In his literary essay On Fairy Stories, J.R.R. Tolkien famously wrote that “in human art, fantasy is a thing best left to words”. Despite this claim, The Lord of the Rings is arguably one of the most profitable media franchises of the 21st century. It has inspired academy-award winning films and record-breaking TV series, and continues to generate material that resonates with new generations of fans to explore. This course
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The story of Tolkien on Film will be told chronologically, examining the challenge and stakes involved in adapting his works, and exploring the solutions filmmakers have found.
What will we cover?
Week one will focus on Tolkien himself, exploring not only his literary writings but his academic work on fantasy fiction. We will use this to examine some of the earliest attempts to adapt The Lord of the Rings and the troubles they highlight in adapting Tolkien’s works, including a 1955 BBC radio adaptation which Tolkien was reported to have hated. Week two will consider the first animated adaptations of Tolkien from the 1970s, including Ralph Bakshi’s The Lord of the Rings (1978) and the Rankin/Bass adaptations of The Hobbit (1977) and The Return of the King (1979). Week three will focus on the European adaptations of Tolkien’s works that followed in the 1980s, including the soviet-produced The Fabulous Adventures of the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (1985). Week Four will examine Peter Jackson’s New Line movie trilogy (2001-2003) and consider the reasons why it succeeded whether others were perceived to have failed. Weeks 5 and 6 will examine more recent attempts to adapt Tolkien’s works, including The Hobbit (2012-2014) and Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022-).
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Appreciate Tolkien’s theory and practice of fantasy writing, and the ways in which filmmakers have adapted these ideas to the big screen - Understand a chronological history of adaptations of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, and how these films intersected with social and cultural developments of their time. - Examine the differing ways Tolkien has been adapted to cinema, and evaluate which function as successful adaptations of the original literary works that inspired them.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is available for anyone with an interest in Tolkien’s writings or the films that inspired them. No specialist knowledge is required.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Articles and extracts from the films will be provided to you. The class will be structured around a combination of PowerPoint presentations, extended film clips and class discussions.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You will require a pen and paper (or laptop/device) but the tutor will provide all other materials such as handouts. The tutor will show extracts from films and you do not have to obtain them.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please look also for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.
Dr Alexander Sergeant is an award-winning film historian and theorist. His varied research interests include the history of popular culture, particularly within the US, and the intersection between film and philosophy. He is the author of Encountering the Impossible: The Fantastic in Hollywood Fantasy Cinema (2021), and co-editor ofFantasy/Animation: Connections Between Media, Mediums & Genres (2018). He is the co-founder of the popular website Fantasy-Animation.org and co-host of the Fantasy/Animation podcast.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/tolkien-on-screen1444390Tolkien on Screenhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/t/o/tolkien-on-screen-hf407-1080.jpg189189GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/Introductory & general/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/Courses/Weird and wonderful City Lit/Courses/Online courses2285117715481580174517311228511771580<p>In his literary essay On Fairy Stories, J.R.R. Tolkien famously wrote that “in human art, fantasy is a thing best left to words”. Despite this claim, The Lord of the Rings is arguably one of the most profitable media franchises of the 21st century. It has inspired academy-award winning films and record-breaking TV series, and continues to generate material that resonates with new generations of fans to explore. This course will explore the history of adapting Tolkien to the cinema, considering not only what was altered or left behind in attempts to turn Tolkien’s vast mythology into the stuff of popular cinema, but what might also have been enhanced as a result.</p><p>(Dr.) Alexander Sergeant is an award-winning film historian and theorist. His varied research interests include the history of popular culture, particularly within the US, and the intersection between film and philosophy. He is the author of Encountering the Impossible: The Fantastic in Hollywood Fantasy Cinema (2021), and co-editor ofFantasy/Animation: Connections Between Media, Mediums & Genres (2018). He is the co-founder of the popular website Fantasy-Animation.org and co-host of the Fantasy/Animation podcast.