| 11-24-00 Latest News |
Glaurung Super Spy Tips
Calisuri @ 4:15 pm EST
When Glaurung is on location in the backwaters of New Zealand, he depends on Kathmandu to keep him safe from the natural elements - theres nothing better for keeping you cozy and snug out in the boondocks. Whether you're cast or crew, ringer spy or just some hick who took a wrong turn - get into the polary fleece from Kathmandu - you won't regret it!
And what better way to look styley when its time to clean the car. You know what its like, you've spent hours on county roads searching for hobbits, and your car is just filthy with dust and dirt. But don't dispair, help is close at hand! Mr Sheen is the new way to get your dark lord all sparkling and new. But don't take our word for it - pick up a bottle today!
Hobbits Spotted in Manila
Xoanon @ 10:36 am EST
Hello there. Mushroom here from the Philippines.
Of all the LOTR sites I've been visiting, I can't seem to remember which one was featuring Tolkien fan sightings worldwide. Anyway, maybe you'll find this interesting.
I recently heard about this bar in Manila called Hobbit House. So in Hobbit fashion, I decided my upcoming birthday would be the best time to check it out with some friends. True enough, the place is owned by a genuine Tolkien fan. His personnel largely comprises of midgets! It was amusing too how our 3-foot waiter had to stand on a stool to get our place settings in order. (Made me wonder how Nob was supposed to have handled it ifever he had to serve any of the big folks' tables at the Prancing Pony. The bar also offers entertainment via a live band performing on stage with a huge wall painting of the LOTR Fellowship members serving as background.
I would say it wasn't as busy as Barliman's inn (at least not before Sharkey's invasion) but I expect the place would attract more customers after the first movie comes out, if not for the food then certainly for the sake of curiousity.
--Mushroom410
| 11-22-00 Latest News |
MUSIC: Glass Hammer Update
Xoanon @ 11:03 am EST
The great folks from Glass Hammer have sent us an update regarding the latest recording: Hello :) The Glass Hammer "live from middle earth" recording sessions are nearly complete. BTW, "live from middle earth" is only a working title. A painting by artist David Wyatt has been selected for the cover art. However, we may be in need of some sketch art for the booklet. I know that a lot of really amazing amateur artists visit and contribute to your site. If you'd like to - let them know that we need submissions ASAP. I need simple b&w sketches of hobbits, dwarves, goblins, elves, etc. Also, as soon as the mastering process is complete - I'll be sending you advance copies. I don't have a date for that yet, but I'll keep you posted. I think Fred and I have had too much fun recording this music. We've recorded several new Tolkien inspired ballads (with some help from a few elven lords and ladies we met on our recent adventure). These will be 'studio tracks', not live tracks. However; as promised, much of the music is 'performed live' at The Prancing Pony. And I'll warn you in advance, the crowd gets pretty rowdy! Once again, we appreciate your interest in our project. Steve
| 11-20-00 Latest News |
Learning about first screenings
Tehanu @ 11:56 pm EST
A few people pointed out that just because it doesn't cross my mind to go to the movies the day after Christmas, that doesn't mean everyone else is the same. Apparently Boxing Day is traditionally the big day for releasing summer movies in NZ and Australia. Funny I must be at the beach so I never noticed. A contact in the film industry said had good information about the premieres coming indirectly from New Line people: "but they are planning several premieres - one in London, LA, and I guess based on your fan site information, "other funny places with foreign names." I don't think it will be simultaneous but fairly close together......When Amercian companies elect to debut in London it usually means they are unsure of how it is going to open in the States and whether it will stand up to be a hit, so it is kind of a test run-often they make this assumption upon seeing the editing cuts- I don't know if that is true or not in this case."
| 11-19-00 Latest News |
Capital First to see the Rings.
