lady_branwyn

In Where on Earth was Middle-Earth?, map enthusiast Frank Jacobs discusses research by geology professor Peter Bird (UCLA) about the real locations of places in Middle-Earth. The sea levels have to be lower for all of this to work, or the hobbits would have been swimming to Rivendell.

Most of Tolkien's scholarly output has been superceded by more modern research and translations. However, his lecture "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics" (which has to be one of the best titles of all time--my money is on the monsters) remains an influential work seventy-five years after its publication in 1936.
At that time, critics were more interested in the poem as an historical document than as a work of literature. References to magic and monsters were disparaged as irrelevant interpolations. In his talk, Tolkien champions the supernatural aspects of the story, saying that they are vital to its meaning. He also discusses the mingled elements of Christianity and paganism and the poem's nostalgic view of an heroic past (sound familiar?).
It is interesting that Tolkien's most famous and enduring academic work was published relatively early in his career, before the LOTR required his creative energy. I always wondered what his bosses at Oxford thought when they found out that he was writing a massive work of fiction!

Wikipedia article about "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics"

Text of "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics"

Note: One of the highlights of my undergrad career was finding an excuse to cite Tolkien in a paper. :D

Uberbrickmaster presents Uberlego Minas Tirith Battle Part 1, a scene by scene re-enactment of the movie done using stop-motion animation with Legos. This is so funny yet at the same time so awesome. The animator thanks his friend Stas for lending him so many Legos, lol. Watch for the Harry Potter Lego figure that shows up on the ramparts at 1:11. There are three more videos. Part 3 includes the ride of the Rohirrim at 0:56. He used Viking Lego figures for the Riders which isn't too far off the mark (hee).

From the ladies at Alley Cat Scratch comes

Making Gelatin Ears and Other Prosthetics.

This site is the premier costuming resource for the movie costumes. An extensive range of topics are covered in obsessive detail. Fun reading even if you don't know how to thread a needle.

According to lonelyplanet.com, the best hot chocolate in Zagreb can be found at Tolkien's House, a bar decorated in "in the style of Tolkien's famous books." Here are photos of the sign outside and the interior.

The Last Ring-Bearer, a reimagining of the LOTR by Kyrill Yeskov

History is written by the victors so Kyrill Yeskov (a Russian paleontologist) decided to write the events in "The Lord of the Rings" from the viewpoint of the losers. Some of the heroes are revealed to be less than heroic, and the villains are given a chance to tell their side of the story. The War is driven by economic and political forces that are more complicated than a simple conflict of good versus evil. Written in 1999, the novel was only recently translated into English. The translation was a labor of love by a fan and is a little rough, but its minor deficiencies do not detract from the story. After only a few pages, I was thoroughly hooked on Yeskov's subversive take on the history of MiddleEarth.