decided not to pursue it. Imagine the flack I’d get if I posted about this, and it turned out to be false? Well unfortunately it didn’t…and now we all know that the seven-minute scene with Saruman and Grima Wormtongue has been removed from ROTK.

Let’s put aside the rumors that Christopher Lee didn’t know until he read about it on AICN. Lets put aside the rumors that Peter Jackson informed Christopher Lee via email. Lets just look at the facts. The scene was cut because it destroyed the flow of the film. It was not added to the extended edition of The Two Towers because at the time of creating the EE for TTT they thought the scene would remain. So it turns out that we shall only see that scene in the ROTK:EE release, due out in another year from now.

This is what has caused the uproar, fans want to see the entire sequence in the theatres. Fans want to see the story arc complete, and the fall of Saruman (literally and figuratively).

An entire brigade of people flocked to an online petition site to sign up and voice their opinions, which is good to know. The last thing we want to see is a fan malaise effect, much like the stunned Matrix or Star Wars folks. We want LOTR fans involved…taking action, getting things done. The problem is that filmmaking is not a democracy. No matter how long a list, loud a voice, or detailed a complaint; it will not change the fact that this seven-minute scene will be cut. There is just nothing we can do about it.

Do we, as TORN, like the idea? Hell NO, I don’t see any one of the PTB’s or forum admins or writers who like it. Do we want the scene added to the film? CERTAINLY, ever since the entire spikey wheel photo was first released to the public back in 1999 I’ve been waiting for Saruman’s death scene…that is 4 years of patience!

But we as TORN also know when to let artistic vision take precedence over fan-based hype. As a large group we cannot rally around a cause that we think is none of our business to dictate, and is also rather moot. We know we’ll get the chance to see it on the DVD. We are also pretty sure that the Extended Version will be placed in theatres sometime in 2004 or 2005.

It has been a long-standing policy that we don’t post links to petitions on TORN. We like to have fun posting polls, but never a petition. The legality of an online petition is suspect at best. It is really something we don’t want to get into. We love fan-community building, not persuasion-by-numbers.

Petitions are made to raise awareness of a cause that a majority of people do not know about. The cause is usually something that affects a minority of people to some degree or another.

This is not the case here.

Here we have a large group of people trying to voice their numbers (numbers that Peter Jackson and his team know full well are HUGE) to have something changed to suit their own needs. We don’t think this shines a respectable light on LOTR fans. Quite frankly it makes us all look like a whiny bunch of babies.

Peter Jackson, an un-questionable LOTR fan, knows this isn’t fair. He’s not happy with the choice he has to make. But it must be done. We as fans of the films can voice our outcry with either posts on message boards or healthy discussions in chatrooms or with friends. The signing of a petition will not help the situation, and giving us a hard time for not linking to it won’t either.

There are a great number of horrible things happening in this world that we can pour our energy into, the editing of a motion picture is not one of them.

A Tribute to Cameron Duncan
Tehanu @ 2:15 pm EST

A Ringer wrote in:

TVNZ's Holmes programme had a special tribute to Cameron Duncan, the inspirational 17 year old film maker who lost out in his battle with cancer earlier today. It was the most emotional story I have ever seen. There was a tribute from Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh who knew Cameron and had been keeping an eye on his career. I can't remember the entire letter but two lines stood out - "We were proud to call Cameron Duncan our friend." and "He would have grown up to become one of the great New Zealand Filmmakers."[More] "

Cameron Duncan wrote and directed the ad for the Organ Donor Awareness Foundation. This is the charity that our Return of the Ringers party is raising money for. Cameron Duncan was an extraordinary young man and his loss is a loss for us all.

Trilogy Tuesday News: New Zealand
Xoanon @ 2:07 pm EST

Simon writes: This information comes direct from the Auckland Village Queen St Village Newsletter (14.11.03). The tickets go on sale from the the 20th of November for Megamembers. So, for those who want to book on this date, you will have to join the Megamembers club (it's free!!) at their website www.village.co.nz. Below is what was actually printed in the newsletter:

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - 18 December 03 (midnight screenings Wed, 17 December 03, & yes we will be showing Fellowship of the Rings & The Two Towers before the Return of the King opens). Tickets on sale to Megamembers only from the 20th of November.

Chris Lee at Borders Report
Xoanon @ 1:58 pm EST

Wendy writes: I thought I'd just confirm that Christopher Lee did indeed show up and, apparently, had yet another event lined up after that signing. Busy days. He didn't seem too dejected but I didn't hear anybody mention ROTK to him. I didn't either because I hadn't yet seen confirmation of the rumours at the time.

I just happened to be shopping in London when I saw a poster announcing that Christopher Lee was signing his autobiography at Borders today.

So I joined the small-ish queue, discovered that there was a much bigger queue upstairs once you had gone past the "overflow", and spent my lunch time queuing and queuing some more.

It felt really strange seeing him and hearing him talk in front of me once I got close. He might be 81 years old but he doesn't look it and his voice can put you under a charm, just like Saruman's.

When it finally was my turn, I approached nervously, said Hello and a few words. My French accent must have been leaking through as he asked me where I was from. Once he knew it was from Belgium, he started chatting with me in perfect French about how he knew French well but couldn't understand Walloon (a Belgian dialect). We chatted like that for a minute or so. I was a bit overwhelmed by it all so couldn't quite find anything to answer.

The evil man must have had me under a spell. ;)

Anyway, I bid him a good day and went on my way.

Funny how a boring shopping trip can turn out very different from what you had planned. Now on to read his autobiography. From what I've read so far, Lee seems to look back at his life and career with a serious dose of humour and derision.

Apologies for writing all that to you but I just had to share the experience. This has made my day. :)

Chris Lee Comments on the ROTK-Line
Xoanon @ 11:51 am EST

SlayerVixen writes: I was watching the uk morning show This Morning aware he was going to be on it and he has infact verified that his character will not be featured in ROTK, he seemed sad when he mentioned it but due to a confidentiality agreement he was not able to comment further. What he did say though was that he didn't know why they had done it and stated if they wanted to know the reason for it they would probably have to speak to New Line or Peter Jackson.

The main vibe I got from it was that he couldn't really comment but he seemed really disappointed, I really felt for him. He has also just stated he won't be going to the premiere, so it would appear he was cut without being asked, he seems greatly dissapointed. He said there is no point for me or Brad Dourif to go to the premiere we're not in the movie! Its a sad state of affairs he seems as shocked as many of us are.

The Hobbit Musical in GA
Xoanon @ 11:17 am EST

Enedumiel writes: I thought you might want to post something about this - The Hobbit musical is going to be playing in McDonough, GA this Friday. The show is put on by New Creation Center for Independant Study (NCC). Here's the info I have.

The show is scheduled for 11/14 at 7pm. I would advise that you get there a bit early for good seats. Doors should open at 6:30.

Tickets are $3.00 at the door and there is also an art display done by this year's class. The address of the church is:

Southern Crescent Baptist Church
334 Lake Dow Road
Mcdonough, GA 30252

Also, this is not the play for purists. The script writers have taken vast liberties. So in other words, don't mob the cast. It's not their fault.

Sala Baker at the Chiller Theatre in New Jersey
Xoanon @ 10:53 pm EST

Click for more images

larewen writes: Last Saturday I went to Chiller Theatre in New Jersey. Here is a lowdown on my meeting with Sala Baker.

I was actually on holiday in New York at the time, and having met Sala at Collectormania 4 this year, I felt it was my duty to pay him a visit while on foreign soil!

Sala, wonderful man that he is, actually recognised me, making my day! He was extremely generous with his time, and very happy to pose for yet another round of pictures.

Whilst at London Expo I asked Billy, Craig and Jorn to sign a stress cube that the Expo people were giving away free, on each side of which there were different words. Billy signed Confused, Jorn - surprised and Craig - stimulated. I had picked up a handful of spare ones with the hope of asking any future LotR actors to sign.

Sala oblijed willingly and deliberated for a rather long time, over anxious or excited…finally settling on anxious!

I had a wonderful day and would like to thank Sala for being so pleasant and cheerful every time I have met him!

