The Pirated LOTR

For discussion of the upcoming films based on The Hobbit and related material, as well as previous films based on Tolkien's work
Post Reply
User avatar
solicitr
Posts: 3728
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:37 pm
Location: Engineering a monarchist coup d'etat

The Pirated LOTR

Post by solicitr »


Y'know, Ace is the company that "pirated" LotR back in the '60s. (They took advantage of a loophole in copyright law to put out a paperback edition for which they paid no royalties to Tolkien.)


(Yes, this should be split off)


There was no loophole. Mythology notwithstanding, Ace found a 'loophole' which existed only in Wollheim's mind. Although Ace of course eventually settled out of court (an abject surrender, really), others revived its claimed 'loophole' in the 90's and were firmly smacked down by the courts.

Think also, Tolkienistas- how much of The Silmarillion was unwritten because JRRT spent two years dealing with this mess and the consequent revision of his published works?
Top
User avatar
Voronwë the Faithful
At the intersection of here and now
Posts: 46116
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:41 am
Contact:
Contact Voronwë the Faithful

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

Your wish is my command, solicitr. That a really interesting thought that I had considered before. It's hard to speculate how much of The Silmarillion remained unwritten because of this diversion. Who knows, maybe if Tolkien had had more time he would delved further into the revisions described in the Myths Transformed section of Morgoth's Ring, and really screwed things up. :P Nonetheless, it would be of little surprise to those that have followed my work on Arda Reconstructed that I dearly wish that Tolkien had been able to complete The Silmarillion himself, as I have major issues with some of the decisions that Christopher made in preparing it for publication.

Can you speak more about these other efforts to reived the so-called loophole in the 90s? I'd certainly be interested in hearing more about it.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
Top
User avatar
Primula Baggins
Living in hope
Posts: 40005
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:43 am
Location: Sailing the luminiferous aether
Contact:
Contact Primula Baggins

Post by Primula Baggins »

Eisen, Durwood & Co. v. Christopher R. Tolkien et al., 794 F. Supp. 85, 23 U.S.P.Q.2d 1150 (S.D.N.Y. 1992), affirmed without opinion, 990 F.2d 623 (2nd Cir. 1993)

Just off the top of my head, of course. ;)

Well, no. Link

In my defense, may I say that the way I told it is the story I learned (literally) at my mother's knee. And she has always been a truthful woman, I assure you.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Top
User avatar
solicitr
Posts: 3728
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:37 pm
Location: Engineering a monarchist coup d'etat

Post by solicitr »

Couldn't have said it better myself, Primmie ;)

For any readers who aren't licensed as Spawn of Satan by their state Bars, you can find a good layman's summary of the case in Hammond & Scull's Reader's Guide, under "Ace Books Affair."
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Tolkien Movies: The Road Goes Ever On”