Alt Film History: Disney's Tolkien

What would the effect of Walt Disney studios doing a version of JRR Tolkiens "The Hobbit" in the late 50s or early 60s, in their animated musical format of the time?
 
Walt offers him a dump truck of cash and it goes through.

Very unlikely, unless he faces some serious financial crisis. He was an Oxford Don, which indicates he had no overwhelming interest in money (there are better-paying universities) and no immediate financial worries (it's not like they pay badly, and tenure is tenure).

An earlier death and a more pliable Tolkien Estate (for some reason - would it need taking his son out of the picture?) might do the trick. Or maybe there is some kind of copyright dispute? US courts have not always been sympathetic to foreign copyrights. Could you have Disney make a movie about Bulbo the Hubbit going off to fight the dragon Smorg?

It could kill the entire fantasy genre as we know it if children of the 60s, instead of encountering it as a counterculture phenomenon associated with emotionalism, escapism and rebellion, connect these tropes with fancy musical numbers and thirteen dancing dwarves. But the film would quite likely be good, from a craftsmanly point of view, and certainly easier on the eyes than Bakshi's attempt.
 
It could kill the entire fantasy genre as we know it if children of the 60s, instead of encountering it as a counterculture phenomenon associated with emotionalism, escapism and rebellion, connect these tropes with fancy musical numbers and thirteen dancing dwarves.

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
The Lonely Mountain calls to us!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
From Hobbiton we leave today!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
Thirteen Dwarves and Bilbo too!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
To reclaim our lost and stolen gold!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
The Dragon Smaug we must destroy!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
With Gandalf's help we will prevail!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!


<cringe> :eek::D
 
Last edited:
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
The Lonely Mountain calls to us!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
From Hobbiton we leave today!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
Thirteen Dwarves and Bilbo too!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
To reclaim our lost and stolen gold!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
The Dragon Smaug we must destroy!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
To Erebor we go!
With Gandalf's help we will prevail!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!

:(Why . . . Why would you put "this" up :( whhhhhy :D
 
Another point to make is that Walt Disney during the 1950s and 1960s was actually a major financial risk. Consider that Fantasia, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio, and Cinderella were all financial flops at the time. Under these circumstances, Disney has less to bargain with in terms of getting the film made.
 
AFAIK Tolkien explicitly forbid that Disney would be allowed to make movies from his books.

Strictly saying, he has forbidden anybody to adopt his books (btw, that was The Lord of the Rings) in a Disney-like manner. Which means much the same thing, of course.

Christopher Tolkien has published (Letters of JRRT, ##202, 207, 210) some bits of his correspondence where plans of the LOTR animated movie are discussed. While Tolkien was pleased with the concept art ('this Mr Ackermann brought some really astonishingly good pictures (rather Rackham than Disney'), the plot written by some (M.G. Zimmermann) had left him so unhappy - and not without reason, I daresay! - that he has rejected the whole affair. It was certainly impossible that he approved a musical adoptation.

His disgust of Disney's style is well-known, too. In a letter concerning plans of the first U.S. edition of 'The Hobbit' he states that 'It might be advisable [...] to let the Americans do what seems good to them - as long as it was possible to veto [...] anything from or influenced by the Disney studios (for all whose works I have heartfelt loathing)' (from a letter to C.A. Furth at Allen & Unwin's, 13 May 1937, Letters, #13; the emphasis is mine).
 
Another point to make is that Walt Disney during the 1950s and 1960s was actually a major financial risk. Consider that Fantasia, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio, and Cinderella were all financial flops at the time. Under these circumstances, Disney has less to bargain with in terms of getting the film made.

Have you got a source for this? I'm pretty certain Snow White at least was massive, though the industry had doubts before it premiered. And I'm completely certain that the Fantasia flop story is overplayed.

As far as what the film might look like, probably not very good. It seems the quality went well downhill sometime in the mid-50s. Exigencies of television, that's my guess.
 
Samwise would be a talking squirel added for comic relief....... BLEGH!


Honestly:
I'm not sure, if it was 'old' Disney they might have tried to stay quite true to the source material.........but it prolly wouldn't have been a trilogy.
 
Samwise would be a talking squirel added for comic relief....... BLEGH!


Honestly:
I'm not sure, if it was 'old' Disney they might have tried to stay quite true to the source material.........but it prolly wouldn't have been a trilogy.

Arwen wouldn't be Arwen Warrior Princess ["Arda cried out for a hero"], she'd be Spunky Disney Princess. Double BLEGH!
 
there was a very crappy animated Fellowship / the Hobbit a while back, I think it would be significantly worse than that. I shudder to think how they would have butchered it.
 
Have you got a source for this? I'm pretty certain Snow White at least was massive, though the industry had doubts before it premiered. And I'm completely certain that the Fantasia flop story is overplayed.

As far as what the film might look like, probably not very good. It seems the quality went well downhill sometime in the mid-50s. Exigencies of television, that's my guess.
Sure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Disney_theatrical_animated_features

In fact, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was called "Disney's Folly", until multiple re-releases starting in 1941, were made in an effort to recoup losses. As for Fantasia, it lost money on its initial release in 1940, but recouped its losses, only after being re-released in 1942 and 1946. Most of the animated films made the money back through re-releases and television presentations....
 
Top