Silmarilion on TV?

[numenorian]

I ve heard sth that bbc or sth will make a silmarilion movie divided in 10 episodes i dont know if its true but if anyone knows more........

[Gil Galad]

That wuldbe swee, i havent heard anything but ill keep my ears open

[Andúnië]

I have not heard much about this except debates about whether it should be done. On that subject...

As much as I would like to see Tolkien's work reproduced on yet another medium and viewed by more of an audience, I do not believe this would be a very good idea. For one, the plot of the Silmarillion is a little broken up and would be difficult to portray on television. This version would also seem inaccurate or badly done in comparison to the book.

[Gil Galad]

So was the LOTR movies, but i want to see it done, i know theyll go off, but still it would be one more thing

[Amroth]

   There's only a few ways that anyone might be able to make a successful Silmarillion movie.  A series of documentaries, in which the relative tales of each Age, or period of time are displayed and examined; or a long boring movie that would go nowhere, because there would be like twenty "main-characters."
   Personally, I would only go and see the previous of these two choices.  But that's just me.   ;D

[Gil Galad]

I think they could pull it off by making it into a miniseries and following the plot chronologically, it can be done

[numenorian]

Miniseries is a solution i believe but the only thing that scares me is making a stupid series like Hercules that really embarasses the Greek history

[Gil Galad]

That is true, but a miniseries could be done well enough to give so complex a work justice

[Old_Toby]

silmarilion is an amazing book, and if it is done well enough, i think it would make and amazing mini series or whatever. it would be hard to do cause there are so many characters. does any one know if they are going to make the Hobbit a movie?

[numenorian]

just go to the  hobbit section you will find anything we know welcome btw

[Beren One-Hand]

I believe that The Silmarillion could be made in a "series" of movies, not necessarily a series, if you get what I mean.
There are several narratives that could be movie worthy.  For example: Feanor and the Silmarills; Beren and Luthien; Of Turin; (and) Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin.  Beren and Luthien would, in my opinion, make the best "Silmarillion" movie.  Someone mentioned the possibility of a documentary format.  Not a bad idea either.  But aside from the above narratives, the historical nature of some of the Silmarillion might make it hard to do much more than three or four movies.  If BBC were to do 10 or something, that, in my opinion would be too many.  But as a die hard fan, I would still go and see it and see how they do it.

[numenorian]

I believe a series would be better because is so big and many things do matter and should be mentioned.

[Beren One-Hand]

The other problem with a series, taken from the Silmarillion would be the fact that it is too small, when compared to the Lord of the Rings, to make into more than three or four movies.  In my opinion, by even saying that it could be made into three or four movies - is generous.  Look at the size of LOTR's - they are detailed, big, thick books that were effectively made into three movies.  The Hobbit will be its own movie of course as well.  The problem I have with a 10 part series idea is that you'd have to stretch things out too much - way too much in order to make it worth while.  If you want to cover all that is there, the documentary idea that was suggested earlier is the way to go, coupled with three or four quality epic movies.  Even the Unfinished Tales could be incorporated into this whole idea as well. 

[lotrcarl1]

   The Silmarillion has more than enough material to cover a score of films.  Lest we forget, the bulk of TLOTR was set in a tiny slither of time in the late third age.  Three lengthy films were made from the books.

   The Silmarillion is written in an entirely different style than TLOTR.  It is in epic form, whereas TLOTR is written as novels.  There no more can be a single film entitled "The Silmarillion" than  there can be a film called "Western Civilization."   If TLOTR were written in epic form it would scarcely warrant a chapter.  So, in order to make either a film or TV series, it would be necessary to write a set of novels broken up into parts.  This would require a large amount of poetic licence and imagination.  The Silmarillion is an outline needing to be filled in with the details.  It should be approved by those students of Tolkien who wish for narritive harmony with the original stories.  It should be written in familiar rather than formal tones.   Its theme should be similiar to that of TLOTR where the unlikely heroes accomplish great feats.  Some devices must be used to differentiate the various similarly named characters.  It should not be rushed, nor should it be relying on excessive use of flashbacks and narration.  It will have to be lengthy in order to achieve the depth of character of the elves.  Elrond is virtually a minor character compared to say, Thingol.  One or two films are just not enough to do these characters justice. 

   I could go on and on.    Suffice it to say that a Film or TV version of The Silmarillion makes TLOTR look like a college film project.  However, I would love to be a part of making it a reality.  Peter Jackson where are you?

Keith H.
From Tennessee

[Beren One-Hand]

Yes I hear what you are saying.  But as I said, there are narratives even within the "epic form" that are definitely movie worthy (which read like novels) pretty much as they are (see above comments).  When you refer to "poetic license and imagination" as to what it would take to make The Silmarillion into several movies, is what I refer to as "stretching them out too much."  Obviously we differ in opinin here.  What you are saying is not impossible, but I believe wouldn't be an easy task for anyone, except Tolkien himself or maybe Christopher Tolkien.  The amount of poetic license and imagination that it would take to do what BBC might do - make it into 10 movies/series would be taking some liberties that I would not be comfortable seeing taken. 

Thanks for the comment, Keith.