Sideshow and Decipher wow them at Dragoncon

by Michael Martinez, Sunday, September 2, 2001

Tolkien fans were amazed to see a full display of Weta/Sideshow sculptures and many pre-release scans of cards from Decipher's upcoming collectible LoTR game. Sideshow has a booth in the Dragoncon dealers' room in a prominent location. Their largest display includes all or nearly all of the busts which have been reported on the Internet. Amazed fans have been exploring the exhibit with a keen eye. Anticipation for the Peter Jackson "Lord of the Rings" movies continues to mount. Sideshow is giving away free samples of their Gandalf busts, expected to ship later in September. On Saturday they were taking submissions for a drawing but they also graciously sponsored the Tolkien and Middle-earth fan programming track's Hobbit Madness party with five free Gandalf busts. Enthusiastic fans rushed out of the party to claim their prizes as soon as the main festivities had concluded. Numerous fans have commented favorably upon the extraordinary detail provided by the busts, which are reproductions of actors in costume and makeup from the movies. Representatives from Decipher, makers of the collectible card game and role-playing games based on Peter Jackson's LoTR films, offered gamers and fans a sneak preview of cards and some of the concepts being developed for the company's role-playing games. The collectible card game should correct some of the perceived flaws in older Decipher card gaming systems while offering a fast-playing, easy-to-learn gaming system which is flexible enough to allow increasingly sophisticated levels of play and strategy. The representatives told the audience that play-testers were reporting their games were lasting about 20 to 30 minutes. The longest "first game" time, in which a new player learns the rules, was estimated to be about 45 minutes. Although some concepts and the most recent design factors were not revealed, the Decipher representatives told their audience that the two basic decks would include sufficient cards in the Common set to enable new players to finish a game the first time they play. The representatives also pointed out that both their games utilize shared concepts to streamline the learning curve in moving from one system to another. While discussing the role-playing game, which is much more complex and open-ended than the collectible card game, the Decipher representatives told fans that it would be possible -- though perhaps not preferable -- to play characters from the movies. Game organizers would, of course, have the freedom to decide how the scenarios will be managed and which established characters will be permitted. Images from the collectible cards were projected for the audience, and a basic explanation of primary components of the gaming system was offered. Characters have attack factors, special abilities, and health statistics. The role-playing game will not rely upon traditional levels and professions, but will instead allow players to develop a broad set of skills for their characters through "Advancements". The concept of professions was paralelled but not exactly replaced by "Orders". At least three methods of winning the collectible card game will be available. The role-playing game will provide sufficient background material to support the development of scenarios in different historical periods (of Middle-earth). Some freelance contracts may be awarded for future module development.

Radagast to be in the movie after all?

by Michael Martinez, Sunday, September 2, 2001

A gaming company representative speaking at Dragoncon may have let slip a minor secret: Radagast is possibly a licensed merchandisable character from the movies. Many Tolkien fans have been upset over omissions of favorite or interesting characters from the upcoming Peter Jackson "Lord of the Rings" movies. Radagast has only a brief role in the book, but some fans feel he should or could have been included in the storyline. A gaming company representative, speaking at Dragoncon, fielded a question about wizards. He mentioned briefly that a Radagast character was not yet available. Members of the audience quickly picked up on the implications of the comment but no further comment was offered. The audience did not insist on pursuing the small item. Nonetheless, in a fan world rocked by rumors of substantially altered characters and missing characters, even small revelations which offer potential hope of increased faithfulness to the storyline are generally accepted with gladness. So, we cannot confirm that Radagast will indeed be in the movies, but perhaps a well-connected fan site or two will be able to provide proof or denial in the next few weeks. Radagast is mentioned as a "cousin" by Gandalf in The Hobbit and he is sent to look for Gandalf by Saruman the White in The Lord of the Rings. Later on, Gandalf is rescued from Orthanc by an eagle sent by Radagast to bear news to the two wizards.