</p>003087421Tolkien on Screen189189https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/t/o/tolkien-on-screen-hf407-1080_2.jpgInStockEveningMonOnlineAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekday2026-09-14T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allSep 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHF407189189Tolkien on Screen189123189Alex Sergeanttolkien-on-screen/hf407-2627<p>In his literary essay On Fairy Stories, J.R.R. Tolkien famously wrote that “in human art, fantasy is a thing best left to words”. Despite this claim, The Lord of the Rings is arguably one of the most profitable media franchises of the 21st century. It has inspired academy-award winning films and record-breaking TV series, and continues to generate material that resonates with new generations of fans to explore. This course will explore the history of adapting Tolkien to the cinema, considering not only what was altered or left behind in attempts to turn Tolkien’s vast mythology into the stuff of popular cinema, but what might also have been enhanced as a result.</p><p>(Dr.) Alexander Sergeant is an award-winning film historian and theorist. His varied research interests include the history of popular culture, particularly within the US, and the intersection between film and philosophy. He is the author of Encountering the Impossible: The Fantastic in Hollywood Fantasy Cinema (2021), and co-editor ofFantasy/Animation: Connections Between Media, Mediums & Genres (2018). He is the co-founder of the popular website Fantasy-Animation.org and co-host of the Fantasy/Animation podcast.</p>0000-Available|2026-09-14 00:00:00The story of Tolkien on Film will be told chronologically, examining the challenge and stakes involved in adapting his works, and exploring the solutions filmmakers have found.<p>In his literary essay On Fairy Stories, J.R.R. Tolkien famously wrote that “in human art, fantasy is a thing best left to words”. Despite this claim, The Lord of the Rings is arguably one of the most profitable media franchises of the 21st century. It has inspired academy-award winning films and record-breaking TV series, and continues to generate material that resonates with new generations of fans to explore. This course will explore the history of adapting Tolkien to the cinema, considering not only what was altered or left behind in attempts to turn Tolkien’s vast mythology into the stuff of popular cinema, but what might also have been enhanced as a result.</p><p>(Dr.) Alexander Sergeant is an award-winning film historian and theorist. His varied research interests include the history of popular culture, particularly within the US, and the intersection between film and philosophy. He is the author of Encountering the Impossible: The Fantastic in Hollywood Fantasy Cinema (2021), and co-editor ofFantasy/Animation: Connections Between Media, Mediums & Genres (2018). He is the co-founder of the popular website Fantasy-Animation.org and co-host of the Fantasy/Animation podcast.</p>Week one will focus on Tolkien himself, exploring not only his literary writings but his academic work on fantasy fiction. We will use this to examine some of the earliest attempts to adapt The Lord of the Rings and the troubles they highlight in adapting Tolkien’s works, including a 1955 BBC radio adaptation which Tolkien was reported to have hated. <br>Week two will consider the first animated adaptations of Tolkien from the 1970s, including Ralph Bakshi’s The Lord of the Rings (1978) and the Rankin/Bass adaptations of The Hobbit (1977) and The Return of the King (1979).<br>Week three will focus on the European adaptations of Tolkien’s works that followed in the 1980s, including the soviet-produced The Fabulous Adventures of the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (1985). <br>Week Four will examine Peter Jackson’s New Line movie trilogy (2001-2003) and consider the reasons why it succeeded whether others were perceived to have failed. <br>Weeks 5 and 6 will examine more recent attempts to adapt Tolkien’s works, including The Hobbit (2012-2014) and Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022-).- Appreciate Tolkien’s theory and practice of fantasy writing, and the ways in which filmmakers have adapted these ideas to the big screen<br>- Understand a chronological history of adaptations of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, and how these films intersected with social and cultural developments of their time.<br>- Examine the differing ways Tolkien has been adapted to cinema, and evaluate which function as successful adaptations of the original literary works that inspired them.The course is available for anyone with an interest in Tolkien’s writings or the films that inspired them. No specialist knowledge is required.Articles and extracts from the films will be provided to you. The class will be structured around a combination of PowerPoint presentations, extended film clips and class discussions.You will require a pen and paper (or laptop/device) but the tutor will provide all other materials such as handouts. The tutor will show extracts from films and you do not have to obtain them.Please look also for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.Film studiesIntroductory & generalvirtual189189123HF407NONEMon14/09/26 - 19/10/2618:30 - 20:3018:3020:306 sessions (over 6 