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September 01, 2006 - September 15, 2006

9-15-06 Latest News

The Lord of the Rings trilogy all-nighters
Xoanon @ 10:54 pm EST

The BFI IMAX plays host to two very special all-nighters of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Peter Jackson's hugely successful, Oscar-winning films will be available to see in their original theatrical 35mm versions for two nights only.

Friday 29 and Saturday 30 September

Boasting the biggest screen in Britain - the height of five double-decker buses - and a 12,000 watt digital surround sound system, the BFI IMAX is the only place to enjoy this fantastic trilogy.

Screening times are as follows:

21:00 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (PG) 178 mins
00:30 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (12A) 179 mins
04.00 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (12A) 201 mins

There will be a 30-minute break between each film and free teas and coffees will be provided throughout the night. Prize draws during the evening will all be part of the fun - and why not come dressed as your favourite character!

Snacks, sweets, soft and alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase.

How to book

Tickets are on sale now at £10.00 for one film, £15.00 for two films or £25.00 for the trilogy.

These tickets are not available to buy online. Please call the Box Office on 0870 787 2525 or pay us a visit.

bfi.org.uk/imax

'Tolkien, Lewis and Hollywood' Lecture
Xoanon @ 10:49 pm EST

Matt Blessing writes: I'm writing in hopes that you might be able to announce an opening presentation by Dr. Eduardo Segura, scheduled for Tuesday, September 26, at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Dr. Segura's presentation is titled: "Tolkien, Lewis, and Hollywood: What Images Cannot Say." A questions and answer session will follow the presentation.

Raynor Memorial Libraries
Tolkien, Lewis and Hollywood: What Images Cannot Say
Presented by Eduardo Segura

Professor of Aesthetics, Philosophy of Language, and Literature
Institutio De Filosofia Edith Sten (Granada, Spain)
Tuesday, September 26, 3:00 p.m.
Raynor Conference Center, B-C

Dr. Segura is the author of three books on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fiction and has translated numerous literary works to Spanish. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend this free lecture. Members of the general public are welcome, but must pre-register by calling (414) 288-5901.

An open letter to New Line and MGM Re: The Hobbit!!!
Xoanon @ 2:29 pm EST

An open letter to New Line and MGM –

Dear movie studio friends –

Welcome to the party! We – meaning fans of The Hobbit – have been sitting around waiting for you to show up since the minute The Return of the King ended at our local cinema and for many, perhaps longer than that. We have virtual balloons, streamers, banners, fireworks and of course, beer all prepared. We have just been waiting for you to arrive.

Variety makes it sound like a The Hobbit movie is going to happen and maybe relatively soon and as you may have guessed, we are thrilled. The little leaked tidbit - hidden in an MGM business story - poked the still very potent coals of the Lord of the Rings fandom. The heat that rests within these embers will glow white-hot for a good long time because the fires of passion for the works of J.R.R. Tolkien have been inspiring readers (and movie-goers) since there was only one World War. This bit of news gives us a little fuel for the fire, so thanks!

It is difficult for a studio or individuals in a studio to understand the real passion that readers have for the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Thanks to the vision of New Line Cinema and the work of Peter Jackson and his team, a whole new audience of impassioned fans was created. The films were adopted into popular culture to a degree not witnessed since the days when George Lucas shocked the world. We know you noticed this. You saw it at the box office; you saw it on MTV, at award shows, at the toy and poster aisles at Wal-Mart and everywhere else.

But you may not understand that we are far more than a gaggle of ear-wearing fanatics - as short-cut journalists often like to portray us. We are school teachers and we use Tolkien in the classroom. We are computer programmers and website developers. We work in Hollywood, we are opera singers, we are environmental scientists, we are students, we are accountants, we are readers; we are everybody and everything, but we are bound together by a love for the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

So while New Line and MGM hold the rights to make and distribute The Hobbit we feel that we own it too. It is our story too. For many of us it has been an old friend for decades now. Not only is it part of our childhood, it is part of our adolescence and our adulthood. So, take good care of our story and we know - from decades of experience and lots of readings - our story will take good care of you. If you trust it, so will its fans. Trust the story.