Kids win big at Dragoncon

by Michael Martinez, Sunday, September 2, 2001

The Tolkien and Middle-earth fan programming track celebrated Hobbit Madness by giving away Tolkien merchandise at Dragoncon. Organized by staff volunteer Ginger Wages, the Tolkien track celebrated all things Tolkien by letting fans enjoy Hobbit cakes, desserts, and fruit juice. But the event was capped off by the presentation of five Hobbit Packs to lucky fans. The Hobbit Packs included copies of the upcoming re-released of the Hobbit graphic novel (published by Del Rey), gaming cards from Decipher, a free T-Shirt courtesy of TheOneRing.Net, a copy of track director Michael Martinez' book Visualizing Middle-earth, and a coupon for a free Gandalf bust from Sideshow Toys. Attendees were invited to solve riddles and submit their answers to a drawing. Five names were drawn at random by members of the audience and the winners presented with their Hobbit Packs. Three unopened copies of original press "Journey of the Dunadan" CDs by Glass Hammer were also awarded to contestants in an impromptu costume contest organized by Ginger on the spot. A fourth CD, "Night at Rivendell", was given to the fourth contestant. The audience did not seem to favor any of the costumes over the others, and she decided all four brave souls should be included. Two members of the audience were dressed as Legolas and Sam Gamgee (from the movies, based on spy photos published on the Internet). The costumes were very detailed and quite well done. Another costume included a witch from Harry Potter.

A review of Glass Hammer's new CD, "Live from Middle-earth"

by Michael Martinez, Sunday, September 2, 2001

Review by Kerry Elizabeth Thompson http://www.woodbetweentheworlds.net Glass Hammer's The Middle-earth Album According to Steve and Fred, The Middle-earth Album was recorded, at least in part, at a concert given by the band in the village of Bree, the Breeland, Middle-earth. And, who am I, a humble fan, to argue with Steve and Fred? The album has the feel of a cross between a Medieval fair and a folk concert. This is not surprising, given the nature of Middle-earth, which is a pre industrial, bucolic sort of place inhabited by Elves, dwarves, hobbits and, of course, men. The inhabitants take music quite seriously, and made the band welcome, or so the listener gathers. The rowdy but good natured audience comments and joins in the chorus of several songs with gusto. Indeed, this is very much an audience participation type of affair. "Dwarf and Orc," a comic account of Balin Longbeard's assault on the king of the goblins' cache of beer and "The King's Beer," an encomium to peace and Barleiman Butterbur's famous brew, seem particularly popular, as does "The Ballad of Balin Longbeard." This last will be familiar to longtime GH fans from its appearance on Journey of the Dunadan, the band's first album. Also familiar is "This Fading Age," from On to Evermore. I was sorry to find that the entire album was not recorded live at the Prancing Pony. However, the several studio tracks maintain the live Folk feel. I don't understand the wizardry of recording, but I know that the studio tracks blend seamlessly with the live tracks. Several of the studio tracks feature the Glass Hammer girls, Suzy Warren, Felicia Sorenson, and Sarah Snyder. Their voices form interesting textures and contrasts of timber with the usually all male GH vocal presentation. Felicia's rendition of "As I Walk" has a particularly wistful, haunting quality. But, this album belongs to Fred. On the few songs that don't feature his lead vocal, he can be heard in the backing position. As comfortable with a lyrical love song as with a hard driving number, here he proves himself equally at home with Folk style ballads as with Prog. The band departs from the Medieval/Folk style only once for what is, for my money, the best song of the album. "Sweet Goldberry," a musical interpretation of Tolkien's poem "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil," features the signature GH sound and lead vocals by Walter Moore. Lighthearted yet deeply felt, this song expresses the sustaining love between Tom and Goldberry. Walter's clear, intense presentation with backing vocals by Fred and Steve bring the familiar story vividly to life. Indeed, each of the songs on the album tells a story though, unusually for GH, the album as a whole does not. This is because it is part of a larger story, one written by Steve. Rangers, Dwarves, Trolls and Maidens or A Halfling's Holiday in Bree tells of how many of these songs came to be written and of a hitherto unknown facet of GH's activities. Though one may enjoy The Middle-earth Album on its own, the story lends context and added interest to this album that looks both back to the band's roots and forward to further growth lyrically, musically, and in the realm of storytelling. Review Copyright © 2001 Kerry Elizabeth Thompson and MouseWorks Productions

