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To: 2Jedismom; Bear_in_RoseBear; BibChr; carton253; Corin Stormhands; ecurbh; g'nad; ican'tbelieveit; ..
PING! – It is a Long-Expected Party! Hurry up! – The guests are arriving already!
To: Jim Robinson; Admin Moderator
FREE REPUBLIC – In a surprise move noticed by almost no one, the regulars at the Hobbit Hole at Free Republic moved suddenly to a new thread Tuesday. The Hobbit Hole, inhabited daily by an eclectic mix of hobbits, dwarves, men, elves, a beorning and one ent, had grown to monstrous length, leading some to wonder if it may in fact implode under its own weight.
Some of posters there rarely go anywhere at all, preferring to discuss news and events with each other, and harmony is almost always enjoyed. A few adventurous folk do wander out on occasion, often returning quickly, having found the outside world to be inhabited by even weirder people with bad tempers and poor manners.
They seem very reluctant to leave, once settled back in familiar surroundings. Talk of moving to a new hobbit hole was met with resistance, some preferring to stay put. Saying things like "I like it here!" and "Let it implode" and "Have some spam". And then, one morning, they all just quietly packed up and moved. Anyone who noticed would find that unusual indeed. Something is most definitely happening.
The Hobbit Holers, (don't call all of them hobbits or they will sharply correct you!) are not known for much at all. They seem to enjoy good conversation, particularly talking about things they have talked about already. You will not find a friendlier place in all of Free Republic, if you are a friendly sort yourself, of course.
The Associated Press
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you JimRob, for your hospitality!
To: HairOfTheDog; All
*thud*standing up... dusting self off... looking around nervously...
Oh, good morning... is this a bad time? Just thought I'd stop by and check the place out...
What's this thread all about, anyway?
To: HairOfTheDog; All
Y'all moved while I was gone!! The new place looks great, Hair. Thanks for getting it ready for us.
OK who's ready for lunch? Since this is a special day, let's have a 'make your own sub' buffet. I have some lovely honey baked ham, mesquite smoked turkey, and lean pastrami, sliced not too thin. I also have some Gloucester cheddar and Jarlsberg cheese slices, and some plain old American cheese for the less adventerous among us. On the garnish plate, I have some leaf lettuce, juicy vine ripe tomato slices, Spanish onion slices and some strips of green and red bell pepper. I've put some of those banana and cherry peppers and Jalapeno slices on a separate plate since some of us don't like that really spicy stuff! There is mayo, and I have deli, yellow and cranberry mustard in little containers; spread to your heart's content. There is a bottle of Italian dressing for those who want a little continental flavor on their subs! There are bowls of potato chips and tortilla chips for your crunching pleasure. Napkins and plates to the right, and drinks can be picked up to your left. I know it is a weekday, but some want to celebrate, so there's a little keg of Winter Ale, as well as soft drinks, coffee and tea for the others.
EAT UP everybody!
93 posted on
12/17/2002 9:58:43 AM PST by
SuziQ
To: HairOfTheDog
So cute.
Less than 30 hours now for me. I know I know only 11 for you?
I just got finished with some especially dreadful work, and was just looking to take a break from it. How delightful to find a new article.
To: HairOfTheDog
What's the name of that last little emoticon thingis? Maybe, Bitter Smials? Or, perhaps Mooning Smials?
To: HairOfTheDog
BRAVO channel is airing a program today called Page to Screen and today's subject is LOTR! I'm watching and taping it now, and it is super, will be repeated later today at 7 pm, Eastern, 4 p, Pacific. Catch it if you can!
196 posted on
12/17/2002 12:36:36 PM PST by
Maigret
To: HairOfTheDog
They come in pints?
I'm getting one.
To: HairOfTheDog
Bookmarked! What a wonderful place!
I'm going to be taking my 10 year old to see TTT in the theater, hopefully this weekend. Somewhat nervous. He handled FOTR fine on video, but wasn't prepared for it on the big screen a year ago. But, I don't want him to miss the opportunity this time.
I'm also thinking of getting him one of the LOTR PC games for Christmas - either Fellowship or TTT. Anyone have any experience of these, and whether or not they're appropriate for his first introduction to a "Teen" rated game? Thanks!
To: HairOfTheDog
A new thread? At last? Could it be? ;-)
To: HairOfTheDog
288 posted on
12/17/2002 4:20:05 PM PST by
LadyDoc
To: HairOfTheDog
Hi! Boy! By the time I had a chance to get online and read this thread - there's already over 340 posts! LOL! Love it! By the way, the place looks lovely!
