RACE, EMPIRE AND RETURN OF THE KING

orcs wit attitude?

J-Swift over at the blog, hiphopmusic.com writes about race, rhythm and Return of the King, raising the issue that Tolkein's world is colored in troubling shades of racism, a theme that the UK's Guardian picks up in more detail. Over at Opendemocracy.Net is an even longer exposition about framing the Lord of the Ring cinematic enterprise against the backdrop of current global politics and a return to empire. This, in turn, is replied to here. The debate rages like the Battle of Pellinor Fields! Or something like that. (thanks to sharon who dug up the latter two links and happens to be a big LoTR fan, even if she does get indignant over the changes Jackson made relative to Tolkien's text)