July 11, 2003

Poll and 'Your Middle Earth'
Niphredil

It has been interesting reading how many times everyone has seen the LOTR films. I myself have seen FOTR about a dozen times and the EE (which I think is a better film) about the same. I saw TTT 3 times in the cinema and am also eagerly awaiting the DVD release (probably TTT EE even more so). And yes, I will be purchasing both. My viewing time is also limited by a husband who ‘can take it or leave it’ and a 2 and a half year old daughter.

I have a question for you all. I was wondering if the films have altered the way you see Middle Earth in ‘your minds eye’ when you go back and read the novels again. I have been reading LOTR at least once (quite often 2 or 3 times) a year for the last 20 years (ever since my dad gave me a copy when I was 12 and I became hooked). I recently had a bout of the chicken pox and to distract myself from the obvious unpleasantness, set out to immerse myself in Middle Earth yet again. I found it a little strange at first, as the familiar pictures I usually ‘see’ when I read the books had become a little distorted by my recent exposure to the films. However, once I had finally fully succumb to Tolkien’s spell (the end of the first chapter in fact), I found that my old familiar Middle Earth of the past 20 years had reasserted itself, much to my delight. Is this the case for all of you? Does your Middle Earth win out over that of P.J. or does how many times you’ve read the books prior to seeing the films come into it?

I was just curious as I am waiting for the day I can give my daughter her first taste of Middle Earth (which I would prefer to come from the books rather than the films, though I will probably have to lock her away in a tower some where to achieve it), so that she too can create her own vision of Middle Earth.

PS Not to say that I don’t enjoy P.J.’s Middle Earth (as is evidenced by the number of times I've seen the films), it’s just that I still prefer my own inspired by the books. Actually, I was a little surprised that most people on this forum are so happy with P.J.'s vision.