To mark the 49th anniversary of the passing of J.R.R. Tolkien and celebrate the new Lord of the Rings series we enlisted the help of an expert, In Deep Geek to produce this video. In Deep Geek provides analysis and breakdowns of The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Witcher and much more. Please head over and subscribe. ua-cam.com/video/1jeB6v34img/v-deo.html Lastly please keep a look out for the extra special ending. You won't be disappointed.
Thank you so much for this wonderful video. The only thing I was missing was the storys I heard about Tolkien briefly supporting the Franco movement in Spain. Do you have any more information on that?
@@paulhoffmann3405 I don't think that a veteran of Somne would support a then would be dictator. And I don't think he suported the following dictatorship afterwards, when all his works were about freedom. It reeks of slander.
Isn't it ironic that Amazon timed the release of ROP with the deathaversary of Professor Tolkien 🤔. We have the quote of his from.(18:00-18:50) of his Mythology in our EXSURGE TOLKIEN series which takes up a defense of Tolkien against the modernist showrunner of a corporate machine Theyocracy.
Good overview of a great man I've admired since I was a child. When I was a teenager, I wrote to Christopher Tolkien a thank-you for his work on The Silmarillion, and to my astonishment received a short but beautiful handwritten reply, thanking me for my letter. It's one of my most treasured possessions.
Great video. These books mean so much to me. I am severely dyslexic and couldn't even read The Cat In The Hat at the age of 8. My teachers scolded me for being lazy or stupid. There was talk of me being held back a year - being left behind my friends scared me. I hated books, words, grammar. We hates them! But my dad said if I couldn't read; he'd read for me. So he read me LOTR at bedtime for weeks. It was the most magical, wonderful thing. The words (which up until now were my sworn enemy) conjured living worlds in my minds eye. I wanted this power. I swore then that I would learn to read. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. Damn you Tolkien for Saruman, Sauron, Aragorn, Arathorn, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur and so on. But I persisted. First a graphic novel of The Hobbit, then The Hobbit unabridged, then LOTR. Tolkien's world kept me going. By the time Frodo got back to Bag End I felt like I'd walked to Mordor & back again myself! Thank you, J.R.R. Tolkien. You gave me the gift of reading. Opened up the world of academia. Gave me a infinitely better life.
@@megasoctopuslegionofcake6248 You are right . And why should we limit Dyslexic people to read such rubbish. There are ways and means of overcoming any disability.
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater” J.R.R. Tolkien
Celeborn said that to Merry, right? It sounds like his words in Lothlorien as he is saying farewell to the fellowship and giving them the three boats to pass down the Anduin, while Galadriel is giving each of them a personal gift.
@@gib59er56 No, these words are spoken by Haldir during the fellowship's encouter with the Elves of Lórien, when they were guiding the Company to Caras Galadhon. In all lands love is now mingled with grief... One of my favorite thoughts and quotes by the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien.
@@causalaetitiae OK, yes, you got it!! Speaking of Haldir, why the hell did Peter Jackson have Haldir killed? Or why did he add the elves of Lothlorien at Helms Deep in the first place? I am a snobby Tolkien dude, lol!
The fact it was never meant to be an allegory contemporary to Tolkien’s time, is precisely why the tales are timeless. They speak to a deeper side of the human psyche that goes beyond current day to day concerns. But a side that craves tales of wonder and adventure, tales that make us laugh and cry. And most importantly (at least to me) are an escape from the world outside into a world created inside your mind by simple words on page. Well that’s my opinion for whatever it’s worth. Great documentary!
Absolutely agree with you, it’s as if this was how the world should’ve been because there’s an innate knowing and yearning for it in our heart and spirit
I see it as an unintended allegory for the worst part of the early 20th century. It was intended, I think, to focus on taking simple mystical elements of the natural world, giving them identities, and setting them loose in a make-believe world. Tolkien drew from his life experiences, however, and delved into the darkest corners of the human mind to build the plot, challenges, and setbacks for the characters. No two characters faced the same obstacles, making his story so rich. He dealt with racism, betrayal, massacre, unlikely allies, and so much more that I still marvel at his imagination. And it's easy in retrospect to see so much of the LOTR in the world wars because real people experienced similar adversity. He meant his stories to be timeless, but they were still written during a traumatic period of human history.
Similar story but a few years younger, he laid the foundation of many things I loved alot more than his actual works, he is not my favority author but alot of my favorites stand on his shoulders.
I volunteered at a library when I was 12 and found the Hobbit while putting the books away. I had a habit of reading the summaries of things before I shelved them. What a find!
In my high school year book my English teacher wrote beside my photo "Frodo Lives!". I am now in my mid-sixties and that phrase still rings in my ears!
Magnificent in every detail. Tolkien's books are nothing short of monolithic masterpieces. I first read them when I was twenty and they were and still are the best pieces of literature I have ever read.
Only the Christ found in the Bible can save anyone’s life. The Hobbit is a good way to end up full of demons and the opposite of truly saved. I’ll pray for you! GOD Bless! ❤️
If it wasn’t for J.R.R. Tolkien, then what we know as fantasy fiction, would be nothing more than a collection of myths, legends, and stories from various cultures in the UK. He’s not just one of the greatest fantasy writers whose ever lived, he’s one of the greatest writers who’s ever lived, period. And Yes, he DID deserve that Nobel Prize In Literature.
The first time I ever learned about J.R.R Tolkien was when I was a kid in Nigeria in 2004. My dad bought a DVD of Lord of the Rings for me and my siblings to watch after he watched it during his trips abroad. We loved it, especially me as a young boy. I even loved the Hobbit movies when they came out decades later. It was only when I emigrated to Canada that I was able to buy the actual LotR books, including the Hobbit, and read them finally. Truly beautiful works of fiction😌 Because of Tolkien, I was able to discover other great fantasy authors and books like Robert E. Howard, Brandon Sanderson etc. Also,I had no idea Tolkien was an African! A son of the soil😯
As an admitted Tolkien geek (who raised two Tolkien geek kids to adulthood; it was my daughter who sent our family the link to this documentary), I am surprised that upon watching this that I learned a few more things I didn't know before about Tolkien. Well done!
LOTR etc is all about the history of the world long past and about Tolkien's experience's in the first world war and what took place in WW2. It's all there in his tales. Such a cleaver man 💜
He blurred, or maybe simply didn't acknowledge, any lines between linguistics, history, myth, fantasy, religion, poetry and literature. I think we can all agree his was not an average intellect?
"The Hobbit" and "The Lord Of The Rings" are two of the most cherished parts of my literary collection, as well as my DVD collection. I often revisit them when there is a need for some calmness and simplicity for a while. I hope future generations will appreciate them as I do. I think they will. And, of course, Professor Tolkien should have been awarded the Nobel Literature Prize, he stands alone in the hearts of may for his creations and his point of view.
@@andywilliams8540 We wrote 80 per cent of the script as well as the ending paragraph and filmed Tolkien's grave. In Deep Geek took care of the lore side of things and narrated the script. It's a People Profiles production in short with In Deep Geek as our expert consultant and narrator.
Never paid it any attention but now you mention it. Yes it was very well narrated. I am hard of hearing, but had no difficulty at all in following the narration.
As a child I read his books and was in awe of his writing...and to this day I still stand in awe as do my children and grandchildren of this great writer...from the bottom of my heart I thank him for all that he has given to my family
I am so glad I ran across this documentary, I am obsessed with all his work, from poems to middle earth and everything in between! He was a literary genius and a master at fiction writing!
Tolkien died in 1973. In reverse that's 3791. 3 Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, 7 for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, 9 for Mortal Men doomed to die, 1 for the Dark Lord on his dark throne...