While it does come down to that ultimately, we have so much more to say to you here in the infancy of the film. Please listen.

And by the way, we know you better than you might think. We may not know the day-to-day realities of movie studio business in Hollywood (and like how to make sausage, we don’t want to know) but at the very least we have a sense, as consumers, of who you are. Few LOTR film-fans don’t have a soft spot for New Line Cinema. We know the story of Robert Shaye saying “Why only two films?” to Peter Jackson when the films’ ultimate fate hung in the balance. We remember well the perception in 2000 when ‘the fate of New Line’ hung in the balance, again according to those short-cut media types. We also know you are home to Freddy Kruger and we were tickled when your Snakes On A Plane was all the internet rage. New Line means something to us.

And MGM, old friend, we admire you as well. Your lion and towering presence in Hollywood’s history can’t be missed. We are also aware of the business of being bought and sold and we have even visited your theme parks and casinos. While fantasy films aren’t exactly your biggest staple, we surely are giving you the benefit of the doubt.

Let me be clear that I don’t presume to speak for all fans and I couldn’t with any authority because we never all got together and took a vote on anything but I think, from my frequent and quality interactions with many other fans, that I can speak in broad terms and represent a sizeable segment of fandom.

So first things first, would somebody please call Peter Jackson? Now! Today! New Line and PJ still have this sticky lawsuit left over from the LOTR films so we are a bit concerned. Jackson has made it very clear, over and over, even again this week, that he has not yet been invited to the table to have Hobbit discussions. Let the lawyers handle the lawsuit and please, please, get the creative folks together immediately. And by the way, when we say “Peter Jackson” we actually mean Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Richard Taylor and even include conceptual artists Alan Lee and John Howe. Taylor and his Weta Workshop are the gold-standard in the effects industry these days and not just among LOTR fans. Did you see the visuals in King Kong? Actually, we know you did.

It was Taylor’s crew, empowered by Jackson, who made us believe so strongly that we did indeed see Middle-earth - the same one we read about - on the screen. Tolkien purist-scholars and critics of Jackson’s films can find fault, but can’t touch the images that felt like home to most of us. We realize “Jackson” comes as a package with Weta and Boyens and Walsh, but it is still is worth mentioning. We want the old gang back to make a film that feels like it fits right with the others. It should organically feel the same but you already know that, right?

Still, having said all that, The Hobbit isn’t The Lord of the Rings. Fans will not be looking for even bigger battles or another ‘even more epic’ quest. Resist the idea that there should be even more special special effects and if 100,000 orcs are grand then 200,000 is magnificent. For us, it is the character and heart that will lend this film magic and make it majestic. And while we are addressing characters, please don’t Disneyfy the dwarves. We want our Thorin Oakenshield brave and valiant (if a bit greedy) and we have had our fill of dwarf jokes. And don’t try to simplify the story by cutting a few out. For this story and this audience, that just will not fly.

It goes without saying that Sir Ian McKellen must return as Gandalf and our Gollum must be Andy Serkis, without a doubt. Casting for Elrond should also be finished and if I were producing I would ask Orlando Bloom to walk through the screen during the battle of five armies. Remember that Cate Blanchett and Martin Csokas sit on the White Counsel. In short, give us the Middle-earth, and its inhabitants, that we already know. Save the fresh perspectives and ‘new take on Tolkien’ for the 20 hour HBO mini-series called “The Silmarillion” or the inevitable and even welcome remake in ten years. Oh and don’t let us hear that you haven’t read The Quest of Erebor.

Just in case you wondered, ‘Star Power’ is a pointless exercise for this film so please doesn’t feel the need to drop a Tom Cruise into the cast. The only ‘name’ needed on the marquee is The Hobbit. (Although Clive Owen as Bard does sound brilliant!) Cast the perfect actors, not the perfect marketing strategy.

Another issue for fans is trust. We realize the whole internet-looking-into-films makes studios nervous, but don’t treat us like the enemy because we are anything but that. We are the best marketing tool you can hope to have and the only pay we require is some respect, trust and inclusion. Keep us informed and let us have a voice, even if you don’t agree or follow our suggestions. We don’t want to tell anybody how to make a film, but it might be wise to consider our opinions and take our counsel before some decisions are made. Consider us a collective advisor. We are the scouts that don’t need to know the battle plan, but who are uniquely positioned to report on the landscape. Treat our internet reporters as the legitimate news hounds they are and as we demonstrate our fairness and accuracy and ethics (and I don’t mean reporting-as-directed or pandering) give us the same access that you give traditional media. When media gather for a press junket we hope for the same invites, access and courtesy.

A final point: this ‘two movie’ phrase has us a little divided. Some see the possibility of the story being properly told over two films while others see the dangers of stretching a plot so thin that it gets distorted and padded. Again we ask you to trust the source and serve the story first, however that happens. If it takes two films to tell the story as well as it can be told, then we will enthusiastically support two films.

In short, trust Jackson, trust us and above all, trust the story.

Best,
Larry D. Curtis
MrCere@TheOneRing.net

9-14-06 Latest News

More Remarkable RINGERS Props & Memorabilia Auctions!
Xoanon @ 11:09 am EST

What better way to make fun of the whacky and over-abundant LOTR merchandising than a Mariachi Sing-Along? This crowd-pleasing segment appeared in the award-winning indie documentary RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS, and now the original, authentic toys and props used in the film are offered on eBay! Check out the Sing-Along from the film (Quicktime required) and throw down your bids to own a piece of indie film history.

Check out this sequence from the film (Quicktime required) and join the auctions!

Small file [100kps]
Large file [800kps]

The entire series of RINGERS eBay auctions are found here:

Gandalf the Grey BURGER KING Toy
VINTAGE Ralph Bakshi Aragorn Finger Puppet
GERMAN Kinder Egg Elrond Toy
GERMAN Kinder Egg Eomer Toy
VERY UNUSUAL Gandalf Diet Coke / McDonald's Hat Pin
Lurtz Toy Biz Action Figure
Applause 'Screaming' Nazgul Coin Bank

9-12-06 Latest News

"Into the Woods" - Atlanta Art Show News
Xoanon @ 1:04 pm EST

Jef Murray writes: I'd like to invite all Tolkien folk that happen to be in town this Friday to swing by the opening reception for "Into the Woods: Tales of Myth & Magic". The reception will run from 7-9pm, Friday Sept. 15, in the Defoor Centre defoorcentre.com. We'll have some light munchies and a cash bar, and the event itself is free.

"Into The Woods" is a showing of over 60 of my latest oil-on-canvas paintings and oil-on-wood "cutouts". The works include a sampling of sacred, Tolkien-themed, Lewis-themed, and fairy tale images. For a brochure of the show and/or to learn more, please see my website at: JefMurray.com

The show and the reception should be a lot of fun! And there will be plenty there for Tolkien folk and for kids of all ages: dragons, unicorns, mermaids, hobbits, plus scenes from the Shire, from Narnia, from Lothlorien, Rivendell, and even from Aslan's country.

Please spread the word! All are invited! And please don't hesitate to come even if you never purchase original artwork; this is, more than anything else, a celebration of the mythical and the magical, and a great excuse for a party!

Hope to see many of you there...please email me if you have questions!

Nai Eru laitalyë (may God bless you)

Jef Murray

FOTR: EE Screening in Philadelphia, PA
Xoanon @ 12:58 pm EST

Chestnut Hill Branch Library
Free Library of Philadelphia
8711 Germantown Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19118

Program: Large Screen showing of the extended version of Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring

Date & Time: Saturday, September 23, 2006, 5:30 p.m.

