Ringer forum member Elf_Wannabe posted a great link to a very interesting Ent-like image originally published on the ‘Coast to Coast AM’ website. If you are not familiar with ‘Coast to Coast,’ it is that often spooky yet entertaining late night/early morning AM radio show where they talk about ghosts/UFOs, etc. The image of a Saguaro Cactus from Queen Valley, Arizona makes you wonder if Ents have cousins in the desert! Check out the full image at the ‘Coast to Coast’ website and then discuss it in our message board community! [Full Cactus Image]
Category: Miscellaneous
Yes, Gandalf is competing in the Olympics. Of course, this ‘Gandalf’ happens to be a 10 year old Grey horse entered in the Equestrian events. New Zealand’s Mark Todd is the rider, one of the most decorated rider’s in Eventing history. You can check out his profile at NBC Olympics.com and then check the stats for where he falls in the competition there as well. [Gandalf’s Profile]
Ringer Diedye has posted another wonderful FLASHBACK in our forum detailing the events that took place in the Tolkien universe between July 27th and August 2nd. This is a weekly feature that Diedye posts in the forum, so if there is ever a time we don’t post it on the homepage of TORn, make sure to check the Main board in our forums. Click on the link below to transported in time!
If you haven’t heard of it yet, you will want to check out the non-profit collaborative short film being produced by writer/director Chris Bouchard – The Hunt for Gollum. Like the name suggests, this short film is a prequel to The Lord Of The Rings, set in Middle Earth and depicts events leading up to the Fellowship of the Ring. The story follows the Heir of Isildur as he sets out to find the creature Gollum. Mr. Bouchard has just released the second trailer for the film which you can checkout at their official website or at YouTube. The film will be released as a FREE download in December 2008. [Official Website] [YouTube Trailer]
Apparently, the current economic shadow affecting real estate may feel like the tentacles of Mordor reaching out across the country. A LOTR themed community in Bend, OR is currently feeling it as this article discusses.
The rise and fall of Bend’s real estate economy has resulted in foreclosure proceedings against The Shire, a village-themed concept in southeast Bend patterned after J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” series.
For more of the story, read The Bend Bulletin
With Academy Award buzz circulating around Health Ledger’s frightening portrayal of The Joker as well as for the movie itself, The Dark Knight is generating all sorts of Oscar talk. A recent USA Today article reviews those topics and happens to credit another genre film that gives The Dark Knight a reason to hope. A section noted:
But through the years, as studios focused on big-budget films, “the Hollywood establishment began turning its nose up to quality movies that happened to have action,” says Steve Mason, columnist for Hollywood.com. “The sentiment became that if it’s fun or funny or escapist entertainment, it can’t be that good. Recognizing Dark Knight would be a significant step to correct that.”
It’s not impossible. In 2004, the academy finally presented a best-picture Oscar to a fantasy film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
“I had a glimmer of hope when Return of the King won; it felt like a victory for our kinds of films,” says Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, which plans its own Oscar campaign for Iron Man and star Robert Downey Jr.
You can read the rest of the story in USA Today.