Library Journal, October 1, 2001.
A Fantasy Come true: Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Comes to Film
Rings, Kings and Evil Things by Michael Rogers
The buzz over director Peter Jackson’s feature film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy hit fever pitch in 2000 when the simply stunning early footage was previewed via the modern wizardry of the Internet, leaving fans gawking at their PCs. To give an idea of how wildly this film has been anticipated, that teaser trailer was downloaded 1.7 million times – the first day! The film of the Fellowship of the Ring – the first leg of the LOTR trilogy – does not open in theatres until December 19, but fans have their fingers and furry little tows crossed that it will do the book justice. Tolkien’s volumes have enjoyed continued popularity, and most libraries sport copies of The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy, but the Oxford don wrote numerous volumes himself – this list is not all-inclusive – and is the subject of many others. The film no doubt will spark a huge interest in all things Tolkien, so stock up early.
Tolkien Online: On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a hobbit. Though New Line Cinema has created an official movie site (www.lordoftherings.net), the best web page hands down is theonering.net, which offers daily updates of anything and everything Tolkien. For diehards wanting a replica of Sauron’s Ring, there’s www.badalijewelry.com/tolkien.htm offering Tolkien inspired jewelry. Houghton Mifflin, publisher of the books, also has a Tolkien page at www.lordofthe-ringstrilogy.com.
