WebProNews

Tag: hobbit

  • Christopher Lee: Heavy Metal, Horror, Wizardry; The Occult?

    When Christopher Lee died recently at the age of 93, the memorials and biographical news segments came pouring.

    We learned that Christopher Lee was in the British Special Forces We learned that Lee was not only in a James Bond film, he was related to Ian Fleming by marriage.

    While Lee was famous for his later life roles, such as Saruman in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit series, as well as Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequels, he had a large body of work prior to those. Many did not know that Christopher Lee had an entire career in horror films long before his Saruman days.

    Lee starred in a long series of horror films in the 1950s and ’60s for Hammer Film Productions.

    These “Hammer Horror” films are cult classics to this day. In the Hammer Horror films Lee played Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, Sir Henry Baskerville, Rasputin, and many other roles.

    Then there was the heavy metal music that Christopher Lee jumped into when he was already in his 80s. Not “in the 80s,” in HIS 80s.

    Lee had sung on albums before, particularly opera and musicals. But he got into heavy metal in 2004 on an album by metal band Rhapsody. Lee released his own album in 2006 called Revelation. After that came Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross in 2010, and Charlemagne: The Omens of Death in 2013.

    Christopher Lee also did two heavy metal Christmas albums, followed by the EP Metal Knight.

    Lee said he got a kick out of giving his metal fans some fun with the Christmas albums.

    “It’s light-hearted, joyful and fun… At my age, the most important thing for me is to keep active by doing things that I truly enjoy. I do not know how long I am going to be around, so every day is a celebration and I want to share it with my fans.”

    He did horror films and heavy metal music, but was Christopher Lee involved in the occult?

    There were many long-standing rumors that Christopher Lee was a big proponent of the occult. Some claimed that Lee had a library of over 20,000 books on the occult.

    Lee dismissed these rumors as ridiculous.

    “Somebody wrote I have 20,000 books. I’d have to live in a bath! I have maybe four or five [occult books].”

    In fact, Christopher Lee was very wary of occult involvement, telling students, “I warn all of you: never, never, never. You will not only lose your mind, you’ll lose your soul.”

  • Orlando Bloom Punches Justin Bieber

    Orlando Bloom Punches Justin Bieber

    Early Wednesday actor Orlando Bloom took a swing at teen idol Justin Bieber after the two encountered each other at Cipriani in Ibiza, Spain.

    Apparently, Bieber made a snide comment about Bloom’s estranged wife, Victoria’s Secret Angel Miranda Kerr. A shoving match ensued, and Bloom, 37, took a swing at Bieber, 20. Some witnesses say Bloom connected, some say he didn’t. Beiber then exclaimed, “what’s up bitch?”

    Back in 2012, Bieber was seen getting flirty with Kerr after a Victoria’s Secret fashion show. The incident reportedly became a factor in Kerr and Bloom’s seperation. Then in April, 2014, Bloom was spotted with Bieber’s ex Selena Gomez, 21, outside of a Chelsea Handler stand-up comedy gig in Los Angeles.

    Here is a clip recorded at the time of the alleged punching incident in Ibiza:

    Later on Bieber posted an uncaptioned image of Kerr, 31, to his Instragram account, which was promptly removed. Another Instagram user reposted the picture:

    The Twitter reaction to the punching has so far been overwhelmingly slanted in Bloom’s favor:

    Bloom will reprise his role as elven archer Legolas in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which hits theatres on December 17. Here is a teaser trailer:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • James Cameron Taking ‘Avatar’ Sequels to New Zealand

    Director James Cameron has confirmed that three sequels to his ‘Avatar’ blockbuster will be produced in New Zealand, beginning in 2015. New Zealand, the Polynesian country where Peter Jackson filmed his ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Hobbit’ trilogies, has agreed to a 25% rebate for the production, in a joint venture with Twentieth Century Fox and Cameron’s own Lightstorm Entertainment.

    Cameron made the announcement in the New Zealand capital of Wellington, alongside producer Jon Landau and Prime Minister John Key. Cameron declined to disclose an exact budget for the impending trilogy, but expects that the production will be kept under $1 billion. Lightstorm and Twentieth Century Fox will spend at least $413 million in New Zealand on the movies.

    “It’s quite a thrill to be officially saying that we’re bringing the Avatar films to New Zealand,” Cameron said during the press conderence. “We had such a wonderful experience here making the first film.” Prime Minister Key added, “It’s a day of great celebration. It’s a great Christmas present for those involved in making world class movies.”

    Check out some related ‘Avatar’ intrigue:

    Academy Award-winning director Cameron, also a part-time explorer of the Mariana Trench, said that he has commenced writing the scripts for the new films, and plans to shoot them in 3-D, with some of the sequences being captured in 48 frames per second.

    Cameron said he hopes to shoot all three films in tandem over a nine month period, with the aim being the release of the first sequel in time for Christmas 2016, with the following sequels coming in late 2017 and late 2018. Prime Minister Key stated that the ‘Avatar’ production will revitalize the New Zealand film industry, after it saw a decline when the ‘Hobbit’ trilogy wrapped production.

