--------------

The Dream

......................

She felt him from afar. A shiver ran through her body, remembering how she saw him the other night, naked under the moonlight. Such a boyish figure, and yet, no man could have been shaped so sweetly! Frodo... Her mind was filled with his presence... Galadriel closed her eyes. Her senses alone guided her like a compass to the small glade where he was.

.....................

The water was rather cool for this time of the year. Still, the air was pleasantly warm and he felt the urge to plunge into the stream. He started to unbutton his shirt, when a soft breeze touched the tree tops.

- „ Frooodooooo.... Froooodoooo”

It was a whisper... a voice like he had never heard before... covering him... caressing him. It ran right through him, living his body ravished, filled with a desire he had never known before. Frodo looked around, but there was nobody. The whispers... seemed to come from everywhere, so soft and sweet, like the promise of a lost paradise.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle caress on his right cheek, but as he turned around, the only thing he managed to see was a sparkle. Soon, the whispers stoped and the magic vanished.

.....................

„Ah! „ , Galadriel said to herself, „I almost got caught! His skin is so soft... and warm! Not like Legolas, who made my blood freeze when I touched him! Frodo’s skin is warm... yes! And soon, it will be boiling hot, just like my skin gets when he is around!”

She pushed a branch , to get a better look. Frodo looked around for a while, scratched his head and procedded to undress. With every cloth he removed, Galadriel sighed.

„ I want him so much! I want to touch him! To hold him! Look at those round shoulders! The young chest and those, mmmmm”, she could not stop herself to lick her lips, „ perfectly round buttocs! I have to have him!”

„ I wonder if he is still untouched... „, she though to herself for a second. „That would be a surprise... but I would much rather he wasn’t... How I wish he could teach me a thing or two! But enough torture! This is the moment I’ve been waiting for!”

......................

Her perfume preceeded her. Roses and jasmine... Frodo felt himself surrounded in the intoxicating scent, feeling the desire returning to him even stronger.

- „Frodo!”

It was the same voice as before, but this time, the speaker showed herself.

- „ Galadriel!”, he shouted in surprise, covering his manhood with both his hands. „I’m sorry you cought me offguard like this... I wasn’t expecting you. „

- „ I know! „ . She bowed her head as she spoke, her cheecks burning red. „ I had to come, to give you something ... something special... my most precious possesion... I though about it a lot and... you deserve it more than anybody...”

Frodo looked at her in amazement…

- “ You mean…?”

- “That too, Frodo… if you want”, Galadriel said, blushing even more. “But I meant a gift, to keep you safe until you return… My necklace!”

- “Of course… the necklace… what was I thinking?”, Frodo mumbled, his eyes staring at her fingers, as she slowly began to untie the strings of her gown. Suddenly, she found a string that would not until itself. After a few futile attempts, she gave him a helpless look:

- “Help me! Please! Untie this laces for me. The necklace is under my gown and I cannot get it out otherwise!”

Frodo did not know whether he was awake or just dreaming. With a trembling hand he reached out, touched Galadriel’s hand and pushed it gently away from the string. Then, their eyes met and in her gaze, Frodo saw the same passion and desire as he felt in his blood. In one move, he tore both the string and the gown in half, down to the waist, revealing two perfect, white breasts. Galadriel tried to cover them, but Frodo caught her hands and held them firmly, far from her body. She bowed her head once more. After taking a good look at the view she had to offer, he took her cheeks into his palms and lifted her face up to his.

- “I want you , Galadriel! Here! Now!” He couldn’t even recognise his own voice anymore… Powerful, demanding! His breath was heavy and the scent of her skin was driving him crazy.

She slowly nodded, taking his hands and placing them on the remains of her gown. One short move and it got completely ripped apart. For a few seconds, Frodo just stood there, mesmerised by the sight in front of him. Then, he took her into his arms and gently, but swiftly, carried her towards the flower bed he had made for himself earlier.

“ He is so strong! “, Galadriel thought. “Who would’ve guessed that? Well… “, she giggled to herself, “after all this time and I can still play the innocent one… Hmmm… I hope he doesn’t mind the age difference! I know it’s not visible, but still…”.

Frodo laid her down between the flowers and valiantly attacked her mouth and everything else he found of interest…

……………

- “What the…? Take your hand off my thigh, will you?”

- “SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMM? YOOOOU?”

- “Sure it’s me, Master Frodo… Naughty dreams, huh?

- “But where is…?”

- “Where is… who?

- “Nobody Sam”, said Frodo sadly, his eyes lowering to the ground. “Nobody…”

- “Master Frodo”, Sam whispered, pointing to his neck… “Where did that necklace come from?”

Frodo jumped up and grabbed the necklace into his hand. His eyes were burning…

…………….

It was all over… they had defeated Sauron… He could rest now. But before, why not enjoy the cool water from this valley?

- “Froooodooooo…. Frooooodooooo”, the trees whispered….

All in a few days, Articles of Impeachment are filed against our president and buried; Ron Paul removes himself from the Presidential Race; the GOP is regretting it pre-selected McCain; the global bankers are tenderly advising us that a global depression is forthcoming that 'they just couldn't foresee' and our unimpeached President issues YET ANOTHER unconstitutional executive order- this time to force us all to give over total biometric, financial, health, and virtually EVERY OTHER FORM OF INFORMATION ABOUT US into a biometric, implantable chip.

Couldn't just be coincidence, could it?

The biometric data will include:

Biometric technologies use electronic means to capture individual-specific data on physical characteristics, including fingerprints, eye retina scanning, face recognition mapping and body imaging...
The contextual data that accompanies biometric data includes information on date and place of birth, citizenship, current address and address history, current employment and employment history, current phone numbers and phone number history, use of government services and tax filings.

Other contextual data may include bank account and credit card histories, plus criminal database records on a local, state and federal level. The database also could include legal judgments or other public records documenting involvement in legal disputes, child custody records and marriage or divorce records.

This is certainly the path to a global or regional currency outside of the American dollar, and a means by which control of all Americans will be gained.

Truckloads of information, much of which was never broadly available before without your knowledge, or you providing it yourself, such as histories, legal disputes, CUSTODY records.

