The Sundering of the Tolkien Fans

[Black Breathalizer]

In The Puristillion, the story of the sundering of the Tolkien fans is told:

First, there were the Tolkienites, also known as Ringers and Hippies who lived in their private world of Nerdvilla with their beloved Tolkien books. Teased, ridiculed, and harassed as being uncool geeks, these fans escaped into the Undissing Lands to enjoy the Lord of the Rings in blissful peace.

In the first age came the first sundering of the Tolkienites when a pilgrimage was made to the land of Mass-Media. The first of the fans to come to this land were the Animationites – also known as the Cartoonies by the Purists who looked down their noses at them. After establishing a brief foothold on Mass-Media, the colony quickly died out.

In the second age came the Bakshiites. They were a truly silly faction that we’d prefer not to talk about. Really.

Then in the third age came the Jackson Revisionists a huge and powerful group who established a firm and lasting Tolkien foothold on Mass-Media. In fact they were so powerful that they established a kingdom that made even the Purists in Nerdvilla envious of them.

There are many types of Tolkien Purists and Jackson Revisionists.

The Fundamentalist Tolkien Purist – A strict Tolkien book fundamentalist who has been able to maintain a vow to not see the movies.

The Bombadilite Purist – Another type of strict Tolkien book fundamentalist. This group have seen the movies but hate them because they are “not true to the Master.”

The Fair Weather Purist – A Tolkien book fundamentalist who has seen the movies and generally liked them...uh, except for any changes from the book, of course.

The Born-Again Purist – A fan of the movie who saw the movie first – loved it – and then read the books and THEN thought PJ could have done a better job of following the book. Yes, there are some out there.

The Bubble-gum Purist – A Tolkien fan wo posts thotful stuff like “wats up dude?” at dis site an sho off cool sigs that r relly relly long.

The Remedial Purist - A Tolkien book fan who doesn't like the changes the movie made from the book. What distinguishes this type of purist from the others is that they don't know the books very well.

And of course, there is the Grand Poopa of all Tolkienite fans: The Children of the Light: The Jacksonite Revisionist – A very wise, Gandalf-like group of Tolkien fans. They grew up loving the book but were able to appreciate how PJ has added to Tolkien’s mythology with his film version of the story.



I'm sure I missed some groups. Feel free to add your own.

[Coney]

Woohoo! I'm a Remedial Purist!..........Mother will be so proud

[markedel]

LOL.

I'm amused that you finally admit your cultiness.

[Legolas_Frodo_Aragorn]

a born again purist...YAY! does anyone know wut the icon is that i picked? is that supposed to be galadrial when she turns green in FOTR? i cant think of any of the girls in LOTR with out thinking of the male fan thing...*shudder*

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by Black Breathalizer
And of course, there is the Grand Poopa of all Tolkienite fans: The Children of the Light: The Jacksonite Revisionist – A very wise, Gandalf-like group of Tolkien fans. They grew up loving the book but were able to appreciate how PJ has added to Tolkien’s mythology with his film version of the story.

Should I take a bow now or later

[LuthienTinuviel]

here's a group to add:

the black breathalists, sadly this group is about to go extinct. thier only form of intelligent debate is making up satirical scenes that only further illustrate thier idiocy. Since they feel that everything that passes out of thier mouths is EXACTLY as Tolkien would have it, this lowly form of life has almost been beaten out of existance by everyone who loves all that is green and growing!



wee this is a fun game!

[Black Breathalizer]

Dear LuthienTinuviel.

Your "angry woman" ploy to gain my interest is flattering. But I'm taken, babe. Sorry.

Your friend,
BB

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Bah: The so-called Children of Light, whom we truly know as the lower Men who fell under the Shadow, have not been around long enough to establish a "firm and lasting" hold in anything. Anyone who thinks that the Jackson films are superior to the Tolkien books proves that he is a lower Man. These "Apostates", as they are known, approve of, and indeed cheer, the raping of numerous characters in the great epic tale Lord of the Rings. Such beings are truly a sad folk, indeed.

Anyway, you forgot a group:

The Separatist Purist - Those of the beings who truly love the Lord of the Rings, but also enjoy the movies made by Jackson; these particular Purists are able to separate the trilogy told by Jackson's spurting blood and twisted characters from the epic Lord of the Rings tale told by the wise founder, Professor J. R. R. Tolkien.

I'm separatist .

