I just got back from the FSF convention in Sydney that had three LOTR guests–John Rhys-Davies, John Noble and Noel Appleby (Proudfoot). It was a great event. Here’s a report on their talks:
Noel Appleby was the first to speak–his first talk. He was great. He talked about how he was happy to be here and how it had come about when he went up to Auckland earlier in the year for the Armageddon convention to get John Rhys-Davies’ autograph (he paid and stood in line and everything!). On the subject of Peter Jackson, he said “if ever a man knew what he was doing…” then he talked a bit about his role in the Navigator, which I hadn’t seen.
Then it was John Noble’s turn to speak. He did the entire 45 minute session as Q &A. Overall it was great:very entertaining, informative and him just having a good time. LOTR things of note:
-the EE scene where Denethor falls down was filmed 17 times! He had quite a large bruise by the end.
-in LA when he saw the movie, the audience cheered two times when Denethor got hurt
-ROTK EE will be 50% better than the theatrical–you have the complete storylines
-in response to a question, he talked a lot about the scene where he dismisses Faramir. He said by that point he knew what Denethor was about and it wasn’t hard to be so cold to Faramir. He told us to think about it in simple terms. You’re having this big domestic argument and suddenly you get that question. What else are you going to say? And to look at Denethor as a human being–the leader of the free world, he’s lost everything, he’s lost one of his sons, he knows they are going to be overun, etc… the last thing he wants is to have a “petty argument” with his son.
-he hadn’t read the books when he auditioned, he read them when he got the callback.
-He also auditioned for Saruman, but wasn’t tall enough! Then he read on the internet that Chris Lee got Saruman and thought “well, I can’t complain”. Then he read that Donald Sutherland got Denethor, and well, that didn’t happen.
-the subject of the lack of palantir was brought up. Very interesting response. He says that Denethor doesn’t need the palantir to instigate his demise. And in fimmaking terms, it doesn’t make sense to introduce Denethor that way. Filming the palantir bit was never even discussed and he’s glad it wasn’t done. It wouldn’t add much at all.
-he related the story about when Billy first sang the song. There were about 200 people on set when Billy sang it as rehearsal and within 5 seconds you could hear a pin drop. By the end John was in tears, he said it was very magical. He called that whole sequence (the song intercut with the charge) one of the finest pieces of cinema.
-his latest project is a film shot in the Czech republic where he plays a big Russian guy-“the most unlikable character ever met”. He got to die and do all sorts of stunts and loved it.
After a short break it was John Rhys-Davies’ turn to speak. He started out by saying “no, I don’t have Orlando’s number. But if I did, I would give it to you.”
-Indiana Jones info: theoretically they will be making a new IJ movie next year and it will be the best of them
-his favorite character is always the next one, though Gimli is written in pain on his heart
-his next movie is called “One with the King” and is shooting in India next month.
-he related the story about how he remembers standing halfway up a mountain watching people bring up his costume in parts and then having to run with it on.
-a great quote about not being able to film one night in Queenstown (I think) “the lake is under water”
-lots of talk on directing and what makes a good director and a great director (PJ)
-a person asked about the poll on TORN for who was the cutest guy and did he care to comment on Gimli coming in at 0.3%, same as Theoden, Elrond and Wormtongue. Response: “if I had pointy ears and a long blond wig I’d have come out of it better”
-in response to a question about the “canoe incident in FOTR”: while training, the boat with him and Orlando capsized. “the ungracious little pointy-eared blond person of no significant stature, I name no names, Orlando, pointed at the dwarf and said ‘it wasn’t me, it was the dwarf.’ the dwarf said nothing due to his magnanimous personality.” Several months later the elf was in a canoe with someone else and it capsized. Only this time there was no dwarf to blame!
-he ended by saing that the whole thing was a con. He came because he wanted to meet us. He said it’s easy for an actor to get lost and forget who their audience is.
Robin writes: Attached is the newspaper article in yesterday’s Long Beach Press Telegram about Bruce Hopkin’s visit and wonderful day at Grant Elementary School in Long Beach, and a few photos. Note the handsigning one, Bruce signed arms and hands of one whole class consisting of 20 students who said they will never wash their arms again! The students loved him and cheered and applauded throughout his talk, especially during his famous juggling routine. Many, many thanks to Bruce for taking the time to do this.
‘Rings’ star visits L.B.
Wednesday, September 08, 2004 – Bruce Hopkins, the man who played King Theoden’s trusted adviser Gamling in the final two “Lord of the Rings” movies, was greeted with applause Wednesday when he visited about 200 students at Grant Elementary School.
But Hopkins channeled that praise to Joseph Amado, 9, a Grant fourth-grader who enthusiastically read the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy twice when the movies came out.
Amado, who was a bit embarrassed by the attention, said reading is something he happens to enjoy.