    In related ‘Hobbit’ news, TT games has recently announced LEGO The Hobbit for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, 3DS and PC.

    Here’s the trailer:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Evangeline Lilly Attends ‘Hobbit’ Premiere

    Evangeline Lilly Attends ‘Hobbit’ Premiere

    Actress Evangeline Lilly joined Orlando Bloom and LOTR franchise director Peter Jackson at the Hollywood premiere of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, at the Dolby Theater on Monday.

    Also on hand for the screening were Hobbit actors Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch and Richard Armitage, who play Bilbo Baggins, Smaug and Thorin Oakenshield respectively.

    Lilly was cast as an elf named Tauriel, a character created by Peter Jackson and writing partner Fran Walsh. Tauriel is a Silvan Elf whose name means “Daughter of Mirkwood”, and is the head of the Mirkwood Elven guard. Jackson adapted the original Tolkien text to include another female character to offset a cast dominated by males.

    Also attending the premiere were actors Luke Evans (Bard the Bowman), Aidan Turner (Kili), Dean O’Gorman (Fili), Stephen Fry (Master of Laketown), William Kircher (Bifur), Manu Bennett (Azog), John Bell (Bain) and Ryan Gage (Alfrid). ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ opens nationwide on December 13th.

    Lilly, so far best known as Kate “Freckles” Austen on ABC’s Lost, initially expressed apprehension over the reaction of Tolkien purists toward “Tauriel,” but said that the creation of the character was justified – “I believe she is authentic, because Tolkien refers to The Woodland Elves, he just doesn’t talk about who they are specifically. [Peter and Fran] know that world so well. They’re not going to create a character that is not true to Tolkien’s world.”

    Check out the latest The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Sneak Peek from Warner Bros. Pictures:

    As it happens, long before joining the cast of one of the biggest franchises in film history, Lilly was peddling the singles chat service Livelinks:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt0eCkRsL3U

    Image via Facebook.

  • Air New Zealand Unveils Hobbit Paint Job

    Air New Zealand Unveils Hobbit Paint Job

    “Lord of the Rings” franchise director Peter Jackson was on hand in Auckland Monday, as Air New Zealand unveiled an image on one of its planes, of the dragon Smaug, a villain from the upcoming “The Desolation of Smaug,” the second film of the Hobbit trilogy.

    The 177-foot-long decal of the dragon was installed on both sides of a Boeing 777-300 aircraft, which left for Los Angeles for a screening of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” at the Dolby Theater. The dragon sticker was produced by Weta Digital, the New Zealand-based effects house that handled the LOTR movies.

    “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” was co-written, produced and directed by Peter Jackson, and is based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel The Hobbit. It is the second installment of a three-part film series, which began with “An Unexpected Journey” (2012), and will conclude with “There and Back Again” (2014). The Hobbit trilogy serves as a prequel to Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” film series.

    Here’s a cool time lapse of the ‘Smaug’ graphic being put into place:

    Andrew Aitken, a spokesman for Air New Zealand, said it intends to keep the decal on the plane for over a year, until the opening of the third Hobbit film – A decal was also used to celebrate the opening of the first Hobbit movie. All of the LOTR movies were produced in New Zealand, and that country has been able to use the franchise to market itself and boost tourism.

    Below is a sneak peak of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” in theaters on December 13:

    Image via Twitter.

  • Google’s New Chrome Experiment is ‘Hobbit’-Branded

    Throughout the past two years, Google has been releasing its “Chrome Experiments” showcasing what its web browser and HTML 5 are capable of. Past experiments have included a variety of topics and games, including star charts, skee ball, and multiplayer air hockey.

    Today Google revealed its latest Chrome Experiment, a partnership with Warner Bros. for a look at Tolkien’s Middle-earth from the perspective of the new Hobbit movies. The experiment puts players in an overhead view of Middle-earth, with different locations from the Hobbit movies highlighted. Clicking one of these locations brings up an interactive overview of the site and characters related to it that can be navigated horizontally using the mouse. One and two second clips from the first Hobbit movie slide by in motion-comic style while narration is read by Gandalf the Grey.

    Compared to past Chrome Experiments, this “Journey Through Middle-Earth” is relatively simplistic. However, it could provide a basic overview of key locations from the first Hobbit movie for those who need a refresher.

    There are a few things missing, however. The Shire is inexplicably missing as a location for more in-depth examination. In fact, there are currently only three locations available for a more in-depth look: the Trollshaw Forrest, Rivendell, and Dol Guldur. Three other locations surrounding the Lonely Mountain (Lake Town, Thranduil’s Hall, and the Lonely Mountain itself) are also shown on the map but are currently locked. It’s safe to assume that these locations, which will feature heavily in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, will be unlocked in the lead-up to or after the release of the new movie.

  • “Desolation of Smaug”: New Trailer Released

    Fans of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” got another teasing morsel of what’s to come on December 13th. We began waiting after floating out of the first showing of “Unexpected Journey” last year, and now the heavy marketing for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” has begun! Today, a new trailer for the highly anticipated second installment of the Hobbit trilogy was released, and it is certainly glorious!!

