The Stanley Kubrick ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie that never was
When we discuss the great cinematic epics of the 20th century, 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick is one of the first movies that comes to mind. It’s a transcendental experience that defies rigid interpretations, capturing the history and future of human evolution in some of the most powerful images ever created. Despite the mastery Kubrick demonstrated in handling such a vast subject, he was still apprehensive about the immensity of one project that never saw the light of day.
Throughout his illustrious career, Kubrick had been attached to many ideas that fell through for a number of reasons. Ranging from an ambitious take on Napoleon’s story to a comprehensive production depicting the Holocaust, the American auteur had a lot of diverse interests that he wanted to translate to the big screen. One of those projects was a film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epic, The Lord of the Rings.
Initially, the interest in a Lord of the Rings adaptation was actually brought forward by The Beatles, who wanted to make a new album based on the infinitely nuanced world that Tolkien had created. When John Lennon pitched the idea to Kubrick, the Spartacus director immediately realised how difficult it would be to capture the essence of the source material as well as its unimaginable scale. To further complicate matters, Tolkien was against an adaptation that would involve The Beatles.
Although Kubrick was hesitant to tackle the project, it is fun to imagine what his version of Lord of the Rings would have looked like. While a score by The Beatles would have already elevated the level of the production, Kubrick’s visual flair and his pursuit of perfectionism would have undoubtedly turned it into one of the most memorable spectacles in film history. Eventually, the responsibility went to Peter Jackson, who knocked it out of the park.
During a conversation with the BBC, Jackson said: “Paul said, ‘Well, I’m glad we didn’t do it because you got to do yours and I liked your film.’ But I said to him, ‘Well, it’s a shame you didn’t do it because it would have been a musical’… What would The Beatles have done with a Lord of the Rings soundtrack album? That would have been 14 or 15 Beatles songs that would have been pretty incredible to listen to. So I’ve got two minds about it. I would have loved to hear that album, but I’m also glad I got the chance to do the films. But those songs would have been fascinating.”
While Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is widely seen as one of the greatest cinematic trilogies ever made, Tolkien fans will always retain a healthy curiosity for the unique interpretation Kubrick could have had of their favourite book series. However, it’s hard to imagine an adaptation that could be more loyal to the original text.
Watch the trailer of Peter Jackson’s version below.
