Canon is something defined by the Culture around these properties, not by the ones who create it. That's why not everything entered into the 'Western Canon', and Rings of Power is outside that Canon, no matter how much Amazon complains. Same goes for MOST of Disney Star Wars, there's some of that people might let enter in. (Hey, Rogue One was pretty good, sadly there weren't enough Bothans on it, but otherwise... heh)
The true subversion at this point would be an adaptation loyal to the original. I havent been paying attention to all this, are they still using subversion of expectations as a vocal selling point?
Its nowhere near the quailty needed to justfiy its massive bugget, a billion dollars for two seasons of garbage, what a waste of good money, Amazon should be launching a invesigation into where that money went, it clearly didn't make it into the production values!
@@superomegaprimemk2 It is ad for all the "modern" bullshit, black elf, "strong" feminist protagonist, gay sauron, gay couple orcs with family values, amazon knows exactly what they are doing and they expected that army of gay bs cult will repay a billion dollars...
It's made by a billionaire to benefit (probably via money laundering let's be honest) one of the biggest and most evil corporations on the planet. What kind of activism do you think it contains? Certainly not feminism, they transformed the only one who wasn't fooled by Sauron's lies into an angry idiot who literally enabled him to get power.
Notice how Saruman was presented to be a good guy, including masked in with "whyte" label and clothing, yet turned out to be an agent who led the Uruk against the people of Middle Earth? Hmmm. I wonder what that means?
I think he means that by the end of Breaking Bad, Jesse Pinkman began to hate Walter and couldn't believe he could keep getting away with it for so long.
@@justanothercomment416 exactly. Cain was clearly evil. He thought he knew better, but he ended up making things worse by murdering his brother in cold blood.
If they created a show based on African mythology and folklore (which for some reason they never do, curious) I wouldn't expect to see a bunch of Europeans represented in the show.
@@austinclark007 , for ethnic-European people in those countries-in Western Civilization-of course! Those countries were founded & built by Europeans and upon European heritage.
@@underdoge8338 Norsemen. Blue-eyed, blond, narrow nose bridges, Europeans should be liberally represented in a film about Congo myths. Make it happen, Hollyweird!
I want to say that this aspect of the mythopoeia and legendarium that Tolkien (sub)created should be respected, and I say that as a POC, who was born in India. It is beautiful enough that it doesn't require 'representation'. However I do feel that because this is a fictional world, once enough time has passed for it to become part of cultural canon - like Shakespeare - the world will be ready for a more diverse-leaning portrayal of the characters in the books, just like Denzel Washington played an amazing MacBeth. It's intellectual cowardice to blame the response on racism, though. It's just crap writing that disrespects the canon and the moral messaging around the characterization of the heroes and the villains.
As a lifelong Tolkien fan and writer heavily inspired by him, I chose not to watch RoP from the very start. I haven't given it a moment of my time beyond listening to others talk about it. When I saw what they did to Galadriel, I knew I was on the right path. But when I saw them trying to humanize the orcs, every moment I spent not watching this show was justified. The orc debacle shows a severe lack of understanding of Tolkien's legendarium. And anything that does that while saying it doesn't deserves no respect.
I gave the first two episodes a viewing, twice over. The first viewing was cringe, dull, lifeless and bland. I zoned out, a lot. So, waited a day to watch it with fresh eyes. It was even worse. I have not watched a single minute of the series, after, nor shall I. The only clips I've seen, have been by those reviewing it. And none of them review it favorably.
I have not watched one single episode of it either. After they took Star Trek from me in 2009 I refuse to give anything “a chance” anymore. If something turns out to be really good, I can always watch it later. Otherwise I will not give them one penny or one second of my time.
Please consider supporting independent projects in lieu of all the corporate crap being shat out of Zon's vile, corrupt colon. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ "Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength, resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again." 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ --Diamond Dragons (series)
It really irks me that the same people who are so sensitive about "respecting other cultures" to the point of ignoring truly brutal behavior, have such disdain for their own.
Tolkien wrote LotR as a replacement for the English who lost much of their mythology and epics during the Reformation. Jeff Bezos who bought the right to use the IP is a Jewish man. I don't think he views LotR as part of his culture.
@@14Anon2 Jeff isn't Jewish...What is it with you guys and your obsession with Jews? Jeff's dad was souther baptist. On top of that please do some research about how many movies Jews did in fact produce and direct that had very Euro-centric view points which simply made the golden age of Hollywood. I implore you too in fact. While in some way you are right that we all have our cultures. I don't expect Asians to relate to the individualism of many western movies. Nor do I assume many White americans think of LOTR as their culture either.
Instead of "blind faith", it is like people, with almost no understanding of geopolitics or history, have "blind shame". It seems that people need to take knowing who the culture is, away from judgement of ethics. For example in a study, people were told a story of how a kingdom attacked another, slaughtering all humans and animals. The aggressor was deemed immoral by the people who heard the story. They were then told the kingdoms were misnamed on purpose to something fictional and it was actually the old testament god commanding the aggression against villagers. All of a sudden, the atrocities were deemed to be done for a good reason. The same logic is applicable today, to how we view ourselves and others with differences. There can be either "blind faith" or "blind shame" in how we judge ourselves or others.
Now I'm imagining what an extended version of Rings of Power would look like with even more meandering plotlines and Gil Galad pontificating nonsense the writers mistake as poetry.
Support independent projects from exemplary creators in lieu of continually following the corrupt corporate crap which is constantly being shat out of Hollywont's rancid colon. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ "Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength, resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again." 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ --Diamond Dragons (series)
George RR Martin’s universe won’t have any relevancy because it will never have its canon be finished. Tolkien’s will endure and be remembered forever as a timeless tale.
