Spoilers Rings of Power is back!

[TheSword]

I think the crux of the letter - which was written objecting to Zimmerman's proposed movie adaptation of LoTR - is really about the fidelity of any adaptation to the original characters and themes, regardless of media.

Given the obvious parallels between the specific issues which Tolkien raises with regard to the Zimmerman script (here), and the divergent elements in the Jackson adaptation - and far more so in the Amazon adaptation - I think it is fair to surmise that he would have despised the movies, and regarded the TV series as utterly beneath contempt. YMMV, of course.

Honestly, nor do I. I would have settled for a well-written, well-executed, internally consistent story with robust characterization.

But to suggest that Tolkien might have regarded the movies as anything other than lamentable, or the TV show as anything other than risible, does seem to run contrary to what we know of his own sensibilities.

And my point is that fantasy films in the 1970s are not fantasy 50 years later. I pretty much despise fantasy films from the 70’s and I’m a fan of both movies and fantasy.

The letter referred to failed films, but sure extrapolate a person’s entire worldview from a few lines in personal correspondence. You don’t know, but it doesn’t stop people projecting their own views onto his own. Sometimes for pretty gross outcomes.

Like the film/series… don’t like them. Don’t try and claim some additional authority based on speculative claims that Tolkein wouldn’t have.

 

[The Soloist]

I wonder if Tolkien would reverse his dislike of movies if he saw what CGI can do nowadays. I seem to recall he hated movies because costumes and decor in fantasy movies were low-budget.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I wonder if Tolkien would reverse his dislike of movies if he saw what CGI can do nowadays. I seem to recall he hated movies because costumes and decor in fantasy movies were low-budget.

You can’t smoke CGI, so no.

 

[ART!]

Elrond was his pupil. They built the forge together.

Dude, that was a year ago! I've slept at least 100 times since then!

You see lots of episodes with his apprentices.

I already commented on this: yeah, they're there, but he barely interacts with them, and then suddenly when it's basically too late for him they're worried. Like I said, he has no one.

Not sure why that is insufficient.

I can't help you there. It's just not working for me. Luckily Charles Edwards' performance is increasingly selling it.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

The letter referred to failed films, but sure extrapolate a person’s entire worldview from a few lines in personal correspondence. You don’t know, but it doesn’t stop people projecting their own views onto his own. Sometimes for pretty gross outcomes

Like the film/series… don’t like them. Don’t try and claim some additional authority based on speculative claims that Tolkein wouldn’t have.

I'm not projecting my views - I'm surmising what his might have been, based on what he wrote. And given Christopher's reaction to the movies - and his insight into his father's perspective, and desire to protect his father's legacy - I don't really think this is terribly controversial. I'm not trying to distill Tolkien's "entire worldview."

For my part, I enjoyed the Jackson LotR movies immensely. I thought they were well-written, well-directed, well cast, well-acted, well-paced, logically consistent, and demonstrated robust characterization. I think they stand on their own merits, regardless of how closely they cleave to the books.

But his opinion is irrelevant, since he is not the person watching it.

I get what you're saying, but I don't think that trying to maintain fidelity to an author's vision is without merit.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I get what you're saying, but I don't think that trying to maintain fidelity to an author's vision is without merit.

It’s without relevance. The author never set out to write a TV series. (And if he had, it would be terrible, since he didn’t watch TV, and therefore wouldn’t know good TV from a hole in the ground.)

 

[Sepulchrave II]

It’s without relevance. The author never set out to write a TV series. (And if he had, it would be terrible, since he didn’t watch TV, and therefore wouldn’t know good TV from a hole in the ground.)

Relevance to whom? The target audience?

It would seem entirely relevant - given the amount of negative pushback RoP has received.

 

[Zardnaar]

Well latest episode was half decent imho. The plot makes sense, characters are improved almost starting to care about some. It's consistent as well.

Negatives some episodes/scenes are a drag but most of season 1 was like that.

Was fun seeing Pharizun or whatever get thwarted.

I wouldn't call it great or even good. Watchable with the odd good bit. That's an improvement over S1 which was boring.

 

[reelo]

In the episode where Sauron gets backstabbed by the crown, I assumed it was Morgoth's. I wasn't shocked it almost killed Sauron. Made sense to me.

If this is the Iron Crown that held the Silmarils, it would have been used by the Valar to fashion a collar to chain and humble Morgoth after the War of Wrath. So I do not understand how it ended up in the hands of the Orcs. Was the crown "lost" during the War of Wrath? Then where are the 2 Silmarils it still held? Did the Valar retrieve the Silmarils and then just throw the crown away? However you tirn it, it doesn't make sense.

...just the next one in a long list of contradictions to the established canon and another reason I cannot take this series seriously...

 

[Nikosandros]

It’s without relevance. The author never set out to write a TV series. (And if he had, it would be terrible, since he didn’t watch TV, and therefore wouldn’t know good TV from a hole in the ground.)

He was quite the expert on holes in the ground, though (as long as they are not nasty, dirty and wet).