The Hobbit 30 Day Challenge - Day 23

How Do You Feel About All The New Fans Entering This Fandom?

Photo by Faboamanto

How do I feel? Maybe a bit like a dual personality, the many faces of Fabo?  

To some Tolkien and Hobbit fans I may be considered a new "fan", certainly of the book.  I'm not a "new" fan when it comes to Peter Jackson films based on Tolkien's writing, because I'm an old fan of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. What am I then? New or Old fan? 

I am positive that many long time and committed Hobbit and Tolkien fans consider me one of those "newcomers". My feelings are that in every fandom there should be room for everyone and we should respect our differences. You don't have to like me as a "new" fan, but you should respect me. I respect the knowledge and passion of Tolkien fans. That's what I struggle to do with the fandoms I struggle to belong to. We're not always successful in controlling our emotions, but we can at least try. Maybe, just maybe, we'll all learn from each other and have fun along the way.

Some RA friends might not know that I was following the possible making of The Hobbit film, or what turned out to be three films, for a while before Richard Armitage was cast as Thorin.  I remember when Guillermo del Toro was still involved as director/writer I took part, together with hundreds of fans, in a live online Q&A with Del Toro and Peter Jackson when the film was only a gleam in both their eyes.  I think Del Toro had been working on the film just a short while by then. I remember both of the men discussing why the film was still on hold, and fans asking Del Toro his thoughts about the characters, and the the look of the characters, etc.  I love Del Toro's film, Pan's Labyrinth, and was curious if he envisioned his Hobbit along the same lines.  I don't remember the exact year of the online Q&A, but obviously before Del Toro dropped out and PJ took over as director.  During that online event PJ promised more of the same fan interaction to come as plans for the film progressed. Then everything changed, and the rest is Hobbit history.

That's my long-winded way of explaining I'm not really new to the PJ Tolkien film fandom. Thanks in part to this guy:

Sean Bean as Boromir, LOTR

I was and am primarily a lurker in the Tolkien LOTR/Hobbit fandom. Before Richard Armitage was cast as Thorin I would only dip my toes in the water once in a while to catch up on news. My knowledge of Tolkien remains rather limited and random. 

Richard Armitage

Now with Richard Armitage as the star of The Hobbit trilogy I have a new commitment and a new love for the films. 



My photo of Ziegfeld Theater in New York City, other pics from stuff.co.nz and Google Images.

The Hobbit 30 Day Challenge - Day 11

Which Scene Scares You The Most?

http://www.thelandofshadow.com

The scene that scares me the most is the Mirkwood Spiders.

I pretty much freak out at itsy bitsy spiders that are feet away from me, so imagine gigantic ugly spiders that can talk.  

The Horror!

Bilbo is pretty impressive in that scene (kudos to Martin Freeman) and he's pretty good with that sword.  He does rescue his friends, our intrepid band of dwarves, from being spidey snacks.

There are also some great spider battle scene with Thorin and the dwarves.

I was on the edge of my seat seeing those huge fangs coming at me in 3D HFR Imax. 

Runner up for scariest

The Eyebrows

Thanks to Empire Online and Youko

LOTR 30 Day Challenge - Question #30: How you got into LOTR?

When I was a teenager The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books were very popular with many of my fellow students. But I don't remember ever talking about Tolkien in English Lit class here in the US, or even being assigned either book in school. But Tolkien's ideas certainly resonated with the tone of the times. 

Also at the time there were several restaurants and coffee shops in my area that were named after characters in Tolkien's books. I remember they mostly served vegetarian meals or sandwiches with lots of alfalfa sprouts. Though I often frequented places like this with friends, and knew generally what the name "Bilbo Baggins" on the front of the menu referred to, I was still not inspired to read any of Tolkien's work.  I was more of a Bronte Sisters - Jane Austen type of reader. Fantasy was really not my genre. 

Fast forward quite a few years and this comes across my radar one day:

By this time I had been a fan of Sean Bean's for several years. Though I liked other actors, Bean's career was the only one I really followed in great detail. I was thrilled that Sean was cast in this film, especially since he seemed so happy to get the part of Boromir.  I knew about Tolkien from my teenage years, and now I really had an incentive to find out more. So I followed the progress of The Fellowship of the Ring, and Sean's work as Boromir, and what was happening in New Zealand as much as I could in the time before Twitter and Facebook. For me this was mainly through The Compleat Sean Bean website.

It was a thrilling time reading all of the LOTR press and all the interviews with Sean talking about working with Peter Jackson, and Viggo Mortensen, and the rest of the cast.  I well remember an excellent interview on Charlie Rose (a US Public Television program), maybe a two night interview I think, with many of the  LOTR cast.  Sadly Sean was not there, but Peter Jackson and Viggo Mortensen I remember very well.  

From The Charlie Rose Show

I started out being interested in the films because of my love for Sean Bean, but after watching the first film and all the interviews with the rest of the cast, and with Peter Jackson, I fell in love with the LOTR films and the entire cast. 

