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February 04, 2003 - February 10, 2003

2-10-03 Latest News

And Yet Another Howard Shore Report...
leo @ 1:08 pm EST

Well the London Festival Hall must have been filled with TORn visitors. Tracey was there on any account, and here's what she had to say!

After four hours of waiting, the music man (along with his LPO) came on stage! It was far too long to wait...and far too short to be satisfied with, but it left me with the choons in my head and the Lord of the Rings in my heart so you could say that it did its job!

I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire performance and I even found myself smiling at particular points of the score! One in particular moment which I will never ever forget was near the end, at Amon Hen, when - if you, like me, have seen the FOTR countless number of times - can picture Lurtz coming up over the hilltop, ready to fire his arrows at Boromir...the crashing, haunting sounds which the instruments on stage made were amazing!

Why was it amazing?

Because for one thing the beats of the timpani's were so strong...the clanging of hammers against the steel sheets creating that harsh armour sound...and what’s more is the clinking and clunking of chain mail, being beaten against the top of a wooden piano bringing the sound of the armour even more to life...it was a site that was rather amusing...this petit woman leaning over the lid of the piano, in order to get to the chain mail, whilst always keeping a close eye on Howard Shore's guidance for the correct beats...it was spectacular!

Many people have said to me that I’m am decidedly Lord of the Rings obsessed, and what’s the point of seeing an orchestra play when you can just listen to the soundtrack? Well, I say to these sad people, that it’s the entire atmosphere…the fact that Howard Shore, not just the conductor, but the composer, the winner of ‘countless awards’ including an Oscar, for flips sake…he was there…controlling his own music…the way he wanted it to be played. The London Philharmonic is THE orchestra, which played…and the choirs are THE voices that will forever remind us of what Lord of the Rings, and what Middle Earth sounded like.

In a few years when, sadly, it will all be over and done with, we Ringers will look back and remember that music, as the bit where the hobbits fall off the hill and find the shortcut to mushrooms; or the bit where they are being chased in Khazad Dum (my fave bit) and have to jump over the broken stairs, shortly followed by the timely fall of Gandalf the Grey. Speaking of which, the solo boy in the Oratory Choir…my friend said that he wasn’t that good, but I’d to like to praise him and say congratulations and think that it was most likely nerves. He wasn’t able to sustain the notes for as long as he could have done, but hey? Who are we to judge and criticise? That goes for all the other soloists, on the whistle, the core ingles, the soloists and, well, the whole frickin orchestra! Congratulations!

It was wonderful, terrific, superb, outstanding, dazzling, marvellous, remarkable, breathtaking,…there aren’t enough words in the English vocabulary to describe how wonderful it was to see Howard Shore live! And bless him, he seemed like a very humble man! Three times he came and bowed to a rapturous crowd with a standing ovation! And each time you get the feeling that he was more and more reluctant to accept his genius! Peter Jackson is the genius of film, but Howard Shore is surely the genius of music!

So I take my imaginary hat off to Shore, the man behind the music of Middle Earth. I long for next year when hopefully he will do the same for The Two Towers, then after that? Maybe an entire 3-hour concert encompassing the music from all three films? As a violinist and a regular orchestra player, myself, I could not think of a greater piece of music I would rather play, nor could I think of a greater conductor to conduct. Not only was the playing spot-on, not only was the music exact, but also the atmosphere was tremendous and truly magical. Yesterday evening was quite possibly the best hour of my life! That is until the next concert! As said before, do go and see it! I was on the balcony, second row, centre stage and the view was spectacular! It really annoys me whenever I am unable to see who is playing what but no matter where you are, you will definitely be touched by the pure and exquisite magic of the music being played.


Howard Shore Concert Report #2
leo @ 1:00 pm EST

This time it's elanor the fair that wrote a little bit about last night's concert:

well, this is the first chance i have had to give any kind of report on yesterday's concert. I must say i agree with the last report when they said that if you ever get the chance to see Howard Shore and the London Philharmonic perform anywhere remotely near you get tickets. Don't think about how to get there or what you might have to do for the next day just make sure you get to expereince the magic.It truly was a memorable day. Nothing on this earth could have stopped me from being there.

I remember thinking, as the musicians entered and all the crowd were eagerly waiting for them to start, how lucky i was. Yes, it was the same music, though with a few changes here and there to make sure it all ran smoothly between songs, but it sounded clearer, you could hear the trumpets clearer and the choirs were flawless. But i think i ought to take this opportunity to correct something that was previously stated: Edward Ross (who originally performed 'In Dreams' and is consequently my favourite song) did not perform it on sunday, nor was Gandalf's Lament performed by Elizabeth Fraser. They were (whoever did perform the pieces) perfect anyway and i thoroughly enjoyed their performances. At the end there was a rousing applause for Howard Shore and al the musicians and performers and a chain reaction in which we started to standup to cheer, whistle and clap, we all wanted to shout 'encore, encore!' the crowd was buzzing with excitement and gratitude for bringing Middle-earth to life for an hour.

If there is a concert for TTT next year you can be certain that i'll be there. It was something that'll remember for the rest of my life. And just a quick thank you to whoever first reported last summer that there was going to be a concert in London - if it weren't for you i (nor my very thankful friend hannah who felt very privileged as i asked her first) wouldn't have known and would never have had such an amazing experience.

Weekend Roundup
Xoanon @ 12:29 am EST

Gollum Creator to visit Perth

Faramir's Character: The Debate Part. II

Weekly eBay Items

Howard Shore Concert Report

TV Watch: Access Holywood Talks Viggo

Ari Digs 'Rings'

World News: Kuwait, and Bulgaria

Media Watch: DVD Review Talks TTT DVD!

TTT Tops Potter

"Heart of the City"

Aragorn Caption Contest

LOTR Bobbleheads

Weekly Cast Watch

GAMING: Miniature Gaming Update

IMDB Poll Update

Andy Serkis On UK's SM:TV

Hall of Fire Chats This Weekend

2-09-03 Latest News

Defending PJ's Faramir
Tehanu @ 9:44 pm EST

Fighting words from Teri, who sent us this email:

Personally speaking, I don't understand what all the fuss over Faramir's minor changes in the film are all about. I've read Tolkien's original version and compared it to Jackson's Faramir and came to the conclusion that there were not such drastic or absurd changes made at all. The only minor differences between Tolkien's version and Jackson's was that Faramir in the book was a little more polite and courteous in his behavior, and allowed the hobbits to be released immediately. Faramir in the movie was a little more stern and moody in his attitude, and took the hobbits with him to Gondor. What's the big deal? Why is everyone freaking out about it? The changes are very minor and don't really take away from the story, so why is everyone getting all bent out of shape over it? There's absolutely nothing wrong or devasting about Faramir's portrayal in the movie...in fact, I think Jackson's version is a lot better than Tolkien's (no offense is intended!). The Faramir in the movie makes a lot more sense than the one in the book, and here's why:

Number one, in Tolkien's original portrayal of Faramir in the book, he was kind and gentle to the hobbits. He was never too suspicious to begin with, and befriended them immediately. He treated them with gracious hospitality and gave them food, drink, and rest. He was such a goody-goody from the very beginning, who was never remotely interested in the Ring and wanted absolutely nothing to do with it at all. Then he good-heartedly released the hobbits and allowed them to continue on their way. What a softie!

In the movie version, however, Faramir's attitude is moodier and he's much more serious. He's very suspicious of the strange hobbits from the start, and he's tempted by the Ring (just like Boromir) and decides to take the Ring to Gondor--taking also Frodo and Sam. But that's all there is to it. It's no big deal!

Other than Faramir being more stern in the movie and taking the hobbits and the Ring with him to Gondor, there's not much of a difference between the film and book. Everyone acts as though Jackson's Faramir was somehow mean and cruel to Frodo and Sam, and treated them terribly--but that's not the case at all! If you recall correctly, in Tolkien's book Faramir was a little suspicious of the hobbits (though not very much) and did interrogate them. He also did blindfold the hobbits when he led them to his secret hideout, plus, he also did have his soldiers aim their arrows at Gollum when he entered the Forbidden Pool. He even instructed Frodo not to try anything funny, or he would have to pay the consequences with the soldiers' arrows. He allowed Frodo to go down to Gollum--but only under strict warning. I don't understand why everyone has the wrong impression that Jackson's Faramir was such an evil jerk. He was not evil and did absolutley nothing wrong in the movie. People act as though he tortured Frodo and Sam and treated them like dirt, but that's not the case! Technically speaking, Faramir in the film actually made a lot more sense than he did in the book. No offense to the great master himself, but Tolkien's portrayal of the character was just too lenient and somewhat illogical. Why do I say this? That's easy, just analyze the situation more carefully.

Look at the grim circumstances Faramir was in. First of all, his older brother, Boromir, died and now poor unprepared Faramir was having to fill his big brother's shoes and try to figure out a way to save his dying city of Gondor. Talk about being under extreme pressure! Gondor is literally falling apart, the citizens are perishing, and the city is constantly under attack. Faramir must save his doomed city and please his father, Denethor. That's a mighty big task for the young man, and there doesn't look like much hope for Gondor. That's why when he sees the powerful Ring, he's tempted by it like Boromir was. He sees the Ring as possibly being the hope and savior of his people, just his older brother did. Faramir did not want to take the Ring for personal, greedy purposes, he saw it as a desperate last attempt to save his city. He had no wicked intentions at all, in fact, he did not realize just how evil the Ring truly was. People seem to forget that Faramir didn't know that the Ring was the greatest instrument of pure evil known to Middle-earth, he knew nothing about the Ring at all. He did not understand what was really going on. His intentions towards the powerful Ring was out of hope and desperation--not wickedness!

And as for the so-called "cruel and ghastly" treatment of Frodo and Sam, that's just totally absurd! Faramir did nothing unusual or uncalled-for whatsoever regarding the hobbits. Faramir was a captain and behaved quite normally and acted very
appropriately in his position. If you analyze the circumstances carefully, you'd realize that Faramir's behavior was very logical. Think about it, Faramir and his soldiers had just finished destroying one of Sauron's evil armies, that had invaded Gondor's territory. As soon as they eliminate the wicked army, they come across two strange hobbits. Faramir found the suspicious hobbits in the same exact spot where Sauron's army was wiped out. If that's not bizarre, what is? If I came across two weird-looking strangers in that situation, I'd be very suspicious and assume they were orc spies, too. Who wouldn't? People must keep in mind that most of the citizens of Middle-earth had never seen a hobbit before, and did not know much about them. Some people had never even heard of a hobbit. The other races of Middle-earth were not very acquainted with the hobbit society. It was quite obvious that Frodo and Sam were not citizens of Gondor, that's for sure. Faramir would have been the world's biggest idiot and worst captain had he not been suspicious of the strange-looking hobbits and assume they were possible spies! He behaved appropriately by being cautious and taking the hobbits prisoner for questioning. Plus, he never once harmed the hobbits in any way. It's not like he smacked Frodo and Sam around and tortured them on the rack, for crying out loud! He was not out of line for interrogating the hobbits and being a little stern with them. It would have been foolish for him not to be. And as for threatening Gollum at the Forbidden Pool, well, he did that also in the book. Let's face it, if you saw something creepy like Gollum lurking around your hideout, you'd want to shoot him with an arrow, too! Faramir was not cruel to the hobbits, he decided to take them and the Ring to Gondor only to help save his city--that's all! People are so worked up over the minor changes with the character in the film, and quite frankly, it's just downright stupid!

