5 ms·
A completely faithful film adaptation of Tolkien's books would make for a terrible movie. Which isn't to say that all the adaptations are good, of course. But
by bunderbunder 2y ago
A completely faithful film adaptation of Tolkien's books would make for a terrible movie.
Which isn't to say that all the adaptations are good, of course. But the changes that were made in Peter Jackson's LOTR or the Rankin/Bass adaptation of The Hobbit were well-intentioned and generally made sense for their respective media.
Probably Tolkien wouldn't like either, but that doesn't automatically make them bad. A good example here would be Stanley Kubrick's version of The Shining, which was an excellent film regardless of what Stephen King thinks about it.
Which isn't to say that all adaptations are good, of course. But ragging on artistic license in general just because some works of art fail is a depressing, philistine conclusion to draw.
- wizzwizz4 2y agoA terrible action movie, maybe. I think Studio Ghibli could pull it off (not that that's what they do).
- bunderbunder 2y agoFunny you should mention Studio Ghibli right after I cited the animated version of The Hobbit. ;)
- kridsdale3 2y agoI think (even though it isn't well reviewed) Tales of Earthsea shows that they do sometimes make adaptations.
- wizzwizz4 2y agoNot faithful adaptations, to my knowledge. They tell their own stories, and they do a good job of it, but they don't tell other people's. The Earthsea adaptation was more of an action film than the books were action books, which happens to Tolkien adaptations too.
- shermanyo 2y agoSpeaking of Stephen King, The Mist is another great example. The film adaptation completely changed the ending, and people almost unanimously agree for the better.
- copperx 2y agoThe ending of IT's adaptation is also almost universally agreed to be better (the original ending involves group sex).