If it looks like McCain will lose, and there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON to think he can win without Diebold's help, we may very well be looking at the first time that American governance did NOT change hands during the proper election cycle.

Therefore, all the biometric data (hailed as a great medical good) which includes your personal history, who your family members are, what you own, what areas your life may not be 'legally perfect' - all put into the hands of multiple, global government agencies and financial institutions, provides all kinds of means by which you can be controlled- through threats against the safety of your family, through late child-support payments, through failing to license your dog!

Impeaching Bush? Well either the Washington Post AND Dana Milbank are utterly incompetent and should be driven out of business on a rail, or their complaint that Cheney would then become the President is another media whitewash. Those particular impeachment articles have been sitting in the so-called 'judiciary committee' for ages- all that's needed is to blow off the dust and rid America of BOTH traitors.

All they give US is crap- crappy candidates, idiots who know NOTHING and won't learn; candidates who care nothing about our country or the people in it, our heritage or our rights.

No, the puppet-masters don't want us to win this battle, and they're using every nasty trick in the book to keep us from it.

It will be the battle from the maws of hell but, as Galadriel told Frodo, "Even the smallest person can make a difference."

We shall see, won't we?

Imagination running wild

WHY wont it stop?

~~~~~

Brain all aswirl

Out of control

Can't switch it off

~~~~

Visions, pictures,

Real or not

Disturbance ~ drinking it up

~~~~

Get a grip Woman

Who rules this roost?

You ... or the Whispering Winds of the Night?

~~~~

Written by me extremely late in the night of 01-06-08 & amended by Spicy & me the next morning.

When Jesus is walking out on the water and the disciples see him they think he is ‘a ghost’. Jacques Derrida says there is something interesting about ghosts – he calls them ‘an undecidable’. The figure of a ghost seems to be neither present or absent or it is both present & absent at the same time. There is a tension – a dissonance in this in-between place that breaks open the meaning of things. 

Life has many such tensions. The story of Jesus – the ghost - walking on the water is one. Our faith is based on the rock-solid idea that Jesus is the God-man ! Think about that tension – the church fathers argued about how that was possible for nearly three centuries. As Derrida says there is an uneasy tension in those kinds of paradoxes and for me that isn’t rock solid – that is dynamic & fluid – expanding and intensifying then contracting again – forming and un-forming – like Galadriel when she is offered the ring by Frodo in the ‘Fellowship of the Ring’. 

When I think about Jesus as the Rock, it makes me think about perspective. For example, from a distance a large company like Walmart appears rock solid – institutional, a solid pillar of free market retailing. Yet I wonder if the daily experience of Walmart up close is more asymmetrical & dynamic – a lot less certain. Jesus called Peter ‘the Rock’ and he was all over the place.

When the disciples respond in terror to Jesus walking on water and in fear to the storm – Jesus’ movement is toward them and His words restore peace - easing their discomfort. Jesus is rock solid & consistent in his expression of the pathos of God – God’s compassion & care ! Yet peace on the waters comes at the expense of stepping away from the experience of Jesus in his Glory !

GK Chesterton in his book ‘Orthodoxy’ says, “… the more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.”

Give me a Jesus who is rock solid but also give me an elastic Jesus who expands and intensifies to become a volcano in full vent !

201 min / 251 min (extended edition)

Is there any hope, Gandalf, for Frodo and Sam? -Pippin

Synopsis

Frodo and Sam have escaped Osgiliath with Gollum as their guide, but their road is a most perilous one.  Gollum has lead them directly into the darkness and to steep staircase that will lead them through the tunnel and finally into Mordor.  Sam is still un-trusting of Gollum and suspects he will betray both himself and Frodo.  With Frodo’s growing weakness his judgement becomes clouded and he begins to look to Gollum for advice.  Unfortunately, that advice may lead him to his death.

Aragorn, Gandalf and the riders of Rohan are relieved from the victory at Helms Deep, but weary.  When talk of aiding Gondor in an attack from the Orc’s of Mordor approaches it is quickly shunned by Theoden who feels slighted they weren’t supported by their allies sooner.  Gandalf decides to ride to Minas Tirith and try and persuade Denethor to set up defenses.  He takes Pippin with him, and for the first time he and Merry are separated in our story.

With Gandalf away Aragorn and Theoden begin preparations to aid Gondor, and begins recruitting all the solider’s he can.  Aragorn sees they are not enough.  Even 10,000 of them is not enough, and he begins to ask himself where else he could recruit soldiers.  It becomes clear, if he is to return to his city as King, then he must walk the path of the dead force them to fulfill their oath and aid him in battle.

Success looks impossible for everyone, and when the final battle is upon them mere survival doesn’t seem possible.  The End is hopelessly near.

Review

This final installment of the trilogy is incredibly powerful, and really evokes a compass of emotions.  There is fear, hope, love, and desperation.  Almost seven hours of story telling has brought the viewer to this point and Return Of The King does not let you down.  It has all of the elements of both The Fellowship and The Two Towers.  There is amazing character development and plot twists, but there is also one of the most overwhelming battles scenes ever onscreen. 

Weta not only needed to construct a massive attack with tens of thousands of Orc’s attacking Minas Tirith, but they also had to make the White City itself, which was an enormous undergoing.  With special effects including giant Olyphants, a towering city, the giant spider Shelob, Barad-Dur, Mount Doom, The Witch King, 10,000 Rohirrim, and a ghost army, Return Of The King was a special effects dynasty.

The friendship of Frodo and Sam is really challenged in this addition, and the realistic horror of each feeling betrayed by the other is heart wrenching.  The fear behind the deception Gollum has created really escalates, leaving the two Hobbit’s seemingly vulnerable. 

The emptiness of hopelessness is grasped so clearly in this film that it evokes real emotions.  The battle of Minas Tirith is painful and awful to watch.  It has amazing action sequences, but there are so many cuts to the actual demise of the city, and it’s people, despair is a greater emotion conveyed than the excitement of a great battle scene.  When the Rohirrim show up and the light of the sun is behind them, facing overwhelming odds, yet giving that brief feel of hope, I choke up each time I watch it.  It is one of the most powerful moments in cinema history.  That one moment captures the entire essence of the entire story and brings it to a crashing pause of reflection, fear, and hope.