So what if Jackson altered it a little from the original book, big deal! I would much rather seen a more logical and serious Faramir, than a goody-goody one who doesn't show any interest at all and only wants to welcome the hobbits with food, drink, and overly-gracious hospitality. I think Jackson's version of the character behaved more reasonably due to the circumstances than Tolkien's.
If I was Faramir, I would have acted according to the way he did in the film, not the book. Jackson's interpretation is actually more realistic for the situation; plus, it gives a much more dramatic effect to the story. It's a better way of going about it.

What a lot of so-called "Tolkien purists" just don't understand, is that some things that might work well in a book does not or cannot always work as well in a film. Reading a bunch of descriptive paragraphs in a book is not the same thing as actually seeing something visually with your own two eyes on a big screen. A movie is different from a book, it doesn't always work the same way. Some changes and alterations may be necessary. Take for instance, the changes in the expansion of Arwen's character. Now, in Tolkien's book version, you never really got to see Arwen or know anything about her until the very end when she marries Aragorn. It was only at the end when she married Aragorn, that you briefly got to know a little about her unimportant character. Now, perhaps knowing nothing about her or the fact that she had a relationship with Aragorn all along didn't matter much in the book, but that never would have worked in the movie. If Jackson had not expanded Arwen's character and given the audience more insight into her and her deep relationship with Aragorn, it would have been a total disaster! Could you imagine watching Aragorn all through the three films and sharing in his adventures, only to see him marry some unknown elven princess at the very end. Some anonymous elven woman--whom you've never seen before and you knew absolutely nothing about--yet you find out at the very end that she and Aragorn were supposedly in love and have been having a relationship the whole time (though you never once got to see any aspects of their relationship throughout the movies at all). No way! That never would have worked in a million years! You would have everyone in the audience asking, "Wait a minute, who in the world is she? Where did she come from? Why is Aragorn marrying some strange elven girl? What's going on?" A lot of people came down hard on Jackson for giving Arwen a bigger role in the films, but that was a very brilliant move on his part. It was wise to improve her character for the movies, and it worked out perfectly--much better than in Tolkien's original version.

Tom Bombadil was a wonderful and delightful character in Tolkien's book--however, considering the fact that Jackson had so much of the story to cram into the film, it's certainly understandable why he had to leave Bombadil and Goldberry out. They may have been great characters, but they also would have been a distraction in the story and would have delayed the hobbits from making it to Bree. Let's face it, the movies are three hours long enough as it is. Poor Jackson can't fit everything in. And as for the expansion of Saruman's character, that is also a very smart move on Jackson's part. You barely got to see any of Saruman in the books, and again that never would have worked for the films. It was necessary for Jackson to build up Saruman (like Arwen) in order to make the movie work properly. Saruman having a tiny, insignificant role like he did in the books wouldn't have worked well on the big screen. I wish that the "Tolkien purists" would get off Jackson's back! He's doing a spectacular job with the films, and he's a magnificent director who deserves to be acknowledged, respected, and praised for his outstanding achievements--not scorned and ridiculed by the Tolkien-purist society! Cut PJ some slack, he's a genius director and the only director who possesses the true ability to do the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy proper justice. Give credit where credit is due! Tolkien may be the master of the books--but Peter Jackson is the master of the films, and that's the truth!

Media Watch: DVD Review Talks TTT DVD!
Xoanon @ 9:13 pm EST

Irascian writes: The lastest issue of “DVD Review”, the UK’s best selling DVD review magazine, has the following “exclusive” on The Two Towers DVD…..

THE TOWER OF POWER. Frodo’s incredible quest continues!

We're thrilled to reveal the release date of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on British DVD! Entertainment in Video tells us the middle chapter of Peter Jackson’s phenomenally popular epic will be provisionally available to buy on 30 June.

Late June will see the 179-minute theatrical cut arrive on a two-disc set. As part of its raft of extras, which stands to include mini internet documentaries and television specials, it may even carry a preview of the third and final installment, The Return of the Kind, in UK cinemas this December.

The main DVD event for The Two Towers will happen in late 2003. A stunning four-disc extended version is tipped for release in November. Anticipate more thrilling, romantic and funny scenes between the huge ensemble of heroes and villains. Prepare yourself for exclusive documentaries charting the 600 effects shots from start to finish, the amazing production designs by Weta Workshop craftspeople and spotlights on the groundbreaking, completely CGI’d characters of Treebeard and Gollum, the treacherous yet sympathetic creature who stole the show for many”

Weekly Cast Watch
Xoanon @ 8:16 pm EST

To get more information, use the sites I use like the ones below. Simply find a movie or actor you want to see, go to one of the sites below and see if the film is playing in your area. mydigiguide.com, tv-now.com and IMDB.com

Note: These are films that are listed as being on TV THIS WEEK ONLY, this is NOT a list of all the films the cast has done

Piano, The (1993)
Nate and Hayes (1983)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Aberration (1997)
Dark City (1998)/td>
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
28 Days (2000)
Walk on the Moon, A (1999)
Perfect Murder, A (1998)
Thin Red Line, The (1998)
Albino Alligator (1996)
Prophecy, The (1995)
Boiling Point (1993)
Ruby Cairo (1993)
Carlito's Way (1993)
Young Guns II (1990)
Fresh Horses (1988)
Purple Rose of Cairo, The (1985)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Charlotte Gray (2001)
Gift, The (2000)
Man Who Cried, The (2000)
Talented Mr. Ripley, The (1999)
Paradise Road (1997)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
One Night at McCool's (2001)
Can't Hardly Wait (1998)
Inventing the Abbotts (1997)
No listings this weekPoison Ivy: The New Seduction (1997)
Emperor's New Clothes, The (2001)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
From Hell (2001)
Beautiful Joe (2000)
Bless the Child (2000)
Joe Gould's Secret (2000)
Shergar (1999)
eXistenZ (1999)
Alice Through the Looking Glass (1998) (TV)
Sweet Hereafter, The (1997)
Night Falls on Manhattan (1997)
Fifth Element, The (1997)
Big Night (1996)
Madness of King George, The (1994)
Naked Lunch (1991)
Henry V (1989)
Another Woman (1988)
Dreamchild (1985)
Brazil (1985)
Time Bandits (1981)
Alien (1979)
Young Winston (1972)
Fixer, The (1968)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
X-Men (2000)
Cold Comfort Farm (1995) (TV)
Restoration (1995)
I'll Do Anything (1994)
Shadow, The (1994)
And the Band Played On (1993) (TV)
Scandal (1989)
Keep, The (1983)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Tommyknockers, The (1993) (TV)
Nate and Hayes (1983)
Don't Say a Word (2001)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Essex Boys (2000)
Ronin (1998)
GoldenEye (1995)
Black Beauty (1994)
Diamond of Jeru, The (2001) (TV)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Piano, The (1993)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Urban Ghost Story (1998)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists (2000)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam (1987) (TV)
Firewalker (1986)
Sadat (1983) (TV)
Victor/Victoria (1982)
Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1982)
Return to Treasure Island (1996) (TV)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Pandaemonium (2000)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
XXX (2002)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Sky Is Falling, The (2000)
Icebreaker (1999)
Deterrence (1999)
Long Way Home, The (1997)
Harrison Bergeron (1995) (TV)
Safe Passage (1994)
Encino Man (1992)
Toy Soldiers (1991)
Memphis Belle (1990)
War of the Roses, The (1989)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)No listings this weekLord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994)
Death Train (1993) (TV)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Howling II (1985)
Safari 3000 (1982)
Goliath Awaits (1981) (TV)
Eye for an Eye, An (1981)
Three Musketeers, The (1973)
Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
Hannie Caulder (1971)
Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)
Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968)
City of the Dead, The (1960)
Scott of the Antarctic (1948)
Vertical Limit (2000)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Tommyknockers, The (1993) (TV)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
No listings this weekNo listings this weekReturn to Treasure Island (1996) (TV)
Superfire (2002) (TV)
Virtual Nightmare (2000) (TV)
Atomic Twister (2002) (TV)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
No listings this weekLord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Tommyknockers, The (1993) (TV)
Scorpion King, The (2002)
Going Off Big Time (2000)
Loss of Sexual Innocence, The (1999)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Price of Milk, The (2000)
No listings this week
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Strange Planet (1999)
Babe (1995)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Black Hawk Down (2001)
No listings this week
Price of Milk, The (2000)
Heaven (1998)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)No listings this week
Human Nature (2001)
What Lies Beneath (2000)
Jack Bull, The (1999) (TV)
Thin Red Line, The (1998)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Price of Milk, The (2000)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) No listings this weekShadow Hours (2000)
Prophecy 3: The Ascent, The (2000) (V)
Interceptors (1999)
Best Men (1997)
Death Machine (1995)
Color of Night (1994)
Amos & Andrew (1993)
Critters 4 (1991) (V)
Child's Play 3 (1991)
Jungle Fever (1991)
Child's Play 2 (1990)
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, The (2002)
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Dark City (1998)
No listings this weekNo listings this week
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)Panic Room (2002)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Score, The (2001)
Yards, The (2000)
High Fidelity (2000)
Cell, The (2000)
eXistenZ (1999)
Dogma (1999)
Gloria (1999)
Before and After (1996)
Striptease (1996)
Crash (1996)
White Man's Burden (1995)
Ed Wood (1994)
Sliver (1993)
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Single White Female (1992)
Naked Lunch (1991)
Quick Change (1990)
Innocent Man, An (1989)
She-Devil (1989)
Signs of Life (1989)
Big (1988)
Dead Ringers (1988)
Moving (1988)
Places in the Heart (1984)
Videodrome (1983)
Scanners (1981)
Kids World (2001)No listings this weekLord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
102 Dalmatians (2000)
Species (1995)
Last of the Mohicans, The (1992)
Batman Returns (1992)
Ghost (1990)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
North (1994)
Radio Flyer (1992)
Forever Young (1992)
Avalon (1990)
Internal Affairs (1990)
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
No listings this weekLord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
No listings this week

2-08-03 Latest News

Hall of Fire Chats this Weekend
Demosthenes @ 5:13 am EST

This weekend in Hall of Fire, we take the opportunity to examine the quality and effectiveness of the CG character creations of the Two Towers.

