In the wake of THE HOBBIT 10-minute presentation at CinemaCon last week, fans’ excitement/ nerves/ energy level has grown apace!  On top of that, a remarkable team of Hollywood talent has created a parody film of the LOTR Trilogy, to satisfy one of the longest-running “friendly rivalries” in the history of anime (a somewhat related field of fandom). Ringers just recently got their first look at the mini-epic “The Todd of the Rings,” available exclusively on YouTube.  We are quite thrilled to be joined *live* by voiceover star VIC MIGNOGNA (“Fullmetal Alchemist” & “Naruto”) to discuss the creation of his special parody on today’s webcast TORn TUESDAY, hosted by Clifford Broadway (Quickbeam).  The role of Gandalf was coincidentally played by your humble host, and many award-winning costumes were donated by Tolkien fans from across the country for the making of this comedic tour-de-force!  Come join our live chat show and be part of the fun, Vic is eager to answer fans’ questions.  As always, you can participate starting at 5:00pm PDT — There’s a built-in Barliman’s chat room or come in via Skype in TheOneRing.net’s Stickam page. Check out our LIVE Event section right here every week! [LIVE Event Area] (See All Times)

Anime fans are already in-the-know, but now Ringer fans have gotten their first look at a funny, impressively detailed parody of The Lord of the  Rings Trilogy!  Animation voiceover star Vic Mignogna, familiar from shows like FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, DRAGON BALL Z, BLEACH and NARUTO, has been playfully embroiled in a video tribute challenge with fellow voice actor and friend Todd Haberkorn.  The resulting comedy videos between them have become progressively more detailed and complex (and hysterical).  This newly forged “Rings” parody looks amazing; and features a familiar personality from TheOneRing.net.  Our very own Clifford Broadway (Quickbeam), host of the weekly webcast TORn TUESDAY, plays Gandalf the Grey!  This playful mini-epic was presented at Anime Central just a few days ago in Chicago, and showcases some epic talent both in front of and behind the camera! Ringer friend Nicole Roberts (recent WETA contest winner) helped secure a bevy of prize-winning costumes for this parody ‘Fellowship.’  What was the genesis of this remarkable 23-minute parody?  Mignogna states: “What started out as a simple tribute video rivalry among friends, has ultimately culminated in this epic production.”  Filled with anime in-jokes and high end production value, this “Todd of the Rings” is the send-up to rule them all.  View it exclusively on YouTube here.

DID WE SAY MASSIVE SPOILERS?! Yes, we did, so before reading further know that everything revealed to me will be revealed to you! Tuesday’s unspooling of 10 minutes of THE HOBBIT at CinemaCon took the place quite by surprise and should be considered a special moment in the history of cinema — where the first public audience witnessed a new future for movies, so brace yourself.  I will interpret everything I saw and how it matches up with Tolkien’s universe … there are SO MANY cool and revealing things we can now expect in the first film alone! Let’s explore the veracity of Peter Jackson’s adaptation with hasty vigor. There is also the matter of the 48 frames-per-second format and the blogosphere’s mixed reaction to the look of the new technology, so read on …

Continue reading “Hobbit Footage Review & MASSIVE SPOILERS: Full Coverage & Analysis!”

Welcome to this months “Getting to know…” questions that need answering.

Julie and her daughter at Queenstown Feb 2012
Julie and her daughter at Queenstown Feb 2012 Tour

It’s based on the old Getting to know you threads that I used to post on the message boards here on TORn, so those familiar with them will know that the questions can be a little crazy and the answers even crazier.

This month we’re asking questions of Red Carpet Tours Julie James.

Continue reading “Getting to know Julie James of Red Carpet Tours”