The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Movie Marathon is taking place right now in TORn’s IRC chatroom. We’re currently watching The Two Towers. Return of the King will start at approximately 7 p.m. EDT. (New York)

Join us as we cheer, jeer and tear over our favorite films. Over the course of 12 hours we will watch all three movies, taking periodic breaks for food, drink and frivolity. Anyone is welcome! You can come and go any time you like, as often as you like.

EVERYTHING you need to know about the event can be found on our Marathon FAQ.

Read the rest of this entry »

We mistakenly posted the wrong email address to send your questions for our upcoming Alan Lee chat! (Actually, I did!) Please email your questions to livechat@theonering.net before our live chat starts 12:00 noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Saturday, November 15. Please read the details of the chat in the following post. [Read More]

TheOneRing.net and the folks from Houghton Mifflin are sponsoring a live chat with illustrator Alan Lee at 12:00 noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Satuday, November 15. Alan will be discussing the recent releases of the paperback edition of ‘The Children of Hurin’ as well as the reprinted edition of ‘Tales from a Perilous Realm’, both of which feature artwork by Alan.

The chat will be held in our own Barliman’s Chatroom (link also in the menu on the left of the Home Page). More information will follow with detailed instructions on how to participate. In the mean time, if you would like to submit questions for Alan please email them to livechat@theonering.net. Read on for a synopsis of these remarkable new Tolkien-related publications provided by Houghton Mifflin. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a very exciting night and our thanks go out to Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson for sharing their thoughts with all of us.

Tonight we blogged — and logged — live from the Unexpected Party chat for everyone who couldn’t make the chat and for people who really care what we think;) Now, for your reading pleasure, we have all the questions and answers transcribed for you, along with comments from the TORn staff! Read the blog, log and commentary!

And be sure to join us in TORn’s chatroom Barlimans or our messageboards. Fans are busy there arguing debating everything they’ve heard.

Join us today on our IRC server at 12:30 EST to watch the LOTR Trilogy Marathon on TNT! To get in the on the fun, join the chat room through our Java chat applet or, for a better experience, take advantage of an IRC client such as mIRC. We’ll hang around to discuss the film “as it happens” and proceed to cheer and jeer (or discuss and argue, if you like!) the finer points of the film. Good clean fun only, please!

using mIRC | TORn’s IRC FAQ

After a long break, Hall of Fire finally returns to host a discussion on the very recently released Children of Hurin. Scrupulously edited together from JRR’s manuscripts by Christopher Tolkien, the tragic tale of Hurin’s children is not new to many fans of Tolkien’s writings, having been previously revealed in one form or another in the Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales and the History of Middle Earth.

However, Children of Hurin presents the tale without the severe abridgement of the Silmarillion, or the confusing annotated form that is present in Unfinished Tales and HOME.

Has Chris Tolkien succeeded in editing together – from diverse manuscripts written decades apart – a tale that is easier going than the archaic, name-filled Silmarillion? Does the introduction of a gloassary of characters help ease those used to the more reader friendly style of Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit into the story? And what of the choice of tale? Children of Hurin is, as Chris Tolkien states – one of the three keystone tales of the First Age that JRR worked on the most. It’s also extremely dark, presenting the reader a protagonist who, through his reckless deeds and fiery nature, is difficult to like, much less cheer on. Indeed, many people say they would you have preferred to see a book telling the story of Beren and Luthien instead.

And what of the artwork of Alan Lee? Does it mesh well with the material and the style of the tale? Would you have preferred to see Ted Nasmith or John Howe?

The gory details
Date: Sunday 6 May 2007
Time: 7PM EDT
Location: The TORn IRC server: irc.theonering.net in #thehalloffire How long: Between 30 minutes and an hour, but you’re welcome to just pop through!

Time zone conversions

Not sure what time the chat will be where you are? Check this little conversion table out for some help.

America:
7.00pm EDT (New York)
6.00pm CDT (Chicago)
5.00pm MDT (Salt Lake City)
4.00pm PDT (Los Angeles)

Europe:
12:00 Midnight GMT (London)
1.00am Monday (Paris)

Asia-Pacific
6.00am (Monday) Perth
9.00am (Monday) Brisbane
9.00am (Monday) Sydney
11.00am (Monday) Wellington

Where?

