With Academy Award buzz circulating around Health Ledger’s frightening portrayal of The Joker as well as for the movie itself, The Dark Knight is generating all sorts of Oscar talk. A recent USA Today article reviews those topics and happens to credit another genre film that gives The Dark Knight a reason to hope. A section noted:
But through the years, as studios focused on big-budget films, “the Hollywood establishment began turning its nose up to quality movies that happened to have action,” says Steve Mason, columnist for Hollywood.com. “The sentiment became that if it’s fun or funny or escapist entertainment, it can’t be that good. Recognizing Dark Knight would be a significant step to correct that.”
It’s not impossible. In 2004, the academy finally presented a best-picture Oscar to a fantasy film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
“I had a glimmer of hope when Return of the King won; it felt like a victory for our kinds of films,” says Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, which plans its own Oscar campaign for Iron Man and star Robert Downey Jr.
You can read the rest of the story in USA Today.
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1900
June – Mabel Suffield Tolkien converts to Catholicism, which shocks both the Unitarian Suffields and the Baptist Tolkiens. Despite being familially estranged and financially cut off due to this decision, she remains undeterred and begins her sons’ instruction in the Catholic faith, one that becomes especially deep-rooted in Ronald for his entire life.
1915
June 29 – At his army physical, Tolkien declares that he has never suffered from any serious illness or injury. Continue reading “June 29th-July 1st Flashback!”
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This week’s LOTR movie news is kinda sparse, so I thought I’d add in some Tolkien stuff. I tried to concentrate on mostly on things related to LOTR, with a smattering of some personal (but public) info on Tolkien & family. Continue reading “Tolkien Flashback – June 14th-June 20th”
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Ringer Diedye points us to a Telegraph.co.uk story about Play.com’s top 50 Novels of all time. The top 5 are as follows:
1. To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
2. Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
3. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S Lewis
4. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
5. The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
For the complete article, check out the Telegraph Online. [Full List]
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Associate Professor of English, LeiLani Hinds, has been teaching Tolkien for a while now but for the first time there will be a chance for those outside of Honolulu to participate, having a chance to earn 3 credits of transfer-level college credit, writing intensive, for taking “English 257L J. R. R. Tolkien. Just as when Hinds first started her course, she is asking TheOneRing.net to spread the word. Read the full text of her letter after the link. Continue reading “Honolulu CC offers expanded Tolkien knowledge”
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Reuters Life! reports: When it comes to literary pursuits in the United States most people agree on at least one thing — the most popular book is the Bible, according to a new survey. It came in first in a Harris Poll of nearly 2,513 adults but the second choice in the survey was not as clear cut. “While the Bible is number one among each of the different demographic groups, there is a large difference in the number two favorite book,” Harris said in a statement announcing the results. Men chose J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and women selected Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone With the Wind” as their second-favorite book, according to the online poll. Thanks to message board member Ainu Laire for the tip! Read More
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