Lord of the Rings star Sala Baker appearing in the new documentary feature, Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Hollywood, CA — June 21, 2004 Actor Sala Baker has signed on to appear in the upcoming feature documentary, Ringers: Lord of the Fans. Mr. Baker gained worldwide fame for playing the Dark Lord Sauron in The Fellowship of the Ring and the Man Flesh Uruk in The Two Towers as well as doing stunt work for all three movies. Mr. Baker has also assisted in the production of fellow “Rings” Trilogy cast member Sean Astin’s film, The Long and Short of It. As a native New Zealander, Mr. Baker joined in behind the camera work as the production manager on The Last Samurai. For more information on the up-and-coming actor, you can view his site here.
The “Ringers” documentary filmmakers have secured interviews with many actors and entertainers, exploring how the works of J.R.R. Tolkien influenced them at the dawn of their careers. After 16 months of location shooting on three continents, and speaking with dozens of actors, filmmakers, rock musicians, authors, and academics, “Ringers” stands as the most comprehensive film document of the ongoing Tolkien phenomenon.
Ringers: Lord of the Fans features a dynamic rock-driven score 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. After 16 months of location shooting on three continents, and speaking with dozens of actors, filmmakers, rock musicians, authors, and academics, “Ringers” stands as the most comprehensive film document of the ongoing Tolkien phenomenon.
About the Documentary:
Very funny and 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.’
Current “Ringers” Interviewees include:
Actor – Dominic Monaghan, Author/Filmmaker – Clive Barker, Writer/Director/Producer – Cameron Crowe, Actor – David Carradine, Actor – Sala Baker, Comics Illustrator – Colleen Doran, Author – Terry Pratchett, Author – Peter S. Beagle, Author – Terry Brooks, Tolkien Scholar – Dr. Jane Chance, Chairperson of the Tolkien Society – Christine Crawshaw, Author – Colin Duriez, Filmmaker/Critic – Chris Gore, Screenwriter/Publisher – Forrest J. Ackerman, Actor – Bill Mumy, Author/Tolkien Scholar – Dr. Tom Shippey, Author/Broadcaster – Brian Sibley, Great-Grandson – Royd Tolkien, and hundreds of Tolkien fans!
For additional information, contact:
Melanie Marquez, Publicist 9220 Sunset Blvd Suite 220 West Hollywood, CA 90069 Office: +1 323-669-1173
Tonight Channel One in New Zealand broadcast a televised IQ test, and the guest audience comprised seven groups: models, cricket supporters, people aged 60 and older, taxi drivers, real estate agents, celebrities, and Tolkien fans (including our own Delyth!). One Tolkien fan had his torso body-painted as an Elf warrior of the First Age, which took him four hours to prepare, while another had worked on all three films as an extra and stand-in.
Last year’s studio winner of the IQ test was a chap named Joel Bryan, who this year was seated in the Tolkien section. When asked what his strategy this year would be, he said: “Same as last year – flirt with the models and guess all the answers.”
There were five sections that comprised the IQ test: vocabulary (and when the correct answer to one question was revealed to be ‘pudency’, the host remarked, “There are some very happy Tolkien fans over there”), reasoning, memory, numbers and spatial. And let me say right now that the Tolkien fans kicked some serious intellectual heinie. At the end of the night the final scores were:
Models – an average of 85 IQ points. Real estate agents and taxi drivers – 93 points 60+ and cricket supporters – 98 points Celebrities – 99 points Tolkien fans – 107 points!!!
Some highlights of the night:
* The host asked Tolkien fan Yvonne what the secret to their success was, and she said, “Enthusiasm”.
* When results of four of the five test sections had been announced and the Tolkien fans had been leading all the way, the cricket fans held up a sign that said, ‘We’re number one out of the humans’.
* About half way through the show one of the Tolkien fans took out her lap harp and started to play a Rohirric folk song – and a cricket fan called out, “How about Ten Guitars!”
