Anybody want to visit Middle Earth?

You know, I've been doing a rather in depth study of the Tolkien mythos, and while I love the creation of his secondary world and the amazing depth he has given it, I can't but feel that he is probably the most unscientific or even anti-scientific author of modern times. It pulls me in two very different directions.
 
jbnbsn99 said:
You know, I've been doing a rather in depth study of the Tolkien mythos, and while I love the creation of his secondary world and the amazing depth he has given it, I can't but feel that he is probably the most unscientific or even anti-scientific author of modern times. It pulls me in two very different directions.
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What do you mean? I found his books to be boring, but I am curious as to why you would make those 'scientific' comments. (I much preferred his buddy's books, The Chronicles of Narnia, by the way.)
 
Tolkien himself was very opposed to science and progress. His own world view, which is directly linked to his world, was that progress and knowledge was necessarily a bad thing. He looked back to a preliterate society as the ideal for human culture. All technology, to him, would lead to weapons and destruction. Tolkien was, however, much more subtle than Lewis at hiding his philosophy. With Lewis, it's hanging out there all pink and naked.
 
All that said, I am nearly to the end of Fellowship of the Ring for the second time this year. Above all, it's a good story.
 
jbnbsn99 said:
Tolkien himself was very opposed to science and progress. His own world view, which is directly linked to his world, was that progress and knowledge was necessarily a bad thing. He looked back to a preliterate society as the ideal for human culture. All technology, to him, would lead to weapons and destruction. Tolkien was, however, much more subtle than Lewis at hiding his philosophy. With Lewis, it's hanging out there all pink and naked.
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From what I have read about Tolkien it seems like much of this anti-technology view was likely shaped by the horrors of World War 1 with the invention and use of weapons of mass destruction like mustard gas, airplanes and aerial bombing, machine guns, and tanks. Like nanoboy I have never been able to get into these books, although I did like Peter Jackson's movies.
 
DavidBrown said:
From what I have read about Tolkien it seems like much of this anti-technology view was likely shaped by the horrors of World War 1 with the invention and use of weapons of mass destruction like mustard gas, airplanes and aerial bombing, machine guns, and tanks. Like nanoboy I have never been able to get into these books, although I did like Peter Jackson's movies.
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You will also read or see that the weapons used in Middle Earth are very much middle aged type of weapons, swords,bow and arrow, clubs even! with a little bit of magic or sorcery thrown in to spice it all up.
If you enjoyed the films, but didn’t get on too well with the books, can I suggest that you read the Fellowship of the Ring about Tom Bombadil, a character sorely missed in the Fellowship of the Ring in my opinion. He appears fairly early on the the book, so it won't be a drag getting to him!
 
Old Bombadill is completely unfilmable He jumps up and down every time he speaks, and when he speaks it's always in song. He doesn't contribute to the plot in the least. Now, if they put the Barrow Wights in there, I would be all for that.
 
Tom Bombadil would have been brilliant in the film, I can't believe you disagree. His antics would have been great (OK maybe they would have to 'chilled him out' a bit for a film), his immunity to the ring also fascinating to see and there could have been a small section of story about him being as old as time itself and his powers within his realm making him a good keeper of the ring. I really reckon it would have been a worthy 15-20 min addition, especially as you say the part including the Barrow-wights when Old Bombadil rescued Frodo & Co from them, again showing his power within his realm. Also at the end of Return of the King when Frodo is sailing off with the Elves (a dirty trick to play on his Hobbit companions in my opinion) he remembers the dream (second night dream) he had back all that time ago in Old Bombadils house which is reminiscent to the sailing on the Elves ship, a good little extra into the epically long end of RotK!
 
I always skip the Tom bombadil bit when I reread the book. He really grates on me. Too twee!
 
Tolkien sounds like a weird guy. :D

So to pull it back a bit, has anyone here ever done a LOTR tour in NZ, or any movie tour for that matter? (I did self-organised 'Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels and Demons' tours in Rome and Paris. :D)
 
nanoboy said:
Tolkien sounds like a weird guy. :D

So to pull it back a bit, has anyone here ever done a LOTR tour in NZ, or any movie tour for that matter? (I did self-organised 'Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels and Demons' tours in Rome and Paris. :D)
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The area of California where I live is basically one big movie set. The Santa Monica Mountains, the local mountain range, is where many of the Hollywood movie studios had their ranches so it has been everything from Korea in "MASH", the Planet of the Apes, the setting for MANY westerns, multiple planets on "Star Trek", etc. Most of these ranches are now parks and there are guided movie history walks through many of them. Highly recommended to visit for any film buff visiting the Los Angeles area.
 
DavidBrown said:
The area of California where I live is basically one big movie set. The Santa Monica Mountains, the local mountain range, is where many of the Hollywood movie studios had their ranches so it has been everything from Korea in "MASH", the Planet of the Apes, the setting for MANY westerns, multiple planets on "Star Trek", etc. Most of these ranches are now parks and there are guided movie history walks through many of them. Highly recommended to visit for any film buff visiting the Los Angeles area.
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Oh yeah, I will definitely be doing some movie tours if I ever make it out to LA.
 
I think if nanoboy got to do the Universal Studios tour he would wet himself.

:p

Hix
 
The town I grew up in (Puhoi) is a beautiful little village, and has been used many times as a movie set, mostly for NZ films.

American films filmed here include: Tommyknockers and Bridge to Terabithia (there's others but I can't remember them).

My Dad worked on the Tommyknockers, and in the crowd scenes you can see heaps of locals. The band rotunda built for the movie has been retained in a small park.

So any NZ film tour should include Puhoi!
 
Hix said:
I think if nanoboy got to do the Universal Studios tour he would wet himself.

:p

Hix
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Too true. :D

zooboy, I will have to put your village on my itinerary when I visit, if only to see the home of B and C movie locations. :D
 
nanoboy said:
zooboy, I will have to put your village on my itinerary when I visit, if only to see the home of B and C movie locations. :D
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:p

Bridge to Terabithia isn't a B/C movie, its pretty good actually (made me cry).

Admittedly, The Tommyknockers is probably C grade, and was actually a TV mini-series (much like Stephen King's other horrors - Storm of the Century, et al.). Still recommended viewing though.
 
zooboy28 said:
:p

Bridge to Terabithia isn't a B/C movie, its pretty good actually (made me cry).

Admittedly, The Tommyknockers is probably C grade, and was actually a TV mini-series (much like Stephen King's other horrors - Storm of the Century, et al.). Still recommended viewing though.
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I read the novel but never saw the tv miniseries. Your village was a stand-in for Maine? Cool!
 
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