Tehanu @ 10:11 pm EST
The Wellington Reporter sent this in off today's Evening Post: "Wellington will be the first place in NZ to see hobbits and orcs on the big screen - but whether it will be the first in the world still has to be decided. The Embassy Theatre Trust has confirmed that the first of Peter Jackson's three films in 'The Lord of the Rings' series will have its NZ premiere at the Embassy in December next year. Trust chairman Bill Sheat said it had known for some time Mr Jackson, a trust member, wanted to premiere the first film at the Embassy. "We (the Trust) are absolutely delighted about that. We are in the process of refurbishing the [Embassy's} interior, after completing the exterior last year. Our target is to have at least the main auditorium refurbished in time for the premiere of 'The Lord of the Rings,' he said. The Embassy's screen is 18m wide by 9m high, one of the largest in Australia and New Zealand. The theatre seats 880. It has premiered at least two of Mr Jackson's other films - 'Brain Dead' and 'The Frighteners.' Mr Sheat said he didn't know if it would also be the world premiere of 'The Fellowship of the Ring,' the first 'Lord of the Rings' film. The day in December 2001 still had to be decided, he said."
Worldwide simultaneous release looking less simultaneous
Tehanu @ 9:34 pm EST
Hey, but at least it's still worldwide. New Zealand's not the only place that'll have to wait (and hey, if the release HAD been on the 14th worldwide, nyah nyah, we would have been ahead of everyone else!) We got this thanks to Jonas: "I just talked with SF(Swedish Film distrubition) in Sweden where I live, they said that they were showing the films in Sweden and the date of the first film was, world wide, 19/Dec 2001." New Line's original idea of having a simultaneous worldwidre release may have proved impractical for all sorts of reasons. It's just the cynic in me that thinks they SAID "Worldwide" and MEANT "Worldwide except for funny foreign places with names we can't remember."
I guess when New Line announced the simultaneous release of the 'Fellowship' on December 14 2001 next year, we were overjoyed to imagine we'd share a celebratory Tolkien experience that spanned the globe, a bit like the Millenium did. But we've heard rumours that it won't be quite like that. The most recent 'Herald' article talks about the 'probable first release on Boxing Day' in NZ - that's Dec. 26th, a day which traditionally looks like aliens have kidnapped the entire population of the country. Still, REAL Tolkien fans will stick around for the first screening - but will they spend Christmas day camped out in line in front of the cinemas?
Cast Watch: Nov 19 - 25
Xoanon @ 5:15 pm EST
Ian Holm (Bilbo) Beautiful Joe MAX & Hamlet KMWB 
Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) An Ideal Husband STARZ
Ian McKellen (Gandalf) Gods and Monsters SHOW3 & I'll Do Anything HBOF & Six Degrees of Separation BRAVO
John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Au Pair FAM 
Sean Astin (Sam) Encino Man WLNE 
Christopher Lee (Saruman) Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow FLIX & Five Golden Dragons XUPN2 & Horror Hotel KOCO & Private's Progress FLIX
Bernard Hill (Theoden) Gandhi HBOSIG
Brad Dourif (Wormtongue) Mississippi Burning WJZY & Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones TRUE
Viggo Mortensenhttp://theonering.net/movie/cast/mortensen.html (Aragorn) The Passion of Darkly Noon SHOWX & Fresh Horses STARZ
Elijah Wood (Frodo) Avalon ENCORE Ian McKellen (Gandalf) Windmills of the Gods RCN 
John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Sphinx THMAX Christopher Lee (Saruman) Double Vision TMN Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) Pushing Tin MAX
Liv Tyler (Arwen) Stealing Beauty RCN Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) Pushing Tin MOMAX
