Anyone here ever read Tolkien?

Saft · **Reply #80 on:** February 24, 2009, 02:44:00 PM

Although Christopher Lee (who knew Tolkien in life and reads The Lord of the Rings once every year) became an advisor and put input into the movie.

Didn't Tolkien say to Lee that if there was ever a Lord of the Rings movie made, he'd like him to be Gandalf? It would be interesting to see if Tolkien was alive today, to see if that still stood.

Nick22 · **Reply #81 on:** February 24, 2009, 02:53:36 PM

Lee had originally asked to be Gandalf, but Jackson thought thaat he was too old for the part so he cast him as Saruman. Mckellan was eventually cast as Gandalf, and now, for better or worse, is associated with the role. I'm a big Christopher Lee fan, but I don't recall Lee ever claiming that Tolkein wanted him to play Gandalf..

Saft · **Reply #82 on:** February 24, 2009, 02:54:32 PM

My favourite Tolkien work, is of course The Lord of the Rings but I do like the hobbit aswell.

Didn't Tolkien 'write' the Hobbit for his children originally, then agreed to write the manuscript when someone read it, enjoyed it and requested for him to do so, so it could be published and distributed?

Saft · **Reply #83 on:** February 24, 2009, 02:56:20 PM

Nick22

Quote

I'm a big Christopher Lee fan, but I don't recall Lee ever claiming that Tolkein wanted him to play Gandalf..

Have you seen Lee's portrayal as Dracula? It is fantastic.

I think I read it somewhere. I'd have to look for it....no matter.

Nick22 · **Reply #84 on:** February 24, 2009, 02:59:28 PM

i believe it was originally a children story, then when it was published, he got requests for a sequel which eventually became LOTR, and his magnum opus. Actually I have never seen him as Dracula, my first viewing of him was in 1974's The Man with the Golden Gun, A Bond film starring Roger Moore as Bond and Lee as Francisco Scaramanaga.

Saft · **Reply #85 on:** February 24, 2009, 03:01:09 PM

I recommend that you somehow see his portrayal as Dracula. I've only seen it once as my paternal grandparents are avid Lee fans.

Nick22 · **Reply #86 on:** February 24, 2009, 03:05:27 PM

When he did the role, he actually did not watch Bela Lugosi's performance as the Count in the 1931 version of DRacula. Lugosi died a couple years before Lee's Peformance as the count, which often makes me wonder if had Lugosi lived, they would have offered to cast him in a small role in Lee's version, to symbolically pass on the "torch" of Dracula to the next generation. It would have been a nice gesture..

Saft · **Reply #87 on:** February 24, 2009, 03:14:35 PM

Oh yes, I agree. Although I have never seen Bela Lugosi's performance as the Count, I'm afraid to say. Although I dearly wish too.

How old were you when you first read (any of) Tolkien's works?

I first read the Hobbit when I was around ten years old.
As for the Lord of the Rings, I first read around thirteen but did not manage to finish the book as I was in the process of moving.

Nick22 · **Reply #88 on:** February 24, 2009, 03:25:36 PM

I was probably around 10- when I first read the hobbit. it was a library book with pictures from the 1978 Rankin Bass Film. In fact I still have it, The Library got rid of it so I bought it for like a dollar, and still have it with me

the Lord of tHe Rings. I must have started right after finishing the Hobbit. I'm a very fast reader so it probably took me a couple months to finish the trilogy. And then I started re-reading them going over things I might have missed before.

Saft · **Reply #89 on:** February 24, 2009, 03:45:53 PM

One dollar?

That is very inexpensive.

My version of the Lord of the Rings was from my maternal Grandfather. He originally lent it to me but after I eventually finished when we moved to Switzerland, he said I could have it.

Nick22 · **Reply #90 on:** February 24, 2009, 03:49:09 PM

Yeah they were throwing it away so It cost hardly anything to buy it.. Which was nice as I had very fond memories of the book. I had seen very version of Lord of the Rings to date, inclkuding balski's unfinished version. His version only goes to the end of the two towers. He never got around to finishing the return of the king..

Saft · **Reply #91 on:** February 27, 2009, 01:25:17 PM

Is the Children of Hurin any good?

Nick22 · **Reply #92 on:** February 27, 2009, 01:36:08 PM

I've never read it, Its one of the few Tolkien books I haven't read. Oh, and Big News. Mckellan WILL play Gandalf again!

and Serkis will play Gollum again, so those two are on board.. Now to see if they can get Hugo Weaving back as Elrond...

Kor · **Reply #93 on:** February 27, 2009, 02:11:17 PM

That would be great, even though he's in just 1 scene. They could have some other elf characters that were in the lord of the rings in the background, without needing to introduce them. Folks who saw the lord of the rings movies would recognize them.

Malte279 · **Reply #94 on:** February 27, 2009, 02:17:24 PM

Quote

Is the Children of Hurin any good?

It's okay.
The Children of Hurin did not capture me as much as the lord of the rings or the hobbit did and occasionally it was tricky to keep track of the many names in the book, but I never regretted a moment of the time it took me to read it (which was not too long, a fact that may also indicate the book is not boring). Not brilliant, but not bad either.

Nick22 · **Reply #95 on:** February 27, 2009, 02:18:40 PM

Well, in the book, he does translate the moonletter runes on the map, which will almost certainly be part of the film.."Stand by the gray stone while the thrush knocks, and the Last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole"

Saft · **Reply #96 on:** February 27, 2009, 04:04:37 PM

Excellent that Mckellen and Serkis are reprising there roles for the hobbit.

As to The Children of Hurin, it would be interesting to see what it would be like (reading wise) but I don't know. Wasn't it edited by Christopher Tolkien?

They HAVE to have Elrond in the Hobbit. Although it is a small role, there stay was vital to the storyline.....slightly.

Kor · **Reply #97 on:** February 27, 2009, 04:18:24 PM

A small but important role. If they do The White Council, or whatever they call it his role should be larger in that one.

Nick22 · **Reply #98 on:** February 27, 2009, 04:34:13 PM

It was vital period. Elrond could translate runes of all sorts and it was there they first discovered the "moon -letters". Without the moon letters they could have never found or opened the door into Smaug's lair, and it could only open at a certain time, at a very specific moment, sunset.

Nick22 · **Reply #99 on:** February 27, 2009, 04:35:47 PM

His role will be bigger in the second film, whatever its called. That one they're largely making out of whole cloth.. since there is no book to base it on, save for pieces and short references in Tolkien's works..