CGI in the Two Towers

Did CG creations such as Gollum, the wargs, the oliphaunts, Treebeard, and the Nazgul's flying beast alter the visual texture of the film? Did they throw you out of the film at any stage? Did the greater number of CG characters demand more of an effort from the viewer to suspend disbelief and believe that this was a real world long ago, not merely a film? Which CG characters were outstanding and which were merely ordinary? And, finally, was there too much emphasis on "cool CGI", making Towers less grounded in reality than Fellowship, and more of a sf/fantasy?

Upcoming Discussions:

Acting in the Two Towers
RoTK Book V, Ch2: Passing of the Grey Company

Place:
#thehalloffire on theonering.net server; come to theonering.net’s chat room Barliman's and then type /join #thehalloffire .

Saturday Chat: 5:30 pm ET (17:30) [also 11:30 pm (23:30) CET and 7:30 am Sunday (07:30) AET]

Sunday Chat: 7:00 pm (19:00) CET [also 1:00 pm (13:00) ET and 4:00 am (04:00) Monday morning AET]

ET = Eastern Time, USA’s East Coast
CET = Central European Time, Central Europe

Do you have a possible topic for Hall of Fire? Drop us a line here.

2-07-03 Latest News

Join us at Games Day 2003!
Flinch @ 1:54 pm EST

From our Friends at Games Workshop: Games Day is our huge gaming convention held in several cities such as Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles each year. Each show is a major event, with thousands of fans gathered to celebrate their enjoyment of the Games Workshop hobby. Players can find everything from elaborate gaming events to sneak peeks at upcoming products to painting and scenery demonstrations and more!

Grand Tournaments are where the finest players around the country meet to test their skills in all aspects of the hobby, from playing to painting to sportsmanship, in organized events run by Games Workshop staffers. Seattle, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Chicago are among the sites for these epic conflicts. Only the best in all areas will rise to become the Grand Champion!

Rogue Trader Tournaments are where players can compete against each other in hardcore, fun-filled competitive events in locations all over the country. These events are run by local fans, and allow players to experience the same type of action-packed Citadel Miniatures tabletop conflict that happen in the Grand Tournaments. Results are registered online at the Games Workshop Hall of Heroes, allowing players to view their national rankings and be eligible for special prizes and offers.

For a full listing of all Games Workshop Events, visit our website at:
http://www.games-workshop.com/news/us/events/events.htm

Games Workshop Announces Its Games Day Hobby Celebration and Gaming Convention Schedule!

Games Day is the huge gaming extravaganza for the Games Workshop series of hobby games such as Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000, the world?s most popular tabletop battlegames. These special events draw thousands of enthusiasts from across the country to join with fellow players in enjoying their favorite games. This year will see an additional third Games Day convention hosted in Los Angeles, to join the established events in Baltimore and Chicago. There will be gaming events ranging from beginner to expert for all the games, plus painting contests, seminars, tournament games, special guests, and more. Special campaign games will be running through all three Games Day conventions, allowing players to become part of huge overall events of thousands of fellow fans. Gaming Clubs from around the country will also be a part of the show as they put on their own gaming events for players. There will be lots of new Lord of the Rings tabletop battlegame events too, including displays and promotions plus of course sneak peeks at the new The Return of the King figures and game for the upcoming motion picture! Also in attendance at each show will be Sabertooth Games, running events for their Warhammer 40,000 Collectible Card Game and the new Warhammer Collectible Card Game, plus showing off their upcoming Tradeable Miniatures Game for The Lord of the Rings.


First up ? Games Day Los Angeles!
Games Workshop will be holding its first ever Games Day celebration event in Los Angels, an event sure to rock the West Coast like nothing before. For years players have been demanding Games Workshop put on a Games Day in California, and this year it will finally happen. It?s sure to be huge event, the largest ever put on by the company in this region!

Guests will include the head of the Games Workshop Studio Jim Butler, lead designer of the new The Lord of the Rings tabletop battlegame Alessio Cavatore, artist and painter for many of our projects on The Lord of the Rings Dave Andrews, author William King (of the popular Gotrek and Felix series of novels), Tony Cotrell from the special Forge World division, and more!

Show Date: May 31
Location: Ontario Convention Center, CA
Hours: 10am -7pm
Call us at 1-800-394-GAME for more information, or on the web at:
http://www.games-workshop.com/news/us/events/events.htm

VARIETY: Iraq won't rock Oscar
Xoanon @ 1:24 pm EST

That seems to be the consensus of Academy insiders who are confronting the prospect of a war in Iraq. The White House is hinting that hostilities will likely break out just prior to the Academy Awards, scheduled for March 23.

Though the Oscars have in fact been postponed three times before, a cancellation or significant delay is thought to be unlikely this year. At the most, insiders say, the ceremony could be delayed for two days in the case of war. A greater delay, it is thought, would wreak havoc with talent as well as network commitments worldwide.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences won't discuss the possibility of a postponement on the record; a spokesman said speculation is useless because there are simply too many variables to consider. But one insider confirms that they are mulling the possibilities.

If there were a postponement, the ideal scenario would be to reschedule within 48 hours. All the nominees could stay in town and there would be minimal readjustments in such areas as studio parties, limousine rentals, etc.

A longer postponement would create bigger headaches. Aside from the effort and expense of rescheduling events, presenters and nominees from out of town would have to return to L.A., potentially playing havoc with production schedules for those who are working. One exec said his studio would try to accommodate whatever stars and other VIPs want, but pointed out that many might not want to fly at all in the event of war.

Of course, the Oscarcast is not just a celebrity get-together. It's a television event with a global audience estimated at 1 billion. It's typically the year's second highest-rated program, after the Super Bowl. The Academy turns a profit of around $30 million in a typical year and ABC's net is about the same.

For 2003, ABC is selling 30-second spots for $1.3 million-$1.4 million, and most spots are already sold. The spots are sold based on a ratings guarantee, and the effects of war on an Oscarcast are unpredictable, say advertisers.

John Rash, senior VP and director of broadcast negotiations at Campbell Mithun Esty, says one of the things on advertisers' minds is that during a war, "The mass audience may be in search of escapism, so the ratings of the telecast may surge." If the rating ends up higher than ABC's audience guarantee, the added viewers are pure gravy to advertisers.

But any major news development -- from an escalation in fighting to an Iraqi surrender -- could cause viewers to flip over to news, handing Oscar a ratings hit and leaving ABC on the hook for make-goods.

Worst-case scenario

One worst-case scenario is a major story breaking just before the Oscarcast or during the ceremony. According to ABC insiders, the network would have to take a wait and see approach should events unfold on Oscar day. If it appeared that morning that events were of such a magnitude that it would require wall-to-wall 24 hour coverage, then perhaps the Academy Awards would be postponed.

That decision is more difficult than ever before, since the networks now have the ability to go live with news from almost anywhere, almost anytime, often without knowing at the outset how important a story will turn out to be. That means that news toppers must decide, while events are still unfolding, whether a story is important enough to pre-empt regular programming.

"A lot has to do with novelty," Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz told Daily Variety. "A war that has just broken out gets a huge amount of media attention. A war that has been dragging on for a couple of months becomes more of a back-burner story. So as with so many other things in life, timing is everything."

Should the Oscars start and news warranted a break-in, festitivites could perhaps be paused, depending on the developments. A 20-minute special report, for example, would be slightly disruptive, but wouldn't end the evening. That's what makes putting contingency plans on paper so difficult, the insider said. After all, there's no real way to predict what might or might not happen.

According to ABC, the decision to break into the Oscars would be made solely by the president of the news division, based on the nature of the story and its importance to the American people.

The real nightmare for ABC would be major news that required the net to run news for the rest of the night, causing the web to forfeit the revenue from one of the year's most lucrative ad nights. Yet ABC says it's committed to make any such decision based solely on the importance of any breaking news.

"As is always the case," an ABC spokesman said, "if there are world events that warrant coverage on the night of the Academy Awards, ABC News will bring them to the American audience with the full support of the academy."

Complications

A postponement would make matters more complicated. Ad buyers will have to choose whether to keep their slots, and if so, what to run in them. Rash expects that "most advertisers will stay in the telecast" if the show is postponed: "Advertisers' messages in the Academy Awards tend not to be time-sensitive. The spots are more in the nature of brand building."

Andy Donchin, senior VP and media buyer for Carat N.A., said, "ABC will take the temperature of advertisers" in the event of a postponement. "But advertisers who pay the $1.4 million for a 30-second spot want to be in the Academy Awards." These advertisers, he said, "often create specific elements built around the awards show, including product launches" geared to reach the widest audience possible day and date.

But there is also a question of propriety.

Bob Flood, senior VP and director of national TV for Optimedia Intl., said that in the middle of a war, "if the tone of the advertiser's message is not consistent with the tone of the culture and society," the advertiser would probably try to negotiate its way out of going forward with a 30-second spot in the awards.

Campbell Mithun Esty exec Rash also raises the questions of the kudocast content, such as a patriotic theme or acceptance speeches that address the war.

The show goes on

One reason the Oscars have proceeded in wartime is that America wants them to. Wartime presidents such as Franklin Roosevelt have asked that Americans go on living normal lives. It's a lesson that Bryce Zabel, chairman of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, has taken to heart.

The Emmys, scheduled for five days after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, were moved to Oct. 7 -- then moved yet again when the American bombing campaign in Afghanistan began that day.

According to Zabel, "What we learned from the Emmy postponement is that these beloved American cultural touchstones, like the Emmys and the Oscars, can be postponed to fit in with the events of the day, but ultimately the show should go on. That there is merit in that old saying, and we believe in it."

The Oscar ceremony continued during past conflicts, of course. Kudos were mostly unaffected by the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, and even during World War II, albeit more subdued and less glamorous than in other years.

But that was then, observes Howard Kurtz. "The difference between now and World War II is that just as the awards for best actor and best picture are being handed out, the viewer can flip to 15 other channels and watch live action war in Iraq. That's a tough environment for any awards program."

Zabel recalls that ATAS had no contingency plan for a catastrophe the scope of Sept. 11, and had to develop one on the fly.

"I guess what we learned is that there is no rulebook on these things," Zabel said. "A contingency plan means 'if this happens, then we do that' -- and that is very hard to do. You have to go with your gut. You have to survey the community with the time that you have and find out in many respects what they want to do about it.

"I guess what we did intuitively in 2001 is about what you would do if you had a crisis plan: Get your highest level leadership together to find out what their first thoughts are. Then, draw in the voices from each respective organization and share that information and continue until a consensus emerges, mindful of the time frame you have."