I'm playing a game right now that probably wouldn't exist without him, surrounded by items that also wouldn't exist without him. Thank you for the decades of joy, inspiration, wonder and amazement you brought to my life.
Yeah there were no magic swords or wizards till Tolkien.....oh wait king arthur had a magic sword and hung out with a wizard who killed a dragon.. whoops.
@@gymhayes4613 And such things would only be known by scholars of archaic literature, instead of having a renewed fan base referred by Tolkien. Tolkien created the popular market for fantasy fiction which underlies D&D Fantasy RPGs, etc.
@@digitalnomad9985 no he didn t pulp fiction magazines full of fantasy stories were around for a couple decades before tolkeins stuff even came out. King arthurs stuff has been around for centuries. Again with merlin a wizard and excalibur a magic sword. Tolkein was important but he absolutely did not create the fantasy genre.
@@digitalnomad9985 oh also robert e howard. Conan kull the conqeror and his other hero i camt remember. All fantasy with swords and monsters and wizard. He died before tolkein evem released anything.
I came across The Hobbit at the library when I was 16. It was a very low time of my life and I was able to escape some of it in this first story. I was happy to find The Lord of the Rings soon after. Over the years I have gone back to reread all of Tolkien's books. They are truly classics.
My favorite stories of all time! Thank you to this amazing man for his insight and to his son for completing his works and publishing them after his passing. He will always be my favorite author!
In 1976, an Art teacher in secondary school, Adrienne McGovern, put a combined edition of LOTR on my desk when I was 15 and said. " I think you'll like this Nick". She was right of course! I'm 62 this year and LOTR is one of my dearest literary treasures.
I was listening to the Return of the King audiobook for the first time today, and at the end of the chapter "Ride of the Rohirrim" I literally had to pull over I was so moved.
Thank you so much for your splendid portrayal of Tolkien's life and his contributions to literature. We do think the answers to your three questions are definitely in the affirmative. Thoroughly enjoyed watching your documentary. Well done. Thank you again.
Born in 68 I was introduced to Tolkien around the time of his death and have been a fan ever since so around half a century now Thank you for such depth in his story and life
Absolutely beautiful! Not only interesting and informative. This video is gorgeous. The images and cinematography is so much better than what I have come to expect on UA-cam. Thank you very much! If this was out on blu-ray I would snap it up!
I've yet to finish the books (so far I've only read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring) but like many others my introduction to Tolkien's work was the film adaptations and my love for his stories and fictional world has only grown since. Learning about his life has only made me admire him more. Not as a writer and scholar (though that is also exemplary) but as a role model. As a man, he preferred simplicity over decadent lifestyles. And never seeked to use his talents for any ambiguous self-interests or personal gain other than telling a story for his children. To me that is what sets Tolkien apart. A very nunced man with a humble passion for fantasy. His writing reflects his life like all writers. But to me, Tolkien's work is the most transparent of his intentions. He's written these grand epic tales of war and conflict between good and evil but never glorifies the violence and carnage within it. The message isn't what they are fighting against but what they fight for. He also pens little hairy footed people that live in holes to tell that story, instead of the big and strong ones because he knew that compelling stories only requires compelling characters that we can relate and root for.
I read the hobbit when I was 9 years old in the early 70s. I can't remember how many times I have read it now but it and the Lord of the rings are my go to books especially at times of great stress. I thank him. I thank the makers of this documentary too it is very well made.
There is another documentary where at least 3 of his children are interviewed. From how they talk about him, he was a wonderful Dad as well as an amazing writer ❤❤❤
This was a very comprehensive and insightful documentary. Much as others have said, in many ways Tolkien's work was, if not literally life-saving, was life-transforming to me, allowing me to see this world though a lens of hope. Was his work some of the greatest of the 20th century? Surely it helped to define the 20th century, but I would consider his body of work to be one of the literary monuments of all human history.
This was a brilliant pleasant video. Thank You. An avid and devoted reader of Tolkien; I stopped counting after the thirteenth time I read 'The Lord of the Rings, I very much enjoyed this insightful background to, in my opinion, most gifted human being.
Superb presentation. Well narrated with correct pronunciation of english. Thank you for this. JRR is a hero of british literature and will never be forgotten.
Absolutely fantastic and super talented man. If I could choose only one famous person or historian to meet it would be him. Sadly that isnt possible but he will forever live on. I'm 35 years old and will ensure my future children are introduced to Tokien's work and have them pass it onto their children. Nothing will ever touch this man's work and creation of Middle Earth. I don't think we will ever see anything like it again.
An excellent presentation. I've lost count of how many times I've read LOTR since 1969 when I first started. The forms of language have shaped my own writing, songwriting and modes of speech. Not always deliberately, sometimes a Tolkienism just pops out. One of the pleasures of his books is to read them aloud. His writing seems made to be spoken. I fear if I keep on, this comment will extend beyond the reasonable. Salutations to this era's greatest storyteller.
I've read the trilogy yearly since I first found it in 1974. His writing is beautiful, profound and truly one of a kind. I bought most of his books with audible, and love to listen to them, they are so calming and a bit meditative.
The Argentinean author, scholar, philosopher, and poet (already quite a successor to Tolkien) Jorge Luis Borges once described Heaven as being "a kind of Library". I myself have always believed that should this be the case, then somewhere in this Library of Libraries must be a massive Tome being the COMPLETED Works of J.R.R Tolkien. His FULL Legendarium as HE viewed it throughout his life, perhaps the very way he would've wished for us to view it. This was marvelous, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. Thank you all for your hard work.
Outstanding documentary, expertly written and presented. Also, a big thank you to Robert Saunders for his mesmerizing narration that held me spellbound throughout. I just found his channel a few weeks ago and it is a true gem! This program will definitely be one I revisit a number of times in the future.
I am now 71 years old. I read The Hobbit and the Lord of the rings when I was a school boy. John Ronald rule Tolkien has it been by North Star. His writing his imagination, his mind. Have influenced my life more than any other writer in the world that I have ever read. I'm so grateful that I have been around in a time when his works were published and I could read them and they would influence my whole life. Thank you, jrr talking
Amazing documentary. I remember I took an old paperback out of a box full of books from my father. It is was the Hobbit. I did not know about the writer and his fame. I read it and was hooked forever, as so many others before me. For sure he belongs to the greatest ever and deserves the Nobel Price! R.I.P.
Among the many things I learned from this great writer was that trees can walk, think and react, that they love their children. Somehow, although I knew that this was a fantasy novel, I felt that here was truth until I read, years later, that trees can feel, think and react, some even walk. And with that came the knowledge that all things on earth have that ability although we may not know it yet.
One tidbit about Tolkein that's fascinated me is his opinion on the iconic novel Dune by fellow legendary author Frank Herbert. This segment is directly taken from a letter he wrote after he was sent a copy of Dune. _"It is impossible for an author still writing to be fair to another author working along the same lines. At least I find it so. In fact I dislike Dune with some intensity, and in that unfortunate case it is much the best and fairest to another author to keep silent and refuse to comment."_ It seemed odd to me at first read, given how both men had similar approaches when it came to elements such as worldbuilding, which is one of the reasons they both stood out from their contemporaries of the day. At first glance, perhaps Tolkein disliked the similarities between Dune and his work in LOTR. But I don't think it's that straightforward. It also certainly wouldn't have been the common target of the book's criticsL the book's length. Tolkein would never have judged a book on size alone, especially given LOTR was similarly one huge book before it was broken up into the three collections. I think the roots of the issue comes to religion. Herbert's approach to religion and themes of deconstruction. Tolkein was a very devout Catholic, and Dune extensively experiments with and twists Abrahamic religions. It makes perfect sense that a religious man like Tolkein would take issue with Herbert's deconstruction and caution regarding the dangers of myths, heroes, higher power, and religious fanaticism.
