Films gain major convert

[zxcvbn]

Originally Posted by Lord Gothmog

I agree that it is interesting. But to me, the only changes of mind that I would take real note of would be JRRT (impossible) or PJ (unlikely). From what I have seen in threads about the films is that many of the opinions were set in stone before the films were even started, let alone released.

Lord Gothmog, you'll find that many of the greatest fans of Tolkien's works are also fans of the movies, and many even helped in their making. Alan Lee, John Howe, David Salo, Michael Martinez, Ted Nasmith etc. And as for Christopher Tolkien, to the best of my knowledge he's never even watched the films, so I don't believe his opinion of them is wholly justified.

[Lord Gothmog]

Originally Posted by zxcvbn

Lord Gothmog, you'll find that many of the greatest fans of Tolkien's works are also fans of the movies, and many even helped in their making. Alan Lee, John Howe, David Salo, Michael Martinez, Ted Nasmith etc. And as for Christopher Tolkien, to the best of my knowledge he's never even watched the films, so I don't believe his opinion of them is wholly justified.

I am well aware that "many of the greatest fans of Tolkien's works are also fans of the movies" and I have no problem with that (though I would change 'greatest' to 'well known' and would include in the list Christopher Lee ). I formed my opinion of the films after I saw them and while I am not a "Fan" I did enjoy two of them at least.

As for Christopher Tolkien, he is as entitled to his view as anyone else. I would take the same note of his opinion of the films as I would any other.

When I said

From what I have seen in threads about the films is that many of the opinions were set in stone before the films were even started, let alone released.

I was refering to the fact that many who argued on threads about the films either as "Purists" or "Filimies" simply continued with the same unchanged views.

I will say that the majority of posters on such threads I have seen did wait to see the films first though.

[Sauron the White]

Here is a fuller explaination from Pieter Collier of the Tolkien Library website regarding his changing opinion on the films.

I am one of the people who were very critical towards the movies. I can recall the announcement of the Peter Jackson interpretation and from the beginning I was filled with fear towards it. Of course I was curious and there for went to the avant-premi?re of the movie. The Fellowship of the Rings took away a lot of my fears and I was happy to see that Peter Jackson´s interpretation was very close to my personal imagination. Yet the second and especially the third movie were very disappointing and I was sad, angry and very uncomfortable about it all. I felt that the movies were too far away of my own vision of the books and I felt that too many things had been changed, deleted or added.

Now I read the book The Frodo Franchise by Christine Thompson, a book everyone really should read, and I regained a lot of respect for the work of Peter Jackson. I now have much more understanding on how the movie was made and what difficulties Peter Jackson had to face to get it all done. The book also shows us all the hard labor and passion by the director to create the best movie possible.

I find it admirable that he would change his opinion after gaining more knowledge of just how the film business works and the hurdles Jackson had to overcome to get a quality product on screen. In my humble opinion, many others would do well to educate themselves to the process to gain a fuller knowledge of just what movie making entails.

[Lord Gothmog]

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

Here is a fuller explaination from Pieter Collier of the Tolkien Library website regarding his changing opinion on the films.



I find it admirable that he would change his opinion after gaining more knowledge of just how the film business works and the hurdles Jackson had to overcome to get a quality product on screen. In my humble opinion, many others would do well to educate themselves to the process to gain a fuller knowledge of just what movie making entails.

It does show that he is at least open-minded enough to accept new ideas. Perhaps I should have a read, maybe it will give a good reason for having Arwen put a sword to Aragorn's throat.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

And as for Christopher Tolkien, to the best of my knowledge he's never even watched the films

He has.

BTW, most Tolkien scholars are not disposed to regard the names "Salo" and "Martinez" especially favorably.

[zxcvbn]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hickli

He has.

How do you know?

BTW, most Tolkien scholars are not disposed to regard the names "Salo" and "Martinez" especially favorably.

Why is that? They certainly know their Tolkien well. Martinez's essays really helped further my understanding of Middle-earth, and Salo has to be one of the best Tolkien linguists out there.

EDIT: Salo I understand. Whenever there is a shortage of defined words in a Tolkien language, he makes up new words and grammar to 'fill the gap' which, I suppose would provoke the ire of some Tolkienists. For example, most of the Khuzdul, Orcish, Black Speech etc. used in the movies are actually words invented by Salo, since Tolkien only defined a handful of words for those languages.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

How do you know?

We correspond. He was not impressed.

Salo: in addition to synthesizing 'neo-Sindarin', Salo also has a habit of 'correcting' attested JRRT forms when they don't fit his personal theories- and then not indicating that he's done so. It doesn't help that he continually badmouths other Tolkien linguists.

As for Martinez, well, "His knowledge is deep, but his pride has grown with it." MM does know his stuff (when he's not using it to prop up one of his crank-ish theories)- but he's possessed of a singularly abrasive personality, which manifests itself in flames, accusations and personal insults. Not many people in the community can tolerate him any more.