I remember going to see the first LOTR film, The Fellowship of the Ring, with a friend. To this day she has no idea who Sean Bean is, but I talked her into watching this new action/adventure fantasy film with me. 

We're in the darkened theater watching the movie and suddenly there on screen is Boromir.  He walks towards the Shards of Narsil, picks up part of the broken sword, pricks his finger and says 

"Still Sharp(e)" 

I must have made some strange, loud, strangling, noise at that moment, a gasp maybe, a shout, because my friend leans over to me and in a very worried tone says "Are you OK?" 

Even so, I was still not interested enough in the genre to read The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit.  

Premiere time for the Lord of the Rings cast

So what finally lead me to read one of Tolkien's books - The Hobbit?

This man:

Richard Armitage

It seems all my men are destined for 

Middle-earth 

So this concludes the LOTR 30 Day Challenge

Thank you to Sir Doctor of Tardis for the terrific challenge - it has been a fun 30 days

A special "Gracias" to my friend Cassia on FB for keeping the faith, following every day, and sharing my posts on her FB Timeline.

A small musical "Thank you" treat  for Cassia from The Tolkien Ensemble:  Song of Durin

For all who visited and read and commented along the way- Thank you for sharing this journey with me. 


Thanks to The Compleat Sean Bean, The Mighty Bean,  RichardArmitageNet.com, YouTube

LOTR 30 Day Challenge - Question #18: Coolest Visual Effect

This pic above is not a cool visual effect, but the man standing there, Peter Jackson, brought the worlds of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit to life, and I thank him for being the coolest director in our world.

This is a difficult question, because there are so many cool moments in all three films. We also must remember the first film opened more than a decade ago now, and the special effects are still impressive. Also difficult for me because I tend to remember characters rather than action. 

But I remembered late last night a moment that did stay in my mind, and that I thought about again because they also impressed me in The Hobbit.  See video clip below:

The Eagles are Coming

LOTR 30 Day Challenge - Day 5: Scene that Makes you Laugh

You know I have to post the other scene too

I don't know if Thorin would approve

LOTR 30 Day Challenge - Day 2: Favorite Battle

My favorite battle is The Battle of Helms Deep

 In Film #2 The Two Towers

LOTR Memory Lane: Favorite Extended Edition Interview and scene with Sean Bean

After he thought his time filming in New Zealand was long over, Sean Bean was called back by Peter Jackson to film an additional scene for the trilogy.  (The rest of the cast were still filming films #2 and #3.) Sean was back after being away for a time from playing Boromir, and I think he was filming again in NZ for a week or so, and he wondered whether he could get back in character again. 

More relevant to what has been going on with The Hobbit cast and their goodbyes is Sean talking about how it felt to be back with his friends again, and how he wanted to stay with them longer once filming Osgiliath was over. 

Peter Jackson changed his mind it seems, and the scene, one of my favorites from The Two Towers, never made it to the theatrical version, but it did to the Extended Edition.  So we may see some scenes in those 13 additional minutes on The Hobbit film #1 Extended Edition that may become our, your, personal favorite. You never know.  

Memory Lane: Back to the Beginning of Lord of the Rings Media Coverage

Martin Freman, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis at SDCC 2012

From Warner Bros Pictures Website

In interviews during the just ended San Diego Comic-Con 2012, Richard Armitage said (I'm paraphrasing a lot now) how envious he was of the relative obscurity and seeming innocence of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy cast when they were filming in New Zealand over a decade ago.

So I thought it would be fun to go back to some of my favorite interviews of the LOTR cast from those days back in 2001 when a large part of the world had yet to encounter Hobbits, Dwarves, Wizards, and Orcs.

I should also mention, in case you're new at visiting this blog, that I'm a long time fan of Sean Bean and so I followed LOTR news as soon as he was cast. (Sean was in his 20's when I first became a fan, but amazingly I was just a toddler in those days). 

Two interviews from Cannes 2001 when the movie industry insiders and the press got to see 20 minutes I believe of the Lord of the Rings:The Fellowship of the Ring and marked the start of PR for the film and the trilogy, much like SDCC just marked the start of major PR for The Hobbit:

Sean Bean (Boromir), John Rhys-Davies (Gimli), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) Cannes 2001

Sean Bean on the Frank Skinner Show (Part 1) trying, not entirely successfully, to explain some of LOTR's special effects without giving away any secrets...and can we say "action figure":

Summer Hobbit Heaven and Armitage Bliss

A man may love the truth and practise it,

Beauty he may admire,

And goodness not omit,

As much as may befit

To reverence.

But only when these three together meet,

As they always incline,

And make one soul the seat,

And favorite retreat,

Of loveliness;

Henry David Thoreau

By now I hope all Richard Armitage fans have seen all the photos, and videos, and lovely stories shared by all the wonderful people that were lucky to attend Sir Ian McKellen's show at the Opera House in Wellington, NZ on June 23.  Seeing photos and video of Richard Armitage again after months of not having any news made for a blissful Saturday. 

