5-06-02

TTT Trailer In Theatres This Month? More Info Xoanon @ 7:13 pm EST From: Criz The Houghton Mifflin stand at the NYC Book Expo was playing the preview trailer of TTT on their 41" plasma screen over and over again (watched it about 5 times during the weekend), and they also had two flyers on their marketing campaign and how it tied the book releases and the film trailers and releases ending with TTT released in December of 2002. What I first saw that was interesting was they had March 2002 preview trailer attached, and then below they had the line: May 2002 - The Two Towers teaser trailer released in cinemas I will try and get some scans to you tomorrow if you haven't already been sent them...BUT Later on I can't remember a specific month - (end of summer, beginning of fall), there is a SECOND teaser trailer being released. As I said, I will try and get appropriate scans for you.

Hobbit Drinking Song Tehanu @ 2:22 pm EST News from the Speaking Clock, who writes: "In the forum at Billy Boyd's website BillyBoyd.net "Nimrodel" has left details of a drinking song that didn't make it to the final cut of FOTR. She says that the four hobbits sang it with Peter Jackson during an interview at Cannes last year. If, as has been promised, the Green Dragon scene is put back into the extended DVD version, maybe we'll get to see it as well as hear it." For those of you who missed our Cannes news coverage last year, there's an audio file here Here's the words - notice the song cleverly blends TWO of Tolkien's originals, Pippin's Bath Song that he sings at Crickhollow, and one that the hobbits sing on their walk across the Shire. "Hey! Ho! To the bottle I go To heal my heart and drown my woe. Rain may fall and wind may blow, But there still be many miles to go! Sweet is the sound of falling rain and the stream that leaps from hill to plain better than rain or rippling brook is a mug of beer inside the Took."

5-01-02

Indian Cinemas see LOTR restored Tehanu @ 12:22 pm EST News from Tunali in India, who last reported that LOTR's run in the theatres was was being extended. But the news is better than that, even: "Well, it has continued for two weeks. That means that the movie has been in the theatres for 7 weeks!! That is quite an achievement for a Hollywood movie in India! The books are too selling like hot cakes. I can see many people roaming around with copies of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT. Tolkien has the whole of Bombay under his spell! You had told me that the LOTR:FOTR was 'hacked into bits in India'? Well I am extremely pleased to inform you that the UNEDITED version has finally hit the screens! Here are the parts that was chopped off the movie: 1. Frodo's ride with Gandalf in the cart. In the previous version Frodo would suddenly disappear and Gandalf would directly reach the gates of Bag End! 2. Bilbo's conversation with Gandalf at Bag End. A considerable amount of the friends' conversation was lost to the scissors of the editor here! 3. Gandalfs research on the ring Well, this certainly must have disapointed Gandalf! 4. The drinks at Bree. You don't expect the hobbits to leave the inn without a drink, do you? 5. Walk with Strider in the jungle. It seemed that the hobbits were not at all bothered about skipping their 'second breakfast'. 6. Saruman and Gandalf in the garden at Isengard. And I wondered when Saruman said his famous dialouge, "Your love for the Shire has clearly slowed your mind." 7. Felling of the trees at Isengard. Sorry, Treebeard! 8. Stay at Rivendell and discussion betw. Gandalf and Elrond Earlier Frodo was dragged to the council of Elrond as soon as he awoke! 9. The part with Aragorn, Boromir and Arwen at Rivendell No mention of Aragorn as Isildur,s heir throughout the movie! 10. Lothlorien No Celeborn. No 'lament for Gandalf'. The whole beauty of the place was lost. 11. Finally, at the banks of the river, the part where the fellowship realises that Frodo and Boromir was missing. That was quite a lot,wasnt it? However none are complaining that they could not understand the movie anymore!

4-19-02

LOTR soundtrack music for piano and voice Tehanu @ 11:37 am EST Haven't seen too much info on this one: Warner Bros. has a music book (piano & voice) that has 6 of the FOTR sound-track songs: Aniron, The Prophecy, Many Meetings, Lament for Gandalf, In Dreams, and May It Be. It's nicely balanced, as far as skill level goes - it's neither woefully over-simplified nor hopelessly difficult. (I'm best described as a struggling pianist, so I can't play them right off but I know I'll be able to with some practice.) "Aniron" has quite a few flats, but "Many Meetings" has almost none. Overall I'd rank them as tricky but not impossible The book has some nice full-page color photos - Frodo w/ Sting, Gandalf w/ lighted staff, prow of Elven swan-boat against sunrise, 2-page spread of ringwraiths, hobbits on weathertop, Saruman glaring down from top of Orthanc, and a nasty orc on the last page. Hopefully a more skilled musician will step to the fore with a more detailed review soon. Until then I'll just add that I highly recommend this - if you can find it any where! Thanks to Miss Took for that!