Howard Shore’s score is elegant and powerful.  It really emotes the tone of the film, and makes it’s symmetry even more supreme.  It’s beauty is just as important as each of our character’s and tells it’s own story without words being said.

Cast

Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins
Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee
Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn Son Of Arathorn
Ian McKellen as Gandalf/Mithrandir
Sean Bean as Borimir
Orlando Bloom as Legolas
Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins
Christopher Lee as Saruman
Billy Boyd as Pippin
Dominic Monaghan as Merry
Bernard Hill as King Theoden
Miranda Otts as Eowyn
Brad Dourif as Grima Wormtongue
Bruce Hopkins as Gamling 
Craig Parker as Haldir
Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
John Rhys-Davies as Gimili/Treebeard
Andy Serkis as Gollum/Smeagal
Karl Urban as Eomer
David Wenham as Faramir
John Noble as Denethor 
Liv Tyler as Arwen 
Hugo Weaving as Elrond
Marton Csokas as Celeborn

The cast was phenomenal once again.  In this addition it was really the interaction between Frodo and Sam that stood out.  Both actors really sold their special relationship and the torment of the task before them.  Jokes are made about the closeness of the two, but in honesty it was perfection in chemistry and really owning their character’s.  Ian McKellan as Gandalf was just amazing.  In each film Gandalf seems to get even grumpier, but his true evolvement is very subtle, but the change there.  Only at the Grey Haven’s do you see the light and soft eyes of Gandalf the Grey that we saw in his first scene in the Shire.  It was a fantastic character adaptation, and he was very much the Gandalf I had always pictured as a child.

Ratings and Suggestions

This trilogy is some of the most amazing film making ever in the history of cinema.  A frequent question is what the best of the three is, but in truth there really isn’t one.  Each are unique to the part of the story they told, and each are portions of the journey.  The Beginning, the Middle, and the End.   Return of the King was perfect closure to the Epic tale it began nearly ten hours before, and paid Tolkien the greatest respect by making this film the way it was interpreted by Jackson, Boyens, and Walsh.  They were not just writers, they were the greatest of fans visually realizing one of the greatest stories ever told.  As Gandalf said, 

 So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide.  All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. 

Return of the King is perfection.  Four out of Four Stars.  FRODO LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated PG-13 for epic battle sequences and scary images.

179 min Theatrical / 223 min Extended Edition

He wants the precious. Always he is looking for it. And the precious is wanting to go back to him… But we mustn’t let him have it. -Gollum

Synopsis

The Two Towers picks up right where The Fellowship left off; Gandalf and Boromir having died, Merry and Pippin taken by the Urk-hai with Aragorn, Gimili, and Legolas in pursuit, and with Frodo and Sam making their way to the darkness of Mordor together.  Where the previous film had a continuity that followed Frodo and the Ring, this film splits into three tales with some new additions to the cast.  Frodo and Sam are being pursued by a vile creature that is known only as Gollum.  He was once the keeper of the Ring until Bilbo won it from him years ago.  Though Gollum had lost the Ring he still had a connection to it and had been following the Fellowship since they entered Moria.  Now, with the two Hobbits alone, he has his chance to take it back. 

Merry and Pippin escape when a bounty of Rohirrim riders attack their captors, the Urk-hai and Orcs. In a desperate attempt to flee, they slip into Fangorn forrest, only to meet a strange creature that goes by the name of Treebeard.  He is an Ent, a tree that thinks, breathes, and speaks.  He vows to take care of Merry and Pippin who are attempting to pursuade Treebeard and the other Ents to join the war and help save their friends, but Treebeard’s timeline is a little less pressing than the two Hobbits.

In pursuit of the two other Hobbits, the trio of Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimili run into their own adventure.  Gandalf is alive and resurrected into an even greater yet colder Wizard.  He is now Gandalf the White.  He leads the trio to the Gap of Rohan and the great city of Edoras, where King Theoden has been under the spell and influence of Saruman and the traitor Grima Wormtongue.  Gandalf knows Saruman is ready to launch an attack on Edoras and all the people of Rohan.  Gandalf releases King Theoden from his spell and the people of Rohan flee to Helms Deep to face a battle that is overwhelming in the favor of the enemy.  It may be the end for mankind.

Review

The Two Towers has a very different feel to it than the Fellowship which focused around developing character’s, relationships, and plotlines.  The Two Towers was essentially the action climax that never fully happened in the Fellowship.  With new character’s entering our already complicated story and with the plot diverting into three different directions it seems like a lot to digest, but it moves so quickly the viewer moves on to the next event without having time to reflect on what happened.  When the film ends it feels like half the length of it’s predecessor, yet it is the same length.  This middle portion of the epic tale is more entertainment based than story or plot building which felt necessary after the Fellowship.

This film is just as extraordinary to look at as the first, but on a much larger scale.  Enormous landscapes and battle sequences take this movie to the next level of special effects and visuals.  While the art is still inspired by Alan Lee’s work, there is an added vastness to this films physical boundries.  With the character’s spred all across Middle Earth this film feels much larger and much more hopeless.

The battle of Helm’s Deep is one of the most intense and technically challenging battle scenes ever on film.  The degree of emotoinal points countered with some of the most hardcore action sequences to date makes this forty-five minute battle go by quickly, but at the same time tortuously slow.  The time it takes for Dawn to come and the circumstances it takes to get there is entirely authentic.  By the time this film is over a feeling of complete mental exhaustion will sesttle over you.

Cast

• Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins
• Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee
• Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn Son Of Arathorn
• Ian McKellen as Gandalf/Mithrandir
• Sean Bean as Borimir
• Orlando Bloom as Legolas
• Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins
• Christopher Lee as Saruman
• Billy Boyd as Pippin
• Dominic Monaghan as Merry
• Bernard Hill as King Theoden
• Miranda Otts as Eowyn
• Brad Dourif as Grima Wormtongue
• Bruce Hopkins as Gamling 
• Craig Parker as Haldir
• Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
• John Rhys-Davies as Gimili/Treebeard
• Andy Serkis as Gollum/Smeagal
• Karl Urban as Eomer
• David Wenham as Faramir
• John Noble as Denethor 
• Liv Tyler as Arwen 
• Hugo Weaving as Elrond
• Marton Csokas as Celeborn

The additional character’s in this story really shook things up.  Miranda Otts as Eowyn creating the conflict of interest with Aragorn and Arwen was a beautiful personal conflict.  It really makes her interact with the rest of the cast, and while you may be screaming “homewrecker” at her, who could deny her affection for Aragorn?  Any woman in their right mind would, and that makes her role even more realistic besides the fact that she played it brilliantly.  Bernard Hill as King Theoden is one of my favorite fictional character’s ever.  The tortured and conflicted, yet strong man was interpreted so well by Hill.  He was not just a pawn in the story, but one of the most astounding performances ever.  His subtle way of exploiting his own self doubt and inner conflict without detracting from the story is pure genuis in the acting category.  Also along for the ride was the most amazing CGI character ever evolved: Gollum/Smeagal.  Never before has a computer generated character come across the screen as so three dimensional.  There is never a moment where you ask yourself if Gollum is CGI because he is so realistic.  Played by Andy Serkis, this interpretation of a character that is so twisted and demented would be difficult to pull off by your most talented actor, and yet combined with technology and the amazing voice over and physicality of Andy Serkis; Gollum becomes one of the greatest good/evil character’s of all time.

Ratings and Suggestions

By the end of this film you are either completely hooked and enthralled by this trilogy or you plain and simply can’t stand it.  It’s also rated PG-13 though is a bit more violent and even it’s implications more absolute than the Fellowship.  In each Lord Of The Rings movie you will get at least one hardcore decapitation from Aragorn.  Peter Jackson must have just liked the idea of Viggo offing with peoples heads.  By this time these character’s are no longer just entertaining vessels telling a story onscreen, they are in your heart and mind and you really care about what happens to all of them, which is what makes Return Of The King so powerful.  Our heroes have in one way or another touched us in some very real or profound way, and that is the essence of an amazing story.  The Two Towers was the deciding factor and the result was my heart stolen by one of the greatest stories ever told.  Four out of Four stars.

Rated PG-13 for epic battle sequences and some scary images.

Regular Edition 178 Minutes/ 208 Minutes for Special Edition

In the common tongue it reads “One Ring to Rule Them All. One Ring to Find Them. One Ring to Bring Them All and In The Darkness Bind Them.”  -Gandalf

Synopsis

In the large world of Middle Earth where Man, Elf, and many other races all walk together, exists a small quiet place called, ‘The Shire”.  In the Shire lives a race of halflings called, “Hobbits”.  Hobbits are a simple race that has gone unnoticed in the vastness of Middle Earth.  They spend their days eating, drinking ale, smoking pipe weed, but mostly enjoying the pleasures of growing things from the earth.  Frodo Baggins, the nephew of Bilbo Baggins has been waiting for the arrival of his Uncles friend Gandalf, a Wizard.  Most hobbits like things to be quiet and outsiders to stay out, and over the years Bilbo’s curiosity of the outside world along with his stories of battling dragons and trolls have been deemed as quite the nuisance.  Upon Gandalf’s arrival to celebrate Bilbo’s 111th birthday they discuss the plans of him leaving “The Shire” and his home Bag End to Frodo.  When Bilbo sees everyone off he disappears and Gandalf discovers from the magic power of a Ring.  Knowing the implications of what it may or may not be, he implores Bilbo to leave it for Frodo, who accepts the Ring, Bag End, and all that was Bilbo’s.  It becomes apparent it is not a Ring of any simple devilry, it is the One Ring.  Years and years before there was a dark war between good and evil.  Good prevailed destroying the dark lord Sauron, but the Ring remained in the hands of a man.  The Ring is treacherous and dark and taints all it touches, and until it’s destroyed Sauron’s spirit can return and try to destroy Middle Earth and the race of Man once again.  It is left to Frodo to leave the Shire and take the Ring to the only place that it can be destroyed: Mount Doom.  The path is treacherous but he won’t be going alone.  His is joined by eight others and together they become the Fellowship and take on a journey of darkness and constant impending doom.

Review

I must preface this portion by mentioning that I have not viewed the theatrical versions of any of the trilogy’s since essentially they were released in theatre.  The extended versions of The Fellowship and Return of the King are superior to their original cuts, and while The Two Towers is more suspenseful with the theatrical cut, the extras added in for the Extended Addition are too enjoyable to view cut out. 

At first viewing of the Fellowship I had not read J.R.R. Tolkiens acclaimed novel, The Lord Of The Rings.  In fact I had such disdain for Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler that I refused to watch the film.  My then boyfriend, now husband, insisted we do a theatre showing of it and he won.  Words have little description and do little justice for the shock I was in leaving the theatre.  Not only did I fall madly in love with Viggo and adore Liv Tyler as Arwen, but I was shocked by how amazing the film and the story itself were.

It’s length is considerable but it doesn’t seem that way when you are viewing it.  In fact, the time flies.  Each portion of the story is developed so fully to appeal to the visual enhancement, to let the actors speak the tongue of Tolkien himself, to enjoy the score of Howard Shore playing in the back round, and gives each of them time to construct the relationships around them naturally.  It’s done in a way that entertains on so many fronts, you can’t help but be swept away by the tale.

The CGI done by The Weta team is absolutely astounding.  Various miniatures and even life size sets were created for a real authentic feel for the sets, but the work done by the computer graphics were simply magnificent. The visuals based on the art of Alan Lee made the feel of Middle Earth magnanimous in it’s scale.  It’s difficult not to just watch and appreciate how amazing it all actually is.

Cast

• Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins
• Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee
• Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn Son Of Arathorn
• Ian McKellen as Gandalf/Mithrandir
• Sean Bean as Borimir
• Orlando Bloom as Legolas
• Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins
• Christopher Lee as Saruman
• Billy Boyd as Pippin
• Dominic Monaghan as Merry
• Craig Parker as Haldir
• Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
• John Rhys-Davies as Gimili
• Liv Tyler as Arwen 
• Hugo Weaving as Elrond
• Marton Csokas as Celeborn

The Fellowship Of The Ring is the very definition of an ensemble cast.  The supporting cast were just as important as the main cast and each worked to together to tell the story.  No special heroes were singled out and no performance really out-shined another.  Everyone played their roles as authentically as they were written, and that made this movie that much more special.  Viggo Mortensen in particular won me over with his reluctant bravado and obvious underscoring of his prowess.  He undoubtedly was strong as Aragorn, but humble as well, and his excellence in playing that contrast made me truly appreciate his acting ability enough for me to even become a “fan” of his.

