If You Were To meet JRR Tolkien would you Get Along With Him?

[BAYLOR]

And what would he think of you as person once he got the full measure of who you are ? What questions might you ask him.? and what sort of topic and conversation might you have with him ? And out of curiosity, is they anybody here who has actually met JRR Tolkien in Person ?


What do would he think of of todays fantasy writers ? How would react to the Peter Jackson adaptations of his books ?

 

[alexvss]

Funny. I just read a story in a collection of Asimov's Magazine best stories called "Enter a Soldier. Later: Enter Another" by Robert Silverberg, and it's about a software that "brings back" people, like Socrate. You made me think about it bringing Tolkien back too.

Anyway, I think that we would get along because we're both Catholics. That would be the first topic I'd talk to him. Secondly, I like studying foreign languages, and he was a linguist. Maybe we could talk about the similarities between English and German.

I think he would've hated Dark Fantasy and Grimdark and all of its subgenres. It's a complete turnaround from the message he tried to pass along with his books. I like Dark Fantasy (I work at a Dark Fantasy magazine) so I'd try to convince him to hate it a little less.

 

[Narkalui]

I think he'd hate Jackson's films, especially The Hobbit.

I doubt he'd like me very much

 

[alexvss]

I think he'd hate Jackson's films, especially The Hobbit.

I doubt he'd like me very much

You think he would've liked Ralph Bakshi's adaptation?

 

[Narkalui]

No, I think he would have liked that even less

 

[Extollager]

I might be interested in showing him Kurosawa's movie Throne of Blood. That seems to me to have qualities suggestive of the Norse sagas that Tolkien loved.

 

[BAYLOR]

You think he would've liked Ralph Bakshi's adaptation?

No, I think he would have liked that even less

He probably likely wouldn't like the Rankin and Bass adaptations of the Hobbit and Return of the King either.

In terms of knowledge of classical literature , Im nowhere near his equal. But on the subject of fantasy literature, I could probably hold my own , for about 15 minutes if I was really lucky. I think that the two of us would not get along at all. Tolkien at best would probably view me as a intellectual lightweight of no consequence . I think on personal level I would find him aggravating.

 

[Narkalui]

Although, I'd like to think that he might have enjoyed the early '90s Interplay PC games of Fellowship and Towers

 

[BAYLOR]

Although, I'd like to think that he might have enjoyed the early '90s Interplay PC games of Fellowship and Towers

I think that deep down, he'd be pleased at his continued popularity.

 

[BAYLOR]

Funny. I just read a story in a collection of Asimov's Magazine best stories called "Enter a Soldier. Later: Enter Another" by Robert Silverberg, and it's about a software that "brings back" people, like Socrate. You made me think about it bringing Tolkien back too.

Anyway, I think that we would get along because we're both Catholics. That would be the first topic I'd talk to him. Secondly, I like studying foreign languages, and he was a linguist. Maybe we could talk about the similarities between English and German.

I think he would've hated Dark Fantasy and Grimdark and all of its subgenres. It's a complete turnaround from the message he tried to pass along with his books. I like Dark Fantasy (I work at a Dark Fantasy magazine) so I'd try to convince him to hate it a little less.

Iwodner what he would make of Robert Holdstock novel Mythago Woods or Barry Hughart's fantasy novel of ancient china Bridge of Birds ?

 

[Narkalui]

I wonder what he'd make of The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

 

[BAYLOR]

I wonder what he'd make of The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

He wouldn't enjoy it as much he would Peter Jackson Hobbit and LOTR films.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I think the question is, meet him when? At what period in his life?

If he could be brought back to life from a time when he was still working on LOTR, I think it would be very, very interesting to meet him. I don't know how much patience he would have with the questions I might ask, but I would very much appreciate the opportunity to ask them.

 

[Dave]

He drank pints of beer at the Eagle and Child in Oxford with CS Lewis, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield (a Londoner) and the other Inklings, to talk about writing, books and other literary subjects. That seems an easy fit with our pre-Covid SFFChrons discussions at the Anchor in Bankside, London, where I can disclose that many pints of beer have been drunk and much SFF was discussed.

 

[paranoid marvin]

I think he may appreciate the cinematogrophy and music of Peter Jackson's movies; they do seem to be pretty accurate depictions of the places he described. And perhaps even the humour, because even in the darkest moments his story had lighter moments. But I don't think he'd appreciate the unnecessary changes to his story. And the Hobbit he would hate even more, because that story has been warped out of all context away from the tale he envisioned.

What would he think of the likes of Game of Thrones with all the sex and glorified violence? I think we all know the answer to that one!

I agree with Baylor though. It would be hard to have a meaningful debate as I am so far below his intellectual equal. He'd also probably be annoyed when I asked him '"What's that Tom Bombadil character all about then?"

 

[BAYLOR]

On thing I would bring up in any conversation is the Silmarillion and why I think he should have made into to a saga like LOTR.

 

[HareBrain]

I would encourage him to play a practical joke on the young Michael Moorcock, maybe involving slipping him some laxatives and then shouting, "There's your epic poo!" through his toilet window. (I believe JRRT did admit to having a childish sense of humour.)

But no, we probably wouldn't get on. He would dislike my impertinent questions and I would dislike his pipe smoke.

 

[J-WO]

The trick would be to gift him some quality pipe tobacco as soon as he walks in the room. That'd get you in his good books.

 

[BAYLOR]

And even though I might not get on with him. I would still have liked to have met him.

 

[paranoid marvin]

And even though I might not get on with him. I would still have liked to have met him.

Yes, to have sat round the fire smoking a pipe and discussing all things Middle Earth (even though I have never smoked!)

Similar with M R James; I would have loved to have been one of those select few invited to hear the Christmas ghost story. Hearing it for the first time, and from the lips of the master ghost story teller.