Art and Literature News / Movie News / Tolkien News

An Eagle’s View of Middle-earth – May 21, 2014

Posted by on May 21, 2014 at 9:00 pm

The Royal Horticulture Society is hosting A Middle-earth Launch Party this weekend. For more information, please visit their site. And if you can go, take some pictures for us! (spotted by Middle-earth News reporter Alice)

Tolkien’s Beowulf translation will be released tomorrow (have you entered our contest yet?), and Katy Walden at The Slate has her review of Tolkien’s take on the tale of the great warrior from Geatland. She explained, “The fantasy-shaper of Middle Earth was also a “don’s don,” a leading scholar more or less fluent in Greek, Latin, Old English, Welsh, Finnish, and a handful of Germanic Gothic tongues, who modernized medieval lyrics […] I understand how some might prefer Tolkien’s version. The description, stately and involved, seems sprinkled with an Arthurian grandeur; readers who love the Lord of the Rings may resonate to that high diction and steady, exact pacing.” (spotted by Middle-earth News reporter Lily)

At a gala evening at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park earlier this week, two Hobbit actors shared their Arsenal colors…literally. After being accused of being a Chelsea fan, Benedict Cumberbatch was the highest bidder on a red and white scarf put up by fellow Arsenal fan Ian McKellan. Cumberbatch swore, “Next season I’ll be wearing it to every game,” as he fingered the stitching tenderly. Evie)

The most recent episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (because yes, I watch that show!), titled “Mazes and Mutants,” was partially a throwback to the old movie Mazes and Monsters. It was filled with geeky references, including some quotes and allusions to The Lord of the Rings. Not to mention the perpetual LOTR reference of Sean Astin, who played Samwise Gamgee, who voices the character of Raphael. Check it out on your online content provider (I caught it on Hulu) of choice. (spotted by Middle-earth News reporter Lily)

LOTRProject_BarrelsOutOfBond

Emil from the LOTR Project spotted this passage from The Hobbit that, I admit, I must usually skim over when I read it. I can’t believe I didn’t remember that the scene from the movie was practically a line-by-line recreation of the book! (spotted by Middle-earth News contributor Maria)

Every day, our Middle-earth News reporters seek out Tolkien/Hobbit/LOTR goodness and tag their finds with their names. If you have something to contribute, please submit it using the Got News Precious link at the bottom of the page.

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Author: Lily’s first experience with Tolkien was when the eccentric Mrs. H performed all of the characters from The Hobbit in her seventh grade class. In high school, she felt obliged to decline a second date with a boy who said he had no interest in reading The Lord of the Rings. In college, she unwisely decided to reread her beloved copy of The Hobbit during finals week, with only semi-disastrous results. When not writing for Middle-earth News, Lily tries not to unnerve her coworkers and family with her extreme geekery, but somehow, Star Wars, Star Trek, Sherlock, Merlin, Doctor Who, The Princess Bride, Back to the Future, superheroes, Disney movies, and of course, Tolkien, seem to have relevance in EVERY conversation.

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