[Lotr_announce] SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT GRABS THE GOLD RING WITH RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS

[Michael Regina (Xoanon)]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Seth Carmichael
Carmichael PR
+1 212-803-5880
visit www.sonypictures.com/ringers

SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT GRABS THE GOLD RING WITH RINGERS: LORD OF
THE FANS

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 14, 2005) -- The ‘Ring’ has now come full circle for
the worldwide following of J.R.R. Tolkien and his “Lord of the Rings”
fantasy books. Indie production house Planet BB is proud to announce the
sale of its feature-length film, RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS, to Sony Pictures
Home Entertainment. A rousing favorite at film festivals this year, RINGERS
was honored the “Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking: Documentary” award
at the 2005 Newport Beach Film Festival.

Narrated by Dominic Monaghan (star of ABC’s Lost and the Academy AwardÒ
winning Lord of the Rings trilogy), RINGERS garnered outrageous attention
from audiences and press alike during its smash festival circuit run.
Screenings continuously sold out in Newport Beach, Dallas, and Park City --
with many enthusiasts camping out in Utah’s freezing January weather just to
be the first to get tickets.

Premiere magazine proclaimed what eager audiences and fans have waited to
hear: "There's a new documentary to take you back to The Shire" -- while The
Toronto Star called RINGERS "comprehensive, entertaining and informative pop
cultural history." Indie ubersite FilmThreat loudly praised: "It is a
documentary that will always be a salient part of “Lord of the Rings”
history.... See it, absorb it, love it!"

RINGERS charts the ongoing influence of “The Lord of the Rings” on pop
culture, which continues at full speed more than 50 years after the books’
first publication. Filled with exceptional interviews with legendary rock
musicians, filmmakers, professors, actors, authors, and true-blue Ringer
fans, the film breathlessly weaves together five decades of Western popular
culture. Infused with a dynamic rock score, irreverent cut-out animation (á
la Terry Gilliam), and even a centerpiece audience Sing-a-long, RINGERS is a
genre-busting documentary that shows how a single literary work continues to
spark the minds and hearts of millions.

Director/Producer/Writer Carlene Cordova: “I am genuinely thrilled to work
with our friends at Sony. Together we will continue celebrating J.R.R.
Tolkien’s amazing achievement by telling the story behind the story.” She
adds, “This film is about a true creative legacy and Sony definitely gets
it. RINGERS is really special; reminding us how one work of art, this one
huge book, can influence so many generations."

Executive Producer Tom DeSanto (X-Men and X2: X-Men United) sums up the LOTR
phenomenon: “RINGERS is a celebration of J.R.R. Tolkien and how one author’s
work has rippled out to affect other artists -- from musicians to
moviemakers -- for over fifty years. Whether you are a J.R.R. Tolkien
scholar or a person who has never heard of Frodo or Gandalf, RINGERS is a
90-minute ride that rockets you through the “Lord of the Rings” phenomenon.”

The deal was negotiated by Craig Kestel of William Morris Independent and
Gary Hirsch for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, (SCA), a subsidiary of
Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion
picture production and distribution; television production and distribution;
digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments;
home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio
facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and
technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony
Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at
http://www.sonypictures.com.

ABOUT THE FILM:

RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS is a feature-length documentary that explores how
"The Lord of the Rings" has influenced Western popular culture over the past
50 years. Moving beyond “cult classic” and over several different
generations, the film unearths countless people gathered under the banner of
‘Ringer’ -- academics, musicians, movie stars, authors, filmmakers, and a
plethora of pop junkies. Celebrity interviewees include Peter Jackson,
Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Clive Barker, and David Carradine.

RINGERS features a dynamic rock-driven score with musicians who were
influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien. Several indie recording artists have provided
new covers of songs from previous “Rings” adaptations. Produced in
association with the popular fan-site TheOneRing.net, RINGERS stands as the
most comprehensive film document of the ongoing impact of “The Lord of the
Rings.”

>From the hippie counter-culture to the electronic age; from the Bakshi
animated film to Jackson’s epic trilogy; this documentary brings together
extensive footage collected over 21 months -- across three continents.

What began as the private amusement of a tweedy Oxford professor has now
become a new mythology for the 21st century. RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS shows
how an adventure story published in 1954 has had dynamic ripple-effects
through Western pop-culture. RINGERS carefully pulls away the veil between
Tolkien’s book and the creations of art, music, and community that have been
inspired by it.

RINGERS INTERVIEWEES INCLUDE: Writer/Director/Producer - Peter Jackson,
Actor - Elijah Wood, Actor - Sir Ian McKellen, Actor - Viggo Mortensen,
Actor - Sean Astin, Actor - Dominic Monaghan, Actor - Billy Boyd, Actor -
Andy Serkis, Actor - Orlando Bloom, Screenwriter - Philippa Boyens,
Author/Interviewer - Cliff Broadway, Author/Filmmaker - Clive Barker,
Writer/Director/Producer - Cameron Crowe, Actor - David Carradine, Author -
Terry Pratchett, Author - Peter S. Beagle, Author - Terry Brooks, Musician -
Lemmy Kilmister, Musician - Geddy Lee, Tolkien Scholar - Dr. Jane Chance,
Chairperson of the Tolkien Society - Christine Crawshaw, Author - Colin
Duriez, Filmmaker/Critic - Chris Gore, Writer/Publisher - Forrest J.
Ackerman, Actor - Bill Mumy, Author/Broadcaster - Brian Sibley,
Illustrator/Author - Colleen Doran, Illustrator/Author - Jill Thompson, and
hundreds of Tolkien fans!

visit www.sonypictures.com/ringers


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Michael Regina
Editor in Chief/Segment Producer
PH: 514.947.5221
http://www.TheOneRing.net <http://www.TheOneRing.net>
http://www.KongisKing.net <http://www.KongisKing.net>
http://www.TheOneLion.net
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