Controversy!

[Prolixic]

Theres been a lot of buzz, hype and typical Hollywood over-the-top promotion regarding the Lord of the Rings movies and the books too--which were reissued for the release of the film. I've seen some irritation among Fantasy fans out on the web so...

Does the popularization of solid Fantasy/Sci Fi classics cheapen them or hurt the genre in any way?

 

[Witchchild]

Hi Prolixic,
I don't think in the particular case of LOTR it has done any harm. I am seeing people who barely read at all buying the books and reading them because they loved the movies so much. I think it's great when books become popular. The more people read the less they watch tv.

If a great classic is butchered and badly done on screen, then yes, I believe some injury may result such as keeping some from reading the books they might have truly enjoyed. With LOTR, I think the changes Peter Jackson made are understandable and in some cases really add to the story. I think he captured the flavor admirably.

I really have to laugh when i talk to my sis who disparaged sci-fi and fantasy all along and now is deeply into Harry Potter and LOTR. She keeps trying to act like she always liked this stuff now that it's popular. LOL! Still, better late than never! Her kids are being raised on sci-fi and fantasy just like mine. I think it's awesome.

~Witch

 

[funes]

Prolixic,

 

[funes]

Prolixic,
I really don't think that there is any harm in having the greats of any genre exposed to the masses. I'm sure that there are tons of people for whom the LOTR movies were a spur to buy and read the books. However, what does damage the genre (or any other) is when wild popularity (as with LOTR or Harry Potter) opens the door for tons of second-raters.
For instance, I seem to remember a real explosion in the mystery field a few years ago which resulted in every Tom, Dick, or Harriet getting rushed into print, especially in the little sub-genres, regardless of the quality of their writing.
I think too often, especially in specific genres, people mistake the style for the substance.

 

[Dawn]

If it turns people onto reading, then I think it's great. In the case of my children, it's really great. My son's into The Two Towers because he saw Fellowship.

I agree with Witchchild, however. If the work is poorly done or is poorly translated to the screen then it can have an adverse effect. The author's reputation can be tarnished or at least the author won't sell books to the people who saw the film. Of course, the viewers might not have been interested in the author in the first place so it might be well worth the risk.

 

[Prolixic]

Good points all. I think that if anything LOTR the movie has added readers in much the same way that Star Wars added readers to the Sci Fi genre in the 70's and 80's--not that I remember that far back.

However, I have to add that LOTR is--IMHO--a much better piece of literature than the Star Wars novels ever thought about being. (Regretably I've read two or three.)

 

[Dave B]

LOTR hype has certainly attracted my youngest daughter (15) into Fantasy. Having read & enjoyed the complete LOTR in between the pt1 & 2 films I've just bought her the first volume of The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever by Stephen Donaldson and I'm keen to see how she gets on with that. I remember reading that about 25 years ago ! Perhaps she would not have experienced Fantasy otherwise.

Re your "Tom, Dick, or Harriet getting rushed into print" fumes, & mistaking style for the substance ....... I couldn't agree more. We seem to get droves of whatever latest trend eminates from a popular book type. I'm just waiting for Bridget Jones buys remote & dilapidated farm in Tuscany and lives in a 30-somethings foursome with a house decorator, a gardener & a chef ........ now that should make a good read (or so the publishers might like you to think).

Dave B.

 

[Oberon]

Wondering ...

Although I liked the Lynch movie, I wonder if the various treatments of Dune have harmed its sales. There are a lot of "sequels" that I haven't read, so it seems to be an industry of a sort. Are they good?

The mention of Thomas Covenant makes me wonder if there will ever be a treatment of those books. I've noticed his Mirror of Her Dreams/A Man Rides Through books have been published in trade paperback form--for us older readers who want larger print?

o (first post)

 

[member 737]

Welcome on the forum, Oberon!

Personally, I've read only one sequel of Dune, but my brother managed to read all of them. Though I liked the second part as much as the first (which means NOT much, unfortunately) my brother says it's getting worser with the volumes, with the last two being poor. Still, it is for sure better than Star Wars series. This is due to the fact that Dune cycle was written by the same author (talented and imaginative), while Star Wars are written by various writers, or I should rather say few writers and people who groundlessly think that they are writers. That's why quality of these books (not very high) differs a lot. I've read some of them and now I can only regret having wasted some time from my life.

 

[Paimprenelle]

As for myself, I had only read "The Hobbit" as a child and it was only when I saw "LOTR: the Fellowship" that I got the trilogy and started it. Of course I've been deeply influenced by the movie but still would not have read the books (haven't read the third though... waiting for the movie...) without the films.

 

[Ashlea]

I think that in the long run anything that attracts more readers and thus improves the chances that more will be published is a good thing. Yes, some not-so-good stuff will creep in, but it will be quickly forgotten. And I'm very excited that the Harry Potter series has hooked so many kids on reading who may not otherwise have ever picked up a book.