* A member of another group said his party trick was being able to wiggle his ears – to which the host replied that his talent was making the Tolkien fans jealous. 😉
* Celebrity Rawiri Paratene (who played the grandfather in the movie Whale Rider) commented on how difficult it was in the studio. “It’s really hot in here and I can’t wait to get one of those Tolkien fans they’re advertising over there…”
* Of the hundreds of people who participated in the test online, the one with the highest IQ (of 135) was a chap in Dunedin. During a telephone interview on air he said: “I think there’s one other factor that helped me – I’m a total Tolkien fan as well.”
* They found that the more books there are in the home, the smarter the people in the home are. (That shouldn’t surprise anyone.) * And when it was announced that the Tolkien fans had won the studio competition, the cheers from that side of the room were amazing, which prompted the host to say: “I believe there’s proof of the fine line between genius and madness.”
Sadly Tolkien geek Joel Bryan had to give up his crown of the smartest individual in the studio audience – this year it went to a former Mastermind semi-finalist.
So the Tolkien fans did us proud on the nationwide IQ test! Well done guys!! 🙂
Amka writes: I am the secretary of a new organization in Utah called Into the West. We are excited to present a series of lectures on The Cultural Influences of Tolkien. Our first lecture will be on Thursday, June 24th and is entitled Tolkien Influenced. It will be presented by Dr. Don Chapman, an associate professor of Linguistics at Brigham Young University. Up and coming lectures include “How Hobbits Beat Harry Potter and Just About Everybody Else, as well as Tolkien Illustrated. These will be held at the Borders Books and Music in Murray. Below is the address.
Borders Books and Music
132 E. Winchester Murray, UT 84107
As well as lectures we hold monthly reading discussions coupled with humanitarian projects, as well as other BBQs and parties. We have some very exciting events planned for fall including the Hall of Fire: a music, art and writing contest with prizes being awarded by Borders. You can find out more about us at www.vcode.com/intothewest.
Lester from Special Signings Ltd writes: I thought I would let you know that tickets have gone on sale today for Christopher Lee’s first signing tour in many years – they are £15 each.
He is promoting JINNAH – THE DVD. The movie is about JINNAH – the political founder of Pakistan and in Mr Lee’s own words “It’s The Best Thing I have Ever Done”
We at Special Signings Ltd are handling the ticket sales for the event and here is the direct link page to ticket sales and all the details about the event itself if you would like to check it out.
It does not matter which link you put in they will all lead to the specialsignings.com booking page eventually so it is ip to you if you prefer to guide your readers to the official Christopher Lee site or the Jinnah site or our site to book the tickets.
He is visiting Portsmouth, Bristol, London, Manchester and Liverpool in July 2004.
And we hope to be able to confirm Birmingham and one other venue for August 2004
There are 500 tickets per event and the first 100 who book for each event will get the front row seats and that is why I am alerting you on the day the tickets go on sale.
I cannot tell you hwo rare it is to get Mr Lee to do anything other than the occasional book signings etc. and these are hotel venues and town halls and guildhalls.
This is strictly a JINNAH only promotional event and he will not be signing any other material – such as LOTR, STAR WARS, JAMES BOND etc.
BUT – We know that people want to get material from these other movies signed and so with a bit of arm twisting I have managed to come up with an agreement.
10 people per event will be drawn to receive a free personalised photograph from a selection provided – and one of the choices is a LOTR shot. No personal item can be sent in – so I am afraid no cast shots etc – but if any TORN fans do go they stand every chance of getting an elusive Christopher Lee signed photograph for free.