One based their writing on timeless themes, the other based their's on contemporary political science. One will remain timeless, the other is already becoming irrelevant.
@@michaelkrull3331 yes 💯 Same with modern Star Wars. By the way, Dune is a better execution of George’s type of universe despite being Sci fi instead of fantasy, and it’s canon unlike his is mostly already finished. George has always been a plagiarist.
GRRM's creation is well written (insofar as it is written) but lacks a central driving story. Instead there is a fuzzy collection of interlocking plots that are often interesting but mean little. The other thing that sets Tolkien apart is that he knew when to stop. The new shadow sounds interesting, but it might not fit into Middle Earth as we know it. LOTR needs no sequels; it is a complete story in of itself.
Hmmm. Tolkien's work literally includes a volume called The unfinished tales. While Martin's work is quite strongly derived from English history, particularly The wars of Roses a dynastic fight over who got to exploit peasantry.
@@Fred-gu6pk The difference with that is Tolkien didn't publish that volume. His son did, and Tolkien had already published the story he intended to tell. The other stuff that was published posthumously enriches the story of LOTR, but it is not necessary to read.
The extended edition is the only edition that matters. I understand the cuts though the movie was already long, blah blah blah, but make it three hours longer I'm here for it! We only had that one moment where the planets aligned where society was not insane where this phenomenal movie was made.
I think you're right: when I read the Hobbit and the trilogy at 14 back in 77 (just a week or so after seeing SW for the first time), I longed for Middle Earth, particularly The Shire. My bones seemed to ache wanting that world. I thought it must be something in my Scotch/Irish/English ancestry crying out for home.
even to me as a german the depictionin the movies the Shire and Hobbington looked so peaceful, quiet and friendly and i sometimes try to imagine living in such a way for a little time - but not for too long, because the modern life and technologies and some of the comfort coming with it would be missed very much.
We are NOT blank slates at birth. Most likely it's genetic. We've seen the rat studies. Important memories, the most impactful ones, get passed down. Be it a moment, a movie, a trauma. It passes on to a lesser or greater degree.
I suppose we could substitute "Lord of the Rings" with "Star Trek", "Star Wars", "Doctor Who" and the same lesson applies. We know a fake when we see it.
A lot of the television and movies these days seem to have lost sight of a sense of wonder. They no longer believe in the dynamic of good vs evil, only that everything is shades of grey and no one is truly ever evil (which would necessitate that no one is ever good). No one sees the landscapes and worlds described and has to think for a moment in the sheer magnitude or beauty of it. Granted, I am throwing some hyperbole around, but this show especially seems so devoid of any appreciation of what came before it that it will be, as you said, completely forgotten.
Give something else a shot. Something which is NOT corporate, not corrupt, and not mindless crap. Something which forces a reader to *think*, to feel, to Reflect. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ "Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength, resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again." 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ --Diamond Dragons (series)
Correct. True art comes from the individual, not a megalomaniacal, narcissistic corporation of corrupt cronies and janky jabronies. Support independent projects! 🙂 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ "Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength, resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again." 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ --Diamond Dragons (series)
@@ParkerCS2 This is seen ESPECIALLY in the Cirith Ungol scene in Return of the King. One has a shiny shirt, one doesn't, they start fighting over it as individuals, then it devolves into a complete free-for-all as most join in simply for the thrill of it.
@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017 yes, because liberals associate Tolkien's orcs with black people. I don't know how, I guess that's how racist people's brains work.
@@tomasz9429 I'm guessing it's because of the non-stop invasion across the borders of all "Middle Earth" countries. Which wouldn't make it raycist in the least. It would make it a fact based allegory. Though those claiming it is raycist would certainly qualify as raycist. Why are all rayces allowed nations exception people of Middle Earth? Why is it is unduly called "raycist" when the Uruk invade with help from within? Certainly no moral person supports your analysis.
@@GeraltofRivia22 I honestly remember there being some debate about the orcs as being a potentially racist trope the same way Star Wars' Sand People were said to be by pearl clutching leftists.
JRR Tolkien was a Catholic and Catholic themes are sprinkled everywhere in his LOTR books. It is not a surprise that the atheistic elites are now subverting and warping his works into something sinister.
I’m not a Catholic, so I didn’t put any of that personally into the film on my behalf, but I certainly am aware that there were certain [religious] things that Tolkien was thinking of. We made a real decision at the beginning that we weren’t going to introduce any new themes of our own into The Lord of the Rings. We were just going to make a film based upon what clearly Tolkien was passionate about. - Peter Jackson
The setting is inspired by northern Europe of the middle-ages. Of course it would contain Catholic references, because Europe of the time (an even today) was shaped by religion. Yes, Tolkien removed God and replaced it by references to a paganism, yet... it isn't like you can remove Christian themes when you keep setups, believes, lifestyles, etc. of rural Wales or such. Wizards come across a angels, Balrog's demons, Valinor a heaven-like place, etc.
It's strange and weirdly comforting to hear you talk about "your beliefs" about "genetic memory"; I've followed since the old times of the "skeptic scene" on youtube; we all have changed with time, and that's fine.
what Dave seems to have forgotten about is that we whyte europeans are no longer allowed to have myths, heritage or even a culture. at least according to certain people.
I believe that on a certain level, "The Lord of the Rings" is fundamentally about the small, simple, down-to-earth people who refuse the corruptions of power, cast into the maelstrom of more "important" people and their designs, but having few ambitions of their own but to return home and build a good life. I think this reflects Tolkien's own experiences in World War I, that sense that power had to be relinquished before it could become destructive and corrupting. "Rings of Power" was made by people who would never, of their own will, relinquish power.
