I have many passions, but especially love talking about books, movies, etc., and sharing my art. I can't think of anything else to say, so instead, enjoy this joke I found on a laffy taffy that I have shamelessly been using for well over 10 years now: Why didn't the skeleton go the party?
As far as the fandom: it’s ridiculously all over the place! For me…I simply came to these books because people in my family loved them..and I would say that my family and I simply came to LOTR and The Hobbit as dreamers…stories with dragons and elves and dwarves and hobbits and heroes…fun!! And my other love of it comes from a love of poetry. There are classic Tolkien fans some may have just read the Trilogy and The Hobbit…Others may have read so much of the extra work Christopher Tolkien put out it can be almost overwhelming just to see how much detail JRR Tolkien wrote! There are some people who only like the book And not the movies etc Then there are people who like both. And then there are the purists (who point out every change they dislike in film etc) Then there are people who might have liked the movies better. Then there are purists who love movies (but you can tell it’s been awhile since they read the books) because they have forgotten some of the scenes in the books. The elves did have a wee bit more personality in the books but they still remained mystical. But I think Jackson did well within the time given. Those movies could have been 10 hours long each if more was included! One of the trickiest part of Tolkien is that he was still revising and re-writing near the end of his life…and his son Christopher spent most of his life editing and compiling his Father’s massive work…and there are places where Tolkien wrote varying arcs for characters…and oh boy the discussions and disagreements than ensue over how characters should be portrayed…but ALL that aside…I see you coming to this with an open heart and that really is the best way. I always tell myself there is still a lot I do not know and have yet to learn… Some fans can seem a little nargley Wanting everything to be “just so…” when it comes to film etc. But I remind myself that anger feeds the ring…so if I sense that…I just slip out in an imaginary elven cloak and don’t engage…of course the nerds and geeks get particular too but some of them do it in a fun way with no rancor… YOU showed a high amount of respect approaching both the books and the movies. And that shows High Quality in a way that is truly earned! And is highly appreciated!!!
I loved this! Wonderful reaction! You really delved in deep to the books…love the idea of combining the experience of reading the books, then watching the movies. Alas! I still have not read the appendices in full! Even though I read Lays of Beleriand (which mostly is told in rhyming ballad style) and read the first part of the Silmarillion. Really appreciate your attention to detail and love how you describe experiencing the books as though you are also watching a movie. Even though there were movies in Tolkien’s time…there was nothing like there is now with cinematography and various effects…(if you love those practical effects am guessing you may have already seen behind the scene cuts on the extended editions :-) But Tolkien was invested in creating a “secondary world,” sort of an imagined history (it’s a bit more in-depth than that and there are plenty of knowledgeable people young and older who can do a much better job describing this than I do) But I think that all the time Tolkien spends on description…is his way of building the world so it begins to become a part of your imagination…Middle Earth has almost taken on its own mythic aspect with people who love Tolkien. Before I go further, since you mentioned loving the Misty Mountain Song…I do too…grew up hearing my Dad recite that…and to see it realized in film was really lovely. The scene with the dwarves singing had the same resonance as my memory of hearing the poem recited. Oh and if you had been in one of my Dad’s high school math classes…if the class did well through the week and worked hard…he would read The Hobbit to them on Fridays! If you are interested in the Silmarillion…it’s a whole different kind of read than LOTR…it will feel like you are reading history accounts or even mythic accounts with tales woven throughout. I think it has a little bit of a sadder and darker tone sometimes but there are aomw “jewels” hidden in there both literally and figuratively!! There is a young scholar Jeff La Sala, who has even written a Silmarillion Primer…which kind of helps summarize the work along with humor…it’s a collection of essays. If you are interested about knowing more about various lore…some nice channels Nerd of the Rings…Girl Next Gondor…Jess of the Shire In Deep Geek. there are some other channels that are good but they also spend time nitpicking the movies etc laugh… But for example Nerd of the Rings will explain individual characters and elements and sections of the history maybe in a 20min video. La Sala mostly writes longer essays on the work. There are so many other Tolkien books published out there it can be daunting…I feel so behind myself! But have lived re-reading LOTR. And you are correct it is incredible just how many lines and quotes and even poems were left in the movies even if re-arranged. I think that some of the mystery you say that was left out of the movies would be the whole Tom Bombadil and Goldberry scenes…though treebeard got those lines in retrospect. What I always noticed too was that The Rivendell scene was cut down (no ballad night) but that has led some Tolkien fans to forget just how much poetry was in LOTR laugh. The elves definitely sang and recited a lot of poetry and songs! I love going back to the books after the movies and then filling in what is missing from the movies in my mind. Always love Sam! Well I’ve carried on enough here. But wanted to say how refreshing it is to see a young person take this time and care and see the joy they glean from the experience of wandering in Middle Earth. It’s just lovely! So thank you!! 🙏
How is it grooming ? I haven’t read the book but from my understanding it’s about a kid who wants to play charlotte in charlottes web and it’s pro-trans. So anything remotely pro-trans is wrong now?