Slim ROTK Wall Calendar Images
Xoanon @ 10:45 pm EST

Click for more images

Lalaith Undomiel writes: As well as the normal sized 2004 calander avaliable I also found this one at Clinton Cards.

It has a few pictures which I havn't seen before including a very scary looking red eyed orc. I have one complaint though on this calander - there are 3 pitures of orcs - not very easy on the eyes and NO PICTURE OF MERRY!

I was outraged to find out that half of the main chracters arn't even there. But I can forgive - this calander is beautifully made with 2 pictures for every month. There are quite a few new pics below so if you want to wait and have a surprise don't look.

So...What Exactly Is Going On Here?!
Xoanon @ 2:57 pm EST

Nerwen writes:

I visited one DVD store today in Tampere, Finland to ask for their price on the TTT EE DVD. The clerk told me that (to his great personal disappointment) he had just received a note saying that the EE DVD's release date will be postponed a week and that this is the situation in all Scandinavia. I guess that makes the new date 25th of Oct. He didn't give any reason for this.

Tove adds more info:

The delay is for the Sone 2-version. A lot of people order the Sone 1 from the US. I will send you the e-mail I got yesterday and any further info from the distributor here in Norway, SF Norge, when I get to work In two hours. All this in norwegian thou....

I work at ARK Bruns Bokhandel (bookstore) in Trondheim, Norway. And I got the bad news because I called SF Norge for info on when my shipment of dvd's and posters etc was expected to arrive at the store. They had just minutes before been informed about the delay. This was about 11.00 in the morning local time.

Aussie LOTR Contest
Xoanon @ 2:24 pm EST

ezzo writes: g'day 'Xoanon'!

I was looking at your site the other day (and a very good site it is!) and noticed a posting on competitions is Australia to win tickets to the premiere in Wellington of ROTK. This is another comp. lotr fans may be interested in.

The Herald Sun in Melbourne, Australia, is going to release three ROTK posters with a riddle on them. Solve the riddle, enter, and you can 'win a trip for two to the film's premiere in New Zealand, or one of 200 double passes to a preview screening in Melbourne.'

The posters have been in the Sunday Herald Sun, starting on November 2. The first two posters are the one with Aragorn and Narsil, the one featuring Frodo looking somewhat the worse for wear with the ring around his neck.

The riddle so far is:
Alive without breath; as cold as death;
never thirsting, ever drinking;
clad in mail, never clinking

Drowns on dry land;
thinks an island is a mountain;
thinks a fountain is a puff of air

Evidently, the first part closely follows a riddle in the hobbit, while the second part seems to be a fairly crude add-on.

Anyway, the last poster comes out this Sunday with competition details.

Hope this is useful to Oz fans of LOTR

More On ROTK Screening at Carleton College
Xoanon @ 2:17 pm EST

Seejames511 writes: Last year I had the pleasure of getting to watch TTT five days before national release by attending an alumni benefit Mr. Barrie Osborne ('66) held for his alma mater, Carleton College.

I will be attending this year to view ROTK as well, but when I got the official notice, I was SHOCKED to see that it is almost a full TWO WEEKS early! Unless I am wrong, that makes this showing the U.S. PREMIER!!! Last year there were no other cast or crew members brought along as surprise guests, but he did mention that PJ had wanted to attend. He was unable to attend because he was "busy getting ROTK finished"...so maybe, he doesn't have the same excuse this year?!?!

The great part of this benefit is that it is open to anyone willing to pay the price. Last year's event was truly a "fan" experience, so I will report back with pictures and notes on all of the happenings that night. Also note the "day after" brunch and discussion on Dec. 5th! Living in Minnesota and putting up with winter just officially became worth it. Here is the official announcement:

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - A Benefit for Carleton College

Thursday, December 4, 2003

Please join us for the grand finale of the Lord of the Rings trilogy! Barrie Osborne ’66, producer of the highly acclaimed films, will once again host a benefit pre-screening for Carleton College, two weeks before the film opens nationally. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will be shown at three theaters in the Block E - Crown Theatre complex in downtown Minneapolis.

The event will be held on Thursday, December 4, with screenings at 6:00 p.m., 6:15 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. Proceeds from each ticket will benefit Carleton College, the Carleton Film Colloquium, and the Annual Fund.

$200 tickets include a pre-screening reception, reserved seats at the screening, a movie poster signed by Barrie Osborne, reception after the screening at Borders Books in Block E, and a $150 tax-deductible contribution to Carleton.

$75 tickets include the screening, reception afterward at Borders Books in Block E, and $45 tax-deductible contribution to Carleton.

Final details will be posted here as soon as possible. We expect this event will sell out quickly. Tickets can be ordered now from the Alumni Affairs Office (800-729-2586 or jestrem@acs.carleton.edu). Please use LOTR III in the subject line. We recommend that you do not send credit card information by email.

Tickets will not be mailed, but will be available for pickup at the theatres. You will receive either a confirmation by mail with details, or a notification that you have been placed on a waiting list for tickets. Tickets are non-refundable unless we are able to fill the space with someone from the waiting list.

We hope you’ll join us for this celebratory event!

In addition, there will be a brunch and discussion on Friday, December 5 with Barrie Osborne, organized in conjunction with the Minnesota Film Board. Cost per person is $35. Order tickets using the same procedure described above.

Sweet Cake!
maegwen @ 8:54 pm EST

Becka writes: This is a picture of my 16th birthday cake. I have loved the Lord of the Rings since my dad told me to read it in the fourth grade. I finished the Hobbit within 3 weeks, and when he told me there was more, I was sold forever to the land of hobbits, elves, and wizards.

Since it WAS my sweet sixteen I decided to make it special. On the top, the cake has places among Middle Earth, on the Middle has the One Ring scripture, and along the bottom has more places and countries of Middle Earth, such as the Bay of Belfas, and Rohan... which you can see there.

Thanks for your time!

Long live Frodo,

Becka

Live in NYC? Want the TTT:EE DVD RIGHT NOW?!
Xoanon @ 4:41 pm EST

Pirate Perian writes: Just thought I'd let you guys over at TORn know: for those in New York City, the Extended Edition is now available for early sale at the following two locations:

-Forbidden Planet, 13th Street and Broadway (southeast corner); 4-disc is going for $40 and 5-disc with Gollum statuette is going for $70

-DVD Blowout, 46th Street and 8th Avenue (northwest corner); 4-disc is going for $40 and 5-disc w/Gollum is going for $80

I'd recommend purchasing it from Forbidden Planet, though, just because (a) if you want Gollum, it's cheaper, and (b) they're a very cool sci-fi-fantasy oriented store, and they deserve to make lots of money. That's where I picked up my copy last night!

Mortensen Interview Online
Xoanon @ 4:35 pm EST

Scarlet Elf writes: Tehanu reported that he will be interviewed by Rock and Pop FM in Buenos Aires. If any of our friends out there in LOTR land want to hear the interview and know Spanish (argentinian Spanish is a bit different) but you can't find it for some reason. Do this:

Go to http://www.fmrockandpop.com

Enter the website until you get to the main page. Then look to the top of the web page where it has the following:

CHAT, EL CAMION, CINE, CARTELERA, ETC.

When you get to "R&P VIVO", means "Rock and Pop Live", click on that section and it should take you to the Real Player window. So far I haven't heard Viggo's interview yet and it's 10:20am Central Time/U.S.

EA's RoTK Reader Reviewed
Demosthenes @ 4:23 pm EST

Ringer FrodoGoforth writes in with this quick review of EA's Return of the King game:

Just finished playing thought the main story line of ROTK. I just thought I would share some information for those of you who might be interested. The game is really good overall, improving on the TTT game. The graphics are amazing. The environment is just awesome, with more interaction from the player, and much more that is moving around. For example, in Gandalf's first mission you are helping to clear out Isengard, and Ents (who are just gigantic) are running around killing Orcs at the same time you are.

The missions are played the first time through by specific characters, and then you can go back and play them as anyone.

Gandolf's levels are: Helm's Deep, the clearing of Isengard, the walls of Minas Tirith, the courtyard of Minis Tirith (this was where the demo was).

