To wrap up the week that saw an unprecedented live fan event where fans gathered in theaters around the world with cast and crew, here is a list of things that stood out for TORn staff.
During the event, fans were treated to costume displays, live Q&As, a preview of the end credit music video, and most importantly, 20 minutes of nearly complete, previously unseen footage. As stated in previous posts, this means movie spoilers are coming, so feel free to stop reading now if you wish to spend the next four weeks without knowing what’s to come. Continue reading “Thirteen things we love about The Desolation of Smaug footage”
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Yes, this story will be riddled with spoilers in it, and some snark.
With less than 2 months to go before The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, we at TheOneRing.net thought you might like a little survival guide if you happen to be Arachnophobic or Drakonophobic. The Lord the Rings: The Return of the King was a little hard on many avowed Arachophobe Tolkien fans, this reporter’s sister being one of them. She watched the entire Shelob sequence from behind her purse every time she saw it on the big screen. It was only when she saw it on DVD that she could watch it unfettered.
Long before Tolkien conceived of Sam fighting off Shelob to try and save Frodo, he placed an entire Colony of giant Spiders in Mirkwood to trap the Company of Dwarves for Bilbo to rescue. This was Bilbo’s first real challenge to help the Company and he rose to the occasion. Here you can see the fear on Bilbo’s face, but he conquers it to save the Dwarves, and you can conquer your Arachnophobia too. 
As for Drakonophobia, that may have been made up word, not quite sure, but better safe than sorry. Now, to be fair, there are probably more Arachnophobes than there are Drakonophobes in the world simply because there are more spiders in the world than there are dragons. We have all those Knights in Shining Armor to thank for that. Except in China, where the dragons settled in the Rivers and became good luck symbols and come out every Chinese New Year. Gung Hey Fat Choy!!!! 
Dragons as seen in Tolkien’s Middle-earth can easily instill Drakonophobia in man and beast alike , and Smaug is the most famous of those dragons. There was fear, mixed with anger and sadness when Thorin told the story of Smaug’s attack on the Lonely mountain, killing so many and driving out the few survivors. Thranduil would not risk his own people to help and Dale was completely destroyed. The entire area around the Lonely Mountain was called the Desolation of Smaug while the Men of Lake-town built their town on stilts over the lake in the hopes of surviving future dragon attacks. Smaug has not been seen in 60 years, and yet Drakonophobia is still affecting the people of Lake-town to this day. But no one is really sure he is still really alive since it’s been so long since he was last seen, at least not until Bilbo makes his fateful first burgal attempt. 
So, without further ado, here are a few helpful pointers on how to survive your inner phobias when spiders and dragons appear onscreen.
1) Read The Hobbit before the film opens, familiarity makes it easier to handle shocks of this nature, at least the chapters in Mirkwood through Bilbo entering the Lonely Mountain.
2) Go with a really tall friend and sit behind them. If you have no tall friend, find a tall person in the theater and sit behind them.
3) If you prefer to see the film unfettered, then bring a jacket or purse to put in front of your eyes during the spider or dragon scenes.
4) Failing a jacket or purse, buy a soda or popcorn to raise up, my preference would be popcorn, because if you spill it from fright, it is less messy and certainly not cold or sticky.
5) Bring Litzi (Red Envelope with money or gold in it) purely to use as a Chinese New Year gift/bribe
6) Put on your Ring of Power and hide
7) Hold hands with your best friend, try not to cut off the circulation.
8) Run out of the theater during the scary bits (works for children)
9) If running out of the theater seems to be a waste of money, just close your eyes, but you may need to hold your hands over years ears too, those spiders seem to make some creepy noises. Smaug, on the other hand has a rather awesome voice.
10) Wait for the film to come out on DVD/Blu-ray
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Humphrey Carpenter’s excellent biography, Tolkien, was published way back in 1977, and it is still considered the best of its kind. I remember reading it shortly after it came out and learning that in 1911, when Tolkien was a young man of 19, he formed part of a group taking a walking tour in the Swiss Alps. It was his first and only experience of really large mountains, and as he later made clear in several of his letters, the experience inspired the mountain landscapes in his Middle-earth writings.
At the time, I vaguely thought it would be wonderful to take a tour of the places Tolkien and his companions visited, to see exactly what had fired his imagination. Over the years that vague thought occasionally resurfaced, but I never imagined that I would actually be able to do it. Not until December 1, 2012, when TheOneRing.net posted an announcement that there was to be a tour based on that idea: “In the Footsteps of Tolkien.” Continue reading “In Tolkien’s Real Misty Mountains”
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Every fall, Los Angeles Ringers hold a fabulous Hall of Fire party that features all the things Hobbits, Elves, and Dwarves love most: food, drink, and fabulous costumes. The yard of a private residence in Glendora is transformed for the evening with pavilions representing the Shire, Rohan, and other regions of Middle-earth. You can visit Smaug’s Horde and Gollum’s pool, then relax with a drink at the Flaming Mumak Tavern.
Hosted by Tolkien Forever, the local smial of the Tolkien Society, “costumes are highly encouraged (though not required), and just like the Hall Of Fire from the book, people often bring games to play; sing and play music; and share the art and inspiration that Tolkien has given them.”
If you are in the Los Angeles area, join us this Saturday, October 19, at 6:00pm. Visit the event’s Facebook page and read the event details to RSVP and be sent the party address. The party is open to all, but it is being held at a private home, so you must email the host to receive directions. All ages are welcome, but please be responsible for your children. This a big backyard with a pool in the middle of it. Some parts of the yard are dimly lit. so please be aware of your surroundings. All party attendees must respect the wishes of the home owners at all times.
[Visit the event page] [Local to LA? Check out Tolkien Forever] [See photos from last year’s Hall of Fire]
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That’s right, Ringers will take over Manhattan NEXT WEEK! The work continues here at TORn headquarters (ie, in our own homes scattered across the globe…) to plan a wonderful event as part of our exciting New York ComicCon weekend. Last week we told you that, at the party, we’ll be giving away two tickets to see Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen on Broadway! Now we can confirm that we will also have some exciting goodies from WETA to give away at the event! We’re keeping this party small – tickets are strictly limited – so attendees have a good chance of winning something awesome!
Your ticket includes your first drink, a finger food buffet, two entries into the raffle, and a fab goody bag. And of course, excellent company in a private room in Manhattan – party like dwarves! (No green food allowed!)
Oh, and we’ve also invited all the Hobbit actors – Sir Ian, Orlando, Stephen Fry – who happen to be in The Big Apple at the moment. Not saying any of them will be there – but they’re invited, so you never know….
Grab your tickets now, before we reach our limit on numbers! Hope to see you there!
[Buy tickets to Ringers take Manhattan]
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Following the success of last years World Premiere Party which we co-hosted with Red Carpet Tours, Julie, Vic and Raewyn are holding the Desolation of Smaug Premiere Costume Party in Wellington.
Continue reading “Red Carpet Tours 14 Day DoS Tour and Premiere Costume Party”
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