January 13, 2003

Note to the Disatisfied TTT Viewer
Jamie B

It saddens me to learn of a petition to Peter Jackson chastizing him for taking liberations with Tolkien's stories and which pleads that he doesn't continue such practices in ROTK. I hope that the authors of this particular document, as well as those that hold similar grievences were not hoping that these films will replace Tolkien's novel or act as a visual equivalent. But if this debate must still exsist I would like to offer a counter-point.

I fancy myself a novice student of literature, and when I re-read Tolkien with a more mature lens (let's face it, at 14 I didn't even want to read the prolouge, much less the appendices!) I found an entirely differnt appreciation for his work. I then started reading many of the works that Tolkien had listed as influential.

My point is this: Hama is a character in Beowulf, heck the entire race of Rohirrim reminds me of the Danes. The name and perhaps even the idea of Middle-Earth comes from The Story of Caedmon. IS TOLKIEN A FOUL DEVIL for using elements of medeviel literature to create a work of his own? I know it's not exactly the same with PJ adapting Tolkien's work, but come on, I mean really! Can we give him a break already?

If you really want to gripe, stick with the Weakness of Frodo's character (although I really think Frodo serves another thematic purpose in the novel that is not being translated into the film, but that is for another post)