tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post4143554938510626757..comments2024-03-28T10:20:44.291-07:00Comments on Sacnoth's Scriptorium: Stephen Colbert, the biggest Tolkien nerd of them all?John D. Rateliffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-40806523511549939962015-01-14T06:58:31.859-08:002015-01-14T06:58:31.859-08:00It took me years to realize the RB Return of the K...<br />It took me years to realize the RB Return of the King, which I first saw only part of in the pre-VCR days (well, before we had a VCR or cable, at least), was supposed to be the same story as Tolkien's Return of the King. Yet it follows then same basic plot at least as well as Jackson does in the Hobbit. Aside from the name, no one would mistake Thrainduil or Thorin for the same characters. <br /><br />Paul Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14620026998861471269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-40713521711749212352015-01-13T12:54:40.528-08:002015-01-13T12:54:40.528-08:00Paul W. wrote "the filmmakers . . . do const...Paul W. wrote "the filmmakers . . . do constant, violent damage to the tale . . . and alter [Tolkien's] story so it is barely recognizable . . . so different it is not even close to the same story"<br /><br />Well, let's see:<br /> After being dropped off by the Great Eagles Bilbo, Gandalf, and the dwarves fear pursuit by the goblins and wargs and so seek refuge in Beorn's house. Though Beorn doesn't much like dwarves, he decides to aid these enemies of his enemies and loans them horses to ride to Mirkwood, as well as gives them advice about the forest. <br /><br />At the edge of Mirkwood Gandalf leaves the group to go off on pressing business of his own. Bilbo and the dwarves trek through the forest, encountering an enchanted stream (into which Bombur falls) and a white deer (at which they shoot but miss); Bilbo climbs a tree and sees butterflies. The dwarves are attacked by Giant Spiders and captured by wood-elves. Bilbo engineers their escape via barrels. They make their way to Lake Town, where after some uncertainty they are aided by the humans and sent on their way with supplies to the Mountain, where they discover the Secret Door. <br /><br />BIlbo goes in alone, though Balin accompanies him for a short distance, and unintentionally stirs up the dragon, which flies off to destroy Lake Town . . . <br /><br />----------------------<br /><br />I'd submit that anyone making a movie with that plot-line wd get themselves sued for plagiarism, and rightly so -- even the most egregious of the Tolk-clons (Brooks, McKeirnan) never dared adhere this closely to Tolkien's book either in outline or in detail.<br /><br />So, while there's much room for debate over whether Jackson et al captured the spirit of Tolkien's book (sometimes very much yes, sometime most emphatically no), I can't agree that it's not even recognizable as Tolkien's work. <br /><br />--John R. <br /><br /><br />John D. Rateliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-23446182694473976602015-01-12T07:46:41.733-08:002015-01-12T07:46:41.733-08:00I cannot agree with his evaluation of the filmmake...<br />I cannot agree with his evaluation of the filmmakers loving Tolkien. It seems to me that from the second movie on they do constant, violent damage to the tale and consistently change and alter his story so it is barely recognizable. The Hobbit is so different it is not even close to the same story. <br /><br />I believe long term Tolkien fans are worse off because of Jackson's movies, and that Jackson has no respect for the source material at all.Paul Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14620026998861471269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-52307631883268306442015-01-12T07:40:29.760-08:002015-01-12T07:40:29.760-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Paul Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14620026998861471269noreply@blogger.com