Ringers: Lord of the Fans is a 2005 documentary film investigating the growth of the Tolkien fandom all the way from the release of The Hobbit book by J. R. R. Tolkien in 1937 to Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003).
| Ringers: Lord of the Fans | |
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| Directed by | Carlene Cordova |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | The cast of the Jackson films and various fans |
| Narrated by | Dominic Monaghan |
| Cinematography | Josh Mandel |
| Edited by | Arnaud Gerardy, John Welch |
| Music by | Robin DiMaggio |
| Distributed by | Stormcrow Entertainment, Previous: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film tells about the early days of the Tolkien fandom when it was part of the hippie culture and influenced many people in the pop world, some of whom became famous and are interviewed, including David Carradine, and Lemmy of Motörhead. Ringers includes Leonard Nimoy (Spock in Star Trek) performing "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins."
The Mythopoeic Society and the Tolkien Society are mentioned. The film also tells the story of the cartoon version of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings animated films. The success of the Peter Jackson films is described through interviews with Jackson and the stars of the trilogy.
The film is narrated by Dominic Monaghan.[1]
Awards
editRingers: Lord of the Fans won the award for Outstanding Achievement in a Documentary at the 2005 Newport Beach Film Festival and was nominated for Best DVD Release at the 2006 Saturn Awards.[2][3]
References
edit- ^ About the Film: Very funny yet often moving, RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS shows the hidden power behind J.R.R. Tolkien’s stories — how after 50 years a single literary work continues to spark the minds and hearts of millions. This comedic documentary explores the real foundations of Middle-earth: a community of true fans who share a common bond. Moving past cult classic and through several generations, the most devoted Ringers have stepped forward to confess on camera: including legendary rock stars, authors, actors, academics, filmmakers, and a plethora of pop junkies. RINGERS spent 16 months shooting on three continents and was produced in association with the popular Tolkien fan-site TheOneRing.net. RINGERS stands as the most comprehensive film document of “The Lord of the Rings’” ongoing fandom. Frodo Lives!CAST Narrated by Dominic Monaghan, with interviews from: Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Andy Serkis, John Rhys-Davies, Barrie Osborne, Clive Barker, Cameron Crowe, David Carradine, Terry Pratchett, Peter S. Beagle, Terry Brooks, Lemmy Kilmister, Geddy Lee, Chris Gore, Forrest J. Ackerman, Bill Mumy, Colleen Doran, Jill Thompson, and hundreds of Tolkien fans!
- ^ 2005 Newport Beach Festival (accessed: 2018-02-24)
- ^ 2006 Saturn Awards (accessed: 2018-02-24)