Comments on: “Hobbit pub in Southampton threatened with legal action”

By: Flemur

Flemur — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:05:01 +0000

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Hobbit
“The word (hobbit) also turns up in a very long list of folkloric supernatural creatures in the writings of Michael Aislabie Denham (d.1859), …”

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:52:09 +0000

It looks like they did go a bit too far and used likenesses from the film. They have a picture of Elijah Woods as Frodo on their loyalty card and images of the entire cast (drawn, but obviously them) on their sign. Other things, like the menu items named after movie characters is more innocuous, but my guess is they wouldn’t have caught the ire of the company without using the images first.

(Otherwise, Bilbo Baggins tavern in Old Town Alexandria, VA would be in trouble)

By: Hugo S. Cunningham

Hugo S. Cunningham — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:56:18 +0000

@J.T. Westling–
I believe Tolkien or his heirs sold many of their rights, some of which the studio may have acquired legally.

If the pub were using images from the film, I would say the studio has a point. But if the pub is only referring to the books, published more than 50 years ago, then they deserve a pass (though the law may be against them).

By: J.T. Wenting

J.T. Wenting — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:44:44 +0000

What do the Tolkien Heirs have to say about that? They’re the ultimate owners, not some lawfirm hired by a movie studio.