TheOneRing.Net packs them in at Dragoncon

by Michael Martinez, Sunday, September 2, 2001

4,000 wildly enthusiastic Tolkien fans crowded into Dragoncon's largest venue to watch a special presentation by TheOneRing.Net at Dragoncon. The hour-long presentation encapsulated two years' worth of spy reports and secret information filtered to fan Web sites by people close to the production of Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" movies. Two representatives from the popular fan site explained that some of the material they showed would not be posted on their Web site, as they dared not risk incurring the wrath of New Line Cinema. Nonetheless, so much material was covered, including many pictures from trailers and officially sanctioned publications, that one of the representatives constantly urged the person attending their projector to move on to the next image. The audience still revelled in some previously unreported images said to be associated with the movies. And though no finished images of the Balrog were provided, they noted that some merchandisers were already publicizing images by John Howe which are very strong indications of how Peter Jackson's Balrog will be potrayed. The presentation also included the two theatrical trailers and the Internet preview made available in April 2000. Some of the frame-by-frame analyses available on the OneRing Web site were meticulously covered. Fans got to see several variations of Orcs and Elves, including the famous shot of Elven women (and men) fleeing through a forest (a scene most likely derived from a flashback telling the history of the fall of Eregion when Sauron attempted to seize all the Rings of Power) and the scene of Elven warriors coming to the aid of the Fellowship of the Ring (probably depicting how the Fellowship reaches safety in Lothlorien after being pursued from Moria). Images new and old were included in the presentation, and the audience was stunned by depictions of scenes in Moria, particularly where Gandalf and the Fellowship face off with an army of Orcs. Another stunning image showed Aragorn fighting off a battalion of Saruman's Uruk-hai, many of whom have a white hand imprint on their foreheads and faces. The venue, normally used only for the largest functions at Dragoncon, was so full that hundreds of curious fans were turned away due to strict observation of attendance guidelines under the stern presence of the Atlanta fire marshal. Dragoncon continues at the Atlanta Hyatt and Marriott hotels through Sunday, September 2 and Monday, September 3.

John Rhys-Davies talks at Dragoncon

by Michael Martinez, Sunday, September 2, 2001

The actor who plays Gimli the Dwarf in the upcoming Peter Jackson movies spoke to an intimate audience over 1,000 fans. He revealed that Gimli will sound much like Sean Connery by giving the audience at Dragoncon a quick sample of how he portrayed the Dwarf in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" movies. He also told one curious fan that some experimentation is required for the voice of Treebeard (which the actor will provide next year) but that no decisions will be made. When asked if he felt any Academy Award nominations may be forthcoming, JRD suggested that the movies may be nominated for many categories, including special effects, soundtrack, director, and possibly a few acting categories. In reminiscing about his past work, Rhys-Davies explained that he was at first unsure about taking the role of Salah in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". But when asked whether he would play Salah again, he stroked his bearded chin thoughtfully, looked up to heaven, and muttered into the microphone: "Let me see. Would I want fame, fortune, power...." Although highly enthusiastic about the upcoming LoTR films, JRD cautioned fans that even he could (if he wished) express some disappointment about things which were not included. Rather than be critical and argumentative, however, he believed that his contribution to the massive project (and that of other actors) required that they trust the decisions made on characterization. So, even though he regretted that some aspects of Gimli's character were not explored, he was satisfied that the Dwarf is portrayed faithfully to the spirit of Tolkien's character. In particular, JRD noted, he believed that Gimli does not see himself as a short person. He views his role as a protector of the Little People, the Hobbits, and he does not see himself as being of a lesser stature than anyone around him. There was considerable appreciative agreement from the audience, which gave the actor more than one standing ovation. Rhys-Davies responded to many questions and stayed as long as he possibly could although the convention scheduling was very tight. He also gave an interview for TheOneRing.Net's new internet TV news service. Other tidbits which came out in the session included: Gimli's departure for Valinor was not filmed, although the actor expressed a very vivid and moving interpretation of the Elves helping the aged Dwarf aboard ship; Gimli does indeed attempt to destroy the One Ring at the Council of Elrond; some of the technical effects employed in the movies were so rare, advanced, and/or innovative they surprised even well-established actors such as himself and Sir Ian McKellen, when they saw initial footage.

