New interview with Christopher Tolkien

[dreeness]

Please, do not use the Constitution as a crutch for your ignorant drivel. It's embarrassing.

(Please post more of your atavistic grunting. It's a hoot!)

Maybe you could just stop the vicious name-calling.

("Vicious"? Do you know that Zaentz tried to financially destroy John Fogerty?)

Smiley emoticons

(On an internet posting board?! The horror, the horror...)

an apparent lack of courtesy

(That's rich.)

If it is your intention to alienate yourself from the rest of us, then congratulations, you are well on your way to pariah status.

(Way to evoke some serious menace, dude. Were you brandishing a plastic lightsaber when you typed that?)

The scope of the documentation C. Tolkien has done is unprecedented for the literary works of a single author.

(Obvious twaddle. You better "move the goalposts", and hope nobody notices...)

If you have an actual example of such extraordinary documentation, research and editing of unpublished works of an author compiled by a single person, I'd like to hear it.

(And you did move the goalposts! Well done, padawan! If you hadn't done that, I might've said "What about Fargnoli's work on Joyce?", and then you would've said "Joyce who?" and chaos would surely reign.)

welch on the contract

(Yay, ethnic stereotypes!)

I'm a civil servant and a leftie and our Government is a bunch of neo-cons. I'm not about to give up my job though, as I need to feed the family

(Well yeah, but thats "survival vs utter ruin", not "tons of money vs tons more money".)

And no, I don't worship at the altar of Christopher Tolkien

(Well, apparently that makes you a Thought Criminal.)

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by dreeness

("Vicious"? Do you know that Zaentz tried to financially destroy John Fogerty?)

I see no association with the topic of this thread.

Originally Posted by dreeness

(On an internet posting board?! The horror, the horror...)

It isn't the mere use of emoticons that is the problem. The context in which you use them is inconsistent with the words around them.

Originally Posted by dreeness

(That's rich.)

I would posit you're the only one here who thinks so.

Originally Posted by dreeness

(Way to evoke some serious menace, dude. Were you brandishing a plastic lightsaber when you typed that?)

Again with the discourtesy. I don't know what other forums you've lurked at, but here civil discourse and respect for others is highly valued.

Originally Posted by dreeness

(Yay, ethnic stereotypes!)

She said "welch". Not quite the same as "welsh", and in any case, a common expression.

Originally Posted by dreeness

(Well yeah, but thats "survival vs utter ruin", not "tons of money vs tons more money"

So you think the Estate is not entitled to proceeds from the movies, then? Do you have a reason, besides saying "CT was against the movies, so he shouldn't accept any of the profits from them?"

Originally Posted by dreeness

(Well, apparently that makes you a Thought Criminal.)

Once again, it isn't your opinion that is bothersome, it is the manner in which you express it.

[Lalwendë]

Please all calm down before davem's interesting thread gets closed.

Ta.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by dreeness

(Way to evoke some serious menace, dude. Were you brandishing a plastic lightsaber when you typed that?)

I get the distinct impression that you would be a marvelous resource when we discuss the "Roast Mutton" chapter of The Hobbit.

Originally Posted by dreeness

(And you did move the goalposts! Well done, padawan! If you hadn't done that, I might've said "What about Fargnoli's work on Joyce?", and then you would've said "Joyce who?" and chaos would surely reign.)

Actually, I am aware of Fargnoli, as I am a fan of Joyce. But then, in your rush to cheap sarcasm, you have undercut any chance of sounding reasonable or serious in your replies.

I do have a copy of Fargnoli's James Joyce A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Writings. It is well written, and a worthwhile reference book. It is not as enjoyable and irascible as Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare, but definitely a book I have used. Yet I don't believe the "A to Z" or his other few thin volumes - much of it critiques and analyses of the works Joyce published within his lifetime - equates to an all-encompassing retrospective of the size and scope I was referring to, particularly in regards to unpublished material. Not even remotely close. In addition, nearly all of his work is co-authored by various other academics. But since it seems you are more interested in insults and imputations, you probably had little time to actually research your posts.

But please, try again.

[Legolas]

Thanks to those keeping it civil, and those reminders of proper forum conduct.

You may wish to review a couple of our policies and guidelines.

Accept the fact that others have different opinions. If you don’t agree, just state your own opinion; you don’t have to correct everyone else or argue until they agree with you.

Violators will be entombed.

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Thanks for the analysis, Mith. I've always thought it a bit ironic that Tolkien's son moved to France, given Tolkien Sr.'s thoughts about the French.

Since you said this, of course, we've been fortunate enough to see Verlyn Flieger's talk at Return of the Ring, which calls into question that very aspect of Tolkien Senior's personality. I've been meaning ever since to start a thread to discuss my thoughts on that issue, but for now just a quick thought.

