Category Archives: movies

Gandalf has a blog

Posted on January 16, 2020 by

Starting in 1999 with his casting as Gandalf and continuing through 2003, Ian McKellan wrote a blog called The Grey Book about his experiences starring in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. If you are a fan, you’ll find … Continue reading →

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Science Fiction Day

Posted on January 2, 2020 by

Even if you are one of those readers who claim that they don’t like science fiction, it’s more than likely that there are some works in the genre that you have appreciated and enjoyed. When it comes to science fiction … Continue reading →

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Happy Public Domain Day

Posted on January 1, 2020 by

On January 1, 2020, works from 1924 will enter the US public domain, where they will be free for all to use and build upon, without permission or fee. These works include George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, silent films by … Continue reading →

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New Zealand : Littlest Free Library

Posted on November 20, 2019 by

If you are familiar with the BBC television series Top of the Lake, you may also know that much of the outdoor shoots were in and around the tiny New Zealand village of Glenorchy. The mountain community quite literally sits at the … Continue reading →

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There and back again

Posted on July 30, 2019 by

I’m in the midst of planning a road trip around New Zealand for later this year and was exploring Lord of the Rings and Hobbit related film sites. In the process, I stumbled upon these wonderful cross section drawings of Bag End—the ancestral home … Continue reading →

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There and back again (again)

Posted on January 12, 2019 by

Last year I posted a story about the Oxford Bodleian Library once-in-a-lifetime exhibition Tolkien: Maker of Middle Earth, which was the most extensive public display of original Tolkien materials ever gathered in one place. This week I was dead chuffed to discover … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Art, Books, Libraries, Maps, movies, Museums, Photography, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Isn’t all of Britain fictional

Posted on January 10, 2019 by

Fake Britain is a marvelous map to more than 400 fictional locations in England, Scotland and Wales featuring made-up towns, villages, castles, islands, and more. Created by Matt Brown and Rhys B. Davis, the map draws from films, television and books. … Continue reading →

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Yes! We Have No Bananas

Posted on January 2, 2019 by

Unlike most civilized nations the United States does not deem a work to be in the public domain according to who created it (i.e. established by the death date of its creator), but rather when it was published. As you may know, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Film, Freedom of Speech, History, movies, Museums, Music, Photography, Theater, USA, Writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

William S. Burroughs gets spooky

Posted on October 31, 2018 by

The Witches or Witchcraft Through the Ages, or Häxan, is a Swedish-Danish film that is a curious and groundbreaking mix of documentary and silent horror cinema, written and directed by Benjamin Christensen. Christensen’s vision was unique, basing his film on non-fiction works, mainly the Malleus … Continue reading →

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Books Are Sharks

Posted on July 3, 2018 by

“We were talking about The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which was something which resembled an iPad, long before it appeared. And I said when something like that happens, it’s going to be the death of the book. Douglas said, … Continue reading →

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