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli all play through a single line of levels which include: the Path of the Dead, the King of the Dead (you fight the king to bring him into submission), the Southern gate of Mordor, Pelenor fields, and the Black Gate.

Sam has a line of levels that he plays, with Frodo and Gollum tagging along. These levels include: escape from Osgiliath, Sheleb's Lair, and Cirith Ungul.

The final level, which I was somewhat disappointed but I hope is nothing like the movie version of the end, is played as Frodo.

***SPOILER WARNING***

Gollum bites of Frodo's finger and then you have to push him off the edge several times before he dies.

** END SPOILER **

The unlock about characters are Faramir, Pippen, and Merry. Both of the hobbits are in their military clothing.

There is a level after the final level (I know that sounds weird) which is much like that of the first game. It is called Saurman's Palantir, where you have 20 levels with increasingly harder enemies. I have not actually beat this yet so I am unsure if it does anything for you. I have already been given all the cheat codes etc.

Overall, I really enjoyed this game, but I thought is was fairly easy. My one real complaint, and this comes up most often in multiplayer mode, is that sometimes the views make it hard to see where you are. Other than that, EA has made a great game.

ROTK Spoilers from GameBoy Advance Game
Xoanon @ 4:19 pm EST

elvenarcherinarms writes: Hey there Xo! Thought you might be interested in these revealing screen captures from EA's late Return of the King game on Gameboy Advance. There are two: one is of the King of the Dead, and the other is the Mouth of Sauron!! Also, in all my excitement, I hadn't the thought to take captures of the storyboard intro. that entailed Saruman's death and brought more of Grima's treachery to light!

Rings Exhibition Hits 100,000!
Demosthenes @ 5:25 am EST

The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition, the Science Museum's exhibition exposing the secrets behind the making of the hit film trilogy, has welcomed its 100,000th visitor - just seven weeks after opening.

The exhibition, which contains over 600 props from the films, has attracted fans young and old from all over Europe. Visitors enjoy an up-close-and-personal encounter with props, costumes and sets from the films before the final instalment of the film trilogy The Return of the King hits UK cinemas on December 18.

The Science Museum is the only European venue to host the priceless exhibits. Visitors also have a chance to see the first two films of the trilogy at the Science Museum's cinema.

The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition had already sold more advance tickets than any previous exhibition at the Science Museum.

Opening hours have been extended to cope with demand and although some tickets are available at the door, advanced booking is the only way to guarantee entry.

Head of the Science Museum, Jon Tucker, said: "We are delighted that the exhibition has been such a hit. We had record numbers of visitors during the half term holidays and our research shows that exhibitions like The Lord of the Rings are introducing a whole new audience to what the Museum has to offer."

To prevent the advanced filmmaking technology displayed in the exhibition from being copied, the use of cameras and mobile phones is prohibited.

The fascinating exhibition includes:

• Demonstrations of special effects, including the combining of 'real' and 'digital' action and CGI (computer-generated-image technology).
  
• A scaling interactive explaining one way that the filmmakers managed to make characters seem different heights, and which allows visitors to become Hobbit sized in a scene from The Fellowship of the Ring - and then buy a print of themselves.
  
• A display on the prosthetics which transformed actors, including Hobbit hands and feet.
  
• Weapons belonging to Arwen, Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn.
  Outfits including Arwen's riding costume, Galadriel's stunning dress and Gandalf's robes.
  

The exhibition culminates with a face-to-face encounter with the central icon from the films - The One Ring.

Tickets can be pre-booked on 0870 906 3890 24 hours (booking fee applies) or at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk.

The Science Museum will be running a series events during the Christmas holidays investigating traditional and state-of-the-art filmmaking techniques.

Exhibition 16 September 2003 to 11 January 2004
Ticket Prices Monday - Friday: Adults £9.95, Children/Concessions £6.95
Saturday - Sunday: Adults £11.95, Children/Concessions £8.95
Public information and booking line 0870 906 3890 (booking fee applies)

The Museum has extended the weekend opening hours for this exhibition
Friday - Saturday 10am - 9pm Sunday 10am - 7pm
The exhibition will be open Monday - Thursday 10am - 6pm
For more information and images visit The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition media centre at: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/press.

RoTK Premiere Comps For Australians
Demosthenes @ 4:41 am EST

Ringer Simon writes: Not sure if anyone else has already told you guys about these, but there are a couple of competitions to win tickets to the World Premiere of RotK in New Zealand open to Australians. Firstly, the Greater Union website is offering a double pass to the premiere plus flights and accommodation, but you need to become a member of the website. This is free, but you also need to buy a Greater Union movie ticket between November 6 and November 20 before you can enter.

The other, and more interesting one is being run by KFC and has TV ads to go with it. The ad that I've seen includes some footage from RotK which I don't think has been seen before - at least, it's definitely not in the sneak-peak included on the theatrical DVD of The Two Towers, and it's not in the Official RotK Trailer either.

There are close-up shots of Gandalf, Pippin and Gollum, and better, there's a snippet of dialogue between Frodo and Sam - though I keep missing the first part of the ad and thus I can't quite recall exactly what the dialogue said. Something vague about running out of time or finishing a journey or something - though as I said, I'm not too sure.

All I know is that I've never heard that dialogue before, so it makes for a pretty exciting ad.

The rest of the ad is about the competition, which I didn't catch all the details on - something about being among "the first in the world" to see the final film in the trilogy on December 1. The ad then has a guy watching RotK in a theatre, while eating KFC's popcorn chicken, doing a really bad Gollum impersonation that equates the last piece of popcorn chicken left to the One Ring (sacrilegious, I know!!). Then he throws it up into the air and the ad ends with him saying 'My Precious' about the popcorn chicken - at which point they put up a web address for the competition website on the screen.

I went to the site and it's a really cheap promotional site for the comp which has some nice visuals but - wait for it - actually spells Aragorn as Aragon in the interactive poll! I was shocked and appalled!

The site has some downloads I haven't tried out (some RotK desktop backgrounds and screensavers, and the RotK PC game demo) and gives more details on the competition. Suffice it to say, the best part about either promotion was the new RotK footage they used in the KFC TV ad!

Royal Selangor Sculptor Greame Anthony in Montreal
Xoanon @ 10:06 pm EST

Click for more images

Xoanon here, today Kathy and I had the pleasure of meeting Royal Selangor sculptor Graeme Anthony when his world tour passed through Montreal. He was there to 'sign' his LOTR themed glasses, vessels, mugs and other items from Royal Selangor's collection.

The event took place at the Rob McIntosh china and crystal outlet store in the suburbs of Montreal. This store is the only one in Quebec of its kind, it features all manner of crystal ware and accessories.

We arrived early enough to see Graeme and Barry (Royal Selangor Sales Rep) getting setup for the signing. A large number of pre-sold items were waiting for Graeme to add his special touch. He would personally sign each item in the pewter with a special engraving device, he would also add the date and his name. Graeme was more than happy to see us arrive and prepare our cameras (we also shot a future segment of TORN DIGITAL dedicated to the signing). Once the doors opened a few curious on-lookers arrived and were asking questions about his work. Graeme spent time with each individual person and went into details about the items they were about to purchase. A special touch was added to each piece that was bought on site, Graeme would include the customer's name in old-English runes, carefully writing them down on paper for the customer to approve.

Graeme sat with us for a while and went into detail about his tour through Canada. This was his first time here and he said he enjoyed it very much. His full acclimation in Canadian society was two days before when he attended his first hockey game. He said he loved it. He showed us a work-in-progress piece, which is the tower of Barad-dur complete with small stairs and intricately detailed doorways and passages. He told us that he asks for his fans to add their input into the piece in each town that he's visited in Canada. He plans on making this tower of Barad-dur into a centerpiece for a table or living room stand. When completed it would hold a glass vial at the top where wick oil could be held. A wick would then burn and the flame would make the eye of Sauron!

He also showed us another piece; Sauron's gloved hand with the one ring. This piece was unique as it was reversible. On one side it could be a champagne flute while the other is a wine glass. You could even lay it out horizontally and use it as an art piece.

