Gorgeous Sepia Thorin Poster + New Vid:RA,etc Presenting at Aria Awards + *Smoldering* Audio Interview Causes JT to JP Flashbacks(see link) + New Message From RA:Thanks to Richardarmitagenet & Richardarmitageonline(See links below) + Red Carpet Interview + Extracts from 'The Knights of Middle Earth' + Richard Armitage is Thorin:THE HOBBIT Premiere Happenings

http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/hobbit-interview-martin-freeman-video-5246704

Words/terms you'll hear during following audio interview:  *smoldering, sex symbol and last but not least "sexy rough"...

http://zmonline.com/player/ondemand/listen-drive-richard-armitage

NEWS: Message from Thorin..err..that is, Richard Armitage;) 

Our fav actor sent a new message of thanks to fans via Annette at:

www.RichardArmitageOnline.com

It was graciously passed along by Ali at:

www.RichardArmitageNet.com

Message from Richard Armitage, 28th November 2012

Dear Friends,

So I am sitting in my hotel room from which I can see a very long red carpet and The Embassy Theatre. I am nervous, excited and quite emotional, the day has arrived when we can finally present our work for everyone to hopefully enjoy.

I wanted to say thank you for the continuing support that I receive from everyone who visits Annette's brilliant site, and those others which have popped up over the last few years and months. It means so much to me to have that support. I truly hope you all enjoy The Hobbit, I tried to respect the responsibility that taking on this role presented to me, my fellow cast members are all spectacular in the story and we send out our work to you in the hope that you can take your friends and family to see a great event in the cinema.

I look forward to saying thank you, at the various premiers over the next few weeks.

See you on the Red Carpet.

Much love
Richard

fumblingly sent from my iPad

I so cannot wait until Thorin bursts onto screens on Dec 14.  Primary reason is because then most entertainment reporters will no longer focus solely on former stars, when our fav actor's brain is there for the plucking of insightful comments;D  I know you agree with that statement.



Immediately after viewing Captain America with my two fav men in the world, I made a date with both of them to return on Dec 14 to see The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey.  Neither of them had shown previous interest in LOTR and were amused at my suggestion.

Yesterday, one of Mr Ricrar’s monthly magazines arrived and he seemed surprised to find on the cover the headline “The Knights of Middle Earth” In fact, he admitted to me that he really didn’t realize what a phenomenon the new Tolkien film represented until seeing that cover.

Here are a few extracts from the article written by Stratford Caldecott, director of Second Spring Oxford:
--Based on JRR Tolkien’s classic novels, the films depart from the original storyline in significant details, but go to great lengths to respect the author’s vision of Middle-earth -- a world of great natural beauty and intense moral drama,set in the distant past.
--Many will argue that translating such a story from book into film, no matter how impressive the result, is a mistake.  A movie presents the audience with the filmmakers’ visualization, not the author’s or the reader’s.  Conversely, reading or listening to a story engages the imagination at a deeper level than watching it on screen.  Yet if a film had to be made, we should be grateful that efforts have been made to remain faithful to the spirit and texture of Tolkien’s stories.
--..Born in 1892, the author was a devout Catholic who grew up under the influence of John Henry Newman’s Oratory in Birmingham, England.  …busy life as an Oxford professor and popular writer… His eldest son became a Catholic priest.  The stories that Tolkien wrote were more than entertainment; they were written to express a profound Christian wisdom.
--that wisdom can pop out at readers in unexpected ways, but most often it simply sinks in at a deep level without distracting our attention from the story.
--…We see both in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings a learning process that Tolkien called “the ennoblement of the humble,” which he believed was an important theme of his writing as a whole.  In both novels, the hobbit heroes are lifted from the narrow, comfortable world of the Shire into a much vaster landscape to play key roles in battles that decide the fate of Middle-earth.  **This was a process that Tolkien observed among the soldiers he fought beside in the Battle of the Somme, in World War I.
--…Tolkien wove the idea of “nobility of soul” very deeply into his mythology…
--The “chivalry” that reveals this nobility is shown in behavior towards others, such as kindness and mercy..
--The knights of Middle-earth defend the weak from their oppressors and remain faithful to friends…
--…they learn to submit to discipline and overcome their fear to achieve great deeds without hope of reward--just because it is the right thing to do.  This is Tolkien’s challenge to us: to become, in our own way, the Knights of Middle-Earth.