The Chestnut Hill Branch Library, 8711 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA will host a large-screen showing of the extended version of Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring. Join us for this unique opportunity to see the extended version of this award-winning film on the Library’s large screen. This showing of The Fellowship of the Ring, on the date that Tolkein himself marked as the day Frodo and his companions set out on their epic journey to save all of Middle Earth from Sauron and his evil, marks the beginning of a series of programs and film screenings based on Tolkien’s books and films. The series of diverse programs will include hands-on activities as well as discussions of both Tolkien’s books and Peter Jackson’s movies. Please use the side entrance of the library. For more information please call Margaret Brunton at 215-248-0977.

9-06-06 Latest News

Dragon Con Conversations with Kiran Shah!
Xoanon @ 9:31 pm EST

More DragonCon 2006 Photos

Celebriel writes: This year Kiran Shah, noted actor and stuntman who played the scale double for Frodo and other hobbits in “The Lord of the Rings,” was the Tolkien Track’s celebrity guest. He hosted a Q&A panel on Saturday, and appeared with “The Dork of the Rings” cast and crew on Monday. In between, he could be found mostly at The Walk of Fame over in the Hilton, greeting fans, signing autographs, and posing for pictures.

Kiran is knowledgeable, engaging, and a born storyteller in addition to being an actor and Guinness World Record stuntman with 29 years experience, as well as a director and published poet. Kiran was born in Kenya and spent some of his youth in India before moving to London with his family. From an early age he imitated the voices and mannerisms of his uncles. In India he decided he would be a Bollywood star. In London, he started his career as a mime for a few years for the Red Buddha company, responding to a magazine ad.

Kiran’s first film was “Candleshoe” (1977) with David Niven, Jody Foster, Helen Hayes, and Leo McKern. Master fight director Bob Anderson, who worked on the film, encouraged him to become a stuntman. He had been selected to play R2D2 in the first Star Wars movie, but Kenny Baker then decided to return to the film and he was bumped.

He worked with Jim Henson on “The Dark Crystal,” where, he explained he could only wear the large puppet head for about twenty minutes before resting his neck. The puppet head had to be redesigned to make it safe enough for Kiran to wear on a ten foot drop, landing on his back. He’s even played females, working as the stunt double for Miss Piggy in “The Great Muppet Caper.”

Kiran explained that his first meeting with Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh did not go that well. Having seen “Brain Dead,” he had trouble seeing Peter as the one to bring LOTR to the screen, and Peter and Fran were concerned that, given all his stellar fantasy and sci-fi credits, Kiran would not want to work with them. He didn’t learn the background to his first meeting until the London premiere of “Fellowship of the Ring,” when Fran told him their side of the story.

His funniest LOTR story came from the filming in Bree. Playing Frodo, Kiran was picked up by Viggo Mortensen, carried upstairs, and tossed into the bedroom. He explained that at first Viggo was extremely gentle, until he said, “Viggo, I’m a stuntman, you can throw me!” Some of the other scenes Kiran played, in addition to being Frodo’s scale double, include the rescue of Faramir from the funeral pyre and riding with Eowyn to battle. Because Kiran was doubling for all the hobbits, he was very much in demand at all the locations. He was shuttling around so much Barrie Osborne got him a helicopter, which he frequently changed in, as he only a few minutes on arrival to see the day’s footage and get ready to work.

He explained that, in the scene where he climbs into the cart with Gandalf in the opening of “Fellowship,” he proposed to Peter that he do the scene as a stunt, since in the book Frodo jumps into the back of the cart. Peter turned him down, saying he couldn’t afford to have any of his actors injured, and that if Kiran was injured, he didn’t know where he’d find someone else. Kiran didn’t give up, proposing a scene in the burning of Hobbiton where he would play a hobbit on fire coming out of his house. That wasn’t filmed either. Finally he got a bit of stunt work, playing Pippin falling to the ground from Treebeard.