Chat happens on #thehalloffire on irc.theonering.net – the TORn IRC server. You can connect instantly via our java chat client that works inside your web browser (find it here! ) or choose to install a dedicated chat program such as mIRC on your computer.

To find out more about using mIRC to connect to TORn IRC server, check out these instructions.

Join HoF Announce!

Did you know that Hall of Fire has a mailing list? Join today and get topic announcements and news delivered regularly to your inbox! [Join]

By the time it was all over, the 55+ people who made it to the final seconds of “Return of the King” could hardly contain their giddiness. For 14.5 hours they had inhabited TORn’s chatroom where they laughed together, cheered together, and cried, together, while watching the entire “Lord of the Rings” Extended Editions trilogy from start to finish.

They began gathering at 10 a.m. EST, impatient and eager. Tar_Gathalion arrived first, a newcomer to the chat room, and was one of the last to leave. Coriaelleth was wide awake and chipper at the start of “Fellowship of the Ring,” despite it being 2 a.m. in Brisbane, Australia, where she was chatting from. She, too, was still going strong at the end, taking energy from the amazing fellowship that had sprung up amongst the chatters.

And what a fellowship it was. Amidst the appreciation and groaning over the films, these people — of all ages and nationalities — shared how they discovered Middle Earth and their love of Tolkien. In doing so, we learned about each other. Teenagers listened as us old-timers recalled seeing Bakshi’s film in the movie theaters. The older chatters smiled as teens spoke of discovering Tolkien through video games and these movies that Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema gave to us.

So we made our way through the films, remembering anew how much we loved the opening sequence and the amazing Sauron, debating whether the Black Riders were scarier than the winged Nazgul, if the film suffered from lack of Tom Bombadil or Glorfindel, marveling at the horses in the flood at the Ford of Bruinen, discussing how the film’s depiction of Boromir rendered him so much more sympathetic than Tolkien’s. So many things to remark upon: The balrog, is he winged? Why is Lorien blue? Why does Celeborn ………. talk ………. like ………. this? The gifts! Just too much.

And that was only the first movie!

I honestly can’t even begin to recount all the people who contributed to the fun of this day from start to finish. There were Alatariel and justine’s witty comments, Lancelot (aka Sir_Capsalot) and CaptainOfGondor’s infectious enthusiasm. Beth and eRIC’s excitement was equally contagious. EcossElf and Ainulaire, omeron and stavros and nicktheoden. Susanita who hung on despite many computer problems. OBSERVER who was able to join us mid-way through. And Adrian, who thought she’d miss the whole thing, but managed to get home from work in time to see the end of “Return of the King.” I just know I’m leaving out so many more.

Movie Chat seems a simple concept — everyone puts a disc in, it plays, you chat — but in reality it takes a lot of orchestration. PAL and NTSC formats run at different speeds, so breaks are required throughout the evening in order to allow people to synch back up. Managing those pauses, wrangling everyone to press “play” at the same time, informing late-comers on how to catch up with everyone else, and generally making sure that everyone has a great time — these things take great moderators, and the night wouldn’t have happened without the many people who pitched in: starlady and caoil, who managed the countdowns and time-keeping for films 2 & 3; Wingfoot and FayWraith who shepherded the mid-film arrivals; Figgy and Elenya who played backstop by greeting people and pointing them in the right direction, plus making sure that everyone chatted nicely. Bravo and thank you!

By the time “Return of the King” launched, the enthusiasm level was at a fever pitch. Quiddler was shouting, Brandalf85 was hooting blowing up Saurons tower, Goblin was eating all the cookies, and Lancelot’s capslock key WAS PERMANENTLY STUCK!!!

And the conversation continued: Bingo_Bolger_Baggins finding Smeagol and Deagol disturbing; Elerwen and Eureka sniffling over Frodo and Sam’s heart wrenching journey; Elanor G, Will, and Spe debating the merits of Saruman’s expanded appearance; everyone complaining about Gimli the comedian; Figgy and all the ladies sighing over Faramir and the Houses of Healing; and myself — joined by Murazor — complaining all along about Denethor, Eowyn vs. the Witch King, “go home Sam,” and our utter disgust with the green Scrubbing Bubble Army of the Dead. (Hey, someone has to nitpick!)