http://feature.yahoo.co.jp/movies/hobbit/

Photos:Thorin's Stylish Return to Middle Earth;D + RAcycled Leather?(See poll & pics) + New THE HOBBIT VidBlog:#9 from Director Peter Jackson + Thorin the Point Man(my view;) on Air NZ Hobbit Aircraft + New Photo from Spanish Mag(see link to interview translation) + New Richard Armitage, The Hobbit Interview

• 

A new photo taken at NZ airport yesterday, triggered the thought of the possibility of some recycled former chaRActer wardrobe items? e.g. the leather jacket--might it be one of the following looking even better than in past production?;D

What's your opinion?(see poll)  

Lucas North posing as courier in Spooks8..

John Porter's leather jacket in Strike Back:

Biker Ricky Deeming:

The Photo:

Is below the same denim shirt as above? (See poll)

Excerpt from yet another interview. Translation provided at 

www.richrdarmitageonline.com website:

QUESTION: What did you do during the casting process to impress Peter Jackson..in getting the role of Thorin Oakenshield?

REPLY:..The scene I had to play had been specially written for the casting. It was extremely

 well crafted since it showed different aspects of Thorin's

qualities to explain what the story would be like. I had the chance to spend about two hours

with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens to perform the whole scene for the first

time after which I did it a second time when they gave me some new information. As it turns

out, the day we met I'd finished shooting a show and had hurt my back pretty badly during a

stunt that very morning! Since the bruising was extremely painful I had had to take a strong

dose of pills to put up with it and be able to attend the audition. In retrospect, I tell myself

that the way I had to deal with my pain that day brought me closer to Thorin, who had to

internalise very painful aspects of his life. Things went really well with Peter, Fran and

Philippa in that little room that day. They liked what I did and they chose me, which was a

real surprise..never expected to be picked to play a warrior dwarf!

[laughs.]

What are Thorin's defects and qualities? And what's his relationship like with his nephews

Fili and Kili and with the rest of the Dwarves and Bilbo?

Thorin is a truly interesting character. When he's introduced in the film, we learn he's

carrying a very heavy burden on his shoulders. He's Prince of the Kingdom of Durin and must

avenge the disappearance and death of his grandfather and his father, the King. His mission

is to recover his kingdom. He has got very little time to accomplish this huge task and this

great responsibility rests only on his shoulders. If he fails and dies, his family's entire royal

bloodline will be dispossessed forever and disappear with him. The vital importance of his

mission and the tension it creates in him has repercussions with his relationship with the

other characters. When Gandalf asks him to let Bilbo join the team he's gathered, Thorin's

furious because he thinks the Hobbit will be the weakest link of the group and will put

everyone at risk. If Bilbo is a source of anxiety, irritation and animosity at the beginning of

the journey, the rapport between Thorin and him will evolve in a positive way over the

three films until they get to trust and respect each other. As regards his personal story,

Thorin became Thorin Oakenshield after fighting bravely by his late uncle's side. After their

father's death, Thorin's nephews Kili and Fili have grown very attached to him and,

therefore, Thorin has become their paternal role model. Likewise, Thorin's very fond of Kili

and Fili. He knows they've never been to the mountains, that they've never fought against a

dragon or seen their homeland after Durin's people were chased away, but he's indulgent

with them. The way his nephews view the unfolding of the journey is very optimistic and

innocent. Thorin will therefore protect them during this quest and watch over them to makesure their integration to the group of warriors is a smooth one and that they can help

recover that which is theirs: their family's kingdom.

QUESTION:Considering your character has also got a kingdom to recover, could it be said Thorin is

“the Aragorn of the dwarf people” in The Hobbit?