To Zabel's surprise, no other organizations, including AMPAS, have contacted the TV Acad to discuss their experiences with the postponement. "I'm surprised. Because if the situation were reversed, I'd be on the phone asking 'What did you learn?' "

In fact, the stars may literally be lining up for the Oscars to go on as scheduled. In the 1991 Gulf War, planners timed the Jan. 16 start of Operation Desert Storm to take advantage of the darkness of the new moon. This year's next new moon is March 2, three full weeks before the kudocast. That's plenty of time for auds to turn their attention away from the Iraq theater to the Kodak Theater.

Viggo Worship
Xoanon @ 1:16 pm EST

Premiere Magazine:

She doesn't drink, goes disco-bowling, attends spinning classes and finds comfort in falling asleep watching The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Oh, and she has a serious crush on Aragorn.

PREMIERE: You're not alone in worshiping the Viggo.

RICCI: The biggest lesson I learned coming out of The Lord of the Rings was there's really no reason for me to go out with someone I'm not attracted to ever again. That's what it taught me: Do not go out with ugly men.

PREMIERE: Have you ever met Viggo?

RICCI: I had a screen test with him. He nibbled on my ear, and I was like "Ah! I love you!". My cat is named Viggo.

PREMIERE: You just made a lot of women jealous.

Jon Labrie, Weta CTO, at San Jose
Tehanu @ 3:47 am EST

Thanks to Holbytla for this press release from the Game Developers' Conference which has news about Jon LeBrie, WETA CTO, speaking at the Game Developers' Conference in March in San Jose.

Gollum Comes to the 2003 Game Developers Conference

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

Jon LeBrie, CTO, Weta Digital has been announced as keynote of CMP Media's 17th annual Game Developers Conference (GDC), March 4 - 8, 2003, San Jose, California. LeBrie is the principal architect of the digital infrastructure used to create the Academy Award-winning digital visual effects in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. LeBrie's keynote, "Fleshing out Middle Earth: Weta Digital Creatures" discusses specific approaches to crowd animation, creature setups, digital doubles, Ents, the specific challenges involved in bringing Gollum to the screen, and how the concept of 'creative iteration' informed the development of one of the world's largest digital visual effects infrastructures. The GDC offers more than 300 sessions, which provide valuable information, diverse perspectives and inspiration to all game developers. Attracting more than 10,000 attendees annually, the GDC provides an independent forum for developers from around the world to set the agenda for the next generation of games. "With revenues at $10 billion, video game development is serious business," said Alan Yu, director, Game Developers Conference. "This industry is changing at an incredibly rapid pace. Developers are facing serious issues and challenges from within and outside, making the GDC more important than ever to the health of the game industry." Other notable speakers include:

-- Will Wright, co-founder, Maxis, driving force behind "Sim City" and recipient of the Game Developers Choice Lifetime Achievement Award, in a discussion titled: "Dynamics for Designers" -- Paul Debevec, lead graphics researcher, University of Southern California, whose techniques were used to create the Academy Award-winning virtual background for the "bullet time" shots in the film "The Matrix," lecturing on "High Dynamic Range Imagery and Image-Based Lighting" -- Rich Vogel, executive producer, Sony Online Entertainment, who produced "Meridian 59" and "Ultima Online," and Raph Koster, creative director, Sony Online Entertainment, whose credits include "Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided," "Ultima Online" and "Ultima Online: The Second Age," leading "How to Manage a Large Scale Online Gaming Community" -- Rick Giolito, Electronic Arts, speaking about "Creating a Cinematic Game Experience" -- Robert Garriott, CEO, NCsoft Austin; J.C. Herz, professor, New York University, former New York Times editor; Won Il Sue, director of business development, Nexon Corporation; Cindy Armstrong; and Seung Hoon Choi; discussing "Korea, Where Multiplayer Gaming is King" -- Jaime Griesemer, Mat Noguchi and Marty O'Donnell, Bungie Software, covering the development of "Halo" from the design, engineering and audio sides in "Halo: Development Evolved" -- Mia Consalvo, assistant professor, Ohio University; Sheri Graner Ray, 10-year veteran of game writing, design and production; Clarinda Merripen, human resource manager, Cyberlore Studios; and Sheri Pocilujko, product support administrator, Incredible Technologies; speaking on "Profiling the Female Gamer: A Look at How She Buys and Plays" -- Jonathan Blow, designer, programmer and writer of Game Developer Magazine's "The Inner Product" column, covering 3D manipulation, interactive mixing and other issues in "Experimental Gameplay Workshop" -- Kenji Kaido and Fumito Ueda, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., recipient of a 2002 Game Developers Choice Award for game innovation, lecturing on "Game Design Methods for ICO" -- Masaki Kawase, presenting "Frame Buffer Postprocessing Effects in Double-S.T.E.A.L. (Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions)"

The GDC's seven content tracks cover the following disciplines: visual arts, production, business and legal, game design, audio, programming and the IGDA track. For the complete list of presenters, schedules and event information, visit GDConf.com .

About the Gama Network Providing resources for game development for more than 10 years, the Gama Network is where professional creators of interactive entertainment come for information, interaction and inspiration. The Gama Network includes the Game Developers Conference, the Independent Games Festival, Game Developer magazine and Gamasutra.com. For more information, please visit GamaNetwork.com About CMP Media LLC CMP Media LLC CMP Media LLC is a leading integrated media company providing essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum, including the builders, sellers and users of technology worldwide. Capitalizing on its editorial strength, CMP is uniquely positioned to offer marketers comprehensive, integrated media solutions tailored to meet their individual needs. Its diverse products and services include newspapers, magazines, Internet products, research, direct marketing services, education and training, trade shows and conferences, and custom publishing.

CONTACT: Sibel Sunar or Stacy Schwartz, +1-310-785-0515, ext. 271/276, or sibel@bohle.com/stacy@bohle.com, both of The Bohle Company for Gama Network; or Jennifer McLean of Gama Network, +1-415-947-6219, or jmclean@cmp.com

2-06-03 Latest News

PJ's Empire Awards Speech Transcript
Tehanu @ 10:59 pm EST

We've got a transcript of PJ's Empire Awards Acceptance Speech, thanks to Ringer Spy WeeTanya *

Setting: The WETA armor room.

Peter Jackson is completely decked out in a suit of Middle Earth armor, swinging a mighty sword around.

Richard is standing to one side of him, avoiding the sword.

*

Peter Jackson [P]: I get to kill all these guys now, it's going to be great, Richard. In a 13 episode series, 1 hour episodes. Jackson the Barbarian, it's going to be called, it's gonna be cool, and it's going straight into syndication.

Richard Taylor [R]: And who's going to play the lead?

P: Me.

R: Of course!

P: Nonono -- I'm okay, I watched what they were doing. I saw Viggo, I know his tricks. I know exactly what he did...

R: And the cast? Who are you imagining?

P: Oh we'll get a good cast -- I don't think it's gonna be a problem. You know, the first episode, right, I'm on this big pirate galley, and I'm kinda fighting off all these pirates, and I'm just killing everybody -- but then this big galleon just crashes into an iceberg, so I thought I'd offer that one to Bernard Shaw.

R: Yeah, he'd be the man.

P: Yeah -- No -- he's got no sense of direction, the poor bugger, no sense of direction. And Billy Boyd, Dominic Moghnahan, I think they could play this kind of romantic couple. You know, one of them would have to dress up as a woman, but that's what they used to do on the weekends.

R: They're pretty used to that.

P: Yep. Happened all -- every weekend.

P: Of course Sir Ian McKellen, he wants to be a wizard again.

R: The frocks? It's the frocks.

P: Yeah, it's the frocks. He doesn't want to go back into Shakespeare, he found his true calling wearing the pointy hat. And you know of course I've got a love interest, and it's going to be Cate Blanchet.

R: Yeah? And, ah, think she'll do it?

P: Yeah -- oh yeah, yeah yeah -- well, I mean no -- I guess she probably will.

R: You've asked her.

P: No, but there was a vibe, ay, when she was out in New Zealand -- there was a special little something between us -- that was good -- that was good. And, you know, I've even got a role for Andy Serkis in this film.

R: Of course, excellent.

P: He gets to play this little earthworm. And you know what, I've got this amazing idea, where he's this little worm, and he keeps having these kinda internal arguments with himself, because he doesn't know whether or not he's the head or the bum. And he kinda keeps debating it amongst himself -- you know -- it's gonna be cool. It's great.

R: Any idea -- what about the costumes, the props? Where we gonna get those from?

P: We'll just use these -- I mean all we gotta do is paint them a different color -- and New Line would never know.

R: Right exactly we'll get the spray cans out... chop it up, refit [?] it.

P: Just like spray it purple, put a little pink over here, and it's gonna be cool.

R: A few feathers... Good, good!

P: And Bob's your uncle, Bob's your uncle.

R: So Pete, I know you came to talk about the film, but...

P: [Notices the film crew] Jeezus, what are they doing here?

R: Well, actually I didn't tell you. We're not actually here to talk about the film -- I asked you to come along -- I know you're keen to always get into the costumes. But look, it's actually an award that we've been given. The good people at Empire have given us Best Film of the Year award.

P: Fantastic! Oh this is just so cool! Best Film for Jacko the Barbarian, and we haven't even started filming it! Oh this is just fantastic.

Look, I'd just like to thank Empire Magazine, and all of the readers at Empire that voted for Jacko the Barbarian, it's just a wonderful sign of faith. And I'd like to thank all of the cast that haven't been in it yet, but are going to be in it.

And this is just so...

R: Isn't it.

Both: Fantastic.

R: Hey, thanks guys! Jacko lives!

Both: [Dance around] Wooohooo! Wooohooo

TTT NOT Nominated By The WGA
Xoanon @ 3:42 pm EST

Los Angeles and New York (2/6/2003) - The Writers Guild of America, East and west announced the nominations for outstanding achievement in screen during the 2002 season.

*****Original Screenplay*****

- Antwone Fisher, Written by Antwone Fisher; Fox Searchlight
- Bowling for Columbine, Written by Michael Moore; United Artists/Alliance Atlantis/Salter Street Films/Dog Eat Dog Films
- Far From Heaven, Written by Todd Haynes; Focus Features
- Gangs of New York, Screenplay by Jay Cocks and Steven Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan, Story by Jay Cocks; Miramax Films
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Written by Nia Vardalos; Gold Circle Films/HBO/MPH Entertainment/Playtone

*****Adapted Screenplay*******

- About a Boy, Screenplay by Peter Hedges and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz, based on the novel by Nick Hornby; Universal Pictures/Studio Canal/Working Title Films/Tribeca Productions
- About Schmidt, Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, based on the novel by Louis Begley; New Line Cinema
- Adaptation, Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman, based on the book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean; Columbia Pictures
- Chicago, Screenplay by Bill Condon, based on the musical play, book by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb and the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins; Miramax Films
- The Hours, Screenplay by David Hare, based on the novel by Michael Cunningham; Paramount Pictures/Miramax Films

Surprisingly, there haven't been that many films to go on to get a Best Picture nomination without a WGA nom -- here is the list:

2001 - In the Bedroom (ineligible)
2000- Gladiator (won Best Picture)
1999- The Green Mile
1998 - Elizabeth, Life is Beautiful
1995 - Il Postino
1994 - Pulp Fiction (won screenplay Oscar)
1992 - A Few Good Men
1991 - Beauty and the Beast
1990 - Godfather III
1988 - Mississippi Burning
1986 - The Mission
1985 - Kiss of the Spider Woman

2-05-03 Latest News

Elvish Language Lesson #1
Jincey @ 10:42 pm EST

This chat took place on February 5, 2003 in TheOneRing.net's #thehalloffire channel. Our guest was Barliman's regular, and self-taught language expert Elostrion. Here follows the transcript of the log:

*** Log file opened: 2/5/2003 6:55:58 PM

[Elostrion] Tonight we are covering Sindarin Syntax. Syntax simply refers to the structuring of sentences and such. First, we will look at the ways in which a sentence can be ordered. Sindarin sentences can have the forms:

1) Object-Verb-Subject
Note: The most common.
Number 1 is used when there is a complete Subject, Verb, and Object.

2) Verb-Object
Note: Used when only a complete Verb and Object is included. I know you are wondering how there can be no subject. Well, certain pronouns used as subjects are included in Verb Conjugation. We will cover that later.

3) Verb-Subject
Note: Used when there is an implied Object.

4) Subject-Verb-Object
Note: When a complete Subject, Verb, and Object is included, you may choose between numbers 1 and 4.

[Elostrion] Modifiers usually follow their "modify-ees". That is, Adjectives follow their Nouns, etc. Adverbs follow their Verbs, etc. I will now give you a few examples.
[Elostrion] The sentence "The dog ran." includes only a complete Subject and Verb...
[Elostrion] so, I would choose Number 3
[Elostrion] And the order would be "Ran the dog."
[Elostrion] I know you are wondering why "the" is included before it's noun. We will cover this next time.
[Elostrion] If I had a sentence such as "The brown dog jumped over the fence."
[Elostrion] I would choose Number 3 again.
[Elostrion] The correct Sindarin order is... "Jumped over the fence the dog brown."
[Elostrion] And now for a more complicated example...
[Elostrion] "The mighty man drank the juice from a tree."
[Elostrion] Here I would choose either Numbers 1 or 4.
[Elostrion] The correct Sindarin order is... "The juice from tree drank the man mighty."
[Elostrion] Sindarin is like German, in that you have to decide which is the most logical choice of subject.
[Elostrion] Obviously, the juice cannot drink the man.
[Elostrion] I will explain why I have omitted "a" in the next lesson.
[Elostrion] I believe that I am now ready to take questions.
[YalieGirl] Do modifiers always directly follow the word modified, both adjectivally and adverbially?
[Pio] What numbers are you talking about? You said as in here use 3, or here use 1 or 4
[mallorn] Pio: I think he means you have to make a choice?
[Night_Elf] when you say that the pronouns are in the verb conjugation what do you mean?
[Elostrion] Yes, RedSun?
[unigolyn] Pio: he gave numbered explanations of different word orders
[TheRedSunRises] the last example you used
[Elostrion] What about it?
[TheRedSunRises] "The juice from tree drank the man mighty."
[TheRedSunRises] that's #4?
[Stacy] in elvish, how do you say "I love you"?
[Pio] amin ella lle isn't it?
[Oblyvia] mela
[shlokes] The brown dog jumped over the fence. Why is fence not an object?
[Shieldmaiden] Night_Elf -- I assume that it means that there do not need to be subjects and verbs, that the conjugation of the verb indicates which subject or pronoun it has.
[TheRedSunRises] shlokes, its an indirect object
[Elostrion] That it does Shield.
[Night_Elf] ok.. you got an example?
[shlokes] alright
[Night_Elf] you said that pronouns go with the conjugated verbs.. can you give an example?
[Elostrion] You will learn about that later Night_Elf.
[shlokes] RedSun what makes it a indirect object?
[shlokes] How can we tell if something is an indirect object or not?
[Guest5] How do you say "You are my best friend" in elvish?
[Ondohon] Is the use of adjectives like French?
[Nimlad] Elo - would you mind reposting the word order numbered examples you gave earlier? (for those of us who can't tell time)
[Elostrion] I do not know French.
[Ondohon] Ooh :)
[Pio] Yes Elo, please repeat the numbered examples
[Elostrion] I will in a little while Nimlad
[Ondohon] Aah I found it] You said it mainly follows the modifiyee :)
[unigolyn] Question: is the word order always strict; my impression was that Sindarin was like Finnish/Estonian and relies on word suffixes
[Elostrion] Yes
[jincey] folks lets slow down just a bit : )
[jincey] Elostrion is overwhelmed!!
[Elostrion] The word order can be modified somewhat, but do not stray too far.
[hama_elvishlessons] Elostrian: will you please tell us how to conjugate verbs?
[Elostrion] You will learn in the upcoming lessons.
[YalieGirl] Where are adverbs placed relative to verbs they modify and adjectives they modify?
[Elostrion] Modifiers usually follow their nouns, verbs, etc.
[Aurra] Question for Elo: Is there any type of website that shows the Elven language. Such as, if we were looking for one specific word?
[Elostrion] There is a downloadable Sindarin Dictionary. I will give you the URL at the end of the questions.
[unigolyn] Elostrion: Could you, as an example, deconstruct the elvish phrase 'Elen sila lumenn omentielvo' (unless it's Quenya :))
[Elostrion] It is Quenya
[Altise] is this dictionary just for sindarin or can the words be used for other modes too, such as quenya?
[Elostrion] the dictionary i speak of is only Sindarin
[Jeremy] Q for Elo: will i need a special program to open the dictionary?
[Elostrion] No
[Shieldmaiden] Question for Elo: Are all the verbs in Sindarin irregular?
[Elostrion] Let us cross that bridge when we come to it.
[Ondohon] will you give Quenya-lessons as well?
[Elostrion] We will see how well these go.
[Jeremy] Q: is Sindarin the most commonly spoken in the movies?
[Elostrion] yes
[mallorn] Question: For those who know and speak Elvish, which is more common to know, Sindarin or Quenya?
[Elostrion] Sindarin is more useful, but Quenya can be more satisfying to learn. In my opinion.
[unigolyn] Elostrion: If at first you don't succeed... 'Onen i-Estel Edain, u-chebin estel anim'. Hoping this is Sindarin, can you deconstruct this?
[Elostrion] I will if you will give me your e-mail unigolyn, it will take some time.
[Shieldmaiden] Question: In Sindarin older and/or the more developped of the two?
[Elostrion] They are both almost equally developed, in different areas. Quenya is FAR older.
[Elennaur] my question for Elostrion is: why in the lyrics to the song "Aniron" is it phrased "Ai! Aniron Undomiel"? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
[Elostrion] If you have a question about any movie phrases please go here...
[Elostrion] http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/movie.htm
[niphredil] question: is Sindarin sentence construction more like Latin languages, or backwards, like English? :o)
[Elostrion] I am not very familiar with Latin. Sindarin Syntax is somewhat unique. It has elements from just about everywhere.
[Altise] what is the difference between the various modes of elvish? such as sindarin, quenya and black speech.
[jincey] please note, i'm pasting these q's in pretty much as they come to me ; )
[Elostrion] Elvish is what we collectively call all of Tolkien's Languages. Each "mode"as you call it, is in itself an entire language. There are about 21 different languages.
[Night_Elf] question: if sindarin is the common elvish and quenya is the elvish for the high elves then why does elrond and arwen speak sindarin?
[Elostrion] Quenya is not "for the high elves". In the Third Age, Quenya was only spoken at formal events, and in poems. Quenya:Sindarin::Latin:English.
[YalieGirl] Q for Elo: Why would Quenya be more satisfying to learn?
[Elostrion] it is, in my opinion, more beautiful. Even though Sindarin prefers mroe lyrical sounds
[niphredil] ok, phrasing it differently: is Sindarin sentence construction similar to English?
[Elostrion] In a few ways, yes but not in others
[Menelmacar] are most of the poems in the book quenya or sindarin?
[Elostrion] Which book? If you are speaking of LotR, I don't know. I will have to look. I will tell you next time if you come.
[Altise] is it possible to speak sindarin or quenya well enough to have conversations? or did Tolkien not complete them enough?
[Elostrion] Theoretically. You can substitute certain words for others, and such. However, we can never know how Tolkien really meant for it to be.
[Shieldmaiden] Question: How do you know how to pronounce the words? Is there a linguistic guide?
[Elostrion] On page 1087 of RotK
[Jeremy] in the prolouge for the first movie, is Elrond giving commands in Sindarin?
[Elostrion] No Sindarin
[Elostrion] Yes, Sindarin sry
[jincey] jeremy has a followup to the last...
[Jeremy] Q: is the Elvish index in the back of the Silmirillion Sindarin?
[Elostrion] It is both
[Night_Elf] question: does sindarin use the same puntuation as english?
[Elostrion] Elvish is not meant to be written with the English alphabet; however, Tolkien decided to use several symbols to represent the Elvish sounds. Similar to Latin.
[YalieGirl] Where are adverbs placed relative to verbs they modify and adjectives they modify?
[Elostrion] .Modifiers are placed in order or appearance... If I wanted to say the "black brown blue purple cat"...
[Elostrion] I woud say "cat black brown blue purple
[snuh] i'm wondering about pronunciation as well, but as in trilling R's. how important is that, especially if you're one who can't trill? any advice on trilling?
[Elostrion] I understand, it is very hard for me as well. If you say an untrilled "r" followed by a short "d" is should help.
[yavetil] Which is the easiest "mode" of Elvish to learn?)
[Elostrion] Oh dear, I suppose Quenya was easier for me... Because there are so many problems with Sindarin...
[Elostrion] Tolkien kept changing his mind. There is quite a bit of debate about what the final version was.
[EllaHalfling] is there any irregularity with certain words in the syntax or placement of modifiers
[Elostrion] There are of course exceptions to the rule, aren't there always.
[yavetil] When Aragorn speaks in Elvish in the movies, is it Sindarin?
[Elostrion] Mostly
[Elostrion] Again if you have any questions about the Movie go here... http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/movie.htm
[Aurra] Question for Elo: Is there any type of website that shows the Elven language. Such as, if we were looking for one specific word?
[Elostrion] http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/movie.htm
[Elostrion] I will give you the URL for the dictionary site now... http://www.jrrvf.com/~hisweloke/sindar/
[Yoohoo_Baggins] Given that the created vocabularies of Quenya and Sindarin are relatively small, have people been constructing new elvish words and is there any consensus on using them? That is to say are there competing dialects out there?
[Elostrion] There is one dialect called "Neo-Sindarin"
[Elostrion] Here is the link... http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/md_home.html
[iLUVorlandoB] question: what would be the sentence structure for sindarin? for example: where does the subject go in a sentence?
[Elostrion] Oh dear, you weren't here at the beginning. Please read the transcript.
[Elostrion] I will now re-list the sentence forms:
1) Object-verb-Subject
2) Verb-Object
3)Verb-Subject
4) Subject-Verb-Object
[Elostrion] Here are the links I have put up
[Elostrion] The Sindarin Dictionary: http://www.jrrvf.com/~hisweloke/sindar/
[Elostrion] The Neo-Sindarin Dialect Page: http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/md_home.html
[Elostrion] Helpful sites about Elvish:
http://www.ardalambion.com
http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/movie.htm
[Elostrion] All of those are very useful.
[niphredil] could you make a sample sentence, like: the boat is on the sea, (or whatever)?
[Elostrion] Absolutely!
[Elostrion] "The boat sat on the dock."
[Elostrion] We would choose number 3...
[Elostrion] "Sat on the dock the boat."
[Elostrion] "The red dog read the blue book"
[Elostrion] We could choose Numbers 1/4...
[Elostrion] Number 4: "The book blue read the dog red"
[JulieOh] Since two of the sentence forms (1 & 4) are opposite of each other, how do we know when to use which?
[Elostrion] You may choose.
[YalieGirl] How long did it take you to learn Sindarin to the proficiency you now have?
[Elostrion] How long have I been studying Elvish, or just Sindarin?
[YalieGirl] Both. Either.
[Elostrion] I started studying Elvish 3 or 4 years ago. It was slow going, there were not very many resources available. And I began Sindarin 2 or 3 years ago.
[Turco] is there a Quenya dictionary like the one just listed for Sindarin?
[Elostrion] There are several dictionaries online, but none so complete as the Sindarin.
[Night_Elf] asks: "question: what are some mnemoic aids for learning sindarin that are common if their are any"
[Elostrion] I haven't needed any myself. But I suppose if you come to all of my lessons you could think of some yourself.
[jincey] back to the #1 & #4...
[Mo] Question: Does the difference between #1 and #4 imply a different context?
[Elostrion] No. Like German, the listener must determine which noun makes more sense as the subject.
[yavetil] We know now how verbs and subjects are placed, etc, what about numbers (digits)?
[Elostrion] The placement of numbers depends on their use in each individual sentence.
[Nimlad] Q: would you mind posting the word order examples again? thanks
[Elostrion] LoL, no
[Elostrion] 1) Object-Verb-Subject
[Elostrion] 2) Verb-Object
[Elostrion] 3) Verb-Subject
[Elostrion] 4) Subject-Verb-Object
[Anaralith] question for elo: are there any published books for learning sindarin or the tolkien languages?
[Elostrion] There is one book by Ruth S. Noel. In fact, it was one of the first resources I consulted, but I quickly learned that it was by no means reliable. There are several books you can purchase in Poland. (The information is on ardalambion.com) Other than that, most of your information should some from the internet
[mallorn] I tried to figure out the days of the week in Elvish, Sindarin I believe, and found that there are only six. Do you know which day is eliminated?
[Elostrion] There is none, apparently you were mis-informed.
[Elostrion] If you will e-mail me at elostrion@hotmail.com, I will be glad to give you the days of the weel.
[Altise] The Sindarin dictionary you posted does not seem to have many, if any, basic verbs. How are you to construct a Sindarin sentence in Sindarin rather than English if this is the most complete dictionary as you said?
[Elostrion] There are many verbs, make sure you have deconstructed the verb as far as it can go. Into its root form.
[Tauriel] Question: You say that "like with German, the listener must decide which noun makes more sense as the subject". But in German, you often don't have to do that because the cases tell you which one is the subject. My question is then - does Sindarin have cases too or is it entirely up to the context which verb is the subject?
[Elostrion] No cases
[yavetil] How would you place in order, or even say, the time of day of the day? ex: 12:00pm o'clock
[Elostrion] E-mail me for that please.
[KylaGreenleaf1] Are there any audio tapes or something that one can listen to to learn?
[Elostrion] Oh no. Not that I have found.
[Jeremy] Q: can you give an example for number 2?
[Elostrion] In the sentence "I read the book" the "I" subject is included into Conugation.
[Elostrion] "[I read] the book"
[Elinwe] How did you learn how to speak elvish? did you find any of the dialects to be especially similar to any modern languages in terms of syntax or pronunciation?
[Elostrion] As many have said, several are very similar to Finnish and Welsh, as well as Latin. I taught myself from the Online resources I have listed.
[mmoB] question for elo - what site or book have you most referred to in learning sindarin?
[Elostrion] Definately http://www.ardalambion.com
[Elostrion] The best Elvish resource on the web
[Night_Elf] question: as in spanish and italian... if you don't put an accent on a word... would it have a totally different meaning
[Elostrion] No.
[KylaGreenleaf1] I have noticed alot of accents over certain letters that are identical to French. Are the Sindarin words similar in pronoucation?
[Elostrion] Let me explain the accents to you now. For future reference.
[Elostrion] An Acute Accent (an apostrophe like thing above the letter) shows a long vowel.
[Elostrion] Long vowels in stressed monosyllables are marked with the Circumflex (triangle thingy)
[Elostrion] Circumflexes in other Languages, e.g. Adunaic, Khuz-dul, are simply meant to define them from Sindarin and Quenya.
[SparkleDark] ques: so there is no form of iambics at all to be followed?
[Elostrion] None i have encountered
[Iris] Why are there 3 froms of elvish, but everyone only uses Sindarin and Quenya?
[Elostrion] There are approx. 21 different languages contained within Elvish. Sindarin was the tongue spoken by most Elves in the Third Age.
[Elinwe] I read that 'dh' is pronounced like the English 'th' such as in the word 'then'. Is this always true?
[Elostrion] yes
[Elostrion] I am very sorry everyone.
[Elostrion] But it is time for me to go.
[Elostrion] If you have any further questions, email me at elostrion@hotmail.com.
[jincey] everyone, we WILL post the log of this chat
[Elostrion] Hannon le a tholel pân. Ist nadath uin lam edhellen echeditham, harthon.
[jincey] on barli's page
[Elostrion] Navaer
[jincey] elostrion will be back next week : )
[jincey] thanks elostrion !!

John LaBrie Attends Game Developers Conference
Xoanon @ 6:58 pm EST

"Fleshing out Middle Earth: Weta Digital Creatures" -John LaBrie, CTO (Weta Digital)

The realization of Peter Jackson's vision for "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy demanded the creation of world-class creative teams across a number of disciplines. Weta Digital had a staff of 16 when research and development on the project began in 1997. The completion of work on "The Two Towers" in 2002 saw growth to almost 350 staff members, an Academy Award for work on the first film, and a substantial library of techniques uniquely suited to the task at hand.

This keynote discusses specific approaches to crowd animation, creature setups, digital doubles, Ents, the specific challenges involved in bringing Gollum to the screen, and how the concept of 'creative iteration' informed the development of one of the world's largest digital visual effects infrastructures.

Info on GDC: Join the world's leading developers to create the next generation of games. Five days of intensive sessions provide information and inspiration in visual arts, game design, programming, audio, business and legal, and production.

Make Better Games
Game Developers Conference
Conference: March 4-8, 2003
Expo: March 6-8, 2003
San Jose, CA
www.gdconf.com

More on LA Costume Exhibit!
leo @ 2:41 pm EST

Ringer Spy Terry emailed us about the LA costume exhibit we reported on earlier this week, this is what he had to say: The dates for the FIDM exhibit in Los Angeles listed at the Line Party site were confusing, as well as dates at FIDM's website. I got the following in response to an email:

The Hollywood exhibition opens to the public on Monday, February 17, 2003 and runs through Saturday, May 3, 2003. The hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:00am until 4:00pm. The galleries will be closed on April 18 and 19.

We will be showing costumes from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and they will be different from the costumes we showed from The Fellowship of the Ring (which they showed last year -leo).


2003 Cinemarati Award Noms!
Xoanon @ 1:37 pm EST

FAR FROM HEAVEN, TWO TOWERS LEAD NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2003 CINEMARATI AWARDS

‘Public Showdowns’ mix front-runners and surprises in one-of-a-kind awards experience

(New York City) -- Cinemarati, a select organization founded to gather premiere online critics from across the globe, announced its nominations today for the third annual Cinemarati Awards. Unlike any other professional awards, the Cinemarati Award Nominees – eight each in twenty-seven categories, recognizing the best cinematic efforts of 2002 – will now enter Cinemarati’s signature, one-of-a-kind ‘showdown’ process, where nominees go head-to-head in matchups voted on by its Member Critics and held in full public view at Cinemarati’s international home on the internet (http://www.cinemarati.org).

"Cinemarati fosters a relationship between film journalists and film audiences," said founding member MaryAnn Johanson, of FlickFilosopher.com, "and our Internet presence gives us a unique opportunity to conduct our awards processes out in the open. Over the next three weeks, we’ll whittle down our nominees in a series of playoff-style votes. No other critics’ group opens their award discussions to the moviegoing public, but we at Cinemarati find that it invigorates the dialogue between film audiences and film critics. It’s an exciting experience."

Todd Haynes’ elegant melodrama Far From Heaven figured strongly in this year’s Cinemarati Awards, including nods for Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, and Best Film of the Year. But surprises, however, were the order of the day: double nominees Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher) and Samantha Morton (Morvern Callar) share the lead category but will go head-to-head in the first role of the Supporting Actress category, where they are nominated for 8 Women and Minority Report, respectively. A strong year for world cinema, Cinemarati nominations included strong showings by Talk To Her, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Late Marriage, and Spirited Away. Hollywood was well represented with the multiple nominations for Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Chicago, and Adaptation, among others.

Critical favorites Adrien Brody and Daniel Day-Lewis sat alongside lesser-known performers Steve Coogan (24 Hour Party People) and Aurelien Recoing (Time Out); while newcomers populated the directing and writing categories, including strong showings for Dylan Kidd’s Roger Dodger, Burr Steers’ Igby Goes Down, and Steven Shainberg’s Secretary.

The 2003 Cinemarati Award Nominations, as announced on Friday, January 31st, are listed below. (You can also find the nominations at http://www.cinemarati.org/awards2003.html; the ‘playoff showdowns’ are held in the Cinemarati Roundtable at http://www.cinemarati.org/roundtable.)

