LOTR Details...

[WizarDru]

From what I understand, his beef is that film versions are being made at all. He is apparently of the opinion that the books are literary creations, and should remain that way and have no other form.

Well then, with respect to the Tolkien estate, I'm glad he didn't get a choice in the matter, as I truly love the films. I hope they can reach some concession about the museum.

 

[Dragonblade]

Christopher Tolkien is executor of the estate. He lives in seclusion in France and rarely even goes home to England.

He is extremely possessive of his father's work and doesn't think that they should ever appear in any other medium. He is very concerned about the works being perceived as literary masterpieces and thinks that movies will only dilute their presence. I find this ironic since Tolkien himself never really gave a damn what the snobs of the literary world thought of his books. He didn't write it for them after all. I have also heard that since Christopher helped his father proofread and edit the books that he believes that he is some kind of co-author but is bitter that he has never achieved the recognition he feels he is due.

For the record, Christopher has never seen the movies and refuses to acknowledge them in any way. His grandson Simon (I think thats the right name) publicly embraced the movies when Fellowship came out and attended the premiere in London. For this heinous crime, Christopher refuses to speak with him or even see his great grandchildren and hasn't relented to this day.

Simon was also kicked off the board that manages the Tolkien estate and apparently is even being written out of Christopher's will and won't receive any future royalties related to the estate or any inheritance at all.

I believe the rights to the Hobbit still reside with the Tolkien estate and I don't think they will ever let New Line make the Hobbit as long as Christopher is in charge. They will also never let New Line make a museum with all their props and stuff.

He is a petty, vindictive, and bitter old man. But I will at least say that while I think he is an ass, he has through sheer force of will prevented his family from legally squabbling over and ultimately selling the rights to his father's legacy for money. He has generally done a good job of preserving his father's legacy. But recently, especially in regards to the movies, he has totally gone off the deep end.

 

[Truth Seeker]

Christopher Tolkien is executor of the estate. He lives in seclusion in France and rarely even goes home to England.

He is extremely possessive of his father's work and doesn't think that they should ever appear in any other medium. He is very concerned about the works being perceived as literary masterpieces and thinks that movies will only dilute their presence. I find this ironic since Tolkien himself never really gave a damn what the snobs of the literary world thought of his books. He didn't write it for them after all. I have also heard that since Christopher helped his father proofread and edit the books that he believes that he is some kind of co-author but is bitter that he has never achieved the recognition he feels he is due.

For the record, Christopher has never seen the movies and refuses to acknowledge them in any way. His grandson Simon (I think thats the right name) publicly embraced the movies when Fellowship came out and attended the premiere in London. For this heinous crime, Christopher refuses to speak with him or even see his great grandchildren and hasn't relented to this day.

Simon was also kicked off the board that manages the Tolkien estate and apparently is even being written out of Christopher's will and won't receive any future royalties related to the estate or any inheritance at all.

I believe the rights to the Hobbit still reside with the Tolkien estate and I don't think they will ever let New Line make the Hobbit as long as Christopher is in charge. They will also never let New Line make a museum with all their props and stuff.

He is a petty, vindictive, and bitter old man. But I will at least say that while I think he is an ass, he has through sheer force of will prevented his family from legally squabbling over and ultimately selling the rights to his father's legacy for money. He has generally done a good job of preserving his father's legacy. But recently, especially in regards to the movies, he has totally gone off the deep end.

Mate...it is fair to say, that a dark malice has a hold on him...(shaking head)

 

[shilsen]

Mate...it is fair to say, that a dark malice has a hold on him...(shaking head)

Heh! I was just reading this thread and thinking Chris Tolkien sounds more than a little like Denethor.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I've known that Christopher Tolkien was a jackass for a while now, but until I read Dragonblade's post, I didn't know just how bad he was.

 

[Shadowdancer]

The Tolkien estate didn't see a dime from the movies.* JRRT sold the film rights to the Hobbit & LOTR back in the 60's to Saul Zaentz Co. (Tolkien Enterprises)

From what I've read, JRR didn't think a movie of his books would ever be made. At least not a live version. He thought animation was the only possiblity. It's unfortunate that the only film versions of his books he got to see were those abominations.

I often wonder what JRR would think of today's motion picture technology, and what Peter Jackson and Co. have accomplished. Would he like the movies, aside from the changes and the parts that had to be cut out for length?

He'd probably be mad at the new generations of geeks calling him up in the middle of the night to tell him, "Dude, you ROCK!"

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

I believe the rights to the Hobbit still reside with the Tolkien estate and I don't think they will ever let New Line make the Hobbit as long as Christopher is in charge. They will also never let New Line make a museum with all their props and stuff.

He is a petty, vindictive, and bitter old man. But I will at least say that while I think he is an ass, he has through sheer force of will prevented his family from legally squabbling over and ultimately selling the rights to his father's legacy for money. He has generally done a good job of preserving his father's legacy. But recently, especially in regards to the movies, he has totally gone off the deep end.

Granted, he's "preserved his father's legacy", but is he really doing right by the property? I am not a lawyer, and certainly not an English one, but if the executor of an estate is purposefully working to de-value or restrict the financial health of said estate (People see LotR movies and go to tastefully-done LotR museum. People then buy more LotR books. Estate's value rises, and Tolkien's great-grandchildren get to ride to school in their own personal hovercrafts), don't the other relatives have any legal recourse? Can't they get an injunction against his actions, or sue to have executorship transferred? His actions strike me as very irrational and ludicrous. Isn't their a sanity clause or something that could be invoked?

Any experts on English estate law care to comment?

 

[Greyhawk_DM]

Christopher Tolkien is executor of the estate. He lives in seclusion in France and rarely even goes home to England.

He is extremely possessive of his father's work and doesn't think that they should ever appear in any other medium. He is very concerned about the works being perceived as literary masterpieces and thinks that movies will only dilute their presence. I find this ironic since Tolkien himself never really gave a damn what the snobs of the literary world thought of his books.

Well, I for one do not believe that was his father's original intent. After all he sold the rights of his book to make a film in the first place. As has been said in other posts I think he is just a bitter, old man trying to live off the fame his father created for his family. Such a sad tale. It does kind of remind me of Denethor.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

They will also never let New Line make a museum with all their props and stuff.

That's something I just don't understand. Ok, Peter Jackson can't have his "Lord of the Rings Museum". But what prevents him from making a "Weta Museum", with all the same props?

 

[Skarp Hedin]

From what I've read about the children, and the only two you ever seem to hear about are Christopher and John (who died last January, I just read).. they were all pretty protective about the stories, as someone said above.

I seem to remember once reading that John didn't even like to talk about them, especially the Hobbit, because it was (in part) a bedtime story for him when he was a little kid, and it felt strange to him to have all these people who were very familiar with bedtime stories his father made up for him. Weirded the poor old priest out, I guess.

Anyhow, Christopher's certainly a weird fellow, but it's just him and Priscilla now.