Ratings and Suggestions

This review is nearly the length of the film but it would be doing a great injustice to ignore all the acknowledgements I’ve made.  The screenplay adapted by Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson himself, was done with such care for the original work of Tolkien and such great lengths were met to keep the integrity of the character’s and their journeys that this is without a doubt some of the best literature translated to the big screen ever.  Every aspect of this story was done with the admiration of a true fan and the brilliance of an amazing filmmaker.  The Fellowship of the Ring is what going to the movies is all about.  It’s rated PG-13 because of violence, but it’s all fantasy violence, though graphic nonetheless.  This is a movie everyone should see, and the best part is it’s only the beginning of the journey.  Four out of Four Stars.

Foto del avance:

Link al resto de las figuras de esta línea:
Sideshow Collectibles - LOTR Premium Format Figure

- Lker

Sat. can be really boring. Because I either do nothing or my rents want me to clean. I would rather do nothing of course. But I realize cleaning has to be done...

Galadriel is LOVING her desk.  She sleeps up on the monitor. Its one of those old big ones that are HUGE! She fits and sometimes she lays across the monitor and hangs off the ends its really cute. I must remember to post pictures.

It snowed all afternoon yesterday but the wind blew it all away which is really sad. I would have liked some snow. But oh well.

Spring Forward tonight.  I really hate the time change it messes me up bad. Oh well It happens twice a year...Just have to get used to it.

I have two short papers due monday. Descriptive narratives.  I don't think I can write 1 and a half page description. Its double spaced but its still a lot. And there are two of them. SIGH

Ok Well,

I am going to go get some chore done now.

Sault!

Kristi

Una de las críticas que más frecuentemente se ha realizado en contra de esta enorme obra es la escasa presencia de mujeres en la narración. Pero esta afirmación es, además de falsa, injusta. Falsa, porque si bien es cierto que su número es reducido, su papel en el desarrollo de la trama es crucial. E injusta, porque, teniendo en cuenta el contexto 'histórico' de la novela, (un mundo fantástico en un periodo similar a la Edad Media, o más exactamente, en una prehistoria mítica) este protagonismo es cuanto menos similar al que podría corresponder al género femenino en la sociedad del momento.

Galadriel, la Reina Elfa de Lothlórien

Su nombre Galadriel (en Quenya Altáriel o Alatáriel) significa Doncella coronada con una guirnalda resplandeciente, refiriéndose al color dorado de sus cabellos, iguales a los de su madre Teleri.

Desde el comienzo de los días, tuvo la habilidad de mirar en el corazón de las personas y leer sus pensamientos, utilizando este don con fevor en favor del bien.

Galadriel es la última representante de una de las grandes familias de los Elfos, que encabezaron miles de años atrás una rebelión contra los Valar (las deidades de Tolkien). Su belleza era legendaria, también su personalidad, y su orgullo, eran fuertes. Durante siglos anheló gobernar en la Tierra Media, aunque se tuvo que contentar con dirigir un pequeño reino de los Elfos, Lothlorien. Por ello, como se cuenta en ‘La Comunidad del Anillo’, cuando Frodo le ofrece el Anillo, debe elegir entre sus deseos de juventud, cayendo en la tentación, o permanecer fiel a si misma, y rechazarlo. Su decisión tendrá como recompensa el perdón de los Valar. Como último hecho destacable, los regalos que ofrece a la Compañía serán utilizados en numerosas ocasiones, como podremos ver en ‘El Retorno del Rey.

Galadriel es la poseedora del anillo Nenya, uno de los tres anillos entregados a los elfos. Estos anillos son especiales, ya que no fueron creados directamente por el Sauron sino por Celebrimbor. Como nunca fueron tocados por Sauron no están contaminados por su maldad pero como se usaron sus conocimientos en la forja, están sujetos al anillo único. Estos tres anillos no hacen invisible a su portador, tienen el poder que más anhelan los elfos de la Tierra Media: Que las cosas que hay a su alrededor se conserven, puesto que los elfos odian ver los estragos del paso del tiempo. El anillo Nenya en particular tenia justamente el poder de curar y evitar las heridas del tiempo, y es con su poder que Galadriel logra que su reino Lothlorien se mantuviera hermoso e incorruptible incluso a la influencia de Sauron, y es el poder de este mismo anillo el que le ayuda a resistir 3 invasiones de las tropas del Señor Oscuro. Nenya perdió su poder al destruirse el anillo único y Galadriel al darse cuenta de que sin él terminará por destruirse su hermoso Lothlórien, zarpa a las Tierras Imperecederas.

Éowyn, la doncella guerrera.

Otro personaje con mucho carisma es el de Eowyn ("amante de los caballos"). Eowyn es la sobrina del rey de Rohan, un país cuya sociedad se rige por los caballos. Bella, fría y con sangre real en las venas, se ve obligada a cuidar de su tío en plena decrepitud, y a dirigir el exilio de las mujeres y niños de su reino, atacado por el enemigo. Pero ella sabe que su misión no está en el hogar, dedicada a pequeñas tareas: quiere conquistar la gloria, aún en la guerra, y no como hombre, sino como mujer.

Por ello, cuando se encuentra con Aragorn, el Rey de los Hombres en exilio, al reconocer su linaje y su valía, se enamora perdidamente de él. En ‘El Retorno del Rey’, veremos como el rechazo de Aragorn la fuerza a tomar una medida desesperada, y enrolarse en secreto en los ejércitos de Rohan (disfrazada de hombre), que acuden a la batalla más grande de aquellos tiempos. Su participación en el combate acabará con una de las mayores hazañas de la historia de la Tierra Media... En la Batalla de los Campos del Pelennor, enfrenta y mata al Rey Brujo, pues a pesar de que un hechizo le protegía de que ningún hombre le pudiera matar, no lo hacía de que un doncella. A pesar de ello, queda, tras la batalla, muy mal herida y es llevada a Minas Tirith donde es curada por Aragorn mientras permanece inconsciente. Allí se encuentra con Faramir, también herido, y entre ellos nace el amor.