I've never actually fully read Dune but I'm somewhat familiar with the story. But I would not expect Tolkien to like a book like Dune. Tolkien existed in a world that was half medieval myths, and half upper middle class British academic. Dune doesn't seem like his cup of tea at all, indeed I almost find it hard to imagine him reading a book like that.
@@balabanasireti I think this is a very normal thing between authors. Not a hostile bitterness or jealously. But more about taste. I mean i find it hilarious that the father of fantasy didn't much like a work from the father of science fiction. Its very poetic given how there is still a diverage of differences in tastes l between those genres to this day.
Frank Herbert continues to be my fix, in my late 60's. I am still learning from hints that melt into the framework of seriously complex stories. The words for brilliance come up short for writers like Herbert and Tolkien. There is a wickedness to the Dune epic that The Hobbit and Lord of the Ring are more gentle than, being written for a PG rating. But, the beautiful weaving of other worlds with exotic worlds of our own gets each of them a bigger word than brilliant. This documentary is gorgeous, and delicious; do some more!
Tolkien's world-building, I think, were only a by-product of his first & main interest (and expertise) - Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, Celtic & Classical traditions of their sagas and myths. He didn't "invent" the Silmarillion out of just a few rough ideas, like maybe others do. I can easily imagine that any kind of fantasy fiction - particularly sci-fi - that didn't have any kind of "grounding" to it (of the kind he was an expert of) he would find pretty sad & pathetic.
@@gazlator totally agree......I enjoy Robert Jordans The wheel of Time epic in exactly the same way, it's a story built from myths, legends, dreams, and history repeating itself.........👏
An excellent and extremely well researched documentary on this important and universally admired author. As an alumnus of Merton College Oxford, I was well aware of his past associations with the college, and sitting overlooking the Meadows, that I was perhaps looking at a beautiful view that the great man himself would have seen. As a medieval historian, I greatly admired his knowledge, grasp and understanding of past societies, their cultures and language, all of which are well explored and presented in this wonderful production - thank you so very, very much for making it available here on UA-cam :)
@@PeopleProfiles Thank you - indeed, your efforts are abundantly clear, and something to be proud of :) A last comment. During the documentary, the many printed editions are mentioned, but one ( at least ) has been overlooked. In 1969, publisher Allen and Unwin produced a wonderful De Luxe Edition, a superbly produced hard back, boxed, and printed to the highest standards on the finest India Paper, so that the complete Lord of the Rings fits into a spine width of about 20cm !!!!!! I believe there were then two additional print runs of this fine book production - it remains, even now, on my bookshelves all these years later :)
@@MrTorleon Personally, I would have liked to see the 20cm version, with the rest of the dimensions suitably scaled up, on parchment and large print like a medieval pulpit Bible or a fairy tale spell book.
Tim. Those are very serious words, and I hope, as a fellow person, that your life is going your way. Hang in there my brother. This life is just a game. A test.
Yes!!! Tolkien is one of the greatest writers in the world literature and he should have been awarded with the Nobel prize! I've read his books in Russian and in English. Thank you very much for this video.
I have enjoyed Tolkien in print and film at 75 I definitely think Tolkien should have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature because he has given comfort, excitement, wishes for a slower better life, and of course a damn good story!
Thank you, this was lovely. I first came upon The Hobbit when I was in 8th grade and has been one of my favorites of all time. It was his gift to the British people as an English History. It had Scandinavian influence too.
Tolkiens books captured my imagination as a teenager, it wasn't just the world he created with extensive forests and mountains, but also the conversations captivated me. The persuasive Saruman was scary to me. The manipulative Grima Wormtounge. I remember being horrified when Gandalf fell into the deep pit with the Balrog. There was no fantasy genre when I read Lord of the Rings, it was described as a fairy tale for adults.
The world of Middle Earth, its languages, histories, and peoples, has become to me more real than the Bible I was raised to revere. In fact, it is become my new Bible and my finished truth. Interestingly, the Bible took many people, many centuries to create; and it is fragmented and hard to follow. While Middle Earth was created by one person in just over a half a century; and is complete, cohesive, and easy to grasp. So much so that no other work will ever surpass it. To close, this video was beautifully done, and extremely insightful. Thank you for taking the time and spending the energy to create such a moving tribute to this greatest author of ALL time. I look forward to more--hopefully in the near future.
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were the books that sparked a lifelong love of reading for me. I discovered The Hobbit at age 9, and read it repeatedly for a full year. Over time, my reading interests have changed, but these works ALWAYS hold a special place for me. I've been fortunate to have passed this passion for reading such wonderful works on to my son. Hopefully, in time, my son will pass it along to his son; especially in this increasingly technonlogical world. There is nothing better than sitting down with a good book and getting lost from the insanity of the world for a time.
That was absolutely the most excellent biography of a literary figure I have ever seen! This is truly a treasure. thank you for a marvelous program, and very well done! BRAVO!!!
Thank you. As a Linguistics grad and New Zealander who grew up in the exact areas where the movies were filmed (South Island).... and whose son spent 5 years in CG and design on the Lord of the Rings... 7 days a week... at Weta Studios, I really appreciate this in depth look into Tolkien's world. The ring itself and inscription is one example of my son's work contribution to the series.
That was awesome! Learned so many new things about one of my favorite authors. I'll continue to watch this channel since they obviously take care to do a detailed, fascinating analysis of their subjects.
In the early 1980's I wrote a research paper where I attempted to prove that The Lord of the Rings would be one of the few literary works that would be read and studied centuries into the future. So far, I stand behind my work then. AND, since I'm in the final decades of life I won't be around to face any error in my work then!!!!!!
Read most of his books over and over for decades. Sixth grade when my sister introduced me to the hobbit and watership down which i also find wonderful. 49 now. On the downhill road now lol. Brings back so many memories. Thanks for this doc!
Tolkein gave me a love for reading and a deep appreciation of complex stories and history. It has helped me appreciate languages and cultures different from my own . I am more curious about people, their beliefs, and lore...never could have gotten that from another source.
Tolkien was a true artist and these stories are his life’s work. It makes me sad to see how the rings of power has taken his art and made a mockery of it.
How did it make a mockery of it? I’ve been a life long Tolkien reader and loved the series. It made me want to read him more. How do you know it didn’t have a similar effect on others?
@@jonshields1315 1) there are thousands of reviews online that contain the basic criticisms, either in text or video format. Mostly really bad dialogue, incoherent storytelling - plot convience and plotholes, bad character writing and acting, ideology etc etc. 2) I wish I felt the same way as you 3) The public opinion on Rings of Power seems to be mostly negative, based on the audience score on, for example, rotten tomatoes, but also talking to friends or reading comments/ posts online on youtube, twitter or reddit. Cheers.
@@jonshields1315 Considered that you claim that seem likes a mockery in itself. You'd know it bashes the author of said source material, and bashes The Silmarillion and lore.
I was 10 years old when my 5th grade teacher introduced me to The Hobbit. I first read The Lord of the Rings in juniors high school. I loved Tolkien and C S Lewis all my life and found the fantasy worlds they created far more satisfying and meaningful than the reality in which I live. I have enjoyed and reread many writings in fantasy and science fiction, but none more than those of these two men. Perhaps this is because both were true Christian believers with Christian values that transcend differing traditions.
