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Lord of the Rings News from New Zealand

wonton_mein writes "The New Zealand Herald is doing some daily coverage of the LOTR - TTT. Can't wait for Dec. 18."

34 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Broad I Guess... by Grip3n · · Score: 5, Informative

    For the new LOTR:TTT Trailer seen on TV with MAJOR SPOILERS (ents, winged nazgul, ending of Battle of Helms Deep), head here (quicktime):

    Large Size
    Medium Size
    Small Size

    --
    To make a pun demonstrates the highest understanding of a language
    1. Re:Broad I Guess... by LucidityZero · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The REAL problem with the trailers was showing Gandalf in it! I have read the books many times myself, but most of my friends have not. All of them were asking, "Does Gandalf come back?" after the first movie ended. I lied and told them, "No." to make it more exciting for them, but instead they ruin my whole plan in the trailers!

      Was this not given any foresight?

      --
      Sig.i>
    2. Re:Broad I Guess... by Spy+Hunter · · Score: 5, Informative

      For a Linux player that can play these Sorensen files (finally), along with practically every other movie file format in existence, head here:

      MPlayer

      --
      main(c,r){for(r=32;r;) printf(++c>31?c=!r--,"\n":c<r?" ":~c&r?" `":" #");}
    3. Re:Broad I Guess... by trotski · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Spoilers?!?

      If you haven't read the book, you shouldn't see the movie. So if some of this stuff is a spoiler to you YOU DESERVE IT I've said this a thousand times... watching this movie without reading the books will RUIN the experience. Don't miss out on some of the greatest literature of the 20th century, read the book(s) now before it's too late!

      --

      "Entropy is the bad-guy, and he is everywhere"
    4. Re:Broad I Guess... by Lemmy+Caution · · Score: 5, Funny

      Gee, you don't think the fact that Ian Mckellen has second billing in the film might be a bit of a tip-off?

    5. Re:Broad I Guess... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sauron compels them to ruin your plans, for his own evil purposes, you poor lying bastard.

    6. Re:Broad I Guess... by wheany · · Score: 4, Insightful

      watching this movie without reading the books will RUIN the experience.

      No, it seems reading the books will ruin the movie experience. The most vocal whiners have been people who have read the books. I was going to read the books after seeing the first movie, but then I read all the whining and nit-picking from people that had read the books and thought I don't want to become like that.

  2. Frame by Frame Analysis by Grip3n · · Score: 5, Informative

    Oops, nearly forgot the frame by frame analysis link of the preview:

    Frame by Frame

    --
    To make a pun demonstrates the highest understanding of a language
  3. Gollum Song Video by Grip3n · · Score: 5, Informative

    For those of you who are interested, here is a link to the Gollum Song Video. This song will be played at the end of The Two Towers during the credits. Its really creepy, starring Emiliana Torrini for the voice. It's extremely well done and makes you feel a deep sense of pity for the tortured soul that is Gollum. (There are no spoilers in this video, just recycled images from already released previews).

    Large (11.8mb)
    Med (2.2mb)
    Small (970k)

    (Note: these are in Quicktime)

    --
    To make a pun demonstrates the highest understanding of a language
    1. Re:Gollum Song Video by Lemmy+Caution · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Most adult film goers don't care that much about spoilers. I assume that people go to films for reasons other than to see punch lines and surprises. If otherwise, they'd best not discuss films or books or any narratives with me at all. The only exception to that is the true plot twist, a la Crying Game. As Andrew O'Hehir says:

      Actually, my view is that the spoiler obsession, born of the Internet's fan-geek culture, is the enemy of real criticism, real discussion and maybe even real thought, but that's a subject for another time.
  4. best way to see it for free...not just for TTT by sahidrajar · · Score: 3, Informative

    (This works at AMC theaters :)...Go to the theater the day before the movie opens, prod an usher into telling you where the employee screening is. Slip into the theater after the movie starts, and keep to yourself. Most employees don't know each other, and no one questions a person that isn't causing a problem

  5. Some links by tgrotvedt · · Score: 5, Informative
    This wasn't too detailed so...

    Here are some places around the web for more TTT info/media:

    http://www.darthscreencapture.com/LOTR/ttt.html: Trailers and previews.

