ATLANTA – A source has revealed that there is likely to be an IMAX version of “Return Of The King” in the works, brokered as part of a deal for IMAX editions of this year’s two “Matrix” movies. Working in the same process used to convert Disney’s “Beauty And The Beast” the film would require an intermission because of the larger film size and projection equipment used to show the gigantic-screen movies. “Spysquid,” who has connections to the projection industry described his knowledge of the IMAX negotiations as “very reliable.”
Atlanta’s IMAX, located in The Mall of Georgia, is viewed as a national showcase for the IMAX format films. IMAX films because of film size, require an intermission just after the two-hour mark, putting the expected three-hour plus ROTK film far into intermission territory. AOL/Time Warner own New Line Cinema, the parent company of the LOTR films and Warner Brothers, the company that produced the Matrix trilogy. TORn will continue to follow this possible story.
Meanwhile the new American Film Institute theater in Maryland, is hoping that an event being sold to AFI members on December 5 is a screening of “Return Of The King,” according to Alex Tarrand who works at the theater. The event is currently listed as “Lord Of The Rings” and might be the FOTR EE screening. The theater which opened in April is in Silver Spring Maryland and sells tickets to the general public but this hoped-for event is available to members only. Memberships are approximately $30 a year, according to Tarrand.
ATLANTA – Dragon Con is in full swing now and TheOneRing.net and the gaggle of J.R.R. Tolkien fans in attendance quickly made a mark. This is a hard-core geek-fest at its finest and genre fans attacked the event with all the passion of a Hobbit in a buffet line.
The TORn booth is nestled near the dealer room in the bowels of the Marriott in downtown Atlanta. Two of the four site founders – Calisuri and Corvar – along with a solid backing of staff were on hand to greet fans, distribute free buttons, sell TORn shirts and let people know about its upcoming, unofficial preview of “Return Of The King,” scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
Dragon Con, grown from a group of 1,400 fans in 1987, and expanded to a crowd expected to exceed 20,000 this year, fills to bursting the two hotels in downtown where various branches of the “fantasy tree” cross twigs and interests. TORn’s downtown offices, perched high above the beautiful city and the “hollow” interior of the hotel, will be bringing full daily reports along with live web cam shots all weekend long. Check the TORn Dragon Con scrapbook for a collection of images of the colorful conglomeration of fans devoted to the darkest and seemingly most forgotten corners of the genre house.
Houghton-Mifflin, who publishes the Tolkien works, had a special treat for fans who were willing to take time to fill out a reader survey at the TORn booth. Just a few minutes of writing earned old veterans and newbies alike with a Elijah Wood photo cover of “The Fellowship Of The RIng.” If you haven’t been paying attention, HM just released its final movie tie in book for “Lord Of The Rings.” The soft back all-in-one is a the beautiful edition with fold out maps and the movie photo of the One Ring on Sauron’s mailed fist.
Friday’s brightest star in the Tolkien universe, John Rhys-Davis, couldn’t make the show, although at posting time the reasons were unknown. Fans still had plenty to keep them busy Friday with lessons in Elvish, serious Tolkien discussions and impromptu entertainment by Quickbeam and other convention assistants. Discussion of the proposed big-stage Tolkien musical led into nostalgic and amusing renditions of the Rankin/Bass tune “Where There Is a Whip.”
While mixing with fans, professionals and exhibitors, TORn uncovered a few precious rumours and secrets – all of which we will share – concerning the upcoming ROTK releases and the Tolkien Universe. Read other Dragon Con reports for details. Wish you were here…
frodo’s girl writes: I don’t have a scanner so I took digital snaps of the Embassy Trust Theatre ad in the Dominion Post. All you folks who don’t live in Wellington and can’t get a copy could see their name in print. [More]
For more information on the Embassy Trust, click here.
There is a new guest added to the Best of Both Worlds convention in Canberra, Australia – none other than John Noble, who will appear as Denethor in ROTK.
BOBW has also added a Guest Table Auction. Organiser Adele writes:
Following several inquiries re the possibility of an auction for spots at the official tables, the following are the guidelines if you wish to bid.
Rules for Banquet Auction for the Lord of the Rings Convention.
