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'Ancanar' goes for Tolkien Elves, not pointy-eared Elves - Lord of the Rings news - J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

November 29, 2000 at 16:21:37

Sam R. Balcomb, writer and producer of the movie 'Ancanar', just released the following statement concerning the Elf ears in 'Ancanar':

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Being read The Lord of the Rings for the first time when I was young, I was curious as to why Professor Tolkien never mentioned the Elves' traditional pointed ears. It was later in life when I realized that he never intended them to appear that way -- it was simply the clichéd vision of other fantasy creators, and that the physical appearance of Tolkien's Elves held a different majesty.

In pre-production for Ancanar my producer [Raiya Corsiglia] and I discussed this fact at length, and what approach we would take. At that point it was revealed that Peter Jackson's production would be using the pointy ears, and the reaction was mixed. We did some makeup tests (video of which was used in our prep trailer), trying to decide upon the "look" of our Elves. The Silmarillion Elves are notably different than the LOTR kind (those who didn't return West were mostly Wood Elves who enjoyed song and laughter, whereas the Noldor were grave and fierce).

I am happy to say, to those particular on the subject, that the Elves in Ancanar do not have pointy ears. It is our task to create a physical presence for this great race in the style which Tolkien always envisioned, and keep the light of Valinor burning in their eyes.

Sam R. Balcomb
Director, Ancanar

~ In conjunction with this statement, Ancanar.com has just had a major update, including more pics from the set, and most importantly, FIVE NEW STILLS of major Elven characters.

"Ancanar" is an independent fantasy movie inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmarillion stories. Ancanar is a young man who goes seeking a hidden city of the Elves. The story and landscape will seem very familiar to people familiar with The Silmarillion. The film will be theatrically released but will also be made available to interested fans through direct-to-video sales where theatrical releases are not possible.