Arwen, entre la inmortalidad y el amor

De belleza incomparable, es posiblemente uno de los últimos Elfos en nacer en la Tierra Media. Como su padre, Elrond, Señor de Rivendel, desciende de las primeras uniones entre Elfos y Hombres, y por ello, tiene la posibilidad de optar entre los dos linajes. Conoció a Aragorn, también llamado Estel (esperanza ) o Elessar (Piedra de elfo aunque este nombre le fue dado cuando ascendió al trono), el heredero legítimo a los tronos de Arnor y de Gondor, los dos más importantes reinos de los hombres al final de la Tercera Edad y se enamoraron. Para consumar su unión Arwen, al igual que su antepasada, renunció a la vida inmortal propia de su raza.

En la novela de Tolkien, esta historia no está presente durante el desarrollo de la acción, pero aparece muy detallada en uno de los apéndices del libro.

This was an ok book, a bit on the long side (337 pages), but I did enjoy the "anti-popularity" tips which began each chapter. Maggie spends too much time obsessing about the boyfriend she left behind (who dumps her), and how her life isn't fair. That bit gets old by page 150, when Maggie is meeting some fun and really interesting people (dorks, though).

My favorite part comes on page 121, at the first meeting of the "Helping Hands Club" which Maggie joins, hoping to associate with dorks and also get a good letter of recommendation for college. Here's the scene I love: 'Frank thinks you look like Galadriel, only with darker hair.' 'Oh. . .' I smile vaguely, unable to place the name, although it does sound familiar. The twins notice my confusion. 'You know,' Frank prompts. 'Lady Galadriel? Ruler of the Elves?'"

Since Galadriel is my middle name, I got a huge kick out of this. Some of the other, dare I say, dorkier references to Star Trek and other fantasy/sci-fi things went over my head.

Anyway, after spending 300 pages watching Maggie screw up you only get 30 pages in which she magically solves her problems and gets the happy ending. So that was a bit disappointing. I guess I'm just feeling lukewarm about this novel.

We zijn trots u een nieuw juweel van Lord Of The Rings te kunnen aanbieden: Galadriel's broche.   Galadriel (in het Quenya: Altariel) is een elfenkoningin uit de boeken van J. R. R. Tolkien. Ze draagt in de film prachtige juwelen die u kan kopen op www.amanto.be
Amanto biedt u deze prachtige broche gebaseerd op de sieraden van Galadriel die in de films gedragen werden.  Dit accessoire is een must voor iedereen die zijn Lord Of The Rings collectie wilt vervolledigen! Combineer deze broche met de ketting van Galadriel en de Elfjes Armband!

Frank Farian klotzte in Berlin für angeblich 12-14 Millionen Euro den "Boney-M.-Theaterpalast" neben den Ostbahnhof: 70 Meter Durchmesser, 58 Meter breite Eingangsfassade, Platz für 45 Künstler und 2058 Zuschauer. Drumherum ein Disco-Zelt, ein Restaurant-Zelt und ein Empfangs-Zelt. Größer, bunter, schriller, teurer. Farian eben.

Vom 26. April an wollte Farian mit einem spektakulären Musical über Boney-M. beeindrucken. Getreu dem Motto: Was ABBA kann, kann Farian schon lange. O-Ton Farian: "(Die Investoren) kriegen ihr Geld auf jeden Fall zurück. Zinslos. Bei Erfolg gibt’s 400 Prozent Rendite."

Am 24. Juni fiel der letzte Vorhang. Frank Farian bedankte sich kleinlaut "bei ca. 60.000 begeisterten Zuschauern." Das heißt, bei ca. 1.000 Zuschauern je Tag. Macht eine Auslastung von 50 Prozent. Adieu, Rendite.

Schuld ist angeblich die Berliner Umweltbehörde. Ab 22:00 Uhr mußte Farian die Lautstärke drosseln. Das ist simpelster Lärmschutz in Wohngebieten. Kennt jeder Konzertgänger und Veranstalter -- nur der Weltmann Farian nicht. Dabei ist Boney M. ohne zugedröhnte Ohren wie ein Kaiser ohne Kleider: Plötzlich hört man den ganz ordinären Plastikschrott hinter all dem Remmidemmi. Für bis zu 87,00 Euro je Ticket.

Am 22. April durfte Farian noch mit den Worten zitiert werden: "In Berlin fühle er sich 'sehr willkommen'." Vor Tische liest sich's eben anders.

Zombies des Jahres:
Wir sind Helden

Der Niedergang der neuesten Neuen Deutschen Welle ist im vollen Gange. Wenn auch der Absturz manch obskurer Band länger dauert als erwartet, kann man für eine Zombie-Kapelle der übleren Art das Totenglöckchen wieder einpacken: Wir sind Helden sind schon tot, die brauchen kein Geläute mehr.

In nackten Verkaufszahlen ihrer drei CDs (2003, 2005, 2007): 800.000 -- 500.000 -- 100.000. Zum Vergleich die CDs von Silbermond (2004, 2006): 600.000 -- 800.000 oder Juli (2004, 2006): 1.000.000 -- 500.000. Die Bands, die als Nachahmer einer angeblich von der Holofernes-Gang angestoßenen Deutsch-Pop-Welle bezeichnet werden, sind ungleich erfolgreicher als die Initiatoren.

Erstaunlich ist nur, daß Wir sind Helden mehr CDs verkaufen konnten, als ihr Familien- und Freundeskreis groß ist. Das dürre, platte Stimmchen von Judith Holofernes, die sich mit monoton gehetzten Sprechgesängen über beinahe jeden Song retten muß, nervte vom ersten Takt ihrer ersten EP an.

Holofernes wäre aber nicht Holofernes, wenn sie diese Peinlichkeit nicht noch steigern würde. Sie müht sich soooo tapfer, den Ton der Straße zu treffen, und landet nur beim jugendtümelnden Verschlucken der Vokale. Tolle Sache. Klingt wie Gute-Laune-Frühstücksradio. Aber das ist ja auch von Gestern.

