Susanne writes: For UK- based Ringers worth catching on BBC iPlayer, Merlin – The legend – “A look at the mythical roots in art and literature of Merlin – magician, hero and historical mystery. Merlin is the archetypal wizard, Welsh and Celtic in origin but with connections across the water in Cornwall and middle Europe, and, of course, the Arthurian legends. Clearly, Merlin is the distant relative of Dumbledore and all those weird and wonderful wizards in literature.”
Two excellent segments by Alan Lee – one on drawing Merlin and a second, longer one on Merlin as an inspiration for Gandalf including a “tour” of the prop Gandalf staff with which he was presented at the end of LOTR filming. Otherwise a great programme overall with a mixture of history, literature and contemorary firm – highly recommended. www.bbc.co.uk
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Or the Ins and Outs of Tolkien Fandom
John Howe writes: Meeting Tolkien fans is invariably an engaging experience – occasionally delightful, sometimes moving, often a little scary – but never ordinary.
It’s not that they form an always identifiable body, like Trekkies – who I find a little frightening – I mean, to lavish such attention on costumes that look like something Yves Saint-Laurent binned as a bad idea in the 70’s is beyond me, and do we REALLY need more than one Mr. Spock ? – or the exuberant kaleidoscope of Star Wars fans. Tolkien fans come in many shapes, sizes and disguises, from über-serious comma-counters to elegant and flighty Elves. (I’ve just learned that there is debate amongst Star Trek fans as to the correct denomination; “Trekkers” being apparently preferred by those “Trekkies” who “have a life”. Why do I find this deeply perturbing?) Continue reading “John Howe’s Journal: Many Meetings”
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The folks from Houghton Mifflin sent us along review copies of ‘The Children of Hurin’ paperback and the reprinted edition of ‘Tales from a Perilous Realm’, now featuring artwork by Alan Lee! Continue reading “This Just In: ‘Hurin’ Paperback & ‘Realm’ Reprint!”
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Guillermo Del Toro was recently in New York City as part of the New Yorker Festival and our good pal Anthony Moody from Indalo Productions caught up with him to talk all things Hobbit!
Guillermo talks about gathering his LOTR team together, working with John How, Alan Lee and Howard Shore, his own Hobbit art, and the million and one projects he’s been connected to recently! Continue reading “Del Toro Interview Part 3: “I Love New Zealand!””
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Howard Leslie Shore (born October 18, 1946) is an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winning Canadian composer, orchestrator, conductor and music producer best known for composing the scores for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, the score for The Silence of the Lambs, and for the films of David Cronenberg. He is also a prolific composer of concert works; his first opera, The Fly, based on the plot (though not the score) of Cronenberg’s 1986 film premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on 2 July 2008. An original organ piece will debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra for the John Wanamaker organ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania entitled Fanfare on 27 September 2008. He is the uncle of composer Ryan Shore. Visit howardshore.com for his official website.
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Or a Few Words From Someone Else About Dragons
Forging Dragons will be out towards the end of the month. Here’s the preface, with the kind permission of the editor, so you won’t need to read it on the way to the checkout.
“SVNT DRACONES”
In the original draft of “Pan’s Labyrinth” – and all the way into production – the centerpiece of the fairy tale told by Ophelia (the film’s main character) to her unborn brother was a striking image: A Black, horned Dragon, fused with a flint stone mountain, surrounded with thorns. And, at the peak of the mountain, a delicate blue rose that concedes immortality to whomever would dare pluck it.
But so fierce was the Dragon (whom I called “Varanium Silex”) that men preferred to avoid pain than to gain eternal life. The fable was pertinent to the very core of the film’s message but, instrumental as it was, the Dragon had to be dropped out of the sequence. Money, resources and lack of time conspired to seal that fate… John Howe’s Journal: FORGING (MORE) DRAGONS
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