    The Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers Official Movie Site: The name says it all.\

    TheOneRing.net(TM)| Lord of the Rings Movie News and Rumors: Very useful news site.

    TolkienMovies.com - Lord of the Rings Movie News, Rumors, Photos: Alot of available stuff, but nicely colated.

    Hope that helps...

    --
    What makes a man want to be a mouse? (Python's Flying Circus)
  6. International Release Dates by Grip3n · · Score: 5, Informative

    Slashdot receives a wide range of visitors from every country. Therefore, here's an international list of release dates in each country TTT will be showing (believe it or not, TTT just doesn't come out on Dec. 18):

    Release Dates

    --
    To make a pun demonstrates the highest understanding of a language
    1. Re:International Release Dates by zulux · · Score: 5, Funny

      So can someone tell me, why is Japan always the last place on earth to get these movies (by over a month in the case of LOTR TTT; better than 6 months I suppose...)?


      It's revenge. Revenge for Japan getting all the cool toys years before we do.

      I still can buy a Toshiba Libretto without spending an arm and a leg.

      --

      Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.

  7. Would explain a thing or two. by WasterDave · · Score: 4, Funny

    So that's where all our international bandwidth has gone, /. strikes again.

    Dave

    --
    I write a blog now, you should be afraid.
  8. Re:More News by nhaines · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yeah, let's see. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings starting in 1940. I guess it reflects British immigration worries in 1950.

    Tolkien's main characters are white. Why? It's a British epic story, set in Britain 7,000 some odd years ago. The "bad guys" are not actually humans, but orcs. That hardly constitutes racism.

    Tolkien was contacted in 1938 by a German publisher interested in translating and printing a German edition of The Hobbit. Tolkien wrote a letter to his publisher expressing outrage at the idea that Jewish heritage might be a prerequisite for a German edition and didn't want to give proof he wasn't Jewish (although he did happen to have proof).

    Since it was really his publisher who had to decide the issue, Tolkien wrote two letters, one politer and the other refusing to give proof of lack of Jewish heritage. Since the politer one still exists, it seems the more angry one got sent to the German publisher. Good for Unwin-Allen. These are letters 28 and 29.

    Personally I should be inclined to refuse to give any Bestätigung [confirmation] (although it happens that I can), and let a German translation go hang. In any case I should object strongly to any such declaration appearing in print. I do not regard the (probably) absence of all Jewish blood as necessarily honourable; and I have many Jewish friends, and should regret giving any colour to the notion that I subscribed to the wholly pernicious and unscientific race-doctrine.

  9. Re:my sister... by pVoid · · Score: 5, Interesting
    My litterature teacher once told me a very interesting anecdote:

    He said one day, he was visiting an old castle in France (made to be a museum), and as he was standing on a balcony, someone said "this is where so and so (from Balzac's novels) used to live". To which my teacher replied "you know, that person is ficticious", and the guy's answer was "what, you think the life of a real person from 200 years ago is anywhere nearly as interesting?"

    My point is, there are many arguments about Tolkien's stories about how... lame they are or what not. But LoTR is just a part in a masterpiece that Tolkien dedicated his whole life to. He was a great author, among the Greats, and it's not to be taken lightly. Middle Earth is a complete realm from creation to the present. For all intents and purposes, this place actually existed. The details he put into this are astonishing.

    As Tolkien himself says, he created Middle Earth because he felt the lack of a good Mythology that had a Celtic feel. He wanted something a-la Scandinavian, Greek, or Egyptian mythology, but for his homeland. And so, he friggin went ahead and created one. Take it as such: LoTR is a Myth of old. Like David and Goliath, or whatever...

    Btw, I saw the first movie, and saw the trailer for the second, and I'm creaming my jeans (as filthy critic would say). But I must also add that they are only a shadow of the books.

  10. Do what i did... by Cyno01 · · Score: 5, Funny

    opening night of Nemisis, bring a lightsaber and look confused.