Sollten Wir sind Helden tatsächlich ihren Plattenvertrag behalten und eine vierte CD produzieren, wird es Zeit, sich Romeros "Night of the Living Dead" wieder anzusehen. Man will ja nichts falsch machen, wenn man den Zombies auf der Straße begegnet.

Placebo des Jahres:
Joanna Newsom

Kein Entrinnen. Seit 2006 wird die 25jährige Kalifornierin hierzulande als messianische Erlösung gefeiert, als komplexes Songwriter-Wunder, das angeblich keine Zeile doppelt singt und auf klassische Refrains verzichtet. Ah! Oh! Wie grandios! Und sonst? 2007 tourte die Harfenistin durch Deutschland. Noch mehr Ah! und Oh! Warum eigentlich?

Newsoms Folk klingt weder neu noch gut geklaut. Ihre eklektische Melange aus Melanie Safka, Kate Bush und dem artifiziellen Gekickse von Björk wird nicht origineller, wenn sie dabei in die Harfe greift und auf ihrer CD "Ys" Großväterchen Van Dyke Parks die Arrangements notieren läßt. Und Steve Albini, der zweite große Pate von "Ys", produzierte in seinem Leben auch schon einen respektablen Haufen Schrott. Aber vielleicht genügt inzwischen die Nennung der "Ich trage einen großen Namen"-Veteranen in den Linernotes, um vor Ehrfurcht erstarren zu müssen, wer weiß.

Newsom zirpt und zilpt sich angestrengt durch ihre akademische Kunstwelt, eisern bemüht, jede Silbe nicht etwa zu singen, sondern zu intonieren. Sie flüstert und haucht, zwitschert und schreit, näselt und preßt, gackert und summt. Sie wechselt rasant Tempi und Tonlage. Das kann nicht jeder, keine Frage. Das Resultat wirkt aber so lebensprall wie eine Puppenstube mit Porzellanfiguren, über denen geschrieben steht: "Bitte nicht berühren."

Man könnte Newsoms quälenden Manierismus achselzuckend abtun, wäre da nicht der immer wiederkehrende Vergleich mit Devendra Banhart. Und dieser Vergleich ist mehr als albern. Auf der einen Seite die Hobby-Elfe, auf der anderen der großartige Inspirator der neuen Folkmusik. Was Devendra Banhart auf einer einzigen CD aus seinem Bart schüttelt, wird Newsom weder in dieser Welt noch nach ihrer Reinkarnation als Waldelbe von Lórien zustande bringen.

Besonders drastisch ist der Unterschied live zu erfahren: Devendra Banhart lebt. Joanna Newsom könnte auch in Las Vegas spielen, fünfmal pro Woche im "Caesars Palace".

Nun ist es durchaus möglich, daß ältere männliche Redakteure angesichts des Newsom'schen Elfengewispers und ihrer jungmädchenhaften Physiognomie in Wallung geraten, erstaunt eine Reaktivierung ihrer erschlafft geglaubten Schwellkörper registrieren und entzückt eine Lobpreisung Newsoms in die Tastatur hauen.
Das kennt man vom Placebo-Effekt: Schnieke Verpackung + dürrer Inhalt = tolle Wirkung.

Für Testosteronschübe gibt es aber die Centerfolds im "Playboy". Die haben zwei Vorteile: Sie sehen besser aus -- und sie sind stumm.

Sie heißt Galadriel und herrscht über die Waldelben von Lórien.

Sie heißt Joanna Newsom und hat nur spitze Ohren.

I stumbled across a new type of elective surgery a little while back, and it intrigued me. If this had been around when I was in high school and dressing in all black and writing self indulgent poetry and sitting in my darkened room whining about the fact that NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ME and that MY PAIN IS UNIQUE, and I had the money for it, I would have had this done. Then, I could be like all the other "unique" misunderstood kids. But with freaky elf ears...

Click here to see more

How cool-slash-nerdish is that? I mean, ok - if you plan on being a professional Cosplayer all of your life. (Cosplay. You know? OK - go do a Google Image Search for Cosplay. It's an education.) But what happens when you get a real job? I mean, I'm bald. I'd have to wear a sweatband around my head every day. I would have a new nick name: Sweatband-head Chris2fer. Chri2fer the Sweaty. Olivia Newton Chris2fer. That's not cool. ...Except that last one.

Blake Lewis's album art was released today. It looks exactly like I would expect it to. I also heard a leaked song of his, called "Break Another". (If you search the internets, I'm sure you can find it.) It kinda rocks. Yay, Blake! I long for your sexually ambiguous beat boxing filled record to "drop". Word.

This is my current favorite out of print Christmas card from the sixties (Random!). It's by a former Disney artist named "Ralph Hulett". Click below to go to his son's site. I'll post more old cards as the magical miracle of Christmas day approaches.

Animation guild blog - Ralph Hulett

Lord of the Rings
Theatre Royal Drury Lane

At last I have managed to get to see Lord of the Rings on stage. 3 hours long in 3 acts with a 20 minute interval. I was like many (but not all) who was there to see just ‘how they do it.’

J. R. R. Tolkein embarked on writing the epic work in stages (between 1937 and 1949) against a background of totalitarianism (a specially bred Orc army), industrial power leading to world war (the end of the ‘Golden Age’) and the allied victory over a common enemy (the battle at the Black Gate of Mordor.) But Tolkein was also conscious that he wanted to record a ‘very English’ kind of mythology similar to European mythologies such as Norse (pantheon of the gods), Anglo-Saxon (Beowulf) or even making reference to the Germanic (Nibelungenlied or the Ring Cycle.) It is clear that the Ring refers to the notion of absolute power the premise being that anyone who seeks to gain absolute worldly power will inevitably be corrupted by it.

To create a performance of an epic-fantasy spanning nine hours and fit for a theatre audience is not inconceivable (Richard Wagner’s ‘The Ring cycle’ has been playing since 1876) but the truly epic enormity of the project (in both a Brechtian sense and also  in a very practical sense) has, until now, been impossible to tackle.

