Tolkien's Middle Earth holds a certain fascination for many of us, it seems. Three of the author's most impressive works, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Simarillion, have all been on the shelves of local bookstores for decades now, and, if the success of the film version of The Lord of the Rings is any indication, they will remain there for decades to come. These masterful works have such a broad appeal that J. R. R. Tolkien's fan base literally spans the globe.

And yet, they don't tell the whole story. For there is a less well known tale of Middle Earth, penned nearly half a century ago, that also survives.

The Harvard Lampoon's Bored of the Rings takes Tolkien's fabled realm and turns it upside down, inside out, rolls it into a ball, then nails the three pointer with it from just beyond the line.

This unabashed parody is laugh out loud funny. The narrative is written in the madcap comedic fashion of the '60s and early '70s, and although the story definitely has a Monty Pythonish flair, this is pure Americana. It crams the three immense volumes of The Lord of the Rings into a little more than one hundred and fifty mirth filled pages. But, despite this novel's brevity, everything is there (including Tom Bombadil, who has yet to make it to any of the animated or film versions). There are a multitude of pop culture references (most of which will be lost on the post '70's generations), but that does not mean that the reader will find the storyline to be any less amusing. The basic gist of this style of humor will still manage to shine through.

As the book itself notes on more than one occasion, Bored of the Rings is meant to be a parody of Tolkien's masterpiece. And in this particular aspect, it succeeds brilliantly. It is a funhouse reflection that holds nothing sacred, and which never tries to take itself too seriously. There are no deeper meanings to be found here, or hidden commentary. Bored of the Rings was written simply for a few laughs, and some pocket change. Still, if there is a deeper message to be found here, then it can be summed up in one sentence: the stark realities of the everyday world can never hope to equal the majesty of our dreams.

Kaa-ching!

So, if you're in need of a good laugh (and these days who isn't?) give this offbeat gem a once over. Whether you're a hardcore Tolkien fan, or just somebody who knows him as 'the hobbit guy', you're bound to get a few chuckles from this one. Snag yourself a copy and see if you agree.

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Shortly after the turn of the century, a speculative fiction series called Firefly debuted, ran for eleven episodes, and then was abruptly cancelled in mid season. And that, in most cases, at least, should have been that. However, the series' executive producer, much like his fictional transport crew, was simply unwilling to accept such a state of affairs. And so Serenity was born.

This is not the first time that a television show has made the transition from the small screen to major motion picture. Other notables include the original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The X-Files, just to name a few. However, this progression is the exception, rather than the rule. Usually, it's the other way around. A story will first premiere as a movie, and then make its way to television. Examples of this include films such as Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Logan's Run, Planet of the Apes, and (sometime in the near future) the decades spanning mega hit, Star Wars. When the opposite occurs, and a show moves from television to film, it is usually because that show has a large and dedicated fan base, which guarantees solid box office receipts. But Firefly only made it through half a season during its first run, and was dropped before it had the chance to develop such a following. This meant that there was no assurance that Serenity would score big at the box office. And yet, despite the odds, it still managed to make its way onto the big screen.

Serenity is the story of a loosely knit band of interstellar buccaneers, who seem to find themselves perpetually arrayed against the system. The crew of the Firefly class transport ship, Serenity, is made up of a group of rugged (and not so rugged) individualists, thrown together by necessity, rather than by desire or design. Because of this, the crew members often spend just as much time fighting amongst themselves as they do struggling with the powers that be. Always staying one step ahead of the law, these backwater entrepreneurs attempt to scratch out a meager living on the fringes of some distant solar system. They are not averse to making money above board, although the majority of their profits come from less reputable pursuits.

Perhaps one of the most interesting facets of this movie is the way that it balances the old with the new (much in the same way that George Lucas did with Star Wars). Serenity contrasts its futuristic technologies with rustic frontier settings. The combination of these two seemingly disparate elements makes the movie (and series) what it is: a western in space. While other speculative fiction programs have toyed with this concept (the original Star Trek was sold to the networks as "Wagon Train to the Stars"), Serenity remains the only sci-fi show to date that has made full use of this contrasting approach.

For fans of the truncated series, this movie will answer many of the nagging questions which were left unresolved when the show was cancelled, as well as provide them with a number of poignant moments, too. It will also give them a sense of closure (even though the rumor is that if Serenity flies, there could be one or two more movies in the pipe). For the casual moviegoer, Serenity will show them a side of science fiction that most of them have never seen (Ice Pirates notwithstanding).

 

Whether you're part of the "Browncoat Revolution" or just a fan of good speculative fiction, Serenity delivers. Give this 'western in space' a look, partners, and you'll see what I mean.

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