“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.
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.”
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 courseJ.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).
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.
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]
J.W. Braun is back with another book review. This month, Braun reviews a biography of J.R.R. Tolkien and shares a bit of LOTR movie trivia that might surprise you!
“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.
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 . [