Cate Blanchett in Dublin Tehanu @ 11:10 am EST This came in from an anonymous Ringer: "Hey there,just thought i'd mail you about my life this past week. I've gotten a ton of extra work on the Veronica Guerin movie being filmed here in Dublin, and yesterday, i had the pleasure of having Cate [Blanchett] stand behind me all day! We were warned not to speak to her before filming, as it was a pub scene and there were a ton of extras there. We had to stand in front of her, shouting(miming) at a soccer match on t.v. while she talked to a crime boss behind us at the bar. it was really very weird, but cool too. She seems to have an air of unapproachable surrounding her, but then, that mighta been in my head - I think it was, cos for me, she played Galadriel so well(& with an air so sinister, it would put anyone off) but it didn't stop me asking her assistant to get her to sign my copy of FOTR, which she kindly did.

4-18-02

Japanese LOTR Fan Art Tehanu @ 8:12 pm EST This came in thanks to Jade: "Hey!! I'm just writing to let you know that I have been searching, and searching, and searching the web for the spawn, or progeny of Japan's reactions to LOTR, the movie.. AND GUESS WHAT?? I found it!! And yeah I'm specifically referring to Fan Art.. MY GOD!! THe most beautiful ART EVER!! It makes mine look GENERIC!! Here are the links I've found.. I wanna share em with you guys cause I know you dedicate yourselves to reporting on everything for the fans, and by the fans.. Well, this is just to let you know how Japan is also a BIG FAN of Tolkien's LOTR... Check em out when you've got times, yeah?.. They're extremely beautiful.. I recommend each and every single one.. One comment.. I have noticed in Japan they really like the humans Aragorn, and Boromir, and they absolutely love the hobbits..Specially Frodo..As opposed to Legolas here in the states... They like Legolas but not so much.. COOL.. I just think it's amazing.." Here's the links....I can't tell you what the sites are called half the time. Click on anything on this page from The Nine Fingers and you'll get some wonderful artwork even if the text shows up gibberish on your screen. Dozens of pics here. This one's apparently called FDDS, and if you click on the picture squares on the left of this page the artwork shows up on the right. This one's called HunkPunk Laboratory and you can take a stab at anything and hope that it'll go in the right direction - the one marked 'LOTR' looks promising. Check out 'Illust' on that page. There's a list of links to other Japanese LOTR site here and here

LOTR story hacked to bits in India. Tehanu @ 3:05 pm EST Jana wrote: "just saw Tunali's rather exasperated comments about Bombay audiences...true they chatter through most of it, but do note how volubly they clap each time an orc's body part is brutally slashed. And if they are losing interest in the dialogue, it might have a little something to do with the fact that a good 30 - 35 mins of the film has been edited over here... You must admit that doesn't make it easy to figure out a story that is complex enough anyway; I was there providing a running commentary for my friends for the 2 hours 25 mins that we were in the auditorium, having memorised the 'unedited version' while in England." More details came in from Divya: "I noticed the article of LoTR's reception in Bombay, and must point out that the movie was edited down to two and a half hours for release in most Indian cities. A very misguided edit too, IMHO, as it sacrificed a lot of narrative and made the story very difficult to follow for Tolkien novices. "As for not enough people reading LoTR, the trilogy has been on the fiction best-sellers list for the last three months in Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore: at least there's more interest in the books now. It is true that New Line really hasn't done a good job of publicising and marketing the film. Shame, really. "Here's a quick look at portions I noticed had been chopped: 1. In Hobbiton: most of Frodo's conversation with Gandalf; one moment Frodo is in the cart, next, Gandalf is pulling up alone outside Bag End. Long part of Bilbo's discussion with Gandalf inside Bag End gone. 2. Scenes with Gandalf's research into the history of the One Ring. 3. Bits from the journey to Rivendell, such as Aragorn refusing to let the Hobbits stop for a second breakfast. 4. At Rivendell: Frodo's joyful reunion with Bilbo, Boromir discovering the shards of Narsil, his brief encounter with Aragorn, large part of Elrond's discussion with Gandalf. 5. At Isengard: lots of bits chopped including Saruman's conversation with Sauron about creating an army worthy of Mordor. 6. At Lothlorien: unforgivable chopping here: one moment Haldir tells the fellowship that Galadriel is waiting, the next, Frodo is staring into her mirror. They've cut the first meeting with Galadriel and Celeborn, the scene with the companions mourning Gandalf, Boromir telling Aragorn about his hopes that they will both get back in time to save Gondor and its people. 7. At Parth Galen: Brief conversation between Aragorn,Gimli and Legolas just before they notice Frodo and Boromir are missing." Well, yuk. This is a country absolutely steeped in a love of fantasy and tale-telling, and this is the version of LOTR they get? Oh, and Tunali's a girl, she wrote in to correct me on that. Fair enough. Happens to me all the time. She had this to add: "My last report was more of the failure of the movie in India. However an optimist as I am, I went to all the theatres showing the movies and I am extremely glad to inform you that the LoTR has been the highest grosser the whole month, defeating the oscars best movie award reciepent "A Beautiful Mind."‚ A Beautiful Mind had been released after LoTR:FoTR and owing to poor public response, it was pushed into a matinee and late night show! On the other hand LoTR has really done well for a Hollywood movie. If you remember in my last letter I told you that the movie is coming to an end due to end of contract? Well, due to public demand it has come back in another theatre as a matinee show! Isn't that just great? I think New Line Cinema should thank Bollywood as our home producers have failed to produce any interesting movie for two months in a row!"

