Did I say things couldn’t get better? Nothing can compare to some of yesterday’s events, but this day was AMAZING.

Day Three began with the New Line Lord of the Rings movie preview. TORN Greenbooks staffer Ostadan came in for the show! Click here to read the summary: [More]

All that great footage was immediately followed by Quickbeam and me running into Elijah Wood! The pictures you see on the site are from that encounter. He took photos with us, and also signed both of our books. Elijah was swamped with fans and he gladly posed for pictures, shook hands, and chatted for a few minutes. Then he headed off to one of the presentations along with his friends. [More]

It was neat meeting Elijah like that! He said he was having a great time at the convention, and as you have heard from other fans, he was spotted all over. Elijah was very nice and now that I am starting to relate his voice to that of Frodo Baggins, it was a special treat.

After the New Line presentation Quickbeam and I headed to the Exhibition Hall. We decided to split up and meet later at the Sideshow/WETA booth. I made the rendezvous, but Quickbeam was detained. He later attended Decipher’s volunteer dinner, but I was swept along in the WETA winds for a few hours.

We jumped into a couple cabs and before I knew what happened I found myself hanging out with Elijah! We were alone together for about fifteen minutes and talked about LOTR and every day things too. TORN fans will be excited to know that he is a site visitor, and his mom is a site regular (Hullo Elijah’s Mom!).

Eventually the group was ready and we six walked to dinner, where our party’s numbers grew substantially. This dinner was the high point of my trip. I sat in between to two gentlemen from WETA and across the table from Elijah! It was an amazing two hours and it felt like hanging out with old friends. The guys I spent time with from WETA were the absolute best, and they shared some classic stories from the LOTR production. It’s hard to imagine that five years ago this team rolled up their sleeves (ok they probably were wearing t-shirts) and got their hands dirty with the project, and for those of you who feel like this production of The Lord of the Rings looks right, feels right, and IS right, WETA is the place that made it happen.

The dinner party ended up signing one of the tablecloths. It was incredible to watch some of the artists from WETA and Sideshow just whip out things like Gandalf, the LOTR film logo, a Moria Orc, Mt. Doom, and of course, Rings. Quickbeam made it over after his dinner, and they invited us to sign as well. Unfortunately I had a couple glasses of wine in me and my signature turned out a little large. Let’s just say that TORN is nicely represented on this tablecloth, and I’ll be forever embarrassed! Fool of a Took indeed!

So ended our third day at Comic-Con. Day Four coming soon!

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From Ringer Noah:

Recent trip on United Airlines was completely frustrating except for the story in their complimentary magazine Hemispheres – July 2001. A four page article on LOTR entitled “Making Middle-Earth”. There was very little of interest to dedicated fans of this site with one major exception: An interview with John Howe and his role in the movies that can be found online. Click on Cyber Sidebar at the bottom and choose the John Howe story, (duh). More

…the 4 page story it mostly focuses on Tolkien, the books, Jackson, and anything else that won’t give out info on the films themselves. 😛

The only new graphic was a map of New Zealand showing where Hobbiton, Mordor, Rivendell, Helms Deep, Minas Tirith, Edoras, Lothlorien, and Pelennor Fields were filmed.

Guess what, I saw the article on my way to Comic-Con! I thought it was well written and very comprehensive, especially for people reading this news for the first time. Also quoted in this article, our very own Tehanu sheds some insight on how Tolkien was able to produce such magical work. Scans to come!

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From: Chet

My girlfriend graduated from Northern Illinois University a few years ago. She occasionally gets the Alumni newsletter. It came just today with a really interesting bit of information. A new faculty member, Professor Robert Schneider, is currently working on a stage adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Silmarillion. I can’t imagine what this production might look like. You may want to do some investigating.

Robert Schneider works for the School of Theatre and Dance. The following is the snail mail address:

Northern Illinois University
School of Theatre and Dance
1425 West Lincoln Highway
Dekalb, IL 60115

I really would love to see this production when it is finished. Please post any info if you get any!