Craig Parker (Haldir) The Tommyknockers SCIFI Christopher Lee (Saruman) Airport '77 ENCACT Bernard Hill (Theoden) True Crime MAX
Viggo Mortensenhttp://theonering.net/movie/cast/mortensen.html (Aragorn) Albino Alligator STARZ Ian Holm (Biblo) Shout at the Devil SHOWX & Beautiful Joe MAX
Sean Bean (Boromir) Patriot Games USA 
Miranda Otto (Eowyn) Dead Letter Office IFRC1 Sean Astin (Sam) Kimberly TMC
Nathaniel Lees (Ugluk) Bonjour Timothy STARZ4 Brad Dourif (Wormtongue) Child's Play 2 WTBSLOC & Hidden Agenda FilmFour UK 
Body Parts MAX Bernard Hill (Theoden) Titanic Sky Premier UK Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) An Ideal Husband Sky Premier UK 
Andy Serkis (Gollum) Stella Does Tricks MAX
Sean Bean (Boromir) Ronin SHOWX
Hugo Weaving (Elrond) Babe: Pig in the City STARZ4 & The Matrix MAX Miranda Otto (Eowyn) The Jack Bull HBO John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade USA & Raiders of the Lost Ark USA
Paul Sutera (Lotho) A Very Brady Sequel WAPA Bernard Hill (Theoden) The Bounty HBOPL Ian Holm (Bilbo) eXistenZ FilmFour UK Liv Tyler (Arwen) Plunkett and Macleane Sky Premier UK Sean Astin (Sam) Where the Day Takes You Sky Cinema UK
Viggo Mortensenhttp://theonering.net/movie/cast/mortensen.html (Aragorn) Deception STARZ4 Ian Holm (Bilbo) Alice Through the Looking Glass STARZ Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) Elizabeth SUNDAE Ian McKellen (Gandalf) Last Action Hero TNT Sean Astin (Sam) Toy Soldiers ENCORE Brad Dourif (Wormtongue) Trauma SHOWB & Body Parts TMN Liv Tyler (Arwen) Cookies Fortune TMN
Ian Holm (Biblo) Naked Lunch Sky Cinema UK Sean Astin (Sam) Toy Soldiers MAX
| 11-17-00 Latest News |
Oliphaunt Photo Analysed.
Tehanu @ 9:08 pm EST
Alert correspondent Ezekiel thought a bit about this tantalising image and here's the result: "I know this may be older news, but I thought this "analysis" of the Oliphant Photo might be useful to you, in light of recent revelations. Based on eyewitness accounts, we know that the photo depicts an oliphaunt and that the tattered bits are the remains of a "platform" . Studying the photo, I believe that the dead oliphaunt is lying--buttocks towards the viewer--with its two hind-legs pointing to the left. If you look at the left end of the lower leg you can make out the pachyderm-like toes that I presume an Oliphant would posess. They are the two nubby looking projections pointing left. Also, I believe that the bristle-like protrusions on the upper leg could be spear shafts but are most likely arrow shafts. The scale is not too hard to judge: If you presume that the smaller, scattered bodies are either dead horses or men, then you can begin to get an idea of the oliphant's relative size. Looking at the lower left corner of the photo, you see what appears to be a crew member bending over. He's wearing dark coloured pants and a blue and white jacket. If his height is under 6 ft. then the oliphant's foot is probably between 3-4 ft. across. This is about three time the width of an elephant's foot. Also, you'll notice the ladder to the right of the oliphant. This does not look like a prop, but rather a piece of equipment like the "safety"-orange-colored equipment beside it. Most ladders of this type are between 12 and 16 ft. tall. Considering that the average African elephant is aroung 13 ft. tall, this oliphaunt is huge. I estimate it to be around 40 ft. tall---approximately 3 times larger than an African eliphant! Compare this with Howe's "Mumak", which appears to have about the same scale. Also, look at his depiction of the platform, which is more tower than platform. It has four jutting spike-like structures on top, that if "crumpled", might account for the spikey protrusions form the wreckage on the oliphaunt's back. If you look at Lee's "Oliphaunt", you'll see roughly the same scale, considering the man in the background close to the oliphaunt's foot, who appears to be no more than 1/6th the oliphants height. Again, the two-storied platform scales the oliphant to around 40ft. tall, if you assume that the storey with the "arrow-slits" is around 6ft. tall. Jackson's oliphant is right on with these two. I hope this analysis adds some clarity to the photo. If this image depicts what I think it does, then be prepared for some awesome and terrifying spectacles on Jackson's battlefields." Here's the link to the picture that started this debate: Oliphaunt
