From: Cezanne Huq of National Geographic
Uncover the reality behind one of the year’s biggest adventures. The National Geographic Beyond The Movie: Lord of the Rings Web site launches today and explores the historical world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure. The site takes viewers through an online journey that reveals the history, folklore, and cultural forces that inspired the much-anticipated movie.
* Nationalgeographic.com helps visitors move from the imagined world of Tolkien to the real world by exploring the myths, legends, and history evoked in the story – such as the Kalevala, Beowulf, and other works from the early Middle Ages.
* Nationalgeographic.com explores the modern day relevance of Lord of the Rings and the idea of real-life quests through the journeys made by explorers Mike Fay and Wade Davis.
Below you will find the media advisory for the announcement of Nationalgeographic.com’s Lord of the Rings site. This is a Nationalgeographic.com site not to be missed!
To coincide with the release of the movie, don’t miss National Geographic Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the Rings, which will air on MSNBC Explorer on Sunday, December 23 at 8 p.m. ET.
Media Advisory
THE “NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEYOND THE MOVIE: THE LORD OF THE RINGS” WEB SITE EXTENDS J.R.R. TOLKIEN’S ADVENTURE ONLINE
Explore the history, folklore, and cultural forces that inspired New Line’s epic motion picture. Join the online forum: Who are the real-life Frodos today?
With moviegoers flocking to theaters for the much-anticipated release of the blockbuster film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Nationalgeographic.com explores the fascinating real-life myths, cultures, and languages that influenced Tolkien’s masterpiece and how the story parallels life today.
Through the power of Nationalgeographic.com visitors will be able to:
* Explore a time line of Tolkien’s life that reveals how real history and events inspired his mythical creations.
* Check out photographs of the movie and historic photos that reflect Tolkien’s real life experiences.
* Explore how Tolkien’s experience with two World wars affected the imagery created in Lord of the Rings. Learn more about Beowulf’s connection to Lord of the Rings, and the Finnish language and the Kalavla inspired Tolkien’s Elvish language.
* Read insights from anthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis, who journeyed deep into Finland to study the Kalevala, an epic series of poems that traces the history of the Finns, in order to better understand the influences behind Tolkien’s work.
* Join the Discussion Forum and share your thoughts about the nature and possibility of quests today. Are you a modern day Frodo? Who is the ring barer today?
* Link to an AOL chat with Wade Davis and Dr. Jane Chance, a Tolkien scholar from Rice University. The chat will be held on Thursday, December 20 at 9 p.m. ET on AOL’s Research and Learning Channel in the Adventure Community.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond
