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Atlanta TORnSib Moot Schedule
weetanya @ 11:54 am EST

Ringer Voronda writes:

I am writing to let you know that there is a group of 30+ enthusiastic fans and TORnSibs meeting in Atlanta next week for the LOTR Symphony... There are people coming from as far away as Switzerland for this event!

We have a full agenda planned:

Friday evening:

• LOTR Symphony
  
• Pizza/Movie Outing
  
• The group will probably go to see Troy

Musician's Perspective on the Phoenix LOTR Concert
weetanya @ 11:13 am EST

Lili of Phoenix, one of the guest musicians at the Phoenix LOTR concert, wrote her impressions of the event:

I would like to submit my review of the Phoenix concert on May 26. I had a unique perspective because I was one of the guest musicians on stage! What an experience. Nothing in my 33 years of musical experience could top those 2 days. One of the reviews mentioned that musicians received orchestra music 4 - 6 weeks in advance. The musicians in Phoenix got theirs 2 weeks ago. I got my music last Friday. Howard's score is complex with many meter changes and unusual harmonies and chord progressions. Technically not too difficult, but a bear to put together.

I arrived for the orchestra's first rehearsal on Tuesday morning to the strains of Gondor's Theme and Hobbit music as the musicians warmed up. Our 3 hour rehearsal allowed us enough time to run the entire piece once and then fine tune a half dozen spots. I have listened to the LoTR's CD's so many times I knew what everything "should" sound like and the morning rehearsal was a bit rough. I know there were many musicians not familiar with the music and they were doing their talented best at it. The soprano soloist as well was having a hard time. The biggest difficulty I felt for everyone was coming in at the correct time, there are so many tempo changes that it was difficult to anticipate the next section of music. Tuesday evening brought another 3 hour rehearsal but this time with both choirs as well. This again was another run through and 6 or 7 finer points addressed by Mr. Mickelthwate. The orchestra had a little more confidence but some of the playing was still tentative.

We are all spoiled by listening to the movie Cd's that probably entailed hundreds of hours or rehearsals and Howard Shore right there to clarify and conduct the London Symphony. What you saw Wednesday night was after 6 hours of rehearsals. Yes the orchestra and choir had much room for improvement and no doubt a few extra rehearsal were needed, but the symphony is already preparing for their next concert.

It was an absolute joy for me to have the opportunity to perform the music I love with gifted musicians that could take marks from a page and bring tears to your eyes. But the best part? The audience response at the end. The standing ovation and cheers made me feel like a part of a community. All of us were in this huge hall for one reason. To share the love of a piece of art; the music, the movies, the books.

These works of art are important pieces of our lives and help to keep us sane and grounded in these crazy times. Please continue to support the arts in our lives and our country by going to concerts and shows, insisting on arts education in schools (every musician on that stage started playing/singing as a youngster) and demanding funding for the arts from you local, state and federal government. Think of what the next generation of artists/musicians will create.

Reprint of PARMA ELDALAMBERON No. 11
weetanya @ 10:35 pm EST

Date: Thu May 27, 20046:16 pm
Subject: Reprint of Parma Eldalamberon #11

I Lam na Ngoldathon
The Grammar and Lexicon of the GNOMISH TONGUE.
By J. R. R. Tolkien.
Edited by Christopher Gilson, Carl F. Hostetter, Patrick Wynne, and
Arden R. Smith.

Parma Eldalamberon No.11 presents the Gnomish Lexicon (selections from which were published in the Appendices to The Book of Lost Tales) in its entirety. This is the dictionary of the language called Goldogrin, or I-Lam na-Ngoldathon, which Tolkien eventually transformed into the Noldorin of The Etymologies and later into the Sindarin of The Lord of the Rings. This issue also includes Tolkien's own partial grammar of Gnomish, contemporary with the lexicon, which covers the inflections and syntax of the article, noun, and adjective. The lexicon itself also contains much grammatical information, frequently citing verbs in both their present and past tenses, and nouns in both singular and plural. Other parts of speech are also well-represented in what is a quite comprehensive dictionary, and there are a number of sample sentences in Gnomish.

The original lexicon fills a 150-page notebook and consists of about 3000 entries. Compiled in 1917, this remarkable document reveals the well-spring of Tolkien's linguistic genius in its 'Celtic' mode. It also displays the basic phonological nature of the historical relation between Noldorin and Quenya at its inception, with numerous etymological annotations and the citation of many cognates, some of which are Quenya words that occur nowhere else.

A reprint of Parma Eldalamberon No. 11 is currently in preparation. We expect copies to be available for shipping on June 7, 2004.

Orders:
The cost is $20.00 per copy including postage and handling world-wide.
Please use the PayPal button at this link: this link, Or send check or money-order (U.S. funds only) to:

Christopher Gilson
10646-A Rosewood Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
U.S.A.

Easterlings, Eowyn, & Other DVD Moments
weetanya @ 7:36 pm EST

Ringer Jeremy writes:

I'm not sure if you guys already posted this information of not, but I remember there was some question as to whether or not the Easterlings would appear in Return of the King. While I was watching the movie, I noticed one of their distinctive shields just after Grond breaks down the gates of Minas Tirith. Apparently the Easterlings take part in the Siege of Gondor. I attached a screen capture just to show where they are. It's around the 1:48:15 mark.

BoromirsOtherBrother writes:

In response to John from Memphis [posted here], I would add that in "The Quest Fufilled: A Director's Vision" documentary there are a number of shots from what I deduce is The Cross-roads. It is all behind the scenes footage of PJ, Sean and Elijah (with Philippa Boyens sitting in the background). What gave it away for me is the large, vandalised statue with a hand on it's knee that the camera is focusing on (that we don't fully see), the braken-like branches on the ground (similar to the terrain where Sam and Frodo are at the start of ROTK) and the direction PJ is giving Sean Astin "Just as you go by, the sun will come out and the clouds will ...". These shots start about 17 mins 48 secs into the documentary.

If you have a quick read of the last page of the "Journey to the Cross-roads" chapter from the Two Towers, I think you'll find that the description matches closely. I think it's one of the most beautiful passages from the books and was actually hoping that the image of the statues head wreathed in 'stars' would be used underneath the opening title 'The Return of the King' for the third film - here's hoping for the EE.

"Suddenly, caught by the level beams, Frodo saw the old king's head: it was lying rolled away by the road-side. 'Look, Sam!' he cried, startled into speech. 'Look!' The king has got a crown again!'

"The eyes were hollow and the cavern beard was broken, but about the high stern forehead there was a coronal of silver and gold. A trailing plant with flowers like small white stars had bound itself across the brows as if in reverence for the fallen king, and in the crevices of his stony hair yellow stonecrop gleamed."

Also, the shots John noted of the Orcs travelling to Udun are 8.17 in, and Aragorn with Eowyn on the bed at Edoras is at 15.42. At 17.30 we also see extra footage of the scene between gandalf and Pippin on the balcony in Minas Tirith (chapter 10 '' on the DVD) with a tracking wideshot of Pippin approaching the railing and a closeup of Gandalf drinking and patting Pip on the head....

Erather writes:

The first two features overlap a lot. But some of the clips have interesting things that we haven't seen before:

In the Director's Vision:
5:32 Frodo & Sam in Mordor -- probably just before Sam sees the star. Stick with it past Elijah's brief comment for a second glimpse.
15:40 Aragorn & Eowyn in Meduseld -- the sequence we've seen a still from, of "Aragorn comforting Eowyn". Very tantalizing, I absolutely cannot guess what might be going on in this scene.

In the Filmmaker's Journey:
10:37 Frodo & Sam in Mordor -- Sam throws away his pans!
14:01 Interesting shot of the Hobbits (including Bilbo) at the Grey Havens, with Tall Paul in the background as Gandalf.
25:33 Wonderful shots of the 4 Hobbits in their "return to Hobbiton" finery, first on the hill (as in the nice still we saw last year) and then sitting down.

More Reviews of the Phoenix Orchestra's LOTR
weetanya @ 7:29 pm EST

Arizona Hobbit writes:

I would also like to report on the Phoenix Symphony's performance of Howard Shore's score to the LOTR. Whatever the first two reports said, do not believe that they are representative of what the rest of us experienced! The performance received a thunderous, standing ovation that went on and on! It was a magical, wonderful performance. You felt surrounded by the music and through the exquisite use of Alan Lee's and John Howe's conceptual drawings, swept into the world of Middle Earth. The Phoenix Boy's Choir, in particular, was outstanding, as was their young soloist. Bravo, Phoenix Sympony, Choir, and guest artists!

Earl Ferguson writes:

The first two reviews of the Phoenix LOTR Symphony performance posted on TORn were so at odds with what I experienced that it seems important to provide a different point of view. Not to say they are wrong, but opinions and perceptions will differ.

Let me start at the end. In the sold out auditorium, over 3500 are following every nuance of the performance. The pauses between movements have been pin-drop time. The last chord of the last movement swells to a final statement and then fades away with the ship into the west. Maestro Mickelthwate ends the chord. Silence. 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 .... Then 3500 stand almost as one in a thunderous ovation that goes on and on. Mr. Mickelthwate and the soloist return to the stage three times. There are big cheers acknowledging the chorus and even bigger cheers acknowledging the symphony musicians. I feel a deep sense of appreciation from the crowd for the work itself, but even more so for the performance. I personally had a deep feeling of satisfaction after a very enjoyable evening. I did not have any feeling of disappointment, nor was any evident in the group I was with, nor could I detect any in the audience as a
whole.

Regarding Mr. Mickelthwate's direction, I did not find it to be in any way mechanical. He was all over the performers, pulling dynamics, inflections, emphasis, and subtleties from them, as well as controlling the incredibly complex rhythm and tempo patterns. I felt he did a great job and delivered a wealth of feeling from a very difficult score.

A technical area that could have been improved was the sound system for the chorus. It is true that amplification was not well balanced, and the chorus would have benefited from more volume, particularly the male parts. In spite of this, the chorus did an excellent job, and being live, the words were even more distinct. In fact, my daughter afterward asked what "Mithrandir" meant as she kept hearing the chorus singing it (obviously in Gandalf's Lament), though she had never noted it either in the movie or on the soundtrack recording.

The other reviews mentioned a couple of missteps by the female soloist, but in all honesty they were barely perceptible. She had a beautiful voice and did great credit to both Gollum's Song and Into the West as well as Evenstar and the other solos. Her background is music theater rather than opera, so the feeling was a little different but quite enjoyable.

I noticed at the start of Movement 6 that it started with the Battle of the Pelenor, and then moved into The End of All Things. I don't know if this is an addition, but it was unexpected from the program description. Overall, the different pieces were tied together much better than I expected. Sure, I would have liked to have had Billy Boyd's song included, as well as some other special musical moments, but that is but a taste of the frustration Howard Shore must have felt in having to choose less than 20% of his magnificent score to include. Best to look at what is there rather than what is not.And what is there works as a coherent symphonic piece.

Again, a hugely enjoyable evening that I would not want to have missed.

azruss writes:

In response to the reviews of the Phoenix Symphony's performance of the LOTR symphony:

You can walk away from that performance dwelling on what went wrong, or what was spectacular. I chose to come away appreciating the magic I felt that night. As a symphony performer myself, I can usually pick up mistakes easier than most other audience members. Not that I'm smarter or a better listener, but if you're a mechanic and you are driving a car, you'll pick out noises that don't sound right faster than I will, follow me?

The symphony did a fabulous job with this piece. You have to understand that this is new music which everyone had to learn from scratch, and the piece did not sound very easy to get a hold of with only a short time to practice (I'm assuming the players didn't have music for long, we usually get our music 4-6 weeks before perfomance) Even so, I had a hard time picking out any false notes or lack of direction. Also, I think people are so used to hearing the music on a home theater, which plays music recorded in a studio with engineers following every note and adjusting volume levels to pick out melodies from the multitude of players. It was a little weird to hear certain parts I expected to rattle the roof not get real loud, but that's a live performance for you.

Yes, the lady soloist jumped a cue, and the mikes sometimes didn't pick up the chorus, but for 2 hours of music involving 200 people coming together to play, things will happen. I personally overlooked that and basked in the music, sometimes closing my eyes to soak it all in (loved the music for Lothlorien scenes and the beacons of Gondor). And Into the West, man, it completely brought me to the scene in the book when Frodo boards the ship.

The standing ovation was marvelous. I really felt good for the symphony members. It's not that often that these guys get such a robust standing O, and symphony hall RARELY sells out. It was thunderous in there. I've been going to PSO performances for a while and I have never seen such a crowd.

So good job showing up and raising the roof, guys.

Isle of Man LOTR Postage Stamps
Xoanon @ 9:09 pm EST

THE LORD OF THE RINGS POSTAL COLLECTION NEARING A COMPLETE SELLOUT THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING POSTAL COLLECTION AVAILABLE IN LIMITED SUPPLY

To coincide with the worldwide release of The Lord of The Rings finale last December, the Isle of Man issued the ultimate tribute: a spectacular series of official postage stamps. The set of eight stamp sheets, souvenir sheets and postcards was nothing short of a worldwide sensation, thrilling movie fans on every continent. Now as the final chapter in Peter Jackson's big-screen epic is released as a monumental home video/DVD, this highly sought after collection is nearing a complete sellout.

These Royal-approved stamps were issued by the British Isle of Man, the long-time home of actor John Rhys-Davies, who plays dwarf Gimli, and the voice of Treebeard in the three epic films. On an initial surge following the film's release, more than three-quarters of the total quantities were sold by the post office. Now as the home video is set for release, only a handful remain.

Authorized by New Line Cinema, the eight stamps sheets feature unforgettable scenes from the Oscar winning film. Leading characters including Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Gandalf and Gollum are all featured on their own stamps. Additionally, there are four varying items that comprise the collection:

• A set of eight First Day of Issue Covers, including eight commemorative postcards.
  
• A unique Lord of the Rings Stamps and Coin collectible.
  
• A collectors folder with all eight stamp sheets and a rare miniature sheet.
  
• A highly limited Deluxe Box Set comprised off the stamp sheets, mini-sheet, first day covers and a hand numbered tribute page with a gold foil cancellation. (While scarse supplies last).

Dot Tilbury, Manager of the IOM Philatelic Bureau, said, "For fans of Lord of the Rings, this is your absolutely last chance to own this popular official postal series. Once our remaining supplies are gone, this postal issue will not be reproduced. This is it!"

The complete stamp series can be viewed, or purchased on the official web site, www.lordoftheringsstamps.net , phone 0044(0)1 624 698430 fax 0044(0)1624698434 by post contact

Isle of Man Post
PO Box 10M
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM99 1PB

Two Reviews of LOTR Symphony in Phoenix
weetanya @ 2:28 pm EST

Brendan Loy writes:

It was fun and enjoyable but, in all honesty, disappointing. The orchestra felt like it could have used about a half-dozen more rehearsals, the female soloist started one of her solos too early and was "pitchy" (as Paula Abdul would say) in several spots, and the song selection was questionable at best (they included the stupid "Gollum's Song" but left out several of the most dramatic musical flourishes in the whole trilogy). As I said, enjoyable, but frustrating because it could have been so much better. [More]

DbPhoenix writes:

God knows I want to be as encouraging as I can to young orchestras, but last night's performance of the LOTR Symphony by the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra was an unnecessary disappointment.

First, the good. Even though I missed that spectacular choral interlude at the beginning of The Two Towers when the battle with the Balrog is recapped, as well as the entrance of the elves into Helm's Deep, the arrangement is just about everything I hoped it would be. Miles and miles of the Isengard/Black Rider stuff from FOTR has been cut and the balance is much more toward Hobbiton and Rivendell which, given the contrast required to the darkness in most of the rest of the film, is necessary. There is also quite a bit of "new" Rivendell music (I say "new" because if might be on the complete score, but it's not on the CD). There are also a number of spectacular climaxes on the CDs that don't go anywhere (the exceptions being The White Tree and Forth Eorlingas). This is all taken care of
through some very clever devices, making the movements internally "seamless".

However, the timidity and hesitation on the part of everyone involved drove me nuts. The conductor, who either has no experience working with large groups of people (and this is a LARGE group of people), or is what we used to call a "dead fish", conducted everything but the most lyrical passages in a metronomic military march mode (forgive the alliteration). There was noticeable lack of emotional content, which was glaringly apparent during The End Of All Things. Add to this a terrible miking job which made the chorus nearly impossible to hear unless the orchestra was practically silent, and most of the best moments wound up just lying there.

Did I enjoy it anyway? You bet I did, and I'm even more eager to hear the Shore recording due out next year. But I should caution readers that not every orchestra is up to this, and if you're lucky enough to get a good conductor, you're lucky indeed.

This is a phenomenal work, though I continue to believe that the ending is too long. Musically, I'd cut most of The Return Of The King (the track, not the movie) and get into The Grey Havens as quickly as possible. With the recap of nearly all the themes during the ROTK track (17), one wonders if they are going to start the whole thing over.

One thing is sure. When the CD comes out, it will be getting a lot of play at my house.

The Philadelphia Singers Go Geek
Xoanon @ 8:18 pm EST

Jessica S writes: I'm in the "music business" in the Philadelphia Area and have a friend in The Philadelphia Singers. (I actually auditioned for the group when I heard what they were planning on performing this summer...don't know if I made it or not yet...). I don't think they have begun to advertise this yet, but it is on the website...so I thought I'd send the information along to you...

The Philadelphia Orchestra along with the Philadelphia Singers will be singing "The Lord of the Rings Symphony" at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts on July 13, 2004. But the best part about this (as if it could get better) is that Howard Shore will be conducting the performance! Here's a link to the "Singers" website for more info...

I've been singing all of my life...but to be able to sing in and Elven language would be a dream come true (not to mention be under the baton of the great Howard Shore!) I hope I'm able to be on that stage...but if not...I still wouldn't miss it!

Your site is fantastic! Thank you for keeping us up to date on all the LOTRs information!!!

Ringer Review of EW Special Edition Magazine
weetanya @ 6:48 pm EST

Ringer John from Memphis writes:

The special edition Entertainment Weekly that I received in the mail and that was available to early shoppers at Best Buy had a small column/box stating what the additions to the EE ROTK would be.

Mostly they are what we all expected, but I thought it was interesting that when Gandalf meets the Witch King, EW reports that the Witch King is able to break Gandalf's staff. Here's what I remember:

• Gandalf vs. Saruman
  
• Gandalf vs. Witch King
  
• Aragorn vs. The Mouth of Sauron
  
• Houses of Healing
  
• Merry becomes Theoden's Squire

There were about 3 other items listed. There may be errors in the list as I found significant errors in the reporting and description of the plots of the three films (the most egregious was the comment that Frodo sails away to enjoy immortality... I guess for the non-reader this could be a logical mistake, but you assume that a journalist would at least have done a little
research).

I also noticed last night watching some of the extras on the ROTK DVD that there were many scenes/camera shots that were not in the theatrical version at all including a scene where Aragorn is "tending" to a prostrate Eowyn on a chaise in what appears to be the Golden Hall (as opposed to Minas Tirith and the Houses of Healing... perhaps this was cut from The Two Towers?)... and a much more indepth look at the armies of Sauron moving towards Udun to meet the Captains of the West (though the documentary is talking about these armies approaching Minas Tirith). Of course, several time I saw the shot of Merry bowing before Theoden (which we have all seen in the trailers) and Theoden's actual response line of "And I am glad to accept it" to Merry's offer of service... If that one doesn't make it into the EE, I'll be writing a personal letter to Dominic Monaghan telling him that he was robbed, no matter how good the rest of it is... There was another one of Aragorn looking down and crying about somebody on the battle field (as well as the shot of Eomer holding somebody, probably Eowyn, in his arms and crying, which again we have all seen).

Would be interested to hear what other camera shots I missed that other Ringers have found that may show up later in the year (and it better BE this year, too!!!)

Dominic Monaghan Signing in LA
Xoanon @ 10:20 pm EST

Click here for more images

Hurricane Kailin writes: Here are some pics from the Dom Signing at the Best Buy in West Hollywood that occured just an hour or so ago. It's just some basic shots of fans getting things signed with Dom, but if you look closely at the first pic, you'll notice the Ringers crew, Tan Pants included,
filming the event.

As for a review, I'll be short and brief. I got there around 7:15pm, and the line was only about 75 people long. I did get together with some friends a little further up, so I ended up number 46 and the number wristbands were handed out. Chatted with friends, grabbed a bite to eat around 9:30pm, and chatted some more. A local radio station appeared and had some drawings and trivia contests for prizes, and the atmosphere was nice and cozy, even as the line grew to over 400 by the time Dom showed up.

The staff of the new Best Buy were quite stellar, this is the first time in a long while I can say I had no real issues with a store. They created a friendly atmosphere from the beginning, and seemed to have a game plan all worked out and ready to go from the start. As soon as Dom was there and the press interviews were done, the line moved at a decent pace, but not so fast that you were worried you'd be rushed through. Once inside, the wait was only a few minutes long. Dom signed cheerily, and took the time to look up and chat with fans rather than just sign and move on to the next. Always a nice thing, friendly actors. I was rather bummed that I'd completely forgotten to congratulate him on his new series, Lost, but I'm sure a few people in line would have done so.

All in all, it was a nice evening hanging with friends, seeing Dom, and getting the little goodie bag with 2 ROTK buttons, a light up ring, a ROTK T-shirt and a nice ROTK DVD poster announcing the 11 Oscar wins.

Thanks to the folks at iesb.net for some extra pics!

ROTK DVD Credits Translated
Xoanon @ 10:11 pm EST

Ataahua writes: Here is a copy of the Maori text in the end-credits of ROTK, with a translation provided by someone who is fluent in the Maori language. He said it was difficult to translate as the passage included metaphors which had to be interpreted, but once he knew it had to do with Tolkien’s Middle-earth the translation came easily:

Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead Interviewed For Ringers
Xoanon @ 10:00 pm EST

Rock Legend Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead Interviewed For Ringers: Lord of the Fans!

Beverly Hills , CA -- MAY 24, 2004: Singer/Bassist Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister of Motörhead granted an exclusive interview to the producers of the upcoming feature documentary, Ringers: Lord of the Fans. With razor sharp wit and outrageous humor, Mr. Kilmister shared many thoughts and stories of being a Tolkien fan living the rock n' roll life. Flying in the face of expectations, his playful barbs struck a variety of targets from the worlds of both rock and literature.

Grammy-nominated Lemmy Kilmister first formed Motörhead in 1976. Achieving a loyal underground following few bands have ever attained, Motörhead became the archetypical British metal band. They have persevered for thirty years, influencing some of the biggest bands in the world such as Metallica and Guns n' Roses, while millions of fans continue to flock to their legendary live shows. The band has played alongside such rock luminaries as Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, and the great Ozzy Osbourne himself. Motörhead's newest album, "Inferno," will be released June 22, 2004.

The Ringers documentary filmmakers have secured interviews with many actors and entertainers, exploring how the works of J.R.R. Tolkien influenced them at the dawn of their careers. After 16 months of location shooting on three continents, and speaking with dozens of actors, filmmakers, rock musicians, authors, and academics, Ringers stands as the most comprehensive film document of the ongoing Tolkien phenomenon.

About the documentary:

Very funny and often moving, Ringers: Lord of the Fans shows the hidden power behind Tolkien's books -- and how after 50 years a single literary work continues to spark the minds and hearts of millions, across cultures and across time. Ringers explores the real foundations of Middle-earth; a community of true fans who share a common bond. Moving beyond "cult classic" and over several different generations, the film unearths academics, musicians, authors, filmmakers, and a plethora of pop junkies -- the people gathered under the banner of 'Ringer.'

Current Ringers Interviewees include:

Actor - Dominic Monaghan, Author/Filmmaker - Clive Barker, Writer/Director/Producer - Cameron Crowe, Actor - David Carradine, Rock-Star - Lemmy Kilmister, Comics Illustrator - Colleen Doran, Author - Terry Pratchett, Author - Peter S. Beagle, Author - Terry Brooks, Tolkien Scholar - Dr. Jane Chance, Chairperson of the Tolkien Society - Christine Crawshaw, Author - Colin Duriez, Filmmaker/Critic - Chris Gore, Screenwriter/Publisher Forrest J. Ackerman, Actor - Daniel Logan, Actor - Bill Mumy, Author/Tolkien Scholar - Dr. Tom Shippey, Author/Broadcaster - Brian Sibley, Great-Grandson - Royd Tolkien, and hundreds of Tolkien fans!

For additional information, contact:
Melanie Marquez, Publicist
9220 Sunset Blvd Suite 220
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Office: +1 323-669-1173

The Ringers documentary filmmakers have secured interviews with many actors and entertainers, exploring how the works of J.R.R. Tolkien influenced them at the dawn of their careers. After 16 months of location shooting on three continents, and speaking with dozens of actors, filmmakers, rock musicians, authors, and academics, Ringers stands as the most comprehensive film document of the ongoing Tolkien phenomenon.

About the documentary:

Very funny and often moving, Ringers: Lord of the Fans shows the hidden power behind Tolkien's books -- and how after 50 years a single literary work continues to spark the minds and hearts of millions, across cultures and across time. Ringers explores the real foundations of Middle-earth; a community of true fans who share a common bond. Moving beyond "cult classic" and over several different generations, the film unearths academics, musicians, authors, filmmakers, and a plethora of pop junkies -- the people gathered under the banner of 'Ringer.' http://www.lordofthefans.net

Current Ringers Interviewees include:

Actor - Dominic Monaghan, Author/Filmmaker - Clive Barker, Writer/Director/Producer - Cameron Crowe, Actor - David Carradine, Rock-Star - Lemmy Kilmister, Comics Illustrator - Colleen Doran, Author - Terry Pratchett, Author - Peter S. Beagle, Author - Terry Brooks, Tolkien Scholar - Dr. Jane Chance, Chairperson of the Tolkien Society - Christine Crawshaw, Author - Colin Duriez, Filmmaker/Critic - Chris Gore, Screenwriter/Publisher Forrest J. Ackerman, Actor - Daniel Logan, Actor - Bill Mumy, Author/Tolkien Scholar - Dr. Tom Shippey, Author/Broadcaster - Brian Sibley, Great-Grandson - Royd Tolkien, and hundreds of Tolkien fans!

For additional information, contact:
Melanie Marquez, Publicist
9220 Sunset Blvd Suite 220
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Office: +1 323-669-1173
Melanie@LitchfieldEnt.com
http://www.lordofthefans.net

Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Visit our website!
http://www.lordofthefans.net

Houston Symphony's LOTR Concert Tickets Now On Sale
Xoanon @ 7:23 pm EST

Tickets went on sale today for Howard Shore's monumental composition The Lord of the Rings Symphony in Six Movements. This performance will feature the Houston Symphony, four singers, the Houston Symphony Chorus, the Houston Children's Chorus, and will be conducted by Alexander Mickelthwate. The two-hour journey into the magical world of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle Earth will be held on July 1 and 2.

Concert ticket prices are $20 - $55 and are available at the Jones Hall box office, by phone at 713-224-7575 ($2.75 per ticket handling fee applies) and online at houstonsymphony.org. Tickets can also be purchased online through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com.

This symphonic adventure has sold out in every city where it has played since its premiere in March. The choruses will sing in "Elvish," and musicians will play such instruments as Norwegian fiddles, Japanese drums, African flutes and Tibetan gongs.

More than 250 musical performers, enhanced by enormous Lord of the Rings images, will make for a truly breathtaking musical experience. The performances will feature original concept and storyboard artwork from the films by artists Alan Lee and John Howe. The images will be projected on a gigantic screen hung above the orchestra and will chronologically align with the music as the story of the hobbits' journey from the peaceful Shire to the dreaded land of Mordor unfolds.

Shore has based this two-hour symphonic adventure on selections from his multi-Oscar and Grammy-award winning scores from the recent Lord of the Rings films. "This Lord of the Rings Symphony is a two-hour piece based on the 12 hours of music I wrote for the three films," says Howard Shore. "Each film was a four-hour composition. And this new symphony takes a concert audience through the story of the Lord of the Rings in a narrative way, using the choirs, using the singing."

Howard Shore is one of Hollywood's most prolific composers. With more than 60 movie scores, including The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Ed Wood, The Fly, and Naked Lunch, Shore's compositions are well recognized. His work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy earned "Best Score" and "Best Song" at this year's Academy Awards Ceremony.