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Now that PJ has pretty much thrown the coffin lid on The Silmarillion being made...how do you feel? and why?

Poll: Now that PJ has pretty much thrown the coffin lid on The Silmarillion being made...how do you feel? and why? Glad-A film wouldn't do it justice 14 / 18% Glad-I had no desire to see a film adaptataion 7 / 9% Sad-could have made a great film 7 / 9% Not sure 0 / 0% Indifferent 9 / 11% Annoyed-I want the whole Tolkien Box set! 5 / 6% Not surprised 19 / 24% I still hope it happens someday-but with a differnt director 5 / 6% Other reason 3 / 4% Dissapointed theTolkien estate couldn't resolve  its differences 10 / 13% 79 total votes

malickfan Gondor Jul 17 2012, 12:03pm Views: 1286 Now that PJ has pretty much thrown the coffin lid on The Silmarillion being made...how do you feel? and why? Me I'm unsure- a film would have to be very different from the book and miss alot out to flow dramatcially, and the fantasy aspects may be a bit far out for most cinemagoers (i.e.The Valar, the complex names, multitude of characters, tlaking wolve spirits etc), its more or less unconnected to LOTR so I can't work out how it would be marketed...It's my favorite of tolkiens books because of this complexicty, and to be honest although the imagery and storylines could make gripping cinema I'm mostly relived that PJ and co won't be able to tamper with it... ‘As they came to the gates Cirdan the Shipwright came forth to greet them. Very tall he was, and his beard was long, and we was grey and old, save that his eyes were keen as stars; and he looked at them and bowed, and said ‘All is now ready.’

imin Valinor Jul 17 2012, 12:24pm Views: 871 Felt pretty much the same as you did So i voted for not surprised as it wasnt, lol. I also voted for (not sure if i was meant to vote for more than one thing but it reflects how i feel) which is glad as i think a film wouldnt do it justice. I think as you do, it would have to be very different from the book, perhaps focusing on one of the stories from the book, e.g. Luthien and Beren or Children of Hurin. It is also my favourite of Tolkien's books though that does seem to change depending on which one i am reading at the time, lol. Ultimately i think it could be done alright but its too complex and all encompassing taking in things from before time all the way up to the end of the third age/beginning fourth age, so because of that i am happy i can be left with my own images. I think the results of the poll will change quickly to sad though!

diedye Grey Havens Jul 17 2012, 1:34pm Views: 904 I don't think it would even be possible... ... without filling in a lot of gaps, which Tolkien purists would balk at. Blessed are the cracked, For they are the ones who let in the light!

DanielLB Immortal Jul 17 2012, 3:10pm Views: 900 I'm indifferent While I love LOTR as an adaptation (and most likely TH as well), I just don't think the Silmarillion can be done justice yet. I'd rather careful planning was done, rather than having a film for film's sake.

sevilodorf Tol Eressea Jul 17 2012, 4:11pm Views: 889 Not surprised The possibility of The Silmarillion or even parts of it coming to screen is such a long shot that I'm not surprised PJ gave it a proper burial. Though parts of it have the potential to be stunning movies. Fourth Age Adventures at the Inn of the Burping Troll http://burpingtroll.com

Silverlode Forum Admin / Moderator Jul 17 2012, 7:45pm Views: 864 Completely unmoved. I already knew it wasn't a possibility, so PJ's response was just a statement of the obvious to me. The rights to the Silmarillion are simply not on the market to anyone. And frankly, I don't think most of the stories in the Sil have appeal to a mass audience, certainly not like the hobbit-centric tales, so I don't see it being anywhere near as successful even if it were made. Tragedy doesn't usually make it big at the box office (well, unless you stick a love story in, a la Titanic, but that would incense the fans). A big budget cable series, perhaps, but even there I think a lot of liberties would be taken. I'm perfectly happy to let the Silmarillion stay on the page rather than the screen. Silverlode "Of all faces those of our familiares are the ones both most difficult to play fantastic tricks with, and most difficult really to see with fresh attention. They have become like the things which once attracted us by their glitter, or their colour, or their shape, and we laid hands on them, and then locked them in our hoard, acquired them, and acquiring ceased to look at them. Creative fantasy, because it is mainly trying to do something else [make something new], may open your hoard and let all the locked things fly away like cage-birds. The gems all turn into flowers or flames, and you will be warned that all you had (or knew) was dangerous and potent, not really effectively chained, free and wild; no more yours than they were you." -On Fairy Stories