“It’s educational. You can learn about a lot about things. And it’s really fun, too,” the student said. “But it’s not every day you see a famous person.”
For Hopkins, however, reading is something to be celebrated.
“To read the ‘Lord of the Rings’ twice, at his age, is phenomenal,” Hopkins said.
Hopkins, as a favor to Robin Harmon, school volunteer and trilogy fan, stopped by Grant to show movie clips, answer the students’ movie questions, give away posters and trading cards and promote literacy.
Vicina Jordan, a third-grade teacher at Grant, said Hopkins’ visit helped encourage her 20 students to pick up a book.
“It gets them excited about the literature and reading,” she said. “They can visualize the story when they’re reading it.”
Hopkins has been involved in Operation Read, a literacy program spearheaded in 1999 by Los County Supervisor Don Knabe and developed by a task force of county departments that included library, probation and juvenile courts.
The county teamed up with actors from “Lord of the Rings,” including Hopkins, and used the movies as an incentive to read the books.
Children read the books and wrote essays about the texts’ underlying themes. As a reward, students got to view a world-premiere screening of the movies at Norwalk Cinemas when they came out. About 1,000 students participated in the program.
By the time the third movie, “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,” came out, more than 12,000 students over a three-day period went to watch the film in Norwalk.
The question of questions. The question sages have pondered for decades. The question that has overturned book club meetings and caused riots on message boards. The Question of the Ages. No, it’s not ‘What’s the Meaning of Life, the Universe and Everything?’. Nor is it ‘Who shot JR?’. It’s not even ‘Where’s the beef?’. Instead, we are going to ponder the imponderable, ask the unanswerable, seek that which has eluded both the wise and the extremely geeky: Who is the greatest Hero of Middle-earth?
Do you have the answer? An opinion? A suggestion? Are you firmly in the camp of the Aragorn-ites or the Frodo-ians? Do you vacillate between the students of Gandalf and the worshippers of Pippin? Do your tastes tend toward the earthy- as in Eowyn, or the sublime- as in Galadriel? (yes, women CAN be heroes too!) Perhaps you look deeper into Middle-earth’s long history toward heroes such as Beren, Turin, Hurin or Elendil. Or do you just go for the bizarre and take Gollum or Sauron for you role-model?
Wherever your affections and loyalties lie, you will have the chance to explore, expand, and expound on the merits of each this week in #thehalloffire as we discuss Middle-earth’s Greatest Hero. But be prepared to back up your assertions, because this is going to be one heck of a debate!
=== Upcoming topics:
Sept 18-19: The Hobbit: Chapter 14: Fire and Water Sept 25-26: The Downfall of Numenor Oct 2-3: The Hobbit: Chapter 15: The Gathering of the Clouds
=== Place:
#thehalloffire on theonering.net IRC server. Need instructions? Go here: http://www.theonering.net/barlimans/instructions.html
=== Chat Times:
Saturday Chat:
5:30pm EST (17:30) [also 11:30pm (23:30) CET and 7:30am Sunday morning AEST]
Sunday Chat: 8:00 pm (20:00) CET [also 2:00pm (14:00) EST and 4:00am Monday morning AEST]
EST = Eastern Time, USA’s East Coast CET = Central European Time, Central Europe AEST = Australian East Coast
Altaira writes: Goldilocks Took, a regular on the TORN message boards, took first place in the amateur division of the Dragon*Con 2004 Art Show this past weekend. Goldilocks’ watercolor “Iorhael (Frodo)” was selected by a panel of judges out of over 200 entries.
Goldilocks found TORN a few years ago while recovering from a severe arm injury. “I was blown away by the talent here… art, poetry, essays, parodies, all this love of Tolkien expressed in so many mediums.” As her arm healed, Goldilocks picked up her brush again and gradually began sharing her drawings on the message boards. She received so much encouragement she entered the Dragon*Con Art Show for the first time in 2003. Her efforts were rewarded this year when a group of friends from TORN attending the Con ceremoniously ushered her to the exhibit where the First Place blue ribbon was gracing the corner of her watercolor.
“I thought I would faint when I saw the ribbon,” said Goldilocks. “All of your support has meant more than you can know. It has given me courage to put my heart out there on the canvas.”
ROCKERS ‘WORLD WITHOUT SUNDAYS’ GIVE RANKIN/BASS SONG EXTREME MAKE-OVER FOR DOCUMENTARY FEATURE RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA — TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2004 — Los Angeles-based quartet World Without Sundays has breathed new life into the most derided song in the entire cannon of Rankin/Bass animation: “Where There’s a Whip, There’s a Way.” Sung by an army of bellowing Orcs in the 1980 adaptation of The Return of the King, the tune has since achieved cult-status among Ringer enthusiasts as a guilty pleasure. The producers of RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS asked World Without Sundays to update “Where There’s a Whip” with their signature electro-rock sound, and the band soon emerged from the studio with a stunning, dramatic version that is part Radiohead, part Prodigy, and more genuine protest song than ever before.
