NWF is teaming up with Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM) for the Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular novel The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. “As the education partner for the film, we hope the popularity of the books and its themes of courage and nature’s beauty will inspire moviegoers and Tolkien fans to do something to make our Earth a greener place.” So, far, the collaboration includes an official NWF movie poster you can download, and suggestions for outdoor activities and ‘greening’ your own Shire.  Read More…

Classicfm.com was able to snag a great audio interview with Howard Shore recently. Shore, a big Tolkien fan, tells classicfm that he constantly refers to the books as he’s writing the score. He also discusses what it’s like to collaborate once again with Peter Jackson, The London Philharmonic, and the all-consuming job of writing, orchestrating, conducting, tweaking and finalizing the score for “The Hobbit: and Unexpected Journey.” Read more and listen here…

The Unexpected Party.
This essay presents an argument for the likely structure and content of the Hobbit film trilogy, with particular concern for where there is evidence of the film-makers re-structuring the source material and interpreting the appendices.

As such, it integrates and expands upon points made in three previous articles published here on TheOneRing.net: an article defending the prospect of a trilogy; an article arguing the likely structure and break-point of film one; and an article analysing the official Hobbit figurine descriptions leaked online a couple of months ago.

It attempts to triangulate a sense of the films’ structure and content from two things: the available information that has been released about the films; an appreciation for how stories are constructed. With regard to the latter, two points are worth emphasising: in an adaptation as in any story, characters are key, and they must progress through an arc. Naturally, there will be spoilers. Continue reading “The Hobbit trilogy: connecting the dots and filling the blanks”

If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.

You may remember reading about these awesome ‘Dwarvish’-looking 3D glasses, when we posted this story back in August.  Now you can buy your very own pair!  The folks behind the glasses, Look3D, tell us this:

‘Look3D, along with Warner Bros. and RealD, have created these ‘Middle-earth’ inspired 3D Glasses specifically for the new Hobbit film!  Look3D has only created 5,000 units of the limited edition packaging, and these will be available for a limited time on Amazon.com in the US, and through www.look3d.com.  The limited edition pack comes with the 3D glasses and branded soft cloth bag.’

There are a few ways you can get your hands on these fabulous glasses.  They are available at ‘Made in Middle-earth: Wellington’s Hobbit Artisan Market’ – so those of you lucky enough to be in New Zealand for the Premiere can head over there and snap up a pair.  We’re also excited to let you know that the good folks at Look3D have given us pairs to give away at some of our Line Parties – so if you come along to one of TORn’s Line Party events, you may win a pair of these glasses.  Click here to look for a Line Party near you.

If you’re NOT in Wellington and you don’t want to chance your luck on winning a pair, don’t despair – you can order online at Amazon.com!  The glasses are only $10 – order your own pair now, and watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in style!  Click here to order.

These guys are pretty popular – we’ve received MANY emails from people out there, telling us about their new music video.  So here it is, for those who have not yet seen it!  Whether you’ve been celebrating Thanksgiving today and you’re now too full to move, or you’ve been working hard all day and need to relax, this music video is sure to please.  The Piano Guys (Al van der Beek, Jon Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nelson) use piano, cello, percussion and vocal textures to recreate well known tunes – and this video is a compilation of favourite motifs from Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings scores.  Check it out:

Thanks to all who emailed to tell us about it!

Christopher Tolkien

You may have read recently that the Tolkien Estate has brought a lawsuit against Warner Bros., regarding Warner Bros.’ marketing rights for Lord of the Rings and Hobbit products.  Our friend Erik Wecks has written a great piece for Geek Dad at Wired.com, clarifying some of the issues at stake and suggesting why the Tolkien Estate may have felt the need to take such action.  For fans of Tolkien’s work, just how far is too far – when does a franchise become a sell out?  Check out the excellent article here.