RosieLass Valinor Jul 17 2012, 8:12pm Views: 916 I'm glad. I don't think it's filmable, for one thing. And, while it's not my favorite Tolkien work by a long shot, I don't think it fits PJ's style, even if I thought it was good cinema material. That being said, it's not that I simply don't want PJ to do the Silmarillion. I'm not interested in ANY film adaptation of the Silmarillion. It is always those with the fewest sensible things to say who make the loudest noise in saying them. --Precious Ramotswe (Alexander McCall Smith)

Jeremy Rivendell Jul 19 2012, 1:35am Views: 999 He closed the lid on *him* making it Although I doubt it's even closed very tight. He didn't want to make The Hobbit either.

imin Valinor Jul 19 2012, 2:16pm Views: 838 What about the copyrights? Do you think the Tolkien Estate will sell them to a studio for PJ or someone else to adapt into a film?

DanielLB Immortal Jul 19 2012, 2:22pm Views: 818 In the unlikely event of that happening I doubt they would specifically sell them to PJ. They would put it out there for everyone ... and for a studio/director with enough money

imin Valinor Jul 19 2012, 3:04pm Views: 787 I think It definitely isnt going to happen whilst Christopher Tolkien is alive I think all the money in the world wouldn't be enough to make him sell the rights as i don't think its about money. Obviously Christopher is an old man now and i'm not wishing him dead or anything but its not like he is going to be around more than 15 years from now? So it will be interesting to see what the Tolkien Estate do after he has passed away. My belief is they will continue in the same manner as Christopher did - not selling the rights. Copyrights last 70 years from the death of the author i think, so if The Silmarillion has Christopher as having the copyright then it will start when he passes away, or it started from when the book was published I'm not sure, either way it is many years to go still. Finally i think a copyright can be extended, i know in the USA it definitely can as Disney didn't want Mickey mouse to be in the public domain so they got the law changed so copyright can be updated forever seemingly.

DanielLB Immortal Jul 19 2012, 3:49pm Views: 886 In all fairness... If I were C.Tolkien I wouldn't sell the rights either Like you said, we've got a looooong wait before "never" turns into "possible"

Sam20 Lorien Jul 20 2012, 6:19pm Views: 810 The Silmarillion I pick the first option, for I think a film cannot do justice to The Silmarillion. The book has lots of story interwoven and I think it would be very complicated to adapt these into a film without taking to much liberty which will created an outrage from the fans. And I am not talking about what content they would let aside. Perhaps sticking instead to one story as The Children Of Hùrin could be less complicated. In any case, the Tolkien Estate would not yield the right to adapt any of these stories. That's not gonna happen. They are strongly against The Hobbit to be adapted and it seems to me that they would do everything they can to protect The Silm if anyone was seeking the right to adapt it. That is understandable in my opinion. (This post was edited by sam90 on Jul 20 2012, 6:22pm)

Faenoriel Tol Eressea Jul 21 2012, 4:55pm Views: 813 Wait, did someone consider it a real possibility? I though we were discussing on the level of hypothesis. But every word you say today Gets twisted 'round some other way And they'll hurt you if they think you've lied

Sam20 Lorien Jul 21 2012, 6:22pm Views: 832 The Silm Since the Tolkien Estate bitterly regret to have sell the right to adapt The Hobbit and LOTR as confirmed in a article published by the newspaper Le Monde that interview J.R.R Tolkien's son Christopher which TORn made available on the website it should shatters all hope of those who had some of seeing The Silmarillion or The Children Of Hùrin adapted... So, indeed, a real possibility it isn't and seems to never have been. It is beyond PJ decision and I think that his employer would not been able to get the right to do so if ever they seek it. It is likely that LOTR and The Hobbit is all that is gonna be adapted on screen of Tolkien's work. (This post was edited by sam90 on Jul 21 2012, 6:27pm)

Morok Cloudkeeper Rohan Jul 22 2012, 11:10am Views: 768 Disappointed really I know that the Tolkien estate isn't fond of PJ's movies, but aniway... I don't consider The Silmarillion to be unfilmable, not any more than I consider LOTR to be unfilmable, which clearly isn't. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.