    --
    "Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
  11. Super-Hero Prime Minister by coloth · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The prime minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, is showing off her country, as featured in the LOTR movies, by jetboating, ice-picking, rappelling into sinkholes, and overall doing some incredible things for a head of state.

    Makes George Bush look sedentary!

    (article)

    --

    Machines take me by surprise with great frequency. -A. Turing

  12. Triumph the Wonder Dog and Star Warsq by mwmurphy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Man, you guys need wedgies. I will be a kickass movie but you will get what's coming to you if I see you in costumes outside the theater.

  13. Don't forget the "hate speech" link by jerde · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So, um... get this:

    Naming this movie "The Two Towers" is hate speech, according to the folks at www.twotowersprotest.org.

    Why?

    You insensitive clod, it's because "The Two Towers" somehow reminds us of the World Trade Center towers. (Never mind that the towers never went by that name. They were the "Twin Towers" in some circles. I never heard "Two Towers")

    I can't find any references to protests about the title of "K19: Widowmaker" -- talk about an insensitive title!

    Sigh.

    I'm wandering even farther off topic, please excuse me:

    My grandfather just passed away, and he was cremated. Garrison Keillor, in his "News from Lake Wobegon" tonight on the Prairie Home Companion radio show, told an extended joke about a grandma who would take "grandpa" (an urn) down off the shelf around christmas time, so he could spend time with the family. Think about it -- this can be quite funny, all the odd situations that go on with an urn in the picture.

    Obviously, I had rather mixed feelings hearing this, given my family's recent loss.

    But should I be mad at Keillor for telling this joke? Is it in poor taste?

    I'm willing to say of course not! Humor, art, literature, movies talk about stuff that happens in life.

    You could try to restrict the content of art forms so as not to offend anybody... but you'd never succeed.

    This two towers thing is JUST A COINCIDENCE, and not to obvious a one at that. It never even ocurred to me until I'd read about this protest.

    Stop to consider that sometimes protests like this just make the whole situation worse.

    Off the soapbox... sorry for the rant...

    (Go out and enjoy the movie!!! I got my tickets already. :)

    - Peter

    --
    INsigNIFICANT
  14. Sleep and Map of Middle Earth/NZ by AndroidCat · · Score: 3, Informative
    When I went to the map of locations I looked for the dot marked "Author's house". You'd have to be a Samurai Cat fan to understand. Or.. Let's see, good art, no maps, hurm no luck. Ah well, good down to the local shop and buy one. (Don't just flip through it to see the maps or you will be Banned For Life!)

    Oh yeah, the sleep part - knew I was forgetting something.

    --
    One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  15. Another link by bahwi · · Score: 5, Funny

    Everyone else is posting links and karma whoring(one, the other, or even both) so I'll join them!

    Slashdot.org has links to an article, plus comments with links to other sites giving even more information on LOTR:TTT.

    Slashdot comes in one size and is _not_ quicktime! Sorry!

  16. Re:About the movie (no spoilers) by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The problem with your analysis is that even in the original book form The Two Towers had more action and less development than Fellowship Of The Ring, so it's premature to blame this on "less Tolkien, more dumbed down Hollywood" especially when you haven't seen it yet. If this movie had an equal amount of slow melodrama as the first did, then THAT would be a departure from what Tolkien wrote.

    --

    Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

  17. It's out... On Kazaa! by Alien+Venom · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's already out on KaZaA, I saw it! It was a 200k executable file -- file compresion has gone so far these days! :P

  18. Not just plot spoilers, visual spoilers too! by Polyphemis · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Chill out, man. While I do agree that the book should be read first, it should be noted that the movie isn't a perfect translation from the book. For FOTR, the whole love story was practically squat in the book, there was no Lurtz, Frodo wasn't the one that found the password, etc. I realize those aren't huge plot points but there are a lot of departures from the book.

    And apart from that, there's simply the whole visual aspect of things being spoiled. I don't recall seeing that huge, badassed 3D Balrog in the book, for example. Obvious, but I think that it's a pretty good point. I've been trying to minimize my exposure to this movie, PARTICULARLY with the Ents, just so I can behold their total coolness on the big screen. That'd still be just as much a spoiler as if I hadn't read the book.

