Mythgard Forums

We're supposed to adapt the story to TV. Different task than projefting the book onto a screen.

What point are you trying to make here?

That "it's in the text" is a guideline, not a strict rule. That's all.

But you should adhere to the text pretty close; I've seen adaptations where they don't. And it's not a pretty sight.

Angel, you like 'Last of the Mohicans' as a film, right? That movie has *nothing* to do with the book. They used the same names for the characters, but they don't even stick to who the love-interests are or who dies or what race the characters are. They took many, many liberties with the story. It doesn't make it a bad film.

I was thinking more along the lines of Eragon and Percy Jackson.

So the question I'm asking is: How far is too far?

I am not sure that either Eragon or Percy Jackson were great works of literature to begin with. So, yes, the movies are terrible, but the books were at best mediocre. The point is, Amy's question is about whether or not we should do any genderflipping. You're allowed to say 'no'.

Well, yes. I'm saying no since I feel that gender-flipping people like Turgon and Finarfin is taking it too far.

I tend toward c) too late. I would've liked the ratio of "top tier" Elf genders to have been something other than 30:2 (or whatever it is, everyone:Galadriel+Melian).

And Luthien. But nickel-and-diming more names becomes a stretch and not the point. I would prefer fewer dudes in a modern show, in a setting where the only reason there aren't fewer dudes is modern (to the author) bias.

But we are where we are, and I'm not insisting or even suggesting we retcon our own work. More lamenting, and hoping maybe we can do differently with Men.

I am very opposed to gender-flipping anyone. That is a huge change to a character. I don't like the gender ratio in Tolkien's main characters, but I dislike gender-flipping more.

In general I am opposed to rewriting characters' personalities. Changing gender is a significant change in personality.

Essentially, my stance is that a character who can be gender-flipped with no other changes to the character is a badly written one.

In a novel, absolutely. In a bird's eye overview? Less so.

Since we're talking gender issues: Maybe one or two of the Elves are gay? I don't have a strong opinion about it, and I have no suggestions, just brainstorming.

I’ve heard suggestions that Fingon and Maedhros are.

Yeah. That's common fanfiction material, right? Not sure we should go that way...

As common as the same interpretation of Frodo and Sam, yes. I prefer to write them as intensely close, and let the reader/viewer draw their own conclusions.