2003 CINEMARATI AWARD NOMINATIONS (Available Online Friday, January 31st, 8:00AM at http://www.cinemarati.org/awards/2003nominations.html)

BEST FILM

#1. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#2. Far From Heaven
#3. Y Tu Mama Tambien
#4. Bowling For Columbine
#5. Adaptation
#6. 25th Hour
#7. Spirited Away
#8. Talk To Her

BEST NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM

#1. Y Tu Mama Tambien vs. #8. Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner)
#2. Monsoon Wedding
#3. Talk To Her
#4. Spirited Away
#5. Late Marriage
#6. Russian Ark
#7. Time Out

BEST ANIMATED FILM

#1. Spirited Away
#2. Ice Age
#3. The Powerpuff Girls
#4. Lilo and Stitch
#5. Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones
#6. Treasure Planet
#7. Metropolis
#8. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

#1. Bowling For Columbine
#2. Standing in the Shadows of Motown
#3. Biggie and Tupac
#4. Home Movie
#5. The Cockettes
#6. To Be and To Have
#7. Scratch
#8. The Trials of Henry Kissinger

WORST FILM OF THE YEAR

#1. Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones vs.
#2. Pinocchio
#3. Rollerball
#4. Unfaithful
#5. XXX
#6. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
#7. Scooby-Doo
#8. The Rules of Attraction

BEST DVD AWARD

#1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Platinum Series Extended Edition)
#2. In The Mood For Love (Criterion Collection) vs.
#3. The Royal Tenenbaums vs.
#4. Sunset Boulevard: Collector’s Edition
#5. 8 _ (Criterion Collection)
#6. Brotherhood of the Wolf
#7. Blade II
#8. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (Special Edition)

THE JOHN WATERS AWARD for the Year’s Guiltiest Pleasure

#1. Undercover Brother
#8. Blade 2
#2. The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course
#7. Reign of Fire
#3. Jackass: The Movie
#6. Femme Fatale
#4. XXX
#5. The Bourne Identity

THE JAR-JAR BINKS AWARD for the Year’s Most Inexplicable Cinematic Creation

#1. Fifty-year-old Roberto Benigni as Pinocchio
#2. "You’re Not Like Sand": Lucas’ Attack of the Bad Romantic Dialogue
#3. Scooby-Don’t
#4. Lady Bracknell, the Dance Hall Wench in The Importance of Being Earnest vs.
#5. Jeremy Irons’ David Bowie Jedi Master Uber Warlock in The Time Machine
#6. Olivier Martinez as French Sex God in Unfaithful
#7. Look Out: The Mothman!
#8. www.feardotcom.com

BEST LEAD ACTOR

#1. Daniel Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York
#2. Nicolas Cage, Adaptation vs.
#3. Campbell Scott, Roger Dodger
#4. Adrien Brody, The Pianist
#5. Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt
#6. Aurelien Rocoing, Time Out
#7. Steve Coogan, 24 Hour Party People
#8. Gael Garcia Bernal, Y Tu Mama Tambien

BEST LEAD ACTRESS

#1. Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven
#2. Isabelle Huppert, The Piano Teacher
#3. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Secretary
#4. Cate Blanchett, Heaven
#5. Samantha Morton, Morvern Callar
#6. Maribel Verdu, Y Tu Mama Tambien
#7. Nicole Kidman, The Hours
#8. Diane Lane, Unfaithful

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

#1. Chris Cooper, Adaptation
#2. Andy Serkis, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#3. Dennis Quaid, Far From Heaven
#4. Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can
#5. Barry Pepper, 25th Hour
#6. Jesse Eisenberg, Roger Dodger
#7. Jude Law, Road To Perdition
#8. Vijay Raaz, Monsoon Wedding

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

#1. Meryl Streep, Adaptation
#2. Samantha Morton, Minority Report
#3. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago
#4. Patricia Clarkson, Far From Heaven
#5. Edie Falco, Sunshine State
#6. Viola Davis, Solaris
#7. Isabelle Huppert, 8 Women
#8. Bebe Neuwirth, Tadpole

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

#1. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#2. 8 Women
#3. Monsoon Wedding
#4. Far From Heaven
#5. 25th Hour
#6. Adaptation
#7. Lovely and Amazing
#8. Chicago

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE AWARD

#1. Raven Goodwin, Lovely and Amazing
#2. Eminem, 8 Mile
#3. Everlyn Sampi, Rabbit-Proof Fence
#4. Kathleen McDermott, Morvern Callar
#5. Shefali Shetty, Monsoon Wedding
#6. Derek Luke, Antwone Fisher
#7. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Secretary
#8. Jesse Eisenberg, Roger Dodger

BEST DIRECTOR

#1. Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#2. Todd Haynes, Far From Heaven
#3. Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York
#4. Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away
#5. Pedro Almodovar, Talk To Her
#6. Alfonso Cuaron, Y Tu Mama Tambien
#7. Spike Jonze, Adaptation
#8. Spike Lee, 25th Hour

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

#1. Todd Haynes, Far From Heaven
#2. Dylan Kidd, Roger Dodger
#3. Alfonso and Carlos Cuaron, Y Tu Mama Tambien
#4. Pedro Almodovar, Talk To Her
#5. Paul Thomas Anderson, Punch-Drunk Love
#6. Sabrina Dhawan, Monsoon Wedding
#7. Hayao Miyazaki, Donald and Cindy Hewitt, Spirited Away
#8. Dover Koshashvili, Late Marriage

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

#1. Charlie and Donald Kaufman, Adaptation
#2. Frances Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair and Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#3. Bill Condon, Chicago
#4. David Benioff, 25th Hour
#5. Steven Soderbergh, Solaris
#6. Erin Cressida Wilson, Secretary
#7. Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, About Schmidt
#8. David Hare, The Hours

THE ORSON WELLES AWARD for the Year’s Best Directorial Debut

#1. Rob Marshall, Chicago
#2. Dylan Kidd, Roger Dodger
#3. Dover Koshashvili, Late Marriage
#4. George Clooney, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
#5. Zacharias Kunuk, Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner)
#6. Burr Steers, Igby Goes Down
#7. Roman Coppola, CQ
#8. Mark Romanek, One Hour Photo

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

#1. Dylan Kidd, Roger Dodger
#2. Sabrina Dhawan, Monsoon Wedding
#3. Erin Cressida Wilson, Secretary
#4. Dover Koshashvili, Late Marriage
#5. Chap Taylor, Changing Lanes
#6. David Benioff, 25th Hour
#7. Burr Steers, Igby Goes Down
#8. Roman Coppola, CQ

BEST SONG (Original or Adapted)

#1. "He Needs Me", Punch-Drunk Love
#2. "Cell Block Tango", Chicago
#3. "Lose Yourself", 8 Mile vs.
#4. "Cucurrucucu Paloma", Talk To Her
#5. "Aaj Mera Jee Kardaa", Monsoon Wedding
#6. "Love Will Tear Us Apart", 24 Hour Party People
#7. "The Hands That Built America", Gangs of New York
#8. "Papa T’es Plus Dans Le Coup", 8 Women

BEST MUSICAL SCORE

#1. Elmer Bernstein, Far From Heaven
#2. Jon Brion, Punch-Drunk Love
#3. Mychael Danna, Monsoon Wedding
#4. Howard Shore, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#5. Terence Blanchard, 25th Hour
#6. John Williams, Catch Me If You Can
#7. Jo Hisaishi, Spirited Away
#8. Wojciech Kilar and Frederic Chopin, The Pianist

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

#1. Edward Lachman, Far From Heaven
#2. Janusz Kaminski, Minority Report
#3. Andrew Lesnie, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#4. Christopher Doyle, Rabbit-Proof Fence
#5. Conrad L. Hall, Road To Perdition
#6. Declan Quinn, Monsoon Wedding
#7. Steven Soderbergh, Solaris
#8. Michael Ballhaus, Gangs of New York

BEST FILM EDITING

#1. D. Michael Horton and Jabez Olssen, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#2. Michael Kahn, Minority Report
#3. Barry Alexander Brown, 25th Hour
#4. James Lyons, Far From Heaven
#5. Leslie Jones, Punch-Drunk Love
#6. Kurt Engfehr, Bowling For Columbine
#7. Trevor Waite and Michael Winterbottom, 24 Hour Party People
#8. James Haygood and Angus Wall, Panic Room

OUTSTANDING DESIGN

#1. Far From Heaven
#2. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#3. Gangs of New York
#4. Minority Report
#5. Road To Perdition
#6. Catch Me If You Can
#7. 8 Women
#8. Chicago

BEST FILM WEB SITE

#1. Bright Lights Film Journal (http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/)
#2. Video ETA (http://www.videoeta.com/)
#3. Saul Bass Online (http://www.saulbass.net/)
#4. The Hot Button (http://www.thehotbutton.com/)
#5. Slant Magazine (http://www.slantmagazine.com/)
#6. Film Threat (http://www.filmthreat.com/)
#7. indieWIRE (http://www.indiewire.com/)
#8. The Onion AV Club (http://www.theonionavclub.com/)

BEST OFFICIAL FILM SITE

#1. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (http://www.lordoftherings.net/)
#2. Full Frontal (http://www.fullfrontal.com/)
#3. Minority Report (http://www.precrime.org/)
#4. Russian Ark (http://www.russianark.spb.ru/)
#5. S1m0ne (http://www.realsimone.com/)
#6. Y Tu Mama Tambien (http://www.ytumamatambien.com/)
#7. Gangs of New York (http://www.gangsofnewyork.com/)
#8. Bowling For Columbine (http://www.bowlingforcolumbine.com/)


EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN CRITICISM

#1. Anthony Lane, Nobody’s Perfect (Knopf) vs. #8. Amy Taubin, Film
Comment (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/author-288/)
#2. Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
(http://www.chireader.com/movies/)
#3. Charles Taylor, Salon.com (http://www.salon.com/ent/index.html)
#4. Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com (http://www.salon.com/ent/index.html)
#5. Michael Ondaatje, The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film
#6. David Denby, The New Yorker (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/author-148/)
#7. Scott Tobias, The Onion AV Club (http://www.theonionavclub.com/)

ROUNDTABLE FILM OF THE YEAR (chosen by visitors to
http://www.cinemarati.org/roundtable/)

#1. Punch-Drunk Love
#2. Far From Heaven
#3. 25th Hour
#4. Spider-Man
#5. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
#6. Chicago
#7. Bowling For Columbine
#8. Minority Report

END NOMINATIONS

The 2003 roster of Cinemarati critics features widely-read writers from across the United States, Australia, and Canada, representing some of the most heavily-trafficked film sites on the World Wide Web, including Netflix, The Flick Filosopher, Film Threat, and Apollo Guide. The