He explained the process involved in making each piece. Using his limited edition 'Smaug & Bilbo' statue as an example, he explained how each item is hand carved by him first using plasticine then a metal version is made. For Smaug's wings it took 4 weeks to get the bat-like leathery look on them. He would then send it off to the Royal Selangor headquarters in Malaysia for approval.

By this time many fans had lined up and more were curious about the hubbub around the front entrance. Many fans and fan-loved-ones were buying Christmas gifts and having them signed. Graeme was always sure to find out exactly what the fans wanted on their item, since you can't exactly erase a mistake in pewter!

We'll have a full episode of TORN Digital available soon. Be sure to take a look at all the images.

Special thanks goes out to the folks at Rob McIntosh who were kind enough to allow us access to film inside the store, to Barry from Royal Selangor and Kathy for taking those great images. Lastly of course Graeme himself for being so accommodating and disarming. Thanks!

Ringing down the curtain
Xoanon @ 7:14 pm EST

Astin examines the photos and says, "Stunning, dude."

Viggo Mortensen in Brasil
Xoanon @ 6:49 pm EST

Click for more images

Shelob writes: Paving the way for The Return of the King next month, Viggo Mortensen, the King himself, visited last week the biggest city in South America: São Paulo, where the Tolkiendili community is huge and faithful. There were no public appearances but a "Meet and Greet" party yesterday, November 6th, at the Hotel where Mr. Mortensen stayed. The newborn Brazilian Tolkiendili Federation was asked to send 6 members to the party, one for each of the 6 Societies that founded the Federation: Amon Hen, Dúvendor, Heren Hyarmeno, the P'nei Saltitante (Prancing Pony), Valinor and the Conselho Branco (White Council). All representatives were ecstatic to meet "King Elessar" in person! This spider could not be there, but reports say that Viggo was exceedingly gentle to the fans, signed a lot of autographs and tried to speak portuguese - but was better understood by the Tolkiendili when talking in Sindarin! Share our joy and some of our photos.

An Interview With Sarah McLeod
Demosthenes @ 12:08 pm EST

This is the second in my much-delayed series of features on the Lord of the Rings stars who attended the Best of Both Worlds convention in Canberra (Australia) in late September. Enjoy, and don't forget that Dominic Monaghan has been announced as the first guest for the next BoBW (event 21) in March 2004.

An Interview with Sarah McLeod

Butterflies are an odd thing to symbolise one's time working on a film. Yet, for Sarah McLeod, (who played Rose Cotton) that's the overwhelming image she's taken away from the set.

"The butterflies symbolised the filming of the Lord of the Rings for me," she says.

The joy of it?

"Just the ... realness of it. And the ease of being a hobbit when you are dressed in your costume and you've got your wig on. And your feet and your ears.

"Suddenly there's this transformation when you walk out onto a location where there's the grass and the vegetables and the flowers and the trees and the butterflies and the bumblebees. And it's like: suddenly I am no longer wearing a costume, no longer do I have plastic feet and ears - I am Rosie."

But it wasn't a transformation that was the result of the make-up process.

"No [I didn't feel it] as I was being made up. But as soon as I walked on set then I'd just feel that warmth."

Sarah knew Peter Jackson even before the Lord of the Rings project came into being, working with him on the mockumentary classic Forgotten Silver that details the life of "lost" New Zealand filmaker Colin McKenzie.

She says that Jackson's style then was very similar to her experience working with him on Lord of the Rings.

"He didn't have a lot to say but he knew what it was that he wanted - and he completely surrounded himself with people who were passionate about what they were doing," she says.

"Because Forgotten Silver wasn't made with a lot of money. So there were a lot of people on there who just a great time and felt really strongly about the project and just put everything into it."

"[And] I think that what you come to realise is that [for] everyone involved in Lord of the Rings - it's not about ego. It's a really sharing supportive caring environment. And it might really sound over the top about how we feel so passionate about the project and love it so much. But I just think that's what makes it so good."

I wonder at the amazing spirit that permeates the entire cast and crew.

"I think that it was a really, really good project and I think it was one which just stirred the hearts of a lot of people," she says.

"And I think it was a cumulative effect. I think it was the fact that Peter was so passionate about it and he surrounded himself with a team of people who were passionate about it.

"He employed actors that weren't about all about ego and felt good about the project and enjoyed every day they were on [set]. So that everyone who came in was fully incorporated within the project. You weren't made to feel left out; you were made to feel really part of it."

And if there's one thing that draws Sarah to a project, it's passionate, enthusiastic people.

"I am about passion. And the thing that I would like to share with people is that it's really important to have something that you're passionate about in your life. And follow it."

What's important to me is working with people that I like. And working with people who are passionate about what they're doing," she says, discussing what her dream film role would be.

"So I kinda figured that what my dream role would be is to be on a project that has a director who has vision, and a passion for the project. And working with a bunch of really good actors and good crew who are enjoying what they're doing as well."

"And, actually, when I thought about all that I thought: 'Actually, that's what Lord of the Rings was.'"

Accent coaching was just one example of the huge behind-the-scenes effort for the film.

"They had it well set up. We had the dialogue coach. I had the tape that I listened to over and over again. I had pieces of paper that specified certain ways of saying the particular accent. The phonics and things like that. So I didn't find it too difficult."

"And it was because the support was ongoing. Before you had to shoot a scene you had the opportunity to sit down with Roisin and say your lines.

"But it's a skill - it's a skill you can learn. Because I've never been a great one for copying accents, but I am getting better at it."

She has read Lord of the Rings, but didn't begin reading Fellowship of the Ring until after she was cast as Rose.

"I hadn't read it before I got cast as Rosie Cotton, but I have read it since. I loved the books. I think it's different when you read a book when you've already seen the film, because it puts different images in your mind."

"I just appreciated them for being fantastic journeys - that whole situation you get put in where it's so vivid and has so much description and it just takes you on a journey. So that's what I appreciated from reading them. Being taken on a journey."

She didn't film a lot for the Return of the King, but she is willing to say that there was more than one scene filmed - and she did take part in pickups for about a week earlier this year.

"Which is not to say that there'll be more than one in the final edit," she points out.

Sarah McLeod can currently be seen in Skin and Bone, which is based on a famous New Zealand play called Foreskin's Lament and has been produced to coincide with the Rugby World Cup. It went to air recently in New Zealand - you can read about it here.

An Interview With Sarah McLeod
Demosthenes @ 12:06 pm EST

This is the second in my much-delayed series of features on the Lord of the Rings stars who attended the Best of Both Worlds convention in Canberra (Australia) in late September. Enjoy, and don't forget that Dominic Monaghan has been announced as the first guest for the next BoBW (event 21) in March 2004.

An Interview with Sarah McLeod

Butterflies are an odd thing to symbolise one's time working on a film. Yet, for Sarah McLeod, (who played Rose Cotton) that's the overwhelming image she's taken away from the set.

"The butterflies symbolised the filming of the Lord of the Rings for me," she says.

The joy of it?

"Just the ... realness of it. And the ease of being a hobbit when you are dressed in your costume and you've got your wig on. And your feet and your ears.

"Suddenly there's this transformation when you walk out onto a location where there's the grass and the vegetables and the flowers and the trees and the butterflies and the bumblebees. And it's like: suddenly I am no longer wearing a costume, no longer do I have plastic feet and ears - I am Rosie."

But it wasn't a transformation that was the result of the make-up process.

"No [I didn't feel it] as I was being made up. But as soon as I walked on set then I'd just feel that warmth."

Sarah knew Peter Jackson even before the Lord of the Rings project came into being, working with him on the mockumentary classic Forgotten Silver that details the life of "lost" New Zealand filmaker Colin McKenzie.

She says that Jackson's style then was very similar to her experience working with him on Lord of the Rings.

"He didn't have a lot to say but he knew what it was that he wanted - and he completely surrounded himself with people who were passionate about what they were doing," she says.

"Because Forgotten Silver wasn't made with a lot of money. So there were a lot of people on there who just a great time and felt really strongly about the project and just put everything into it."

"[And] I think that what you come to realise is that [for] everyone involved in Lord of the Rings - it's not about ego. It's a really sharing supportive caring environment. And it might really sound over the top about how we feel so passionate about the project and love it so much. But I just think that's what makes it so good."

