Universal Domination?

[DisneyKidds]

Actually Disney had ‘Lord of the Rings’ in development at Miramax.

It is too bad that ME dropped the ball as The Disney Company could have used the franchise. However, is the fact that Disney chose Miramax to develop the film kind of indicative that it wasn't 'Disney' fare. How many rides do you think you would ever see in a Disney park that are based on a Miramax film? (assuming Disney doesn't sell out to the thrill ride contingent)

 

[YoHo]

Disney didn't choose Miramax, Jackson did.

This is not the Debate board and I don't want to turn it into one, but a few points.
1) Tolkien was a Devoute Catholic.
2) The Lord of the Rings is in large part based on Myths and Ledgends of the ancient European peoples.
3) Tolkien's Good Friend C.S. Lewis wrote the Narnia books which contain much magic that are also based in biblical lessons. Lewis is preached at many pulpits to this day.


I would really suggest widening your outlook on these stories. There is more to them then simple Magic and Sorcery. But Again, I would never do more then ask or suggest such a thing.

DisneyKidds, out of curiousity, what is your stance on the Haunted mansion (in light of your opinions on HP and LOTR) I remember a couple years ago big debates going on in Rumours and news and the Debate board about the Evils of the Haunted mansion.

 

[larworth]

I'm a fan of both works.

The LOTR has so many good versus evil clashes I wonder if there is any single one which will resonate enough with the public to build a ride around. Would the franshise be doomed to a single attraction with some confrontation and defeat of Sauron as the main story. Trying to go from beginning to end in one 5 minute ride seems be impossible. I know alot of people who had problems keeping up with the movie.

Each of the HP books really has one major conflict. Any one of these events could be the subject of a good versus evil based attraction. Quidditch is another obvious basis for an experience. A dark ride around Hogswarth also seems viable.

LOTR has more depth as a story, but somehow seems less amenable to building attractions around???

 

[DisneyKidds]

I would really suggest widening your outlook on these stories. There is more to them then simple Magic and Sorcery.

You are right - I probably should, at least before I comment on them too much. However, I have never let my ignorance stop me before . All I know of these is what comes across in the advertising, merchandising, book covers, video games, etc. The general perception I take away hasn't drawn me to these works as they do not appear to be subject matter we are particularly interested in.

Haunted Mansion? Not a ride we frequent. Not because we are religious prudes who get turned off by ghosts and spirits (ok - maybe a little), but more so because we don't feel it is appropriate for our kids. Even before kids we rarely rode.

 

[YoHo]

LOTR has more depth as a story, but somehow seems less amenable to building attractions around???

SORIN OVER SAURON SOARIN OVER SAURON SORIN OVER SAURON!!!


DK, I understand, I must admit, in the debate I referenced, I was surprised that there were people actually phiscally afraid of the words of Madam Liota and some of the occult references. I don't feel bad when I say that it never occured to take these things as real. But I respect others views on them.

I respectfully suggest however that the Appeal of books like LotR and HP is selfevident. Especially in this day and Age. Fantasy has Sky Rocketed since Tolkien virtually invented its modern form and shows no signs of weakening.

Be afraid though, Its possible that we could end up with Dungeons&Dragons based attractions as Disney hunts about for a cheap alternative to LotR and HP, and That more then these books has questionable Sword and Sorcery backgrounds.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by YoHo

Be afraid though, Its possible that we could end up with Dungeons&Dragons based attractions as Disney hunts about for a cheap alternative to LotR and HP, and That more then these books has questionable Sword and Sorcery backgrounds.

Most... if not all of the D&D was borrwed from Tolkien. They have since expanded on it though.

 

[YoHo]

Actually D&D comes from a variety of sources and Tolkien is only one of them. Most of it comes from the old Sword and Sorcery novels and Tolkien is absolutly not Swords and Sorcery.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by DisneyKidds
The general perception I take away hasn't drawn me to these works as they do not appear to be subject matter we are particularly interested in.