Loved every second of this video. Nicely done. Ever since the first time, i read one of Tolkiens works of art, i've been a massive fan of his works. I was 7 or 8 years old, and my mom had "the Silmarillion" on the book shelf. It was in english and as a Dane, who knew no other languages, because we had no iPads or other such techs, i had to learn english to read it. It was the first book in english i read, and it also taught me english. Strange set of circumstances i know... But it gave me the love for languages, reading, fiction and even some theology. And many other interests down the line... For most my life, when ever my mom would tell stories about me as a child, she would retell the story of me sitting in the living room, trying to decipher that book, cover to cover, and drive her insane with questions on its content... And of course, as a loving mother, she would do her best to answer them... So yea, much of who and what i am, is thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien... A truly unique individual, who will be remembered 1.000 years from now... He gave the world a gift we will forever treasure...
I love Tolkien’s work. I’ve read the hobbit and the lord of the rings a fair few times, I’m currently reading the Silmarillion, I can’t wait to get stuck into his other books. His work is far from simple, and in my opinion none can match it, he truly was a master of language and literature.
I read the Silmarillion when I was 16 (40 years ago), and I still adore it. It's a hard read but please stay with it! Then, once you have a firm grasp of the Silmarillion, re-read the Lord of the Rings. You will be amazed at how much you missed the first time. The depth and complexity of Tolkien's universe is amazing.
I love listening to the audio book of Lord of the Rings and the beauty of Tolkien is that his words really paint a clear picture in your head of the scene he is describing. Incredible author.
I used to live in Birmingham, and Sarehole Mill is still there - there's also an area called Moseley Bog right next to it, which looks very nondescript on the OS map, but it's actually a very well-preserved piece of bog and woodland, which gives us some idea of what the landscape was like and how it inspired Tolkien. Apparently, that bog was part of the inspiration behind the Old Forest. Definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in the area.
Im from Lancashire and immensely proud that Tolkien served in the Lancashire Fusiliers. His son studied nearby at Stonyhurst College. Tolkien was a true Englishman. Hes one of our finest Authors. And a National treasure. A wonderful and factually Correct video. Which is a refreshing change from a lot of the garbage on UA-cam.
Tolkien is the greatest author and should be nominated with the Nobel Peace Prize. Thx for the documentary. It is bit of a tear jerker, but the best part is when the headstone displaying Tolkien and his wife, gives the melancholy just as Frodo goes into the west at the end of The Lord of The Rings.
Absolutely fascinating recounting of the life and works of J.R.R Tolkien! Thank you so very much for compiling and producing this priceless journey into his life and the times and how they potentially influenced his work! I have personally always been grateful to Tolkien for immersing a somewhat impressionable six year old boy into the fantastical world of Middle Earth. 'The Hobit' was the very first novel I had ever read and my parents paid quite a hefty library fine as I kept reading the book over and over. I even read it aloud to my five year old little brother with whom I shared a room. He was absolutely riveted.
Well that was absolutely spectacular and extremely well put together with a coherent script that I was able to follow along with quit easily despite active working a physical job lol Great job guys and thank you!
A wonderful and well written documentary that successfully encapsulates Tolkein's life and works. In other hands this may have been an unwieldy presentation, but the producer displayed a brevity that was astonishing considering the ammount of source material. It cuts straigjt to the heart of the matter, and yet was detailed enough to satisfy the most knowledgable scholar.
The Lord of the Rings, was the very first novel my young self picked up and read on my own. Having had a rocky start in regards to reading and writing, due to a slight case of dyslexia, combined with schooling more focused on keeping young bodies sitting quietly, rather than inspiring young minds. As luck, or perhaps destiny would have it, my family experienced an increase in income which allowed us to move from the inner city, to the the fields and forests of the countryside. In school the smaller class size allowed for attention to be paid to my academic discrepancies, and the open fields allowed for the exploration of my wandering spirit and fertile imagination. It was no small task to pick up a novel, filled with more pages and lines, than all the books I had read up to that point in my young life, but it made all the difference in helping to create the person I am today. Those forests and fields of my young life ever after were then populated with elves, and trolls, ancient cities, dwarven ruins and epic battles. More importantly, it sparked a passion for reading, and from that point forward, I read everything I could get my hands on. Tolkien's works were the spark that set a blaze of expansion in the way I viewed the world and my place in it. The man I strive to be ( and sometimes am ), is made up of an amalgamation of the characters I have come to love as family. The strength of Aragorn, the wisdom and will to inspire others in Gandalf, and the loyalty, love and deep respect for the simple yet profound pleasures found in good food and fellowship embodied in the race of hobbits. At the end of my life, when the grey curtain rolls back, it is indeed my fondest wish, that I will see a far green country, under a swift sunrise.
To mark the 49th anniversary of the passing of J.R.R. Tolkien and celebrate the new Lord of the Rings series we enlisted the help of an expert, In Deep Geek to produce this video. In Deep Geek provides analysis and breakdowns of The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Witcher and much more. Please head over and subscribe. ua-cam.com/video/1jeB6v34img/v-deo.html Lastly please keep a look out for the extra special ending. You won't be disappointed.
Thank you so much for this wonderful video. The only thing I was missing was the storys I heard about Tolkien briefly supporting the Franco movement in Spain. Do you have any more information on that?
@@paulhoffmann3405 I don't think that a veteran of Somne would support a then would be dictator. And I don't think he suported the following dictatorship afterwards, when all his works were about freedom.
It reeks of slander.
Very well done! Would love to see a video on his friend Lewis
@@nalublackwater9729 ll
Isn't it ironic that Amazon timed the release of ROP with the deathaversary of Professor Tolkien 🤔. We have the quote of his from.(18:00-18:50) of his Mythology in our EXSURGE TOLKIEN series which takes up a defense of Tolkien against the modernist showrunner of a corporate machine Theyocracy.
Good overview of a great man I've admired since I was a child. When I was a teenager, I wrote to Christopher Tolkien a thank-you for his work on The Silmarillion, and to my astonishment received a short but beautiful handwritten reply, thanking me for my letter. It's one of my most treasured possessions.
Good on you and lucky you!
That is amazing. I am quite jealous.
That's lovely!
Is Athlynne your real name ? It’s beautiful
I congratulate you on that, and I also find your name quite rare and interesting!
Great video. These books mean so much to me. I am severely dyslexic and couldn't even read The Cat In The Hat at the age of 8. My teachers scolded me for being lazy or stupid. There was talk of me being held back a year - being left behind my friends scared me. I hated books, words, grammar. We hates them! But my dad said if I couldn't read; he'd read for me. So he read me LOTR at bedtime for weeks. It was the most magical, wonderful thing. The words (which up until now were my sworn enemy) conjured living worlds in my minds eye. I wanted this power. I swore then that I would learn to read. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. Damn you Tolkien for Saruman, Sauron, Aragorn, Arathorn, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur and so on. But I persisted. First a graphic novel of The Hobbit, then The Hobbit unabridged, then LOTR. Tolkien's world kept me going. By the time Frodo got back to Bag End I felt like I'd walked to Mordor & back again myself! Thank you, J.R.R. Tolkien. You gave me the gift of reading. Opened up the world of academia. Gave me a infinitely better life.
That's beautiful mate, Dr Suess hasn't a patch on JRR.
God Bless your dad. Very beautiful story. :)
I loved reading that. Maybe you should write yourself.
@@megasoctopuslegionofcake6248 You are right . And why should we limit Dyslexic people to read such rubbish. There are ways and means of overcoming any disability.
I am really glad that you had these stories at hand for you. You are worth more that Dr Seuss . Much luck to you.
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater”
J.R.R. Tolkien
🎯
Celeborn said that to Merry, right? It sounds like his words in Lothlorien as he is saying farewell to the fellowship and giving them the three boats to pass down the Anduin, while Galadriel is giving each of them a personal gift.
