I will admit it: I had my doubts about “The Lord of the Rings.”
I was a kid. I saw the trailer for the first film in theaters and rolled my eyes. I had never read the books. I had never even heard of J.R.R. Tolkien.
But my opinion changed very quickly when my family rented the first film to watch right before we saw “The Two Towers” in theaters (that’s right—I didn’t even see the first film in theaters). Very suddenly, Middle Earth was a place that I loved and wanted to be a part of.
I wanted to take that journey with Frodo and meet elves in Rivendell and talk with Ents in Fangorn Forest. I read the books shortly after that. And then I read “The Hobbit,” the story that spawned the quest to return the One Ring to the fires of Mordor, and then those movies came out, and the cycle continued…
The point is—it’s not difficult to get lost in Middle Earth. There is so much to get wrapped up in, whether the quaint hobbit holes of the Shire, the Misty Mountains, Rivendell or Mordor itself.
The universe that Tolkien created is rich and epic and captures the hearts of more than just fantasy lovers—because it’s more than just a fantasy world. It’s an opportunity to grapple with evil and fight for good, and it’s a journey into lands foreign even to ardent travelers. It’s a glimpse into a world that struggles to remain close to nature and maintain its innocence in a war-torn, chaotic era, a theme that rings true today.
That’s the beauty of Middle Earth. Even though we focus on the hobbits and wizards and orcs and other mythical things that we don’t get to see in our own world, at the end of the day, there are still humans abiding in the midst of this magic. We can still plant ourselves in Middle Earth’s tales and feel like we belong.
No wonder the Tolkien universe is so beloved. And no wonder there are movie marathons held in his honor.
This month, Midtown Cinema will host its first “Middle Earth Marathon”—more than 20 hours that fit neatly into a single day. It won’t be the first time this task has been attempted, and it won’t be the last. Marathons go ever on, and this day celebrating Tolkien will join the ranks of marathons that have crossed Midtown Cinema’s threshold, including a Harry Potter marathon and slasher film lock-in. There is nothing more effective than a movie marathon in getting a group of like-minded people together and excited about revisiting their favorite stories.
In the end, it’s only a passing thing—every movie marathon must pass, and a new day will come. But there’s something about Tolkien’s stories that stay with you. They mean something. The commitment is arduous, but the result is getting that ring to Mordor.
“The Middle Earth Marathon” takes place Nov. 18, beginning at midnight, at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. Arrival starts Nov. 17 at 10:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.
MIDTOWN CINEMA
NOVEMBER EVENTS
www.midtowncinema.com
Hola Mexico Festival
Oct. 27-Nov. 2
Down in Front! Presents:
TBA
Friday, Nov. 10, 9:30 p.m.
Middle Earth Marathon
Saturday, Nov. 18, 12 a.m.
(Arrival starts at 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 17)
Moviate Presents
Stephen Broomer’s “Potamkin” on 16mm
Sunday, Nov. 26, 7 p.m.
