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Tolkien, one of his generation's most respected linguists, was ''earmarked'' to crack Nazi codes in the event that Germany declared war. Intelligence chiefs singled him and a 'cadre' of other intellectuals to work at Bletchley Park, the codebreaking centre in Buckinghamshire. Its staff - which included Alan Turing, the gay codebreaker - would later decipher the 'impenetrable' Enigma machines. This saved Britain from German conquest by allowing the Navy to intercept and destroy Hitler's U-Boats. According to previously unseen records, Tolkien trained with the top-secret Government Code and Cypher School (GCCS). He spent three days at their London HQ in...

LORD of the Rings author JRR Tolkien trained as a spy in the years leading up to World War II, it has emerged. The Oxford University professor - who also wrote The Hobbit - was one of 50 intellectuals chosen by the British Government singled out to crack Nazi codes as it appeared increasingly likely Germany was preparing to declare war. Tolkien was reknown as one of his generation's most respected linguists, and according to The Sun, was believed to have passed the training course “with flying colours”. Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. End of sidebar. Return...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Hollywood studio behind a film based on "The Hobbit" and trustees for author J.R.R. Tolkien's estate said on Tuesday they had settled a lawsuit that clears the way for what is expected to be a blockbuster movie based on the book. "The Hobbit" is a 1937 book by Tolkien about a diminutive character named Bilbo Baggins who goes on a treasure-seeking adventure, and it sets the stage for Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, with its epic tale of magic and warfare.

New Zealand film-maker Peter Jackson may have more in common with JRR Tolkien's heirs than he thought - they are also complaining about big studio accounting methods. Tolkien's family and a British charity they head, the Tolkien Trust, are seeking more than $US220 million ($276.94 million) in compensation for the Lord of the Rings trilogy Jackson made in New Zealand. The Tolkien heirs sold movie rights to the LOTR books 40 years ago for 7.5 per cent of future receipts, but say that three films and $US6 billion ($7.55 billion) later, they have not seen a cent of the proceeds....

‘… But you, John Sidney, Lord of the Mark of Republican, are declared by your noble devices, and still more by the fair countenance of the House of McCain. O worthy son of John the Thrice-renowned Admiral! Why have you not come before, and as a friend? Much have I desired to see you, mightiest Senator of western lands, and especially in these latter years, to save you from the unwise and evil counsels that beset you! Is it yet too late? Despite the injuries that have been done to me, in which the men of Bush, alas! have has...

TORn has been following the developments of the infamous Tolkien lawsuit for a long time. For those of you who’d like to get caught up in one fell swoop, Frodo Franchise author Kristin Thompson has posted an in-depth blog entry on exactly what is going on:

More News on the Tolkien vs. New Line Lawsuit July 20th, 2008 by Altaira Thanks again to Voronwe_the_Faithful for posting another update on the Tolkien vs. New Line Lawsuit on our message boards: The plaintiffs filed a First Amended Complaint last Monday (which I believe was the last day for them to do so). They have dropped the fiduciary duty cause of action (as expected), but they have asserted new allegations to support the fraud cause of action. They added more specific claims as to how they contend that New Line misrepresented the amount of expenses that it had in...

Builder discovers "priceless" Tolkien postcard By Mike Collett-White Tue Jul 8, 10:29 AM ET LONDON (Reuters) - A demolition man stripping a fireplace from the former home of "The Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien stumbled across a postcard to the writer dated 1968, and hopes to sell it for a small fortune. Stephen Malton, who runs Prodem Demolition in Bournemouth on the south English coast, was working in the house in the nearby town of Poole before it was bulldozed to make way for a new construction project. "Before we demolish a house we do an internal strip...

Sir Ian McKellen returns to the big screen in The Hobbit film By Nick Squires in Sydney Last updated: 1:28 PM BST 25/05/2008 Sir Ian McKellen will reprise the role of Gandalf the wizard for two films to be made based on Tolkien's classic book The Hobbit, it has been confirmed. The two movies - The Hobbit and a sequel which has yet to be named - will be filmed in New Zealand and released in 2011 and 2012. Andy Serkis, the actor who played Gollum with the help of digital wizardry, will also return for the Hobbit film, but...

I have a question on a particular passage in Lord of the Rings and I need to find it. Can someone help?

LOS ANGELES - The estate of "Lord of the Rings" creator J.R.R. Tolkien is suing the film studio that released the trilogy based on his books, claiming the company hasn't paid it a penny from the estimated $6 billion the films have grossed worldwide. The suit, filed Monday, claims New Line was required to pay 7.5 percent of gross receipts to Tolkien's estate and other plaintiffs, who contend they only received an upfront payment of $62,500 for the three movies before production began. The writer's estate, a British charity dubbed The Tolkien Trust, and original "Lord of the Rings" publisher...

