Will The Hobbit do damage to the books?

[LadyBrooke]

Originally Posted by alatar

Yes...and well, yes.

Initially I was upset that PJ wasn't following the Books, and more importantly, MY vision of the same. But with time I let that all that 'purist stuff' go and yet still found tomes of material in which to criticize PJ, such as lack of consistency, dumbed-down humor, the word "She-elf" ...

I understand what you mean - orc #12,210 isn't as exciting as Lurtz - but in LotR, main characters were left to the side (Eomer) to make room for Brego snogging Aragorn.

I guess that we'll have to wait and see how it all works out.

Yeah, there's certainly tons of room to criticize PJ, not trying to say there isn't (like I said before, I hate how Celeborn was treated. I think that the movies diminished both his and Galadriel's characters with those changes, but I won't go into that here.) I just want to give the movies a chance - especially since I do know that some kids are reading the books because of the upcoming movies (like my brother/minion) and that I read LotR because of the movies to begin with. Now, the Tolkien Estate has untold amounts of my money...

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by LadyBrooke

Yeah, there's certainly tons of room to criticize PJ, not trying to say there isn't (like I said before, I hate how Celeborn was treated. I think that the movies diminished both his and Galadriel's characters with those changes, but I won't go into that here.) I just want to give the movies a chance - especially since I do know that some kids are reading the books because of the upcoming movies (like my brother/minion) and that I read LotR because of the movies to begin with. Now, the Tolkien Estate has untold amounts of my money...

If people read the books because of the movies, that is the best outcome they could provide, regardless of box-office takings or possible awards.
As for the Estate having the money....well, I doubt they have as much as popular belief would credit. They've had to fight with New Line for a share.

[Glorthelion]

The Hobbit trilogy will never be as good as the LOTR. I'm not sure about doing damage but it will certainly be read more often in the lead up. The other day I saw a school jock borrowing a Hobbit novel.

[Glorthelion]

I've read the earlier replies. If Jackson wants to 'show more of the story' then perhaps the third film shouldn't be part of the trilogy but rather a separate film containing white council stuff, something like an interquel. That way like some people said earlier in the thread, the continuity wouldn't be interrupted.
Jackson is a talented director, I love him and I'd hate to see his huge project turn into a trilogy of error.

[Kuruharan]

I agree with Mith that The Hobbit existed long before the films and the story itself isn't going to be "damaged" by anything the film does or does not do.

Whether the Tolkien brand might be damaged by poor films...maybe in the eyes of pop culture. But pop culture is fickle, shallow, vulgar, and for the most part rather vile. I'm not sure I'd want my worth to be measured by such a thing anyway. Also, if Tolkien stays in the spotlight, its probably inevitable that pop culture will turn against him eventually anyway because it is fickle and one of its defining characteristics is getting sick of and turning on whatever has been the "it" thing for too long.

Tolkien's stories have weathered such storms before and I have no doubt will have to again in the future.

[Mithalwen]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/b...-of-myths.html

I don't know if this is the best place to put this article but it is pertinent - and more learned than most. Sorry for the delay.. I found an unread section of paper tucked away.