I haven't consulted my library yet, but it seems to me that the only aspects of French culture to which JRRT expressed any antipathy were specifically those which have been imposed on the English, either by the Normans (Woden's curse be upon them) or the aptly French-named bourgeoisie (in other words, precisely those people represented by the Sackville-Bagginses). It's easy to see how a product of industrial, no-nonsense Birmingham society might well heap a certain amount of disdain on the gratuitous and unnecessary use of French where a perfectly adequate English term exists, or the unjustifiable privilege given to French culture among the would-be arbiters of taste in this country. It's possible that Humphrey Carpenter overstated the case a little or misinterpreted what he discovered. In any case, I think CRT has earned the right to be cut a little slack by his father's ghost, having got such a hard time about military aircraft when he joined the R.A.F. I'm afraid I can't agree with JRRT about Spitfires.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by The Squatter of Amon Rûdh

I think CRT has earned the right to be cut a little slack by his father's ghost, having got such a hard time about military aircraft when he joined the R.A.F. I'm afraid I can't agree with JRRT about Spitfires.

I don't believe CT ever flew Spits. He did his primary training in Tiger Moths and his advanced training in Harvards, then transferred to the RN- I don't know what he flew in the FAA or whether he reached an operational squadron before demob, but I know he never qualled or flew off carriers, which rules out Seafires.

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

Being a bit of a plane buff, that information interests me a lot. It's a standard progression for mid-1940s pilot training, but interesting nonetheless.

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough. I wasn't suggesting that CRT flew Spitfires; I was just selecting the type that's my personal point of departure from JRRT's comments in Letters #100. I had no knowledge of CRT's military service beyond the very basics until I read your post just now.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

I don't believe CT ever flew Spits. He did his primary training in Tiger Moths and his advanced training in Harvards, then transferred to the RN- I don't know what he flew in the FAA or whether he reached an operational squadron before demob, but I know he never qualled or flew off carriers, which rules out Seafires.

Hurricanes might be a good possibility as well.
I know this is a bit far afield of this thread, but WWII aviation is an interest of mine too.

I always wondered if combat aviation might not have been in the back of JRRT's mind when he wrote of battles between Eagles and Dragons, and aerial elements strafing the ground, like Smaug did to Lake-town.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

CT began his training at No. 7 Air School (Tiger Moths), Kroonstad, Free State; after completing Elementary Flying Training there he moved on to No. 25 AS (Harvards) at Standerton, Transvaal for Service Flying Training.

Upon graduation and commissioning in March 1945 he was sent back to England, and subsequently was transferred to the FAA; I don't know why but if I had to guess it would be because with the surrender of Germany there was a perceived greater need for RN pilots vs. Japan. By this time in the war the RN was operating few British-built aircraft; aside from the Barracuda and a small number of Seafires most of its TOE was made up of USN types (Martlet/Wildcat, Hellcat, Corsair, Avenger etc).

[leapofberen]

I thank God for Christopher Tolkien. Here is a man who has spent the rest of his life finishing his father's work...how rare is that in this day and age? And if he had not spent years being about his father's work, I would not have enjoyed or benefited from those works, especially The Silmarillion. He is an honorable man, and it warms my soul to know that there are folk like him out there.

I do not find it surprising that Christopher and the Tolkien Estate are opposed to the commercialization and circus surrounding the Jackson movies. I would expect that after having read the Professor's writings and letters. Not surprising at all!

I do not think it is fair or right to throw Christopher under the bus for asking for a cut of the profits that came from the adaptations of his father's work; I would. JRRT was his FATHER after all. If it pains him as much as we have heard to see his father's work handled in such a way, then this would be some small redemption. More importantly, I do not believe it was about the money for Christopher (his history should prove that!) but rather about honoring his father in some way. In fact, it would be better if the people handling the adaptations, the movie studios, etc, would have chosen to honor the Tolkien estate by giving them their cut in the first place.

It only goes to show, no matter how much one loves or hates the movies, that the folks who were behind making them (I am not speaking of Jackson here) are only in it as deep as the money goes. I know that even Peter Jackson struggled to create the adaptations that he did! I understand the way Christopher feels. I also understand that it all could have been much worse if someone other than Jackson had made the adaptations...much worse.

Well, much of this is tragic, and I too am somewhat grieved to think that Tolkien's work could be so readily exposed to dilution or depravity if it were not for his children and his estate. Thank God for Christopher Tolkien and his work, his perseverance and the preservation of his father's legacy; and much more then that: rather, the preservation and telling of stories of which JRR Tolkien says, "I always had the sense of recording what was already 'there', somewhere..."

May we all learn to get caught up in the Larger Story. Thank you JRRT and CJRT.