Chris writes: Dr. Thomas Shippey will deliver the lecture “Narnia and Middle-Earth: Seventy Years on and Still Accelerating” at Marymount University, in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday, April 5, 2006. Join us at 7 PM in the Reinsch Library for the talk, reception to follow. [marymount.edu]
Category: Original TORn
“Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School” has a clunky title but an elegant concept: that the fantasy of the fresh start is attainable for all of us. It’s as easy as one, two, cha-cha-cha. Yes, this is another one of those movies about finding your own soul, and perhaps a soul mate, on the dance floor. But “Marilyn Hotchkiss” demonstrates that the same old construct can be made thrillingly fresh with the right components. In fact, this film does other power-of-dance movies one better by downplaying the dancing — it’s in there, but doled out carefully — and underscoring what its brethren often lack: a compelling, wrenching and wonderfully inspiring story. [More]
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Hot off his stint as a counter-terrorist operative on “24,” Sean Astin is in negotiations to star in ABC’s comedy pilot “The Guys,” about five dads who become friends when their kids have a playdate at the home of one of them. Astin, famed for playing a hobbit in the “Lord of the Rings” movies, is in theaters with “Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School.” He next appears opposite Adam Sandler in “Click,” which opens June 23. [More]
He had the biggest role in the movies last year, but Andy Serkis doesn’t have to worry about fans and paparazzi. Serkis, as you well know, created the title character in King Kong, Peter Jackson’s giant movie. Before that, Serkis — wearing a motion-capture suit, as he did for Kong — played and voiced Gollum, the twisted creature in Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. But Serkis isn’t entirely unrecognizable. “It’s funny — with Gollum and now Kong, I always thought that I’d be completely anonymous,” says the 41-year-old British actor, “but because of DVDs and behind-the-scenes stuff and Kong Diaries, yeah, people do recognize me, not to an unhealthy extent. I have a certain amount of anonymity, and certainly professionally I’m not typecast. Well, it’s not that you can be typecast, because there aren’t that many roles for 25-foot gorillas.” [More]
Rick writes: I wanted to inform you good folks that there is a new academic book soon to debut, entitled: ‘Lord of the Rings : Popular Culture in Global Context’. I am an academic librarian at the University of Guam library, and found this listing in a new books catalog. Though academic in its underpinnings, it has the kind of interest and appeal that would make it very good for most readers, particularly older ones. [More]
Isabel writes: Here is some info on a LOTR Trilogy screenin at the Arlington Cinema n’ Drafthouse (in Northern Virginia): Watch for your favorite Movie or stay for ALL THREE. Enjoy Lord of the Rings again on the BIG SCREEN! The Festival is open all day, please feel free to come at any time. We encourage you to come dressed as your favorite character. [More]
When: Sunday, April 30th, 2006 from 12PM to 10PM
Price: $7 ($8 at the Door)