RINGERS features a bevy of performers reworking songs from the classic cartoon adaptations of Tolkien from the 70’s and 80’s — including Australian singer Greta Gertler performing an extraordinary version of “Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes” (also from ROTK); and indie-rock mainstay Arlo updating the classic ballad of The Hobbit, “The Greatest Adventure.” Director/producer/writer Carlene Cordova believes these songs have a unique place in the hearts of Ringers everywhere: “Looking back over the past 50 years of this fan phenomenon, our film has so much music and great songs, as does The Lord of the Rings itself. We felt nostalgic for these Rankin/Bass songs, knowing they deserved to be heard again with a fresh ear. I know the fans will be thrilled and surprised at what our musicians have created.”
The moving and addictive sounds of World Without Sundays has no doubt beaten the odds through lasting friendships, bi-coastal moves and chance meetings with each member of this unique band. Shoxwaken Hincks (singer/co-songwriter/guitarist) and Guy Harrington (songwriter/bassist) met up with Adam Hurlbut (drummer) in Boston and decided to move to Los Angeles where they met the remaining addition to their band, Grecco Buratto (guitarist). Their style has been heavily influenced by such acts as Queen, Tom Waits and David Bowie; bringing a dynamic mix of rock, experimental sounds, and blues to their sold-out shows. Online music outlet IMPACT Press raves: “WWS build their songs into furious crescendos with front man Shoxwaken Hincks’ powerful vocals.”
World Without Sundays played a soaring, hellfire set during TheOneRing.net’s Oscar bash “The Return of the One Party” in February 2004, where they were joined onstage by Lord of the Rings stars Dominic Monaghan (Merry Brandybuck) and Billy Boyd (Pippin Took). Upcoming performance dates for the band include Seacliff Beach, CA, and the world-famous ROXY on the Sunset Strip. Their newest release is eponymously titled and distributed through the band’s official website located here.
RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS features a dynamic rock-drivenscore with many recording artists who were influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien. Many have come forward to provide a new spin on nostalgic favorites from previous “Rings” adaptations.
About the documentary:
Very funny yet often moving, RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS shows the hidden power behind Tolkien’s books — and how after 50 years a single literary work continues to spark the minds and hearts of millions, across cultures and across time. Ringers explores the real foundations of Middle-earth; a community of true fans who share a common bond. Moving beyond “cult classic” and over several different generations, the film unearths academics, musicians, authors, filmmakers, and a plethora of pop junkies — the people gathered under the banner of ‘Ringer.’
RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS spent 16 months shooting on three continents. Produced in association with the popular Tolkien fan-site TheOneRing.net, Ringers stands as the most comprehensive film document of the ongoing fandom of “The Lord of the Rings.”
Current “Ringers” Interviewees include:
Actor – Sir Ian McKellen, Actor – Dominic Monaghan, Actor – Andy Serkis, Actor – Sala Baker, Author/Filmmaker – Clive Barker, Writer/Director/Producer – Cameron Crowe, Actor – David Carradine, Author – Terry Pratchett, Author – Peter S. Beagle, Author – Terry Brooks, Musician – Lemmy Kilmister, Musician – Geddy Lee, Tolkien Scholar – Dr. Jane Chance, Chairperson of the Tolkien Society – Christine Crawshaw, Author – Colin Duriez, Filmmaker/Critic – Chris Gore, Writer/Publisher – Forrest J. Ackerman, Actor – Bill Mumy, Author/Broadcaster – Brian Sibley, Illustrator/Author – Colleen Doran, Illustrator/Author – Jill Thompson, Great-Grandson – Royd Tolkien, and hundreds of Tolkien fans!
Ringer Spy Celebriel reports that this week’s Video Store magazine (9/5 -9/11 2004) contains a 2 page spread confirming the street date for the 4-disc extended edition of Return of the King of December 14. Pre-sell date is September 10.
The ad notes the inclusion of the “highly anticipated confrontation with Saruman” and the 50 minutes of extended footage.
Separate from the Extended Edition 4 disc set is the Collector’s DVD Gift Set, also with a street date of December 14. This contains the 4-disc Extended DVD edition, Minas Tirth polystone keepsake box, and Bonus DVD, “Creating the Lord of the Rings Symphony” by Howard Shore.
Extensive TV, radio, and print advertising planned during the holiday shopping period.
ROTK Extended Edition: DVD suggested retail is $39.99, VHS suggested retail is $24.99 Collector’s DVD Gift Set: Suggested retail is $79.92