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Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn)

28 Days (2000)
Walk on the Moon, A (1999) UK
Thin Red Line, The (1998) UK
Psycho (1998) UK
Albino Alligator (1996)
Prophecy, The (1995)
American Yakuza (1994)
Carlito’s Way (1993)
Boiling Point (1993) UK
Ruby Cairo (1993)
Young Guns II (1990) UK
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) UK
Witness (1985)

Liv Tyler (Arwen)

Onegin (1999) UK
Plunkett & Macleane (1999)
Cookie’s Fortune (1999)
Can’t Hardly Wait (1998) UK
Stealing Beauty (1996)

Ian Holm (Bilbo)

Joe Gould’s Secret (2000)
eXistenZ (1999)
Night Falls on Manhattan (1997)
Fifth Element, The (1997) UK
Life Less Ordinary, A (1997)
Loch Ness (1995) UK
Madness of King George, The (1994)
Naked Lunch (1991) UK
Dance with a Stranger (1985)
Brazil (1985) UK
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)
Time Bandits (1981) UK
S.O.S. Titanic (1979) (TV) UK
Young Winston (1972) UK
Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) UK
Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)
Fixer, The (1968) UK

Sean Bean (Boromir)

Black Beauty (1994) UK
Patriot Games (1992) UK
Stormy Monday (1988)

Martyn Sanderson (Bree Gatekeeper)

UTU (1983)

Hugo Weaving (Elrond)

Matrix, The (1999) UK
Bedrooms and Hallways (1998)
Babe (1995) UK
Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The (1994) UK
Exile (1994) UK

Miranda Otto (Eowyn)

Jack Bull, The (1999) (TV) UK
Thin Red Line, The (1998) UK
Love Serenade (1996)

Elijah Wood (Frodo)

Bumblebee Flies Anyway, The (2000)
Faculty, The (1998) UK
Flipper (1996)
Good Son, The (1993)
Forever Young (1992) UK
Paradise (1991)
Internal Affairs (1990) UK

Cate Blanchett (Galadriel)

Pushing Tin (1999) UK
Talented Mr. Ripley, The (1999)
Ideal Husband, An (1999) UK

Ian McKellen (Gandalf)

X-Men (2000) UK
Apt Pupil (1998) UK
Rasputin (1996) (TV)
Jack and Sarah (1995)
Cold Comfort Farm (1995) (TV)
And the Band Played On (1993) (TV)
Ballad of Little Jo, The (1993) UK
Alfred the Great (1969) UK

John Rhys-Davies (Gimli)

Secret of the Andes (1998) UK
Cyborg Cop (1994)
Sunset Grill (1993)
Seventh Coin, The (1992)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing (1992) (TV)
Canvas (1992)
Firewalker (1986)
King Solomon’s Mines (1985)
Nairobi Affair (1984) (TV) UK
Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, A (1979) UK

Andy Serkis (Gollum)

Among Giants (1998)

Craig Parker (Haldir)

Tommyknockers, The (1993) (TV) UK

Harry Sinclair (Isildur)

Heavenly Creatures (1994)

Dominic Monaghan (Merry)

Hostile Waters (1997) (TV)

Bruce Spence (Mouth of Sauron)

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
Cars That Ate Paris, The (1974) UK

Sean Astin (Sam)

Kimberly (1999)
Icebreaker (1999)
Dish Dogs (1998)
Bulworth (1998) UK
Teresa’s Tattoo (1994)
Low Life, The (1994/I)
Encino Man (1992) UK
Toy Soldiers (1991) UK
Memphis Belle (1990)
War of the Roses, The (1989) UK
Staying Together (1989)
White Water Summer (1987) UK
Goonies, The (1985)

Christopher Lee (Saruman)

Sleepy Hollow (1999) UK
Jinnah (1998) UK
Tale of the Mummy (1998) UK
Stupids, The (1996)
Death Train (1993) (TV) UK
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) UK
Safari 3000 (1982)
Last Unicorn, The (1982)
Serial (1980)
1941 (1979)
Arabian Adventure (1979)
Return from Witch Mountain (1978) UK
Four Musketeers, The (1974) UK
Creeping Flesh, The (1973)
Nothing But the Night (1972)
Gorgon, The (1964) UK
City of the Dead, The (1960)
Cockleshell Heroes, The (1955)
Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) UK

Bernard Hill (Theoden)

Loss of Sexual Innocence, The (1999) UK
Midsummer Night’s Dream, A (1999) UK
True Crime (1999) UK
Wind in the Willows, The (1996/I) UK
Shirley Valentine (1989)
Gandhi (1982) UK

Brad Dourif (Wormtongue)

