Is this the real life or is this just fantasy? The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) is purveyed as a blueprint of modern illusion, encompassing the archetypal battle between good and evil. The formidable J.R.R. Tolkien was the first writer to capture this classical element of imagination to his work, with LOTR having a significant impact on popular culture which spawned an odyssey from classic fantasy novel to a celebration of this renowned creation in many different art, entertainment and social forms.
The beginning of the LOTR franchise was marked by the publication of the first book entitled The Hobbit which was released in 1937. The Hobbit went on to secure wide critical acclaim and was awarded a prize for best juvenile fiction from the New York Herald Tribune. Despite its sequel often claimed to be its greatest legacy, The Hobbit is still recognised today as a classic in children’s literature.
The widespread success of The Hobbit was a precursor to the arguably even more successful aforementioned LOTR series. These books are set in the realm of Middle-earth in an occult setting of valour and enchantment – it is a fantasy arena unlike any other with a seemingly endless roster of characters, myths and legends.
Without a doubt, this aspect of Tolkien’s fictional universe has captivated audiences throughout the generations, sparking the attention of other media outlets including films, games, and countless websites dedicated to “fan fiction”. The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit utopian concept provides a wide platform for entertainment.
It has even been proliferated to table top dice games such as Warhammer, with the company providing an entirely new set of rules and customisable, buildable models to be used in the enterprise. Large gaming companies such as EA have incorporated new line cinema, creating games based off the films and gambling enthusiasts can even consume their passion through the use of video slots game which are available at Ladbrokes casino.
Following on from the worldwide success of the Tolkien book series was the introduction of LOTR to the big screen in 2001, with the release of the first instalment aptly named the Fellowship of the Ring and the next two films following in consecutive years.
This provided fans of the series with a plethora of motivation to break out there plastic swords and immerse themselves in Tolkien’s captivating mind-set once again. The films were exquisitely directed and considered a huge financial success along with The Return of the King – the third instalment in the film series winning 11 Academy Awards.
LOTR fans were then given a break from motion picture exploits for a few years until the unforeseen release of The Hobbit in 2012. This unpredicted journey came out of the blue for aficionados in 2012 with the film depicting the same plot as the book written 75 years earlier.
The Hobbit film series became a trilogy and was released in the same fashion as the LOTR series with the sequel being released a year after the original and the final instalment in 2014. Yet again, the franchise had evolved and new life had been injected into this popular fictional culture which even today continues to go from strength to strength.
