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

[ArathornJax]

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

Yes, I knew the BBC dramatisation of The Hobbit which featured good actors and was directed by one of the BBC's best directors, John Powell, with whom I worked on other programmes. But I never liked it: I found it too fanciful, too fussy and heavily cumbered with too many intrusive sound-effects. We asked if we could make a new version of The Hobbit to precede TLOTR, but the powers-that-be wouldn't approve that idea - way too expensive - so it never happened. However, I think it certainly influenced Michael and I in writing the scripts and Jane Morgan and Penny Leicester in establishing a directing style - on the basis of knowing what we didn't want to do!

I would totally agree with you that it is too fussy and very cumbered with too many intrusive sound-effects. The trumpets that go off are annoying as is the sound of Bilbo putting on the rings. I would have LOVED to have heard an adaptation by your team of The Hobbit and I think the cost over time would have been made back and with profit, but sometimes in business decisions can be short term based.

I suspected that it may have shown you and your team what you did not want to do. Thanks for the response.