Did you know Professor Tolkien worked on the staff of the Oxford University Press (makers of the OED – Oxfrod English Dictionary) from 1919 to 1920? He worked in the ‘W’ range, discovering the meaning of words from ‘waggle’ to ‘warlock.’ (See a wonderful article on Tolkien’s involvement with the OED here)

We bring this up because millions of ‘non words’ have been discovered in a secret vault owned by the Oxford University Press. A graphic design student, Luke Ngakane, discovered hundreds of these words in his research and used them in one of his design projects. It makes for an interesting article that we thought we’d share with you! Enjoy!  [Read More]

Michael Cieply at the New York Times has written a nice piece about how resistance against 3D is forming in Hollywood. He used many sources from Comic-Con and says that filmmakers may carry more clout with studios than people who cough up money to see films. He also quotes a TORn article and our own webmaster in the story that talks about an issue important to film fans world wide.

Lord of the Rings Slot machineLove Lord of the Rings? Love slot machines? Now you can combine the two! It looks like Spotlight 29 Casino in the Coachella Valley has added 10 new penny slot machine games to their line-up, and they include the brand new LOTR game:

Lord of the Rings has taken the J.R. Tolkien trilogy and created an innovative experience that utilizes the latest gaming technology. The player will embark on a mission through Middle Earth and complete different levels of the storyline through wins. “Adaptive Gaming” technology allows control over the spinning reels during a turn, while “Sensory Immersion” incorporates chairs with Bose sound systems to complete the illusion you are traveling with Frodo and friends through the elements of Tolkien’s fantastical world.

Read on for further details. [Press Release]

The Hobbit Play in Fullerton CAFrom August 6th to September 19th The Maverick Theater in Orange County (CA) will be presenting ‘The Hobbit or There and Back Again.’ As Ringer Jan points out, this dinner theater stage play is a perfect solution for those fans who are finding the wait for The Hobbit films unbearable! Follow the link for details. [Tickets]

“ELYSIUM” COMPILATION ALBUM CURATED BY ELIJAH WOOD AVAILABLE STARTING TODAY, EXCLUSIVELY IN THE ITUNES STORE

BENEFIT FOR THE ART OF ELYSIUM FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TRACKS FROM SONIC YOUTH, THE KILLS, WHITE DENIM AND MORE

Los Angeles, CA – Renowned actor Elijah Wood has curated a new compilation album, “Elysium,” available today exclusively on the iTunes store to benefit The Art of Elysium and its Music Programming, which brings music into the lives of hospitalized children. The album includes exclusive tracks from Sonic Youth, The Kills, White Denim and Earthless, among others, and also features tracks from Sleigh Bells, Sleepy Sun, Ty Segall, Black Mountain and more. Apple, the artists, and the labels will donate their proceeds to The Art of Elysium, which encourages actors, artists and musicians to voluntarily dedicate their time and talent to children who are battling serious medical conditions. Go to www.elysiumsessions.org for more info. Continue reading “Elijah Wood Album Available on Itunes”

Our pal and LOTR castmember Bruce Hopkins writes: I am starting to interview LOTR related people from around the world each week. Check out this link to the interview I did with Dominie Till; Dominie is one of NZ leading makeup/prosthetic artists and now lives in LA. My show is 1am-5am NZ time which makes it Saturday in in the US, I trust Comic Con was a total blast, adios!