Saturday, December 20, 2014

SHORT FEATURE: ROBOT CHICKEN – J. R. R. TOLKIEN JR., JR.

As you probably expected, I reviewed “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” for Aleteia this week. You know, I long ago abandoned viewing these things as straight-up adaptations of Tolkien and started watching them as glorified fanfiction. You’d be surprised how much more you enjoy them that way.

Plus, as I noted in my article, it’s not like the movies have completely abandoned Tolkien’s themes (though some others might vehemently disagree). There are lessons to be learned on the dangers of avarice (condemned by the tenth commandment), the blessedness of the meek (as explained by Jesus himself at the Sermon on the Mount), and… and… and that’s enough. It’s not like Tolkien wrote a bible study, after all.

And besides, it’s not like Jackson didn’t show some restraint with his additions. At least the films never went this far…

Not yet anyway. There’s always The Silmarillion.

7 comments:

Rocket Scientist said...

Sorry. Now I can't get Ray Steven's song "Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chicken!" out of my head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtrJwLfNQPs

EegahInc said...

I'm not seeing a problem there :)

Scott W. said...

I took my son to the last Hobbit flick even though I detested the second one. We did the whole 3D Imax thing since I resolved that PJ was incapable of not turning it into CGEye-candy. I did enjoy it a little better and only facepalmed a few times. Notably the Dwarf-elf romance, Galadriel going super-wraith chick, and Legolas' usual "screw gravity!" action sequence.

Scott W. said...

P.S. Oh yeah, also the Dune worms of which you had the exact same thought.

I highly doubt a movie treatment of The Silmarillion any time soon. The Tolkien estate still owns the rights and they've had it with PJ.

EegahInc said...

They justify the worms because they're mentioned once in the book, but the way they're used in the movie raises way too many questions. Why don't they just tunnel straight to the treasure? Why aren't they used at Helm's Deep? You could just keep going.

Xena Catolica said...

Saw this over Christmas 'cause we were given tickets and babysitting. The map at the end was pretty much the only Tolkien I recognized. At best, I was relieved the dragon burned the town with conviction--no sparkly emo dragon, at least.

My husband and I decided we should reread the books together, which is probably the best outcome of any of PJ effort.

a very Happy New Year to you, Eegah!

EegahInc said...

I just watch the Hobbit movies like I'm watching somebody do a LOTR inspired D&D campaign and I'm able to enjoy them fine. I've got the books for my real Tolkien.