Mission accomplished

[jwg]

OK, it wasn't such a big deal but I finally read The Lord of the Rings!

In the '60s when everyone was reading, I couldn't quite get into it, same for the '70s....Meanwhile Robert had read every iota of Tolkien, participated in rec.arts.books.tolkien extensively. And then last year I saw The Fellowship of the Ring and I resolved to read it then. I got out the books, and looked at the first one and put it aside for later. ...a year passes...

And the Two Towers is out. In preparation for seeing that we rented the Extended edition and saw it. I thought the extra stuff improved the story. I particularly liked the Director's commentary. Peter Jackson is a charming, brilliant director/writer as were the rest of his team. These extended edition versions are really interesting. What a bargain for $4.19 rental - actually I think I'll buy it. All the stuff about how they made the movie is intriguing to me. (Also I saw Charlie Rose the other day when he had Viggo Mortensen and Elijah Wood on - they were sooo cool.)

So I read them straight through with only a few interludes between. (I wish I had an atlas, the maps weren't good enough). Why did I wait 35 years? And now I am prepared to see Two Towers. It will be interesting for the contrast of seeing the first movie cold and now seeing this one shortly after reading the book. Next Wednesday with pinkfish.

Comments

[bitty.livejournal.com]

I have a copy of the Atlas of Middle-Earth, should you wish to borrow it.

[pinkfish.livejournal.com]

fj went to see the first movie with me, and found it to be depressing, so he doesn't want to see the others, but fortunately, jwg and his beau will be seeing it, so I have someone to go with. I haven't read any of these books in about 20 years (though at one time, I had read all the supplementary books, and was something of an expert on the history of Middle Earth. Somehow, this expertise has not been very useful in my consulting practice, so I have forgotten most of it). fj keeps asking me questions about things he has heard about the story, many of which I do not remember. Actually, I kind of like it that way - it makes the history seem a bit mysterious and distant.

[lcohen]

congratulations!

there was a time in my life when i read them every year. now i'm down to about every three years. but i haven't read any of the supplemental stuff. i should put all of that on my oh! so lengthy "to read" list.

[bitty.livejournal.com]

sheesh! you could also see it with me or cbunnell if you're really suffering a dearth of companions.

[pinkfish.livejournal.com]

What are you doing Weds afternoon? And when was the last time cbunnell read his LJ?

(I have to put at least one Zardoz user pic into everyone's journal)

[bitty.livejournal.com]

working; when he was bored; and you're Evil.