Speaking only about Harry Potter, I felt the same way. I don't like sci-fi and sorcery, it has never interested me. But these books are about so much more than the advertising has made them out to be, and more than the christian groups have made them out to be.

Something to keep in mind: the books were written for kids. The advertising campaign is targeted towards the audience that the author was writing for. Saying that the books are about relationships and coming-of-age would NOT entice kids to read them.

They are tremendous books, and very quick reads at that. I finished all four books (including the 700+ page 4th novel) in about a month.

If anybody can make great attractions out of these novels and movie(s), it's Disney, and using them, they can most definitely conquer more than one of the "groups" they need. Slow, special-effects-intense dark rides, as well as thrill rides. (For those who have read them, how about a roller coaster that goes through the Gringotts vaults?!)

DK, we have our differences about resorts, but I'd highly reccomend that you check out at least the first two novels. The first one is simply introductory to the rest of the series, so it's not as good as the later ones, but the second one is amazing.

 

[EUROPA]

...I'll rephrase what I said but will not go into great detail and show my geekness...I played D&D for many years though.


Here is the list which D&D was based on. There are several things that were in the Hobbit or the Ring Tiliogy that was added to D&D but most of the characters were drawn from Tolkien

http://www.enteract.com/~aardy/faq/rgfdfaq7.html#I2

Anderson, Poul. Three Hearts and Three Lions; The High Crusade; The Broken Sword
Bellairs, John. The Face in the Frost
Burroughs, Edgar Rice. Pellucidar series; Mars series; Venus series
Carter, Lin. World's End series
de Camp, L. Sprague. Lest Darkness Fall; Fallible Fiend
de Camp, L. Sprague, and Fletcher Pratt. Harold Shea series; Carnelian Cube
Farmer, Philip Jose. The World of the Tiers series
Fox, Gardner. Kothar series; Kyrik series
Howard, Robert E. Conan series
Lanier, Sterling. Hiero's Journey
Lieber, Fritz. Fafhrd & Gray Mouser series [a.k.a. Lankhmar series]
Lovecraft, H.P. Cthulhu series
Merritt, A. Creep, Shadow, Creep; Moon Pool; Dwellers in the Mirage
Moorcock, Michael. Stormbringer, Stealer of Souls; Hawkmoon series
Offutt, Andrew J., ed. Swords Against Darkness III
Pratt, Fletcher. Blue Star
Saberhagen, Fred. Changeling Earth
St. Clair, Margaret. The Shadow People; Sign of the Labrys
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit; Ring trilogy
Vance, Jack. The Eyes of the Overworld; The Dying Earth
Zelazny, Roger. Jack of Shadows; Amber series

Here is the history on D&D if anyone is intrested...

http://www.enteract.com/~aardy/faq/rgfdfaq3.html

 

[DisneyKidds]

Be afraid though, Its possible that we could end up with Dungeons&Dragons based attractions as Disney hunts about for a cheap alternative to LotR and HP, and That more then these books has questionable Sword and Sorcery backgrounds.

Perhaps I have always thought about LotR and HP along these lines (kind of watered down D&D). They probably are not - but seems they might have something in common. Yoho and Snacky are right, I should find out for myself. My train time is my own time, as they say - but I am using it to read Disney books right now.

Funny thing about being afraid of D&D. A long time ago I, too, played D&D. It was quite fun, but that is all it was and we didn't take it seriously. Some people carry things too far though.

 

[fabdisbabe]

Fantasy, Schmantasy.

I can't stand SciFi/Fantasy. Zzzzz.

Loved Harry Potter. Why? Good storytelling.

Fab

 

[cleo]

While you're widening your outlook on HP and LOTR, you may also want to look into the original versions of many of our beloved fairy tales. In their original forms, many if not most were quite pornographic by today's standards. The brother's Grimm cleaned them up when they introduced them to Victorian audiences and then of course, Disney made them...well...Disney. Pale, sweet renditions of very earth tales--which, by the way, were also filled with 'magic'.

Quite the loss, really. The shards of a shattered diamond may still sparkle, but you've lost the true value of the full and complete gem.