Tolkien Biopic

[Teresa Edgerton]

Has anyone heard anything about this? Tolkien (2019) - IMDb

 

[Hugh]

This seems to have slipped by the radar.

As ever, I can't say I'm optimistic, but maybe it'll generate some increased interest in his formative years.

 

[picklematrix]

I heard rumours of this on a YouTube movie news channel a few years ago. There is potential for a great film, that's for sure. Tolkien lived a life worthy of adaptation, though I really hope they try to stick to the truth. I'm sure fans will be disappointed if they water the historical aspects down

 

[Brian G Turner]

I just saw this promoted on YouTube:

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Yes, that trailer is turning up in more and more places. Unfortunately, it appears to be the only one so far, and it's just a short teaser. The movie comes out in May, so I expect there will be more trailers, but I am impatient to discover if the script has any chance of being as good as the cast and production values appear.

It looks like they'll be blending real life events with the stories they inspired Tolkien to write. (There is a glimpse of Edith dancing for him in the woods, which we know she did, and that it was part of the inspiration for the story of Beren and Luthien.) That could work, but could equally be fragmented and confusing (especially for viewers who are unfamiliar with The Silmarillion as well as LOTR).

Looking forward to learning more, since if the reviews are good I expect I will be at the theater on the first day with my ticket in hand. On the other hand, I don't want to get my hopes too high only to have them disappointed.

 

[Jondo_]

I will say it looks gorgeous--the shots of the men on horseback bearing down on each other especially. I don't want to get my hopes up (but I'm hopeful that it's good).

 

[Culhwch]

Hadn't heard of it before it popped into my YouTube recommended list, but it looks good! It seems to be tending more towards your Finding Neverland-end of the biopic spectrum, but I can handle that.

 

[Narkalui]

I will watch this whether reviews are good or bad, the only question is whether or not I'll go to the cinema for it...

 

[HareBrain]

A curmudgeon writes ...

I don't really get any sense that they "captured" him, from that trailer, neither his voice nor the way he expressed his thoughts. Nor his thoughts. ("The journeys we make to prove ourselves" sounds way too modern.)

And this isn't particular to this trailer or film, but I wish someone would show special effects departments a way to realistically portray shell explosions. (And no, I don't mean the face!)

 

[picklematrix]

This may end up a little similar to Bohemian Rhapsody, in which a positive, happy, inspiring version of events is given. It might not be accurate, but I enjoyed it.
That film works a lot better because of the musical aspect of it, whereas with the Tolkien biopic, I was more interested in getting an honest representation of history. If it is given a glossy, Hollywood sheen then it will likely leave the whole thing hollow.

 

[AnnWanges]

Want to watch it so badly) Love the main actor, so I hope the film isn't that horrible as someone says.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

It seems to be tending more towards your Finding Neverland-end of the biopic spectrum, but I can handle that.

So long as it's more Finding Neverland than it is The Man Who Invented Christmas I can probably handle it, too!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

So a second trailer has been released:

 

[Hugh]

Well, I’m definitely going to see this now. Even if it’s disappointing, hopefully it’ll generate some interesting discussion in the press about those formative experiences in his life.

 

[J-WO]

BBC Radio 4 did a play based on Tolkien and his wife first meeting (with all the trials and tribulations therein). I wonder if there's some shared source material (By which I mean a book or whatever. Or perhaps the radio play is by the same writer as the movie ). I hope so, because the radio play was really quite good.

 

[Boaz]

So I believe the Hollywood premiere is tomorrow... and will be opening this weekend. I'll probably go on Saturday.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Lots of short trailers now on Facebook.

 

[Alex The G and T]

Heh. When I saw this, on Colbert, late at night, somehow I thought this was an upcoming netflix series, or something.
Nonetheless, it is an enlightening interview:

 

[Brian G Turner]

And did anyone actually watch the film? If so, thoughts?

 

[CupofJoe]

I have. And I thought it fell between two stools [or whatever the analogy is]. As a tale of love [of all kinds] and friendship in the face of the First World War, it was okay, but could have done more. As an exploration of the early life of Tolkien, it was a bit light on tension and drama.
Don't get me wrong I enjoyed watching it. The acting was good, the settings and special effect great, but I don't feel the need to go back and watch it again, unlike another WW1 film 1917 which I've watched three times in 6 months.