Kiran enjoyed returning to New Zealand to work in the first of the Narnia films, especially since he was working as an actor not a stuntman. He described his conversations with Tilda Swinton on developing their respective characters. He wanted to make his character Ginarrbrik the dwarf more evil, motivated by his desire to one day stab the White Witch in the back and seize her power. As a result, he and Tilda basically ignore each other on screen except when they must interact. Off screen, they had a great relationship, as Tilda generously hosted cast and crew parties each Saturday while they filmed in remote areas on New Zealand.

Even with his years of experience, Kiran said he never stops looking at people, their mannerisms and walks, to pick up new moves and gestures. Continuing to branch out, Kiran and his nephew Kit directed the comedy “Young Lovers,” which is scheduled to open later this year. The film, his first effort as a director, also features Craig Parker.

Kiran has enough stories from LOTR, Narnia, Harry Potter, Titanic, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, Greystoke, The Dark Crystal (and many more) to fill a trilogy of behind the scenes books! Maybe if he ever slows down he’ll consider it! Questions? Feedback? Email dianeroone@aol.com.

Dragon Con Parade, Photos, and Programs!
Xoanon @ 9:25 pm EST

More DragonCon 2006 Photos

Celebriel reports on LOTR Dragon Con 2006 programs: Wow, how to summarize four wonderful days of LOTR and other fantasy/sci-fi franchise madness. It’s impossible to attend everything of interest, but where else can you hear fans, writers, and scholars passionately debate The Dork of the Rings, whether Dumbledore is really dead, how Star Wars Episodes 1 to 3 could have been made better, and how the portrayal of dragons, from Tolkien’s Smaug to Paolini’s Saphira, has evolved. Not to mention listening to Emerald Rose, watching sword fighting displays, learning how to apply costume prosthetics, and meeting the amazing Kiran Shah.

Saturday starts with the Dragon Con parade, which this year attracted about a thousand costumed participants. The Lord of the Rings was well represented as usual, under the banner of Arms of Middle Earth. New this year were two Corsairs (“The Pirates of Middle Earth”), and Young Sauron.

Saturday afternoon Tim Richardson, director of The Dork of the Rings, together with cast and crew members, discussed the making of their outrageously funny parody, which held its world premiere at Gen Con in Indianapolis in August. Co-director Jack Peterson, who bears an amazing resemblance to Peter Jackson as he appeared a few years ago, also attended and took questions from the audience. They also showed their making-of documentary, The Making of Muddle Earth, and discussed the challenges of making an epic film on a budget of about $30,000, especially given the amount of food consumed by co-director Jack Peterson. Randolf the Wizard, played by David Kiefer, roamed the halls talking about the film and posting for photos. At last count, he’d spoken to or been photographed with over a thousand fans.

The Dorkers were joined on their Monday panel by Kiran Shah, who introduces the film on DVD. Jack graciously invited Kiran to stay in his bathtub whenever he needed a place to stay, and to stay as long as he wanted. Questions were a mix of serious (mostly for Kiran) and parody (mostly for Jack). Jack also filmed some interview footage with Kiran. The Dork of the Rings was screened at 1AM Sunday morning, but I was already busy editing parade photos and missed it. More at: http://www.rpstudios.net/dorkoftherings/front.asp. Questions? Feedback? Email dianeroone@aol.com.

9-05-06 Latest News

More DragonCon Report & Pics!
Xoanon @ 7:31 pm EST

More DragonCon 2006 Photos

Ashlee & Rachel Scott write: Dragon*Con 2006 has come to a close after four long days of fun and excitement. Dragon*Con can be a success if you follow these three words: Divide and Conquer. With a 100 plus page program featuring dozens of guest and activities to enjoy, for newbies to Dragon*Con, like ourselves, it can be a bit overwhelming navigating through thousands of fans trying to get from one location to the next. Thanks go out to Ghost Hunters Steve Gonsalves and Bryan Hamois for rescuing us from the crowd and helping us find our way to the Ghost Hunters programming track or we might still be lost! Dragon*Con is extremely subjective since it's not humanly possible to attend everything you really want to see. That's where the "divide and conquer" come into play. A teleporter for future Dragon*Con's would be extremely helpful since we did miss things we had planned on seeing simply because we were not fast enough to get from one location to another in time.