There are two places available at each of the official tables at the banquet:
Table 1: Craig Parker, Bruce Hopkins, John Noble Table 2: Sarah McLeod, David Weatherby and Ben Wootten
– Please note: No cameras are permitted at the banquet, however a photographer will be available to take photos of you with the guests at your table, and copies of these will be available on Sunday (2 free 5*7″ prints)
– Bidders must already be attending the convention during the weekend and have a ticket for the banquet. If you have not booked yet for either, please do so when you make your first bid.
– The winning bids will be payable immediately the auction ends.
– You may bid for either table, or both (of course you can only sit at one on the night, so be prepared to choose!!).
– If you want to bid for seats for both yourself and a partner please tell me when you are placing two separate bids.
– Bids will be in Australian dollars. You can place a bid in your local currency and in the reply accepting your bid we will tell you what that means in aussie dollars (that way you know how much you are spending as well as how it stacks up against other bids).
– All bidder details are private and will not be disclosed.
– When you place a bid, you will be added to our bidders email list. Each evening Australian time we will email all bidders the current bids for each table in order (but ONLY the bid amounts, no names or pseuodonyms – you know what you bid so you’ll know immediately how well your bid stacks up against everyone else’s). Note: you won’t see this list unless you first place a bid – we won’t be spamming everyone.
– You may make as many bids as you like during the auction period.
– Bidding shall start on Monday sept 1st September and cease at the end of Monday Sept 8th September, Australian Time. The final bidders list will be emailed as usual, and the top two bids for each table will be the winners.
– If a place is tied, the people concerned will be allowed to make ONE FINAL bid to separate them.
– The judgement of BOBW regarding the winners is final, no correspondence will be entered into.
News from BOBW in Australia. Adele writes: “As most of you would know, Brad Dourif cannot join us as he will be filming, we look forward to his company at our next LOTR event. “We were very lucky and were able to secure David Weatherley & Ben Wootten to complete our line up for our first LOTR event.”
So here goes:
The first Lord of the Rings Australian convention Bruce Hopkins aka Gamling, Guardian of Helm’s Deep ( Two towers)
Sarah McLeod aka Rosie Cotton
Craig Parker aka Haldir, Guardian of Lothlorien
David Weatherley aka Barliman Butterbur Innkeeper of The Prancing Pony
Ben Wootten one of the Senior Designer WETA WORKSHOP LTD
Dates: Sept. 20 & 21, 2003
Venue: Rydges Lakeside Hotel, London Circuit, Canberra City
The costing for the LOTR events is as follows:,
1) Basic passes: cost $135.00 per person per day, may not be eligible for autographs
2) Gold passes cover the following: cost AUD $190.00 per person per day rows 8th to 12th seating, autographs are guaranteed, however we cannot guarantee professional photo availability.
3) VIP tickets cover the following: cost AUD$250.00 per person per day guaranteed 3 to 7th row seating, included is 1 professional photo with 1 guest , the ability to have a photo taken with the other guests, and of course autographs are available with the purchase of official merchandise. There are only 100 of these places available.
Cocktail party / banquet, and wrap party places are only available to convention attendees and cost as follows:
1) Cocktail party place $55.00 pp 2) Banquet place $75.00 pp 3) Wrap party place $55.00 pp
Accommodation rates:
1) Single / double / queen size rooms @ $120.00 per room per night, 2) Upgrades at $40.00 per night extra, namely $160.00 per room per night.
The folks from csuohio.edu write: We’re very excited to let you know about our current plans for the upcoming 3rd ANNUAL J.R.R. TOLKIEN’S “LORD OF THE RINGS” MARATHON READING CELEBRATION @ Cleveland State University’s historic MATHER MANSION, 2605 Euclid Ave, November 20-22, 2003, in Cleveland, Ohio. This event is a cooperative effort between The EDGE: Lutheran Campus Ministry & Art Gallery and the Cleveland State University English Department. All events are FREE and open to the public. [More]
News from BOBW in Australia. Adele writes: “As most of you would know, Brad Dourif cannot join us as he will be filming, we look forward to his company at our next LOTR event. “We were very lucky and were able to secure David Weatherley & Ben Wootten to complete our line up for our first LOTR event.”