Smaug vs. the Third Reich
For any idiots out there who might still harbor the myth (popular during the early '00s) that Tolkien was anti-semitic, please enjoy: "What’s classier than J.R.R. Tolkien telling off Nazis? Absolutely nothing. (via io9)
Meanwhile, thousands of dorks are blubbering in righteous indignation over the similarities between Battle Royale and The Hunger Games. Now, it's true. They are similar. In the basic scenario, very much so. Still, from what I've seen thus far. Which is to say, I've read The Hunger Games and seen the Kinji Fukasaku's 2000 film (adapted from Koushun Takami's novel). Which was so bad, it was actually unwatchable. Now, it may turn out that the film version of Collins' novel - which I loved - is just as bad. But I very much doubt it. Few things are.
And if you're going to be such a stickler for one story being too much like another, please nail me on The Red Tree being so much like my beloved Danielewski's House of Leaves? I didn't do it on purpose, though I'd never expect anyone to believe such an absurd statement, given my long-standing public obsession with House of Leaves. I didn't even know I'd done it until the book was in print (!!!). I'm just saying, be consistent.
And yeah. I know. Were Harlan (also a beloved of mine) Takami, he'd be suing. I can't say if Harlan would be right or wrong to do so. All these issues of artistic morality, as they relate to the myth of originality (vs. word-for-word plagiarism) tend to escape me.
Weary,
Aunt Beast
Meanwhile, thousands of dorks are blubbering in righteous indignation over the similarities between Battle Royale and The Hunger Games. Now, it's true. They are similar. In the basic scenario, very much so. Still, from what I've seen thus far. Which is to say, I've read The Hunger Games and seen the Kinji Fukasaku's 2000 film (adapted from Koushun Takami's novel). Which was so bad, it was actually unwatchable. Now, it may turn out that the film version of Collins' novel - which I loved - is just as bad. But I very much doubt it. Few things are.
And if you're going to be such a stickler for one story being too much like another, please nail me on The Red Tree being so much like my beloved Danielewski's House of Leaves? I didn't do it on purpose, though I'd never expect anyone to believe such an absurd statement, given my long-standing public obsession with House of Leaves. I didn't even know I'd done it until the book was in print (!!!). I'm just saying, be consistent.
And yeah. I know. Were Harlan (also a beloved of mine) Takami, he'd be suing. I can't say if Harlan would be right or wrong to do so. All these issues of artistic morality, as they relate to the myth of originality (vs. word-for-word plagiarism) tend to escape me.
Weary,
Aunt Beast