I'm 3 years and 5,200 comments too late, but as a 20th Century nerd, let me just say how proud I am of how you approached this endeavor. You did exactly what so many of us would have recommended and I think you'll agree it was the best way to do it. It's always nice to see a noob find their way through and come out the other side with the same kind of reverie that we have held this story in since long before you were born. I hope your enthusiasm hasn't dwindled in the years hence.
Great job reading the books first. People miss out on Tolkien’s cliffhangers when they watch the movies first. LOTR is my favorite piece of literature but I can make the case that Peter Jackson’s adaptation is the greatest achievement in the history of cinema. I love the books and I love the movies and I’m glad they both exist.
I'm really impressed my your dedication to read the books the appendices and watch the extended version of the movies ; to produce a really interesting video.
I work in childcare and absolutely adore children’s literature! I’m trying to get over my fear of being judged while venturing into the kids’ section in libraries and bookstores
Totally with you on the change to Faramir’s character. That bothered me so much when I first saw the movies. It still bothers me more than any other changes.
Fantastic video and review. Glad you enjoyed these books and Im also glad you read them before the movie. It added so much to the viewing anticipating some scenes. The only experience I wish you could have experienced was seeomg these in the theatres when they came out. The costumes, the energy, the cheering and tears all shared together by those of us whos childhood was so influenced by these books was an experience ill never forget. Peter Jackson did such an amazing job bringing these books to life. I wish he hadnt tried to make the Hobbit as epic. He lost the story. Imo.
Those words by Hayden will forever be stuck in my head you know [CAUTION: Spoilers below] "Your parents signed the unwind order just to spite each other, but laugh, laugh, laugh, Hayden, because if you ever stop laughing, it might just tear you apart worse than a Chop Shop." This had definitely sent chills down my spine. ...Oh, and also that one chapter in the first book... I was already annoyed at Roland due to him behaving like that with Risa, but that chapter made me sympathize with him. He never did get a good enough childhood and that's what made him like that, ig. He, like most others, didn't deserve to get unwound. And there's Starkey, he makes my blood boil but even he was bullied in the early stages of his life for being a stork. But even so, i don't think that justifies all that he did later on. I also liked how Neal elaborated on the consequences of brainwashing and showed us readers the pov of the brainwashed. Few months ago, there was this manga i had read named "The Promised Neverland" (tpn) which is also based on a dystopian setting. It was my first book of that kind, and since tpn never elaborated on brainwashing, i had always pondered since then about what could have happened if the kids would have been brainwashed to accept their death in some way. That reminds me, "Never let me go" is also a nice one that focuses on this aspect, since the kids in there were "told and not told". All in all, Unwind is definitely a great book! 💯
I read the Hobbit when I was… maybe 10? (I’m from Germany so in German) and liked it. Then I got these Lord of the ring books as a gift on my 13 birthday and oh man. I really wanted to read them because I had heard so much about it but just like you I Moste,t read just a few pages and like that I fell in love with these books. If it was a love story you’d say it was a slow burn.. It rock be over a year to finish, but a few weeks after my 14th birthday )I was still missis half of the return of the king) my presents went on a friends birthday party and left me and my sister at home alone. And guess want I did… I read until 2 am and finish the last 250 pages of this dam book in one night. And it was all alone one of the best nights I’ve ever had. But afterwards I was rerally sad for a weeks because these wonderful books were over…… Now closer to fifthteen I can say I am still in love with these books and movies, I don’t know when anithing happened in real history and couldn’t find north or south on a map….. But the map of middle earth and things that happened in the first age I can tell you…. a lot.
i know this video is a little old but when you mentioned how you like that the characters are terrified but still continue on their journey- yes!! thats one of my favorite things about the books anf the reason why im so in love with frodo. also the genuine love aand friendship that the characters feel for one another is just ugghhh
You are not wrong to note the oddly rambling pace of The Fellowship of the Ring. It is quite amusing to read Tolkien's letters form the time he was writing - in his idiosyncratic on-again-off-again manner - the book. It is obvious that for a lot of the time he has very little idea where the hobbits or the story is going.
Tolkien commented that he had a distinctive sense of humour that very few people seemed to share - and much less appreciate. I think he'd be delighted with your reaction to the Hobbit and your astute observation that a lot of humour is on the level of sentence or word choice.
Have you heard of the LotR audiobook by Phil Dragash, and The Hobbit by Bluefax? They add sounds and music from the movie, and it's a completely different experience. Best audiobooks of all time. Highly recommended!
I read The Lord Of The Rings the first time at 13 (48 years ago) I have reread every year since I am 61 now, as for what I think of the movies, I liked them with some reservations, except the Hobbit movies that was terrible I hated that.
24:01 Originally this was written as one book. But because of it being published right after the war and scarcity of paper and stuff the editors pushed for the book being splitted into three. So you are completely correct in your instinct to not pick a favorite "book".
