News Archive
Do you Like Big Books…?
May 9, 2013 at 4:59 pm -As Tolkien fans, it stands to reason that we very much like BIG BOOKS. So what better way to share your love for BIG BOOKS than with an appropriately geeky t-shirt. Proclaim to the world… ‘I like Big Books and can not lie!’ Available in two styles and eight different colors, this is our most…
Tolkien Manuscripts to be Shown to Public
May 9, 2013 at 12:32 pm -Marquette Libraries’ Department in Milwaukee, Wisconsin has been home to the original manuscripts of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings since the late 1950s. In exciting news, the department is hosting several public showings of selected original manuscripts on certain Friday afternoons this year and next. These showings are open to the public,…
Ray Harryhausen, effects wizard, died May 7th
May 9, 2013 at 10:14 am -As TORn readers will no doubt have heard by now, Ray Harryhausen, the man who pioneered stop motion photography and led the way to many of the special effects we take for granted today, died on Tuesday. He was 92. His classic films, such as Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans, inspired…
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Sneak Peek – Full Transcript
May 8, 2013 at 11:03 pm -It was an interesting journey the filmmaker and Hobbit actor Jed Brophy took us on in one hour, we where guided along the stages and rooms of Park Road Post in Miramar, Wellington, to where we finally ended up in Peter Jackson’s’ home away from home the editing room in his traditional bare feet. Jed…
Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop Updated
May 8, 2013 at 8:23 pm -General Manager of Weta Limited Tim Launder teased what’s to come from Weta Workshop over the next few months with a post at The Shadow and Flame message board. From his post there are some big things to come via The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit including something totally new for The Hobbit…
Casting Call for More Hobbit Extras
May 8, 2013 at 2:49 pm -From the Dominion Post: With more scenes being shoot for The Hobbit’s final two films, Three Foot 7 has advertised on Trademe’s Job Search calling for more extra’s. The application form is available for you to download, print and fill out, again they are looking for people with character faces and if you have already…
Tolkien’s Greatest Hits – The Most Impressive Wordplay from our Favorite Author
May 8, 2013 at 7:20 am -It is one of the first things you learn in the craft of writing. Mediocre dialogue is instantly forgotten–but brilliant dialogue lives forever in the mouth of your audience. You know those finely crafted little moments you always remember from a movie or play? Even if you don’t see the performers again the brightest or…
TORn TUESDAY Live Webcast ‘Dwarf History’ Part 2: Fili and Kili
May 7, 2013 at 6:42 pm -Greetings all! Last week we began the first of a series of webcasts profiling each dwarven member of Thorin’s Company, starting with Balin and Dwalin (who were 1st to arrive at Bilbo’s round green door) and today moving on to discuss the youngest, and in a way almost beardless, Dwarves of the nascent traveling company,…
TORn Message Boards Weekly Roundup – May 6, 2013
May 6, 2013 at 8:16 am -Welcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. 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….
What’s in a Name: Translating Proper Nouns in THE HOBBIT
May 5, 2013 at 10:00 am -In his first of many articles for our worldwide community, Tedoras, long-time audience participant on our TORn TUESDAY webcast brings us an illuminating discussion on something that fascinates the inner-linguist in us all: taking the very Euro-centric names and words Tolkien invented and reforming them into other languages! How do foreign-language translators deal with Tolkien’s…
Happy Birthday John Rhys-Davies!
May 5, 2013 at 8:07 am -John Rhys-Davies turns 69 today. Born May 5, 1944, John is a very well known English-born Welsh actor and vocal artist. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, in which he also voiced the ent,…
Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans) is ‘The Crow’
May 5, 2013 at 6:56 am -According to Deadline.com, upcoming super-star Luke Evans (You know, Bard the Bowman in ‘The Hobbit’) has landed the lead role in the re-launch of ‘The Crow’ series. The Crow will fly with Welsh actor Luke Evans playing the title role in the F. Javier Gutierrez-directed franchise reboot for Relativity Media. Evans was the original choice,…
Hall of Fire chat log: Earendil and Elwing
May 4, 2013 at 7:56 pm -Last weekend, the Hall of Fire crew discussed the story of Earendil and Elwing, and their momentous voyage that obtained the help of the Valar against Morgoth. Belatedly, for those who couldn’t attend, here’s a log. Session Start: Sun Apr 28 07:14:46 2013 Session Ident: #thehalloffire * Now talking in #thehalloffire * Demosthenes changes topic…
Popcorn Taxis Hobbit Q&A with Richard Armitage
May 4, 2013 at 5:37 am -To celebrate the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in Australia on May 1st, Popcorn Taxi had a special showing of the film with a Q&A session with Richard Armitage. RingerSpy and long time message board member, Deleece Cook aka Elven, was lucky enough to attend and sent us the following report on the…
Hall of Fire tomorrow: The White Rider
May 3, 2013 at 10:38 pm -Tomorrow, Hall of Fire returns to discussing The Two Towers. We’ll rejoin Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli as they continue to search for their lost comrades. “The Dark Lord has Nine. But we have One, mightier than they: the White Rider. He has passed through the fire and the abyss, and they shall fear him.” The…
Getting to know Kate Madison
May 3, 2013 at 1:54 am -Welcome to the latest “Getting to know…” questions that need answering. It’s based on the old Getting to know you threads that I occasionally post on the message boards here on TORn, so those familiar with them will know that the questions can be a little crazy and the answers even crazier. This month we’re…
Today in Middle-earth, May 1
May 1, 2013 at 12:15 am -The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on May 1st: Gandalf and Bilbo reach Rivendell (1342) Sarn Ford where Gandalf and Aragorn met (1418) Crowning of King Elessar (1419) Elrond and Arwen set out from Rivendell (1419) Samwise marries Rose (1420) May 1, 2942 (S.R. 1342) 1. Gandalf and Bilbo reach Rivendell. (from Karen Wynn…
Richard Armitage interview on the Dan and Maz show
April 30, 2013 at 10:57 pm -Yesterday afternoon Richard Armitage was interviewed by 2DayFM on the Dan and Maz show. They discuss how big a Hobbit fan Dan is, The Hobbit movie and then play a game of “Ikea Furniture or Lord of the Rings Character”. The podcast is in two parts and can be listened to here or you can download…
Australia delivers with Richard Armitage interview about ‘Hobbit’ as home video released
April 30, 2013 at 3:03 am -The lead actors in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” have done a lot of press so far to support the first of three films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book. Over and over journalists from around the world hit them with similar questions, all trying to deliver key information for their own audience. TORn friend and…
Willie Nelson wants to replace Ian McKellen as Gandalf – Team Coco Video
April 29, 2013 at 2:44 pm -TeamCoco.com, aka Conan O’Brien, one of America’s most popular late-night talk show hosts, got their hands on Willie Nelson’s audition tape for, what they call, ‘The Hobbit 2.’ In the video, Willie suggests to Peter Jackson that he may make a better Gandalf than Ian McKellen. (Strong language and content warning!) [Direct Video Link]