MAD WORLD

With egg dripping down my face, I recently updated my DVD review of Donnie Darko. This is what prompted a revision:

Bill, just read your review for the Donnie Darko DVD. Just wanted to offer a correction on the Cast & Crew commentary track...

"Karen Pomeroy" is Drew Barrymore.
"Grethen Ross" is Jena Malone.
"Kitty Farmer" is Beth Grant.

All of the actors jokingly referred to themselves as their character names.

Other participants:
Richard Kelly
Sean McKittrick (producer)
Nancy Juvonen (producer)
Mary McDonnell
Holmes Osborne
James Duval
Katharine Ross

Just wanted to make sure that your readers weren't misled...

Thanks,
Richard Kelly
Director, Donnie Darko

Mea culpa again. -Bill

"LORD" ALMIGHTY

I just finished reading an article on your website about the animated adaptations of Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings. I came across a few statements that intrigued me. I own those DVDs, yet I do not see what makes Ralph Bakshi's version "sexualized," although it does come across to me as "disturbing." The only thing I see wrong with it are the random times when real people are used in the background. For some reason that always scared me when I was a little kid. I have read the books, and the constant reference from Samwise to Frodo as "Dear sweet master," "Oh, dear master Frodo," and "I love you, master," did bring forth a little suspicion, as well as Sam's inseparable relationship to Frodo, though there is none of this in the Bakshi movie.

I also don't see the "troubling elements of Tolkien (the racism, homoeroticism, religiosity)." I did not know Tolkien had these troubling elements... Is it really obvious? Or am I just stupid for not realizing any of it? That kind of makes me feel bad... so hobbits are homosexual and racist conceptions? I'm just curious, because I had no idea. Is this assumption based partially on the fact that Frodo and Bilbo never get married and, uh, lived together? But they were related! Ugh! That is troubling! I think I'm sorry I asked...Wait, no I'm not. If you have any answers for me please e-mail me back! I'd like to know more. Thank you so much! I was also wondering if there is any place I can purchase the soundtracks for The Hobbit and The Return of the King animated films (if they exist). I happen to find those songs most amusing... Thanks!
Kelli

Regarding sexuality in the Bakshi version: The way Legolas and Strider are portrayed is extremely feminine, as are their gestures and a few lines of dialogue. They sway and sashay rather than tromp--a comparison between the characterizations in Bakshi's work and Peter Jackson's live-action version. There is actually a pretty large school of scholarship that suggests that Tolkien's trilogy is a homosexual apologia.

I'm not suggesting, Kelli, that homosexuality is wrong--in fact, what I was really hoping to convey (and do so later in the review) is that Bakshi should either have been more overt about it or cut it out completely. Going halfway makes for a timid film.

Additionally, Tolkien is a noted philologian: his Middle Earth creation mythology is structured on a Christian "tree," including ranks of seraphim on down. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were good friends, with Tolkien offering criticism of Lewis' "Narnia" as being too proselytizing. Again, a quick surf through Internet resources will clarify Tolkien's life and philosophy of work. As to the racism issue, this is a thornier one to tackle. He uses terms in his books like "slant eyed and yellow skinned" to describe Orcs while the Southrons, allied with Sauron, are "black-skinned and savage with curved blades." Elves are blond and blue-eyed. Again, there is a great deal of debate about this topic and a quick search will reveal a wealth of resources about the controversy. As for the soundtracks, your best bet is to try downloading the Napster-esque Audio Galaxy "satellite" and do a search for those songs. Not that we condone this sort of thing. Good luck. -Walter

WHO YOU CALLIN' "LITTLE"

Try eBay. At press time, the query "little mermaid+penis" yielded a copy going for only $9.50 after one bid. Did I just type that? -Bill