    “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” picks right up where “Unexpected Journey” ended, right after Gandalf, Bilbo and the rest of the crew escape from the orcs. There are some new twists to be noted in the next installment. The two I found most interesting are an introduction to some Elven characters yet unseen. One is the Elvin king Thranduil, played by Lee Pace. You may know Pace from my favorite show of all time, “Pushing Daisies“.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G41MjEgAKo

    The other is Tauriel, an elf woman, created especially for the movie. There are some hints that there could be a little elf love bubbling up between her and Legolas. “Legolas has grown very fond of you,” an unseen voice tells Tauriel. “Do not give him hope where there is none.”

    This new elf lady is played by Evangeline Lilly from my second favorite show of all time, “Lost“. Remember Kate and her endless inner struggle to choose between Jack and Sawyer?

    Like its predecessor, “An Unexpected Journey”, “The Desolation of Smaug” was shot in 3-D at 48 frames per second and will be released in 2-D, High Frame Rate 3-D, other 3-D formats and IMAX. “Desolation of Smaug” looks like it’s on track to be another smash hit for director Peter Jackson, so put it on your calendar: December 13th!!

    Image via youtube

  • ‘The Hobbit’ Trailer Recreated With LEGOs

    Back in June, the long-expected trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was finally released. The preview gave Tolkien fans their first glimpse of the dragon Smaug, voiced in this adaptation by Benedict Cumberbatch.

    This week, the dedicated artists of the Brotherhood Workshop have re-created the entire trailer using only animated LEGOs. The artists claim that the project took two months and “countless” man-hours to complete. Even the teaser phrase cut-aways and title from the trailer were painstakingly spelled out in LEGO.

    The Brotherhood Workshop has also provided a side-by-side comparison of their animation and the original Hobbit trailer. It shows exactly how precise and detailed they were in their recreation:

    The entire project, from start to finish, has been chronicled on the Brotherhood Workshop’s Facebook page. The page states that the group is simply a few “quirky artists who love to be creative” and who dream of someday creating movies. The group has created LEGO animations in the past, many of them also Tolkien-related. In addition to a humorous take on the Battle of Helm’s deep, the group has also parodied the Harry Potter movies.

  • “Hobbit: Unexpected Journey” Shortest Film In Series

    When Peter Jackson announced that he would be turning “The Hobbit” into three films, some fans of the Tolkien books groaned. Even though he’s well-known for his drawn-out storytelling style, some don’t think the tale of “The Hobbit” needs to be spread out over a trilogy, regardless of how gorgeous the effects are sure to be.

    But hardcore fans of the films are elated to finally have photos, a trailer, and an estimated running time for the first film, entitled “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”. At two hours and forty minutes, Jackson says–rather proudly–that it’s the shortest film in the entire series so far.

    Fans will also be happy to see familiar faces, especially that of Gandalf the Grey, played by Ian McKellen. McKellen wasn’t sure he wanted to appear in the trilogy at first, however, saying that it didn’t seem very challenging.

    “It was a little like going back to something that wasn’t necessarily going to be particularly challenging,” he said. “Gandalf is still inside me, as it were, so the business of getting to know a new character — I was sort of going to be robbed of that.”

    “The Hobbit: Unexpected Journey” is due out in theaters December 14th.

  • Panasonic Developing 145″ 8K Plasma TV

    Panasonic Japan has just announced that it’s developing a new “Super Hi-Vision” (as it’s called in that country) plasma screen that supports 8K resolution at 120 frames per second. The joint project with NHK Science and Research Laboratories will push 7680 x 4320 resolution without a backlight, the first to do so in existence.

    The detail of this new plasma screen that stuck out most to me is the mention of 120fps, a sort of increase that has been creating quite a stir as of late. Apparently, during a screening of some clips from the first of Peter Jackson’ new Hobbit movies, viewers were quite displeased with the director’s opting to shoot the entire movie at 48fps, double the traditional 24fps. The additional frames cause footage to look a bit odd in regards to the human persistence of vision – sequences look harsher in movement than standard sports video, and much of the cinematic glaze afforded by the emulsion of old is diminished. Presently available TV’s with 120Hz refresh rates hint at the unnatural quality I’m describing. It’s not ideal, and can even put off a bit of the uncanny valley. I don’t like the uncanny valley. Still, it’s not clear how the increase in frame rate will even affect the progressive signal of the new plasma.

    Panasonic and NHK have also developed a new drive method for stifling flicker that occurs at ultra-high resolutions, and the Super Hi-Vision TV is said to image maintain stability, even at 8K. Also, NHK plans to reveal it’s new 8K 120fps sensor sometime in May.

    The incorporation of of 48fps and 120fps content seems fine when one is cruising in a Jetta whilst listening to Coldplay on the way to a viewing of Avatar 2, in the acheivement of a sort of iLife trifecta of all that is slick, cold and dead – but when it comes to real things, like Middle Earth, the new concepts are… not ideal. Likewise, a new consideration for Hollywood in its war on movie piracy might involve talented encodists rendering this 48fps hocus-pocus back down to 24 in a seamless way, just to make things watchable.