Media previews

[Alatar]

I'm sometimes scornful about Colbert as thr supposed ultimate Tolkien expert

Why?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Because I'm a snob.

[Stranger Wings]

Come on, cut him some slack. For a mainstream public figure, his knowledge of Tolkien is relatively deep. Not everyone can compete with this place!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I'm a huge fan of Steven Colbert. Have been for many years, since before he had his own show, when he was a correspondent on The Daily Show.

[Stranger Wings]

I'm a huge fan of Steven Colbert. Have been for many years, since before he had his own show, when he was a correspondent on The Daily Show.

I dated myself to some youngsters the other day on this. "I remember back when Colbert was just one of many correspondents on the Daily Show." Their response? "Did you walk uphill both ways in the snow to get to the pub with the only TV in town to watch it?"

[Eldy]

Not sure if this has been posted yet? I recognize almost all of the quotes from the showrunners and actors from recent interviews that I've read in print form, but I hadn't seen them in video form. Some of the footage here is copied from the trailers, but there are a few new shots as well as some fleeting glimpses of behind-the-scenes stuff.

[Stranger Wings]

Despite the mistakes Amazon may have made with its early marketing, it was all forgiven by me because of the absolutely glorious dwarf masks worn by Durin's guards. These are some of the best visual representations of Tolkien's words that I have yet seen, in either still or moving art.



They are just so incredibly great.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

These?

[Stranger Wings]

These?

Those are orcs (and they are also great).

But no. You see the Durin's guard masks (and this is not the first time - but the clearest) at 0:16. They are escorting Elrond into a room.

I have no idea how to embed images here, so if you don't mind, please this one for all to see. Glorious.

[Eldy]

Another view of the Dwarvish masks:

[Stranger Wings]

Yes, though the ones in this French preview look especially good. If Voronwë can post a screengrab of it, that would be great.

ETA: Figured it out!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Dwarf Masks.png (952.71 KiB) Viewed 2451 times

[Eldy]

There are some helmets that look like they could hold up against dragons on a First Age battlefield!

[Stranger Wings]

Figured out the attachment thing. Ships passing in the night and all that.

And yes, those are the masks I was looking for.

To accompany this great image, I am including one of my favorite bits of text from the Silmarillion:

"Last of all the eastern force to stand firm were the Dwarves of Belegost, and thus they won renown. For the Naugrim withstood fire more hardily than either Elves or Men, and it was their custom moreover to wear great masks in battle hideous to look upon; and those stood them in good stead against the dragons. And but for them Glaurung and his brood would have withered all that was left of the Noldor. But the Naugrim made a circle about him when he assailed them, and even his mighty armour was not full proof against the blows of their great axes; and when in his rage Glaurung turned and struck down Azaghâl, Lord of Belegost, and crawled over him, with his last stroke Azaghâl drove a knife into his belly, and so wounded him that he fled the field, and the beasts of Angband in dismay followed after him. Then the Dwarves raised up the body of Azaghâl and bore it away; and with slow steps they walked behind singing a dirge in deep voices, as it were a funeral pomp in their country, and gave no heed more to their foes; and none dared to stay them."

[Voronwë the Faithful]

That passage -- taken from the Grey Annals as it does not appear in the description of the Fifth Battle that appears in the Narn, which much of that chapter in the published Silmarillion is take from -- represents the culmination of the evolution of the Dwarves from the almost entirely evil creatures in the original Lost Tales to the proud children of Aulë that they ultimately became.

It is interesting to note that Christopher left out one passage in which it is said that the Noldor would have been spared great grief if Azaghâl had borne a sword rather than just a knife.

[Stranger Wings]

That passage -- taken from the Grey Annals as it does not appear in the description of the Fifth Battle that appears in the Narn, which much of that chapter in the published Silmarillion is take from -- represents the culmination of the evolution of the Dwarves from the almost entirely evil creatures in the original Lost Tales to the proud children of Aulë that they ultimately became.

It is interesting to note that Christopher left out one passage in which it is said that the Noldor would have been spared great grief if Azaghâl had borne a sword rather than just a knife.

I've wondered about that omission before. Perhaps Christopher had a soft spot for old Azaghâl, and didn't want anything to sully his heroism in that moment.

Either that or he didn't want readers asking: Why did Azaghâl bring a knife to a Glaurung fight?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

My speculation in AR was that Christopher did not want to spoil the suspense for when he got to Túrin's story.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

We also have at least one shirtless dwarf. And check out the beard on the bald dwarf second from the right!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

[Stranger Wings]

We also have at least one shirtless dwarf. And check out the beard on the bald dwarf second from the right!

Haha! Love it. Nobody can argue with that beard (not even the shirtless drunk dwarf).

JD and Patrick must really like dwarves as everything about them seems so inspired.

I also think I’m going to enjoy this rock contest, with all the dwarf bruisers showing up to it.