Over 50 Years Ago, The Lord Of The Rings Was Quietly Saved By Being “Unfilmable”

Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy may have never been made if earlier attempts by one of the most acclaimed and celebrated filmmakers of all time had been successful. Originally, J. R. R. Tolkien published his novel, The Hobbit in 1937, and it immediately got a spectacular reception. But in 1954, Tolkien began releasing the sequel trilogy of books, collectively known as The Lord of the Rings.