New Harper Collins Tolkien site

[The Might]

Indeed nice link, davem!

Does anyone know where the drawing of the blue wizards at the top of the page comes from? I really like it.

[Morthoron]

It's working fine today. Thanks for the link.

[Bêthberry]

There's even a forum there for discussing Tolkien.

I wonder, do any Downers post there (incognito of course ) or is it just for book trade types?

[davem]

Are those of you on the other side of the pond (in North America & North North America ) able to watch the video on the page I linked to? This is a very important film, made back in 1992, & only available on VHS for a few years - it contains clips of Tolkien himself, interviews with Tom Shippey, Verlyn Flieger & Quene Margrethe of Denmark, but most significantly a long interview with Christopher discussing his father's work in great detail. If not, the direct link for it on You Tube is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCqd9...layer_embedded

[Pitchwife]

Thanks for that link, davem! The video is wonderful - I don't think I'd ever tire of hearing Chris talk about his father's work (just have to love that occasional hint of a quirky smile at the edges of his mouth!). What I found especially insightful up to now (I'm only about halfway through watching it) was the part about The Machine vs Art as the central theme of LotR - I guess we're all aware of that by now, but it's nice to hear it put so succinctly and have the public reminded that LotR isn't just a source for fantasy roleplaying and movie merchandise, but a work of literature written by a contemporary of Rilke and Heidegger, treating in mythological form much of the same issues that were on the mind of the great modern critics of modernity.

As for the site itself, was anybody else amused by seeing People of Middle-Earth and other parts of HoME grouped under 'Non-fiction'?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by The Might

Does anyone know where the drawing of the blue wizards at the top of the page comes from? I really like it.

It gives a different picture every time you refresh the page... but I have found it eventually, and I don't know it - never seen it. All the other pictures, however, as far as I have been able to see, are by Ted Nasmith. So it might be assumed that this one is as well.

And I must say, the video is really interesting. I am watching it one part at a time, but it is wonderful.

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

What I found especially insightful up to now (I'm only about halfway through watching it) was the part about The Machine vs Art as the central theme of LotR - I guess we're all aware of that by now, but it's nice to hear it put so succinctly and have the public reminded that LotR isn't just a source for fantasy roleplaying and movie merchandise, but a work of literature written by a contemporary of Rilke and Heidegger, treating in mythological form much of the same issues that were on the mind of the great modern critics of modernity.

Indeed. Something just brilliant.

As for the site itself, was anybody else amused by seeing People of Middle-Earth and other parts of HoME grouped under 'Non-fiction'?

Actually haven't noticed that originally. !!!

...well, why the surprise?

[davem]

I have that documentary on the original VHS release & I know that many fans have been desperate for it to be made available for a long time. I wish it could be released on DVD (though I know it would be possible for anyone with a VHS machine & a DVD recorder to make their own DVD copy - not that I would ever advocate such an act......) I'm assuming that it is on You Tube legally - otherwise Harper Collins wouldn't have linked to it, so hopefully it will be made available on DVD soon.

Christopher's comments on the Machine are very interesting - love the 'train' annecdote -(as are his later thoughts on why his father was unable to bring The Silmarillion to completion). Overall its a lovely film, with lots of thought provoking & insightful stuff - not to mention the chance to see Tolkien's remaining children (Michael was dead by the time this was made) reminiscing about their father. Now, if only the BBC documentary 'Tolkien in Oxford' (from which the clips of the man himself included in this film were taken) could also be made available....

[Pitchwife]

Just finished watching the video.

Originally Posted by davem

Christopher's comments on the Machine are very interesting - love the 'train' annecdote -(as are his later thoughts on why his father was unable to bring The Silmarillion to completion).

Yep, that anecdote was very nice - the White Horse and the Railway, isn't that in a way the whole of LotR in nuce? Also the bit about JRRT realizing that we have to live in this world as it is, e.g. his interest for and use of the tape recorder (made me wonder what he'd think of our activities on the Internet nowadays...).
More highlights: definitely the interviews with Shippey and Flieger, esp. Shippey tearing snobbish academic criticism of Tolkien to bits: "You just can't do that" - yay! And Queen Margarete outing herself as a first generation Tolkien fangirl is absolutely charming, with an illustration of the Scouring of the Shire by her that's spot on to how I'd imagined it.
Not to forget, that clip of an interview with JRRT himself where he quotes Simone de Beauvoir, of all people, to illustrate the importance of death as a theme in LotR. Absolutely the first name you'd have associated with him, isn't it? Shows that the range of his mind was much broader than is commonly imagined.
Everybody who hasn't seen that video yet, go watch it!