To: HairOfTheDog
A bump for the new thread.
To: HairOfTheDog
I saw a midnight showing of TTT last night. Awesome! Amazing! Wonderful CGI Gollum easily steals several scenes! Massive battle scenes! Dwarf jokes! Gonna see it again tonight.
To: HairOfTheDog
Well, it's 1:43 in the morning and I just got back from seeing TTT. What can I say that hasn't already been said? I had chills, goosebumps, tears, laughter and wonder. When I first got in line (I went alone to the 10:30 show), I heard the comments of folks coming out of the previous showing. Comments like "That was awesome!", "It was worth it", and other similar remarks. This movie was packed just like the earlier one. I didn't even feel tired - the movie had me so enthralled. It's now starting to hit. I'm going again on Saturday - this time Mr. Sneakers will come with me. Good night everyone - I will sleep happy, but longing for the RoTK.
To: HairOfTheDog; All
Hello, fellow Hobbit-heads! I saw
The Two Towers this evening, and it was indeed a fine movie.
Unfortunately, it was RUINED for me.
I'm sorry, I just have to vent on this...I and Mrs. Cut have been waiting for a whole year to see this, so enamored were we of The Fellowship of The Ring, and to have the movie wrecked for us was heartbreaking.
You see, two rows behind us were five young boys, all about 10-13 years old. THROUGHOUT the film, they talked, laughed, snickered, and cut up like they were in their parent's basements instead of in a public place. At NO TIME did they give ANY indication of noticing that other people were in the immediate area at all.
Early on in the movie, a man walked over and politely asked them to quiet down. That lasted until he walked away, whence the rotten behavior began anew. When they laughed out loud during Smeagol's wrenching battle with himself, I had had enough. I whipped around and fixed each one in a stare of such fury as to weld steel, put one finger to my lips in a "shush" motion, and balled my other hand into a fist. I am six feet, three inches tall and 200 pounds and work out 4 times weekly, so one might say that I am not unintimidating.
The quiet only lasted, however, for about ten minutes, then it was on again. I had to do the same thing three more times. Suffice to say, the distraction was more than enough to take me out of the movie for the remainder. Mrs. Cut was similarly annoyed, which only made me madder. She wound up holding my sleeve tightly to restrain me.
As soon as the end credits rolled, I jumped up, ready to confront the little brigands about having given me such a wonderful memory of this first viewing of a great film. They were already up and hauling for the door, and raced out of the theater at speed, giggling all the way.
The sad fact of life is, kids that age know fully well that for an adult to lay a hand to them is to face personal destruction at the hands of the law. Therefore, no limits whatsoever are on their behavior outside of the view of their parents, and few within it.
Now, myself and Mrs. Cut will have to find the time in our busy lives to see the movie again, to get the proper feel of it without distraction. Sadly, however, we will run the same risk. And no matter what, our memory of the movie will always contain that stain.
Theaters used to have ushers, to help in controlling unruly children. That was back when children, for the most part, NEEDED no controlling. I can truly say that when I was a boy, I NEVER would have behaved so in a movie! Then again, I am a movie fan, so perhaps my view is not that of a modern child with time on his hands and a screen for a baby sitter.
In any case, there is a reason why I go to movies in theaters only once or twice a year nowadays. The ONLY movies in the past five years worth seeing on a big screen were, in fact, the Rings pictures. If only we could talk Peter Jackson into digitally removing annoying kids from the theaters showing his films, all would be well.
To: HairOfTheDog
To: HairOfTheDog
I found this review in PejmanPundit and thought you would enjoy it.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch [Aryan]. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is, Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring if I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people.
--J.R.R. Tolkien, responding to inquiries by Nazi publishers as to his ancestry. Were Tolkien to admit that he was of "Aryan" extraction, The Hobbit would have been published in German, and would have made him fabulously wealthy at a time when he was suffering through financial problems.
:: Pejman Yousefzadeh 11:33 PM [+]::
Let The Muse Inspire You
...
AND THE REASON I WAS OUT LAST NIGHT . . . was that I finally got the chance to go see The Two Towers.
To put matters succinctly: the movie was magnificent beyond measure. How Peter Jackson and New Line Cinemas are able to put out two straight superb fantasy movies in two years--movies whose technical and logistical requirements pose tremendous challenges--and still pull off production in such splendid manner, while George Lucas has a hard time coming out with more taut and consistent Star Wars episodes despite having three years to work on each episode, is beyond me.