But the best moment of all came with the Ride of the Rohirrim:

(Figgy) this is the BEST SCENE in this movie
(Figgy) ERE THE SUN RISES
(Eureka) DEATH!!!
(Elanor_G) Death!!
(Brandalf85) DEathhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Lancelot) Shields shall be splintered
(CaptainofGondor) ere the sun rises!
(Beth) love this!
(Brandalf85) ~music~
(EcossElf) ruinnnn and the worlds ending
(Elanor_G) DEATH!!!
(CaptainofGondor) Stay with me
(maegwen) DEATH
(Figgy) RIDE NOW
(Stavros) ride now!
(Edendil) death!!!
(Quiddler1) Ride now!
(Brandalf85) Forth EorlingTORNS
(EcossElf) deathhhhhh
(Figgy) RIDE!
(Figgy) FOR RUIN!
(Quiddler1) Ridenow!
(Lancelot) Ride for ruin!
(Figgy) AND THE WORLD’S ENDING
(Spe) death!
(Stavros) DEATH
(Adrian) death!
(Figgy) DEATH!
(Spe) death!
(omeron) Death! Death! Death!
(ZeeWarthog) DDDEEEAAATTTHHH
(Lancelot) And the worlds ending!
(Figgy) DEATH!
(CaptainofGondor) ride for ruin!!!!
(Stavros) DEATH
(Brandalf85) ~gets on horse~
(Lancelot) DEATHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
(Spe) death!
(Figgy) DEATH!
(Adrian) DEATH!!!
(Bingo_Bolger_Baggins) Death!!
(CaptainofGondor) DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Eureka) DEATH!!!
(Elanor_G) DEATH!!!
(ZeeWarthog) death
(Quiddler1) DEEEEEEEEEATH!
(Stavros) DEATH
(Spe) death!
(Figgy) DEATH!
(Lancelot) DEATHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(EcossElf) daethhhhh
(Elanor_G) DEATH!!!
(Spe) death!
(Stavros) DEATH
(CaptainofGondor) Death!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!S
(Adrian) Death!!!
(Pk) death!
(Eureka) Theres that violin again
(Spe) death!
(Stavros) DEATH
(Figgy) DEAAAATH!!!!!!!!!
(Quiddler1) Death!
(omeron) Death!
(CaptainofGondor) Death!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(ZeeWarthog) dddddddeeeeath
(Lancelot) DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Adrian) death!!
(Guest) Death!!!!!
(CaptainofGondor) DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Lancelot) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
(Figgy) CHILLS
(Stavros) DFAETH
(Lancelot) DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAATH
(Beth) DEATHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
(Bingo_Bolger_Baggins) What’s happening
(Figgy) FORTH EORLINGAS!
(Gondhir) WOO, HORNS
(Beth) death!!!!!!!!!!
(CaptainofGondor) DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTHHHH!!!!!
(Brandalf85) DEATHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Lancelot) FOR EORLIGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Spe) yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh
(Beth) death!!
(CaptainofGondor) .Forth Eorlingas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(FayWraith) *horns*
(Adrian) Death!
(Stavros) DEAF!!!
(Lancelot) DEATHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Beth) deaaaaaaaaaath!
(Brandalf85) lol
(Lancelot) DEATHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHD
(CaptainofGondor) Rohan music!!!!!!!!!!!
(Lancelot) DEATHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Figgy) YEAAAAAAAAH
(Gondhir) the Rohirrim are the best part of the movie

You just can’t do that in a movie theater

As we reached the Grey Havens, we too sensed the enormity of the 14.5-hour road we’d travelled. And, like our beloved Hobbits, the chatters were reluctant to part. But, all good things must come to an end — for a time. I’m sure we’ll all meet again for another LoTR Movie Chat some time in the near future!

If you would like to know the next time we plan a LoTR chat, please e-mail me to be added to the mailing list.