I wonder at the amazing spirit that permeates the entire cast and crew.

"I think that it was a really, really good project and I think it was one which just stirred the hearts of a lot of people," she says.

"And I think it was a cumulative effect. I think it was the fact that Peter was so passionate about it and he surrounded himself with a team of people who were passionate about it.

"He employed actors that weren't about all about ego and felt good about the project and enjoyed every day they were on [set]. So that everyone who came in was fully incorporated within the project. You weren't made to feel left out; you were made to feel really part of it."

And if there's one thing that draws Sarah to a project, it's passionate, enthusiastic people.

"I am about passion. And the thing that I would like to share with people is that it's really important to have something that you're passionate about in your life. And follow it."

What's important to me is working with people that I like. And working with people who are passionate about what they're doing," she says, discussing what her dream film role would be.

"So I kinda figured that what my dream role would be is to be on a project that has a director who has vision, and a passion for the project. And working with a bunch of really good actors and good crew who are enjoying what they're doing as well."

"And, actually, when I thought about all that I thought: 'Actually, that's what Lord of the Rings was.'"

Accent coaching was just one example of the huge behind-the-scenes effort for the film.

"They had it well set up. We had the dialogue coach. I had the tape that I listened to over and over again. I had pieces of paper that specified certain ways of saying the particular accent. The phonics and things like that. So I didn't find it too difficult."

"And it was because the support was ongoing. Before you had to shoot a scene you had the opportunity to sit down with Roisin and say your lines.

"But it's a skill - it's a skill you can learn. Because I've never been a great one for copying accents, but I am getting better at it."

She has read Lord of the Rings, but didn't begin reading Fellowship of the Ring until after she was cast as Rose.

"I hadn't read it before I got cast as Rosie Cotton, but I have read it since. I loved the books. I think it's different when you read a book when you've already seen the film, because it puts different images in your mind."

"I just appreciated them for being fantastic journeys - that whole situation you get put in where it's so vivid and has so much description and it just takes you on a journey. So that's what I appreciated from reading them. Being taken on a journey."

She didn't film a lot for the Return of the King, but she is willing to say that there was more than one scene filmed - and she did take part in pickups for about a week earlier this year.

"Which is not to say that there'll be more than one in the final edit," she points out.

Sarah McLeod can currently be seen in Skin and Bone, which is based on a famous New Zealand play called Foreskin's Lament and has been produced to coincide with the Rugby World Cup. It went to air recently in New Zealand - you can read about it here.

RoTK Soundtrack Clips
Demosthenes @ 10:27 am EST

Soundtrack.net appears to be struggling under the weight of demand right now, so we're mirroring these files in an attempt to take some of the load off their server. The clips are all MP3 files and are of a length of about 30-40 seconds. This is *not* the full soundtrack.

And if you haven't done so already, you can pre-order your copy of the soundtrack here.

And below is ST.net's full review for your reading pleasure.

Soundtrack.net's RoTK Soundtrack Review
by Matt Barry

Has any other theme in recent film history engendered as much excitement as Howard Shore's epic motif for the One Ring? If you're a fan of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, you probably know it by heart – mysterious, undulating and somber. All three films open with a variation of it, and collectively the tune has become the musical equivalent of the archetypal roaring fire and worn leather chair. It says "sit down, get comfortable. I'm going to tell you a story".

In this case, it is a story many have waited years to see on the big screen. After countless radio adaptations and one rather large animated misfire, J.R.R. Tolkien's Return of the King looks to finally get its due this December in theaters everywhere.

Along with the release of Return of the King comes the aforementioned Mr. Shore, the series' resident composer, and the eagerly-awaited soundtrack. As has become the style, Shore is again joined by an impressive list of musical soloists, among them American soprano Renee Fleming, renowned flautist Sir James Galway, and vocalist Annie Lennox.

Though it likely only represents a fraction of the music in Jackson's reportedly gargantuan epic, the forthcoming CD from Warner Reprise is indeed well worth the year-long wait since Shore's Two Towers knocked our socks off. And though the CD will be available in a myriad of packages (some with bonus DVDs and collector cards and so on) this review will be limited to the most important ingredient - the music. (Worth noting is the fact that, unlike the Two Towers CD whose Deluxe Edition featured a bonus audio track, the musical content of Return of the King looks to be the exact same across the boards.)

In the spirit of full disclosure, it's important to get a few things out of the way before we dive into the CD proper. Number one, I have not seen the movie yet. Number two, I have read the book and know it fairly well. Number three, any analysis of so-called "on screen action" is pure conjecture on my part. Ergo, I could be very wrong about a lot of what follows.

Looking at the 72 minute disc's track titles, a good many of them seem intentionally designed to thwart spoilers (unlike that other, older "Return" movie, whose original soundtrack had one memorable whopper called "The Emperor's Death". It's a good thing, though, since the CD is set to hit store shelves three weeks ahead of the film.

One final note, a personal one: thanks to Dan Goldwasser for consistently deigning me worthy of getting the Lord of the Rings CDs before the rest of humanity. Writing these previews has been a thrill I am sad to see conclude here. And oh yeah - thank you to the five or six people who actually read this before clicking the sound samples.

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Warning: possible spoilers ahead! As with last year, we put a bandwidth limiter on the sound clips so that our site can still function happily. So, if you get an error message - keep trying! You'll get the clips eventually...

1. A Storm Is Coming (2:51)

The final chapter begins with a light and mysterious figure in 3/4 time, a waltz-ish piece that soon segues into Shore's theme for the One Ring. Playful, Hobbit music follows (calling to mind the increasing tempo of Fellowship's "The Black Rider" before again turning to a solo fiddle's reading of the theme for the One Ring. At first listen, the colors are lighter and sprightlier than last time, and even more varied. The cue wraps up with an aggressive restatement of Sauron's theme and the low ostinato that usually accompanies the Ringwraiths.

2. Hope and Memory (1:45)

Along with "A Storm Is Coming", this cue continues a very pleasing reprisal of all the major motifs from the previous two scores, beginning with what Shore has called the Hobbit "Hymn" and finishing with the noble return of the Fellowship theme. Never resting on his laurels, Shore also weaves a warm new figure into the piece. (Prefiguring the future heroics of Sam maybe? Merely a guess.) Clearly, this cue befits a reintroduction of the many major characters of Tolkien's world, and the amount of musical shorthand Shore gets away with here is often astonishing. Wagner, eat your leitmotivic heart out.

3. Minas Tirith (3:37) Featuring Ben Del Maestro

Before I make a fool of myself by making up onscreen actions to correspond with this cue, I should state my opinion that "Minas Tirith" is probably a suite / tone poem comprised of moments from various points in the score (much like "The Riders of Rohan" was on Shore's CD for The Two Towers).

The track begins with ominous low strings and faint rolling percussion, a texture that repeats several times over the course of the CD and evokes a tangible sense of imminent war. The music then begins what can only be described as a loping build to a triumphant reading of Shore's theme for the people of Gondor. We first heard this theme in Fellowship (the film, not the CD) at the Council of Elrond played on a solo horn. Hearing it fleshed out here, racing and pulsing, is a major highlight of the CD and a musical moment that is nothing short of breathtaking. (Trailer fans, this is indeed the motif heard at the end of the Return of the King preview, though in a different - and less suspect - arrangement.)

4. The White Tree (3:25)

Though probably another amalgamation of cues from several points in the score, odds are even that portions of this track accompany the first depiction of inner Minas Tirith within the context of the film. Gandalf and Pippin pass the grotto holding the wilting White Tree of Gondor. The cue begins in a melancholy vein, sounding almost like plaintive John Williams, evoking the sadness of the once majestic tree. As before, Shore slowly begins to increase the tempo, strings slicing furiously and rising (through the many gates of the city?) into another triumphant reading of the Gondor theme. This is definitely an album highlight, taking the listener on a literal ride before thundering to a finish.

5. The Steward of Gondor (3:53) Featuring Billy Boyd

After our grand introduction to the last citadel of man, the action likely turns to Gandalf and Pippin as they seek and audience with Denethor, the surly Steward of Gondor and father to both Faramir and the late Boromir. The faintly rolling drums of war are here again, backing at first a staid reading of the Gondor theme, then a soaring string passage.

