Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Books and the Motion Pictures
An imaginative story of the conflict between good and evil in the universe is a winner in all times. It appears that the human mind has an ingrained tendency to think and imagine beyond the local and the timely. And so the universe of religion/spirituality arises out of the chaos of material details and endless poignant personal dramas.
The award winning series of three motion pictures presenting the Lord of the Rings does surprising justice to the Tolkien story as told in book form. Computer technology assists a team of competent actors and directors in keeping the attention of a 21st century audience of younger and older people on the global scene.
A unique contribution is the presentation small and weak members of the human family as the ones capable of dealing with the ultimate powers of evil. Violent conflicts, clearly aimed at destruction of castles and people, are a distraction from the task of constructing a world of freedom and peace. The almost unimaginable force of “the ring”, a symbol for whatever becomes an idol in the human mind, is a centering point for the story - the dramatic starting point and the primary symbol. The necessity of danger and struggle in the pursuit of moving beyond evil is a given attention. The drama is a journey beset with surprising barriers to accomplishment of the goal. The capability of forces of good to rise beyond their usual limitations is at the heart of the drama. All is dependent on the vision of a universe of hope, beauty and peaceful relationships. The completion of one story in this grand epic launches the imagination into the next episode in another place and another time.
The religious motif of these strands of meaning is unmistakable. No one religion is clearly seen. However, the Christian concept of death and transfiguration in the story of a creative and godly human life is seen in these artistic creations by some. Tolkien himself comes for a western Christian tradition.
The themes in the written version are universal. The presentation in the motion pictures is western and created for a technological, media wise audience. Yet the films exhibit a remarkable faithfulness to the basic drama.
Delton. Krueger
Bloomington, Minnesota
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