@@gib59er56 No, these words are spoken by Haldir during the fellowship's encouter with the Elves of Lórien, when they were guiding the Company to Caras Galadhon. In all lands love is now mingled with grief... One of my favorite thoughts and quotes by the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien.
@@causalaetitiae OK, yes, you got it!! Speaking of Haldir, why the hell did Peter Jackson have Haldir killed? Or why did he add the elves of Lothlorien at Helms Deep in the first place? I am a snobby Tolkien dude, lol!
Tolkien and Lewis swore to make cool fantasy stories.
And they did. Timeless and classic.
Mad respect.
I truly truly dislike Narnia... it's really only readible if you're a child.
The fact it was never meant to be an allegory contemporary to Tolkien’s time, is precisely why the tales are timeless.
They speak to a deeper side of the human psyche that goes beyond current day to day concerns. But a side that craves tales of wonder and adventure, tales that make us laugh and cry. And most importantly (at least to me) are an escape from the world outside into a world created inside your mind by simple words on page.
Well that’s my opinion for whatever it’s worth.
Great documentary!
Absolutely agree with you, it’s as if this was how the world should’ve been because there’s an innate knowing and yearning for it in our heart and spirit
I see it as an unintended allegory for the worst part of the early 20th century. It was intended, I think, to focus on taking simple mystical elements of the natural world, giving them identities, and setting them loose in a make-believe world. Tolkien drew from his life experiences, however, and delved into the darkest corners of the human mind to build the plot, challenges, and setbacks for the characters. No two characters faced the same obstacles, making his story so rich. He dealt with racism, betrayal, massacre, unlikely allies, and so much more that I still marvel at his imagination. And it's easy in retrospect to see so much of the LOTR in the world wars because real people experienced similar adversity. He meant his stories to be timeless, but they were still written during a traumatic period of human history.
I discovered Tolkien in the sixth grade, I'm now 47 and I still enjoy his works today.
Similar story but a few years younger, he laid the foundation of many things I loved alot more than his actual works, he is not my favority author but alot of my favorites stand on his shoulders.
my 6th grade teacher read us the Hobbit and it completely mesmerized me! I was hooked....
I volunteered at a library when I was 12 and found the Hobbit while putting the books away. I had a habit of reading the summaries of things before I shelved them. What a find!
In my high school year book my English teacher wrote beside my photo "Frodo Lives!". I am now in my mid-sixties and that phrase still rings in my ears!
@@DavidHayes-catlover Same, but we read it ourselves.
Magnificent in every detail.
Tolkien's books are nothing short of monolithic masterpieces.
I first read them when I was twenty and they were and still are the best pieces of literature I have ever read.
agreed
Honestly there is nothing better in literature
@@HeidiSue60 Well there are... Not many though.
Tolkien’s writing of the Hobbit saved my life as a very confused young man in the sixties. Thanks JR
Was your confusion sexual in nature, if you don't mind my asking so?
How did it save your life?
I read eveything Tolkien as a young man and its not the most amazing things I ever read, but I saw him in the things that were.
Plz elaborate it's amazing and I'm curious !
Only the Christ found in the Bible can save anyone’s life. The Hobbit is a good way to end up full of demons and the opposite of truly saved. I’ll pray for you!
GOD Bless! ❤️
If it wasn’t for J.R.R. Tolkien, then what we know as fantasy fiction, would be nothing more than a collection of myths, legends, and stories from various cultures in the UK. He’s not just one of the greatest fantasy writers whose ever lived, he’s one of the greatest writers who’s ever lived, period. And Yes, he DID deserve that Nobel Prize In Literature.
The first time I ever learned about J.R.R Tolkien was when I was a kid in Nigeria in 2004. My dad bought a DVD of Lord of the Rings for me and my siblings to watch after he watched it during his trips abroad. We loved it, especially me as a young boy. I even loved the Hobbit movies when they came out decades later. It was only when I emigrated to Canada that I was able to buy the actual LotR books, including the Hobbit, and read them finally. Truly beautiful works of fiction😌 Because of Tolkien, I was able to discover other great fantasy authors and books like Robert E. Howard, Brandon Sanderson etc. Also,I had no idea Tolkien was an African! A son of the soil😯
As an admitted Tolkien geek (who raised two Tolkien geek kids to adulthood; it was my daughter who sent our family the link to this documentary), I am surprised that upon watching this that I learned a few more things I didn't know before about Tolkien. Well done!
You raised your children well.😁❤️
The older and wiser I become, I see Tolkien more as a historian than a spinner of tales.
Yes, facts people irritate me when they can't see! Shalom
They are occult stories
LOTR etc is all about the history of the world long past and about Tolkien's experience's in the first world war and what took place in WW2. It's all there in his tales. Such a cleaver man 💜
He blurred, or maybe simply didn't acknowledge, any lines between linguistics, history, myth, fantasy, religion, poetry and literature.
I think we can all agree his was not an average intellect?
History minus basically the female half of the human race, so... pretty much history as guys tend to write it.
"The Hobbit" and "The Lord Of The Rings" are two of the most cherished parts of my literary collection, as well as my DVD collection. I often revisit them when there is a need for some calmness and simplicity for a while. I hope future generations will appreciate them as I do. I think they will. And, of course, Professor Tolkien should have been awarded the Nobel Literature Prize, he stands alone in the hearts of may for his creations and his point of view.
I would recommend reading the Silmarillion as well
This documentary brought tears to my eyes. An absolute genius, yet so humble. The ultimate teller of tales.
This actually brought tears to my eyes. Great job, beautifully told, perfect choice of narrator.
Totally agree. Was mesmerized by the content, aesthetics but also by the narrator's tone of voice and annunciation. Excellent.
@@miastupid7911 that’s the guy from In Deep Geek. He obviously wrote the show. This is typical of his amazing Tolkien content, check him out!
@@andywilliams8540 We wrote 80 per cent of the script as well as the ending paragraph and filmed Tolkien's grave. In Deep Geek took care of the lore side of things and narrated the script. It's a People Profiles production in short with In Deep Geek as our expert consultant and narrator.
@@PeopleProfiles oh, ok. Good to know. Excellent job as usual!
Never paid it any attention but now you mention it. Yes it was very well narrated. I am hard of hearing, but had no difficulty at all in following the narration.
As a child I read his books and was in awe of his writing...and to this day I still stand in awe as do my children and grandchildren of this great writer...from the bottom of my heart I thank him for all that he has given to my family
I am so glad I ran across this documentary, I am obsessed with all his work, from poems to middle earth and everything in between! He was a literary genius and a master at fiction writing!
One of the greatest writers of all time. A master of English prose, poetry and theme who crafted epic tales.
Tolkien died in 1973. In reverse that's 3791.
3 Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
7 for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
9 for Mortal Men doomed to die,
1 for the Dark Lord on his dark throne...
Crazy how perfectly that worked out
Ever wondered about the missing five rings !?
@@joefish6091 rings of powers stole them for that abomination 😁😁😁
@@petebennett3733 So, ROP is just someone taking license then? That’s what I suspected, but I’m still enjoying it.
The hobbits first print was...wait for it 1937...just blew your minds
I'm playing a game right now that probably wouldn't exist without him, surrounded by items that also wouldn't exist without him. Thank you for the decades of joy, inspiration, wonder and amazement you brought to my life.
Yeah there were no magic swords or wizards till Tolkien.....oh wait king arthur had a magic sword and hung out with a wizard who killed a dragon.. whoops.
