Ringer TheHutt was recently at the 2017 Medieval Fantasy Convention in Germany. Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit actors Adam Brown, Sean Astin, Manu Bennett and David Wenham were among the many guests. Read on for TheHutt’s full report!

Medieval Fantasy Convention in Germany: a report from TheHutt

By TheHutt
Photos: Silv
Originally published at Henneth-Annun.ru

Readers following actors from The Hobbit on social networks might have noticed that some of them suddenly started posing with owls in front of picturesque medieval walls. No wonder: the atmosphere of the Castle Burg in the German town of Solingen is quite inviting for taking pictures.

Historical info: Castle Burg (“Schloss Burg”, literally meaning “Castle Castle”) was built in the 12th century by the Count von Berg. It was destroyed in the 14xx’s and then rebuilt in the 19th century. It is situated on a mountain over the river Wupper.

Continue reading “Medieval Fantasy Convention in Germany: a report from TheHutt”

This was one of the surprise pieces at Comic-Con last year and I will say it was one heck of a surprise. A brand new Boromir statue capturing his last moments in battle trying to save Merry and Pippin is quite a powerful piece. I think many will agree this is Boromir’s most heroic moment. Not only does this piece have power and beauty, it is simply fantastic in terms of paint as well as detail. Fans who were at Comic-Con know that this statue doesn’t come alone; it’s meant to be paired with a Lurtz statue (he will be reviewed shortly). Both pieces come with a price tag of $299 and an edition size of 1000 pieces.
Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop’s Boromir at Amon Hen Statue Review”

As I mention in the video, one of the great things about Weta is that they listen to us, the fans, about which statues we want to see. They run polls via the Flame of Udun,  the official Weta forums, which allows fans to chime in with something that means a lot to them and often enough those pieces eventually get made.

The Lady Eowyn of Rohan statue is one of the pieces that we’ve been asking for since The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers came out. This beautiful piece captures Eowyn just after she’s stormed out of the Golden Hall, looking out of Rohan in both frustration as well as sadness. If you’re one of the collectors that has the Eowyn as Dernhelm statue, you have a wonderful bookend set of two very pivotal moments for this character. If you’re looking to add this statue it is currently in-stock in the US and NZ Warehouses. For fans in the EU, it is in pre-order status until they get more in stock. Eowyn is priced at US$275 and has a small edition size of only 750 pieces worldwide.
Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop’s Lady Eowyn of Rohan Statue Review”

Our friends at Weta Workshop have two new items that you just may want to add to your collections. The first is from one of my favorite lines, allowing collectors with limited space a chance to add some of their amazing items. Their mini-statue line is absolutely fantastic, and the next character joining the ranks is Gimli. Fans can add to their collections Gimli after the long battle of Helm’s Deep, letting Legolas know that he killed 43 Uruk-hai. Gimli is currently in-stock and can be yours for $125 (USD). Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop’s Gimli Mini-Statue and Hobbit Hole #16”

Royd Tolkien and his brother Mike visit Hobbiton

Many of you will know that Royd Tolkien, great-grandson of the Professor, is currently in New Zealand. He’s completing a ‘bucket list’ of activities left for him by his brother, Mike, who sadly died from ALS (also known as MND) in 2015. Mike was an adrenaline junkie; Royd, by his own admission, is most definitely not. His brother’s list, therefore, is a challenge for Royd, and will see him facing fears and undertaking all kinds of adventures on his mission – quest – thing…

All Royd’s exploits are being filmed for a documentary, There’s a Hole in my Bucket. You can find out more about it in this video: [click here]. Royd says, “It is a journey of discovery and inspiration,” intended “to remind people how precious and important life is and to make every second count.”

Those of you lucky enough to be in Wellington next week can join Royd on Wednesday, 12 April, at the Roxy Cinema in Miramar. At ‘An Evening with Royd Tolkien‘, you’ll hear him talk about his experiences completing his fifty

Auction item: full orc head prosthetic made by Weta Workshop

challenges (which should mostly be done by next week). You will also have the chance to bid in a fabulous auction, with none other than Jed Brophy as the star auctioneer! Today, Royd announced that one of the amazing items up for grabs is a genuine Weta Workshop full Orc Head prosthetic, made for one of Royd’s challenges (see left). What an amazing addition that would make to any Middle-earth collection! Other auction items include a Gandalf statue signed by Peter Jackson himself, and pieces signed by Richard Taylor.

And the good news is – even if you aren’t in New Zealand, you can still participate in the auction! If you check out the Facebook event page [here] you’ll find an email address for Jodie, the event coordinator. To place an absentee bid on any of the auction items, we’re told you can simply send Jodie an email, and she’ll send you the Absentee Bidding Form, which lists all the auction items, reserve prices, and any the information you may need. If you’re an avid Tolkien collector, an art fan, a wine connoisseur, a foodie, or even a keen sailor, you’ll find something to please on the incredible list of auction items. Check out the event page, contact Jodie, and grab yourself an extraordinary treasure!

The event is a fundraiser for MND New Zealand. Details on how to buy tickets to attend are on the event page. If you’d like to know more about MND New Zealand, or support them, click here.

Be sure to let us know if you attend the event – we’d love to hear all about it!

 

Yesterday it was announced that Sir Ian McKellen will take to the stage this July, in a fundraiser for Park Theatre in London. His new one man show is called ‘Ian McKellen with Shakespeare, Tolkien, Others & You’, and will run July 3rd to 9th 2017. This extraordinary event gives fans the opportunity to see Sir Ian reprise the roles for which he is best known, including, of course, Gandalf; and with some of the extra ‘perks’ on offer, there are even chances to enjoy a glass of wine with Sir Ian, or to act with him. Park Theatre tell us:

‘Come on a journey with multi-award winning, twice Oscar nominated star of stage and screen Sir Ian McKellen, as he takes you through some of the most exciting pages and stages of his fifty years’ acting. Reprising some of his renowned performances, from Gandalf to Macbeth, he will take requests, answer your questions and invite you to act with him. An intimate and unforgettable one man show with one of the world’s finest actors.’

Full details of this exciting show can be found here. It is, not surprisingly, already sold out; but don’t despair! Park Theatre say they ‘may shortly release more tickets’; and there will be £10 tickets available in strictly limited quantities, on the day of each performance. So you may yet be able to spend an evening in such extraordinary company – good luck!