“Star Wars” and “The Lord of the Rings” are two of the most widely appealing film series in history. While they share many common elements, there is little argument that knights and swords sit at the core of each. The Jedi masters and their sabers – the weapon passed from father to son – share many common elements with Aragorn and his ancestral heirloom weapon in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
The sword, in whatever form, remains an important feature in cultures around the globe. It remains a symbol of the warrior in an age when many of us never need to fight anybody. Daniel McNicoll has directed a documentary, “Reclaiming The Blade,” that explores the sword and its standing in contemporary society and uses many examples from popular culture to do it. Read the rest of this entry »
TheOneRing.net is teaming up with Galatia Films to celebrate the DVD release of ‘Reclaiming the Blade’ by giving away the ‘Late 15th Century Bastard Sword’ from Albion Swords! A prize worth nearly $500! Entering the contest is super easy – you don’t even need to answer any questions! ‘Reclaiming the Blade’ is narrated by John Rhys-Davies and features appearances by many LOTR veterans: Viggo Mortensen, Karl Urban, Bob Anderson, John Howe and Richard Taylor of WETA Workshop. The DVD will be released on March 30th, but you can place your pre-order today at the Galatia Films website. So after you enter the contest, secure your copy of the DVD today! [Contest Page] [Pre-Order the DVD]
So much of what Weta does is terribly secret until it’s finished (who knows what they’re up to in preparing for The Hobbit? But next month they’re inviting people in Wellington to visit the Weta Cave to enjoy their work on their own series, Jane and the Dragon. It’s a free day of medieval fun and a chance to meet both the author of the book, Martin Baynton, and master swordsmith Peter Lyon, who did so much work on The Lord of the Rings.Read More
Writer/Director Daniel McNicoll sends along word that his film ‘Reclaiming the Blade’ will finally be coming out in 2009. From the website: Reclaiming the Blade explores both European and Asian historic swordplay and offers an in-depth look at the fascinating world of stage combat on the silver screen. Visit www.reclaimingtheblade.com
Alex writes: I visited the Royal Armouries yesterday to see the “Arms and Armour from the Movies: The Wonderful World of Weta” exhibit and attended the fantastic lecture by the great Peter Lyon, Sword smith. Many people came along to hear his speech. He talked initially about his work on the Narnia films and how the process from concept drawings to the fully developed weapon was achieved. Read the rest of this entry »
Anonymous writes: Pieces from a private collection of authentic LOTR movie props will be shown at the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra for the weekend for their Lord of the Rings Symphony. There will be six pieces on display Friday and Saturday night, more news can be found at Original Prop Blog.
Nickey writes in: Dear TORn Friends, My friend and extraordinary artist, Peter Lyon, will be making his way to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds as of a flight this evening. He is very excited about the trip. If you are in Leeds, please stop by and see the exhibit while he is there. Cheers!
A reminder: the “Arms and Armour from the Movies: The Wonderful World of Weta” exhibit runs until November 16 at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. Read more in our previous article about the exhibition, or at the Exhibition Site.
Peter Lyon, the man responsible for translating John Howe’s visions into LOTR’s workable weapons props, says he is looking forward to working on the Hobbit.The comment came in a reply to a recent fan mail, where he said that, all going well, he was looking forward to “completing the circle” to that part of his life. Lyon did not say whether his involvement was confirmed, but his words do sound hopeful!
Thanks to Josh for the news.
Galatia Films is pleased to announce the forging of a new friendship with TheOneRing.net, the most comprehensive Tolkien fan site on the Web. To kick things off at San Diego’s Comic-Con 2008, TheOneRing.net will be conducting an exclusive interview with both Weta Workshop director Richard Taylor and award-winning artist and movie illustrator John Howe both of whom are featured in Reclaiming the Blade. The interview will be used to discuss their various film projects, including their association and involvement with Reclaiming the Blade. Read the rest of this entry »
TheOneRing.net is teaming up with Galatia Films to celebrate the DVD release of ‘Reclaiming the Blade’ by giving away the ‘Late 15th Century Bastard Sword’ from Albion Swords! A prize worth nearly $500! Entering the contest is super easy – you don’t even need to answer any questions! ‘Reclaiming the Blade’ is narrated by John Rhys-Davies and features appearances by many LOTR veterans: Viggo Mortensen, Karl Urban, Bob Anderson, John Howe and Richard Taylor of WETA Workshop. The DVD will be released on March 30th, but you can place your pre-order today at the Galatia Films website. So after you enter the contest, secure your copy of the DVD today! [