I thought I would revisit some of my favorite moments so far in the countdown to The Hobbit:

Thanks to RACentral

The Powhiri is one of my favorite Richard Armitage moments. If someone asked me to make them understand why I like him so very much I would first show them this video. 

The Hobbit first press conference:

Thanks to linuxelf1

Peter Jackson's Video Blogs - Favorite moments:

The Hobbit Trailer:

 and listening to Richard Armitage sing

A video of Saturday night at the Opera House in Wellington:

 Thanks to brionyjae

Hobbit Happenings Ahead:

Thanks to news from Sir Ian McKellen those of us in the US, especially the Eastern US, now know that there will be a Hobbit premiere in New York City.  As it happens only a few hours away from me, so at this moment I am planning on being there. But when will it be? 

I signed up for an alert of when Hobbit tickets would go on sale in my area and the date of the opening here was December 13. So, is it opening on December 13 in select cities, and then on December 14 nationwide in the US? It happens with many films. So that is my  fun Hobbit task for the next few months, find out if the New York premiere will be December 12, 13 or 14 or when...and where in the city?  Any of my fellow fans planning on going as well? 

But next for us Armitage and Hobbit fans is Comic-Con in a few weeks!  Exciting Times.

Dean O'Gorman: Fili is a Photographer

Dean O'Gorman who plays Fili in The Hobbit is also a talented photographer. An exhibit of his work will be at the Page Blackie Gallery in Wellington, New Zealand, from June 19-23

www.pageblackiegallery.co.nz

There are a couple of interesting recent interviews with O'Gorman about his work and about working on The Hobbit.

There's a Q&A with O'Gorman from the No Magazine website- a quote below:

http://www.nomagazine.co.nz/good/qa-dean-ogorman

"What is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you on set? Every day on The Hobbit is pretty surreal working with Elves, Dwarves and Hobbits. One day I found myself in a barrel floating down the Pelorus river in Nelson."

Photo by Dean O'Gorman

In an interview with Stuff.co.nz O'Gorman talks about his work as an actor, as an artist, and how the war in Vietnam inspired the work on exhibit in Wellington this month:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/7108341/From-Middle-earth-to-Vietnam

"At first glance, a viewer could believe that all the photographs O'Gorman will have on show - most are in colour and a few in black and white - were actually taken of American forces in the Vietnam War. Several appear to be candid shots, caught in the moment of battle or on patrol, and are as mesmerising as any of the great photo journalism from the time. There's also a series of posed portrait shots of soldiers, some who look as if they've just come off a battlefield.

O'Gorman wasn't even born until after American forces left Vietnam, so he obviously wasn't there. The next assumption is that he took them on the set of a war movie. But the Vietnam-era United States Army helmets stacked in a corner of his garage, along with bits of uniforms and heavy flak jackets provide a clue. The military items - some sourced cheaply from Trade Me, some more expensive items from collectors - have been essential for what he's created.

Almost like a movie director, O'Gorman dressed and set up the shots himself. He roped in friends to play the soldiers, and fellow cast members from The Hobbit. (One photograph features British actor Adam Brown who plays the dwarf Ori, and another has Luke Evans, who plays Bard the Bowman).

O'Gorman, who fell in love with photography at school, was a big fan of Vietnam War photographers including Larry Burrows and Don McCullin, as well as other war photographers such as the legendary Robert Capa." http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/7108341/From-Middle-earth-to-Vietnam

Aidan

Luke

***********************************************

I wish I was in Wellington this month to see O'Gorman's exhibit.  I also wander if they have a party to open the exhibit, and I'm sure they will, most art gallery's do, whether Fili's close relatives will be there.

His brother Kili:

and his uncle Thorin:

Note:  Saw tweet from O'Gorman that gallery opening was yesterday June 19.  No photos of the event? 

Hope if you're lucky enough to be in Wellington that you'll stop by and see the exhibit and let us know in the comments what you thought. Thanks!

RAndom Observations About Hobbit Video Blog #7

Richard Armitage is Hot, Hot, Hot

Thank you Peter Jackson for another interesting and fun Video Blog this week.  After watching the video a few times here are a few moments that caught my attention:

I like Kili's (Aidan Turner) retro hair clip. My mother used those and I'm surprised they are still on the market. 

Wouldn't get too close to him
with that torch. 


We've been here
before.

 I don't remember Bilbo having an entourage in the book. 

Can't the poor man get away from water? Somehow I think that facial expression is what they call method acting.

It's good to be with old friends. 

Looking forward to the next Video Blog in a few weeks. Thank you Peter Jackson.


Screencaps from Heirs of Durin and RichardArmitageNet.com

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More great Armitage Watching this weekend starting with Guy Friday and Saturday with Spooks (MI5). For all the details click on the links below:


http://distractedinreality.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/global-armitage-watching-or-mora-is-better/


http://armitagewatch.blogspot.com/