Regardless, we're thrilled with what we were able to catch, plus we were able to spend time with some of our favorite people, such as LOTR's Kiran Shah and Dean Haglund (Langley, one of the 'Lone Gunman' from the X-Files). Talking with "Night of the Living Dead" Director George Romero was a real treat, as was finally getting to meet the incredibly friendly "Ghost Hunters," our favorite sci-fi show. Ghost Hunter Grant Wilson never failed to make a face at our camera. Favorites such as Kevin Sorbo (Hercules, Andromeda) went out of his way to embarrass us, you'll see more of that on our documentary. And, it's always wonderful hearing Emerald Rose perform. There were many interesting sci-fi/fantasy programming tracks to attend, including several LOST and Tolkien track programs. Elfstone, the Gandalf trivia challenges and improvs were especially fun. Our own LOTR fan films were screened at the Tolkien track on Friday and Sunday, plus we had a Monday panel, which was a lot of fun. Even if Monday's crowd looked like a remake of "Dawn of the Dead" with all those worn out, zombie like people!

The evenings were unique unto themselves, with costumes galore and thousands of fans. Music and fan films could be found just about everywhere at anytime of the day or night. TheOneRing.net was one of many fan booths there, in addition to the dozens of dealer and vendor tables. There was the Dragon*Con parade and Masquerade Ball, and the Evening at Bree was entertaining and lively with costumes, music and dancing all evening long.

Dragon*Con had it all from Star Wars to Stargate and even a Miss Klingon Beauty Contest! Now there's something you don't see every day! The most amazing memory of the weekend for us would definitely be dinner with Kiran and our "Dork of the Rings" friends. It was just a relaxing evening laughing and telling stories. Rachel and I finally had the chance to tell Kiran how much his guest appearance on the X-Files has terrified us our entire lives! Kiran is hilarious and friendly, and we hope anyone that's seen him in Chronicles of Narnia, Star Wars, the LOTR trilogy or any of his other numerous films has a chance to meet him one day. He's more than just an actor and stuntman, he is also an incredible mime and illusionist himself. We look forward to working with him one day.

Everyone there brings home with them different experiences, but one thing is certain we all had a wonderful time even without food or sleep. We spent the entire weekend filming for our own Dragon*Con documentary so watch for that in the coming weeks on our website at: www.marsproductions.net For now, here are some pics for everyone to enjoy!

Dragon*Con 2006: It's a wrap!
Xoanon @ 7:12 pm EST

TORN Staffer MrCere writes: ATLANTA - It is a world all its own, enclosed in a few blocks and full of a phenominal array of the weird, the absurd, the strange and most of all, the fun! The Lord of the Rings is definitely an essential part of the landscape of fandom with over 30 dedicated tracks that take over Labor-Day weekend and suck every minute of fun both night and day.

Kiran Shah, who has a film credit list that reads like a catalog of geek-film history was on hand to share his experience of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films. As part of the Tolkien track of programming, fans were treated to an hour of the tiny actor and stuntman sharing his personal tale. He was nearly always on set in New Zealand to watch the historical film get made because of his key responsibilities to play as a stunt double for Frodo and all of the hobbits during production and post-production.

Shah was introduced and thanked the crowd for coming and then launched right in to a 40 minute monolog where he explained his personal involvement in the film from the early days of deciding to commit to such a big chunk of time to his personal injury from a horse fall that kept him out of the production for several months. The audience appreciated his humor and a his new perspective on a production that has been reported on from many different angles.

Shah entertained with tales of practical jokes including Dominic Monaghan impersonating Shah to producer Barrie Osborne. Monaghan apparently called Osbourne in the middle of the night in the stuntman's voice and demanded more money to stay on the production. The real Shah was called to a meeting the next day to discuss the problem and while he assured everybody he didn't make the call, it wasn't until Monaghan confessed to doing it that Shah was off the hook.

