The New Hobbit Hole

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The New Hobbit Hole
Concerning Hobbits
The New Hobbit Chronicles

This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:

Our discussion has been light:

It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog

However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB

Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr

Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog

Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB

Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed

To the very philosophical:

…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla

To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…

…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB

Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog

…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1

Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed

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Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom

…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253

Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed

So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Woohoo! Texas! Dallas is just 3 hours up the road from here. :)

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I agree, it was just a rant.

I guess I'm one of the few people who likes the idea of having multiple editions. The completist in me likes the notion of having a copy of the movie as it was first presented in theaters... before the director decides to re-edit, re-cgi, and otherwise make whatever Director's Cut or Special Edition changes he wants to make. You never know when someone in authority at the studio might decide they like the "Special Edition" better, and never release the original version on video again.

[2Jedismom]

Isn't that what happened with the original Star Wars? We have the original on VHS.

[2Jedismom]

Gee, I have a copy of the DVD coming for FREE from Kia!

[rolls eyes]

[2Jedismom]

HERE IT IS!!

http://tolkiengathering.com/

It looks like this is the thing that TORN is going to be involved with. They are still deciding the location. . .

Maybe we can list the Free Republic Hobbit Hole as one of the interested groups?

[2Jedismom]

It's down to the last three cities...

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, New York City, New York, and Denver, Colorado.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Isn't that what happened with the original Star Wars?

Yes, that's exactly the situation I was thinking of. George Lucas made the Special Edition versions, and now there are rumors that he's thinking of making another Special Edition (Special Special Edition?) digitally adding in characters from Episodes 1-3. The mind boggles.

[HairOfTheDog]

Ahhh.... I see you found it.... here it is for the lazy.... To me it looks like TORN isn't even listed as a planner, I think the smaller sites all put this together. Alkhin, Do you know about it from your sources at Imladris?

Join us for the Event of the Century!!
This will be a Once-In-A-Lifetime occurrence for Tolkien fans, from all over the world!!

In December 2003, New Line Cinema will release The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , being the third part in director Peter Jackson's epic movie masterpiece.

Members of TolkienOnline.com (also known as TORC) will host a gathering in a central location in the United States (to be announced), for the domestic premiere of the movie. They have invited their friends from Ringbearer.org , The Lord of the Rings Official Fan Club , The Minas Tirith Forums , and Imladris.net . This Grand Event will include a convention, where J.R.R. Tolkien fans can meet each other and participate in contests and other activities.

But there's more!!!

This special event will not only feature the premiere of The Return of the King, it will also be the first time that ALL THREE MOVIE PARTS will be shown in sequence, at one sitting!!
How can any self-respecting Tolkien fan miss this? 

The Original Event Thread on the TORC Messageboard
The Ringbearer.org Messageboard Event Thread
The LOTR Official Fan Club Messageboard Sign-Up Thread
The Minas Tirith Forum Grand Event Thread
The Council of Elrond at Imladris.net Tolkien Gathering Thread

[Overtaxed]

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, New York City, New York, and Denver, Colorado.

Cold in December. Couldn't they pick someplace warm? :)

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

It looks like a Con... I mean, a Science Fiction Convention. They can be fun, but be prepared to be overwhelmed by odd people. I'll bet a costume contest will be one of the big events.

Whoops, I should have read closer the first time, there's the costume contest all right!

[HairOfTheDog]

You want to join us? I would be interested in us getting some publicity... Might find us some more FReepers. Better make sure we tell them it is a conservative site so we don't surprise a bunch of liberal hippie fans ;~D

[HairOfTheDog]

They'll heat the theater I am sure!

[2Jedismom]

I can't right now...you go ahead if you have time. Steve'll be walking in the door and you know what a snit he gets in if I'm on the computer! LOL

[2Jedismom]

Take over from here, Sis! I gotta go! I'll be back this evening.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Don't know if you've ever been to an SF con, but they usually have suites set up that can be reserved for parties and get-togethers by smaller groups. If the Holedwellers decide they want to attend this larger event, we might be able to reserve such a suite for the 'Moot.

[Overtaxed]

They'll heat the theater I am sure!

What about those of us who don't give a rat's behind what TORN is doing? :)

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, what would be cool to consider about this is the theater showing of all three films, rather than huddling around a TV somewhere for the first two... Other than that, you are right, I would enjoy meeting all you guys... I don't know yet how the rest of it would go....

[Overtaxed]

I guess watching all three on a decent screen would be cool in addition to meeting everyone. But I doubt I'd be interested in the extras.

[Overtaxed]

rather than huddling around a TV somewhere for the first two.

You mean you won't have your $10,000 system by then?

[Senator Pardek]

Medical Breakthrough: Cured of the Rings