Claire writes: UK residents can see Andy Serkis on TV on Saturday 22nd November, on BBC2. He’s playing Albert Einstein, while David Tennant (the present Doctor Who) plays British scientist Arthur Eddington, in the film ‘Einsten and Eddington’. Details of the schedule are here and the BBC’s press notice is here. For those who miss the broadcast on the 22nd, the film may be available on BBC iPlayer for seven days after that date. And as the film is a co-production with HBO, I would expect it to be shown in the USA, though I can’t see anything about it on the HBO website at the moment.

Claire writes: H Samuel is the UK’s largest chain of high street jewellers, with around 330 shops on the mainland. It has in its range of wedding rings a One Ring, complete with lettering. You can see it here on the right hand side of the second row down. This isn’t a plug for the shops, just a comment on how mainstream all things LOTR have become.

Annette writes: I noticed that at the Unique Sheep website that they will be hosting a Lord Of The Rings Knitting Sock Club in 2009. The patterns will be based or inspired by the books. I just thought there might be other enthusiasts of both LOTR and knitting that might want to know.

A Samoan composer and conductor whose CV includes working as choirmaster for the first The Lord of the Rings movie has been recognised for his contribution to the performance and promotion of Pacific music. Igelese Ete received the $7000 Senior Pacific Artist Award at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards in Manukau last night. Ete, who worked on The Fellowship of the Ring alongside Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore, was also conductor for the America’s Cup opening ceremony in 2002 and conductor/composer for the South Pacific Games in Samoa last year. ‘Rings’ choirmaster honoured

As a director, Guillermo Del Toro is accomplished at utilizing high-tech special effects in his films. As a communicator, he’s comfortable in chat rooms and message boards. When adapting a book to a screenplay, however, he prefers good old-fashioned “low tech” methods that include highlighter pens and 3×5 index cards:

“In the age of computers, the CARDING system for structural purposes may seem like an archaism. I have actually used it most every time I adapt a BOOK. It is a GREAT second exercise in excerpting AFTER the Highlighter pass…

…I promise to scan and make accessible the entire card set and EVERY available piece of adaptation paperwork we generate and can clear with the DVD department when The Hobbit is finally released in the home video format.”

As Guillermo has found bits of free time, he’s been kind enough to share this and other exciting revelations with us on our Hobbit Movie Discussion Board. Go here to read the rest of his entry on adapting books, and go here to register on the Message Boards and join in the discussions with Guillermo!

Message board member Elven found this interesting tidbit in a piece by the BBC’s “Newsbeat”. Seems Elijah Wood attended the Black Ball in New York, a charity event to raise money for children affected by HIV/Aids in Africa, and was asked about the possibility of an appearance in The Hobbit:

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood was there with girlfriend Pamela Racine. When Newsbeat asked about whether he might appear in a Hobbit movie he said that it was “conceivably possible”. Read the entire article Here

Update! Board member Dive Twin found more comments from Elijah at this event on MTV’s Movies Blog:

“The secondary film would bridge the gap between ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ chronologically,” Wood said, “so conceivably, it could be possible.” Since the films are still being written, “it’s a ways away” before he would know, Wood said, but the trick is to have Frodo’s appearance not seem like an anachronism, since he wasn’t a part of “The Hobbit” adventure. Read More