If the Children of Húrin was filmed...

[davem]

Just a note - I don't think CT 'spurned' the movies. Its more that he felt they could not adequately present his father's creation. There is a lot of nonsense going around that CT was 'anti' the movies - even angry about them. I think if he was really 'anti' the movies then Alan Lee would not have been asked to produce the paintings for CoH.

As to the monetary side & who gets how much of what, its all beyond me, being, as I am, a bear of very little brain, but the fact that the family did not have to do anything but live a very comfortable life on the proceedings of their father's work, I think what they have done in setting up the Trust deserves nothing but respect.

Of course the Estate (& therefore the Trust) benefitted greatly from the revenue generated by the movies, but what would one expect them to do - turn it down? As I said, neither CT nor any other member of the family has made any disparaging or negative comments about the movies - CT merely expressed his personal feelings about the inadequacy of the medium to do justice to his father's vision. The movies were made & as a result the Estate gained the means to do some good work. If there's a problem there its hidden from me....

[Sauron the White]

So there is no validity to the story that after Royd Tolkien appeared as a Gondorian ranger in the film he was shut out of Estate matters by his father who was angry at him?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

So there is no validity to the story that after Royd Tolkien appeared as a Gondorian ranger in the film he was shut out of Estate matters by his father who was angry at him?

None. Royd was not a member of the Estate (if I can put it that way, & Royd was Tolkien's great grandson, not Christopher's son. The 'story' that was going around was that Christopher had refused to have anything to do with his son Simon after Simon expressed approval of the movies & as far as I'm aware Royd was Michael's grandson. Family tree http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien...#Simon_Tolkien. There is a statement by CT released via his lawyers here http://tolkiennews.net/article.php?s...61005151054723 the essential part being

# There was no dispute between Christopher Tolkien and his son, Simon Tolkien, as a result of Simon Tolkien going to see the first Lord of the Rings film.
# Simon Tolkien was never on the Board of any Tolkien company and was not 'removed' from any such position by Christopher Tolkien.
# Nor has Christopher Tolkien 'disowned' Simon Tolkien.

[Sauron the White]

Thank you for clarifying that. Although I never did claim that Royd was Christopher's son - only that "his father" did not like his film appearance. His father, of course being one of the Tolkien Estate members. But your valuable link cleared that up for me.

If all this is true, I wonder how all these nasty stories get started leading folks like me to believe that the Tolkien Estate - and Christoper in particular - did not like or approve of the movies? I could have sworn than I have read this many times in many places over the last few years. I certainly cannot remember ever seeing the opposite - that Christopher or any other member of the Estate was thankful for the films, was thankful for the additional revenue they produced for them, or at the least had even enjoyed them.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

If all this is true, I wonder how all these nasty stories get started leading folks like me to believe that the Tolkien Estate - and Christoper in particular - did not like or approve of the movies? I could have sworn than I have read this many times in many places over the last few years. I certainly cannot remember ever seeing the opposite - that Christopher or any other member of the Estate was thankful for the films, was thankful for the additional revenue they produced for them, or at the least had even enjoyed them.

I've never seen any adverse comments by any family member re the movies - apart from the usual unsubstantiated hearsay - what have you seen? I don't see why Christopher or any other family member should have to express approval - or say anything about anything at all. They aren't public figures. Maybe some of them saw the movies & really enjoyed them - but they aren't film critics either. I'm not being antagonistic here, but why would they feel any need to comment? They have used the profits to support good causes - & they don't discuss those either.

[Sauron the White]

Is CT a public figure? Probably all in the definition of the term.

from davem

They have used the profits to support good causes - & they don't discuss those either.

Yes they have used profits for good purposes and my hat is off to them. They have helped many good and worth causes. I also see where some of those charitable contributions support Tolkien related research and papers. Fine. But lets make that distinction when we hand out the praise.

I ask again, if anyone knows -- were ALL film profits used in this manner or do the charity contributions represent a PARTIAL amount of the profits from increased royalty revenue as a result of the films popularity?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

I ask again, if anyone knows -- were ALL film profits used in this manner or do the charity contributions represent a PARTIAL amount of the profits from increased royalty revenue as a result of the films popularity?

Well, you can email the Estate via their web site & ask them if its important - http://www.tolkienestate.com/. Personally I prefer not to enter into questions of personal finances. It may be that all the profits went straight into the Trust's coffers or it may be that most went into the family's secret off-shore bank account to be used in their nefarious plan to genetically engineer an army of killer Hobbit clones to take over the world.