REPLY: There is indeed this similarity between both characters, but Thorin is a lot tougher than

Aragorn. He's cantankerous and often cross... I found this characteristic interesting and, at

the beginning, it was a bit hard for me to determine where it sprang from. I'd say this surly

and aggressive side is something all the warrior dwarves share, but Thorin, on top of that,

can't stand the thought that he's been stripped of his kingdom in such a violent way. In

addition, he's suffered the loss of his rank in the dwarf society, going from the privileged

status of a royal family member to that of a wandering warrior. He's ashamed of such a

decline... He believes that if he confides in anyone, he'll be robbed. That's why he refuses to

reveal to anyone the details of his quest and never shows them the itinerary he's drawn on

his map. At first, Thorin also displays rather nasty behaviour.

..Armitage, who is doing the interview while in New York at the height of Hurricane Sandy – "I haven't got any power or water but I've got a phone line" – is best known to Kiwis for his risk-taking heroic roles in television's Spooks and Strike Back. He's done a small number of movies, including a part in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Armitage first heard about The Hobbit after Sir Peter Jackson contacted the actor's agent. Jackson asked if Armitage could read for the part of Thorin. "I thought, first of all, I'm six foot two [1.8 metres] and Thorin's an old guy. Maybe they want me to read it for a general audition.

"But then when I read what they'd done with the audition speech I realised that they were looking for something quite different. They needed someone who could play a warrior, who could play a young Thorin and old Thorin and also to bring the idea of somebody who could return to his full potential to become a king. That's when I sat down with Peter and we talked through the journey and the arc of the character – and then they offered it to me. I had to pick myself up off the floor."

When Armitage arrived in New Zealand it was his first visit – he hadn't even visited Australia – and there were six weeks of dwarf "boot camp" before the cameras rolled. "But the weird thing about going to New Zealand is that I have never travelled so far from home and felt more at home. If felt so familiar to me.

INTERVIEW: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/7985809/Richard-Armitage-the-warrior-dwarf

Sir Guy shares some Thorin character qualities - they both felt their families received unjust treatment with loss of ancestral lands.  Both are growling machines extraordinaire.  The actor playing Thorin mentioned in the past that Sir Guy felt himself "quite majestic" and of course, Thorin is King under the Mountain.

Today's high budget films need every type of excitement they can possibly attract in order to warrant their high production costs and render profit.  Therefore without further ado;D..

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2012 + Hobbit Premieres Schedule + Rolling Stone Mag Hobbit Cover + 7 Min "Unexpected" Hobbit Trailer + Thanks to RAnet(see link below) for Sunday Times THE HOBBIT Spread + North & South Revisited Prior to Thunderous Thorin Enters..stage right + Wellington,NZ THE HOBBIT Plans (see link) Stars Two Hour Walk Down Red Carpet to Embassy Theatre

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2012

RA's Hobbit premiere schedule tweeted by:

RichardArmitageNet ‏@RAnetdotcom

Busy schedule for Richard Armitage: NZ 28 Nov, Tokyo 1 Dec, Toronto 3 Dec, NY 6 Dec, UK 12 Dec

North and South revisited before a burly, barking dwarf overwhelms the day. John Thornton, a role that set the leading man actor on the road to international stardom:

Sincere Thanks to http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/filmography/Hobbit/SundayTimes-18Nov12.jpg  for the following:

Read about the countdown clock and other preps for Nov 28:

http://www.3news.co.nz/Official-countdown-to-Hobbit-premiere-begins/tabid/309/articleID/271883/Default.aspx

http://www.cinemaxx.de/Site/Content/Livestream/126

http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2012/downton-abbey-revisited/

https://www.google.com/search?q=family+tree+selston+nottinghamshire+to+pennsylvania+usa&oq=family+tree+selston+nottinghamshire+to+pennsylvania+usa&aqs=chrome.0.57.16916&sugexp=chrome,mod=1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Denny's HOBBIT Menu + New Hobbit Trailer + See Interview Tweets + MOVING ON,Part 1 + Warner Bros Mentions Hobbit Actors for Oscar Consideration INCLUDING Richard Armitage for Best Supporting Actor..WooHoo! + Dwarves Food Fights in The Hobbit:Unexpected Journey..What Training Did Their Leader Experience for the Activity?

