“What business does an Elf, a Ranger and a Ninja have in the Riddermark? – Speak quickly!” Is this a play on the famous meeting of Ẻomer and Aragon or in fact a question that rings out a connection that has never been looked at before? Is there a connection between an Elf, a Ranger of the North and the historical Ninja of feudal Japan? Indeed there is, more than most people realise.
When looking at Tolkien’s view of an Elf, especially in The Children of Húrin, we see the Elf as a silent scout, a “man” who treads where others can not and goes unseen by all, creeping, hiding and being invisible. But then so is a Ranger, Legolas and Strider are companions of skill and share their ability to journey unseen, to the comic underplay of the “clunking dwarf”. Thus, enter the Ninja! First, forget anything you know, ignore the figures screaming in black as they jump through screens and get cut down by the heroic Samurai, this is all media misunderstanding, the real and very historical Ninja of Japan were the real life Elves and Rangers of the East.
Continue reading “Guest Article: Elves, Rangers and The Ninja”
Peter Jackson, along with Guillermo del Toro, James Cameron and other Hollywood heavy-hitters, has signed a petition protesting the ‘Premium Video On Demand’ plans of studios and cable providers. In the proposed plan (Actually already in place on my DirecTV) consumers will be able to download and watch hi-res versions of films a mere 60 days after their release in theaters. The normal timeframe for DVD release is 120 days. The petitioners forsee many issues as a result of continuing this plan: cannibalization of theatrical revenue; theater closure; the death of small budget films; an increase in piracy. Click ‘continue reading’ for the complete release and list of signees. (Thanks to Ringer Irfon for the heads up)
Looking to snag tickets to The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Extended Edition event taking place this June in a theater near you? While tickets are not officially published until Friday, we’ve managed to secure you a 
Welcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. If you’ve fallen behind on what’s happening on the Message Boards, here’s a great way to catch the highlights. Or if you’re new to TORn and want to enjoy some great conversations, just follow the links to some of our most popular discussions. Watch this space as every weekend we will spotlight the most popular buzz on TORn’s Message Boards. Everyone is welcome, so come on in and join in the fun!