    Your real point is still quite valid though. Any self-respecting human that hasn't read LOTR yet should buy a copy immediately :)

  19. the LOTR phat beats by thing_in_itself · · Score: 4, Funny
    Lords of the Rhymes:

    I'm Gimli and I'm a fuckin' dwarf
    Killin' motherfuckers from the south to the north
    That's not Mirkwood I'm chopping with my battle axe
    And I'm on an orc stampede like Shadowfax

    I think things like this need to be encouraged as much as possible. They have an MP3 download. And they also sample the immortal Ballad of Bilbo Baggins by Leonard Nimoy.

  20. Re:About the movie (no spoilers) by TC+(WC) · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Actually... I was reading in Time (?) at the barber's that Jackson thinks, while it's still the stame story, that this upcoming movie is the least faithful of the three. He thinks, however, that it makes it a better movie than it would otherwise be.

  21. There's daily coverage on stuff.co.nz as well by Karora · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Stuff also has daily coverage. This is the site for the major Wellington newspaper, The Dominion Post, (among others) and Wellington's really where the major LOTR action has been in New Zealand, especially since it's where Peter Jackson lives.

    Check out this cool map :-)

    --

    ...heellpppp! I've been captured by little green penguins!
  22. How come Grauman's Chinese Theatre is not showing? by antdude · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Does anyone know why the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre (aka Mann's Chinese), in Hollywood, CA, is not showing LOTR movie? Same thing happened with the last movie. Yet, it is currently showing Star Trek: Nemesis. The theatre did show last two Star Wars movies. This theater is a perfect place for LOTR movies and big revenues. This calendar of events does not show this movie listed. :(

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  23. Real Link (Oops, mangled the tag last time) by tunah · · Score: 4, Funny
    --
    Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
  24. For best results: Books, then movies. by Admiral+Burrito · · Score: 4, Insightful
    If I read it before then I will probably not like the movie as much, how could it match my own imagination??

    I wouldn't worry too much about that. I've read the books several times before watching the movie, and I would say that Peter Jackson et al did very well in bringing the book to life. Sure the movie has lots of things missing, and the occasional thing done not very well, but all in all a good job that even surpassed my imagination in some places.

    I think the book touched me emotionally far more than the movie ever could. Tolkien's writing gives a supernatural splendor to the the most common things, contrasted against the looming darkness. The movie made me gawk at the amazing visuals. :) Book, then movie, and neither will take away from the other.

    After reading the trilogy and watching all three movies (after they're released of course), go and read the Silmarillion. Read it more than once - the style of writing is very matter-of-fact, which makes for hard reading, but the second time is easier. It is truely epic, and if you manage to follow it you'll look at the story in the Lord of the Rings with a new perspective.

  25. Minor Nit: Tolkien HATED allegory by FreeUser · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Yeah, let's see. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings starting in 1940. I guess it reflects British immigration worries in 1950.

    I can't tell if you're being sarcastic here or not (apologies if you were), but ...

    Tolkien would likely take great offense at this characterization, were he alive and able to hear (read) it. He truly disliked, one could perhaps even say DESPISED, allegory, and emphatically stated time and time again that his mythos was in no way allegorical about any of the political, social, or economic conditions of the time. It was intended as a MYTHOS drawing upon the rich historical and cultural heritage of Britain, and unlike so many novels of the era, had ABSOLUTELY NO MESSAGE with respect to current potitics, economics, or social commentary WHATSOEVER.

    Other than that, I think you post is dead on (and find the tidbit you bring up about German translation very interesting).

    --
    The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
  26. Brazilian Line Parties by Nasheer · · Score: 3, Informative

    And if there are any Brazilian Tolkien fans who read ./, don't forget to have a look at the scheduled Line Parties for Brazil.

    And going farther, if there is any Tolkien Fan who reads /. AND lives in Recife, I'll see you at the Multiplex Tacaruna Line Party. For the ones who live in the South Zone, there is one party at the Multiplex Recife.

    I'll be there dressed as a Dark Night (No, this is not a joke. I did the same Jan, 1st, in the release of Fellowship Of the Ring.)

    --
    - Please, ignore everything written above.