Via Bettnet we learn the following from the Tolkien Society: On the 3rd January 1892 JRR Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. To celebrate this event, on this day each year Tolkien fans around the world are invited to raise a glass and toast the birthday of this much loved author. The toast is "The Professor". To make the Birthday Toast, you stand, raise a glass of your choice of drink (not necessarily alcoholic), and say the words ‘The Professor’ before taking a sip (or swig, if that’s more appropriate for your drink). Sit and enjoy the rest of...

The Once & Future Christendom From death of the West—to knights of the West The Call of Duty—and Destiny In one of the great epics of Western literature, the hero, confronted by numerous and powerful enemies, temporarily gives in to weakness and self-pity. “I wish,” he sighs, “none of this had happened.” The hero’s wise adviser responds, “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide.” The old man continues, “There are other forces at work in this world … besides the will of evil.” Some events, he adds, are “meant” to...

VIDEO: Lord of the Rings Film Star Ian McKellen Admits to Ripping Out Hotel Bible Sections Against Homosexuality By John-Henry Westen AUKLAND, NZ, August 30, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - British Actor Ian McKellen who has used the mega-stardom he achieved playing Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films to promote homosexuality, has admitted to ripping out pages of hotel bibles that refer to homosexuality. In an August 10 interview on New Zealand's TV1 Close Up program McKellen was confronted by the interviewer questioning the truth of the rumour "He's the one, that when he stays in hotels rips the part...

Keeping on an erosion theme, I looked for pictures of the location used for the "Paths of the Dead" in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, specifically in "The Return of the King". They are called the Putangirua Pinnacles. They are located near Wellington on the southeastern North Island. I linked to the OneRing.net image above. There are some better, higher-resolution pictures on the Web, but not easily linkable.

A Review of New Edition of "The Children of Húrin" ATLANTA, Georgia, APRIL 27, 2007 (Zenit.org).- With the release of a new edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Children of Húrin," fans of this deeply Catholic author may be surprised by its biblical tone, says a Tolkien expert. Jef Murray, artist-in-residence at the St. Austin Review, speaking with ZENIT, said, "'The Children of Húrin' has a more biblical tone than 'The Lord of the Rings.' It is a story of human fallibility and sin and may be prophetic for our times." Painstakingly reconstructed by Christopher Tolkien from his father's manuscripts, the...

(AP) -- Six thousand years before the Fellowship of the Ring, long before anyone had even seen a Hobbit, the elves and men of Middle-earth quaked at the power of the dark lord Morgoth... It is the fruit of 30 years labor by Christopher Tolkien, the author's son, who has devoted much of his life to editing and publishing the work his father left behind. By meticulously combining and editing the many published and unpublished versions of the tale, he has produced at last a coherent, vivid and readable narrative. His story, released today by Houghton Mifflin, is a...

An unfinished book by J.R.R. Tolkien that was completed by his son will be published April 17 in Canada, New Zealand, the U.S. and the U.K. Christopher Tolkien, son of the man who wrote the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has completed The Children of Hurin, a book his father started in 1918 and later abandoned. J.R.R. Tolkien, shown in a 1967 photo, left notes and an outline for The Children of Hurin, a novel finished by his son and to be published in April. (Associated Press) Publisher HarperCollins is not releasing details of the book, but describes it as...

There has been speculation about this since last November but according to a major newspaper, Sam "Spider-Man" Raimi is considering directing The Hobbit.LA Times has the following: In a move that would have ramifications for several major multi-nationals, and millions of fans, "Spider-Man" maestro Sam Raimi has been telling associates, as well as his corporate masters at Sony, that he is thinking of directing "The Hobbit," the prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork, "The Lord of the Rings." At least two top-level insiders – who declined to be named -- have heard the words out of the director's mouth. A year...

Spanish scientists have discovered a new invertebrate insect in certain caves of Castellon province, which they have baptized Gollumjapyx Smeagol in honour of JRR Tolkien who created the character in his 'The Lord of The Rings' trilogy. The new animal is of exterior origin, but has adapted to permanent living inside caves. The new invertebrate has all the properties of a subterranean insect: its skin has no pigment, and it has extraordinarily large antennae, six feet and measures two centimeters in length. According to Vicente Ortuño, the first examples of this new species were found some 25 years ago, but...