Then, a surprising solo vocal takes center stage. Billy Boyd (as Pippin) sings a pretty, folkish tune regarding his apprehension about the situation he has found himself in. As mentioned before, it is these strange and adventurous musical choices that really begins to set the CD for Return of the King apart from the previous two Rings score releases.

6. Minas Morgul (1:57)

In the shadow of the city in which the Ringwraiths reside, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum find themselves firmly entrenched in the evil land of Mordor. Trailers for the film seem to suggest that this may be a staging ground for another run-in with the Witch King, the leader of the Nazgul seen astride a Jurassic-sized Fell Beast. Terrified of direct confrontation, they must find another way around.

A harsh and terrifying rendition of Sauron's theme lets the listener know with no uncertainty exactly how close to the great evil we are. Foreboding brass stands out, as does the return of the 5/4 time signature usually related to the sinister wizard Saruman.

7. The Ride of the Rohirrim (2:08)

Meanwhile, the denizens of Rohan have assembled their majestic horses for a thundering ride to the rescue of the White City (stunning imagery also seen in the preview). Shore's stately theme for Rohan makes a reprisal, backed by more pounding drums of war. The cue then turns gentler, and a Hobbit-ish celtic flute figure peeks through, probably for the induction of Merry into the fighting ranks of Theoden's army.

8. Twilight and Shadow (3:28) Featuring Renee Fleming

No doubt this cue depicts one of the last chapters in the plot thread involving whether or not elven maiden Arwen will leave for the Grey Havens with her people or remain devoted to Middle Earth and her human love, future King Aragorn. Soloist Renee Fleming's voice is as haunting and ethereal as any I've heard, backed by unabashedly romantic swirls of strings and faint hints of Shore's Rivendell arpeggios. The piece finishes with a touching reprisal of Two Towers "Evenstar", one of the loveliest and most aching cues Shore has ever written (in my humble opinion).

9. Cirith Ungol (1:44)

Frodo, Sam, and Gollum have since found the "other way" deeper into Mordor, an endless climb up an impossibly steep staircase hewn into the side of a mountain known as Cirith Ungol. What Sam suspects (and master Frodo is oblivious to) is that Gollum is leading them into a deadly trap in the caves at the peak. The One Ring theme sneaks in and out of low tremolo strings before the cue finishes with incomplete snatches of several themes, including the Hobbit "Hymn", Sauron's theme, and even a hint of the previously unreleased passage for the Pass of Carhadras from Fellowship.

10. Anduril (2:35)

In Rivendell (possibly in flashback, depending upon how faithful the film is to the book), Aragorn watches as Elrond supervises the reforging of the shards of Narsil into Anduril, the legendary sword of kings. After listening to the Rivendell theme shrink and retreat with the Elves over the course of The Two Towers, Shore pulls one of his most satisfying musical tricks yet by giving us an utterly soaring and triumphant reading of the theme. His strings reach higher and higher, replacing feelings of loss and sadness with hope and anticipation. This is a major, major highlight and a spine-tingling return of one of my personal favorite themes from all of the Rings films.

11. Shelob's Lair (4:07)

Too late to turn back now, Frodo and Sam are led into the web-strewn lair of the ancient and evil spider known as Shelob. As Gollum ducks away into the shadows, Sam is forced into the role of makeshift hero after Frodo is stung and feared dead. Listening to the cue for the confrontation, one is reminded that before Rings, this is the kind of music a lot of filmmakers came to Shore to provide. The heart-stopping suspense of Seven and Silence of the Lambs are readily on display here, the most musically frightening passage these films have had since "A Knife In The Dark" from Fellowship. What is truly remarkable here are the changes in time signature Shore uses to evoke a sense of relentlessness and terror. If the music is any indication, this scene is going to be one hell of a showstopper.

12. Ash and Smoke (3:25)

Though this track title could be taken a number of ways in the context of the book, this cue probably involves Sam's efforts to rescue his beloved Frodo from a tower full of Orcs (unless they omitted that scene from the film entirely) and carry him to the steps of Mount Doom to complete his task and destroy the One Ring. Again, musical terror and uncertainty abounds, notably with several big, brassy renditions of the Ringwraith ostinato as well as a spooky boys choir, sounding a lot like an evil Ring crying out against those trying to destroy it.

13. The Fields of The Pelennor (3:25)

The gigantic battle of the Pelennor fields begins with fragments of the Rohan theme set against those relentless thumping war drums. Soon Shore increases the tempo and unleashes the start of the battle to end all. As I will mention a few cues down the road, Shore deserves a lot of credit for returning to the textures he used for the ancient, opening battles of the prologue of Fellowship. Not only does this bring things full circle musically, it lets the listener know by inference that these battles we are witnessing are on the scale of those before that shaped the very face of Middle Earth.

14. Hope Fails (2:20)

As mankind continues to lose his footing in the battle at the gates of Minas Tirith, a shamed Denethor places his badly wounded son Faramir on a funeral pyre in his inner sanctum, intending to immolate them both. Locked outside, Pippin frantically attempts to stop him. The music begins with a sad elegy (presumably) for the fallen Faramir, then turns dissonant and quite dark as his psychotic father goes looking for a lighter, so to speak.

Side note: there's a stretch early on in this cue that sounds a whole lot like Shore's piece "Brooklyn Heights", which you'll remember was re-appropriated for Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York. Just thought that was interesting, since so many thought the music in Gangs sounded like Shore's Rings scores, an opinion I don't necessarily share.

15. The Black Gate Opens (4:01) Featuring James Galway

Part two of "the big one" opens heroically, dovetailing into an overdue reading of the Fellowship theme. Beyond that, Sir James Galway gives us a stretch of gentle tin whistle, likely to underline Merry's exploits as a soldier of Rohan (and that's all I'm going to say about that one). A much quieter, prettier cue than you might expect from the title, it ends with the first hint of Shore's theme for the Grey Havens.

16. The End of All Things (5:12)

With a track title like that, one can safely bet this is the moment we've been waiting three films for. Sam carries a despondent Frodo into the cracks of Doom with Gollum still not far behind. Those who have read the book (or know the signature song from the Rankin / Bass animated version) know what's in store here. Those who haven't shouldn't have it spoiled by a soundtrack preview.

As mentioned before, the choral arrangements here directly parallel "The Prophecy" from the score to Fellowship. Makes sense to me, using the same style of music to both make the ring and (potentially) to unmake it. Midway through the music, the sturm and drang subsides and the Ring itself makes a last attempt to speak to anyone who will listen: a boy soprano (always the voice of the Ring in the other films) begs Frodo to reconsider, tries to seduce him one last time. From there, it's all choral splendor and major key action. (You do the math.) A spectacular cue that delivers on the promises of all the preceding films.

17. The Return of the King (10:14) Featuring James Galway, Viggo Mortensen, and Renee Fleming

Tranquility returns to the world of Middle Earth with this cue, sounding like an upbeat cousin to "The Breaking of the Fellowship" from the first score. Several lengthy and unabbreviated reprisals of the major themes from the entire series begin to make this devoted listener misty-eyed. It's all here folks, most of the musical threads of the score tied up in one elegant ten minute stretch, dotted with Viggo Mortensen's own elven invocation of his kinghood and a soaring final reading of the Hobbit "Hymn". So it's with more than just a little wistfulness that we return to the folk-tinged bounce of "Concerning Hobbits" at the end of the piece. Musically, we are more than finishing a masterpiece. We are going home.

18. The Grey Havens (5:59)

For the mystery of Frodo's (and others) exit from Middle Earth, Shore does not just mine previous material and tug at our heartstrings (though there's surely enough of that here to satisfy those who would miss it). Instead, he has fashioned a finale that culminates in both a peaceful and awe-inspiring first step into a whole new world for the characters, and for the listener. His theme for "The Grey Havens" segues effortlessly into the final song on the disc.

