IMG_8072It’s not very often that the statue of the year comes out so early in the year leaving all the rest to settle for the number two spot. But that is what has happened this year with the arrival last month of the Azog the Defiler on Warg by Weta Workshop. We got our first look at this beast of a statue during Comic-Con 2013. This was the jewel of the Weta booth last year with a steady stream of people drooling all over the glass at how amazing this looked..

Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop’s Azog the Defiler on Warg Review”

hobbitenvironmentereboralrg2The latest newsletter from our friends at Weta Workshop has been released, included in it is  their first environment piece from The Hobbit Trilogy. This amazing piece is one I have been looking forward to arriving, it captures the stunning detail of the Front Gate of Erebor. This fantastic piece has all the little details that we saw in the front gate with those two awesome Dwarven statues. You can pre-order this piece right now for a solid price of $199 with it arriving in your collection sometime between April and May.

Also in the latest newsletter is an item I believe Ringers who like to cosplay or fans of Legolas in general will love. You can add an exact replica of the vambrace that Legolas wears during The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Each vambrace is made of high quality leather and is ready to ship shortly after ordering. One vambrace comes with a price tag of $99 and will help you put a great finishing touch onto any Middle-earth themed costume.

The-Hobbit-The-Desolation-of-Smaug-FX-046WETA Digital has released a new video on their YouTube channel, showcasing the multitude of visual effects work done on the second chapter in Sir Peter Jackson’s Hobbit Trilogy – The Desolation of Smaug.

The elements covered range from the Kingdom of Erebor, Laketown and the Woodland Realm to Smaug, the barrel chase, and the CG character animation. Continue reading “‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ Visual Effects Reel from WETA Digital”

Barrels out of Bond artworkIt became one of the most talked about scenes in Peter Jackson’s second Hobbit film (for both fans and detractors). Now WIRED has posted a new video that gives a behind the scenes look at the construction of the seven minute barrel sequence from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The two and a half minute video discusses the complex editing process as well as the visual effects work done for the sequence. Continue reading “WIRED goes behind the scenes of ‘Desolation of Smaug’ Barrel Escape — VIDEO”

Tolkien Reading Day LA 2013Since 2003, fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work have gathered each March to celebrate and share his writing with each other and the public.  Set by the Tolkien Society on March 25 to commemorate the downfall of Sauron in “The Lord of the Rings,” the idea of Tolkien Reading Day was inspired by the annual bloomsday celebration of the works of James Joyce.

In Los Angeles, the local smial of the Tolkien Society, Tolkien Forever, has been observing Reading Day since 2006. Open to all who appreciate Tolkien’s work, volunteers sign up to read selections that may range from favorites like “Riddles in the Dark” to lesser-known pieces like the children’s book “Mr. Bliss.”

This year in Los Angeles, Reading Day will be held on Saturday, March 22, and will return to The Last Bookstore downtown, a venue worth visiting for any book lover. Volunteers who would would like to sign up to read should visit the Facebook event page for more details. Come out and share your favorite Tolkien selection with everyone!

For those in other parts of the country and the world, the Tolkien Society is cataloging events around the globe as they are scheduled. Don’t see your town on the list? Start your own Tolkien Reading Day! All you need is a few friends and a copy of “The Hobbit” to get started…

Reading Day Event Information

Los Angeles, USA

Date: Saturday, March 22
Location: The Last Bookstore
Time: 2pm to 5pm
Find out more

Brisbane, Australia

Date: Saturday March 22
Location: Logan North Library
Time: 11am to 1pm
Find out more

Other locations

Tolkien Society Event Index

Do you have information about another Reading Day event that you’d like us to share? Email spymaster@theonering.net!