Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Theatrical Versions) - April 6, 2010

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by threefiftyrocket

Why oh why is April 6 still a month away?!?! I want to watch these movies SOOOOOOOOOOO bad and I am just avoiding it until I get the Blus... this is rough

You need to stop thinking about it buddy. Do something to distract yourself from it or you will go nuts. I really want these too and they'll be here before I know it, sucking off most of one of my days off from work.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Goldengirl

technically, he was a descendant of Numenoreans.

I just refer to his quote to Arwen before he dies (in LoTR Appendix A), where he calls himself "the last of the Numenoreans..." However, one would think that his son, Eldarion, being the offspring of a Numenorean and an Elf, would certainly have qualities beyond the average mortal!

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

I just refer to his quote to Arwen before he dies (in LoTR Appendix A), where he calls himself "the last of the Numenoreans..." However, one would think that his son, Eldarion, being the offspring of a Numenorean and an Elf, would certainly have qualities beyond the average mortal!

"The blood of Numenor is all but spent..."

[threefiftyrocket]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

You need to stop thinking about it buddy. Do something to distract yourself from it or you will go nuts. I really want these too and they'll be here before I know it, sucking off most of one of my days off from work.

I know I know... I think I am going nuts, but I do still have 2012 and Where the Wild Things Are for this weekend, plus Ninja Assassin and Sherlock Holmes in a couple weeks to keep me busy until then... I got a week off scheduled on 4/12 so I'm gonna be plenty busy doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by threefiftyrocket

I got a week off scheduled on 4/12 so I'm gonna be plenty busy doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!

LoTR SPECIAL FEATURES!

[threefiftyrocket]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

LoTR SPECIAL FEATURES!

Yeah, I've never quite gotten around to watching ALL of the special features on the theatrical or EE's, so I will have plenty to do while doing absolutely nothing on the couch

[Fors*]

Wow.....I just got done reading Chapter 19 of the Silmarillion "Of Beren and Luthien". What a fantastic story....and I am beginning to realize that this is where some serious ground work was being done to set-up the characters we are all so familiar with in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. This chapter was by far the easiest one to read in this book too, thankfully.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

"The blood of Numenor is all but spent..."

That got me thinking, especially with Goldengirl's post about the son of Aragorn and whether he would be considered a Numenorean. The first offspring of a human and elf was Dior, son of Beren and Luthien, who had even more grandiose adventures than Aragorn and Arwen. He was 50 percent human and 50 percent elf, but was considered an elf (therefore immortal, was known as Aranel, "The Noble Elf") and was the heir of Elu Thingol, but died at the untimely age of 35 at the hands of other elves (long story...). Anyway, Eldarion, the son of Aragorn and Arwen, was slightly less percentage elf, since Arwen's mother Celebrian (daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn) was an elf, but Elrond was a Peredhel, or half-elf. Therefore, I was wondering if Eldarion would also be immortal, like Dior. I don't have the book in front of me, but I don't recall Tolkien stating his death as a Fourth Age entry in the Tale of Years.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Fors*

Wow.....I just got done reading Chapter 19 of the Silmarillion "Of Beren and Luthien". What a fantastic story....and I am beginning to realize that this is where some serious ground work was being done to set-up the characters we are all so familiar with in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. This chapter was by far the easiest one to read in this book too, thankfully.

Chapter 19? You're smokin'; now it gets interesting. Many people give up on the initial chapters of Silmarillion because of the confusing names and places, but if you can stick with it, it pays off. Trivia: Tolkien had "Beren" engraved on his tombstone, and "Luthien" on his wife's.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

Chapter 19? You're smokin'; now it gets interesting. Many people give up on the initial chapters of Silmarillion because of the confusing names and places, but if you can stick with it, it pays off. Trivia: Tolkien had "Beren" engraved on his tombstone, and "Luthien" on his wife's.

That is very cool.....this chapter would make a great movie on it's own.....by the way, did he bury his dog with the name "Huan" on a tombstone as well?

Oh and one other thing....work has been really slow....so I have gotten almost of my reading in at work....so I am basically getting paid right now to read the Silmarillion.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Fors*

Oh and one other thing....work has been really slow....so I have gotten almost of my reading in at work....so I am basically getting paid right now to read the Silmarillion.

Doesn't get any better than that; it's like winning the lottery!

[wvl]

I think the price is a little bit too high for me. I'll probably wait until it drops to about 40 bucks or so...