You make a good point. I used to get angry when my favorite IPs were tarnished by modern day crap, but if anything, nowadays, I just find myself appreciating the originals more for their artistic value. Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, and so many others are hollow shells of what they once were, but it's comforting to go back to the stuff I love.
Tolkien is certainly problematical. HIs greatest problem is today's sh1te writers can't even hope to achieve 1% of what he created & they never will. Modern writers have faced no struggles and have had no life experiences.
I am a 64-year-old bloke and LotR fan. I watch the extended editions of Peter Jackson's films at least once a year, and I earnestly cry every single time I see Boromir die. However, I laugh scornfully whenever I hear the Amazon abomination being called 'The Lord of the Rings". Have never watched it - will never watch it as it is not LotR.
My grandmother always told me, "I dont care what Amazon tells you, Galadriel never had the hots for Sauron". Thanks for this Dave, its good to see people like you defend Tolkein unlike that sellout Matt from Nerd of the Rings
If it's true that Jackson truly loved Tolkien's LotR and the original movie trilogy was a labor of love, then the Hobbit trilogy was him falling under the spells of evil he once made a point about resisting.
He wanted to do the right thing. They required him to span it over three movies. It's a short story. Given what he was forced to do with it it's alright. But I wouldn't blame Jackson.
Jackson wasn't even the original author and director of The Hobbit. I think he did the best with what he was force-fed, but criticisms of the final product are still valid. I don't blame him. I blame the studio.
@@janeenschultz8502 He wasn't the author of LotR either. He did direct the Hobbit trilogy. The end product is on him. I grant there was probably a lot of studio interference.
OK...YT doesn't want me to speak for some reason - attempt #2 I was feeling hopeful about Star Wars in a similar fashion today. Remembering that WE, the fans are the one who built these passionate cultures and helped turn these stories into cultural touchpoints. It's the same with LOTR. People may have the legal authority to write for it, but these stories are bigger than them. They belong to all of us.
I'd go with the word "defiled" to describe what Amazon has done to it but we don't really need to use exact language. We're all fully aware of what they've done to Tolkien.
Great video. I remember the first time reading the books, I was 11 and read them in the space of three days. The writing and world building was just so good. From the films I always reflect on the change that Frodo goes through, from that fresh faced look at the start to his condition when he reaches Mount Doom, you can see how harrowing the journey was.
It will never matter for those who read the original works. But there are lazy people out here, who think they can spare themselves the time needed to read long books, if they can just watch the story on TV.
I look at Rings of Power the same way I look at a Disney adaptation of a Grimm's fairy tale. You can detect the structure beneath the veneer, but the message is completely lost.
At some point people need to stop paying any attention to the critics. How often do they say a good movie is bad and a bad movie is good ? The critics in my opinion lost all credibility many years ago. Do people not realize something is not right when the critics give a movie like 88% and the audience gives it a 40% ? The message they are pushing we just don’t want and it’s obvious.
Makes sense, kind of like Babylon 5 series. It was great, but I forgot just how short the series was, but you could tell actors and writers tried to do something unique and had passion for their work.
Your comment, “ROP is not being written from the same place” sums this up perfectly and explains why it truly does not matter and never will. This same premise can also be applied to the Marvel Universe (Stan Lee-gone), Star Trek (Gene Roddenberry-gone), Star Wars, Dr. Who (Newman, Webber, Wilson-all gone), and many other franchises. Disney is responsible for a lot of this and they did so without any thought to their history. With maybe 1 or 2 exceptions since the 1930’s I do not believe there were any sequels…no Mary Poppins 2, no Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 2; most of their animations were from legends and fairy tales, told once and left alone. I’ve stated this before, the creative process and the will to develop new stories and materials have dried up.
People dream of seeing the Eiffel tower in Paris. The one on Las Vegas is nice when you are there, but you don’t dream of going to Vegas to see it. RoP is a half-scale cartboard version of LotR. Solely made for financial reasons with zero other inspiration behind it.
I'm always fascinated when someone approaches a beloved and successful franchise/series and think that they can "fix" it. LotR, Halo (t.v. show), Star Trek, and Star Wars are perfect examples of when you have source material that people enjoy, but these narcissistic morons think that everything that they had no input on must be terrible and wrong.
I think when you think about ralph bakshis animated film while very much a product of its time and the directive vision of Ralph bakshi It is a truly unique film which matters when it comes to Lord of the rings unlike rings of power
I liked the story Liv Tyler told in the dvd extras. She was in a chair in her opulent elf gown having her elf ears applied. Over the shimmering gown was a well worn denim jacket. She said this is my dad's [Steve Tyler] he was with me at the terminal as I was waiting for my flight. He took one look at what I was wearing then took his coat off and put it on me and said "The one thing I've learned over my years of traveling is no matter where you're going always, always take a warm coat." The films were grand but had heart because the people in it were that way.
ROP is like "Scarlett"- the 1991 "official" sequel to "Gone with the Wind." Due to Margaret Mitchell being dead for nearly 40 years, her estate hired a hack romance novelist to pen it. It did become a best-seller and was quickly adapted into a TV miniseries. Today, though, it's mostly forgotten with many GWTW fans pretending it doesn't even exist. That's because it was an obvious cash grab which served that purpose but was inconsequential as art. That will likely be the well-deserved fate of ROP.
I'm totally on board with the idea of an inherited spiritualality, one unique to a people. It can be shared with others, but cannot be related to in the same way. I'm German, English and Irish by heritage, mostly German. There is an essence of our cultures. One that has found expression in Irish and Norse sagas, Teutonic and Celtic mythology, legends and fairy tales. From the Edda to the Ninelungenlied, from King Arthur and Parsifal to Wagner and Tolkien. Even Skyrim, in a way. It belongs to us as much as the Mahabharata belongs to India and her people. As long as we are who we are it can never be destroyed or corrupted.
