We’re happy to announce that the Red Carpet Tours and TORN Premiere Party in Wellington raised $2600 for our chosen charity, Duffy Books in Homes.Thanks so much to Peter Jackson, Weta, Stansborough, Harper Collins and Asni the Harpist for donating beautiful things we could offer in our party auctions and raffles. Thanks to the generosity of the Red Carpet Premiere Tour too, who raised more money in a spirited round of bidding during their farewell dinner a week later.
Originally half the proceeds of the party were to benefit TORN itself, but after a quick palaver among TORN’s senior staff we decided to give it all to Duffy Books in Homes. The Duffy scheme provides books to New Zealand children in areas where books can not be taken for granted as part of the normal furniture of life. Duffy role models travel the country fostering a love of reading. It’s a great scheme, and one long supported by both TORN and Red Carpet’s founders Vic and Raewyn James, who were schoolteachers and principals before they went into tourism.
While New Zealand and the U.K. are already enjoying theaters playing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, North America is set to kick off events tonight. The 12:01 screenings are a way for fans to express their desire to see the film early, at the first possible moment of the film’s release on Friday, December 14.
TheOneRing.net, following a long tradition of getting fans together in real life, have set up Line Party events around the country. Companies like Badali Jewelry, with its commemorative Line Party Pins, ReadD 3D glasses, Guardians of Middle-earth video games, HMH book publishers and Denny’s have all made donations that have been sent to select lines around the nation.
Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, photographed by the line that gathered 24 hours early to get in line for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”A TORn contingent has set up base at the Grauman’s Chineese Theater in Hollywood. They started camping out at midnight Wednesday to be the first to enter the theater. Air New Zealand and 100.3 The Sound will be there with many giveaways including a chance to win a trip to middle earth itself, New Zealand! If you are at home instead of out, you can watch at http://www.theonering.net/live/.
TORn’s Line Party in Atlanta, Georgia received media attention today, led by our own staffer Deej, also known as Rebecca Perry. The Atlanta Journal Constitution features a story with Deej and many of the site’s friends and DragonCon’s Tolkienites. They even used photos from the subjects of the story to full effect.
Other notable lines are in Boston, scattered around California and appear in virtually every state and many countries around the world.
Meanwhile, the Salt Lake line party, led by this young writer here, is taking a low-key approach. For LOTR:Return of the King we privately purchased 1,400 tickets so this year is a quiet gathering to build momentum for the next two Hobbit films. However, we are throwing down the gauntlet and will turn next year’s event into a friendly rivalry. Just you try to out-do us in 2014!
You too can participate in Line Party events now and in the future. Check out our lines here and look for more and better in 2014. Also, we will print limited t-shirts to commemorate our fourth Line Party effort. Called the LP4 shirt, look for it soon! Thanks to all the Line Party leaders for your efforts and to fans: ENJOY!
The day has arrived when you will at last have the opportunity to purchase tickets for The One Expected Party! [Purchase Tickets] If you want to celebrate the first of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit movies, this is where you need to be. The only party in Hollywood on Oscar night 2013 to revel in Middle-earth, this exclusive event will be hosted just two blocks away from the Academy Award ceremony. With all kinds of fun, festivity, food and frolics, and featuring an amazing live show which includes star Billy Boyd with his band Beecake, this upscale, lavish party will be the can’t-miss black-tie event of the year for Tolkien fans worldwide. We’re working hard to make it an absolutely unforgettable occasion, both for the celebrities who will join us there and for YOU. Snag your tickets today! [Purchase Tickets] We look forward to seeing you in Hollywood!
12 12 12 – an auspicious date. For many, it will be just a day or two before they finally get to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; and for ALL fans across the world, it’s the day when you will at last have the opportunity to purchase tickets for The One Expected Party! If you want to celebrate the first of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit movies, this is where you need to be. The only party in Hollywood on Oscar night 2013 to revel in Middle-earth, this exclusive event will be hosted just two blocks away from the Academy Award ceremony. With all kinds of fun, festivity, food and frolics, and featuring an amazing live show which includes star Billy Boyd with his band Beecake, this upscale, lavish party will be the can’t-miss black-tie event of the year for Tolkien fans worldwide. We’re working hard to make it an absolutely unforgettable occasion, both for the celebrities who will join us there and for YOU.