19. Into The West (5:50) Performed By Annie Lennox

As a swan song for a trilogy beloved by many, "Into The West" will probably come under a lot of scrutiny. Light guitar pickings in the background certainly feel more like a traditional folk song than we may be used to (or have expected), but give it a chance: this track has a cumulative heft that is not to be underestimated.

Total CD Running Time (72:07)

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On the whole, Shore's work on Return of the King (at least that which can be judged on this CD, away from the film) seems to alternately flesh out and pay off musical ideas built throughout the course of the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. It's wonderful to see the composer making the most of such a broad canvas, using its interconnectivity to enhance the score as a whole. For its part, Return of the King is a satisfying, powerful, and emotional conclusion to a story that has touched the hearts of moviegoers everywhere.

One can only hope that, when all is said and done, Shore may someday get the wish he makes late in the disc's liner notes: a film version of that other Hobbit's tale. Until then, Shore can rest assured that he has left an indelible impression with a series of scores for which the word "masterpiece" seems quite modest.

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Special thanks to Jason Cienkus at the Warner Music Group, without whom none of the articles we've had on the Rings trilogy for the past three years could have been possible.

Games Workshop America New Releases Review
Xoanon @ 7:25 pm EST

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Nuff’ said!

THE RETURN OF THE KING $40.00 ($60.00 CAN)
The Battle of Helm’s Deep is Over – The Battle for Middle-earth has begun!

Following on the releases of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers games, The Return of the King mirrors the events of the forthcoming film of the same name. It will take players through the key events of the movie such as the fighting at Minas Tirith, the battle at the Black Gates of Mordor, and the culmination of Frodo’s quest to destroy the Ring. Just as the film raises the action to new heights, the action in the game also rises with the inclusion of new rules, warriors, and scenarios.

The Return of the King adds greater depth and detail to the previous games with 12 new scenarios that allows players to re-create the events of the third film. The 176 page, full color rulebook also includes a comprehensive forces section that gives players all the information you need to field warriors from any of the films. From older characters such as Isuldur to newer ones like the Mouth of Sauron, from the noble High Elves to the brutish Mordor Trolls and the horrific Shelob, players will now be able to draw on an incredible variety of characters, warriors, and monsters for their armies. New rules also cover using banners and musicians in games as well as special combat tactics such as firing massed volleys at the enemy. The rulebook also includes The War of the Ring, a special section presenting an additional 5 scenarios covering the great battles raging throughout Middle-earth plus a new character to use in them.

Exciting New Miniatures for the Game

Over the coming year, Games Workshop will be releasing many fantastic new models to support the game. From Aragorn the King to the twisted Gorbag, from the Knights of Gondor to the Mordor Uruk-hai – players will see a wide variety of new miniatures adding extra depth to their armies. New warriors such as the Eastlerlings, monstrous characters such as Shelob, and heroes such as Denethor will be arriving to bolster forces on both sides.

The new game itself will come with great new plastic models, including 24 plastic Mordor Orcs and 24 Warriors of Minas Tirith, each force armed with a variety of weapons. Players also get new plastic scenery, evocative of the unique appearance of Middle-earth as seen in the motion pictures. Future issues of Games Workshop’s monthly hobby magazine White Dwarf will feature painting and modeling advice along with new scenarios and gaming material to further expand the game.

With the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tabletop battlegame and associated releases, players are seeing but the third installment in The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game. Though this film brings the epic trilogy to a conclusion, these releases are only the latest for The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game! Coming months will be seeing even more via White Dwarf magazine and new supplements, taking the action even farther in scope. Players can be assured that they can look for many years to come of miniature gaming in Middle-earth!
http://us.games-workshop.com/thelordoftherings/us/sbg/default.htm#

MORDOR ORCS STARTER PAINT SET $20.00 ($28.00 CAN)
WARRIORS OF MINAS TIRITH STARTER PAINT SET $20.00 ($28.00 CAN)
These new sets come complete with plastic models, starter paints pots, paint brush, and painting guide. Each contains either 12 Mordor Orcs or 12 Warriors of Minas Tirith along with 6 paints designed for painting the models inside. As they include everything needed to get started with painting miniatures, these make for great presents and figure sets for new players.

WARRIORS OF MINAS TIRITH $20.00 ($22.00 CAN)
The men of Minas Tirith have lived their whole lives under the shadow of the each and have never faltered. It is through their valor that the lands beyond Gondor have been kept safe from Sauron’s armies.

This box set comes with 24 of these new plastic infantry models, armed with bows, spears, shields, and swords.

MORDOR ORCS $20.00 ($22.00 CAN)
Orcs are the foulest creatures to walk Middle-earth. A vile race of black-blooded creatures, Orcs are the chosen slaves and soldiers of Sauron the Dark Lord. Their natural predisposition towards violence and weak wills makes them ideal for his evil purposes. In the land of Mordor where Sauron holds sway, vast legions of the foul creatures gather for deployment in the coming war.

This box set comes with 24 new Plastic Mordor Orcs, armed with swords, bows, spears, and shields.

HEROES OF THE WEST $40.00 ($55.00 CAN)
This set comes with new models of Aragorn, Eomer, Gandalf, Faramir, Legolas, Gimli, Eowyn, Merry, and Pippin (the latter three all in armor now!). These stalwart defenders stand against the forces of Mordor in the battle to protect the White City and the hope of all Middle-earth. This set of characters for The Return of the King is sure to be popular for both players and collectors alike.

Games Workshop ROTK Titles!
Osyen @ 2:57 pm EST

Available today in America are the latest series of minatures from Games Workshop. Here are some selections from the press release

05-03 THE RETURN OF THE KING $40.00 ($60.00 CAN)
The Battle of Helm’s Deep is Over – The Battle for Middle-earth has begun!
Following on the releases of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers games, The Return of the King mirrors the events of the forthcoming film of the same name. It will take players through the key events of the movie such as the fighting at Minas Tirith, the battle at the Black Gates of Mordor, and the culmination of Frodo’s quest to destroy the Ring. Just as the film raises the action to new heights, the action in the game also rises with the inclusion of new rules, warriors, and scenarios.

The Return of the King adds greater depth and detail to the previous games with 12 new scenarios that allows players to re-create the events of the third film. The 176 page, full color rulebook also includes a comprehensive forces section that gives players all the information you need to field warriors from any of the films. From older characters such as Isuldur to newer ones like the Mouth of Sauron, from the noble High Elves to the brutish Mordor Trolls and the horrific Shelob, players will now be able to draw on an incredible variety of characters, warriors, and monsters for their armies. New rules also cover using banners and musicians in games as well as special combat tactics such as firing massed volleys at the enemy. The rulebook also includes The War of the Ring, a special section presenting an additional 5 scenarios covering the great battles raging throughout Middle-earth plus a new character to use in them.

Exciting New Miniatures for the Game
Over the coming year, Games Workshop will be releasing many fantastic new models to support the game. From Aragorn the King to the twisted Gorbag, from the Knights of Gondor to the Mordor Uruk-hai – players will see a wide variety of new miniatures adding extra depth to their armies. New warriors such as the Eastlerlings, monstrous characters such as Shelob, and heroes such as Denethor will be arriving to bolster forces on both sides.

The new game itself will come with great new plastic models, including 24 plastic Mordor Orcs and 24 Warriors of Minas Tirith, each force armed with a variety of weapons. Players also get new plastic scenery, evocative of the unique appearance of Middle-earth as seen in the motion pictures. Future issues of Games Workshop’s monthly hobby magazine White Dwarf will feature painting and modeling advice along with new scenarios and gaming material to further expand the game.

With the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tabletop battlegame and associated releases, players are seeing but the third installment in The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game. Though this film brings the epic trilogy to a conclusion, these releases are only the latest for The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game! Coming months will be seeing even more via White Dwarf magazine and new supplements, taking the action even farther in scope. Players can be assured that they can look for many years to come of miniature gaming in Middle-earth!
http://us.games-workshop.com/thelordoftherings/us/sbg/default.htm#

06-23 MORDOR ORCS STARTER PAINT SET $20.00 ($28.00 CAN)
05-23 WARRIORS OF MINAS TIRITH STARTER PAINT SET $20.00 ($28.00 CAN)
These new sets come complete with plastic models, starter paints pots, paint brush, and painting guide. Each contains either 12 Mordor Orcs or 12 Warriors of Minas Tirith along with 6 paints designed for painting the models inside. As they include everything needed to get started with painting miniatures, these make for great presents and figure sets for new players.