Brilliant. I have been making these EXACT points since I read the books in the 1970s...this is why Tolkien was a genius. That is why the Jackson movies were perfect. Jackson, the cast and crew knew it too. There is power in myth and tapping into it for storytelling. The woke crap doesn't get this point, or if they do, they reject it utterly. Well said, my friend.
It will matter to Amazon shareholders. Those billions could have been used to go into AI, acquisitions etc. half of it could have been used as the cost to unwind their streaming division entirely. Which they will, sooner than later.
I'm convinced that instincts and proclivities are in fact memories passed down genetically. Sure, they don't supply mental images or linguistic information, but can have a significant impact on emotional responses and tastes. The Rings of Power just plain sucks though.
Haven't seen 1 minute of an episode of TROP. I will actively avoid Amazon produced garbage, generated for the dim and the dull audiences it "serves" poorly. It is amusing seeing Amazon piss billions up the wall making no cultural impact of any significance. It is the MacDonalds of Art, as if something of this natural could really be said to exist. It is the soiled and used toilet paper of entertainment.
I've often wondered if elves draw on the cultural memory of the time in European history when the peak of our technological and cultural achievement lay in the past with the lost Roman Empire.
I'm incapable of believing Rotten Tomatoe scores anymore, or opinion polls, or anonymous surveys, or the expressed view of experts. I can't even silently pretend to care. Not even sorry.
A similar fate, although the source material is way less deep than Tolkien's literature, did affect Star Wars. George Lucas vision was "updated" and twisted by Disney up to the point where it did no longer match the original universe it pretended to be set in. Inept writing, plot hole galore and despicable characters are hallmarks of Disney Wars and The Rings of Amazon. Cast them all back into the hellfire from whence they came!
''The Canon Is Closed. It Was Made By One Who Is Dead. And The Fans Keep It.''
Amen.
o7 Amen!!!
I got two copies of the book. Every fan should have at least one copy of the book.
😂😂
Canon is something defined by the Culture around these properties, not by the ones who create it. That's why not everything entered into the 'Western Canon', and Rings of Power is outside that Canon, no matter how much Amazon complains. Same goes for MOST of Disney Star Wars, there's some of that people might let enter in. (Hey, Rogue One was pretty good, sadly there weren't enough Bothans on it, but otherwise... heh)
Is it really "subverting expectations" when it's all we ever expect now?
The true subversion at this point would be an adaptation loyal to the original. I havent been paying attention to all this, are they still using subversion of expectations as a vocal selling point?
Rian-ing expectations.
@@dredeth By Ruin Johnson.
@@SRMoore1178 by that one, yes.
The problem with Rings of Power is that it is a drama show made by activists for activists, it is nowhere near being Lord of the Rings.
Its nowhere near the quailty needed to justfiy its massive bugget, a billion dollars for two seasons of garbage, what a waste of good money, Amazon should be launching a invesigation into where that money went, it clearly didn't make it into the production values!
@@superomegaprimemk2 It is ad for all the "modern" bullshit, black elf, "strong" feminist protagonist, gay sauron, gay couple orcs with family values, amazon knows exactly what they are doing and they expected that army of gay bs cult will repay a billion dollars...
It's made by a billionaire to benefit (probably via money laundering let's be honest) one of the biggest and most evil corporations on the planet. What kind of activism do you think it contains? Certainly not feminism, they transformed the only one who wasn't fooled by Sauron's lies into an angry idiot who literally enabled him to get power.
The original stories are truly prescient considering that current society faces its own Orcs and Saurons.
Notice how Saruman was presented to be a good guy, including masked in with "whyte" label and clothing, yet turned out to be an agent who led the Uruk against the people of Middle Earth?
Hmmm. I wonder what that means?
One thing can always be counted on; humans will repeat the same mistakes over and over.
@@justanothercomment416 Any chance Hollywood gets to paint the white man as evil or incompetent they will take.
Sauron is the good guy in this new rings of power show
Without unending orc immigration Gondor will not survive.
At this point, we’re all Jessie Pinkman.
They can’t keep getting away with this…..
Who?
@@docsavage8640 character in Breaking Bad. Don't get the reference myself
I think he means that by the end of Breaking Bad, Jesse Pinkman began to hate Walter and couldn't believe he could keep getting away with it for so long.
“Evil can never create, only corrupt”
Melkor/Morgoth is a cautionary example of that phrase.
Cain vs Able.
@@justanothercomment416 exactly. Cain was clearly evil. He thought he knew better, but he ended up making things worse by murdering his brother in cold blood.
The ROP is the entertainment equivalent of Justin Trudeau in an Aladdin costume.
Nah, Justin's clueless racism is far more entertaining because we get to watch him squirm explaining it away
Lol
😂👍Spot on!
@@docsavage8640"Can you give us your word this will be the last photo of a time you were wearing blackface?"
*dead silence*
Hehe
Well said. The Lord of the Rings is an integral part of *_European_* ethnoculture.
If they created a show based on African mythology and folklore (which for some reason they never do, curious) I wouldn't expect to see a bunch of Europeans represented in the show.
Is it also an integral part of American, Canadian, and Australian ethnoculture?
@@austinclark007 , for ethnic-European people in those countries-in Western Civilization-of course! Those countries were founded & built by Europeans and upon European heritage.
@@underdoge8338 Norsemen. Blue-eyed, blond, narrow nose bridges, Europeans should be liberally represented in a film about Congo myths. Make it happen, Hollyweird!
