‘…There are Orcs, very many of them,’ he (Gandalf) said. `And some are large and evil: black Uruks of Mordor. For the moment they are hanging back, but there is something else there. A great cave-troll, I think, or more than one. There is no hope of escape that way…’
I think back on my relatively young life and can fondly recall a few events that I would consider highlights: My marriage to my beautiful wife; the birth of our daughter; TheOneRing.net Oscar Parties from 2002-2004; Finding my dream job with Sideshow; and that time I got to see 26 minutes of The Fellowship of the Ring at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001. As you can read in my original report, I was blown away by the revelation of Peter Jackson’s vision of The Lord of the Rings on the big screen, especially when it came to the infamous Mines of Moria. Sure it was different from the books, but visual execution seemed to transmit my own visions of Middle-earth and put them on the big screen. So many years later, it is now my privilege to relive some of that sequence through the ‘Mines of Moria’ LEGO® Set, now available at most retailers.
As a preface to my review, I need to remind you all that I am not a LEGO® Set expert. My first experience with LEGO® Sets in many years was building the ‘Shelob Attacks‘ set I reviewed last month. So if I get some terminology wrong, please don’t hold it against me :P.
There are a few obvious differences between the ‘Shelob Attacks’ LEGO® Set and ‘The Mines of Moria.’ First, and most obvious, is that the set is much larger and more complex. Whether it is the ‘action’ elements in the gate and right side piece, or it is adding the detailing stickers just in the right place, you will find this set takes anywhere from 3-4 hours to piece together. Let me say…that is not a bad thing! I’m quickly finding myself addicted to the enjoyment and plain old fun of LEGO® Sets again! (After the break I’ve got 84 pictures of the set!)
Continue reading “Product Review: ‘Mines of Moria’ LEGO® Set”
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A treat for all you Billy Boyd fans out there; we reported back in March that Beecake, the band of which Boyd is a part, were set to release a new EP this June. That EP, ‘Please Stay’, is available now for digital download, from iTunes and (title track only, it seems) from Amazon. You can find more details at Grammy or at Beecake’s own website. And – there is a fabulous video to go with the title track! For Pippin-lovers and lovers of good music – enjoy:
Many thanks to Michael J Ferns, who directed the music video, for letting us know about it.
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Season 2 of Hollywood Treasure opened with a segment sure to spark the interest of Tolkien and Lord of the Ring fans. Actor Sean Astin, commonly known as Samwise Gamgee around these parts, was treated to a viewing of one of only three original maps of Middle Earth, illustrated by Pauline Baynes who was commissioned to do all of the artwork for the book’s first publication. In a bit of quid pro quo Sean returns with some of his cherished mementos from the shoot including his elven broach and Sam’s pack. The episode is available to watch on Hulu as well at SYFY.com’s site. (and also after the break) If you were wondering – Hollywood Treasure boss Joe thinks the original map will go to auction later in 2012 and should fetch something in the neighborhood of US$30,000 to US$50,000. Don’t forget you can follow Sean on Twitter . Our thanks to Spy elswifto for the heads up. [Hollywood Treasure]
Continue reading “Sean Astin Shares Some of His Hollywood Treasures”
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George Stromboulopoulos has Dominic Monaghan, Merry in “Lord of the Rings,” for a sit down. He has a nicely produced and abbreviated bio followed by lots of talk about his latest film, “The Day.” As you might expect, they also talk some rings and “Lost.” LOTR talk starts at about the 6:30 mark but the whole interview is excellent. Enjoy and if you leave comments on the YouTube page, tell them TheOneRing sent you and thanks to SushiKing for the heads up.
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Living legend Sir Christopher Lee was born in Belgravia, Westminster, England on May 27th 1922 – making him exactly 90 years old today. We all know his work as Saruman in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films, but did you know Sir Lee holds the world record for most film acting roles ever – a whopping 275 films! (and he just keeps going) We at TheOneRing.net would like to offer a good pint of well-earned ale as a toast to a true master of his craft! A better portrayal of Saruman there will never be! Cheers!
And for a great read, including some wonderful LOTR related trivia, check the 90 reasons Christopher Lee is awesome at MovieFone.com. [Read on]
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The WBShop.com is celebrating graduates and fathers with their ‘Dads and Grads Sale.’ The sale is quite extensive, featuring: $5 OFF the catalog of The Lord of the Rings (and Hobbit!) shirts, $5 OFF LOTR iPhone cases, 20% OFF LOTR keepsake boxes, 10% OFF LOTR jewelry, 50% OFF Blu-Ray, and 20% off canvas prints. Yup – sounds like a great time to build your LOTR collection. These specials are only available for a limited time, so we suggest checking out asap! [WBShop.com Dads and Grads Sale] [LOTR Shirts] [Official Hobbit Shirt]
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