Cinemarati member critics are:

Acquarello, Strictly Film School (http://www.filmref.com/)
Catherine Cantieri, Hole City (http://holecity.com/asp/frontpage.asp)
Shay Casey, Daily Reviews (http://www.daily-reviews.com/)
Jill Cozzi, Cozzi Fan Tutti/Mixed Reviews (http://www.cozzifantutti.com/)
Nick Davis, Flick Picks (http://www.nicksflickpicks.com/)
Michael Dequina, Film Threat/Movie Poop Shoot
(http://www.moviepoopshoot.com/flimflam/)
Bryant Frazer, Deep Focus (http://www.deep-focus.com/flicker/)
Mark Freeman, Critical Eye (http://home.vicnet.net.au/~freeman/)
Stephen Himes, Filmsnobs (http://www.filmsnobs.com/)
Andrew Howe, E-FilmCritic (http://www.efilmcritic.com/)
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide/Netflix (http://www.apolloguide.com/)
MaryAnn Johanson, The Flick Filosopher (http://www.flickfilosopher.com/)
Jeremiah Kipp, Culture Dose/Matinee Magazine (http://www.culturedose.com/)
Nathaniel Rogers, The Film Experience (http://www.thefilmexperience.net/)
Gabriel Shanks, Cozzi Fan Tutti/Mixed Reviews
(http://www.cozzifantutti.com/)
Vern, Then F*** You, Jack: The Life and Art of Vern
(http://www.geocities.com/outlawvern/)
Jeff Vorndam, About Film (http://www.aboutfilm.com/)
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide/Netflix (http://www.apolloguide.com/)

For further information about Cinemarati or the 2003 Cinemarati Awards, please email gabrielshanks@cinemarati.org, or call (201) 686-9131. http://www.cinemarati.org

Elvish Lessons Beginning at Barlimans
Jincey @ 12:12 am EST

So many folks have been asking questions about the Elvish languages since the movies came out and we have an opportunity to learn a bit about this now! Elostrion has volunteered to teach a short course in "How to Construct a Sindarin Sentence". The beginning lesson will cover syntax, which is how a simple sentence can be structured and the order of words. Elostrion says, "It is not complicated, but people seem to have a problem with it." He wants to point out that this is for beginners. Perhaps as time goes by, if this proves popular, we can expand the lessons. Elostrion's class will be held in #thehalloffire Wednesday, Feb 5, beginning at 7pm EST (6pm CST, Midnight GMT).

Here's how to get there: either use this [java] link or follow these instructions for IRC clients: #thehalloffire on the irc.theonering.net server; come to theonering.net's chat room Barliman's and then type /join #thehalloffire. For further information, be sure to read the new Barliman's FAQ.

2-04-03 Latest News

SkyKings Sends this 'Farewell for Now' to All
Jincey @ 9:06 pm EST

Many folks will know SkyKing, a regular here at Barli's. What many folks may not know is that in real life he is a member of America's armed forces. His real life job necessitates his lengthy absence from Barli's for several months. He sent along a letter for everyone to read:

To my good friends, who have always been there when I asked them to be, and who always were there to share the laughs and joy, the tears and sorrows, you will always be in my heart and in my thoughts. Even as I walk through the fires of Hell that await, knowing the world will not celebrate my name because I do that which is of the utmost sensitivity, I know that you have faith in me. Even those from foreign lands, as well as those from home in the USA, your freedom and security is what I strive for and will achieve. May the heavens open up to receive and embrace you as your planes scream skyward, and may you never find yourself without a wingman (or woman). To everyone at Barliman's, the stars forever shine upon our meeting.
--SkyKing
"It is good war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it."

Please send along your prayers, thoughts and good vibes for one of our own, caught up in the real world.

Sean Astin's 'Angel' Episode
Xoanon @ 3:54 pm EST

The time is soon upon us, Sean Astin was recently behind the camera directing an episode of the horror/action WB show 'Angel'.

The episode, which airs this Wednesday, is part of a 'Dark Sun' plotline that has been playing out for the past month or so.

If you are not a fan of the show and care to watch, read the following to get caught up with all the latest.

Angel: The information you need to know

Angelus (David Boreanaz) is a hundred-plus year old vampire living in modern day Los Angeles. He fights the good fight alongside a team of investigators dealing with all things para-normal.

Angel was cursed with a soul by gypsies in the late 1800's, he could no longer kill people and suffers daily with memories of his past evil deeds. His curse can only be lifted (not that he wants it to go away) by a moment of pure happiness.

Having changed his name to Angel, he works alongside Cordelia Chase (the lovely Charisma Carpenter), Wesley Wyndam-Pryce (Alexis Denisof), Charles Gunn (J. August Richards) and Winifred 'Fred' Burkle (Amy Acker) to kill evil deamons and other vampires.

Without getting into too many details, he also has a young son, Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) who seems to possess a great deal of Angel's powers.

In recent weeks, a really nasty rock/goat daemon (don't take this show too seriously) has plotted and killed his way into blotting out the sun, therefore allowing all the nasty daemons and monsters out from under their rocks and feast on the city's helpless inhabitants. Only Angel and his team can stop him and return the sunlight.

Last weeks episode Wesley theorized that the rock daemon and Angelus (the nasty version of Angel) are somehow connected. He tells Angel the only way to find more information and kill the beast is to bring Angelus back and question him. Angel reluctantly decides to do this and, after locking himself in a cage, brings in an Asian shaman with mystic powers who claims he can exercise Angel's soul and keep it safe.

As the shaman prepares to perform his voodoo on Angel he is exposed as an assassin for the daemon and is killed. The team learns (with the aid of massive tattoo scripture on the assassin) that an ancient sword can kill the beast. They locate the sword, and in a pitched battle between Connor, Angel and the beast, they kill him.

The sun returns to the earth and all is well. Cordelia, meanwhile expresses her true love to Angel and they share an extremely intimate moment. Angel, obviously enjoying himself, beings to lift his curse and BANG! We are suddenly back in the steel cage with the Asian shaman...his voodoo has worked, Angel thought his dreams were reality (and so did we).

The REAL reality is that the sun is still gone, the daemon is still loose, and now the very nasty Angelus is back, while Angels soul is in a jar on a table....

This is where the Sean Astin episode 'Soulless' beings. Take a look at the trailer. [More]

Sounds like fun to me....

HELM'S DEEP PRE-RELEASE! FEB 22-23!
Lao_of_Gondor @ 2:32 pm EST

ARE YOU READY!?!

We are only three weeks away from the Official Pre-Release of the Battle of Helm's Deep Weekend! During the weekend of FEB 22nd and 23rd, across the country and around the world, LOTR TCG players, collectors and enthusiasts will all come together and take part in one of the most exciting TCG events of all time!

On FEB 7th (which is only a few days away) at DGMA.com, you will be able to PRE-REGISTER your spot for $25 to have the incredible opportunity of taking part in this exciting event and collect a brand new LOTR TCG expansion two weeks before it is legally released in stores! For your entry fee, you will receive 1 pre-constructed Battle of Helm's Deep Sealed Deck (either the Legolas or Eowyn theme), 3 BOHD Booster Packs and 1 Alternate Image collectible card of Theoden, King of the Golden Hall as your souvenir of this event.

BUT WHAT IS A SEALED DECK TOURNAMENT?

For those of you who do not know what a SEALED DECK tournament is, then this pre-release tournament is just for you! This is your chance to not only play in a very exciting and surprising tournament format, but to also have one of the very best and most challenging playing experiences ever.

Sealed Deck Pre-Release tournaments are incredibly fun for all skill levels - because the cards that you are playing with EQUALIZE the playing field as much as possible. Everyone will be using cards from one of two Sealed Deck themes which limit the variable of pre-constructed deck surprise. The Starter Deck lists are even available for study on Decipher's website which you can find here.

However, the 3 Booster Packs which are also a part of your deck construction strategy keep that element of suspense very much alive as it becomes the most powerful dynamic in the format of Sealed Deck play. These cards are the "unknown" factor in the game - which is where your abilities as a player are put to the test.

But don't worry, the most important part of this event is to HAVE FUN! Players from all over the territory will take part in this event as both collectors and enthusiasts of the game. For all of you newer players, this will be a great opportunity to learn from experts who will probably share with you a trick or two. For collectors, bring your trade binder along because with this many players congregated all in one place - there will always be an opportunity to find the cards you are looking for. And for all of you experienced players... time to put your skills to the test as you are forced to play with your wits and your talents - since this format will deprive you of the comfort of your own customized pre-constructed decks!


FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PLAYERS and LOTR TCG FANS!

For all of you who live in Southern California or nearby, you have the opportunity to attend TWO pre-release tournaments! This DOUBLE-HEADER weekend is indeed a very special circumstance and here is all of the event information at this time:

FEBRUARY 22, 2003: WIZARDS OF THE COAST - Westminster Mall (Westminster, CA)

The WIZARDS OF THE COAST Store in the Westminster Mall, Westminster CA is the Official Pre-Release Tournament location of TheOneRing.net! This tournament will be held SATURDAY, Feb. 22nd. Here is a link for all of the official tournament information for this pre-release: [EVENT DETAILS]

FEBRUARY 23, 2003: SQUEEZE PLAY - Tustin, CA

There will also be a second Pre-Release Tournament at SQUEEZE PLAY in Tustin, CA on SUNDAY, FEB 23rd. Here is a direct link to the Battle of Helm's Deep Pre Release at Squeeze Play: [EVENT DETAILS]

Thanks all for reading. Don't forget...Pre-Registration begins FEB 7th at www.dgma.com!

More to come...

Lao of Gondor

TV Watch: Elijah (And Dom) On E!
Xoanon @ 12:49 pm EST

Rosamunde Brownlocks writes: TORN mentioned that Elijah Wood would be in the Young Hollywood special (See Players or Played Out? -Xo) and he was, rated at # 9. Interestingly enough, so was Dominic Monaghan.

Not only did he do a brief blurb on Elijah Wood during that segment, but he had a very funny appearance while the end credits were running - so anybody who taped this, don't toss out the taping after Elijah Wood's segment.

Here's a brief description:

E! showed a clip of Dom during the credits, with him wearing a white shirt, being interviewed on the street at night (perhaps at the LA premiere?), joking with the E! crew, "mock" complaining:

"I kind of feel a little bit neglected. I've BEEN here a year, I don't get ANY calls from E!, I don't get ANY of this "hot young Hollywood" stuff.

And LOOK at me! I mean, come ON! Are you KIDDING?! This kid's on FIRE!"

And in each of the last four sentences, he's jerking his head down on the words with emphasis, looking down at himself, as if to say "Look! Can't you see how sexy I am?" - with a grin on his face. Very funny and charming.


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