TORN  Cruise Garfeimao writes: I received a rather intriguing email a few weeks ago from someone at WETA. They simply asked for details of when and where the Cruise to Middle-earth took place. When I confirmed that the cruise would have a full day in Wellington, they invited our group for a little visit. When I asked “what do you have in mind?”, the below itinerary is what came out of this discussion. Continue reading “TORN Cruise now has Extra WETA Coolness!”

Dark Council DioramaCollectors can look forward to a pretty realistic looking diorama coming soon from Sideshow Collectibles titled “‘Dark Council’ – Theoden and Grima Wormtongue.” From the looks of the piece, the sculptors have perfectly captured the likeness of Brad Dourif as Grima and Bernard Hill as the possessed Theoden. If Sideshow follows their regular schedule, we can expect this item to pre-order next week around 6pm PT. And if you are a Cate Blanchett fan, check out the Sideshow/Weta Polystone Statue of Galadriel, now listed at 35% OFF. [Dark Council Diorama] [The Lady Galadriel Statue]

Mt Ruapehu Volcanic activity at Mount Ruapehu is increasing and an eruption could occur at any time, scientists warned on Tuesday. The volcano, famed as a location in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, last erupted on September 25 2007, spitting two metre boulders distances of up to two kilometres. Ruapehu’s elevated alert level has not been changed, but scientists said on Tuesday that activity within the mountain was greater, with high levels of gas spewing out, a warmer than average crater lake and ongoing volcanic tremors. “The volcano remains in a status of unrest and the possibility of further activity remains. If further eruptions occur, they may occur without warning,” Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS) said in a statement.

Liv Tyler Liv Tyler is slated to be a guest on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ on May 23rd. She will be there to promote her latest films ‘The Incredible Hulk’ and ‘The Strangers’. ‘The Tonight Show’ airs on CBS at 11:35PM. Set those TiVos!

viggomortenson.jpg From icelandreview.com: Reykjavík Museum of Photography proudly presents the exhibition “Skovbo” by Viggo Mortensen. It is not surprising that many people would rather connect the name of this multi-talented artist with acting than photography. He has been very successful as a movie star and was recently nominated for the Oscars Academy Awards. Viggo Mortensen Exhibition in Reykjavík

ROTK PosterTheir movies are both part of a New Line retrospective put together by Rotten Tomatoes of their 25 favorite New Line offerings:

“New Line Cinema: Thanks for giving us a great horror icon, for helping subversive filmmakers bubble up to the mainstream, and for getting some beloved fantasy books the big-screen treatment they deserved. Today, Rotten Tomatoes celebrates four decades of independent existence (they’re now part of WB) by proffering our 25 studio favorites.”

So, in a contest between Aragorn and Freddie, guess who wins? Thanks to Anna for the link. Read More