| 11-13-00 Latest News |
Weekend Recap
Xoanon @ 9:39 am EST
So, you missed all the TORN news this week-end? Let me help you out! Friday, 6:30 pm EST: Ringer Spy DD sends in some great pics from an advance copy of the Sunday New York Times! Saturday, 3:23 pm EST: Tehanu reports on the Minas Tirith Press Conference that PJ held with some of the rings stars. Saturday, 8:29 pm EST: Sunday, 3:55 am EST: Peter Jackson speaks!! You can view clips from the conference here. Sunday 11:42 pm EST:
| 11-12-00 Latest News |
Cast Watch: November 12-18
Xoanon @ 12:54 pm EST
Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) The Passion of Darkly Noon SHOWX & Fresh Horses STARZ Ian Holm (Bilbo) Shout at the Devil SHOWX Sean Bean (Boromir) Stormy Monday WBNE Hugo Weaving (Elrond) The Matrix ACMAX Elijah Wood (Frodo) Avalon ENCORE Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) Elizabeth SUNDAE Ian McKellen (Gandalf) Restoration STARZ John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam KSTC Craig Parker (Haldir) The Tommyknockers USA
Orlando Bloom (Legolas) Wilde TMC Sean Astin (Sam) Toy Soldiers ENCORE Brad Dourif (Grima) Body Parts MOMAX Andy Serkis (Gollum) Among Giants MAX
Liv Tyler (Arwen) Cookie's Fortune HBOC Ian Holm (Bilbo) Alice Through the Looking Glass STARZ & eXistenZ TMC Sean Bean (Boromir) Ronin SHOWX Ian McKellen (Gandalf) Scandal STARZ5 John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing WVTV Andy Serkis (Gollum) Among Giants MOMAX
Bruce Spence (Mouth or Sauron) Sweet Talker LOVE Sean Astin (Sam) The War of the Roses WJAL Christopher Lee (Saruman) Safari 3000 SHOW & 1941 MOMAX & Airport '77 ENCACT Bernard Hill (Theoden) Gandhi HBOSIG Brad Dourif (Grima) Trauma SHOWB
Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) The Thin Red Line HBOSIG Ian Holm (Biblo) All Quiet on the Western Front ENCACT Miranda Otto (Eowyn) The Thin Red Line HBOSIG Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) Paradise Road WAPA Ian McKellen (Gandalf) I'll Do Anything HBOF Sean Astin (Sam) White Water Summer TNTI Christopher Lee (Saruman) Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow FLIX & Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady MYSTERY & Double Vision TMN Bernard Hill (Theoden) The Bounty HBOPL Andy Serkis (Gollum) Stella Does Tricks MAX
Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) An Ideal Husband STARZ Ian McKellen (Gandalf) Alfred the Great TSO Christopher Lee (Saruman) Private's Progress FLIX Bernard Hill (Theoden) William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream MAX
Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) Pushing Tin MOMAX Ian McKellen (Gandalf) And the Band Played On LMN Sean Astin (Sam) Kimberly TMC & Toy Soldiers MAX Nathaniel Lees (Ugluk) Bonjour Timothy STARZ4 Brad Dourif (Grima) Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones TRUE & Body Parts MAX & Colour of Night MAX
Liv Tyler (Arwen) Plunkett & Macleane TMC Ian Holm (Bilbo) Big Night LMN Sean Bean (Boromir) Airborne HBOPL & How to Get Ahead in Advertising IFRC1 John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Sphinx THMAX Sean Astin (Sam) Harrison Bergeron KTWB & Staying Together TMC Christopher Lee (Saruman) One More Time SHOW Brad Dourif (Grima) Colour of Night THMAX & Body Parts MAX Hugo Weaving (Elrond) The Matrix MAX
Bernard Hill (Theoden) True Crime MAX