I want to say that this aspect of the mythopoeia and legendarium that Tolkien (sub)created should be respected, and I say that as a POC, who was born in India. It is beautiful enough that it doesn't require 'representation'. However I do feel that because this is a fictional world, once enough time has passed for it to become part of cultural canon - like Shakespeare - the world will be ready for a more diverse-leaning portrayal of the characters in the books, just like Denzel Washington played an amazing MacBeth.
It's intellectual cowardice to blame the response on racism, though. It's just crap writing that disrespects the canon and the moral messaging around the characterization of the heroes and the villains.
As a lifelong Tolkien fan and writer heavily inspired by him, I chose not to watch RoP from the very start. I haven't given it a moment of my time beyond listening to others talk about it.
When I saw what they did to Galadriel, I knew I was on the right path. But when I saw them trying to humanize the orcs, every moment I spent not watching this show was justified.
The orc debacle shows a severe lack of understanding of Tolkien's legendarium. And anything that does that while saying it doesn't deserves no respect.
Bruh 🤜🏻🤌🏻🤘🏻
They have to humanize the orcs, because deep down they know they are the orcs.
I gave the first two episodes a viewing, twice over.
The first viewing was cringe, dull, lifeless and bland. I zoned out, a lot.
So, waited a day to watch it with fresh eyes. It was even worse. I have not watched a single minute of the series, after, nor shall I. The only clips I've seen, have been by those reviewing it. And none of them review it favorably.
I have not watched one single episode of it either. After they took Star Trek from me in 2009 I refuse to give anything “a chance” anymore. If something turns out to be really good, I can always watch it later. Otherwise I will not give them one penny or one second of my time.
Please consider supporting independent projects in lieu of all the corporate crap being shat out of Zon's vile, corrupt colon.
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
"Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength, resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again."
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
--Diamond Dragons (series)
It really irks me that the same people who are so sensitive about "respecting other cultures" to the point of ignoring truly brutal behavior, have such disdain for their own.
They dont have respect for any culture; they only care about controlling every aspect of history
Tolkien wrote LotR as a replacement for the English who lost much of their mythology and epics during the Reformation. Jeff Bezos who bought the right to use the IP is a Jewish man. I don't think he views LotR as part of his culture.
Because it's all performative BS. They don't care about anything other than the ability to force us into their little game. Well, no more.
@@14Anon2 Jeff isn't Jewish...What is it with you guys and your obsession with Jews? Jeff's dad was souther baptist. On top of that please do some research about how many movies Jews did in fact produce and direct that had very Euro-centric view points which simply made the golden age of Hollywood. I implore you too in fact.
While in some way you are right that we all have our cultures. I don't expect Asians to relate to the individualism of many western movies. Nor do I assume many White americans think of LOTR as their culture either.
Instead of "blind faith", it is like people, with almost no understanding of geopolitics or history, have "blind shame". It seems that people need to take knowing who the culture is, away from judgement of ethics. For example in a study, people were told a story of how a kingdom attacked another, slaughtering all humans and animals. The aggressor was deemed immoral by the people who heard the story. They were then told the kingdoms were misnamed on purpose to something fictional and it was actually the old testament god commanding the aggression against villagers. All of a sudden, the atrocities were deemed to be done for a good reason. The same logic is applicable today, to how we view ourselves and others with differences. There can be either "blind faith" or "blind shame" in how we judge ourselves or others.
This is the truth, these type of gems can't be tarnished with one generation of brain washed brats. Let them wallow in their own filth and move on.
Now I'm imagining what an extended version of Rings of Power would look like with even more meandering plotlines and Gil Galad pontificating nonsense the writers mistake as poetry.
No. Please, no.
That’s Gil Gadaddy. Sickening. What a waste of something that could have been great.
It would be a massive waste of time and money!!
Support independent projects from exemplary creators in lieu of continually following the corrupt corporate crap which is constantly being shat out of Hollywont's rancid colon.
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
"Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength, resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again."
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
--Diamond Dragons (series)
It could be used for enhanced interrogation methods
Oh it will be remembered alright, as the biggest failure in TV history.
I'm White European and loved Journey to the West, aka Monkey. Which is Chinese folklore.
George RR Martin’s universe won’t have any relevancy because it will never have its canon be finished. Tolkien’s will endure and be remembered forever as a timeless tale.
One based their writing on timeless themes, the other based their's on contemporary political science. One will remain timeless, the other is already becoming irrelevant.
@@michaelkrull3331 yes 💯 Same with modern Star Wars. By the way, Dune is a better execution of George’s type of universe despite being Sci fi instead of fantasy, and it’s canon unlike his is mostly already finished. George has always been a plagiarist.
GRRM's creation is well written (insofar as it is written) but lacks a central driving story. Instead there is a fuzzy collection of interlocking plots that are often interesting but mean little. The other thing that sets Tolkien apart is that he knew when to stop. The new shadow sounds interesting, but it might not fit into Middle Earth as we know it. LOTR needs no sequels; it is a complete story in of itself.
Hmmm. Tolkien's work literally includes a volume called The unfinished tales. While Martin's work is quite strongly derived from English history, particularly The wars of Roses a dynastic fight over who got to exploit peasantry.
@@Fred-gu6pk The difference with that is Tolkien didn't publish that volume. His son did, and Tolkien had already published the story he intended to tell. The other stuff that was published posthumously enriches the story of LOTR, but it is not necessary to read.
