30th July 2011, Bar Convent, York This summer’s Tolkien Society Seminar will be at York’s historic Bar Convent on the theme of “Tolkien’s Trees” that gives scope for papers on the trees, gardens, woods, forests, and forest dwellers of Middle-earth and elsewhere in Tolkien’s works, and our understandings of them or what they may signify. The Bar Convent is a working convent just 15 minutes walk from York railway station. Lake Evendim Smial will organise Innmoots on the Friday and Saturday evenings and depending on interest we may arrange a tour of York Brewery at 5pm on Friday (£6 for adults); a group meal on Friday evening; a group walk around York on Sunday morning; and/or a group visit to Duncombe Park near Helmsley to see the trees (c. £10). More details will be sent to those who register and any charges for these will be payable on the day. Registration Rates £15.00 members, £18.00 non-members
The cost of places at the seminar includes refreshments on arrival, mid morning and mid afternoon. Lunch is not provided, however the licensed café at the convent will be open and there are many other places where you can eat lunch within a short walk. The seminar itself will start at 10:00 and finish by 17:00. Continue reading “The Tolkien Society Seminar “Tolkien’s Trees””
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“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”
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Orlando Bloom is confident he will appear in The Hobbit.
The 34-year-old actor hopes to reprise his role as archer elf Legolas in the highly anticipated two-part film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. The movies, which will be directed by Lord of the Rings trilogy creator Peter Jackson, have created a flurry of excitement surrounding cast members. Bloom says he would love to return to the fantasy franchise and continue his work alongside the talented director.
“I’m going to bet on it,” he said in an interview with MTV. “But I can’t really talk too much about it at the moment because it’s still sort of in the ether. But I would love to go back to work with Peter Jackson. It would be an honour.”
[Stuff]
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For those of you looking to brush up on your Tolkien knowledge, don’t forget to check out this upcoming online course! Here’s the official release:
J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth and Middle-earth in Context
The Journey Begins Again in May 2011
We are delighted to announce that the UWIC MA online course J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth and Middle-earth in Context will run again during the summer semester, beginning in May 2011. The course has been designed and will be taught by Dr Dimitra Fimi (author of Tolkien, Race and Cultural History: From Fairies to Hobbits, winner of the Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies 2010).
Continue reading “Online Course: J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth and Middle-earth in Context”
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Sean Bean is about to star in what many think is going to be another giant step forward for fantasy in popular culture, much like Peter Jackson’s LOTR films. Based on George R.R. Martin’s series of books, HBO is bringing “A Game of Thrones,” from the printed page to the small screen and they also sent TheOneRing.net some exclusive video from Sunday’s premiere with Sean Bean in action. (Martin recently called the film trilogy his all-time favorite fantasy film and is repeatedly on record praising J.R.R. Tolkien.)
In the first video Bean, as Eddard Stark, verbally spars with the Queen’s brother Jaime Lannister known as the “Kingslayer”.
In the second clip the King arrives with his court to see Stark, the Warden of the North and his family.
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Tolkien biographer Joseph Pearce and artist Jef Murray have collaborated on a new EWTN TV special on J.R.R. Tolkien that will be broadcast this week!. The production will include dozens of Jef’s illustrations of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and it will focus on the Catholicity of Tolkien’s magnum opus. Air dates for the show, which should be accessible worldwide over EWTN and online, are Wednesday, April 6 at 10pm EST, Friday, April 8 at 1pm EST, and Saturday, April 9 at 5am EST. For more information, see the EWTN website . [Click here]
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