Instead of a review of "Bonhoeffer", a rant about "The Hobbit"

Rather than a review of Eric Metaxas' Bonhoeffer which is what was scheduled for today, and which I haven't actually written yet, I want to link to this article, which is a translation of the first interview ever given by Christopher Tolkien.  Tolkien is the son of J. R. R. Tolkien, and has devoted the last forty years of his life to his father's work.  Not coincidentally, perhaps, he hates the Peter Jackson movies.

I personally liked the Lord of the Rings films. though I admit they weren't exactly faithful to the books.  I liked the book as well, though I'd call it "great", in the sense of monumental and important, rather than "good".  I always felt like I should enjoy the book more than I did.  I like, respect, and admire it, but I can't say I actually love it.  Because of that, I'm a lot less forgiving of the various differences between the two.

The same can't be said for The Hobbit.  That book shaped me.  A large part of who I am is derived somehow from it.  I can name all the dwarves and trolls, and I can answer all of Gollum's riddles; I know all the names Bilbo collected and can quote the goblins' song.  I identify with Bilbo, and I've been close to tears over Fili and Kili and Thorin Oakenshield.  I know The Hobbit, and I love it, and that's why I really have no interest in seeing any of the movies.  Some things are perfect as they are.

What Jackson is doing strikes me as being like a well-intentioned doctor changing my short, pale, and mind-blowingly beautiful wife into a six-foot bronze Amazon.  Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with Amazons -- lots of people love them -- but that's not what I fell in love with.  I think my wife is perfect the way she is.  I think 5'1" is the perfect height for her, and that tans are seriously overrated.  I could appreciate the doctor's good intentions, but still want him to keep his hands off.  Let him mess with someone else; I don't want my wife changed.

I don't begrudge Peter Jackson his movies, or his own particular vision of the story.  I'm reminded of what Hellboy creator Mike Mignola said about Guillermo del Toro's movie version of the character.  He said, essentially, that people who preferred the comics could always read the comics and get Mignola's Hellboy.  The movie wasn't Mignola's, and wasn't meant to be; it was del Toro's Hellboy, and that was fine.  The (sigh) three Hobbit movies are Jackson's Hobbit, not Tolkien's.

That doesn't mean I have to give him any of my money, though.