Shadow Hours (2000)
Storytellers, The (1999) UK
Bride of Chucky (1998) UK
Murder in the First (1995)
Death Machine (1995)
Body Parts (1991) UK
Exorcist III, The (1990)
Hidden Agenda (1990)
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Blue Velvet (1986) UK

Jim Rygiel (SFX)

102 Dalmatians (2000)
Anna and the King (1999)
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Multiplicity (1996)
Alien³ (1992)
Last of the Mohicans, The (1992)
Solar Crisis (1990)
Ghost (1990)

Howard Shore (Composer)

Yards, The (2000)
High Fidelity (2000)
Analyze This (1999)
Gloria (1999)
Dogma (1999)
eXistenZ (1999)
Game, The (1997)
Striptease (1996)
Se7en (1995)
Ed Wood (1994)
Guilty as Sin (1993)
Sliver (1993)
Prelude to a Kiss (1992)
Single White Female (1992)
Silence of the Lambs, The (1991)
Naked Lunch (1991)
Postcards from the Edge (1990)
Lemon Sisters, The (1990)
She-Devil (1989)
Moving (1988)
Big (1988)
Fly, The (1986)
After Hours (1985)

Peter Jackson (Director)

Heavenly Creatures (1994)

To get more information, use the sites I use like:

mydigiguide.com, tv-now.com and IMDB.com

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A packed house of what must have been more that 2,000 people were treated to a wonderful glimpse into Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring on Saturday, July 21st. Fans waited for over two hours to not just get good seats, but get seats period, and I’m estimating at least another 1,000 people wanted to get in. Quickbeam and I were lucky enough to find that TORNados Larry D and Heather N had saved us some spots. Thanks you two!!

New Line’s Gordon Paddison kicked of the show by introducing several films from their fall line-up. I was actually a little nervous myself about what was coming. Finally the familiar tones of the second theater teaser oozed from the speakers, and even though I’ve watched it dozens of times, goose bumps stood right up on my arms as Gandalf demanded, “Is it secret!? Is it SAFE!!?? The sound was amazing and it was a treat to see the teaser on those huge screens.

After this was a transitional graphic or two (which popped up a few times) featuring New Line’s wonderfully crafted LOTR logo and then suddenly we were in Cannes!

It looked like the wizards and hobbits put aside some time in France to set up what we saw this weekend. Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, and Christopher Lee each in turn gave a hullo to the Comic-Con audience and LOTR fans. It was a treat to see them together out of costume and Ian Holm kicked off the piece. I don’t remember who was next, but the Voice of Saruman just about pinned me to my chair. Ian McKellen spoke right to the heart of the fans, saying that Peter Jackson and each one of them had made this film for US. He said that it was the fans that made the production possible and without them the project would never have come to pass.

After these three heavyweights came the four hobbits! They look great together, natural and comfortable. Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan each spoke in turn. They also said hullos to the fans at Comic-Con, shared their enthusiasm for the films, and introduced the next segment.

Next came two separate pieces that looked like they could have been part of a ‘making of’ documentary, additional material for dvd releases, promotional footage to use for specialized television segments, or something of that nature (PURELY my personal speculation folks). The first focused on creating and filming Hobbiton, and the second was all about Nazgul.

My memory is already fading but I believe the first piece was called Hobbiton Comes to Life. Next time I promise I’ll have a pen and paper! Bad Tookish…

And as you have heard if you’ve been watching all this develop on the internet and seen the teasers, PJ and Company have created an incredible vision of the Shire, Hobbiton, and Bag-End. I can’t really do justice with this article, but I know you’ll be oh so very pleased.

Second was Ringwraiths: The Fallen Kings. This fascinating look into what are going to be some of the scariest creatures throughout LOTR was filled with interviews of cast and creators, shots of what must have been a room in the WETA workshop as they developed the Nazgul armor, and several chase sequences. These guys are going to scare millions!!

Uniting these sequences was the thread of The Fellowship‘s plot. I had a very strong sense of the beauty and peace of the Shire, as well as the horror and fear of the Ringwraiths, and the two pieces served to spell out a part of what is at stake in the story of The Lord of the Rings.

Although several fans mentioned their disappointment that the actual footage used for Cannes was not shown, I for one sat on the edge of my seat for the entire 15 or so minutes and thoroughly enjoyed the show. My excitement and anticipation for these films has only grown since seeing the Comic-Con footage, and for deeper reasons you’ll learn about in upcoming reports. Stay tuned!

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