   Why Dain and Connolly is good news for ‘Hobbit’ fans
Here in the underground labyrinth that serves as TORn’s offices (with doors leading to L.A., Atlanta, Kenosha and Wellington among other places) a big sigh of relief could audibly heard. Dain II Ironfoot will be included; a talented actor, somebody who already looks like a Middle-earth dwarf, and is a skilled performer will be handling the role. Awesome. We have full confidence in Connolly — who is best known for his comedy — in what might be inspired casting. His credibility comes from small, dramatic roles (The Last Samurai) which he handles just fine but more from independent films, playing larger parts and lead roles, giving him a lot of experience in front of the camera. General audiences may only think of comedy (and there may be plenty of that in The Hobbit anyway) but they should recognize his considerable talent. Much more central the sigh of relief was the clarity that the Dain character is in. The complete absence of this important dwarven hero from news or casting announcement was a genuine concern among those trying to piece everything together. It was a glaring omission.  Discuss »More about Billy Connolly, Casting Rumors, Characters, Hobbit Book, Hobbit Cast News, Hobbit Movie, Peter Jackson, The Hobbit A speculative look: The end of the first ‘Hobbit’ film?
The production and the team adapting the book can’t be blamed for playing things close to the vest; the book, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is so well known that they need to keep their secrets so film fans can be surprised by something when they head to the cinema this December for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. With that in mind, there are speculative spoilers ahead and you have been warned. The media, while writing a lot about the films, haven’t looked at the structure of these films too carefully. Today’s digital media environment often gets more clicks from a new still photo than it does from more complex content that requires more patience and so topics at the very core of these two films often get glossed over and ignored. But not here in The Hobbit countdown! Here we skip past the catch phrase and empty headlines and peer a little deeper into news, rumors, lore and subterfuge to dredge up the best speculation and theory about just where the two films might break, a question that comes up in nearly any Hobbit conversation. Here are five of the most common and best-defended theories: Read the rest at Movies.com Discuss »More about Hobbit Book, Hobbit Movie, Locations Sets, Peter Jackson, Rumors Spy News, The Hobbit TORn Message Boards Weekly Roundup – January 23, 2012
Welcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. TORn TUESDAYS Live Video Show Starts at 5pm Today!
LA Times: New Pic of Martin Freeman as Bilbo Surfaces – The naming of Sting?
*SPOILERS* The LA Times Hero Complex column has a new pic of Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.’ And while the pic is amazing…it seems to capture almost exactly the following moment from The Hobbit book: (Chapter 8 : Flies and Spiders)
The naming of Sting!! Can’t wait to see more images. For the full LA Times article, please follow the link. And thanks to Ringer John for sending us the heads up. [Read more] [Full Res Image] Wired: “Why the Hobbit Trailer Creeps Me Out”
What’s he on about? Well, he noticed something in the teaser (one that many other people did as well), but he’s gone a step further and drawn some interesting parallels to one of the most controversial and bizarre changes that Walsh and Boyens made for The Return of The King. Of course, this being the internet, your mileage may vary. Naturally, there are movie spoilers. Read the full article on Wired. Mikael Persbrandt Talks A Wee Bit About Beorn
Here’s the translation of the relevant bits that Anton sent along.
Bret McKenzie Talks About Figwit and Lindir
In answer to the question about whether Figwit and Lindir are one and the same, here’s what Bret had to say:
ComingSoon.net promises the full interview will be available soon. Thanks to Ringer spy Daniel J. for the heads-up. TORn staffer Garfeimao interviewed on the Genre Traveler
Follow the link for the Podcast and supporting material for all topics discussed.
Spring Enrollment Open at Mythgard Institute for “The Making of Myth” and “Taking Harry Seriously” until January 13th
Stephen Fry Talks “Cowardly, Greedy” Master of Laketown
Besides descriptions of the look of the Master, there’s also mention of Bard the Bowman being a horserider, and hints to the design of Laketown itself, a “smelly city that’s on stilts in the lake below the mountain where Smaug the Dragon lives”. We wonder if the geography has been changed for dramatic effect. What do you make of that!? Watch the video HERE. By the way, our message board members are discussing this video even as you watch it. Feel free to join in! Discuss »More about Characters, Hobbit Cast News, Hobbit Movie, Peter Jackson, Production, Stephen Fry, The Hobbit The Arkenstone of Thrain Now Available from Badali Jewelry!
The Arkenstone replica is made from fine K9 Crystal which has been treated with an Aurora Borealis plating, giving the the orb a magical glow. The stone exhibits a variety of color depending on what type light its under. The Arkenstone replica comes nestled on a black velvet pillow inside a Dwarven crafted wooden treasure chest. The runes stamped on the name plate on top of the chest read Arkenstone, written in the same Dwarvish runes found on Thorin’s Map. The Arkenstone measures approximately 59 mm (2 5/16″) in diameter — big enough to fill a Hobbit hand, but small enough to hide in a deep pocket. The chest measures approximately 4 1/8″ long, 4 1/8″ wide by 4″ tall (104.3 mm x 106 mm x 100 mm). The Arkenstone replica and Dwarven treasure chest weigh approximately 3/4 pounds (12 oz.).
Here’s the link to the description and purchase area: And here’s the link to the slideshow of images of the box and stone: |
 
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If you’ve fallen behind on what’s happening on the Message Boards, here’s a great way to catch the highlights. Or if you’re new to TORn and want to enjoy some great conversations, just follow the links to some of our most popular discussions. Watch this space as every weekend we will spotlight the most popular buzz on TORn’s Message Boards. Everyone is welcome, so come on in and join in the fun! MINOR SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T READ THE HOBBIT
Join us today for Live chatting and mischief with Quickbeam! We have a very interesting subject today: DEBUNKING GANDALF / GALADRIEL ROMANCE RUMORS, among other things, illuminated by host Clifford Broadway on our streaming video show – You can also join the broadcast via our BARLIMAN’S CHAT built right into our Live Event Area — showtime today at approx. 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time!
Wired’s Erik Wecks makes a compelling case for Tolkien fans to not get too excited about the Hobbit.
The Mythgard Institute will be continuing their look at the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien – while delving into new territory – by offering the course “The Making of Myth: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien” this spring. The 15-week course can be taken for master’s level credit or audited and will focus on examining the work of Tolkien and Lewis hand-in-hand. The class will engage in a careful comparison of Lewis’ and Tolkien’s fiction, paying close attention to those moments when they are both exploring similar ideas or undertaking comparable literary enterprises. Not only will the course look at what they shared in common, but will also examine their primary differences. Books and essays to be discussed include but are not limited to The Hobbit, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, “Ainulindale,” The Magician’s Nephew, “Leaf by Niggle,” Till We have Faces, “The Lost Road,” The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and “Smith of Wootton Major.” [
