We’re all eagerly awaiting The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and just what exactly that magnificent dragon will be like on the big screen has long been a question on our minds.  Of course, we saw quite a lot of Smaug in the Desolation trailer – but it seems like Peter Jackson and his team may have given us a crafty hint about the mighty worm way back at the very beginning of the first Hobbit movie…

Continue reading “Did Peter Jackson give us a clue about Smaug?”

ATLANTA — The 2013 edition of Dragon Con was so vast and so epic that the stories and highlights just keep on coming. While thousands flocked to Atlanta to catch 28 unique Tolkien programming panels, many others just couldn’t attend. So, in order to share the event as widely as possible (and encourage you to attend next year) we brought filmmaker Dan McBride with us this year to run a one man film crew. He recorded many hours of footage and has winnowed it down to a few highlight videos, the first of which is a 10-minute overall big picture view of parts of the Tolkien Track, featured below. It stars Dragon Con’s guests at the event: Manu Bennett, Slyvester McCoy, William Kircher and Graham McTavish. (You can also catch a glimpse of TORn staffers Deej, greendragon, MrCere and Thor.) Enjoy and share the video and look for more in upcoming days including highlights from the already legendary ’80s Dance Party! McBride will hopefully return next year and just imagine what he could do with lights and a crew!

deagolTheOneRing.net readers will remember actor Thomas Robins as Deagol, from that wonderful scene with Andy Serkis at the opening of The Return of the King; and some sharper-eyed viewers may also have spotted him (under heavy prosthetics!) as Young Thrain, in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  What you may not know is that New Zealander Robins also works as a producer and director, and TORn recently had a chance to chat to him about his latest project.  It’s an intriguing one, for sure, and involves combining New Zealand film makers with the nascent movie industry in Laos!  Staffer greendragon talked to Robins to find out more, and of course to ask him about time spent in Middle-earth!  Read the full interview – and find out how you can get involved with Robins’ new movie project – after the break.

Continue reading “Actor Thomas Robins (Deagol and Young Thrain) talks to TORn”

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIn just one week, the LA TORn staff will be hosting our annual Baggins Birthday Bash to help celebrate the shared birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. In recent years, the tradition of Sept. 22 as ‘Hobbit Day’ has spread to Tolkien fan groups around the world, and there are a variety of ways to celebrate. Some cook up Hobbity feasts, others do readings from the books or movie viewing parties, while some focus on Tolkien inspired games, contests or costuming. Here in LA, we’ve combined all these events and more, then added some prizes and mathoms to create one of the signature Tolkien fan events in the area. It all comes down to good food, fine Fellowship and lots of geeky Tolkien fun for ALL ages, so please come on down and get ready to have fun. The party will start at Noon on Sunday, Sept. 22 in Griffith Park, but in a new location, so please read the directions listed in the  Facebook Event page  and to RSVP your attendance. This is a potluck event, so check the party description for a list of items being brought and items needed. If you are unable to see the Event page or don’t do Facebook, just email me at Garfeimao@theonering.net to RSVP and I’ll get you the appropriate directions.