Newsfeed #90 November 4, 2017 (4 Hísimë)THE TIDES HAVE TURNED: LOTR–THE SERIES

Newsfeed #90 November 4, 2017 (4 Hísimë)

THE TIDES HAVE TURNED: LOTR–THE SERIES and WHY I’M ANGRY.

The one thing I cannot tolerate is when someone assumes things about me without knowing one thing about me. There are people in this world that think they know everything just by reading something–or should I say “misreading” something. It happens a lot. I usually ignore it because it says more about the person that it does about me–also, I’m writing a book and I don’t have time for that.

But this isn’t about me–it never is, it’s always about the story. What it is today is about the Tolkien Estate in talks with Warner Brothers and Amazon to make a series about “The Lord of the Rings”.

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/lord-of-the-rings-amazon-1202606519/

Yes, there are thinking about turning what was already three good films and a legendary literary classic into a series that follows the book. That isn’t what irritates me–what irritates me are people who have never worked a day in their life in Hollywood telling me what I have dealt with when I explain to them what may or may not happen in the negotiations for this series. I’ve negotiated, produced and worked in th quite successfully. My lawyer still works within the industry and knows about the ins and outs of contract negotiations about intellectual properties. Yet, when I explain that, somehow, people want to tell me what they think I should know about my industry. They want to tell me “it’s not about me.” No it’s not, but this could be about me whether I want it to be or not.

It’s not even been a month since a perfect stranger asked The Tolkien Estate–the same ESTATE in the article–when the new book about Thranduil was coming out. Someone just gave the title The Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy: The Saga of Thranduil over to the Tolkien Estate less than three weeks before a November 3, 2017 article comes out about a TELEVISION SHOW about LOTR. I have to live each day wondering because of anonymous likes on Twitter by those keeping tabs on Thranduil now because it’s not about me–it’s about Tolkien.

People that presume to know who I am and what I’ve spent almost two years of my life when I didn’t watch television for an entire year writing not knowing if I would live or die or if my father would live or die, don’t know everything. IF it were about me, I would have told them everything. They don’t know I’m followed by have a dozen producers, authors, publishers and studios–most of them in the country of the Tolkien Estate. But, it’s all about me, so they don’t know that because it’s not about me–it’s about TOLKIEN.

I’m irritated because I do not know if at some point in time I might get sucked into the same world I left and swore I would never let them make anything I’ve written unless they agreed to my terms which simply is–they must find one place in my story that they wish to change and not mess up the original premise of the story. I’ve WORKEDwithWarner BrothersandNew Line Cinema(the production/studio of the first six films)–I know they could make a bigger mess of Middle Earth than they already have with the last six films.

I’m not in the business selling out my art or someone else’s for a dime. I swore that I would keep this story as close to Tolkien as humanly possible and whatever went into it would not be anything Tolkien would not want in it. My entire existence is spent reading and re-reading and learning Tolkien inside and out. Do you think for one minute I worked this hard to sell out my soul, my art or Tolkien just so some guy who’s never read one word of Tolkien (and then some) can make a dime off of it while changing it to be something it wasn’t meant to be? There isn’t enough money in the known universe. It would take an act of GOD to get me to sell out anyone I swore to protect.

What I worry about is Tolkien becoming something that he wasn’t–a commercial product that leaves his work behind. When people read a book, the greatest movie theater in their head comes on and they see far more than a film or television show can do. It is a rare talent that can create a world that reflects mankind in a way that it is universally understood across time, space and the whole of mankind. 

I didn’t think anyone would read The Saga of Thranduil because everyone wanted him to be a romantic hero making love at the drop of a hat and all I wanted him to be was real. I wanted him tell his story about his life and all ups and downs that comes with being the Elvenking of Mirkwood. There’s love in there–love Thranduil has for his wife and family–but also love for Tolkien. I wanted something to come right out of Middle Earth that Tolkien would be proud to say, “I could see that.”

Some things I had to imagine through Tolkien’s eyes as well as mine. I don’t take my work lightly and I don’t take Tolkien lightly. Not everything can happen in a movie or television show–some things have to come from within ourselves. Real Tolkien fans love the weaving of the tale–it’s not about quoting words or knowing every character or why something “happens”–it’s about the characters and their ability to overcome heartache and struggles to defeat the ultimate evil by overlooking differences that divide to similarities that unite. There is a story beneath the story that only the careful observer would see. I was told by Heavens to “see beyond all that lingers”, and I do–even the familiar is new every time I open a book Tolkien has written. There’s more than what you see–you have to want to see it.

Tolkien reflects us–we don’t reflect him. We are the Bilbos, Aragorns, Legolas’, Thranduils’, Thorins’, Kílis, Fílis of this world. Tolkien is and will always be the guardian of conscience. We have our own journeys and fellowships to go on and our own Saurons to destroy. Long after we are gone, another generation must follow that legacy–the literary one. Tolkien saw his work as film–he saw the importance of that medium in conveying his work. What he didn’t see was it replacing his work and made over and over again ad nauseam to the point the meaning is lost and the imagination that was once held sacred ceases to exist.

I wrote the book for my father but I wrote the story for Tolkien.

My story is my life and I will never give that away. I live for the adventure and wonder–I never know what lies just around the corner. I love it when Thranduil tells his story–or Oropher (soon) or Legolas. I live for moment I am in Mirkwood and being around the sights and sounds of everything. It’s where I go with the world lets me down and flourish when I think there is no hope. I always find it there.

Few will read this–most that do will go to the link provided and not read any further. Others will think this is “all about me” and take things out of context. But I had to say something. In this new world, no one listens–they assume all is as it seems. Nothing in this world is as it seems–and it shouldn’t be.–J.M.M.

Images: ©2001, 2002, 2003. Warner Brothers Pictures. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. All Rights Reserved.

Images: ©2012, 2013, 2014. Warner Brothers Pictures. The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. All Rights Reserved.