The people who made the Peter Jackson films are very talented. The people making Rings of Power are not. All the money in Hollywood won't change this.
the hobbit movies were hot trash
The extended edition is the only edition that matters. I understand the cuts though the movie was already long, blah blah blah, but make it three hours longer I'm here for it! We only had that one moment where the planets aligned where society was not insane where this phenomenal movie was made.
AGREED!!!
I think you're right: when I read the Hobbit and the trilogy at 14 back in 77 (just a week or so after seeing SW for the first time), I longed for Middle Earth, particularly The Shire. My bones seemed to ache wanting that world. I thought it must be something in my Scotch/Irish/English ancestry crying out for home.
even to me as a german the depictionin the movies the Shire and Hobbington looked so peaceful, quiet and friendly and i sometimes try to imagine living in such a way for a little time - but not for too long, because the modern life and technologies and some of the comfort coming with it would be missed very much.
@@t.kersten7695 Tolkien also drew from German legends and lore, so you might have resonated with the story on an ancestral level too.
But then, you would never miss what you never had.@@t.kersten7695
We are NOT blank slates at birth. Most likely it's genetic. We've seen the rat studies. Important memories, the most impactful ones, get passed down. Be it a moment, a movie, a trauma. It passes on to a lesser or greater degree.
I suppose we could substitute "Lord of the Rings" with "Star Trek", "Star Wars", "Doctor Who" and the same lesson applies. We know a fake when we see it.
A lot of the television and movies these days seem to have lost sight of a sense of wonder. They no longer believe in the dynamic of good vs evil, only that everything is shades of grey and no one is truly ever evil (which would necessitate that no one is ever good). No one sees the landscapes and worlds described and has to think for a moment in the sheer magnitude or beauty of it. Granted, I am throwing some hyperbole around, but this show especially seems so devoid of any appreciation of what came before it that it will be, as you said, completely forgotten.
Give something else a shot. Something which is NOT corporate, not corrupt, and not mindless crap. Something which forces a reader to *think*, to feel, to Reflect.
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"Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength, resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again."
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
--Diamond Dragons (series)
It's the difference between real art, which has power on numerous levels, including metaphysical, and a hollow corporate knock-off.
Correct. True art comes from the individual, not a megalomaniacal, narcissistic corporation of corrupt cronies and janky jabronies. Support independent projects! 🙂
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
"Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind's journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul's fate revealed. In time, all points converge; hope's strength, resteeled. But to earn final peace at the universe's endless refrain, we must see all in nothingness... before we start again."
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
--Diamond Dragons (series)
Nothing will compare to the Jackson trilogy. It's the best trilogy of all time.
Hardly
LoTR - Yes!
RoP - No!
Orcs with families was the last straw in that sorry excuse for a "spinoff"
Orcs I like to compare to ants. They will literally tear each other apart to survive. Like the scene in Two Towers. They aren’t civilized.
@@ParkerCS2 This is seen ESPECIALLY in the Cirith Ungol scene in Return of the King. One has a shiny shirt, one doesn't, they start fighting over it as individuals, then it devolves into a complete free-for-all as most join in simply for the thrill of it.
Remember Orc can be an offensive term. Refer to them as Uruk.
Are you serious? Did they say that?
@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017 yes, because liberals associate Tolkien's orcs with black people. I don't know how, I guess that's how racist people's brains work.
@@tomasz9429 I'm guessing it's because of the non-stop invasion across the borders of all "Middle Earth" countries. Which wouldn't make it raycist in the least. It would make it a fact based allegory. Though those claiming it is raycist would certainly qualify as raycist.
Why are all rayces allowed nations exception people of Middle Earth? Why is it is unduly called "raycist" when the Uruk invade with help from within? Certainly no moral person supports your analysis.
@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017 thankfully its just a joke.
@@GeraltofRivia22 I honestly remember there being some debate about the orcs as being a potentially racist trope the same way Star Wars' Sand People were said to be by pearl clutching leftists.
Perfectly said and presented. Thank you so much!
JRR Tolkien was a Catholic and Catholic themes are sprinkled everywhere in his LOTR books. It is not a surprise that the atheistic elites are now subverting and warping his works into something sinister.
Well, we have an FBI weaponized against Catholics so...
The ‘elites’ aren’t atheists. They are sa tan ists.
I’m not a Catholic, so I didn’t put any of that personally into the film on my behalf, but I certainly am aware that there were certain [religious] things that Tolkien was thinking of. We made a real decision at the beginning that we weren’t going to introduce any new themes of our own into The Lord of the Rings. We were just going to make a film based upon what clearly Tolkien was passionate about. - Peter Jackson
The setting is inspired by northern Europe of the middle-ages. Of course it would contain Catholic references, because Europe of the time (an even today) was shaped by religion. Yes, Tolkien removed God and replaced it by references to a paganism, yet... it isn't like you can remove Christian themes when you keep setups, believes, lifestyles, etc. of rural Wales or such. Wizards come across a angels, Balrog's demons, Valinor a heaven-like place, etc.
I'm an atheist and I abhor RoP
💯 Dave. Eloquent as ever recognising the invaluable contribution made by Tolkien to European heritage. Thank you!
I dont know anyone curently who is watching Rings of Power.
Me neither
Well said, Mr. Cullen!
It's strange and weirdly comforting to hear you talk about "your beliefs" about "genetic memory"; I've followed since the old times of the "skeptic scene" on youtube; we all have changed with time, and that's fine.
We need more people speaking out our spirituality. Especially Christianity. What's going on today is well described biblically. Including the who.
You're right. RoP will not affect culture, not even in a bad way.
Which is, of course, contrary to its intent.
what Dave seems to have forgotten about is that we whyte europeans are no longer allowed to have myths, heritage or even a culture. at least according to certain people.