You may remember seeing the name "Saul Zaentz" in the opening credits of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies. His name is also listed on the credits for the Ralph Bakshi animated version from 1978. So who is Saul Zaentz, anyway? He's the producer who, in 1976, bought the rights to Tolkien's works and, logically, started up a company called Tolkien Enterprises. So what that basically means is that New Line "leased" the LOTR rights from Zaentz ... and it looks like those rights will be reverting back to the guy some time next year. And apparently Saul Zaentz...

He is the flamboyant director whose The Lord of the Rings trilogy picked up 17 Oscars. But Peter Jackson has been cast out of Middle Earth after a row over profits from the $4 billion-plus (£2.1 billion) franchise.Fans of the fantasy films were dismayed by an e-mail, detailing a dispute between Jackson and the New Line film studio, which the New Zealander sent to a website devoted to matters Tolkien. It contained explosive news that the most lucrative franchise in Hollywood history after Star Wars will return with a Lord of the Rings prequel. A big-budget version of The Hobbit...

Variety reports that MGM chairman and chief executive Harry Sloan talked about the studio's five core franchises at the European Media Leaders Summit in London. As for The Hobbit, Sloan confirmed that MGM was in advanced talks with Peter Jackson to make two movies based on JRR Tolkien's "prequel" to "The Lord of the Rings." The first would be a direct adaptation of The Hobbit, and the second would be drawn from "footnotes and source material connecting 'The Hobbit' with 'Lord of the Rings,'" he explained. An MGM spokesman emphasized that negotiations with Jackson are still in progress, and that...

A DARKNESS is once again descending on JRR Tolkien’s fabled land of Middle-earth. An unfinished work completed by the writer’s son is such a departure from the world of hobbits that it may merit an X-certificate.The manuscript for The Children of Hurin, to be published next spring, contains incest, suicide and a multitude of violent deaths. Any film version is likely to have restricted audiences because of the subject matter. Christopher Tolkien has spent the past 30 years working on the epic tale that his father began in 1918 while on leave from the army. JRR, who was recovering from...

In a Variety article talking about MGM's move back into the tentpole business, the trade mentions a few highly-anticipated projects that are in the works: Over the next few years, MGM is planning to release half a dozen films, some in the $150 million to $200 million-plus range. Studio is ready to unveil such high-profile projects as "Terminator 4"; one or two installments of "The Hobbit," which Sloan hopes will be directed by Peter Jackson; and a sequel to "The Thomas Crown Affair" with Pierce Brosnan. It has already announced a "Pink Panther" sequel and the next 007 pic "Bond...

Last in a series of Iceland waterfalls; Godafoss. There are a lot of pictures on the Web of this one, and this might not be the best; try searching if you like this one. The center keel is actually split, but the center cascade is obscured by spray in the image above. This one shows it clearly: The reason I chose the top one is that it reminded me of some depictions of the Falls of Rauros, in Tolkien's Middle Earth, like this one (which is the depiction from the movie):

Not too long ago, there was a lot of giggling on the right side of the blogosphere when it learned about a book called Why Mommy is a Democrat, which its publisher proudly boasts is “A Different Kind of Children’s Book.”  The book’s point is that, just as a child views Mommy in a saintly light, he should project that view onto Democrats because they share Mommy’s values.  For example, just as Mommies do, Democrats make sure people share.  And so that no one misses this message, the well-dressed, silver-haired, obviously Republican white folk in the background walk by a homeless...

DUBLIN, May 4, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - British Actor Ian McKellen who was launched into mega-stardom playing Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings film in 2001, has used the recognition generated by the film to forward his crusade to promote homosexuality. Ironically, the genius behind the story which gave McKellen his current pedestal - J.R. Tolkien - held that homosexuality was a disorder and was a staunch defender of traditional Catholic teaching on sexual morality, according to experts on the famed writer. McKellen's latest endeavour is to campaign for homosexual 'marriage' in Britain. This week McKellen complained that a new...

Crosswalk.com Entertainment Channel Print | Back Tolkien's Impact in Literature and Life By Patrick W. CurlesPCANews Tolkien saw himself as a hobbit in every way but in stature. Crosswalk.com News Channel - A popular British magazine recently surveyed its readers to get their opinions about the best book of all time. Thousands responded. The landslide winner for the top spot in history: The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien. The literary elites were incensed and amazed. How could a fantasy writer win? They re-polled the country, and again Tolkien’s work blew away the competition. Again they ...

More and more movies are being aimed at the faith-based audience. Many of them claim to be by people of faith. And, many people in the church are getting very excited about these films. Some of these filmmakers are at the top of their game. Some have gone to the most prestigious film schools. But even so, after watching some of the theological errors and confusion in these movies, perhaps they would have been better studying theology and reading, writing and critical thinking rather than film. In one recent movie, the name of Jesus is claimed to have power only...