This world is but a canvas to our imagination.

                                  ~Henry David Thoreau

Couple tweets on Nov 16 by UK's FAULT Mag..

FAULT Magazine ‏@FAULTMagazine

#RichardArmitage interview done and dusted. What a guy! Looking forward to FAULT Issue 13!

FAULT Magazine ‏@FAULTMagazine

Excited to be speaking to #TheHobbit star #RichardArmitage today! Hoping for an awesome interview to go alongside a one of a kind shoot!

Thanks to Musa, here's a Leicester Sq, London webcam--might come in handy for The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey premiere..

http://markmeets.com/#/twilight-film-premiere-stream/4570926433

Quote: When I judge art, I take my painting and put it next to a God made object like a tree or flower. If it clashes, it is not art.

~Paul Cezanne

John Mulligan toasts the good life..well,,,not really good considering he was a drug-pushing scalawag with laser-like focus on a future feast..

Feast for the eyes provided to the hard-working makeup artist..

THE HOBBIT NEWS: Oscar Suggestions from WARNER BROS:

http://news.mymiddleearth.com/2012/11/12/for-your-consideration-the-hobbit-vies-for-oscars/

John Thornton planned a lavish dinner party--did the fact Margaret Hale would attend have anything to do with his insistance the family tradition must continue?

Denny's HOBBIT Menu..

Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.

                                       ~Dorothea Lange

Hobbit ALERT:Cast on NBC 11/28 + See Theatre Lobby Poster + Richard Armitage is Thorin in The Hobbit

Theatre Lobby Poster:Thorin seems to get top-billing..can't imagine why:D

Years ago an RA fan suggested best caption for below pic:) 

Lucas:"I cannot believe Ros is ogling shirtless pix of me."

Lyrics for above song: "Coast caressed warm wave. I was silent and waiting for something at the pier.

I knelt in front of destiny. I begged love, but could not hold her back.

If someone had lured her away from me. Love flew away like a bird.

She took my heart.

Without your love the sky darkened. If you remember me, call me.

I need nothing if you do not. Your heart does not love me, why did you kill my bright world.

You did not tell me goodbye. You flew away like a bird and took my heart"...Vladivostok2009

Alistair Cooke's 'Letters From America': Listen or download..
http://www.theworld.org/2012/11/alistair-cookes-letters-from-america-go-online/

New Hobbit TV Spot + The Hobbit Action Figures + Thorin or Guy of Gisborne? Which Would Win a Swordfight?

Was asked about 18mos ago what Thorin might look like--my lame prediction;D

Article Excerpt(see link to entire article):

Part of bringing the Dwarves to the screen meant finding unique characters for every single one: Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dori, Ori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur and their leader, Thorin Oakenshield, played by Richard Armitage.

"Thorin is very much an anti-hero in some respects," says Jackson, "He's become so obsessed with what he believes to be the right thing that he crosses a boundary in a way." 

"The real height of Thorin is five-foot-two," says Armitage who will be digitally reduced for the final film, "so actually he's not really that short… They put lifts in my shoes because they wanted Thorin to be half an inch taller than Dwalin, so actually they made me slightly taller. But what's really crazy about it is that when you've got all the gear on, the padding, the costume, you feel bigger than your real self, so mentally, I've been walking around for the last year as a bigger version of [myself]."

Not unlike the One Ring, there's an object that Thorin craves from Smaug's hoard called the Arkenstone, a gem that, if he can recover it, will signify his right to rule amongst his people. 

"The Arkenstone is certainly something which he covets and craves," Armitage explains, "and he knows that without that gem, he can never truly be king… I think the burden of taking his people back to their homeland, which is so massive, makes him a lonely figure. Knowing that his grandfather failed and his father failed. If he doesn't do it, there's no other member of his line that will ever do this."

  http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=96114

//www.justwink.com/personalize/3337428