TTT: Bernard Hill Talks Theoden Xoanon @ 2:18 pm EST Mistress Underhill writes: I wanted to send a quick note that I spoke with Bernard Hill (Theoden) at the Scorpion King premiere tonight. He plays a scientist experimenting with gunpowder in the film, who comes to the aid of the Rock. He did talk about the Two Towers. He said, "It's going to be better than the first film." He said it's more emotional and layered since it's more about the world of men. He confirmed that the look for the Riders of Rohan is Celtic-inspired and said it will look very impressive.

4-17-02

LOTR in Bombay Tehanu @ 1:16 pm EST I asked Tunali in Bombay how he thought LOTR was doing there. "Well, as to your question whether the movie has become popular or not, I must tell you that it has! It was released here in Bombay sometime during February and it is still going housefull!! Unfortunately this is the last week in the theatres. (The contract is over I guess.) I know of people who have seen this movie twice and thrice(I saw it thrice!) and also there are some who just did not understand the movie!! I personally think that it is their fault 'cause they preffered to talk instead of listen to the dialogues. Another reason the people did not like it is that it is a trilogy. But then if they can accept Star Wars I do not see why they should be so unjust to LOTR! As for the books, yes, it is being publicised quite a lot. But I don't see many around who have read the book. I think they are afraid of its length! They are at a loss. They really do not know how much they miss out! I am nuts about Harry Potter too. However I was dissapointed to see that LOTR was not as much awaited as HP was. I wish there was more publicity about the movie here in India. I heard that the trailer of The Two Towers has been released abroad? Wonder when it is going to come here? " Well we hope the trailer does get there. C'mon, New Line, try harder!

4-15-02

The Pirate Translators. Tehanu @ 2:37 pm EST Emails have been coming in about the Malaysian Pirate Video and the execrable translation (translated back into English for your viewing pleasure on Laine's site here One writer said "Laine's site is a hoax, she made those things up. "However Sonikku writes: "Nope, the malaysian translation is NOT a hoax. I too have the HK DVD with those same subtitles. If you like I could do a quick capture and upload a small MPEG with some of them, they are hilarious! [Yes, please!] Example: Frodo: "Gandalf, I'm giving you the Ring! " Gandalf: " Don't touch me Frodo! " Pretty much most location names were messed up and the rest was in the style of "All Your Base Are Belong To Us." [Another classic!] Another writer, Sandra, agrees: "I have in my possession a screening copy DVD from China with many of the same mis-translations as the "Malaysian" version. (the killer parts took place during the Moria scenes)." Jenn wrote in and said she'd seen two versions with perfectly acceptable translations, but "Just don't ask about the 'Moulin Rouge' subtitles which included calling Satine 'Sardine' the whole way through and turning Christian into Christine!!"

4-14-02

TTT & ROTK Footage At Armageddon Expo In NZ? Xoanon @ 1:26 pm EST From: Chris I just thought I'd pass on that I saw a 5 minute footage reel of what appeared to be scenes from all the three LOTR movies at the Armageddon expo(www.pulpexpo.com) this weekend (April 12-14th) in Auckland's Aotea centre. The footage looked incredible. They also had a 7ft statue of 'Lurtz' which looked amazing as well. All this was at a 'Weta' stand within the Expo. Anyone with more info send it along!