Riddles in the Dark

Join the Tolkien Professor, Dave Kale from the Middle-earth Network and special guests for discussion of the upcoming Hobbit films. Every two weeks, Professor Olsen will apply his intimate familiarity with The Hobbit and Tolkien’s other works to interpretation of evidence released by the production in New Zealand! It’s a not-to-be-missed rare chance to hear The Tolkien Professor talk about Hobbit movie news from a detailed academic standpoint.

Episodes

The Hobbit is often described as a children’s book, chock full of light-hearted humor and ridiculous moments. Will the Hobbit’s now famous humorous characters and scenes survive the transition to epic film? This week Prof. Corey Olsen and Dave Kale discuss one of the funniest and most unusual scenes in all of Tolkien. No, not Tom Bombadil! It’s the three trolls – William, Bert, and Tom.

“Bombur and Buffoonery” – Corey Olsen & Dave Kale

Join co-host Dave Kale for the first Riddles in the Dark Digest episode. We review the first two topics and prediction questions, focused on Thráin and Thror. We tell you more about our prediction game analysts and present their predictions and analysis. Finally, we also address some questions and feedback from listeners.

RITD Digest #1 – Dave Kale

Prof. Corey Olsen and Dave Kale finally get to the heart of the matter and discuss Thorin Oakenshield. They talk about his different portrayals across Tolkien’s various works, his testy relationship with Gandalf, his rivalry with Bilbo over the leadership of the group, and how the filmmakers may craft his story arc and character development. Finally, they zero in on one specific moment: will the filmmakers preserve Thorin’s early capture by the elves of Mirkwood, or will they add him to the battle with the spiders?

“Thorin Oakenshield” – Corey Olsen & Dave Kale

Keep listening in the archive of Episodes