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Old 12-09-2007, 01:09 PM   #2
davem
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties
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davem is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.davem is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
They had the complete rights to LotR & still messed the whole thing up. Why? Because they thought they could tell Tolkien's story better than Tolkien could, that they could tell a better story by chopping huge chunks of Tolkien's original & replacing them by trivial, nonsensical drivel. That being the case, even if they did get access to the Sil/HoM-e/UT material what makes you think they wouldn't do the same thing? The Estate could grant them the rights to the Gondolin material (to pursue your example) & still find the movie version full of shield-surfing Gondolindrim & the like.

This is about respect for the material, & Jackson, Boyens & the other one had their chance with LotR & blew it. Why should they be trusted again? The Estate, & CT in particular, would want the stories told as written, but if they sold the rights all they would be doing would be supplying Jackson & New Line with raw material to do with as they would - & every time they raised an objection they'd be met with the stock response 'Well, movies & books are different.' or 'We know what we're doing - look how much money we made with LotR.'

The Estate have nothing to gain from selling the rights - least of all any guarantee that the material would be treated with respect.

Look, they have the right to make a Hobbit movie. Any other movie(s) will be made for one reason & one reason only - to make money. If you think their concern stretches to matters of 'authenticity', or conforming to Tolkien's tale, you're sadly mistaken - Jackson et al are concerned with what will look good on screen, on SFX & 3d gimickry. If they don't want to get things wrong they can make a movie of TH, drawing on the book, & leave it at that.

Speaking for myself I've already seen & re-seen the Hobbit movie I want to see - its the one that runs in my head every time I read the book.
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