The LOTR Movie Site
August 21, 2000

Jackson's Efforts are Admirable, Whatever the Results
Matthew Bass

I've noticed that over the past few months the online community has been getting more and more agitated over the upcoming Lord of the Rings films. Countless numbers of fans who post to message boards and participate in live chats feel that Jackson's efforts to put J.R.R. Tolkien's classic story on the big screen exist only to be picked apart bit by bit. Apparently, these people fail to recognize the true effort that Jackson has put into these films thus far. They hide behind the latest rumors and spy pics without realizing that principal photography on LOTR is far from being finished, and many of the reports coming out of New Zealand can't be trusted. The media frenzy surrounding these films only hinders the Tolkien community in discovering the truth about Jackson.

Now don't get me wrong. I am 100% convinced that nobody on the face of the earth except Tolkien himself has the ability to create a set of films that will live up to the expectations of every fan around the world. Even Tolkien might not be able to do it. We all have our own picture of Middle-earth and its inhabitants. But just because a perfect film cannot be made doesn't mean that someone can't come close. Keep in mind that Jackson has been the first to attempt to translate one of the most detailed and sweeping works of fictional literature the world has ever known into a set of 2-hour movies. Flaws are inevitable.

When you get down to it, I doubt that J.R.R. Tolkien would've objected to the idea of having his books turned into films. He even said this himself. In any case, Jackson isn't doing just one film, he's doing three!! I think Tolkien would've been impressed by that. Whether he would've been impressed by the actual content of the films is hard to say. We'll just have to wait and see.

I'd like to encourage visitors to this site to take a more realistic look at these films. Don't jump to conclusions before you have data. From the photos that have been released so far (aside from the Wizard on a wheel pic, which some reliable sources are reporting as a fake) it looks like Jackson is doing an admirable job so far. When you think about what the films could've become had some big Hollywood director like Spielberg gotten his mitts on them... ugh, it makes me shiver! Jackson doesn't have Warrior Princesses running around in mithril bikinis yet. I have confidence in Jackson and the work he's doing.

Remember, even if the films aren't exactly what we all had hoped for, there are always the books. The images of Middle-earth that we create in our minds as we read Tolkien's fantasy classic can't be taken away by ANY film.

Just remember the words of Gandalf, "Even the wise cannot see all ends."

Read what other webmasters feel about the films at these links:

http://www.tolkienonline.com/docs/1098.html
http://www.imladris.net/comments.php3?id=470