[Starr Polish]

I, too, am a separatist. Or perhaps I'm a faction not included yet:

Converted Separatist Purist- A Tolkien fan who was influenced to read the books after seeing the first movie, and realized straight away that though the movies are brilliant, they are pale in comparison to the book. Continued to learn or attempt to learn the books very well, and pursued reading other Tolkien works. Very rare, so it seems.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Good for you. Separatists (Converted and otherwise) rule!

[BeardofPants]

Hah. There should be a category in there on hating the movie(s) purely because they failed cinematically.

BB, when are you going to realise that not everyone has to agree with you that PJ is simply the bee's knees?

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Hmm, that would be an interesting name.

Hating Purists?

Anti-Cinematic-Failure Purists? Quite interesting, indeed.

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
The Separatist Purist - Those of the beings who truly love the Lord of the Rings, but also enjoy the movies made by Jackson; these particular Purists are able to separate the trilogy told by Jackson's spurting blood and twisted characters from the epic Lord of the Rings tale told by the wise founder, Professor J. R. R. Tolkien.

This is exactly what I am! Very scary. I nearly was one of the children of the light, but I don't think PJ added to the mythology of Tolkien. The only one who could add to the mythology is Tolkien who, alas, has been dead for 30 years. You know, it's ok for people not to like the movie. Take a deep breath and accept it.

[Draken]

What about Tolkien/Jackson Agnostics?

There's a lot of evidence for the existence of Tolkien, but as none of us have met him we're not going to get too worked up about it. I personally HAVE read the Hobbit, LOTR and the Silmarillion and enjoyed them, but I have to state I DID view them as works of fiction.

If you generally accept the existence of Tolkien, even in the vaguest sense, then you have to accept the existence of Jackson, with the films being created from the books in a duality that sort of satisfies most belief systems.

Agnostics don't get too bogged down in the fine details but just enjoy the simple pleasures such as:

Stacking up the books to recreate Minas Tirith in a miniature war game

Reading/watching the battle bits over and over

Freeze framing the part with Liv Tyler in profile wearing that purple dress....(or is that just me?)

[Laurelyn]

I'm a separatist. Go me! *cheers*

Although, sometimes the movies really grate on my nerves. I think they're fine cinematically (sorry bop) but sometimes trying to see them separately doesn't work, as the result is a plotline tangled beyond all hope of repair. *sigh*

[Dunadan]

Is there a category for people like me? I love both the books and the films: the films' realisation of ME exceeded my wildest expectations, but my criticisms are to do with getting some of the basics wrong of delivering narrative and character on screen. Maybe Movie Purist?

I don't think there's any sundering between Tolkien fans (unless it's between those who agree with BB and those who don't ). These films have injected more life into the works and brought yet more people together to celebrate (and debate) the world that Tolkien created.

cheers

d.

PS - does anyone else think there's a contradiction in believing that only JRR Tolkien should be allowed to add to the creation while simultaneously quoting from HoME, UT and other "secondary" sources?

[Elf Girl]

Originally posted by Black Breathalizer
The Bombadilite Purist – Another type of strict Tolkien book fundamentalist. This group have seen the movies but hate them because they are “not true to the Master.”

That's me!

My mom, however, is one of the noble Children of the Light.

[WallRocker]

Originally posted by Draken
I personally HAVE read the Hobbit, LOTR and the Silmarillion and enjoyed them, but I have to state I DID view them as works of fiction.

Works of FICTION?! ME is REAL(or it was - my therory is it was destroyed by the flood) Also, I think I would have to call my self a cross between a Converted Separatist Purist and a Converted Separatist Purist. Why, you ask? I was influneced to read the books because everyone else was watching the movie. I was almost done with the LotR books before I watched the FotR movie

[Artanis]

Originally posted by Dunadan
PS - does anyone else think there's a contradiction in believing that only JRR Tolkien should be allowed to add to the creation while simultaneously quoting from HoME, UT and other "secondary" sources?

Why do you regard HoME and UT as secondary sources? Though edited and commented on by Christopher Tolkien, the stories in UT are written by JRRT, as is the material in HoME. I would rather say The Silmarillion is a secondary source.

[Elf Girl]

Originally posted by WallRocker
Works of FICTION?! ME is REAL(or it was - my therory is it was destroyed by the flood)

Nope, we are in ME, but the hobbits are in hiding, the dwarves live in mines, the Elves have gone West (except me), and Men have taken over ME.