05-27 WARRIORS OF MINAS TIRITH $20.00 ($22.00 CAN)
The men of Minas Tirith have lived their whole lives under the shadow of the each and have never faltered. It is through their valor that the lands beyond Gondor have been kept safe from Sauron’s armies.

This box set comes with 24 of these new plastic infantry models, armed with bows, spears, shields, and swords.

05-28 MORDOR ORCS $20.00 ($22.00 CAN)
Orcs are the foulest creatures to walk Middle-earth. A vile race of black-blooded creatures, Orcs are the chosen slaves and soldiers of Sauron the Dark Lord. Their natural predisposition towards violence and weak wills makes them ideal for his evil purposes. In the land of Mordor where Sauron holds sway, vast legions of the foul creatures gather for deployment in the coming war.

This box set comes with 24 new Plastic Mordor Orcs, armed with swords, bows, spears, and shields.

05-29 HEROES OF THE WEST $40.00 ($55.00 CAN)
This set comes with new models of Aragorn, Eomer, Gandalf, Faramir, Legolas, Gimli, Eowyn, Merry, and Pippin (the latter three all in armor now!). These stalwart defenders stand against the forces of Mordor in the battle to protect the White City and the hope of all Middle-earth. This set of characters for The Return of the King is sure to be popular for both players and collectors alike.

Jeremiah Star Amazed at Fan Uproar Over TV Show
Xoanon @ 11:57 am EST

SEAN ASTIN SPEAKS OUT

Beverly Hills, CA - November 8, 2003 - Fans of the Showtime sci-fi series Jeremiah want what's been promised to them by the cable network. They're making themselves heard, with thousands of letters, faxes and emails.

Upon hearing about and being amazed by the international efforts by fans, Jeremiah star Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings) contacted Jeremiah Executive Producer Scott Mitchell Rosenberg via satellite telephone to give his views on the situation and get his message out to the show's millions of fans. Astin, who had just finished a 3-mile hike up Table Mountain in South Africa, said: "The power of the fans can have real impact. I certainly hope this isn't the end of Jeremiah and want to keep it going."

Last week, Showtime announced in its weekly newsletter that November is the finale of Jeremiah's second season. The season's final two episodes, being aired several times, will be on Showtime Too the next two Saturdays at 9p.m. (11/15 and 11/22.)

Confused by what seemed like a shortened season and no mention of anything to come, fans quickly realized that eight more episodes- enough for another season-had already been produced, and had even been described extensively online. Additionally, ratings have risen every week since the season began (according to IGN.com.)

Showtime has not yet given word about when these remaining episodes-labeled by fans as "The Missing 8"-will be aired, leaving fans wanting an explanation, as well as assurance from Showtime that their favorite TV show will
continue.

According to Astin, "I certainly hope this isn't the end of Jeremiah and want it to keep going. I'm happy to learn that Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner want it to keep going too."

Jeremiah fans immediately joined forces via the Internet, distributing contact information for executives at Showtime, MGM (the show's world-wide distributor) and Platinum Studios, the comic book entertainment and production company which adapted Jeremiah from the award-winning graphic novel series. The companies have received phone calls, faxes and emails from fans, urging key executives responsible for the show to air the "Missing 8" episodes and make the show an ongoing series with additional seasons.

Webmasters of Jeremiah websites and message boards are collaborating with others who maintain fan-sites for the show's stars, Sean Astin and Luke Perry. Says Monica Hübinette, webmaster of the leading website dedicated to Jeremiah, "We each are focusing on reaching a segment of the viewers who care about the show- Sci-Fi fans, Sean Astin fans, Luke Perry fans and people who love thoughtful and intelligent TV. Then we give them what they need to act-the reason and the means. The fans have instantly risen to the occasion-literally organizing in days and working non-stop to make a difference. We believe time is of the
essence."

Looking for a friend, many of the fans have directed their messages to Platinum Studios' Chairman (and Jeremiah Executive Producer) Scott Mitchell Rosenberg because of his long history of being fan-friendly and responding personally to mail. Rosenberg is seen as "getting it", as he also founded and created Malibu Comics (which he later sold to Marvel) and produced a popular line of comic books, including developing the Men in Black comic and signing it with Sony to become a billion-dollar film and television franchise. "I'm a geek, so I know all about passion for characters," said Rosenberg.

"The amount of mainstream support the show has received from fans young and old, male and female, shows me that Jeremiah is clearly not just another sci-fi series. It's a realistic "what if" series about the collapse and rebuilding of society after a devastating virus wiped out everyone over the age of puberty. It's a show of hope, inspiration and the un-crushable human spirit."

According to Rakshi, webmaster of jeremiah.sean-astin.net, "I've had fans send me letters saying that they were incredulous that Rosenberg had been personally responding to them. That's a rarity in letter writing campaigns and shows his commitment to the show."

Actor Sean Astin agreed with Rosenberg about the viability of Jeremiah during a satellite telephone he made to Platinum Studios this morning (midnight from where he was calling from in South Africa.) "I am tickled that the fans took it upon themselves to influence the future of the show," said Sean during the phone call. "I'm amazed at how quickly they were able to organize and synchronize their efforts. It shows they believe in what we're doing, just like I do." Sean continued, "I would be extremely disappointed if those remaining second season shows weren't aired. I directed the 13th episode myself, and it's a pivotal episode in the overall story."

Indeed, the episode he directed goes to the genesis of a terrible threat to what should be a free world: an aggressively expanding organization led by an enigmatic figure named Daniel, with no regard for human rights, acting to take over North America by offering captured peoples the choice of servitude or death.

Astin and Rosenberg also discussed scenes for an upcoming Jeremiah comic book featuring Astin's "Mister Smith" character, slated for national publication in early 2004. Astin is also very enthusiastic about his popular Mister Smith character being a part of Platinum's upcoming 50 episode comic book (which will debut in February 2004 as a weekly strip on the web, then collected in print after each year's run.) "That's cool-I'm into being in the comic book and figuring out where my character should go. There are some interesting surprises coming", said Astin.

"I think this will be Sean's first time acting on a comic book page," said Rosenberg. "Rather than specifically adapting the television episodes, the stories will be all new and bring new depth to the characters and world, as well as a planned springboard for an expansion of the world into text fiction, video games, television and features."

Jeremiah follows the adventures of Sean Astin, Luke Perry, and Malcolm Jamal- Warner fifteen years after all of the adults were wiped out in the year 2006 by a virus called the Big Death, leaving only the world's children to fend for themselves. In addition to Sean Astin who has joined the cast as of this season and stars as Mister Smith, Luke Perry (Beverly Hills 90210) plays Jeremiah and Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Cosby Show) plays Kurdy. Astin plays a mysterious prophet who seems to know the future, both the good and the bad.

Executive Producers are J Michael Straczynski, Luke Perry, Ervin Rustemagic, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Joe Dante and Mike Finnel, co-executive produced by Grant Rosenberg and produced by George Horie. Created for television by Hugo award-winning writer/producer J. Michael Straczynski (creator of Babylon 5), Jeremiah is comic book entertainment company Platinum Studios' comic-to-film adaptation based on the award-winning graphic novels by Hermann Huppen, published for 20 year as in over 20 languages by Strip Art Features.

TV Watch; McKellen on BBC Quiz Show
Xoanon @ 11:42 am EST

James writes: Just a quick email to say that Ian McKellen was on current affairs, comedy quiz show 'Have I Got News for You!' on BBC1 last night. For those who missed it, it is repeated on BBC2 tonight at 2230 English time.

There were a few LOTR references including funny comparisons of English politicians and LOTR characters, McKellen reproducing his Gandalf voice for a double act performance with his team captain who did a hobbit voice, while most interestingly, McKellen says that there are gnomes in ROTK but "you can not see them because they are very small and there are too many to be able to count" and adds that 5 gnomes riding on squirrels kill an orc! (I think he was joking)