We at TORn, and on behalf of EA Games, would like to thank all the writers who entered this writing contest. We had entries from all over the world who eagerly put words to their thoughts and imaginations and sent us some outstanding entries. It was the sheer quantity and quality of these entries that caused us to delay announcing the winners, but we are now ready to do so. And don’t forget to check out EA Games latest venture into the world of the Lord of the Rings – The Battle for Middle-earth II, in stores now! Winners will be contacted via email in the next few days. [Winners] [Battle for Middle-earth II]

Isembard Took writes: I just wanted to let you know in case you want to post it in the Shop section of the site for fans that haven’t already bought them that the FOTR and TTT Platinum Series Special Extended Edition Collector’s Gift Sets are on sale for the rock-bottom price of $20.99 each at Amazon.com. The ROTK one is still $63.99 unfortunately.

FOTR Platinum Series Special Extended Edition Collector’s Gift Set

TTT Platinum Series Special Extended Edition Collector’s Gift Set

Rick writes: I wanted to inform you good folks that there is a new academic book soon to debut, entitled: ‘Lord of the Rings : Popular Culture in Global Context’. I am an academic librarian at the University of Guam library, and found this listing in a new books catalog. Though academic in its underpinnings, it has the kind of interest and appeal that would make it very good for most readers, particularly older ones. [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The box-office performance of Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” wasn’t as chest-thumping as many expected. But to be fair, $217 million isn’t terrible, nor was the $520 million worldwide take. Moreover, the film was well received by critics, nominated for four Oscars and won three: visual effects, sound and sound editing. Those three aspects of filmmaking are represented on the new two-disc special edition DVD coming out Tuesday (a single disc version also is available). The features include post-production diaries that bookend the previously released production diaries of “Kong.” They are an unusual inside look on the minutiae that goes into even the biggest of movies. [More]

Set in the 1930s, this is the story of a young and beautiful actress Ann Darrow from the world of vaudeville who finds herself lost in depression-era New York and her luck changes when she meets an over-ambitious filmmaker Carl Denham who brings her on an exploratory expedition to a remote island where she finds compassion and the true meaning of humanity with an ape Kong. The beauty and the beast finally meet their fate back in the city of New York where the filmmaker takes and displays the ape in quest of his fame by commercial exploitation which ultimately leads to catastrophe for everyone including a playwright Jack Driscoll who falls in love with Ann and plays an unlikely hero by trying to save her from Kong and her destiny. [Order on Amazon]