In 1969, United Artists took possession of the film rights for the Lord of the Rings. In the subsequent decade, a little religious group known as Scientology was making headway into Hollywood, bringing stars like John Travolta into their fold, and had enough connections to kick-start the careers of writer/directors like Paul Haggis. For the purposes of this, Ralph Bakshi obviously never got around to making his version; and L. Ron Hubbard, who had always had interest in propagating his creation through film, is able to get just the right people with him to produce an adaptation of JRR Tolkien's classic. This likely comes about prior to 1977, when Scientology's Operation Snow White was exposed. Nevertheless, with Scientology having been recruiting from counterculture circles in the 60s and 70s, the sorts with which LOTR was often popular, Hubbard and his confederates are also going to see this as an effort for recruitment.
So, the storyline, under L. Ron's 'suggestions', might take a different turn--the Ring itself being a representation of neuroses and personal stresses that Frodo by the end, through 'clearing' himself, can overcome. It may even end with Frodo unlocking his 'true power' and thus dominating Mordor. We can assume, given the wild divergences prior film proposals for the epic had taken, things might go very nutty indeed.
So...what are the likely effects, be it on pop culture, Tolkein's legacy, and even the cult itself? We can throw in a few variables, like of course the budget and exact nature of the film--be it something on the lines of Bakshi, or even live action, however that may look with the film technology of the time. Feel free to speculate on how this 'masterpiece' may have looked, and what comes next...
So, the storyline, under L. Ron's 'suggestions', might take a different turn--the Ring itself being a representation of neuroses and personal stresses that Frodo by the end, through 'clearing' himself, can overcome. It may even end with Frodo unlocking his 'true power' and thus dominating Mordor. We can assume, given the wild divergences prior film proposals for the epic had taken, things might go very nutty indeed.
So...what are the likely effects, be it on pop culture, Tolkein's legacy, and even the cult itself? We can throw in a few variables, like of course the budget and exact nature of the film--be it something on the lines of Bakshi, or even live action, however that may look with the film technology of the time. Feel free to speculate on how this 'masterpiece' may have looked, and what comes next...
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