weeks)65-10 weeksWeekdayOnlineOnlineAlex SergeantBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-09-14T00:00:00+00:00EveningSep 2026Culture, history & humanities189189Tolkien on Screentolkien-on-screen/hf407-2627<p>In his literary essay On Fairy Stories, J.R.R. Tolkien famously wrote that “in human art, fantasy is a thing best left to words”. Despite this claim, The Lord of the Rings is arguably one of the most profitable media franchises of the 21st century. It has inspired academy-award winning films and record-breaking TV series, and continues to generate material that resonates with new generations of fans to explore. This course will explore the history of adapting Tolkien to the cinema, considering not only what was altered or left behind in attempts to turn Tolkien’s vast mythology into the stuff of popular cinema, but what might also have been enhanced as a result.</p><p>(Dr.) Alexander Sergeant is an award-winning film historian and theorist. His varied research interests include the history of popular culture, particularly within the US, and the intersection between film and philosophy. He is the author of Encountering the Impossible: The Fantastic in Hollywood Fantasy Cinema (2021), and co-editor ofFantasy/Animation: Connections Between Media, Mediums &amp; Genres (2018). He is the co-founder of the popular website Fantasy-Animation.org and co-host of the Fantasy/Animation podcast.</p>0000-Available|2026-09-14 00:00:00The story of Tolkien on Film will be told chronologically, examining the challenge and stakes involved in adapting his works, and exploring the solutions filmmakers have found.<p>In his literary essay On Fairy Stories, J.R.R. Tolkien famously wrote that “in human art, fantasy is a thing best left to words”. Despite this claim, The Lord of the Rings is arguably one of the most profitable media franchises of the 21st century. It has inspired academy-award winning films and record-breaking TV series, and continues to generate material that resonates with new generations of fans to explore. This course will explore the history of adapting Tolkien to the cinema, considering not only what was altered or left behind in attempts to turn Tolkien’s vast mythology into the stuff of popular cinema, but what might also have been enhanced as a result.</p><p>(Dr.) Alexander Sergeant is an award-winning film historian and theorist. His varied research interests include the history of popular culture, particularly within the US, and the intersection between film and philosophy. He is the author of Encountering the Impossible: The Fantastic in Hollywood Fantasy Cinema (2021), and co-editor ofFantasy/Animation: Connections Between Media, Mediums &amp; Genres (2018). He is the co-founder of the popular website Fantasy-Animation.org and co-host of the Fantasy/Animation podcast.</p>Week one will focus on Tolkien himself, exploring not only his literary writings but his academic work on fantasy fiction. We will use this to examine some of the earliest attempts to adapt The Lord of the Rings and the troubles they highlight in adapting Tolkien’s works, including a 1955 BBC radio adaptation which Tolkien was reported to have hated. <br>Week two will consider the first animated adaptations of Tolkien from the 1970s, including Ralph Bakshi’s The Lord of the Rings (1978) and the Rankin/Bass adaptations of The Hobbit (1977) and The Return of the King (1979).<br>Week three will focus on the European adaptations of Tolkien’s works that followed in the 1980s, including the soviet-produced The Fabulous Adventures of the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (1985). <br>Week Four will examine Peter Jackson’s New Line movie trilogy (2001-2003) and consider the reasons why it succeeded whether others were perceived to have failed. <br>Weeks 5 and 6 will examine more recent attempts to adapt Tolkien’s works, including The Hobbit (2012-2014) and Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022-).- Appreciate Tolkien’s theory and practice of fantasy writing, and the ways in which filmmakers have adapted these ideas to the big screen<br>- Understand a chronological history of adaptations of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, and how these films intersected with social and cultural developments of their time.<br>- Examine the differing ways Tolkien has been adapted to cinema, and evaluate which function as successful adaptations of the original literary works that inspired them.The course is available for anyone with an interest in Tolkien’s writings or the films that inspired them. No specialist knowledge is required.Articles and extracts from the films will be provided to you. The class will be structured around a combination of PowerPoint presentations, extended film clips and class discussions.You will require a pen and paper (or laptop/device) but the tutor will provide all other materials such as handouts. The tutor will show extracts from films and you do not have to obtain them.Please look also for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.Film studiesIntroductory & generalconfigurable
15481580Introductory & generalhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/film-studies/introductory-general1/2/285/1177/1580/15481/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/Introductory & general
