Patrick sends along word that scenes for ‘The Hobbit’ will be filmed this November in the North Island town of Piopio. From Jasons.co.nz: Piopio lies in a picturesque area of native forests and rolling farmlands with rich native and exotic vegetation. The town is located just south of Waitomo and Te Kuiti and is easily accessible to the activities of the region including the Waitomo Caves, rafting, horse trekking and hiking. Sheep and cattle farming are the main industries of the area.
From waitomonews.co.nz: IT’S official . . . but no-one can say a word about it. Scenes of The Hobbit – Sir Peter Jackson’s prequel to The Lord of the Rings – will be filmed in the Piopio district. Now the hunt is on to find accommodation for 450 of the two production crews who will be here for three weeks from mid-November filming at the Denize family’s property, Mangaotaki. Some 350 of the crew will here for a week with another 100 staying a fortnight. There will be a crossover period in the middle where all 450 will be in the region. Locals assisting in the search for a range of houses – Nicky Atkinson and Bruce Maunsell – are bound by confidentiality agreements and unable to speak to the media. Continue reading “Hobbit Shooting Scenes in Piopio This Fall/Spring”
Today, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment releases the Official Fellowship Trailer delving into the events and characters, which chart the path of turmoil, depicted in the upcoming 2011 video game, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North. In the face of an ancient evil rising from the shadows, players will form the beginnings of a Fellowship vital to the continued life of Middle-earth. Continue reading “Official Fellowship Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: War in the North”
Andy Robertson writes: My kids aren’t old enough for the Lord of the Rings films yet, but once they have read through Harry Potter I have it in mind to start them on Tolkien’s books. The problem is that these are quite a tall order for any beginners in today’s media world, which all too often cossets the new or the casual reader, watcher or player.
I must admit, to my slight shame, that I didn’t manage to read through the full trilogy before the first Jackson film gave me the inspiration I needed. In fact, it is the fan-fiction nature of these films that is my favorite thing about them. They are much more a homage to the experience of reading the books than a replacement for them. Jackson himself, when asked in one of the expansive DVD extras, said (roughly) that “you will always have the books, but the films are simply the passionate response of one set of fans to the books.” More..
Today, Turbine has released a new batch of screenshots from The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard, the upcoming expansion to the award-winning MMO. The screenshots show the brand-new region of Dunland, one of three new regions coming with Rise of Isengard, which launches on September 27th.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: RISE OF ISENGARD™ Explore Three New Regions! — The time has come for you to turn eastward, toward the vale of Isengard. Where ancient forests once flourished, a corrupted waste of metal and wheels suffers under the thrall of the traitorous wizard Saruman. Here, in the shadows of the tower of Orthanc, gathers an army of Orcs and Uruk-hai, toiling to make ready for war. Forge ahead into these devastated lands and uncover new quests, skills, and traits as you strive to thwart Saruman’s ambition. Continue reading “LOTRO: Rise of Isengard Expansion – New Assets!”
The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature is given to the fantasy novel, multi-volume, or single-author story collection for adults published during 2010 that best exemplifies “the spirit of the Inklings.” Books are eligible for two years after publication if not selected as a finalist during the first year of eligibility. Books from a series are eligible if they stand on their own; otherwise, the series becomes eligible the year its final volume appears. The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature honors books for younger readers (from “Young Adults” to picture books for beginning readers), in the tradition of The Hobbit or The Chronicles of Narnia. Rules for eligibility are otherwise the same as for the Adult Literature award. The question of which award a borderline book is best suited for will be decided by consensus of the committees. Continue reading “2011 Mythopoeic Award Winners Announced”
The Swedish Hobbit Blogger writes: I read an article in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. the article was an interview with Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis in which they were asked what their opinions on the performance of Mikael Persbrandt had been so far. Roughly translated Peter Jackson said that “He has been amazing.” and that they will do more scenes when the current break is over. Serkis opinion, who also said that he; thus far, have only directed Persbrandt in was scene, was that the Swedish actor “Is Impressive.” Here is a link leading to the article I’m referring to.
Patrick sends along word that scenes for ‘The Hobbit’ will be filmed this November in the North Island town of Piopio. From Jasons.co.nz: Piopio lies in a picturesque area of native forests and rolling farmlands with rich native and exotic vegetation. The town is located just south of Waitomo and Te Kuiti and is easily accessible to the activities of the region including the Waitomo Caves, rafting, horse trekking and hiking. Sheep and cattle farming are the main industries of the area.
Today, Turbine has released a new batch of screenshots from The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard, the upcoming expansion to the award-winning MMO. The screenshots show the brand-new region of Dunland, one of three new regions coming with Rise of Isengard, which launches on September 27th.
The Swedish Hobbit Blogger writes: I read an article in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. the article was an interview with Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis in which they were asked what their opinions on the performance of