From McKellen.com: “This film begins with Ian backstage on the last night of Dance of Death in the West End. The journey that follows takes us inside his home in London’s Docklands; on the set of re-shoots for Lord of the Rings in New Zealand; on a promotional world tour with fellow cast members Liv Tyler and Orlando Bloom; behind the scenes at the BAFTA’s and the Oscars; on location in Leeds and Dublin making his new film Asylum opposite Natasha Richardson; and on an emotional journey to visit his elderly stepmother at her home near Morecambe Bay.” Airing on ITV in UK Sunday 27 June 2004 at 22:45. [More]
Anita writes: I have been to the Elf Fantasy Fair in the Netherlands today and this is just a small report on how it was.
My friend and I were there a few minutes before 10:00, opening time, and since we life just a 20-minute drive away, it wasn’t all that early! Luckily, we already had our tickets because I ordered them, so with just a few minutes wait, we could walk straight in.
We had already discussed what we really wanted to see and the first point was Andy Serkis. The tent was really close by the entrance, so we went in and took a seat. A good thing we got there early, because by the time it was 10:30 (it was going to start), the whole tent was packed with people! And after a little introduction there he was; Andy Serkis!
Flashes from cameras all across the audience to which Andy said “Good morning, my precious” in his Gollum-voice. After that he said that we could ask him questions…so we did. Most of the questions were the usual ones ‘How did you prepare for the role?’, ‘Were did you came up with the idea for Gollum’s voice?’ things like that. He also referred to the birth as his son and said that the new born looked just like Gollum…to which he also added “Don’t tell my wife I said that!”
He ended the session after 45 minutes with a scene from the Two Towers, in which Smeagol is arguing with Gollum and the camera shoots Smeagol from one angle and Gollum from another angle. That was amazing to watch!
During the session, it started raing, so we were glad to be inside! Only then Iris and I went to the tournament field to watch the ‘Katharenshow’ (I don’t know what they are called in english…Cathar’s?). Anyway, on the way there we already passed some stands with interesting things, but it kept on raining. When we reached the field it was more or less dry, luckily!
The show was simple, with about 10 actor’s and a lovely Friesian horse. The Fool also had a horse…a strap on pony which wasn’t straped on properly so he had to stand with his legs apart to keep the pony up! That really brought on the laughs
After this, we went back to the Main field again (it was sunny once more) to listen to the live music and have some lunch.
Then we went strolling along the different stands and merchants. Now I did get to feel how heavy those chainmails are…I picked up…no correction! I tried to pick up a well sized shirt, but it seems the weight increases exponentialy when being lifted higher of the ground…I gave up and bought a book instead
Suddenly we found ourselves near the ‘lecture’ tent again and I was like “Craig Parker is going to speak in about ten minutes!” (it was already 14:05 by that time) This time, we got a seating place on the wooden floor, but I could see it all. Again quite busy *g*
This was really a fun session, I have laughed so much! It was asking questions again:
Q: How does it feel like to die? A: Well, come here and let’s find out shall we!
Especially when a girl asked if she could see ‘a picture of his Elvish sword’…now, you can all imagine what the audience was thinking of with such a question…Craig thought the same thing too actually, since he just started laughing and snickered all the way through his answer *bg* then he said “Now people, there are children here!”…with a big grin on his face
More questions and funny moments. Craig’s example of how they all looked when Cate Blanchett would walk by: Then imaging the drool with it *g*
And Craig’s limit to the elven language was lots of strange and gutteral noises “Now that was a old and special dialect of Sindarin used during Helm’s Deep and I said: ‘Ouch, you have put an axe in my back!”
The last question “Are you single?” was recieved with catcalls from the audience and the answer “Well, after the coming night with my newly learned elvish sentence, who knows?”
He left with a big applause immediatly after him, Jorn & Carl Benzon came on stage. They have various roles in LotR (“they probably have more screentime than the other actor’s” said Craig), mostly as extra’s in the different armies and as Haldir’s brothers. They also answered a couple of questions, which they answered fairly well, but they weren’t as entertaining as either Andy or Craig.
It was already around 15:00 by that time, so we just took one last stroll across the market place (got to hear some music from Sassenachs, a dutch band which play Scottish war-pipes and drums) and then headed home.
