posted
I'm sure allot of things like that can contribute to all sorts of myths, or build on existing tales of strange peoples and creatures. Did the dragon myth originate from dinosaur bones or second or third hand accounts of alligators, crocodiles or komodo dragons? Did the idea of a unicorn come from the washed up remains of Narwhals, or just pure fantasy? There's a million examples like these. How they started is anyone's guess. As for the Cyclops, I'm inclined to believe that if there's any true basis for that one, he was just a man with a missing eye. The Greeks love to embellish their tales, I mean come on, the legends of the Olympian gods reads like some bad soap opera.
Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
I thought the Greek myth of Cyclops was from elephant skulls, since they didn't know elephants. Myths of mammoths have been around since before we found any fossils, haven't they? I mean, we did used to hunt them. But then the Lanteans came back through the Stargate and taught us how to make French toast instead. (Also, I had read that unicorns were thought up based on second-hand accounts of rhinoceroses(sp?), the best description of which that they could come up with was something like "from the distance, it looks like a horse, but with a horn on its head." Also, perhaps seeing gazelles or antelope from the side.)
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Exactly my point. There's dozens of theories where each of these things originated, truth is none of them can be verified and quite likely non of them are exactly right. Myth take centuries to really sink in to a culture and all sorts of factors have an influence along the way and quite often bears little relation to the initial inspiration.
So what WE think of as a giant, unicorn or dragon today is just a diluted and misinterpreted perception of something that was probably not even seen by those who depicted them in stories and whatnot. Think of it a Chinese whispers but instead of words, it's ideas and instead of people, it's different cultures.
posted
...In other news; the next up to sue New Line over the LOTR profits - the Tolkien estate. link
I wonder if New line even has an accounting department. Are they just stuffing their 6 billon into mattresses or secretly funding the CEO's gambling addiction? Seriously, what are they playing at?
Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
Agreement over wide-eyed incredulity of failure to pay. Anger at New Line and patriotic-type loyalty to Tolkien Trust.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Let's just hope they sort this out before it derails the new movies. Oh, for those who don't know Guillermo del Toro is now numero uno on the list of possible directors. link ...which is nice.
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I think I'd enjoy what he could bring to the table regarding Middle Earth, if Laberinto del Fauno and Hellboy is any indication.
Registered: Aug 1999
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Exactly. It's not just a talent for doing films with freaky creatures he's actually very good at characterisation, so no danger of this turning into a mindless fantasy film. Also, he seams to be all for bringing back the original cast. Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom and Cate Blanchett have all apparantly expressed an interest in coming back and given they're apparantly incorporating the White Council/Dol Guldor story there's certainly potential for all their characters to come back. I think Elijah Wood has also said he'd like to come back, though I doubt they'd cast him as Bilbo and Frodo would be too young to appear even in the second film. Almost no chance of getting John Rhys-Davies back as a Dwarf, the poor bloke had a very nasty reaction to the prosthetics the last time round.
Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
A lesser man would've quit the production, I think. But he was dedicated. To LotR or to showbiz, I'm not sure which...
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Probably more to the cast and crew. Most actors bleat on about how they've all become a family while filming whatever movie they happen to be promoting at the time. In the case of the LotR, I think it's one of the rare cases where it's actually true.
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