Here’s a link to some REALLY nice pictures of New Zealand from Artek Why link to them? Here’s some words from the DVD’s creator, John Banks: “I’ve send this to TORN for a number of reasons. Primary of these is that this project might be of interest to those who know & love LOTR. Nature is really the central character of these short explorations. Much of the disc was filmed in England as well as some other far flung locations. Green woods, waterfalls and forest trails are the main locations as are castles, temples and other ancient structures. Like countless others, LOTR inspired my youth with visions of tramping through the woods in search of secrets and wonderment.
Luckily, this inspiration has never faded and still motivates much travel and artwork. Although this work is not a literal vision of any of the events in LOTR, it is heavily influenced by the sentiment of Tolkien’s green, visual writing.”
“The section entitled “Journey Cycle” is probably the most journeylike, it was modeled after the monomyth cycle of Joseph Campbell.”
The press release says, “2002 Artek Images has released Illuminated Manuscripts, a new DVD featuring a series of digital animations exploring the visionary nature of journeys. Layering an original soundtrack over photographic scenes of temples, waterfalls, forests and doorways, this DVD introduces a new experience of art that draws from video, music, nature, and special effects. Illuminated Manuscripts features organically styled computer animation by John S. Banks and world/electronic music by composer Fritz Heede. This disc contains 17 beautiful works that explore visions of lost worlds and journeys of discovery. With original sources drawn from ancient sites, deep green nature and lost languages, Illuminated Manuscripts will appeal to anyone interested in Animation, Nature, Meditation and Fantasy.” It’s available here from Amazon
