Thursday, December 12, 2013

There and Back Again



A reporter for the Huffington Post called it "quite possibly the least talked about sure-to-be-blockbuster movie of all time." Which makes an introduction to this blog post feel somewhat redundant.

Even if you're not a fan, you've heard of the Lord of the Rings films, the Peter Jackson-directed trilogy of movies released every holiday season from 2001 through 2003. The films were based on the same-titled series of fantasy classics penned by author J.R.R. Tolkien.

Last year saw the release of the first film in a new trilogy from Jackson: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Based on the prequel book written by Tolkien, this new trilogy is set before the events of the Lord of the Rings, and, though a single (and shorter) book than Rings series, The Hobbit is receiving the same three-film treatment.

December 13th marks the release of the second film in the series, The Desolation of Smaug. To find out more about the making of the movie (and the book behind it), check out our resource round-up:


From the title: Smaug, the dragon of the Misty Mountains.


From the News:

-- Review Round-up - From E! Online. Critics are divided on The Desolation of Smaug. See reviews of praise and criticism from around the web.

-- A Fantasy Fan Visits The Hobbit - From Time Magazine. Author, journalist, and fantasy fan Lev Grossman gets a look behind the magic of The Desolation of Smaug.

-- 60 Images from Middle-earth - From the LA Times. A plethora of images from The Desolation of Smaug.

-- Elevenses And Then Some: How To Prepare A Feast Fit For A Hobbit - From NPR. A how-to write-up from one correspondent who holds a yearly Lord of the Rings marathon.



From the Web:

-- Middle Earth Recipes - From Merry's Mulled Cider to Sauron's Eyes (they're cookies), there's a recipe here for every occasion.

-- TheOneRing.net - "Forged by and for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien." THE website for Lord of the Rings fans.

-- The Tolkien Society - An online society of Tolkien fans.

-- The Official J.R.R. Tolkien Book Shop - Looking for a particular edition of The Two Towers?  Or curious about Tolkien's life and letters?  Check out this online bookstore.

-- My Handmade Hobbit Hole: Bag End from Lord of the Rings - Up-close photos of one fan's incredibly rendered miniature hobbit house.


Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins -- the hobbit.



From the Collection:

The Hobbit - the original book by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The Hobbit [audiobook] - listen to the story on CD or Playaway.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Visual Companion - Photos and concept artwork from the second film in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Visual Companion - See more about the making of the first movie. With forward by Martin Freeman.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Official Movie Guide - Find out the behind-the-scenes scoop on the shooting of the first film.

The Art of the Hobbit - The complete artwork of J.R.R. Tokien, created for his classic novel.


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey [film] - on DVD and Bluray.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey [soundtrack] - on CD.




Click here to see Stephen Colbert (cameoing in "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug") 
schooling actor James Franco on Tolkien trivia.



-- Post by Ms. B

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