 |
Saul ZaentzAmerican film producer and screenwriter
Date of Birth: 28.02.1921
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Career
- Music Industry Feud and Transition to Film
- Academy Award-Winning Films
- The Tolkien Legacy
- Tolkien Enterprises and Legal Battles
- The Lord of the Rings Adaptations
- Support for Peter Jackson
- Filmography
Saul Zaentz: A Visionary Film Producer and the Keeper of Tolkien's Legacy
Early Life and Career
Saul Zaentz was born into a Jewish family in New Jersey. After serving in World War II, he embarked on a career in the music industry, joining Fantasy Records, a jazz label. In 1967, he acquired the company.
Music Industry Feud and Transition to Film
A protracted legal battle with musician John Fogerty, who ridiculed Zaentz in his songs, prompted him to leave the music business and sell his interest in Fantasy Records. In the early 1970s, Zaentz transitioned to film production, where his remarkable career soared.
Academy Award-Winning Films
Zaentz's films have garnered countless accolades, including three Academy Awards for Best Picture: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975), "Amadeus" (1984), and "The English Patient" (1996). Other notable films include "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" (1988) and "Goya's Ghosts" (2006).
The Tolkien Legacy
Zaentz's association with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien began in the 1970s. He developed a screenplay for "The Lord of the Rings" but never produced the film. However, he became a fervent admirer of Tolkien's writing. In 1976, he acquired the rights to "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," including their characters, names, and universe.
Tolkien Enterprises and Legal Battles
Zaentz established Tolkien Enterprises, which oversees all adaptations, publications, and theatrical productions of the "Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" books. Christopher Tolkien, the author's son, heads the Tolkien Estate, which controls other works by Tolkien. Disputes between the two organizations have marred Tolkien's legacy, with Christopher Tolkien unsuccessfully attempting to prevent the filming of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit."
The Lord of the Rings Adaptations
Tolkien Enterprises has collaborated on numerous film adaptations of Tolkien's works. Zaentz was directly involved in Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated "The Lord of the Rings." In the 2000s, Peter Jackson became the producer of the New Line Cinema adaptations, with Zaentz stepping aside due to his advanced age.
Support for Peter Jackson
In 2008, a financial dispute between Jackson and New Line Cinema threatened the production of "The Hobbit" (2009). Zaentz firmly backed Jackson, declaring he would withdraw the license and find another studio if New Line Cinema did not resolve the issue by the end of 2009. The conflict was resolved, with Jackson remaining as producer and Guillermo del Toro directing.
Filmography
"Day of the Assassin" (1972)"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975)
"The Lord of the Rings" (animated, 1978)
"Three Warriors" (1978)
"Amadeus" (1984)
"The Mosquito Coast" (1986)
"The Unbearable Lightness of Being" (1988)
"The Playboys" (1991)
"The English Patient" (1996)
"Goya's Ghosts" (2006)