Get all the details on the party (entertainment, catering, hotels, etc.) at our party subsite; then prepare to place your ticket order at 9am PST on December 12th 2012 (Timezone Chart). Please note – we are limiting the party attendees this year, to make for a more exclusive event; some of TORn’s regulars have already had a chance to snag their tickets, so don’t delay! This party will sell out – don’t miss the the boat!
If you know a Middle-earth lover, tickets to The One Expected Party would make an incredible Holiday gift. We guarantee, The One Expected Party will be anything but ‘expected’; this extraordinary event will stay with you for the rest of your life. As Bilbo would put it, ‘This will be a night to remember!’ Find out more at our Party Subsite – and don’t forget, 9am PST December 12th is the time to be ready to order! We look forward to seeing you in Hollywood!
Tomorrow, December 8, many theaters in the U.S. and elsewhere will be hosting Lord of the Rings movie marathons: all three extended editions of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy in one glorious day! If you don’t have your tickets, you can still get them in the U.S. at AMC, Cinemark and Regal cinemas. If you do have your tickets, you’re probably getting ready for the big day. Like you, some of our discussion board members are also going and have been sharing tips and tricks to prepare for, and survive, the big day. Read some of their recommendations below, and share one or two of your own here. (Thanks to member Chopsta123 for getting the ball rolling).
– some caffeine might help if you’re not used to staying up late, but too much caffeine might make you fidgety. (zarabia)
– bring something you can drape on your chair to ‘claim’ it during breaks but you won’t mind losing if some loser steals it. (Magpie)
– a set of earplugs or tissue to periodically stuff in your ears might be useful. You might say, “It would interfere with the experience” (which it does to some extent), but after years of being in control of the volume on the TV to watch them, it was like an assault on my eardrums when the orcs, wargs, and Nazgul showed up in the theatre again (Lissuin)
– plan something to do afterwards to help you process/unwind — like walking under the stars, if you can manage that. It’s like eating a very fine and heavy meal — you need time to digest it when you get up from the table! (weaver)
– be prepared for the theater to be cold. Many are. But layer so you can adapt if it gets too warm. (Magpie)
– bring outside food (of the healthier sort) if your theater allows it. (lyndomiel)
– get up, move around and stretch between films. (zarabia).
– don’t buy the jumbo drinks. Unless you have scenes in the movies that you don’t mind running to the bathroom for. (Magpie)
– don’t snore to loudly as it bothers the Elves! (Kangi Ska)
Longtime partners and friends of TheOneRing.net, Badali Jewelry, have created a limited number of special pins to commemorate the fourth edition of world-wide Line Parties (LP4) to help fans Celebrate the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The pin, in design of Bilbo’s door at Bag End™, reads “I Was There, TORn Line Party 12/14/2012.”
Today, Dec. 31 is the final day these pins will be for sale.
It is cast in solid bronze. It retails for $30 and is only available until December 31 in very limited quantities. Ordering today will likely get the pin in your hands before Line Party events on 12/14/2012. After that, the pin will stand a permanent reminder of participation in a world-wide celebration of Tolkien fandom.
You can order the pins directly from the source at http://www.badalijewelry.com/lineparty.htm and we at TORn want to thank them for years of association, support and friendship. Check the ordering page to see the schedule for delivery by Christmas. Remember, numbers are extremely limited and to wear them for December 14, act today.
Badali also crafted the “good luck” pins from TheOneRing.net to Peter Jackson and his team wore to the Academy Awards and are visible in footage and in photos from that night. Badali holds the license to make jewelry from Tolkien Enterprises, as it has for many years. NOTE: This previously listed the item as gold plated which was an error for which TheOneRing.net apologizes.