Mystic Steel to open more stores, offer LoTR merchandise

by Michael Martinez, Friday, August 31, 2001

A California retailer is launching their Lord of the Rings merchandising campaign by expanding their Web site and the number of stores they operate. Mystic Steel offers a broad selection of fantasy-related merchandise, but they have already put up a catalogue of familiar collectible sculptures based on Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" movies. A growing collection of busts and helms from Weta/Sideshow have been announced over the past few months. Mystic Steel has thrown down the gauntlet with this aggressive merchandising campaign, and other retailers are sure to follow. With two stores currently open, Mystic Steel plans to open three more outlets by October. They also tell us they have plans to sponsor a "Tribute to Tolkien" contest with "substantial first - third prizes".

It's all in the family: The Elweans and Ingweans

by Michael Martinez, Sunday, August 26, 2001

Nothing is more confusing than trying to figure out who is actually supposed to be in the various family trees, and what their relationships to the three Eldarin kings are. Most people have only read The Lord of the Rings, and that book provides us with so few clues about the Eldarin families that all the cousins, brothers, aunts, and uncles who are named in The Silmarillion arrive as quite a shock. Why weren't these people mentioned in The Lord of the Rings? Of course, their stories had come to an end thousands of years before Hobbits even arrived on the scene. So the princes of the Eldar were no longer of paramount historical importance. History in Middle-earth had shifted from being a primarily Eldarin course of events to a primarily Dunadan course of events, and even the Dunedain were in decline. Socially, the Eldar no longer mattered. So their great heroes, their ancient kings, all their noble families were forgotten by most of the peoples in Middle-earth. To hear the stories of ages lost in time's remote antiquity from people who had been there would have been an extremely special experience for the Hobbits who visited Rivendell. Their people had no knowledge of such stories, and Bilbo had accomplished something unique by awakening the desire to learn more about Elvish histories in his young nieces and nephews. Naturally, Bilbo would be most interested in the tales of the relatives of Elrond and Aragorn, his special friends. Conveniently, their Elven ancestors just happened to be part of the extended families of Finwe and Elwe, some of whose members ruled various kingdoms in Beleriand. It would all be quite romantic (in the heroic and adventurous sense). But it would also provide an insight into the character and motivations of both Elrond and Aragorn for Bilbo to understand who their families were. It would be that Elvish sense of obligation. Elrond couldn't just leave Middle-earth until a resolution had been found for the problem of the Rings of Power. Aragorn, of course, had no opportunity to leave Middle-earth. But he had inherited the whole mess from his human ancestors. The difficulty for us is that Tolkien never fully understood what he wanted to achieve with the Eldarin genealogies. Every now and then he would add a name to the lists and if he had time, perhaps years down the road, he would drop in some tantalizing comment that began the process of defining a new character. And in retrospect, he would delete names from the lists, too, if he felt the characters they referred to belonged in other tales, or didn't fit in at all. Hence, Indis begins as the sister of Ingwe and ends up as his niece. And Ingwiel, Ingwe's son, vanishes altogether. Such losses are regrettable, because they hint at untold stories which might be very interesting. Read the full article here

The Good, the Bad, and the Outlawed

by Michael Martinez, Sunday, August 19, 2001

It's almost impossible to have a real hero in Middle-earth who has not passed through a period of dispossession and outlawry. But since outlawry is the province of all the villains, too, there must be something in the character of the hero which helps him to achieve redemption. Or, if he does not require redemption, then his outlawry is a moral abridgement of rejection. That is to say, if you're an outlaw under Morgoth's regime, you're not an evil person. You have rejected evil. But life is not so simple in Middle-earth, as it seldom can be. Outlawry proves to be a state in which the character defines his purpose. For example, when Melkor asserted his presumptious claim to Arda, the Valar rejected his arrogance. He became an outlaw and fled (for a time) into the wastes of Ea (Creation, the universe). It was during this initial period of oultawry that Melkor metamorphosed into the first dark lord. Upon initially entering the universe, Melkor assisted the Valar in all their labors. There appears to have been no strife between them. Only when they began to shape the "habitation of the Children of Iluvatar" (Cf. "Ainulindale") did Melkor depart from the appointed task begin to pursue his own goals. But though "he meddled in all that was done, turning it if he might to his own desires and purposes" (ibid.), it would not be until Melkor said to the other Valar, "This shall be mine own kingdom; and I name it unto myself" (ibid.), that he transgressed and passed into a state of natural outlawry. Natural outlawry is the segregation of the individual from the community. It may be formalized through a process of law, but the fact of outlawry is determined by the individual's decision to set aside the moral bounds of the community. Melkor abandoned the task set to the Ainur by Iluvatar, and thus he entered into outlawry. But though he attempted to claim Arda for himself, his claim was rejected and he was himself driven into exile. There he bided his time, and he gathered followers from among the other Ainur. Read the full article here.

