Beowulf vs. Lord of the Rings

[pegkerr]

An interesting essay over at Salon.com, Beowulf vs. Lord of the Rings: "One is a living universe, the other a 3-D voyage to schlockville. A great essay by Tolkien ["The Monsters and the Critics"] helps us understand why."

I winced on Neil Gaiman's behalf upon reading this. I'll admit I wasn't much inclined to see the Beowulf movie to begin with. I still want to read the Seamus Heaney translation, though.

Comments

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

I bet it doesn't really think the Peter Jackson travesties are a voyage to schlockville and will only irritate me if I read it, so I won't.

[fireriven.livejournal.com]

The reviewer makes several assertions that are ridiculous, incorrect, and perhaps self-contradictory even before getting to thoughts on LotR, so your feeling is likely correct.

What packs them in at the multiplex?

[eileenlufkin.livejournal.com]

"Grendel, a descendant of the biblical Cain, has been terrorizing the kingdom of Denmark for 12 years. A great warrior named Beowulf vows to kill Grendel. He and 14 men sail.... to Denmark, where Beowulf kills the monster and then the monster's horrible mother. He receives gifts and honor from the aging Danish king and sails back home, where he rules for 50 years. When a dragon rampages through his kingdom, Beowulf seeks out the monster and kills it, but is himself mortally wounded. After his death he is remembered by his people as the kindest of kings and the most eager for fame.

Whatever its historical and literary virtues, this is not a story that is going to pack them in at the local multiplex."

Um. OK, I know I'm out of touch with modern movies, but isn't "Monster has been killing people, (doubtless several of them attractive young people who recklessly snuck out to have illicit sex,) Hero struggles hard to kill the Monster, then has to struggle even harder to kill an even worse monster, but finally succeeds, and gets gifts and honor." one of the basic plots? I thought some version of this was usually one of the choices packing them in at the local multiplex. My best guess is that he means everything he thinks is important about Beowulf are the parts this leaves out, but he didn't say that.

[leiabelle.livejournal.com]

Every time I see a "Beowulf" commercial, I cringe and think that Tolkien must be twitching a bit in his grave, if not actually rolling around.