Christopher Tolkien - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Son of Númenor · 06-18-2004, 05:33 PM

Quote:

but tried to squeeze every possible buck out of every letter and doodlescrap of his fathers.

To be fair, he was probably well-off enough financially for his motives in publishing the letters and HoME not to have been entirely monetary; and I for one am glad he has published what he has.

kboleen · 06-19-2004, 07:29 PM

Actually, Christopher only holds the right to the Silmarillion and beyond. The Saul Zaentz Company holds the right to the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. To quote their website:

"The Saul Zaentz Company also owns exclusive rights to certain copyrightable elements of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, including, among other things, film and legitimate stage rights."

http://www.tolkien-ent.com/

The Squatter of Amon Rûdh · 06-20-2004, 07:23 AM

Diamond is right. This isn't the first time that C.R.T. has been accused of milking his father's notes for every penny he could get, but I don't see it. He didn't sell the film rights to The Silmarillion, which would have been the single easiest way to make a lot of money very quickly out of his father's works, and now that there's even more money involved he's even more reluctant.

How many people really buy the Histories anyway? I can't think that they have the same mass appeal as, say, The Hobbit; and even if they did, there was no need to edit all of the old material together: it could just have been put into folders and sent off to HarperCollins without any commentary or indexing. Also I should like to know why the now very wealthy director of those staggeringly lucrative films is thought obviously to have been in it for love, while the author's son, who has made less money out of more work, is supposed clearly to have been motivated by financial gain. Could it be that Christopher Tolkien's somewhat austere image has something to do with it? Maybe if he wore shorts and described the books as 'cool' more often he wouldn't be a sell-out.

kboleen · 06-20-2004, 07:50 AM

I disagree with the "shameless cash-in." Tolkien always viewed his stories as "a modern myth" and as with ancient myths, all the cracks must be filled in. And I think that is what Christopher has done: filled in all the gaps that Tolkien would have done had he lived. JRR Tolkien spent his lifetime writing about Middle Earth and filling in all the gaps. He may have done it not expecting it ever to be published, but he did it nonetheless.

Estelyn Telcontar · 06-20-2004, 09:42 AM

I've often wondered what it is like for Christopher Tolkien, always living in his father's shadow. How much time he devoted to sorting and editing those notes! He was a professor himself and could have worked on something of his own. But he chose to dedicate his life to the completion of what his father's great genius started, working methodically as his father never could. I agree with Squatter that monetary motivation can't have been the primary reason; the family has earned more on royalties of Hobbit and LotR than the HoME can ever earn.

I think it was rather selfless of Christopher Tolkien to devote himself to the work of preparing the great mythology of Middle-earth for publishing! He certainly did us and our discussions a favour.

Durelin · 06-20-2004, 10:45 AM

I just think we need to thank God for Christopher Tolkien! I think of poor Charles Schultz and how his son wouldn't continue the 'Peanuts' comics, and just think of how fortunate it was that one of Tolkien's children took an interest in his work.

Quote:

but tried to squeeze every possible buck out of every letter and doodlescrap of his fathers.

Hmmm...and why not, is all I have to ask. Christopher Tolkien has 'filled in the cracks,' as kboleen said, and now he is able to make money off of the 'enterprise' his father created. I do think it has become a true enterprise. And Christopher has been doing great things for it. Why not benefit from it?

I myself am glad that he is benefiting from it, and think that Estelyn wrapped up the 'why' very nicely.

06-21-2004, 06:26 PM

Somehow I can't believe he's so old already - after all, I've always thought of him as "Tolkien's son". And most likely - sigh - he will be gone in just a few years. How healthy is he, anyways?

About Christopher Tolkien being modivated by money - I don't think anybody can really accuse him of that. Think about how much work he devoted to reading every freakin' letter and note his father left behind. He spent years doing that, and, in the end, he earned a couple of bucks and published some books that have the name "J.R.R. Tolkien" written in cover.

06-20-2004, 07:23 AM	#3
The Squatter of Amon Rûdh Spectre of Decay Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Bar-en-Danwedh Posts: 2,178	HoME the Shameless Cash-in Diamond is right. This isn't the first time that C.R.T. has been accused of milking his father's notes for every penny he could get, but I don't see it. He didn't sell the film rights to The Silmarillion, which would have been the single easiest way to make a lot of money very quickly out of his father's works, and now that there's even more money involved he's even more reluctant. How many people really buy the Histories anyway? I can't think that they have the same mass appeal as, say, The Hobbit; and even if they did, there was no need to edit all of the old material together: it could just have been put into folders and sent off to HarperCollins without any commentary or indexing. Also I should like to know why the now very wealthy director of those staggeringly lucrative films is thought obviously to have been in it for love, while the author's son, who has made less money out of more work, is supposed clearly to have been motivated by financial gain. Could it be that Christopher Tolkien's somewhat austere image has something to do with it? Maybe if he wore shorts and described the books as 'cool' more often he wouldn't be a sell-out. __________________ Man kenuva métim' andúne? Last edited by The Squatter of Amon Rûdh; 06-20-2004 at 09:03 AM.

06-20-2004, 09:42 AM	#5
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	I've often wondered what it is like for Christopher Tolkien, always living in his father's shadow. How much time he devoted to sorting and editing those notes! He was a professor himself and could have worked on something of his own. But he chose to dedicate his life to the completion of what his father's great genius started, working methodically as his father never could. I agree with Squatter that monetary motivation can't have been the primary reason; the family has earned more on royalties of Hobbit and LotR than the HoME can ever earn. I think it was rather selfless of Christopher Tolkien to devote himself to the work of preparing the great mythology of Middle-earth for publishing! He certainly did us and our discussions a favour. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

06-21-2004, 06:26 PM	#7
Aasitus Guest Posts: n/a	He's nearly 80 already.. Somehow I can't believe he's so old already - after all, I've always thought of him as "Tolkien's son". And most likely - sigh - he will be gone in just a few years. How healthy is he, anyways? About Christopher Tolkien being modivated by money - I don't think anybody can really accuse him of that. Think about how much work he devoted to reading every freakin' letter and note his father left behind. He spent years doing that, and, in the end, he earned a couple of bucks and published some books that have the name "J.R.R. Tolkien" written in cover. Last edited by Aasitus; 06-21-2004 at 06:39 PM.

06-19-2004, 07:29 PM	#2
kboleen Animated Skeleton Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Northwest Florida Posts: 27	Actually, Christopher only holds the right to the Silmarillion and beyond. The Saul Zaentz Company holds the right to the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. To quote their website: "The Saul Zaentz Company also owns exclusive rights to certain copyrightable elements of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, including, among other things, film and legitimate stage rights." http://www.tolkien-ent.com/

06-20-2004, 07:50 AM	#4
kboleen Animated Skeleton Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Northwest Florida Posts: 27	I disagree with the "shameless cash-in." Tolkien always viewed his stories as "a modern myth" and as with ancient myths, all the cracks must be filled in. And I think that is what Christopher has done: filled in all the gaps that Tolkien would have done had he lived. JRR Tolkien spent his lifetime writing about Middle Earth and filling in all the gaps. He may have done it not expecting it ever to be published, but he did it nonetheless.