@@gymhayes4613 And such things would only be known by scholars of archaic literature, instead of having a renewed fan base referred by Tolkien. Tolkien created the popular market for fantasy fiction which underlies D&D Fantasy RPGs, etc.
@@digitalnomad9985 no he didn t pulp fiction magazines full of fantasy stories were around for a couple decades before tolkeins stuff even came out. King arthurs stuff has been around for centuries. Again with merlin a wizard and excalibur a magic sword. Tolkein was important but he absolutely did not create the fantasy genre.
@@digitalnomad9985 oh also robert e howard. Conan kull the conqeror and his other hero i camt remember. All fantasy with swords and monsters and wizard. He died before tolkein evem released anything.
I came across The Hobbit at the library when I was 16. It was a very low time of my life and I was able to escape some of it in this first story. I was happy to find The Lord of the Rings soon after. Over the years I have gone back to reread all of Tolkien's books. They are truly classics.
My favorite stories of all time! Thank you to this amazing man for his insight and to his son for completing his works and publishing them after his passing. He will always be my favorite author!
Astonishingly wonderful documentary and revealed so much about Tolkien I never knew before.
Haven't stopped reading , reviewing and enjoying Tolkien since 1984.
In 1976, an Art teacher in secondary school, Adrienne McGovern, put a combined edition of LOTR on my desk when I was 15 and said. " I think you'll like this Nick". She was right of course! I'm 62 this year and LOTR is one of my dearest literary treasures.
I was listening to the Return of the King audiobook for the first time today, and at the end of the chapter "Ride of the Rohirrim" I literally had to pull over I was so moved.
True as f ! Just read it yesterday for the first time 😢
Thank you so much for your splendid portrayal of Tolkien's life and his contributions to literature.
We do think the answers to your three questions are definitely in the affirmative. Thoroughly enjoyed watching your documentary. Well done. Thank you again.
Born in 68 I was introduced to Tolkien around the time of his death and have been a fan ever since so around half a century now
Thank you for such depth in his story and life
Absolutely beautiful! Not only interesting and informative. This video is gorgeous. The images and cinematography is so much better than what I have come to expect on UA-cam. Thank you very much! If this was out on blu-ray I would snap it up!
I've yet to finish the books (so far I've only read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring) but like many others my introduction to Tolkien's work was the film adaptations and my love for his stories and fictional world has only grown since. Learning about his life has only made me admire him more. Not as a writer and scholar (though that is also exemplary) but as a role model. As a man, he preferred simplicity over decadent lifestyles. And never seeked to use his talents for any ambiguous self-interests or personal gain other than telling a story for his children. To me that is what sets Tolkien apart. A very nunced man with a humble passion for fantasy.
His writing reflects his life like all writers. But to me, Tolkien's work is the most transparent of his intentions. He's written these grand epic tales of war and conflict between good and evil but never glorifies the violence and carnage within it. The message isn't what they are fighting against but what they fight for. He also pens little hairy footed people that live in holes to tell that story, instead of the big and strong ones because he knew that compelling stories only requires compelling characters that we can relate and root for.
This is absolutely amazing! This should be broadcasted on TV!
He was a great man who was loved by all his work brought joy to this world.
I was born in a generation dominated by game of thrones, but my family raised me with Tolkien, I wouldn't change a single thing
Beautiful video. The placing of the rose on Beren and Luthien's grave brought a tear to my eye
Fantastic collaboration! No one tells a story better than Robert. Congratulations on a wonderfully told biography! 👍👍
As a Tolkien fan, I think this documentary of this great man was one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.
What a beautiful homage to JRR Tolkien.
I love J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings so much with all of my heart.
I read the hobbit when I was 9 years old in the early 70s. I can't remember how many times I have read it now but it and the Lord of the rings are my go to books especially at times of great stress. I thank him. I thank the makers of this documentary too it is very well made.
Agree. Hobbit is a book i can read through many years without any boring
There is another documentary where at least 3 of his children are interviewed. From how they talk about him, he was a wonderful Dad as well as an amazing writer ❤❤❤
I love this author. He had a rare talent. I could picture everything written by him so vividly.
This was a very comprehensive and insightful documentary. Much as others have said, in many ways Tolkien's work was, if not literally life-saving, was life-transforming to me, allowing me to see this world though a lens of hope. Was his work some of the greatest of the 20th century? Surely it helped to define the 20th century, but I would consider his body of work to be one of the literary monuments of all human history.
This was a brilliant pleasant video. Thank You. An avid and devoted reader of Tolkien; I stopped counting after the thirteenth time I read 'The Lord of the Rings, I very much enjoyed this insightful background to, in my opinion, most gifted human being.
Did you see the ending?
@@PeopleProfiles Yes, why? I have covid day one I may have missed something.
Superb presentation. Well narrated with correct pronunciation of english. Thank you for this. JRR is a hero of british literature and will never be forgotten.
Absolutely fantastic and super talented man. If I could choose only one famous person or historian to meet it would be him. Sadly that isnt possible but he will forever live on. I'm 35 years old and will ensure my future children are introduced to Tokien's work and have them pass it onto their children.
Nothing will ever touch this man's work and creation of Middle Earth. I don't think we will ever see anything like it again.
Narrator sounds like a young Jared Harris! Absolute educational top job and a true pleasure to listen to
🌹 The moment near the end was such a touching tribute...Beautiful!
Did you see the extra special ending?
So good. I'm glad UA-cam has given gifted( and hard working) people like you the platform to share! Thank you!
Thank you so much. A collaboration of two of my favourite UA-cam channels! Wonderful!
An excellent presentation. I've lost count of how many times I've read LOTR since 1969 when I first started. The forms of language have shaped my own writing, songwriting and modes of speech. Not always deliberately, sometimes a Tolkienism just pops out. One of the pleasures of his books is to read them aloud. His writing seems made to be spoken. I fear if I keep on, this comment will extend beyond the reasonable. Salutations to this era's greatest storyteller.
As a young teenager I loved Tolkien, Moorecock and Brooks. I used to read them all with Zeppelin playing in the background...
I picked a book "The Hobbit" in 1971 when I was 13 year. A long-life fan since that! Thank you for the biography of Tolkien.
I've read the trilogy yearly since I first found it in 1974. His writing is beautiful, profound and truly one of a kind. I bought most of his books with audible, and love to listen to them, they are so calming and a bit meditative.
The Argentinean author, scholar, philosopher, and poet (already quite a successor to Tolkien) Jorge Luis Borges once described Heaven as being "a kind of Library".
I myself have always believed that should this be the case, then somewhere in this Library of Libraries must be a massive Tome being the COMPLETED Works of J.R.R Tolkien. His FULL Legendarium as HE viewed it throughout his life, perhaps the very way he would've wished for us to view it.
This was marvelous, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. Thank you all for your hard work.
Outstanding documentary, expertly written and presented.
Also, a big thank you to Robert Saunders for his mesmerizing narration that held me spellbound throughout. I just found his channel a few weeks ago and it is a true gem!
This program will definitely be one I revisit a number of times in the future.
I am now 71 years old. I read The Hobbit and the Lord of the rings when I was a school boy. John Ronald rule Tolkien has it been by North Star. His writing his imagination, his mind. Have influenced my life more than any other writer in the world that I have ever read. I'm so grateful that I have been around in a time when his works were published and I could read them and they would influence my whole life. Thank you, jrr talking
Amazing documentary. I remember I took an old paperback out of a box full of books from my father. It is was the Hobbit. I did not know about the writer and his fame. I read it and was hooked forever, as so many others before me. For sure he belongs to the greatest ever and deserves the Nobel Price! R.I.P.
Robert's voice tells it all! He loves what he talks about..ty!!