And now for the more detailed review:
First off, I'm glad that Frodo Baggins was displayed as a character with a greater degree of spine and industry than what he was portrayed as being in Fellowship of the Ring--where Elijah Wood had an unfortunate tendency to look too often like a deer caught in the headlights. There was a bit of that in the latest movie as well, but it was lessened considerably. Remember that in the books, Frodo is a capable and competent Hobbit, one who is unusual and unique in his personal characteristics. Peter Jackson captured a bit more of the original Frodo in Two Towers--portraying him as the wearied yet dutiful hero that Frodo was. Part of this, of course, is that the Ring becomes much more of a burden in The Two Towers, and at times, Frodo's emotions display and betray the corruption of the mind and soul that the Ring is capable of bringing about. Part of thos is also attributable to the fact that the Fellowship is broken, and that unlike the first movie, Frodo is indisputably in command of his party--which includes the loyal Samwise Gamgee, and the fascinating Gollum/Smeagol. However, I think that the movie's directors and producers also learned from the first movie, and helped ensure that Frodo's character evolved in preparation for this movie.
As for Smeagol, the movie did an excellent job in displaying his inner dialogue and commensurate torment as he thought about what to do with Frodo and Sam. The computer animation of Smeagol was well done and well achieved. The only criticism I have is that the repeated uses of the word "Gollum" were excised from Smeagol's vocabulary, which was somewhat disconcerting for me.
The Two Towers benefited mightily from having a greater emphasis on the characters as individuals, rather than as members of a Fellowship. We see Aragorn's valor, his intelligence, and his inner torment over his relationship with Arwen. We are treated to a delightfully funny portrayal of Gimli--who at the same time displays remarkable bravery and cunning in battle. Indeed, the only character who gets something of a short shrift in the movie is Saruman--I wish that the producers and direction team were able to make greater use of Christopher Lee, given his remarkable acting skills and monumental screen presence.
Of course, there was one particular reason why I loved The Two Towers, and why I think that Tolkien is so consequential as an author and a thinker: Throughout the movie, all I could think about was September 11th.
Tolkien, of course, hated analogy and allegory, and wished that his work could be considered separate and apart from any historical references that it may bring to mind. One wishes, of course, to respect his intent. And believe me, I tried. But the movie fits into the times in a way that I cannot help but notice and comment on.
Whether it is watching Theoden temporize over the need to engage in preventive war to save and preserve his people, or watching the Hobbits realize that the Shire will be destroyed if action is not taken against Sauron and Saruman, or whether it is witnessing the incredible scene where the Ents come to grips with the perils they face, the entire story is evocative of all of the debate and argument that Americans and citizens of other countries have engaged in regarding the war on terrorism. Indeed, at the risk of making Tolkien do cartwheels in the grave, I hope that just about every single person who goes and watches the movie analogizes its story to that of September 11th. And I hope that includes high public officials who are in a position to do something about defending what is good, and damning what is evil. Just as in Fellowship, I found myself reacting to parts of the movie in an emotional manner that betrayed just how fresh and raw the injuries inflicted on that awful Tuesday in September of last year still are for me.
And given that we in the Blogosphere tell one another that we must keep our anger fresh, and that we must remember our hurt in order to ensure that we do not slacken our pace in this war, I found the emotions I felt remarkably welcome, despite the pain inherent in feeling them.
Were I to forget them, I would feel less than human. And while, of course, one does not--and should not--have to see The Two Towers to remember the onslaught inflicted against us, quite frankly, any stimulus that reminds us of what has been done to us, and what we need to do in return, is most welcome.
Go see this movie. Again, and again, and again, and again. Rejoice in the fact that there are artists who still can produce and display fantasy in a manner that excites and fascinates the intellect, instead of dulling it.
And give thanks for a story that speaks to our time, and gives us the resolution to confront hard times now, so that hopefully, we may not stricken with catastrophic times in the future.
:: Pejman Yousefzadeh 10:49 PM [+]::
http://pejmanpundit.blogspot.com/
To: All
Hello everyone! I'm back from HOLIDAY! Have to return to work tomorrow though. Hope all of you had a WONDERFUL Christmas and New Years and all are well and safe.
Now, gotta catch up on everything here.
To: HairOfTheDog; 2Jedismom; ecurbh; All
Hi, folks! Happy New Year to all and sunder! I have a New Year's gift for all of you:
Information on "TTT" Extended Edition DVD!
I've already pinged some of you, sorry, I don't have a ping list of all. Hit the link and enjoy!
(I saw this posted nowhere else. Full embarrasment if it has)
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