I need help with LOTR. Two friends and I were discussing the books and movies last weekend. Friend 1 observed that the relationship between Frodo and Sam (in the movies) had homosexual overtones. Friend 2 retorted that the relationship is based on the master/servant relationship of old England and that Friend 1 was looking at it through American eyes, where rugged individualism is more prized. I--caught in the middle--had to admit that I thought that Sean Astin overplayed Sam at times but was great overall. So, was Friend 1 right about the gay overtones, or was Friend 2's explanation correct?...

Oscar winning director Peter Jackson says it will be at least three years before he shoots The Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit. Jackson this weekend took a break from his busy schedule filming King Kong in Auckland, stopping by Sydney's Powerhouse Museum to check out the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) exhibition. On Saturday, the very private director will give a talk to fans about his films at the State Theatre. A slimmed-down Jackson, who arrived in Sydney on Friday, was asked how long it would be before he started production on The Hobbit. "Three or four years...

Leonard Nimoy sings "Bilbo Baggins"

The astounding popularity of J.R.R. Tolkien and his writings-- magnified many times over by the success of the "Lord of the Rings" films--has ensured that Tolkien's fantasy world of moral meaning stands as one of the great literary achievements of our times.In some sense, Tolkien was a man born out of time. A philologist at heart, Tolkien was most at home in the world of ancient ages, even as he witnessed the barbarism and horrors of the 20th century. Celebrated as a popular author, he was an eloquent witness to permanent truths. His popularity on university campuses, extending from his...

The Real Atrocity in Tolkien's Middle Earth By Jeff Alexander and Tom BissellMcSweeney's Internet Tendency | January 7, 2005Part I: Chomsky: The film opens with Galadriel speaking. "The world has changed," she tells us, "I can feel it in the water." She's actually stealing a line from the non-human Treebeard. He says this to Merry and Pippin in The Two Towers, the novel. Already we can see who is going to be privileged by this narrative and who is not. Zinn: Of course. "The world has changed." I would argue that the main thing one learns when one watches this...

I wouldn't normally dare to waste your precious time, dear reader, with light-hearted discussions of frivolous matters. But just this once I ask your permission for an excursion into a realm that, on the face of it, has little in common with politics, namely that of high art. My excuse is a valid one, however: the launch of the extended DVD edition of last year's Oscar winning film 'The Return of the King, based on JRR Tolkien's epic drama The Lord of the Rings. The reason for choosing this subject is not an aesthetic one, however. I merely want to...

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, a very talented writer, is famous for having created such a literary genre as fantasy. All his books are real masterpieces, and many having read them once, want to read them again and again. Warm-hearted and exciting adventure stories, involving people, elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, wizards, and, of course, hobbits are in Tolkien’s accounts. But not only fantastic beings were concocted by him. Both philologist and professor at Oxford University, he knew many ancient and modern languages. Thus, a new world – Middle-earth, along with its geography, its history, and several languages appeared. The history of...

With the release this week of the Extended Edition DVD of Return of the King, here are some LOTR resources: A Triumphant Return http://www.pfm.org/Content/ContentGroups/BreakPoint/BreakPoint_Commentaries/20031/December_2003/A_Triumphant_Return.htm In J. R. R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-earth http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1882926846/terraspacedock J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, a Legendary Friendship http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/134/52.0.html Myth Meets Real Life http://www.pfm.org/Content/ContentGroups/BreakPoint/BreakPoint_Commentaries/20031/December_2003/Myth_Meets_Real_Life.htm Escape into Reality http://www.pfm.org/Content/ContentGroups/BreakPoint/BreakPoint_Commentaries/20031/December_2003/Escape_into_Reality.htm Saint J. R. R. the Evangelist http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/110/54.0.html Tolkien, Transformer of Culture http://www.pfm.org/Content/ContentGroups/BreakPoint/Columns/At_the_Movies/200212/Tolkien__Transformer_of_Culture.htm

New Line Entertainment released the definitive "Extended Edition" of The Return Of The King . Peter Jackson worked over a year to bring this out for the fans. New and extended scenes have brought the total running length to over 200 minutes. Plus extras on the supplemental discs.

One of the many wondrous peoples that poured forth from the rich imagination of the late J. R. R. Tolkien were the Ents. These tree-like creatures, agonizingly slow and covered with mossy bark, nursed themselves on tales of past glory while their numbers dwindled in their isolation. Unable to reproduce themselves or to fathom the evil outside their peaceful forest — and careful to keep to themselves and avoid reacting to provocation of the tree-cutters and forest burners — they assumed they would be given a pass from the upheavals of Middle Earth. But with the sudden arrival of two...