Among the many things I learned from this great writer was that trees can walk, think and react, that they love their children. Somehow, although I knew that this was a fantasy novel, I felt that here was truth until I read, years later, that trees can feel, think and react, some even walk. And with that came the knowledge that all things on earth have that ability although we may not know it yet.
One tidbit about Tolkein that's fascinated me is his opinion on the iconic novel Dune by fellow legendary author Frank Herbert. This segment is directly taken from a letter he wrote after he was sent a copy of Dune.
_"It is impossible for an author still writing to be fair to another author working along the same lines. At least I find it so. In fact I dislike Dune with some intensity, and in that unfortunate case it is much the best and fairest to another author to keep silent and refuse to comment."_
It seemed odd to me at first read, given how both men had similar approaches when it came to elements such as worldbuilding, which is one of the reasons they both stood out from their contemporaries of the day. At first glance, perhaps Tolkein disliked the similarities between Dune and his work in LOTR. But I don't think it's that straightforward. It also certainly wouldn't have been the common target of the book's criticsL the book's length. Tolkein would never have judged a book on size alone, especially given LOTR was similarly one huge book before it was broken up into the three collections.
I think the roots of the issue comes to religion. Herbert's approach to religion and themes of deconstruction. Tolkein was a very devout Catholic, and Dune extensively experiments with and twists Abrahamic religions. It makes perfect sense that a religious man like Tolkein would take issue with Herbert's deconstruction and caution regarding the dangers of myths, heroes, higher power, and religious fanaticism.
I've never actually fully read Dune but I'm somewhat familiar with the story. But I would not expect Tolkien to like a book like Dune. Tolkien existed in a world that was half medieval myths, and half upper middle class British academic. Dune doesn't seem like his cup of tea at all, indeed I almost find it hard to imagine him reading a book like that.
@@balabanasireti I think this is a very normal thing between authors. Not a hostile bitterness or jealously. But more about taste. I mean i find it hilarious that the father of fantasy didn't much like a work from the father of science fiction. Its very poetic given how there is still a diverage of differences in tastes l between those genres to this day.
Frank Herbert continues to be my fix, in my late 60's. I am still learning from hints that melt into the framework of seriously complex stories. The words for brilliance come up short for writers like Herbert and Tolkien. There is a wickedness to the Dune epic that The Hobbit and Lord of the Ring are more gentle than, being written for a PG rating. But, the beautiful weaving of other worlds with exotic worlds of our own gets each of them a bigger word than brilliant. This documentary is gorgeous, and delicious; do some more!
Tolkien's world-building, I think, were only a by-product of his first & main interest (and expertise) - Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, Celtic & Classical traditions of their sagas and myths. He didn't "invent" the Silmarillion out of just a few rough ideas, like maybe others do. I can easily imagine that any kind of fantasy fiction - particularly sci-fi - that didn't have any kind of "grounding" to it (of the kind he was an expert of) he would find pretty sad & pathetic.
@@gazlator totally agree......I enjoy Robert Jordans The wheel of Time epic in exactly the same way, it's a story built from myths, legends, dreams, and history repeating itself.........👏
A wonderful video presentation of Tolkien's lifetime work. Cannot thank you enough.
An excellent and extremely well researched documentary on this important and universally admired author. As an alumnus of Merton College Oxford, I was well aware of his past associations with the college, and sitting overlooking the Meadows, that I was perhaps looking at a beautiful view that the great man himself would have seen.
As a medieval historian, I greatly admired his knowledge, grasp and understanding of past societies, their cultures and language, all of which are well explored and presented in this wonderful production - thank you so very, very much for making it available here on UA-cam :)
Thank you. We put a lot of work into this one.
@@PeopleProfiles Thank you - indeed, your efforts are abundantly clear, and something to be proud of :)
A last comment. During the documentary, the many printed editions are mentioned, but one ( at least ) has been overlooked. In 1969, publisher Allen and Unwin produced a wonderful De Luxe Edition, a superbly produced hard back, boxed, and printed to the highest standards on the finest India Paper, so that the complete Lord of the Rings fits into a spine width of about 20cm !!!!!!
I believe there were then two additional print runs of this fine book production - it remains, even now, on my bookshelves all these years later :)
Oh dear - I of course meant to type a width of 20mm - consider me suitably self chastised for a moments inattention :(
@@MrTorleon Personally, I would have liked to see the 20cm version, with the rest of the dimensions suitably scaled up, on parchment and large print like a medieval pulpit Bible or a fairy tale spell book.
His works helped me overcome some very low periods in my life. I would go as far as to say that they saved my life.
Tim. Those are very serious words, and I hope, as a fellow person, that your life is going your way. Hang in there my brother. This life is just a game. A test.
Yes!!! Tolkien is one of the greatest writers in the world literature and he should have been awarded with the Nobel prize! I've read his books in Russian and in English. Thank you very much for this video.
I have enjoyed Tolkien in print and film at 75 I definitely think Tolkien should have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature because he has given comfort, excitement, wishes for a slower better life, and of course a damn good story!
Thank you, this was lovely. I first came upon The Hobbit when I was in 8th grade and has been one of my favorites of all time. It was his gift to the British people as an English History. It had Scandinavian influence too.
Tolkiens books captured my imagination as a teenager, it wasn't just the world he created with extensive forests and mountains, but also the conversations captivated me. The persuasive Saruman was scary to me. The manipulative Grima Wormtounge. I remember being horrified when Gandalf fell into the deep pit with the Balrog. There was no fantasy genre when I read Lord of the Rings, it was described as a fairy tale for adults.
The world of Middle Earth, its languages, histories, and peoples, has become to me more real than the Bible I was raised to revere. In fact, it is become my new Bible and my finished truth.
Interestingly, the Bible took many people, many centuries to create; and it is fragmented and hard to follow. While Middle Earth was created by one person in just over a half a century; and is complete, cohesive, and easy to grasp. So much so that no other work will ever surpass it.
To close, this video was beautifully done, and extremely insightful. Thank you for taking the time and spending the energy to create such a moving tribute to this greatest author of ALL time. I look forward to more--hopefully in the near future.
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were the books that sparked a lifelong love of reading for me. I discovered The Hobbit at age 9, and read it repeatedly for a full year.
Over time, my reading interests have changed, but these works ALWAYS hold a special place for me.
I've been fortunate to have passed this passion for reading such wonderful works on to my son. Hopefully, in time, my son will pass it along to his son; especially in this increasingly technonlogical world.
There is nothing better than sitting down with a good book and getting lost from the insanity of the world for a time.
That was absolutely the most excellent biography of a literary figure I have ever seen! This is truly a treasure. thank you for a marvelous program, and very well done! BRAVO!!!
Thank you for your effort that must have been rather extensive to produce such a documentary... I appreciate this film.
Thank you. As a Linguistics grad and New Zealander who grew up in the exact areas where the movies were filmed (South Island).... and whose son spent 5 years in CG and design on the Lord of the Rings... 7 days a week... at Weta Studios, I really appreciate this in depth look into Tolkien's world. The ring itself and inscription is one example of my son's work contribution to the series.
That was awesome! Learned so many new things about one of my favorite authors. I'll continue to watch this channel since they obviously take care to do a detailed, fascinating analysis of their subjects.
In the early 1980's I wrote a research paper where I attempted to prove that The Lord of the Rings would be one of the few literary works that would be read and studied centuries into the future. So far, I stand behind my work then. AND, since I'm in the final decades of life I won't be around to face any error in my work then!!!!!!
Read most of his books over and over for decades. Sixth grade when my sister introduced me to the hobbit and watership down which i also find wonderful. 49 now. On the downhill road now lol. Brings back so many memories. Thanks for this doc!
