Monster Poll

[Merry]

I think we've read about that reenactment--was it in Poland? We'd be glad for a thorough account, Mithrennaith.

Great signature quote, by the way!

[Mithrennaith]

No, this is nothing to do with Poland - we've formed an acting group in the Dutch Tolkien Society Unquendor, and one of Unquendor's founder members, who is a professional author and translator, has made a play out of Children of Húrin. For lack of actors we are at present only working on two acts - mainly the events in Brethil - and we are only makng slow progress. We're meeting once or twice a month now, rehearsing scenes, tuning staging, still trying to learn our texts by heart, discussing what costumes and props will be necessary - and how to get them at low cost. For this is very much a very low budget amateur production. We still haven't the slightest idea when, where and for what audience we will stage it (although as to audience, that will probably be Unquendor and friends - license unlikely to be obtained).

[Iolanthe]

That sounds like tremendous fun . How great to play a dragon!

I voted for Glaurung too - I think dragons are terrifying (check out my nightmare painting of Glaurung in Nargothrond to see why I voted for him). But Ungolient and the Balrog are still neck and neck (or should that be leg and wing ) front runners.

[Kirill Leonov]

Carcharoth rockz

My sister has a large polar fox plushie named Carcharoth. She usually pronounces the name the German way because that's easier, though.

I had to give a report on a book in English class once and chose the Silmarillion, and presented the tale of Beren and Lúthien as an "example", and I practised the pronounciation of Carcharoth's name in particular beforehand. (That was March 1st 2002 btw - I remember the date because it was Aragorn's birthday, and the year because it was just after FotR had coem out)

[Philipa]

Carcharoth rockz

My sister has a large polar fox plushie named Carcharoth. She usually pronounces the name the German way because that's easier, though.

Now I wonder if I'm saying it right myself. I would suppose it is pronounced Car-ca-roth would you think?

[Kirill Leonov]

The ch is supposed to sound like the rough ch in German, according to... Unfinished Tales, wasn't it? And roll the r.

[Meliel]

I chose the balrog.
When I was maybe seven years old, my mom read to me the part where the fellowship encounters the balrog. I tried to imagine what the balrog would look like, but I couldn't even imagine the scariness of that thing. My eyes were bugging out of my head the whole time.

Then I saw the balrog in the movie, and I remember being scared out of my wits. It gave me nightmares (and still does. )

Every now and then I think about how scared Frodo was when he saw it.

[Merry]

It looks like the Balrog is winning the poll, Meliel, so you made a good choice--although how anyone could vote for anything else when there are spiders to vote for is beyond me!

Tolkien's imagination still amazes me. I think we've all had your experience, Meliel, of wondering what the Balrog looked like. The word picture of 'a shadow and a flame' gives us the feeling, but not quite a picture. In the movie, I think the look of fear of the faces of the members of the Fellowship tells us more than the actual appearance of the Balrog: 'What new devilry is this?' or something like that. Great line! For I suppose Tolkien was trying to tell us that this was some kind of demon, right?

[Philipa]

I chose the balrog.

Then I saw the balrog in the movie, and I remember being scared out of my wits. It gave me nightmares (and still does. )

That creature was really scary I can agree. And the weta crew really brought it to life.

[shieldmaiden]

I chose "other". IMHO as Melkor and his follower Sauron are the personification of evil, they would trump all others.

[MICHKA]

j'ai choisi le guetteur parce qu'il est vraiment terrifiant avec ses tentacules, pire que le calamar géant de Jules Verne :''20000lieues sous les mers'' de Walt Disney; son aspect gluant et son énorme gueule font toujours peur à mes petits enfants