05Mar
The Worlds of Fantasy
posted by Emma Payne
This programme about Tolkien and Mervyn Peake tries to set itself up as a battle between the two heavyweights of fantasy, uptight map-making vs moody surrealism, but it’s really interesting when it starts excavating all the pieces that the pair made their imaginary worlds out of - which apparently included the Somme, Worcestershire, ceremonial China and Arundel castle. And clouds. Nice to see Diana Wynne Jones among the talking heads, remembering sitting in Tolkien’s lectures - given very angrily, according to her. Don’t know what Toyah Wilcox is doing here, though.
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