Glad it is being released on blu ray, but not willing to pay the high price.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Agent Bond

Extended versions are the ones worth owning. I like to pretend the theatrical versions don't exist.

So does Viggo Mortensen. Seriously. He said he doesn't consider the theatrical versions to be "real" versions of the movie.

[CJWilkie]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

So does Viggo Mortensen. Seriously. He said he doesn't consider the theatrical versions to be "real" versions of the movie.

Considering the amount of extra scenes that were shot I'm not surprised. All of the actors invested so much of their life into these movies; I bet they want to see that on the screen.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

A major source of confusion with the Silmarillion is the names of the Elves of the First Age (e.g. Finwe, Fingon, Fingolfin, Finarfin), as well as the different types (Vanyar, Noldor, Teleri, Moriquendi, Calaquendi, Avari, Umanyar, etc.), especially upon the first reading. A method to avoid confusion with the names is to bookmark and refer to the family trees provided in the appendices. With those provided in the Ted Nasmith illlustrated edition, it is easy to follow the genealogy of the elves from the orignial houses to Elrond, Arwen, Aragorn, etc. Also in the Ted Nasmith edition is a letter from Tolkien that provides a synopsis of the story as well as his motivation for writing it.

I should take a look at the Ted Nasmith edition. Right now, I have a first edition Silmarillion with the original dust jacket. I still remember when a friend of mine called and excitedly said that it was coming out at a certain bookstore about 45 miles away.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by radagast

I should take a look at the Ted Nasmith edition. Right now, I have a first edition Silmarillion with the original dust jacket. I still remember when a friend of mine called and excitedly said that it was coming out at a certain bookstore about 45 miles away.

The Ted Nasmith edition (2nd) is the best edition I have seen, I no longer use the first edition. It not only has the paintings that greatly enhance the reading experience (e.g. the Lamps of the Valar during the Spring of Arda, many from Beren and Luthien, Turin, Ulmo, etc.) and the introductory letter by Tolkien explaining the Silmarillion, but the phyiscal aspect of the book is excellent, with high quality pages and binding.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

It becomes an unexplainable addiction. I read all the books every year (just started Silmarillion again this week); it became a habit back in the mid-80's. Tolkien's realm is so convincing, that it appeals to me on more than a literary level. I was thinking about starting a group on the forum, but I figured I would be the only member! Maybe we can get your stepdad on the forum!

I would join. I used to read the Hobbit and LOTR once a year. I have all the books his son published about the History Of Middle Earth. It was really interesting to read earlier drafts of the story and see how it was eventually changed. It gave me a bigger appreciation of how much of a masterpiece the final product became. One funny part was having Strider as a Hobbit.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

The Ted Nasmith edition (2nd) is the best edition I have seen, I no longer use the first edition. It not only has the paintings that greatly enhance the reading experience (e.g. the Lamps of the Valar during the Spring of Arda, many from Beren and Luthien, Turin, Ulmo, etc.) and the introductory letter by Tolkien explaining the Silmarillion, but the phyiscal aspect of the book is excellent, with high quality pages and binding.

Have you seen The Annotated Hobbit? That's the best edition, in my opinion. How many editions of LOTR do you have? I have collected different editions over the years.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by radagast

I would join. I used to read the Hobbit and LOTR once a year. I have all the books his son published about the History Of Middle Earth. It was really interesting to read earlier drafts of the story and see how it was eventually changed. It gave me a bigger appreciation of how much of a masterpiece the final product became. One funny part was having Strider as a Hobbit.

I would join as well guys! I am about 2/3 rd's the way thru the Silmarillion right now.....I think I am past the real tough part (thankfully), as Tolkien obviously never meant for someone like ourselves to ever read the passages he wrote in this book.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by radagast

I would join. I used to read the Hobbit and LOTR once a year. I have all the books his son published about the History Of Middle Earth. It was really interesting to read earlier drafts of the story and see how it was eventually changed. It gave me a bigger appreciation of how much of a masterpiece the final product became. One funny part was having Strider as a Hobbit.

Maybe we should get a group going about the time the movies come out, there should be more interest at that time and potentially more of "the faithful" on the site. The History of Middle Earth books are a tough to get through, but rewarding, and you get to read the "actual" end of the story, the epilogue chapter that Tolkien decided not to publish in RoTK (few people have seen this). I'm glad that Trotter the Hobbit was replaced by Strider; one of the huge improvements that were made during development of the story.