Tolkien Bio-pic

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I just hope that any "flaws and inaccuracies" don't cast unwarranted aspersion on the real man's character. Judging figures from the past based upon modern-day sensibilities has become increasingly common.

I have heard, and perhaps someone can correct me on this, that the film minimizes or virtually negates Tolkien's Catholicism as an important factor in his upbringing and with the spiritual nature in which he carried those dogmatic tenets through his work and his relationships with the Inklings.

If that were the case, I don't think the terms "flaws and inaccuracies" would span the chasm of incredulity created by such a rift from reality. I am not a religious person, but one has to acknowledge, in Tolkien's case quite forcefully, that Catholicism was a primary motivation of Tolkien's philosophical makeup.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I have heard, and perhaps someone can correct me on this, that the film minimizes or virtually negates Tolkien's Catholicism as an important factor in his upbringing and with the spiritual nature in which he carried those dogmatic tenets through his work and his relationships with the Inklings.

I don't have any information that this will be the case, but I would not be at all surprised. Acknowledgment by mass media of positive Christian influences seems to be thought passé and out of step with what an audience wishes to see.

[Rhun charioteer]

From what I have heard, Colm Meaney will be playing the catholic priest that was integral to his upbringing.

I'm not sure how much emphasis they will devote to that, but at least they are showing it was present.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by Rhun charioteer

From what I have heard, Colm Meaney will be playing the catholic priest that was integral to his upbringing.

I'm not sure how much emphasis they will devote to that, but at least they are showing it was present.

He could function simply as the ogre who kept Ronald and Edith apart

[Rhun charioteer]

Well she did convert to Catholicism to be with him, not sure how the movie will go about portraying that.

Anyway I'm sure I'll see it.

[Huinesoron]

Apparently the Tolkien Estate has 'disavowed' the biopic.

On Tuesday morning, the estate and family of Tolkien issued a terse statement in which they announced their “wish to make clear that they did not approve of, authorise or participate in the making of this film”, and that “they do not endorse it or its content in any way”.

A spokesperson for the estate told the Guardian that the statement was intended to make its position clear, rather than heralding future legal action.

It's not really clear whether that's 'we disapprove of it and condemn it', or simply a statement that 'this does not have an official Seal Of Approval from the Estate'. John Garth (Tolkien and the Great War seems to think it's the latter, and points out that a Seal of Approval (or an... absence of an absence of such a seal, so to speak) could lead people to think the inaccuracies in the film have a stamp of authenticity.

hS

[Zigûr]

Some discussion I've just read online has posited that the lack of Estate involvement makes the biopic less likely to be hagiographical, but the trailers hardly make it look like some warts-and-all study of his life (not that there would be many 'warts' anyway, as far as I know).

It just looks to me like a fairly tepid period-piece coming-of-age/romantic drama with a WW1 backdrop and a bit of fantasy imagery thrown in for flavour.

I agree with John Garth, who manages to put a more cheery and positive spin on it than I would, that misconceptions will arise from this film. I expect Facebook comments sections and Reddit threads full of arguments between people who've only seen the film and people who've read a biography but misremember or misunderstand it. Interesting times ahead.