By this sword, I rule!

by Michael Martinez, Thursday, August 9, 2001

Robert E. Howard fans should recognize the echo of a Kull story in the sentence, "By this sword, I rule." Howard liked to write about strong, brooding warriors. They might be men in the wild west of America, boxers in the ring, or naive barbarians thundering through the halls of civilizations so ancient even the citizens had forgotten their distant origins. In some ways, Aragorn was a barbarian, at least from a Gondorian perspective. Although raised by Elrond in an Eldarin household, Aragorn was no city boy. And both his father and grandfather had been killed by creatures (Orcs, Trolls respectively) which most city-folk would flee from in abject terror. Like Howard's warrior-kings, Conan and Kull, Aragorn was descended of an "Atlantean" people. Kull was, in fact, an Atlantean, forced into exile. He and Conan left their barbarian peoples and raised themselves up to be kings. Aragorn also left his homeland (Eriador) and raised himself up to be king (of both Gondor and Arnor). But there the resemblance ends, or becomes only superficial. Howard celebrated the raw, primitive strength of the uncorrupted barbarian. Tolkien celebrated the sophisticated wisdom derived from the decline and fall of several civilizations. But both writers conveyed a sense of power through their characters which evokes a symmetry of passion. That passion heats the conflict of praise and ridicule. The characters are treated with great respect by some writers, and deep irritation and annoyance by others. Conan has been compared to cardboard drivel. Aragorn has been compared to a noble horse. Read the full article here.

ATN Zone (@-N Zone) Magazine is giving away LoTR busts and stuff

by The Master, Monday, August 6, 2001

Yes, someone is giving away collectible Lord of the Rings merchandise. Well, you have to be a member of Backstage, but read on. @-N Zone Magazine, in conjunction with Sideshow Toys, are giving away exclusive limited edition character figurines and busts from the upcoming New Line Cinema film, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," opening in theaters this December, 2001. Sideshow Inc. of Westlake Village, CA has partnered with Weta Workshop of New Zealand to develop multiple lines of polystone collectibles based on the upcoming film trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. Weta Workshop is the Special Effects Company that created the effects for all three Lord of the Rings films. The Sideshow / Weta collaboration will be responsible for the development and marketing of five lines of polystone collectibles: statues, busts, miniature weapons, miniature armor and helmets, and wall plaques. This special @N-Zone contest features figurines from Series I, which will be available to purchase in stores this September or directly from Sideshow Toys online. If you are located internationally, please email sales@sideshowtoy.com for information on a distributor local to your area. Click here to learn more.

Complete list of film changes hits Tolkien Online

by Michael Martinez, Saturday, August 4, 2001

Technically, it's not a list of changes in the films, but of differences between the cinematic storyline and the literary storyline of The Lord of the Rings. If you've been agonizing over the rape of Tolkien's masterpiece, but can't recall exactly which changes have been made to the classic tale of Hobbitry-in-rings, Ancalagon the Black has been meticulously collecting trivia for over a year from spy reports, news reports, and other sources. The Complete List of Film Changes attempts to organize what fans have learned and shared on the Internet about Peter Jackson's upcoming "The Lord of the Rings" movies. However, the document is provided for informational purposes only. And, in fact, by this time, there is virtually no hope of fans persuading Jackson to introduce more changes to the movies (in any effort to restore or pursue faithfulness to the book by anyone's standard). What is, is. What shall be, shall be. If these movies are successful, it is almost guaranteed that other film-makers will do the story again, and some fans' hopes for different adaptive decisions may be realized. Or not. But December comes quickly, and the masses are waiting for movies which have been accompanied by as much hype and hysteria as accompanied such classics as "Gone with the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz".

