The White Council

Re:Rebuttal

Tolkien and Inklings Discussion

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: -OOOOHHH. Three movies! Cha-ching! More money, more money! Believe it when I see it. Talk is cheap. I can only pray that the first movie will reveal the shortcoming of this whole idea and that we wont have to suffer through the bastardization : of the rest of the work. Still up for that Middle Earth T.V. series. Could be almost as good as Planet of the Apes!

Well, we al lwould be foolish to think that new Line Cinema will eventually change their name to New Line Charity Films. For New Line Films for Art's Sake. Even Speilberg will do a movie for money, or fame, so that he can do another film of impacting quality (Jurassic Park to Schindler's List). Unfortunately, if the first movie does fall short of the best expectations, the whole series of movies is being filmed simultaneously. They are then scheduled to be released one year apart, and New Line Cinema will probably not shelve the films because the first one does poorly. Obviously, even a mediocre return is still a return, and so you will probably have to suffer through the next four years while the movies make their appearences. Sorry.

: : Jackson is a rather young, but talented director. Kindly review his previous works: Frighteners, Heavenly Creatures, Meet the Feebles, and even Dead Alive. The earlier stuff shows his spark, Frightners reveals his ability to create suspense on the screen and work with CGI characters (the cowled "Death" is very believable). Heavenly Creatures should dispell any concern over Jackson's ability to direct drama, and to tell a worthwhile story. All in all, (IMHO) I believe that Jackson is one of the upcoming greats. He has a passion for his chosen profession, and that will be carried into his latest work.

: (Reply) So what are you, his agent!? Give me a break! This response sounds like some kind of canned corporate script. (works well with CGI characters?? What the hell does that mean!? Lke he is the guy doing the work.)

Well, despite your rude comments directed toward me, I happen to have a strange obsession with movies, their creation and the power (or lack there of) that they can have over people. So I have seen most of what Jackson and many other writer/directors have done. I have no affiliation with Peter Jackson or New Line Cinema, other then enjoying the majority of their works. And Jackson did write the original script, aided in the casting and is now directing. Sounds to me like he is doing a great deal of work.

: Although I admit to being very impressed with "The Frighteners", : the other works are unknown,

Actually, Heavenly Creatures was critically acclaimed and was the debut of Kate Blanchet (star of Titanic). IIRC, it was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Not too bad for Jackson's fourth major film.

:and if he is such a great talent I think the case would be otherwise. He has a knack for quircky, off beat material, but that, by no stretch of the imagination makes him qualified to pull off a tale of this depth. We will see if he makes a "classic" or just another cheap spectacle. I give no one benefit without proof of their ability, and I just do not see that yet. I think he would do better to steer clear of anything to do with Xena as well. Casting actors from a low grade New Zealand made TV series is the kiss of death for this project. Think outside of the 'box'.

I have not heard of any casting of former or current Xena actors. I believe the assertion was that if the movies are terrible they could rate a weekly series in the vein of Xena and Hercules. That is also unlikely, at least with Jackson still at the helm. He refused to do a cut-rate version of LOTR the first time around. It wasn't until New Line Cinema gave him the three movies and the budget he wanted that he agreed to do the movies. I was impressed when I heard that he had refused the first offer of two movies and a cut-up script. To me, at least, that was enough proof that Jackson wasn't just in it for the money. He has even stated that this is the kind of film that can make or break a director/writer's career.

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: (Reply) This response in particular tells me that this is some soul sucking corporate backed money machine. If you're telling me that it is O.K. to make a movie that only has the name in common with the original work, why dont these clowns just write their own movie and leave Tolkiens work to his real fans? (The answer here is that J. R.R.Tolkien already has name recognition, so the marketing is much easier...) Seems to me that you're putting the cart before the horse. Lets see if this thing doesnt stink to high heaven before starting to worry about merchandising Tolkien$ work to death.

I never stated anything about the merchandising, I was just stating that merchandise currently exists for LOTR. It has existed almost from the time Tolkien finished LOTR. I seriously doubt that the movies or any merchandise from them will effect the body of work that currently exists. Ralph Bakshi and Rankin-Bass didn't have any effect on the books, and if anything they only aided in the creation of future interest to the point that a very ambitious director/writer is willing to undertake the perilous journey.

:(Some loser actually suggested a Middle Earth theme park! I can just feel the magic OOzing from that capitalist enterprise! Who gets paid 6.25 an hour to stand in the heat wearing the Orc suit? Great job opportunity for little people...Who wants to be a Hobbit? Okay, now put on your furry feet and get out here and sell!!)

Agreed. A theme park would be bad.

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: And finally, all this guy loves is money. Time to cleanse the Shire.

I would very much like to see proof of Jackson's all encompassing love of money. As stated earlier, we would be foolish to think that Peter Jackson is going to change his name to Will Direct For Charity Jackson. But, at the risk of sounding like a soul-sucking-money-loving-cash-machine-corporate-Jackson-promoting-agent, he does have a love for the work, which he read on a train trip when he was sixteen and has re-read several times. He has a good background and a real passion for movie making. And once again, I will not condemn the man until there is something to condemn him for. The whole innocent until proven guilty should apply to the guy, instead of making him "prove his ability" which can be seen in his previous works.

-RobRoy