He also shed some light on the Stewart Townsend situation at the beginning of the production of the films when the young actor was cast as Aragorn and left the film. After Townsend left the film, speculation swirled around what caused the split. After the LOTR production was finished, Shah worked on another film with Townsend and finally had a chance to ask what was really behind the move. Apparently the young actor felt the weight of the roll and was scared by what was required. He felt that he wasn't right for the role and so left the film rather than not performing at a high level.

Other than the LOTR films, Shah listed The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Dark Crystal as his favorite productions to be a part of. On that film Shah worked along with director Jim Henson and was able to implement new technologies in puppetry which he enjoyed a lot. Shah also fielded a few questions before time ran out on the featured guest who was available much of the weekend while he wandered around the wild and crazy lobbies with his nephew, a fine fellow who helps Shah when he travels and works.

DCon serves many different interests, and combined with creative costuming and dealers' tables of every stripe, an incredibly wide spectrum of topics under the umbrella of sci-fi fandom is served by the event. However, there are some events which seem to appeal to nearly everybody such as the costuming contest, the annual costume parade, concerts in the ballrooms that last until the wee hours and most of all, people watching.

The core of the Atlanta LOTR fans remain a dedicated bunch and the transition to a new program director didn't deter strong attendance at the Tolkien-themed programming. With Dr. Anne Petty filling the scholar's role and Shah serving as the Tolkien-themed actor, the track remains vital and important. The Night at Bree party featuring the TORn-friendly Emerald Rose, was another smash with a costume contest and the TORn message board's very own GreeDragon lending her vocals. A little dose of concrete news on a potential Hobbit film would give the Tolkien programming a jolt in the arm but the track is anything but finished, especially after a transition when TORn's own Jincey stepped aside. West of the Moon continues to contribute a presence by hosting a fan table and adding vital numbers to the mix.

Tim Richardson's "Dork of the Ring" parody film played as part of the film programming and the troupe was also featured in some Tolkien programming, including segments featuring young and talented film-makers Ashlee and Rachel Scott.

Sideshow Collectibles contributed mightily to TheOneRIng.net's fan table. While we sold t-shirts and met with fans face-to-face, we also offered SSC gift cards (valued at SideshowCollectibles.com between $10 - $100) to those who managed to understand that 'FREE' really can mean free. We also distributed other Sideshow prizes by using a dice-rolling game that generated a number between 1-100, helping us find excellent homes for drool-inducing helms and weapon displays. Three lucky winners took away the daily grand prize, also provided from the Sideshow. They were a Galadriel Statue, an Eowyn Statue and a King of the Dead Statue, each highly prized by the Tolkien crowd. Thanks Sideshow and thanks to all the fans who supported our presence with the purchase of the new TORn t-shirt that says, "My house Elf is Tall, Blonde and proficient with his bow"!

'Lembas for the Soul' Moot in Minnesota
Xoanon @ 7:08 pm EST

Mikeal writes: This Wednesday, Sept. 6, 7 p.m., some Rivendellers & the Minnesota Tolkien Society set will assemble to meet and talk about things Tolkien with Katherine Kohman, who is visiting the area this week.

Ms. Kohman, A.K.A "Celevon Elensar" in the "TheOneRing.net" online community, is author of “Lembas for the Soul: How the Lord of the Rings Enriches Everyday Life”, Longtime Tolkien fan Renee "Arwen" Alper, is quoted about this book which contains "fifty deeply felt tales of newly forged friendships, courage and inspiration, joy and loss. Whether these Ringers’ personal stories make you laugh or move you to tears, you will likely recognize something of your own Lord of the Rings journey within these pages. It's quite an accomplishment to create an entire world of magic. It's another to see that world's magic creating magic of its own in the real world. “Lembas for the Soul” is an amazing compilation of real life people who found their own magic through the writings of Prof. J.R.R. Tolkien. Included therein are some of the most poetic -- and the most profound -- illustrations of LOTR's effects on its audiences, both literary and cinematic. Each story is unique, and yet connected to the others by the magic of Middle-earth. I couldn't put it down! : Renee Alper, Founder/Head of The American Hobbit Association

The meeting will be held in the basement "undercroft" area of Epiphany Episcopal Church in St. Paul, MN 1636 Van Buren Ave. (651) 645-4466.

Directions to location are here. [MNTolkien.com]

9-02-06 Latest News

DRAGONCON: Day 2
Xoanon @ 6:12 pm EST

TORN Staffer MrCere writes: ATLANTA - Sleep is for babies. Food is for wimps. Rest is for later. DragonCon is on! Thursday felt like Friday in intensity and traffic and Friday felt like Saturday. D*Con is unmatched in its per-capita costumes and its per-costume crazyness.

TheOneRing.net was privledged to be back at the Con mixing with fans and helping to keep Tolkien fandom vibrant and relevant. While smaller than Comic-Con in San Diego it is much more concentrated between two main hotels with something for almost every interest in sci-fi, fantasy and even the rest of pop culture.

TORn was kept busy distributing prizes for those willing to roll some dice and claim free gift cards from SideshowCollectibles.com, LOTR prizes from SSC and TORn t-shirts. Across the 'street' in the fan-club area is the combined table of the Arms of Middle-earth and West of the Moon giving the Tolkien contingent a strong presence again.

The Tolkien track was lively and busy with a full day of programming of various interests but featuring Dr. Anne Petty who peeled back the often overlooked "Roverandum". Perhaps the social highlight of the day was the Evening at Bree freaturing Emerald Rose, spirited dancing and a brilliant costume contest. My personal choice was the Tom Bombadil and his yellow boots and his fair bride Goldberry. The cleverness of a slightly more obscure costume was a stroke of greatness.

Admittedly, as the only TORn staffer present in an official capacity I was stretched too thin to hear and record the winners and I apologize! I am SURE some guest can give us the update. A gentleman dressed as the Eye of Sauron atop its black tower seemed to be the crowd favorite.

Anne Petty and I teamed up for a tribute to late TORn staffer Balin / Greg and many, many LOTR fans have expressed to me personally their own sense of loss. We raised our glasses to Balin and we remembered our friend. We also miss former track director Jincey and 'do everything' Sam who were the backbone of Tolkien fandom at D*Con for many years.

Those who have been to D*Con know that the favorite feature of the event is the fantastic socializing that takes place all over the Con. Social barriers fall as people make new friends and find old ones. Geeks (and I mean that in the best possible way!) dive deep into conversations about things only fandoms can appreciate. Tables of TORn chatters and TORn message boarders mixed and matched, talked and laughed, ate and snorted. And really, the fun never ends!

More to come and TORnados in attendance please send in your photos and reports! My view from the basement is limited and we need your help!

9-01-06 Latest News

DRAGONCON: Day 1
Xoanon @ 12:18 pm EST

TORN Staffer MrCere writes:

The Dragon is breathing fire already! New TORn gear!

ATLANTA - Its officially only the day before DragonCon but already things here in downtown Atlanta are a bit crazy. On a day when everything is about the check-in, costums are already a common sight, some tables are already set up and tonight in the Hyatt there was a well-attended impromptu drum circle. Cool!

Emerald Rose is warming up its drums and its pennywhistles since they will be playing at least three shows for various segments of the Con including the Tolkien's Middle-earth Night at Bree.

TheOneRing.net is here to mix with fans and thanks to SideshowCollectibles.com, we have plenty of loot to hand out FREE! A tip of the cap to the folks at Sideshow for the free gift cards good for values between $10 and $100 on the website.

And, finally, TORn has a new shirt! This is a white one with navy writing that says, (drum roll please) "My House Elf is tall, blonde and proficient with is bow". TORn will be giving away shirts of various styles from our 'hall of fame' while we sell the new style for $20 in sizes S - 2XL while supplies last.

The Tolkien's Middle-earth track is going strong and Kiran Show has been spotted and photographed already with fans. So, again, the Dragon is waking up and the excitement starts in just a few hours!


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