JRR Tolkien on Film

There are two clips here spliced together of JRR Tolkien talking on film. In the first from 1968, he talks about "The Lord of the Rings" books and gives some detail about where some of the ideas for characters came from in ancient stories. In the second (date unknown) he mentions the first time he ever wrote down the idea for "The Hobbit". The picture is better in the first clip--the audio is better in the second. Both clips are of very poor quality however.

Tolkien was a member of the Inklings, a literary group of friends and writers associated with Oxford University and of which C.S. Lewis was the principal member. Tolkien and Dyson together were instrumental in introducing Lewis to Christianity.

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• JRR
• Tolkien
• CS
• Lewis
• Charles
• Williams
• Inklings
• Lord
• Rings

[RulerL0rd]

What i don't understand is his voice.He speaks so indistinctly. I can't believe it.

[gmdinformation]

@RulerL0rd You know what though, look on YT for some audio of him reading excerpts from books and he sounds just fine. I don't know why he's so rushed here.

[RulerL0rd]

@gmdinformation Hmm. Maybe it's just because of the video, being so old and all. Who knows. He's surely is speaking in an indistinct manner. But, maybe the video is making it even worse.

[gmdinformation]

@RulerL0rd I actually wonder if he might have been on some kind of medication for an ailment during this interview. After all, he was pretty old by then and probably suffered from one thing or another. Old age might have had something to do with his slurred speech as well. I believe that the audio of him reading that you'll find at other channels was recorded when he was a bit younger, so I think age is a definate factor.

[RulerL0rd]

@gmdinformation In an other video i've seen him talking, he was talking the exact same way. Can you point me to the videos you're talking about? Maybe, just send me a message.

[gmdinformation]

@RulerL0rd Just put the following in YT's search box:

J.R.R. Tolkien reads The Eagle's Song

or

J.R.R. Tolkien reads The Song of Durin

[MojoRisinist]

@RulerL0rd It's quite commonly known that the Professor did slur and mumble a great deal when speaking. There's a reason he was a writer, not a politician. :)

[TowerPrinces1483]

@gmdinformation Sometimes people sound different when they read. Tolkien usually spoke indistinctly, but probably less so when he was reading off a page of text he knew well and being recorded doing it.

[MrReco12]

@gmdinformation

Why did he support Franco?

[jlarsena]

Any man who can create a world we can believe existed at one time is a genius. He invented the elven language.

[scibby2]

@gmdinformation

Tolien was always notorious for speaking quickly and indistinctly. So I'm afraid it comes from being very clever and having too much going on in the mind to bother with communication rather than any medication!

[matthewslimbu]

Clearly Tolkien didn't create elves or dwarves but he did Create hobbits

[marilynjeaux]

@tscotty32 Your comment was made a year ago, but Tolkien didn't create elves, dwarves, and possibly not hobbits. These came from folklore. What he did was create his own tale using these characters and you're right a lot of fantasy writers are inspired by him. He is amazing. 

[bestman444]

@RulerL0rd Tolkien was known for his slurred speech. He had no speech impediment (he could recite perfectly), but his voice couldn't follow his fast and constantly changing thoughts.

[petegeorge94]

the greatest fatasy writer i think...

[Feanorielle]

@camthejock Yes, a Roman-Catholic.