Tolkein gave me a love for reading and a deep appreciation of complex stories and history. It has helped me appreciate languages and cultures different from my own . I am more curious about people, their beliefs, and lore...never could have gotten that from another source.
You expressed my feelings about the author and LOTRs perfectly!!!
Thank you!
Thank you John.
Tolkien was a true artist and these stories are his life’s work. It makes me sad to see how the rings of power has taken his art and made a mockery of it.
RoP was painful wo watch on so many levels.
@@MalAnders94 That's why viewership was low, must be so good nobody watched it.
How did it make a mockery of it? I’ve been a life long Tolkien reader and loved the series. It made me want to read him more. How do you know it didn’t have a similar effect on others?
@@jonshields1315 1) there are thousands of reviews online that contain the basic criticisms, either in text or video format. Mostly really bad dialogue, incoherent storytelling - plot convience and plotholes, bad character writing and acting, ideology etc etc.
2) I wish I felt the same way as you
3) The public opinion on Rings of Power seems to be mostly negative, based on the audience score on, for example, rotten tomatoes, but also talking to friends or reading comments/ posts online on youtube, twitter or reddit.
Cheers.
@@jonshields1315 Considered that you claim that seem likes a mockery in itself. You'd know it bashes the author of said source material, and bashes The Silmarillion and lore.
Love to see "In Deep Geek" getting some well-deserved attention!!!
I was 10 years old when my 5th grade teacher introduced me to The Hobbit. I first read The Lord of the Rings in juniors high school. I loved Tolkien and C S Lewis all my life and found the fantasy worlds they created far more satisfying and meaningful than the reality in which I live. I have enjoyed and reread many writings in fantasy and
science fiction, but none more than those of these two men. Perhaps this is because both were true Christian believers with Christian values that transcend differing traditions.
Loved every second of this video. Nicely done. Ever since the first time, i read one of Tolkiens works of art, i've been a massive fan of his works. I was 7 or 8 years old, and my mom had "the Silmarillion" on the book shelf. It was in english and as a Dane, who knew no other languages, because we had no iPads or other such techs, i had to learn english to read it. It was the first book in english i read, and it also taught me english. Strange set of circumstances i know... But it gave me the love for languages, reading, fiction and even some theology. And many other interests down the line... For most my life, when ever my mom would tell stories about me as a child, she would retell the story of me sitting in the living room, trying to decipher that book, cover to cover, and drive her insane with questions on its content... And of course, as a loving mother, she would do her best to answer them... So yea, much of who and what i am, is thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien... A truly unique individual, who will be remembered 1.000 years from now... He gave the world a gift we will forever treasure...
I love Tolkien’s work. I’ve read the hobbit and the lord of the rings a fair few times, I’m currently reading the Silmarillion, I can’t wait to get stuck into his other books. His work is far from simple, and in my opinion none can match it, he truly was a master of language and literature.
I read the Silmarillion when I was 16 (40 years ago), and I still adore it.
It's a hard read but please stay with it! Then, once you have a firm grasp of the Silmarillion, re-read the Lord of the Rings. You will be amazed at how much you missed the first time.
The depth and complexity of Tolkien's universe is amazing.
@@gmansard641 good advice! I’ve only read the trilogy and I’m reading the hobbit. I’ll come back after the Silmarillion on my bookshelf is read…
I love listening to the audio book of Lord of the Rings and the beauty of Tolkien is that his words really paint a clear picture in your head of the scene he is describing. Incredible author.
I used to live in Birmingham, and Sarehole Mill is still there - there's also an area called Moseley Bog right next to it, which looks very nondescript on the OS map, but it's actually a very well-preserved piece of bog and woodland, which gives us some idea of what the landscape was like and how it inspired Tolkien. Apparently, that bog was part of the inspiration behind the Old Forest. Definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in the area.
Sounds pretty nice as long as old man willow isn't there........
Absolutely wonderful !
As l am a Birmingham girl born and raised and knew all the places in Tolkien early years .Makes me feel nostalgic ❤
What a fantastic collaboration! Love IDG’s work!
What an effort. Well done to all regarding this presentation of such a legend.
How wonderful! 2 great channels doing a collab on one of my heroes ❤️
Tolkien and Lewis influenced me greatly and are the reason I'm a fantasy author.
I hope they have inspired you to seek Christ.
Im from Lancashire and immensely proud that Tolkien served in the Lancashire Fusiliers. His son studied nearby at Stonyhurst College. Tolkien was a true Englishman. Hes one of our finest Authors. And a National treasure. A wonderful and factually Correct video. Which is a refreshing change from a lot of the garbage on UA-cam.
A combo of two of my favourite channels. Funk yeah!!!
I have and love the movies, but reading J.R.R. Tokiens words are truly magical.
Tolkien is the greatest author and should be nominated with the Nobel Peace Prize. Thx for the documentary. It is bit of a tear jerker, but the best part is when the headstone displaying Tolkien and his wife, gives the melancholy just as Frodo goes into the west at the end of The Lord of The Rings.
Absolutely fascinating recounting of the life and works of J.R.R Tolkien!
Thank you so very much for compiling and producing this priceless journey into his life and the times and how they potentially influenced his work!
I have personally always been grateful to Tolkien for immersing a somewhat impressionable six year old boy into the fantastical world of Middle Earth.
'The Hobit' was the very first novel I had ever read and my parents paid quite a hefty library fine as I kept reading the book over and over.
I even read it aloud to my five year old little brother with whom I shared a room.
He was absolutely riveted.
So nice to have a completely different kind of people’s story! Thank you❣️
Thank you ❤️ Absolutely Wonderful! Such a Joy to listen to and watch. Deep, Heartfelt Gratitude to our Beloved J. R. R. Tolkien ✴️
Well that was absolutely spectacular and extremely well put together with a coherent script that I was able to follow along with quit easily despite active working a physical job lol
Great job guys and thank you!
A wonderful and well written documentary that successfully encapsulates Tolkein's life and works. In other hands this may have been an unwieldy presentation, but the producer displayed a brevity that was astonishing considering the ammount of source material. It cuts straigjt to the heart of the matter, and yet was detailed enough to satisfy the most knowledgable scholar.
The Lord of the Rings, was the very first novel my young self picked up and read on my own. Having had a rocky start in regards to reading and writing, due to a slight case of dyslexia, combined with schooling more focused on keeping young bodies sitting quietly, rather than inspiring young minds.
As luck, or perhaps destiny would have it, my family experienced an increase in income which allowed us to move from the inner city, to the the fields and forests of the countryside. In school the smaller class size allowed for attention to be paid to my academic discrepancies, and the open fields allowed for the exploration of my wandering spirit and fertile imagination.
It was no small task to pick up a novel, filled with more pages and lines, than all the books I had read up to that point in my young life, but it made all the difference in helping to create the person I am today.
Those forests and fields of my young life ever after were then populated with elves, and trolls, ancient cities, dwarven ruins and epic battles. More importantly, it sparked a passion for reading, and from that point forward, I read everything I could get my hands on.
Tolkien's works were the spark that set a blaze of expansion in the way I viewed the world and my place in it. The man I strive to be ( and sometimes am ), is made up of an amalgamation of the characters I have come to love as family. The strength of Aragorn, the wisdom and will to inspire others in Gandalf, and the loyalty, love and deep respect for the simple yet profound pleasures found in good food and fellowship embodied in the race of hobbits.
At the end of my life, when the grey curtain rolls back, it is indeed my fondest wish, that I will see a far green country, under a swift sunrise.
Thank you for a perfect roll call on a great man’s life. Tolkien’s works will last until the end of time.