July 19, 2001
NEW LINE CINEMA PARTNERS WITH AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TO SPONSOR TEEN READ WEEK
National Literacy Initiative To Feature Highly Anticipated “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy
(Los Angeles, July 19, 2001) — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is proud to announce its association with New Line Cinema and “The Lord of the Rings,” as a sponsor of 2001 Teen Read Week. Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative sponsored by YALSA, that encourages teenagers to “read for the fun of it.” YALSA is a division of the American Library Association (ALA).
Teen Read Week will be celebrated in hundreds of schools and public libraries across the country, October 14-20, 2001. The celebration will highlight the popularity of fantasy literature with teens, who will be encouraged to “Make Reading A Hobbit,” as a special salute to the fantasy classics of J.R.R. Tolkien.
New Line Cinema is producing the Trilogy of films based on this much-loved novel. The first installment of the trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” will be released in theaters globally on December 19, 2001.
As part of its partnership with the ALA, New Line Cinema has provided exclusive imagery from the forthcoming film for use in Teen Read Week posters and bookmarks, which are available through ALA Graphics: (alastore.ala.org). The artwork features Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins and Liv Tyler as Arwen, two of the stars in the upcoming trilogy. Plans are also in works for special events and promotions.
“The posters and bookmarks are a big hit,” said Kathryn Leide, director of ALA Graphics. “If sales continue on pace, I expect these materials to be among our best sellers.” Watch for other special materials and events related to “Lord of the Rings” in the coming months.
Now in its fourth year, Teen Read Week reminds teens, parents and educators of the importance of reading for pleasure. Reading not only improves grades; it leads to a lifetime of learning and enjoyment.
“The American Library Association is an extraordinary organization,” said Rose Polidoro, executive vice president of national promotion for New Line Cinema. “The efforts to encourage kids and teens to read and enjoy the experience is unparalleled. New Line Cinema is proud to be associated with the ALA in this unprecedented Lord of the Rings/Teen Read Week partnership.”
More than 100 million copies of “The Lord of the Rings” have been published around the globe in 45 languages. Indeed, generations have grown up with the legend of Frodo Baggins’ quest to destroy a powerful ring. Just last year the book was proclaimed the most popular novel of the 20th Century by Amazon.com. In addition, surveys taken by the ALA during previous Teen Read Week festivities cite Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” as a teen favorite.
“This is an exciting and opportune partnership that will benefit teens who are readers and movie fans,” said YALSA Past President Mary Arnold. “It is the perfect time to have New Line Cinema join the ALA in inviting teens to ‘get in the reading hobbit.’ Teens can celebrate Teen Read Week ‘@ your library’ and see the movie ‘@ your neighborhood theater!’”
Teen Read Week partners include: American Association of School Administrators, American Booksellers Association, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Council of Teachers of English, National Education Association, National School Boards Association, Speak Up Press, International Reading Association, and TeenInk.
For more information visit www.ala.org/teenread, or contact YALSA by e-mail at yalsa@ala.org, or by phone at 800-545-2433, ext. 4391. The official Web site for Lord of the Rings is: www.lordoftherings.net.
ABOUT THE FILM
The Lord of the Rings trilogy will collectively retell the story of Frodo Baggins, who battles against the Dark Lord Sauron to save Middle Earth from the grip of evil. In the films, Frodo and The Fellowship embark on a journey to rid the earth of the source of Sauron’s greatest strength, the One Ring — a ring of such power that it cannot be destroyed. His extraordinary adventure across the treacherous landscape of Middle Earth reveals how the power of friendship and courage can hold the forces of evil at bay.
Directed by Peter Jackson, the films feature a strong international cast that include (in alphabetical order) Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Bernard Hill, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, Miranda Otto, John Rhys Davies, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, and Elijah Wood. But the real star of the films is the story itself — a classic hero’s quest in which the smallest of beings changes the course of the future with the vastness of his courage.
Founded in 1967, New Line Cinema is the entertainment industry’s leading independent producer and distributor of theatrical motion pictures. New Line licenses its films to ancillary markets including cable and broadcast television as well as to international venues. The company, which is a subsidiary of AOL Time Warner Inc, operates several divisions including in-house theatrical distribution, marketing, home video, television, acquisitions, production, licensing and merchandising units. More information about New Line Cinema can be obtained at www.newline.com.