* * *

I’d like to thank all of the chatters who made the Marathon such an enjoyable experience:

Adrian
AinuLaire
Alatariel
Alatriel
Arwen_Legolas
Aurelia
Beth
Bingo_Bolger_Baggins
Brandalf85
Brian_Blessed
Bruce_Wayne
caoil
CaptainofGondor
coinpurse
Coriaelleth
Dalener
Dekota
Demosthenes
Denise
Dillen
Dunedain
EcossElf
Edendil
eeviac
Elanor_G
Elendilking
Elenya
Elerwen
Elfriend
elleth
Elrohir
Elvish-Rose
Emily_M
eowyn
eRiC
Eureka
FayWraith
Fenway
Figgy
George_Clooney
Goblin
Gondhir
Graham
Gwahir_Saves_The_Day
Halduina
James_Bond_of_the_Round_Table
jincey
JK
JPB
justine
Karamia
Karl
King_Elendil
Lancelot
LeekANeet
Lucrecia
Maegnarval
maegwen
middleearthguy
MightyDiggler
MouthOfSauron
MrCere
MrNobody
Murazor
Namadriel
Naz
Nephellim
nicktheoden
OBSERVER
omeron
One_Day
ORDESKY
Pk
Prof_Hojo
Quiddler
Rimbecano
Rob
Rox
samsbestfriend
scott
Shar
Spartacus
Spe
Spide
starlady
stavros
surfy_hobbit
Susanita
Tar_Gathalion
Thas
that_guy
Theodwyn
thewraithling
TolkienRider
Tookish
tree_girl
usef
voodoo
Will
Wingfoot
Wraithlette
Xelloss
Zaakistan
ZeeWarthog

Get ready to prepare for the coming of Gozer! Movie Chat this weekend features none other than “Ghostbusters.” Join us Saturday on our IRC server at 5:30 pm EST when we pop our copies of the movie into the DVD player and press start. We plan to take a break midway through the film, to allow for stretching of fingers. Barliman will be on hand to serve drinks and snacks (and to enforce the house rules). Don’t forget to buy some Twinkies! [More]

Also, please check out our Summer Schedule, as voted on by the fine folks in Barliman’s chat room. Upcoming featured films include: ‘Galaxy Quest,’ ‘Shaun Of The Dead,’ ‘Say Anything,’ and ‘Princess Bride.’ [The Schedule] [About IRC chat]

TheOneRing.net was pleased to have Jeffrey Steefel, executive producer of Turbine’s new MMORPG in chat today for a Q&A session. The room was packed and we had no way of getting to all the questions! Jeffrey has agreed to answer some of the questions that were missed due to time constraints and we’ll post this as soon as possible. For now, we’ve posted a log of the chat for you to read [here.]

We are very pleased to announce a chat with Jeffrey Steefel, executive producer of the Lord of the Rings Online game. Join us in #TheHallofFire Monday at 5:30 pm to find out more about this exciting game! [About IRC chat]

Jeffrey Steefel joined Turbine, Inc in early 2004 and is currently the Executive Producer in charge of the upcoming MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online. LOTRO will be the first and only online persistent world based directly on the literary works of J.R.R Tolkien and will host a world-wide community of fans and gamers.

Jeffrey has been a professional in the Entertainment and Technology industries for almost 20 years, serving as Executive, Director, Head of Production, Principal Designer and Business Strategist for multiple new-media, entertainment and technology organizations ranging from young start-ups to media and technology giant, Sony.

Date: Monday July 10
Time: 5:30 pm EST
Place: #thehalloffire on the TORn IRC server.

Time zone conversions

Not sure what time the chat will be where you are? Check this little conversion table out for some help.

America:
5.30pm (New York)
4.30pm (Chicago)
3.30pm (Salt Lake City)
2.30pm (Los Angeles)

Europe:
10.30pm GMT (London)
11.30pm CET (Paris)

Asia-Pacific:
6.30am AWST (Sunday) Perth
8.30am AEST (Sunday) Brisbane
9.30am AEDT (Sunday) Sydney
11.30am NZDT (Sunday) Wellington

Where?

Special Guest Chats happen in #thehalloffire on irc.theonering.net — the TORn IRC server. You can connect instantly via our java chat client that works inside your web browser (find it here!) or choose to install a dedicated chat program such as mIRC on your computer.

To find out more about using mIRC to connect to TORn IRC server, check out these instructions.

See you all then!