Holmes over Baggins: Why?

Is it normal I’m more excited about the Sherlock Special than the BoTFA Extended cut?

It’s no secret that I’ve been fascinated by Sherlock Holmes (who isn’t?) for many years: both as a literary character and the various film and TV adaptations.

I am also a massive fan of the British TV series Sherlock, and – if you’re like me – you possibly cannot have failed to read about the upcoming Christmas Special in December.

Well, with yesterday’s newly released trailer, that excitement couldn’t be more evident. That mixture of nostalgia and child-like anticipation, that has been so synonymous with the Festive period whenever a new Middle-earth film was released, is being felt again.

Tolkien-themed Questionnaire: Answers! (PART I)

It’s taken me some time to get around doing this, but finally the time has come.

Behold the questionnaire created by Myla Malinalda (from Middle-earth News) in which Tolkien fans need to do some serious self-examination about what it the Middle-earth stories really mean to us.

The questionnaire was originally designed for The Lord of the Rings; but can easily be adapted also for The Hobbit.

It’s tough to answer a single question in short; but it’s fun and enlightening, not just to others, but to yourself as well.

Go on, treat yourself! Get busy tackling these questions now 🙂

In the meantime, here are mine … (Part II to follow)

The Gaffer’s Elite: Characters

Ranking all things Middle-earth

Last week we discussed some of the most remarkable sets and locations from the Middle-earth saga. This week, we’ll be looking at the characters.

This was naturally tricky, so I’ve decided not to rank these in the usual way. Rather than assigning numbers, I decided to select 3 characters from each trilogy and briefly explain the reasons why I find them appealing

As with the other posts, it does not mean that those unmentioned characters are not my favourite; but to keep this post brief and maintain the sanity of you the readers, I’ve limited by list to a total of 6.

I’ve made one exception and omitted Gandalf from both trilogies. Let’s face it. These films wouldn’t be the same without the contribution of Ian Mckellan’s stellar performance. Considering he’s in all 6 films, I’ve decided to leave him out. Nothing against Gandalf, at all. Again, it’s all about brevity (… and sanity).

The Hobbit: BOTFA Full Review!

Scene by scene analysis of ‘The Battle of the Five Armies’

Warning: Spoilers ahead

Having just seen the last film for a third time, I think I am prepared to tackle the pleasurable, if arduous, task of writing an in-depth review.

I have roughly followed the soundtrack listing of each scene to keep a consistent and chronological structure to the writing.

Suffice to say, this is quite a lengthy review …

The Battle of the Five Armies: Extended Edition (… speculation)

Seen the last Hobbit film? Want more?
Here’s what we might see in the Extended Edition

Updated!

— Naturally, here be Spoilers —

If you enjoyed The Battle of the Five Armies but, like me, were not fully satisfied due to certain omissions, the content of next year’s Extended Edition seems to be extremely promising; a definitive director’s cut to be shelved along with the other 5 equally-stupendous Middle-earth films.

During the World Premier in London, Peter Jackson already stated that there will be 30 minutes of new material.

The Battle of the Five Armies Teaser: My Reactions

We’ve had just under a week to savour it and now, here are my thoughts on the teaser trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies …

Overall impressions?

Moving, emotional, sweeping and epic.

There and Back Again: The Shortest Middle-earth film?

Perhaps the most intriguing point Richard Armitage made in a recent interview during the Empire Awards ceremony last week, was that the third film will most likely be shorter than the rest.

A shocking statement for some, no doubt!

I was taken aback as well by this comment; but after a while I tried to consider the reasons for this – if it turns out to be true.

Why we love ‘Sherlock’ …

Okay, I’ll admit. This has (almost) nothing to do with Tolkien.

Almost.

Unless, of course, you’re like me (and thousands more) who appreciates and loves the TV series Sherlock.

Your Quick Guide To Dragons in Middle-earth (and how to tackle one)

Introduction

Following the sudden increase of interest in anything related to these creatures, I thought it would be good to provide you with the essential ingredients that make up a dragon within Tolkien’s own fantasy world.

This “Guide” is meant to present a clear description of what constitutes a dragon in Middle-earth, whilst at the same time providing a “how-to” list on avoiding being burnt to a crisp by one of these creatures – given by Tolkien himself …

‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ – Review

-Smaug has finally arrived!

As promised, here’s a much detailed review of the second installment in ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy. Having seen the film three times so far, I’m able to delve into a bit more detail concerning the workings of the film.