Full-length stage musical adaptations of each of The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003) were produced in Cincinnati, Ohio. These first productions suffered from poor funding and were not successful. Subsequent productions were better received and these inspired the London-based theatre producer Kevin Wallace and his partner, Saul Zaentz (best picture Oscars for and Amadeus 1984, as well as for The English Patient 1996,) stage and film rights-holder and producer of the animated film version of 1978 — in association with Toronto theatre-owner David Mirvish and concert promoter Michael Cohl, to produce the stage musical adaptation in 2006. The book and lyrics were written by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus, and the music was by A. R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams 2002) and Finnish folk-music band Värttinä, collaborating with Christopher Nightingale.

This original production (for Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre,) was promoted as a spectacle of unusual scale. But the size and high-cost of the production, mixed with some very poor reviews, led to the collapse of the project after only 6 months. The writers and producers went back to the drawing-board and came up with a concept that was slightly shorter, more enthusiastic and very cautious (with the longest ‘preview period’ ever attempted in British theatre. This final product (costing in excess of £25 million) is the most ambitious and expensive theatre production ever to have been attempted outside Las Vegas.

What’s it like? The production starts promptly (you are told to get into your seats 15 minutes early) and you go straight to Middle Earth (the Shires to be exact.) The naturalistic woodland setting adds mystery and extra dimension to the stage. The music is folksy and cheerful (dramatic and operatic when the mood requires) and, although not really remarkable or memorable, it provides ample emotional background and occasional leitmotifs.

The real treats were the “how will they do it?” moments. I won’t spoil it for you but Gandalf’s fight at the bridge of Khazad-dûm and the monster at the Lair of Shelob were two of the most memorable and truly satisfying scenes I have ever witnessed in a musical theatre production.

The use of real deus ex machina (elves tend to literally drop in and float back up heavenwards) and the acrobatic assaults by the armies of orcs constantly add thrills to proceedings. You never feel bored- I was at the edge of my seat all the way through.

What did they miss out? Well, I am pretty sure that most female members of the audience were pleased that the big set-piece battle scenes were not there. These take up a huge proportion of the Peter Jackson films. Also, there are no epic poems and verse. The musical tends to take the big motifs (Elves looking after the Hobbits or the ‘smallness’ and ‘cheerfulness’ of the Hobbits in relation to Humans) and runs with these. Obviously, all the major plot elements are still there but there is no sign of ‘wormtongue’ who should have been corrupting King Théoden and there was no Tom Bombadil. ‘Fatty’ Bolger seemed to be missing and the Ringwraiths seemed to be able to find the Hobbits without the decoy scene.

I was pleased to see so may young people at the show. The films and the games have made Middle Earth seem real to a whole new set of fans. This ‘computer generation’ seemed to enjoy the theatrical production as much as the older ‘readers’. All-in-all, hugely enjoyable fun and very good value for money.

Arwen is played by Rosalie Craig (Doctors, Grease Monkeys etc)
Gandlaf by Malcolm Storry (Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders etc.)
Galadriel by Laura Michelle Kelly (Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady etc.)
Frodo by James Loye (TV’s Dunkirk)
Sam by Peter Howe (original Toronto cast)

Monday evenings at 7.00pm
Tuesday to Saturday evenings at 7.30pm
Saturday matinees at 2.00pm
Thursday matinees at 2.00pm from 28 June
Extra matinees on Monday 24 and Monday 31 December at 1.30pm
No evening performance 24 December.
No performances 25 December

Prices from just £15

http://www.lotr.com/

• Read the books - will hate it
• Seen the films - will be a bit bemused, but will have a good time of it
• Read the books and seen the films - will totally hate it
• Neither - will think it's fantastic

I could end the review there really, but let's get a bit more detailed.

For the record, I've seen the films, but not read the books. I was suspicious of this show; I couldn't understand how they could possibly get nine hours of celluloid down to three hours including two intervals.

I'd like to tell you a bit about the Drury Lane Theatre, but frankly, it's a bit non-descript, a bit tatty, and could really do with a serious overhaul. Lord Webber, pull your finger out.

We were down in the stalls, pretty good seats, perhaps a bit over to the right, but perfectly alright really. The stage was massively designed, as you might expect, with a forest overgrowing the edges of the stage and into the auditorium, taking over the royal boxes, and also the fire exits a little (hmm...).

There was a delightful preshow, with hobbits coming on stage and running around the auditorium, trying to catch fireflies. Lots of jumping over audience members (what kind of insurance do you need for that!), clamouring about, and generally being pretty entertaining really.

A bang of fireworks, and we were off into the first number, and suddenly I'd worked out what they'd done. Everyone got a musical style. Hobbits got, perhaps a bit stereotypical, diddly-dee Irish folk music. Of course they did. Don't get me wrong, though, quality stuff. It's just the juxtaposition of backwards little country folk, and Irish folk music I thought was a little patronising perhaps. Never mind... Elves had Arabic, almost Indian music (composed by A.R.Rahman, off of Bombay Dreams), and everyone else recieved their own style, courtesy either of Mr. Rahman, or Värttinä, a rather pleasing Finnish folk/electronica band.

And we just ploughed through the first film. This was cut, that was cut, we were in Rivendell in about half an hour, and the first interval was (excuse my lack of terminology) where Gandalf plummets fighting the big fiery monster from the mines (nicely described, Mat, well done!)

But my initial scepticism did disappear. It is a stunning piece in its own right. Lothlorien, with the silks and the Arabic stylings, was superb, and Laura Michelle Kelly successfully got rid of Mary Poppins to become Galadriel.

Orcs came rushing on with power stilts or crutches (wierd, but it worked), we had Treebeard on a massive pair of stilts, it was a spectacle.

As an example, check this out:

Now, the show opened in Toronto, and Cirque du Soleil is Canadian, and the above clip looks suspiciously CdS, especially with the music. Was there some influence there? Quite possibly. But you see what I mean? A combination of triple-time folk music, Arabic stylings, a hint of Scandinavia, and a great wodge of CdS spectacle.  Here's the Toronto trailer:

So, in summary, a purist would find it a travesty of Tolkein's work, but as a piece in it's own right, it is really very good indeed. A bit of stereotyping perhaps with the music, but fast-paced and energetic, with some excellent centrepieces. When the soundtrack finally comes out, I'll be getting a copy.