Looking beyond Peter Jackson to...J.R.R. Tolkien

these books provide insights into Tolkien's life and perceptions, as well as his visions of Middle-earth. The only question is, will Steven Spielberg be available to direct? If not, the movie will likely end up some shady cable deal that puts everyone to sleep and forces Tolkien fans to riot in the streets. Who would be cast in the coveted JRRT role? Who would play Christopher? Would the Tolkien family agree to help (probably not)? But the inevitable sales pitches won't stop there. We're surely going to see a wave of movies about cute cuddly little guys who go out to save the world, and then there will be movies about cute cuddly little furr-balls who go out to save THEIR worlds (or, worse, OUR world). They'll all be marketed as the next big thing since "The Lord of the Rings". And you folks thought Frodo-in-a-happy-meal and Gandalf cups were bad, wait until we see hobbit-like toys marching up and down the aisles of Toys'R'Us and Kay*Bee. And the jewelry stores will probably get involved with dancing elf necklaces, palantiri crystal diadems, and stylish Rings of Power (inset with rubies, diamonds, and sapphires -- men will have to buy all three for their wives). When The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were first published, Tolkien became a popular author, but he didn't have any real impact. It wasn't until the campus cult phenomenon of the 1960s, sparked (in part) by ACE Books' unauthorized edition of The Lord of the Rings, that J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle-earth began to take off. Most fantasy novels coming out at that time were Robert E. Howard knockoffs. Within ten years, fantasy authors were turning their eager fingers to Tolkien and spinning off tale after tale inspired by his stories. R.E.H. was relegated to the merchandising machine of L. Sprague de Camp. Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" is bound to vindicate serious fantasy movies in the eyes of the film-making industry. Not since "Conan the Barbarian" has anyone actually tried to produce a serious fantasy movie with the kind of powerhouse budget and special effects that would be required. And I don't include modern fantasy movies with their gremlins and ghosts and ewoks and gargoyles and other traditional creatures. I mean SF/F fantasy, the stuff of science fiction conventions. Tolkien stands to make as much of an impact on the 21st century when it finally arrives as he has had

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic