Microphones in Middle-earth...the BBC Lord of the Rings

[davem]

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

Meanwhile, my article on the series The Ring Goes Ever On has now got its illustrations back and will be expanded as soon as I have time.

Thanks so much for reinstating the pictures - I especially love the little one from RT about the first episode: seeing that instantly transports me back to March 1981.

Thanks for the link here to the Downs too

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I have a question on pronunciation - I noticed that Sméagol and Déagol were spoken as "Smeegol" and "Deegol". I was under the impression that the vowels are separated into two syllables, as in the movie - Sme-a-gol, De-a-gol. As I read that Christopher Tolkien had given guidelines for pronunciation, which is correct?

As to Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum voice - it's perfect! I love the way he emphasizes the "g" with a swallowing sound when it's at the beginning of a word.

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

I have a question on pronunciation - I noticed that Sméagol and Déagol were spoken as "Smeegol" and "Deegol". I was under the impression that the vowels are separated into two syllables, as in the movie - Sme-a-gol, De-a-gol. As I read that Christopher Tolkien had given guidelines for pronunciation, which is correct?

As to Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum voice - it's perfect! I love the way he emphasizes the "g" with a swallowing sound when it's at the beginning of a word.

Not sure which is 'correct'; certainly, we followed Christopher Tolkien's pronunciation at the time...

Yes, Woodthorpe is a marvel! I think one or two members of the cast were seriously worried about being upstaged (!), but he fully embodied Gollum and, despite Andy Serkis' remarkable film performance, Woodthorpe's voice is still the one I hear when I read the book...

[davem]

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

Not sure which is 'correct'; certainly, we followed Christopher Tolkien's pronunciation at the time...
.

Back on 5th March 1981 (as Brian must remember) there was a bit of an event to launch the series at the Church House Bookshop. I've heard a recording, with Brian, Michael Bakewell, Penny Leicester, Peter Woodthorpe (who did a fantastic live performance of Gollum), David Collings, Stephen Oliver - & I think Raynor Unwin & Eric Fraser were also present....

Anyway, at the event Brian played the first few minutes of the tape Christopher recorded as a pronunciation guide, & Christopher points out there that the correct pronunciation is the one used in the series (& by Tolkien himself) - ie 'Smeegol' & 'Deegol' as opposed to 'Smay-a-gol' & 'Day-a-gol'.

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by davem

Back on 5th March 1981 (as Brian must remember)....

Er... just!

Originally Posted by davem

Anyway, at the event Brian played the first few minutes of the tape Christopher recorded as a pronunciation guide, & Christopher points out there that the correct pronunciation is the one used in the series (& by Tolkien himself) - ie 'Smeegol' & 'Deegol' as opposed to 'Smay-a-gol' & 'Day-a-gol'.

Phew! That's a relief!

[Essex]

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

and, despite Andy Serkis' remarkable film performance, Woodthorpe's voice is still the one I hear when I read the book...

And for me as well - you wouldn't believe the trouble I had trying to copy this accent when reading the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings out to my son during bed times over the past year or so. And he loves listening to the radio adaptations in the car too.

Just a couple of questions if I may Brian? (and apologies if they've been asked before - i haven't read through all the posts fully)

I used to have the original 13 cassette version until someone 'borrowed' it! So I went out and got the updated CD version you mentioned earlier on in the thread. Did you have any concerns on having Frodo narrate the bookends to each part of the trilogy in the new version, i.e. 'giving away' the point that Frodo survived? Or do you think, becasue of the mass exposure lotr now has across all media that most people would know he survived anyway?

One silly thing, I usually have the music cd from the new collection on the car - was there a reason why 'In Western Lands beneath the Sun' is earlier on in the list when the rest are in chronological order? Sorry for such a silly question - it is a beautiful song - I was seriosuly hoping for SOMETHING like this to be in the films - Sam's hopelesness - feeling utterly defeated as he can't find Frodo - then singing this beautiful song - it brings a tear to my eye when both reading the book or listening to your adaption.

Last thing (for now!) - I think the way Robert Stephens changes his voice from 'yokel' Strider to more 'kingly' aragorn as we travel with him from weathertop to rivendell and beyond was a marvel. your idea or Robert's? PS - One of the biggest regrets of my life was not seeing Mr Stephens in King Lear before he died a few years ago- hang on I've just read his biog - he died 12 years ago. - I can't believe it!

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by Essex

Just a couple of questions if I may, Brian...

I used to have the original 13 cassette version until someone 'borrowed' it! So I went out and got the updated CD version you mentioned earlier on in the thread. Did you have any concerns on having Frodo narrate the bookends to each part of the trilogy in the new version, i.e. 'giving away' the point that Frodo survived? Or do you think, becasue of the mass exposure lotr now has across all media that most people would know he survived anyway?

Well, the second part of your question pretty much sums it up....

We deliberately chose NOT to use Frodo as narrator when the dramatisation was written, for the very reason you mention. And, of course, he couldn't narrate to the end of the story, since he leaves BEFORE the end! (Which is why the 'new' version only has a prologue and no epilogue to TROTK.)

We did consider using Sam, but felt that would reduce the tension and - despite the arguments of one reviewer who said we SHOULD have used him - it would have been difficult for Sam to narrate the events in which he was not involved...

By the time we did the 'new' version, I thought - because of the films - that it no longer mattered quite as much and it enabled me to create a 'story-so-far' introduction so that TTT and TROTK could be sold and listened to as stand-alone recordings...

Originally Posted by Essex

One silly thing, I usually have the music cd from the new collection on the car - was there a reason why 'In Western Lands beneath the Sun' is earlier on in the list when the rest are in chronological order? Sorry for such a silly question - it is a beautiful song - I was seriosuly hoping for SOMETHING like this to be in the films - Sam's hopelesness - feeling utterly defeated as he can't find Frodo - then singing this beautiful song - it brings a tear to my eye when both reading the book or listening to your adaption.

Not silly, but I honestly don't know why Stephen Oliver made that decision - unless it was dictated by the length and number of tracks that would fit on the original LP... We ought to have fixed that on the CD...

Originally Posted by Essex

Last thing (for now!) - I think the way Robert Stephens changes his voice from 'yokel' Strider to more 'kingly' aragorn as we travel with him from weathertop to rivendell and beyond was a marvel. your idea or Robert's? PS - One of the biggest regrets of my life was not seeing Mr Stephens in King Lear before he died a few years ago- hang on I've just read his biog - he died 12 years ago. - I can't believe it!

I think this was down to an inspired combination of Robert's performance and Jane Morgan's direction.

[Macalaure]

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

I hope people won't be too outraged when I say I was very surprised to discover that the radio series was on YouTube and, whilst I love the fact that people are still discovering this series, I am sorry that it is out there is a form that disregards the copyright interests of a lot of people including the Tolkien estate, the dramatists, composer, musicians and actors or their estates.

It seems I am the only one posting to this thread that is using Youtube to listen to the BBC radio adaptation. I am not downloading it anywhere, however, and now that I listened to, and greatly enjoyed, the first three episodes, I definitely intend to purchase it in the near future.

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

Maybe it was a mistake to include The Hunt for the Ring; I wonder whether people feel the same about the Gandalf/Saruman/Gwaihir scenes that (in the book) are not revealed until the Council of Elrond at Rivendell?

It has its benefits and drawbacks, I would say, but whereas the Black Riders are a real mystery in the Book, I think the disappearance of Gandalf is a lesser one. One always has the feeling that Gandalf is going to appear again eventually (certainly after Weathertop), and it is only the circumstances under which this happens that one wonders about.


I have to say that, during the third episode, I am more and more getting used to the voice of Aragorn. Maybe it is really nothing more than “getting used”, maybe it has something to do with the more kingly voice that Essex mentioned.

I take back all my criticism of the Nazgûl not being scary. In this episode they were, especially on Weathertop. What I really liked was the way Frodo described the Ringwraiths the way he saw them when he wore the ring. That was very tense.

Handling the Council of Elrond was probably not easy, but the immense amount of information was conveyed without significant loss and, more important maybe, without a loss of dramatic fluidity. The criticisms I have about it are minor in comparison to this. One is Legolas’s role, which is very brief and, although it is hard for me to say it, almost redundant, because we already learnt of his news from Gwaihir. The other one is, that it is not clear how much courage Frodo shows in saying “I will take the ring”. In the book, there is a long meaningful silence before he speaks. This has to be very tricky to convey in an adaptation for the radio.

The sound effects have been talked about a lot. Even though I am listening to them now for the first time, and not when they were first released (only shortly after my birth!), I actually don’t think they’re that bad. The effects are in the background and do not distract from the story, which is just like effects ought to be ideally. Their quality might not be breathtaking, but because of this, it is never a problem.

[Mithalwen]

May I ask whether you knew who was playing the major roles before you finished the script? And whethet that influenced you at all. I have to say I think most of the casting was at least equal if not superior to the films. Highly superior in regard to Frodo, Sam, Gollum and Gandalf.

The film seemed to base the character of Sam purely on Gollum's stupid, fat hobbit jibe. Bill Nighy got him just right to my mind but he surely was quite young then and certainly a lot less well known than now - I know he had done some good TV work before he achieved Hollywood fame in Love Actually et alia but I knew him because of the Radio production of LOTR - or at least wondered if William Nighy and Bill were one and the same.

I also think that David Collings was a great choice as Legolas. His voice is very distinctive and happily still heard regularly on R4, but it conveys that elvish otherness without being at all camp.

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by Macalaure

Handling the Council of Elrond was probably not easy, but the immense amount of information was conveyed without significant loss and, more important maybe, without a loss of dramatic fluidity.

A good example of superb writing by my co-adaptor, Michael Bakewell. I laid out a precise of which topics had to be covered, but he was the one who crafted the whole and made sense of it.

Yes, it did need a longer pause before Frodo's declaration... And I hate the tinny dinner-bell that sounds so feeble, but there are some great performances and I particularly like the way in which Hugh Dickson as Elrond steers the event...

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by Macalaure

It seems I am the only one posting to this thread that is using Youtube to listen to the BBC radio adaptation. I am not downloading it anywhere, however, and now that I listened to, and greatly enjoyed, the first three episodes, I definitely intend to purchase it in the near future.

Thank you! I'm sorry to have made everyone so jumpy about this issue - I think the age we live in makes us all (myself included) take the availability of things (books, music, films and facts) via the internet for granted... I'm told that, in surveys, the current generation think that all music is FREE and I suspect they think the same about movies...

Anyway, if and when you do buy the radio LOTR, you'll find most of the still available versions (past and present) listed at the end of the article, The Ring Goes Ever On, on my web-site.

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by davem

Thanks so much for reinstating the pictures - I especially love the little one from RT about the first episode: seeing that instantly transports me back to March 1981.

As you probably know, Eric Fraser drew 26 little head-pieces for the 'Radio Times' billings during the run of the series, although a couple never appeared due to industrial action which meant that the magazine for those weeks appeared only in a very basic, unillustrated, 'emergency' format.

One or two these pictures (which have something in common with Fraser's LOTR decorations for the Folio Society's 'Hobbit' and 'Rings') were used on/in the cassette/cd packaging for a while, but are largely unknown; and - in the case of the ones never printed - unseen!

Originally Posted by davem

Thanks for the link here to the Downs too

My pleasure. I am really enjoying reliving that journey of so long ago... Just hope my presence on the forum doesn't inhibit free-speech! Believe me, after 27 years, I am beyond taking offence!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

Just hope my presence on the forum doesn't inhibit free-speech!

Not at all! Actually, I think it may serve as an incentive to really dig into this discussion. After all, it gives us a wonderful "getting-to-know-an-insider" feeling...