Nazguy Bree Jul 24 2012, 8:39pm Views: 786 Glad. This is one book I'd be happy to remain unfilmed. I can't imagine a film doing it justice.

Escapist Gondor Jul 24 2012, 9:42pm Views: 820 so much certainty? I can see how the lid is on the coffin ... but I don't know how well nailed shut it is Who knows what the future will hold - especially the distant future (such as after the scope of copyright applicability or in a different emotional/social climate where people are more ready for something like this etc.)

batik Tol Eressea Jul 29 2012, 6:49pm Views: 790 Not surprised... The Silmarillion's complexity and content doesn't strike me as *film* material--as in something that would be released in the theaters. It could--maybe--be adapted into a series though I guess the battle for ratings vs. true-ness to the material might result in...meh. Watching HBO's GoT series probably influenced my *maybe a series* thought for TS but in all honesty I am totally OK with there not being any type of filmed version. (Plus, the *no rights* factor!)

GAndyalf Valinor Aug 12 2012, 1:26am Views: 712 Don't discount Priscilla's influence either... She's younger than Christopher and women tend to live longer (and we know the Tolkien genes are long-lived anyway). I'm glad. It's fairly well-known here that I don't believe the best possible job was done on LotR and what gives me hope for The Hobbit is that Mr Jackson is finally a 'big enough' director to tell the moguls to shove it when they try to interfere with a film. It is my HOPE that Bob Shay was the REAL reason that swaths of LotR (sadly nearly ALL of TTT and more than I'm comfortable with on RotK) were just TERRIBLE and that given control over his own work that Mr Jackson will redeem himself with the 3-part The Hobbit. I'm already VERY happy that it's now a trilogy as that gives me some hope that this will be so. As for The Silmarillion though, one movie would NEVER do it justice. Three might not be enough as each of what Tolkien called The Great Tales (Beren and Luthien, The Tale of the Children of Hurin, and The Fall of Gondolin) are worth a full movie on their own and there might perhaps be enough good material for one more as well. Oddly, though I'm very much a 'purist' on what Tolkien DID publish, I have much less heartburn about stuff being added where he DIDN'T publish. I believe that if an author wrote it and published it then that should never be deviated from when filming (say, minutiae like Aragorn's eyes being grey). BUT if the author was silent then I'm more than happy to have the filmmaker fill in those blanks AS LONG AS it fits well with the story and does not jar my suspense of disbelief. In THAT sense, The Silmarillion is far MORE forgiving to be made into film than anything of Tolkien's that has been done so far. To finish my opening, I believe that after both Christopher and Priscilla pass into the West (and I fully believe BOTH are deserving of such an honour) that the rest of the family will test the market and eventually sell the rights to The Silmarillion. I believe Christopher and Priscilla will choose the initial heir with care so that it does not happen within perhaps 10 years of their passing, but I do think that it's far too valuable a commodity to stay the full 70 years w/out being sold - it will be more valuable sooner rather than later after Christopher's passing. Finally, addressing the opinion on this thread that The Sil is too esoteric to be appreciated by the masses, that might be true, however with targeted marketing and today's media even those films have a far greater chance than ever before of being a success. It will be up to both director and distribution/production companies to be savvy in reaching the very large audience that will cherish it being brought to the screen if the product is QUALITY. "Be good, be careful, have fun, don't get arrested!" ---Marcia Michelle Alexander Hamilton, 7 Nov 1955 - 19 Nov 2009

Zmulady Rohan Aug 29 2012, 4:33pm Views: 723 I say sad. I'd love to see PJ make it into a movie.