A bit on the nose that comment about certain people 👀
An audience score of 48% from the audience that is STILL WATCHING AFTER THE ABOMINATION THAT WAS SEASON 1
I believe that on a certain level, "The Lord of the Rings" is fundamentally about the small, simple, down-to-earth people who refuse the corruptions of power, cast into the maelstrom of more "important" people and their designs, but having few ambitions of their own but to return home and build a good life. I think this reflects Tolkien's own experiences in World War I, that sense that power had to be relinquished before it could become destructive and corrupting. "Rings of Power" was made by people who would never, of their own will, relinquish power.
Why can’t backstories be up to the audience’s interpretations again? Why do we gotta overexplain every fictional universe?!
You make a good point. I used to get angry when my favorite IPs were tarnished by modern day crap, but if anything, nowadays, I just find myself appreciating the originals more for their artistic value. Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, and so many others are hollow shells of what they once were, but it's comforting to go back to the stuff I love.
Rings of Power is written, directed, and produced by 14 girls cosplaying as adults.
Tolkien is certainly problematical. HIs greatest problem is today's sh1te writers can't even hope to achieve 1% of what he created & they never will. Modern writers have faced no struggles and have had no life experiences.
Most forgettable 1 Billion dollars. 😅
I am a 64-year-old bloke and LotR fan. I watch the extended editions of Peter Jackson's films at least once a year, and I earnestly cry every single time I see Boromir die. However, I laugh scornfully whenever I hear the Amazon abomination being called 'The Lord of the Rings". Have never watched it - will never watch it as it is not LotR.
My grandmother always told me, "I dont care what Amazon tells you, Galadriel never had the hots for Sauron". Thanks for this Dave, its good to see people like you defend Tolkein unlike that sellout Matt from Nerd of the Rings
I don't tend to write comments on anything, really, but your thoughts and words resonate. Thanks. I couldn't agree more.
If it's true that Jackson truly loved Tolkien's LotR and the original movie trilogy was a labor of love, then the Hobbit trilogy was him falling under the spells of evil he once made a point about resisting.
Even The Hobbit is far superior to ROP
He wanted to do the right thing. They required him to span it over three movies. It's a short story. Given what he was forced to do with it it's alright. But I wouldn't blame Jackson.
Jackson wasn't even the original author and director of The Hobbit. I think he did the best with what he was force-fed, but criticisms of the final product are still valid. I don't blame him. I blame the studio.
@@janeenschultz8502 He wasn't the author of LotR either. He did direct the Hobbit trilogy. The end product is on him. I grant there was probably a lot of studio interference.
@@agentsmithmememe True, but by how much? I hated it.
OK...YT doesn't want me to speak for some reason - attempt #2
I was feeling hopeful about Star Wars in a similar fashion today.
Remembering that WE, the fans are the one who built these passionate cultures and helped turn these stories into cultural touchpoints.
It's the same with LOTR. People may have the legal authority to write for it, but these stories are bigger than them. They belong to all of us.
I'd go with the word "defiled" to describe what Amazon has done to it but we don't really need to use exact language. We're all fully aware of what they've done to Tolkien.
Your dam right. This rings of 💩 show will be forgotten in no time
This swill is going to be memory holed just like TLJ and STD. Who do you know that actually goes back to rewatch any of this crap?
It's worse than that, Dave. They hate what Tolkien was tapping into.
Stuff like this has just led me back to reading more. The old books from decades ago. And even further back.
Great video. I remember the first time reading the books, I was 11 and read them in the space of three days. The writing and world building was just so good.
From the films I always reflect on the change that Frodo goes through, from that fresh faced look at the start to his condition when he reaches Mount Doom, you can see how harrowing the journey was.
It might be remembered as the show that sank Amazon Prime Video.
Lotr also came at a time when they blended CGI and practical effects mote smartly than they do now
It will never matter for those who read the original works.
But there are lazy people out here, who think they can spare themselves the time needed to read long books, if they can just watch the story on TV.
animal young can recognize predators. We clearly are not born without "memories"; call it knowledge, perhaps archetypical knowledge.
I look at Rings of Power the same way I look at a Disney adaptation of a Grimm's fairy tale. You can detect the structure beneath the veneer, but the message is completely lost.
well said… Sir,l salute you 😊
At some point people need to stop paying any attention to the critics. How often do they say a good movie is bad and a bad movie is good ? The critics in my opinion lost all credibility many years ago. Do people not realize something is not right when the critics give a movie like 88% and the audience gives it a 40% ? The message they are pushing we just don’t want and it’s obvious.
Makes sense, kind of like Babylon 5 series. It was great, but I forgot just how short the series was, but you could tell actors and writers tried to do something unique and had passion for their work.
Your comment, “ROP is not being written from the same place” sums this up perfectly and explains why it truly does not matter and never will. This same premise can also be applied to the Marvel Universe (Stan Lee-gone), Star Trek (Gene Roddenberry-gone), Star Wars, Dr. Who (Newman, Webber, Wilson-all gone), and many other franchises. Disney is responsible for a lot of this and they did so without any thought to their history. With maybe 1 or 2 exceptions since the 1930’s I do not believe there were any sequels…no Mary Poppins 2, no Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 2; most of their animations were from legends and fairy tales, told once and left alone. I’ve stated this before, the creative process and the will to develop new stories and materials have dried up.
People dream of seeing the Eiffel tower in Paris. The one on Las Vegas is nice when you are there, but you don’t dream of going to Vegas to see it. RoP is a half-scale cartboard version of LotR. Solely made for financial reasons with zero other inspiration behind it.
