Hard as it is to imagine the phrases “Dark Lord” and “lasciviously dancing” in the same sentence, in another world (or Middle-earth), Sauron might’ve been a Mick Jagger type. In his thrall, the “femme fatale” wizard Saruman would’ve initiated a seduction...of Gandalf, to be precise.

This was director John Boorman’s vision for his three-hour-long The Lord of the Rings movie. Yes, singular. Around 1970, United Artists — which owned the film rights to J R R Tolkien’s trilogy — asked him to helm an adaptation. Over six months, he and Italian architect Rospo Pallenberg, who was looking to break into the movies, drafted a map of Middle Earth and in-depth character analyses, broke down scenes, and devised solutions to special-effects problems in a pre-CGI world. (To miniaturize the Hobbits, they figured, they’d cast 10-year-olds, give them facial hair and get adult men to dub over their voices.)

“We had devised an almost-unmakeable script,” wrote Boorman in his memoir. And by the time they submitted it, the setback-beset studio had neither the interest nor funds. Instead, his ideas and imagery eventually made their way into his medieval epic Excalibur (1981), which condenses the life and legend of King Arthur (Nigel Terry) into two-plus hours of swords and sorcery in the Dark Ages. With a 4K UHD Blu-ray now out, there’s no better time to revisit Camelot.

Read our full review here.

Texas generosity and charm is unlike any other, but where you choose to crash can make all the difference between a bland stay and experiencing true southern hospitality.

Stays at Sentral East Austin 1630 are the real deal. Check into apartment suites of all sizes, featuring full kitchens with space to spread out. Then check out a wide range of in-building extras, like Love Bubble Tea for boba and the Small World Goods shop for items you won’t find anywhere else. The baristas at Klerje Coffee have your morning ritual covered, while the Olde Soul Barbershop is a convenient grooming go-to. Remote work stations are available when you need them and, at night, the courtyard fire pit is the perfect place for Lone Star-style stargazing.