: Tolkien may be immensely popular, and one of the most read authors of the 20th Century, but his work is still followed by the ghoul of the scorn of mainstream literature. It is only slowly that he has been accepted as a school text, and people working on Tolkien at a university level are rare and often laughed upon. The so called 'literary establishment' looks on Tolkien fans as 'a bunch of role playing fanatics interested in men with furry feet'. This accusation is of course completely false. Nothing against role playing (I enjoy it myself from time to time), but there is also a more academic discussion of Tolkien's work (such as this Council) and also numerous books by people such as Tom Shippey and Patrick Curry, which really analyse Tolkien with the highest literary professionalism and only add to, rather than marr Tolkien's greatness. However, the 'mainstream literay establishment' continues to hoot on and scorn Tolkien. As Patrick Curry writes, the best way to meet this is with well founded and well worded arguments rather than hooting back. I am afraid the film might pour further oil into the fire of the critics by giving them the opportunity of saying 'look at this junk, this is what Tolkien is all about'.

I never thought of this "side-effect" that the films might have. But the more I think about it, the more I think you may be right...after the movies, Tolkien may get as much academic literary recognition as Cinderella. (sorry to steal your example, Michael...but I thought it was pretty apt here ;^))

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