I'm always fascinated when someone approaches a beloved and successful franchise/series and think that they can "fix" it. LotR, Halo (t.v. show), Star Trek, and Star Wars are perfect examples of when you have source material that people enjoy, but these narcissistic morons think that everything that they had no input on must be terrible and wrong.
Even progressive newspapers in my country are admitting that this is a failure
because money laundering.
The ROP is the Taco Bell of entertainment media.
That's an insult to Taco Bell.
But I _like_ Taco Bell.
I think when you think about ralph bakshis animated film while very much a product of its time and the directive vision of Ralph bakshi It is a truly unique film which matters when it comes to Lord of the rings unlike rings of power
Well said!
I liked the story Liv Tyler told in the dvd extras. She was in a chair in her opulent elf gown having her elf ears applied. Over the shimmering gown was a well worn denim jacket. She said this is my dad's [Steve Tyler] he was with me at the terminal as I was waiting for my flight.
He took one look at what I was wearing then took his coat off and put it on me and said "The one thing I've learned over my years of traveling is no matter where you're going always, always take a warm coat."
The films were grand but had heart because the people in it were that way.
ROP is like "Scarlett"- the 1991 "official" sequel to "Gone with the Wind." Due to Margaret Mitchell being dead for nearly 40 years, her estate hired a hack romance novelist to pen it. It did become a best-seller and was quickly adapted into a TV miniseries. Today, though, it's mostly forgotten with many GWTW fans pretending it doesn't even exist. That's because it was an obvious cash grab which served that purpose but was inconsequential as art. That will likely be the well-deserved fate of ROP.
Only I don't think ROP will grab much cash...
Rings of Power can't be canon as fans don't care about it. It feels like a vanity project/therapy session, not art.
No movie can match the Peter Jsckson adaptation! "Modern" versions try to destroy the original work with the piison WOKE bs
Dave thank you for the video. I never got into the LOR stories and never watched the movies. Keep up the good work.
It's the most expensive mistake in the history of television. A truly billion dollar blunder.
The purpose is vvok social engineering.
Very well said.
Much of this could be applied to Star Wars & and what, with a couple of exceptions, Disney has done to it since they bought Lucasfilm IMHO.
Splendid video. Thank you
Hell on Middle-Earth is a fitting title for that show. 🤣
The awake from woke all expected them to subvert expectations.
I'm totally on board with the idea of an inherited spiritualality, one unique to a people. It can be shared with others, but cannot be related to in the same way. I'm German, English and Irish by heritage, mostly German. There is an essence of our cultures. One that has found expression in Irish and Norse sagas, Teutonic and Celtic mythology, legends and fairy tales. From the Edda to the Ninelungenlied, from King Arthur and Parsifal to Wagner and Tolkien. Even Skyrim, in a way. It belongs to us as much as the Mahabharata belongs to India and her people. As long as we are who we are it can never be destroyed or corrupted.
You might find it interesting to look into Carl Jung (contemporary and peer of Sigmund Freud) and his theories of the Collective Unconscious.
"Modernize" = "Woketize"
It might even be as simple as they're too stupid to read and comprehend what they've read so they just churn out crap they think resembles the movies.
Brilliant. I have been making these EXACT points since I read the books in the 1970s...this is why Tolkien was a genius. That is why the Jackson movies were perfect. Jackson, the cast and crew knew it too. There is power in myth and tapping into it for storytelling. The woke crap doesn't get this point, or if they do, they reject it utterly. Well said, my friend.
Ethics, morality, and humility?
dude, you're just making up words, aren't you-
It will matter to Amazon shareholders. Those billions could have been used to go into AI, acquisitions etc. half of it could have been used as the cost to unwind their streaming division entirely. Which they will, sooner than later.
Some cultures are better than others.
Why are we comparing Rings of Power with Lord of the Rings? You CANT!!! It is day and night, heaven and hell
I'm convinced that instincts and proclivities are in fact memories passed down genetically. Sure, they don't supply mental images or linguistic information, but can have a significant impact on emotional responses and tastes. The Rings of Power just plain sucks though.
Ask the Romans what they taught of northern Europeans.
"The way is shut"
DEI (Didn't earn it) hires take on Tolkien ... like ants fighting Superman. Remember what Nancy Reagan said: "Don't do DEI. Just say: NO!"
Subverting expectations at this point would be making an entertaining, well written, endearing show with rewatchability.
Haven't seen 1 minute of an episode of TROP. I will actively avoid Amazon produced garbage, generated for the dim and the dull audiences it "serves" poorly. It is amusing seeing Amazon piss billions up the wall making no cultural impact of any significance. It is the MacDonalds of Art, as if something of this natural could really be said to exist. It is the soiled and used toilet paper of entertainment.
Watching LOTR feels like returning to my real home, not the one my faulty memory shows me.
Why is it I want to up chuck when I hear those words about that show that shall not be named.
Tolkien's work is timeless and will live forever.
The Rings of Power, and those behind it, will be forgotten in a few years.
ROP is like putting a nose ring on the Mona Lisa 😬
That greater collective understanding we share is called traditional western culture ;-)
I've often wondered if elves draw on the cultural memory of the time in European history when the peak of our technological and cultural achievement lay in the past with the lost Roman Empire.
I'm incapable of believing Rotten Tomatoe scores anymore, or opinion polls, or anonymous surveys, or the expressed view of experts. I can't even silently pretend to care. Not even sorry.
A similar fate, although the source material is way less deep than Tolkien's literature, did affect Star Wars.
George Lucas vision was "updated" and twisted by Disney up to the point where it did no longer match the original universe it pretended to be set in.
Inept writing, plot hole galore and despicable characters are hallmarks of Disney Wars and The Rings of Amazon.
Cast them all back into the hellfire from whence they came!