Crosswalk.com News Channel - LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Near the end of his life, J.R.R. Tolkien (also spelled Tolkein) received a letter from a young girl posing a question concerning the chief end of man.Tolkien, author of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy which has now become a motion picture, provided the youngster an answer that lends insight into the worldview of the realm in which he casts his fantasy novels. "It may be said that the purpose of life for any one of us is to increase according to our capacity, our knowledge of God by all the means we have ...

It's Here! The ROTK EE Trailer! See the World Premiere of the six-minute extended trailer for The Return of the King Special Extended DVD Edition November 29th only at www.lordoftherings.net. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Special Extended DVD Edition. A never-before-seen version of the film with 50 minutes of new and extended scenes. This 4-disc set features all new bonus materials including in-depth interviews with the cast and crew, original documentaries, feature-length commentaries and much more.Available December 14th.

IT was a friendship that thrived on a complex fantasy world, created in an English pub, that produced some of the most memorable literary characters ever written. Now a new film by a Scottish-based director will celebrate the real-life fellowship of two literary giants, JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. CS Lewis: The Man Who Created Narnia aims to ride a wave of interest in Lewis that is anticipated to accompany the rel ease in 2005 of up to seven films based on his Narnia novels. ..... Norman Stone’s 54-minute drama, which starts shooting in Oxford this week, is a more...

The Official Lord of the Rings website (http://www.lordoftherings.net) has updated with an amazing snippet of clips from The Return of the King Extended Edition. Included in the clips are a few 'surprises!' !!!SPOILERS!!!

PORTLAND, Oregon – Fending off a potentially election-wrecking Green Party candidacy of consumer advocate Ralph Nader, John Kerry has admitted to members of the Oregon chapter of the Sierra Club that he is, in fact, an “Ent”. “I think back fondly,” reminisced Kerry, “to a time when being a tree was a safe way to go through life. Birds would nest comfortably upon my brow. My leaves would turn beautiful shades of gold and bronze and plum. The forest, my home, was a happy place.” Speaking at a fund-raiser in Portland, Kerry talked about the prejudices “big business” has against...

Our Own Private Tower of Cirith Ungol If I were Thórr, I’d be pretty ticked. Someone has stolen my thunder! To be precise, two different guys have made off with my big rumble this month. Way, way back last December, I started assembling the editorial plan for the year’s Lord of the Rings features on Hollywood Jesus: twelve monthly guest features, twelve featured interviews, the make-it-up-as-we-go email-of-the-month, and twelve hard-hitting, incisive (and somewhat insightful) features in the vein of the pieces I’d done for the previous two years. Now, this was no great hardship, and I didn’t have too hard...

I have created a public register of "bump lists" here on Free Republic. I define a bump list as a name listed in the "To" field used to index articles. Free Republic Bump List Register

Jan. 18, 2003. 01:00 AM If you think they're sexy ...The men of The Rings are larger than life. But how well would they fare in the real world? NANCY PAYNESPECIAL TO THE STAR They are visions of nobility: selfless, pure of heart and devoted to good. Well, mostly. They are arrestingly beautiful. And oh, their hair. Shoulder-length, carelessly wavy, sometimes slick with sweat, sometimes shimmering in the breeze. They are the men of The Lord Of The Rings, and of the many powerful reasons to see the Tolkien trilogy, they are among the most memorable. As a model for...

Politically Incorrect Movie Reviews Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers by RadioFree Rocky D Published 01. 3. 03 at 20:59 Sierra Time Cast: Elijah Wood (Frodo) – Hobbit whose ring is habit forming. Sean Astin (Samwise) – Hobbit with a donut habit. Dominic Monaghan (Merry) – Hobbit dumb. Billy Boyd (Pippin) – Hobbit dumber. Andy Serkis (voice of Gollum) – Hobbit bi-polar. Ian McKellan (Gandalf) – a wizard who, frankly, doesn't do much wizarding. Christopher Lee (Saruman) – the inevitable evil white guy. Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) – neat knight; bath & a shave optional. Orlando Bloom (Legolas) –...

We be the Gorrem. For many, many years we searches for the precious. So beautiful it is with gleaming white columns sitting there on Pennsylvania Avenue. So bright, so wonderful, our precious. We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. But the Supreme Court stole it from us. Yes, we be the Gorrem hiding here near Helms Deep…or is it in Deep Shit? No matter. We had the precious stolen from us in 2000 and we MUST have it! Okay, this is Al Gore again. Sorry for that little relapse to my Gorrem persona there but it...