The White Council

Re: A thought on 'backdoor chicanary'

Tolkien and Inklings Discussion

: : snip : : : : : : Movie?! There's a movie?

: : : I wish there wasn't

: : I wish it was out!

: Good for you, however I don't want to get into an argument about it, as I am not going to see/am not interested in the film, I am interested in Tolkein, and I'd rather have my own images of middle-earth than some other bloke/woman's perception of it which will not be the same as mine and therefore can only be disappointing. : And I vow to snort loudly every time I see any foul commercial merchandising that goes with it, 5 bucks and my soul for a Frodo dolly, I don't think so : To go back to my original point, even I who made the point am wasting my time commenting on it, so I'll stop : Don Q

I don't see much difference in seeing the new film any more than in seeing a Tolkien calendar or other artwork commissioned by the publishers. Each piece of art may or may not adhere to my preconceptions or imagined appearances of the characters. Some of the work has influenced me, or at least it "looks" like what I thought it should. Other artwork does not appeal either for lack of talent, or because I just didn't imagine it that way.

Some have pooh-poohed the idea of a film, indicating that they thought it smacked of commercialism - or at least just another way for Hollywood to suck up more of our hard earned cash. That may be (in the end). After all most film amkers are out to make a profit. But so is the publisher of the book. Every year there's the "new" edition with more corrections, new artwork, new covers, single volumes, multi-volumes, The Collectors Edition, The Millenium Edition....How many copies of how many editions does one need? I collect them, but it seems clear to me that the publisher is out to collect the same cash that Hollywood is. We all KNOW that after the films are released the next edition of the book will feature stills from the films. So I don't see much point haranguing the filmmakers for doing what the publisher has been doing for many years - finding ways of separating us from our paychecks. And at US$70.00 per book (single volume illustrated), that's a hefty portion. Yes, I could get away with buying the paperback (or softcover) editions, but I love a well-made book in my hands. Besides, I don't think Ballantine has upgraded their version for years to correct a number of printing errors.