Tolkien's Literary Executor - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 09-20-2006, 01:05 AM

Actually, it is quite worrying. The literary executor, apparently, has the right to alter or destroy any of the works. I recall that when the movie Blade Runner was due to come out Philip K Dick (writer of the novel on which it was based 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep') was asked to 're-write' the novel to fit the movie storyline & offered a substantial amount of money to do so. Dick refused.

This is not a one off though. Enid Blyton's Noddy books have been 'updated' so that the original villains (Gollys) have been replaced by new ones (Goblins), & Michael Moorcock removed a controversial rape scene from the culmination of his novel 'Gloriana' due to objections from feminist critics like Andrea Dworkin. The original & the later endings have been published together in the latest edition.

Now, as far as Tolkien's works are concerned a precedent for such 'alterations' to the text has already been set. Tolkien himself made alterations to the text, partly for creative reasons, partly due to the Ace Books 'problem'. CT has continued the process, with his authorisation of 300-400 changes (most of them, admittedly, very slight) to LotR for the 50th Anniversary edition.

So, what I'm saying is, when the 25th Anniversay Special Edition of the Movies comes out in high def 3d we may all possibly find that the storylines of the movies & the books aren't all that different any longer.

Or even that LotR ends up even more of a 'Christian' work than it 'already' is....

09-20-2006, 01:05 AM	#9
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Actually, it is quite worrying. The literary executor, apparently, has the right to alter or destroy any of the works. I recall that when the movie Blade Runner was due to come out Philip K Dick (writer of the novel on which it was based 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep') was asked to 're-write' the novel to fit the movie storyline & offered a substantial amount of money to do so. Dick refused. This is not a one off though. Enid Blyton's Noddy books have been 'updated' so that the original villains (Gollys) have been replaced by new ones (Goblins), & Michael Moorcock removed a controversial rape scene from the culmination of his novel 'Gloriana' due to objections from feminist critics like Andrea Dworkin. The original & the later endings have been published together in the latest edition. Now, as far as Tolkien's works are concerned a precedent for such 'alterations' to the text has already been set. Tolkien himself made alterations to the text, partly for creative reasons, partly due to the Ace Books 'problem'. CT has continued the process, with his authorisation of 300-400 changes (most of them, admittedly, very slight) to LotR for the 50th Anniversary edition. So, what I'm saying is, when the 25th Anniversay Special Edition of the Movies comes out in high def 3d we may all possibly find that the storylines of the movies & the books aren't all that different any longer. Or even that LotR ends up even more of a 'Christian' work than it 'already' is.... __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."