July 21, 2002

Arina - 'One Lotr Is As Good As Another'
Dave M.

I can see you getting a lot of flak about that statement!

From what I understand, Tolkien's opinion - in his essay 'On fairy Stories' - READ IT!!! is that the ideal, & only real way, to experience fantasy is by reading it or hearing the story told to you, so that the images form in your mind. That way the experience happens in your own mind, within you, as an interaction between you & the teller.

Also, when Gandalf faces the Balrog, for instance, when you're reading the encounter in the book, you're reading about the 'real' (in middle earth) gandalf, facing the 'real' Balrog. When you see the encounter on film, some part of you 'knows' its an actor vs. a special effect & to some extent it's not as 'real' as the experience of it happening in your head - well, that's Tolkien's theory, as I understand it.