The Road to DragonCon team is frolicking around the mountains of Colorado today on their way to the first fan meet-up in Denver. Details on that in a little bit! First a bit of a recap from yesterday.
Justin, Doug and Ryan woke up in the rain at Lake Powell, Utah – allowing them only 4 hours of sleep that night. Rain in the desert is not as uncommon as one might think! They made their way to a local Denny’s where the manager and waitress gave them the all-star treatment.
Over on Yahoo!, writer Daniel Wood is pining for some of Lord of the Rings key — and minor — characters to reprise their roles somewhere in The Hobbit. Even if it’s just a small cameo.
Now, we know for a fact that most of this wishlist is either unlikely, or downright just not going to happen. But, that being said, in your ideal rendition of The Hobbit, who would you have returning, and why?
We’re almost at the second film in ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy and ‘Desolation of Smaug’ will mark the return of Legolas to add to the growing list of returning characters such as Galadriel, and Gandalf. But who else from Lord of the Rings should return?
Aragorn
I thought I’d get Aragorn out of the way first. Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn has become somewhat of a major cult icon thanks to his role as Aragorn and when rumours that he’d be making a cameo in ‘The Hobbit’ began to surface everyone, myself included started getting a little excited. However Viggo shot those rumours down by saying that it didn’t make sense for him to return. However Jackson is bridging the gap between ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ using extra source material from Tolkien’s writing, therefore there are one or two scenes that Aragorn could return for in order to ease the transition from ‘The Hobbit’ to ‘Lord of the Rings’. I’m still holding out hope that Aragorn will in fact be making an appearance.
Gimli
Gimli’s father Gloin is one of the dwarves in Bilbo Baggin’s group that is trying to reclaim Erebor. Gimli also would have been alive during the events of the Hobbit, so if they’re going to include Legolas in ‘Desolation of Smaug’ why not include Gimli. I’m thinking a little scene at the end where Thranduil (Legolas’ father) and Gloin meet alongside their prospective children, hinting at the bromance that is to come in ‘Lord of the Rings’. It’s not necessarily canonical, but it’ll be a nice little precursor. If this were to happen though, the role of Gimli would need to be recast.
Thanks to Ringer Nienna for the heads-up on this little BBC feature about the starring role that New Zealand’s landscapes play in many of its films.
If a country could be eligible for a best actor award, New Zealand could be in the running for every gong going, with its contrasting moods showcased most recently in The Hobbit and Top Of The Lake. Is the scenery more than just a dramatic backdrop?
“Sinister… the heart of a demon” – the Guardian
“Majestic menace” – Slate
“Bleak, forbidding or just plain murderous” – Daily Mail
“Unspoiled and unruly” – Variety
These are not reviews of an actor’s performance in the BBC Two mystery Top of the Lake – well, not any of the human actors – but the part played by the landscape. “The geography is really another brooding character,” says the Australian in its review, praising its “angularities, shadows and dark moods”.
It’s not the first time New Zealand’s scenery has muscled its way into reviews and water-cooler conversations. The same happened with Peter Jackson’s Tolkien trilogies – first Lord of the Rings and now The Hobbit – in which the country’s dramatic terrain itself “plays the mythical world of Middle-earth” according to the New Zealand Tourism website.
An eagle-eyed reader let us know the other day about a very cool-looking art print of Gandalf the Grey called A Journey in the Dark.
This art print, inspired by The Fellowship of the Ring, captures the moment when Gandalf is trying to recall the right direction through Moria. The artist, Madison Gregory, offers a range of art prints from different movie franchises. Fans can get this print in sizes ranging from 4.5″ x 10″ to 21″ x 42″ with prices between $100 and $400. Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – A Journey in the Dark Art Print”
Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies, will soon be awarded the International Broadcasting Convention’s (IBC) highest honor in recognition of his work “fostering the relationship between technology and creativity” in the film industry. Continue reading “Jackson may show 48fps 3D Hobbit clips at IBC awards”
As many of you may know when we did our magazine for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey we took submissions from collectors around the world. A few of these ended up appearing in the magazine allowing people all over the world to see some of what you’ve taken time show off your love for Middle-earth. Recently, I was able to finally able to set up my collection and be able to really appreciate many of the pieces I’ve managed to add. Thankfully the room my stuff in now is large enough to show off everything I’ve got with room to spare for new items from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Even if I’m still getting items out of storage to show off. This collection through ups and downs (selling items) started back in 2003 and continues on for a while. It’s my way of allowing people see what Middle-earth means to me and explain why they’re missing out on such a great universe. I hope you enjoy taking a peek into my collection and what it looks like after its been reviewed.
Over on Yahoo!, writer Daniel Wood is pining for some of Lord of the Rings key — and minor — characters to reprise their roles somewhere in The Hobbit. Even if it’s just a small cameo.
Thanks to Ringer Nienna for the heads-up on this little BBC feature about the starring role that New Zealand’s landscapes play in many of its films. 
