We are happy to share with you our complete coverage of the happenings at Comic-Con 2013! Check out…
Continue ReadingWe are happy to share with you our complete coverage of the happenings at Comic-Con 2013! Check out the video series below!
Meet The Hobbit Artists
Meet several of the artists who worked on The Hobbit and learn more about what they’re up to, along with several other talented folks at Weta, including Greg Broadmore and the comedic antics of Daniel Falconer! [Happy Hobbit Goes to SDCC: Meet the Hobbit Artists]
Join Kili, Fili, and several surprise guests to learn how to camp like a Dwarf! [Happy Hobbit: Dwarven Camping Tips – Episode 21]
Red Carpet is steadily adding new locations into its tours in the light of the new Hobbit movie, says director Vic James.
“We’re pretty excited because since the Unexpected Journey came out, we’ve been able to add new sites and new people,” James says. “We visit landowners and check out new locations on a regular basis, as information and invitations come to hand.
“The Premiere Tour last November was the first to visit some of the new places and when the time is right for further landowners to allow visits, we will add them in.”
The north island leg of the tour includes, as before, Hobbiton and the central volcanic plateau that served as Mt Doom. A new feature are some rapids where the dwarves’ more hair-raising barrel-riding scenes were filmed.
The ‘top’ of the South Island is a beautiful addition to the tour, James says. Nelson, with its sunny bay ringed by mountains, is reached by a ferry cruise through the beautiful fjords of Marlborough Sounds. There’s a stop along the way at Pelorus Bridge, scene of Bilbo and the dwarves’ barrel-riding adventures.
Red Carpet’s LOTR tours always include visits to extras, artisans, actors and crew members for the films. Halfdan Hansen, son of the real-life Ringmaker for LOTR, has his studio in Nelson and has created a new version of the Ring, invisibly weighted with some denser metal so that it lies strangely heavy on the palm of the hand.
In Nelson there is also the option to take a two-and-a-half hour helicopter flight to Dimrill Dale and South of Rivendell. The flights have been a huge success with tour guests.
To accommodate the extra locations, tours are now 14 days duration. People can also choose to join the North Island 6 day or the South Island 10 day options. “It’s a long way to come to not see it all,” James says.
Finally, collect one of the most instantly recognizable and iconic buildings of The Lord of the Rings trilogy: The Tower of Orthanc! Build all 6 highly detailed floors filled with fascinating movie-related details including the attic, library, alchemy room, Saruman’s throne room, entrance hall and dungeon. This exclusive model stars in some of the most iconic scenes from The Lord of the Rings movies. Swoop down with the Great Eagle and rescue stranded Gandalf the Grey from his tower-top prison after his defeat at the hands of the white wizard, Saruman. Build the powerful, tree-like Ent, with poseable limbs and cool swinging arm function, then attack the Uruk-hai and Orc Pitmaster while Saruman and his servant Grima Wormtongue take refuge high in the tower. The Tower of Orthanc is a must-have model for any The Lord of the Rings collection! Includes a Great Eagle, buildable Ent figure and 5 minifigures with weapons: Saruman with kirtle outfit, Grima Wormtongue, Gandalf the Grey, an Uruk-hai and the Orc Pitmaster.
Follow the break for some amazing official imagery and full product details. [Shop LEGO Today!]
(10237) Tower of Orthanc
Ages 14+. 2,359 pieces.
Build the The Lord of the Rings™ trilogy must-have model!
US $199.99 CA $249.99 DE 199.99€ UK 169.99 £ DK 1699.00 DKK
Available for sale directly through LEGO® beginning July 2013! Build your Hobbit and LOTR Collection today. [Shop LEGO Today!]
“…in the first days of the North Kingdom , they built a great watch-tower on Weathertop, Amon Sul they called it. It was burned and broken, and nothing remains of it now but a tumbled ring, like a rough crown on the old hill’s head. Yet once it was tall and fair. It is told that Elendil stood there watching for the coming of Gil-Galad out of the West, in the days of the Last Alliance.”
The Attack on Weathertop set with its 430 piece count, is a relatively easy build compared to some of the other larger sets like LEGO’s The Mines of Moria and the massive Helm’s Deep set, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. The bigger sets require a larger time commitment and sometimes it is nice to actually finish a set within a day. To watch Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies and witness Middle-earth come alive is a life long dream for most Tolkien fans, but to actually be able to hold or construct a piece of Middle-earth with your own hands is an incredible feeling.
Continue reading “Product Review: LEGO® The Lord of the Rings “Attack on Weathertop””
‘It is said that the Hornburg has never fallen to assault,’ said Theoden; ‘but now my heart is doubtful. The world changes, and all that once was strong now proves unsure. How shall any tower withstand such numbers and such reckless hate? — From Helm’s Deep, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
It is impossible to even say, “The Battle of Helm’s Deep” aloud without conjuring images from Peter Jackson’s incredible cinematic visuals of mayhem and battle. It was a complex bit of filmmaking on a long, cold, wet shoot that rem
ains legendary among stuntees and actors. Put it on your home theater and viewers cannot turn away.
LEGO faced the daunting task of bringing that movie sequence to life in a toy in a way that would be true to the film, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and yet work as a play set. The result is a massive set that retails at about $130 but can be located around $100 a lot of places including Amazon. (Toys-R-Us actually marks it higher online than in stores!) There is also a Urak-Hai Army companion set for around $30 that looks pretty cool on the store shelf but is not part of this review. Continue reading “Product review: LEGO Battle of Helm’s Deep set”