Make room for dragons

by Michael Martinez, Saturday, August 4, 2001

People sometimes ask why there are no dragon stories from the Second Age. In the development of Middle-earth, the Second Age was almost an after-thought, and it didn't really call for dragons, although we have to assume for the sake of the pseudo-history that they were always there, in the background, waiting for an opportunity to make their appearance. Dragons, like so many other literary devices, appear only rarely in the pages of Tolkien's fiction. Only two dragons are featured prominently in the tales: Glaurung and Smaug. Glaurung had a high purpose. He was one of the prime characters in the tragic story of the children of Hurin. Smaug, on the other hand, was just an adventure. A goal for the Hobbit and Dwarves to reach. In the earliest versions of The Hobbit, all which came after Smaug's death was quickly summarized. The dragon was the capstone of the story. There are two more named dragons in Tolkien's Middle-earth tales: Ancalagon the Black and Scatha the Worm. Ancalagon has no real story attached to him. Or, rather, he is barely more than a footnote in a much longer tale, The Silmarillion. He appears briefly in a final assault upon the Host of Valinor before Earendil slays him in the sky, culminating a night-long battle. Scatha is the core of a story told only as an anecdote about the Northman hero Fram, who slays the dragon and recovers a hoard taken from the Dwarves. Scatha's death does not end Fram's tale, however, for the Dwarves demand that he return their hoard and he refuses, so they kill him (or arrange for his death). Fram's story is unique. Turin mortally wounds Glaurung in the early hours of the morning and then kills himself soon afterward; Earendil slays Ancalagon in the dawn skies and then retreats into legend; Bard the Bowman slays Smaug in the night and goes on to become King of Dale. We know nothing about Fram's encounte with Scatha, and he does not end either tragically, mythologically, or gloriously like his fellow dragon-slayers. He simply meets his death and the history of his people continues. There is, however, a certain symmetry in these four dragon stories. Both Glaurung and Ancalagon served Morgoth, whereas Scatha and Smaug were at the very least semi-independent, if not completely independent of Sauron. Tolkien provides only one comment, in "The Quest of Erebor", where Gandalf tells Frodo and other members of the Fellowship of the Ring that "the Dragon Sauron might use with terrible effect". The clear implication is that Sauron either possessed or could have achieved some measure of control over Smaug, when he was ready to launch his final war against the northern world. Read the full article here

IGN Insider posts trailer for Sierra LoTR games

by Michael Martinez, Wednesday, August 1, 2001

The Middle-earth Vault mentioned that IGN Insider had put up a trailer for the Sierra Studios' LoTR-based games. Unfortunately, the trailer is offered strictly to premium service providers. Sorry, guys. We're not that desperate to see the trailer.

American college students will NOT get to see "Fellowship" first

by Michael Martinez, Wednesday, August 1, 2001

John Forde says there will be no advance screenings of LoTR films. On September 12, 2000, Xenite.Org reported that New Line Cinema had committed to including the LoTR movies in a 10-film deal with Youthstream Media Networks. Now, in John Forde's August, 2001 E! Online Force of Hobbit: On Location, the E! Online Insider writes: "Contrary to earlier reports, the studio won't show the film before its December release." Rick Porras, associate producer on Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" movies is quoted as saying: "We aren't previewing in the traditional route. Considering the amount of interest in the films, I'm glad we're not. This way, there's less chance of people finding out details in advance and releasing clips on the Net." The original news story cited by Xenite.Org is no longer available, but the distribution agreement with Youthstream Media Networks would have made the first movie, "The Fellowship of the Ring", available to hundreds of thousands of American college students as early as October. A high profile media campaign is planned for October, with major advertising campaigns and several television documentaries scheduled to appear in that month. At least four television specials will be broadcast, and more (unauthorized) television productons inspired by the movies are either in the works or being discussed.

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