Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
Follow Steven on Twitter and/or BlueSky.
@Steven L. Taylor:
Nah, that would be Jackson.
As a friend said to me after seeing Jackson’s LOTR: “It would be really good if somebody actually made a film based on the Lord of the Rings.”
Jackson’s movies are fine as movies.
But as for expressing Tolkien’s novels?
Nope
Not even given the excuse of “necessary edits”.
And the horrid thing is, it was close, and could have been done, and still worked as a movie, but for Jacksons’s “I know best” arrogance, and utter refusal to engage with Tolkien’s (rather idiosyncratic) perspective.
And least said about the “Hobbit” films the better
Seldom have so many excellent actors been engaged in a project that was utterly pants.
See Christopher Lee.
See also C. Tolkien, who knew his fathers work rather more than any other person.
I found a link to it on Bluesky earlier in the week. The latest post on the two Cardassians was really good
“Especially the lies.” 🙂
I still have to get back to you about how how mistook you were about Jacksons LOTR, and Tom Bombadil.
And why Denethor should sue. 🙂
@JohnSF: Fair enough.
Although I don’t remember dissing Denethor! 😉
@Steven L. Taylor:
Nah, that would be Jackson.
As a friend said to me after seeing Jackson’s LOTR:
“It would be really good if somebody actually made a film based on the Lord of the Rings.”
Jackson’s movies are fine as movies.
But as for expressing Tolkien’s novels?
Nope
Not even given the excuse of “necessary edits”.
And the horrid thing is, it was close, and could have been done, and still worked as a movie, but for Jacksons’s “I know best” arrogance, and utter refusal to engage with Tolkien’s (rather idiosyncratic) perspective.
And least said about the “Hobbit” films the better
Seldom have so many excellent actors been engaged in a project that was utterly pants.
See Christopher Lee.
See also C. Tolkien, who knew his fathers work rather more than any other person.