Lloyd Alexander was born on January 30, 1924. That makes today his 90th birthday. This being the case, I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect and share my thoughts on Lloyd Alexander, and who he is to me.
It has now been a little over a year since I finished making the documentary titled "Lloyd Alexander". In this film I attempted to pay tribute to, in my opinion, one of the greatest fantasy authors of all time. My biggest hope in making the film was to create more awareness of him and his writings. I am pleased to say that I have had countless people who have told me that they read his books for the first time because of the film. As I reflect on the experience of making this documentary there are a few thoughts that I want to share.
First, as I became consumed by learning all that I could about Lloyd Alexander, I came to love both him and his wife, Janine, almost as if they were Grandparents that I never knew. I never had the opportunity to meet the Alexanders, but through reading about them, talking with their friends and family, and visiting the places they called home (with the exception of going to France, where Janine is from), I feel as though I was able to get a glimpse into what life would have been like had I known them. And that is a happy thought.
Second, as I went through the process of making the film, I met many people whose lives have been changed by the influence of Lloyd Alexander. Some of these people were friends or colleagues of his. I met some who loved him so dearly that they were nervous of my project. And many of the people that I met had their lives changed by reading his books. This is the category that I fall into. Lloyd Alexander had such a way with words that he was able to do more than entertain. He somehow found a way to connect with individuals, and inspire each of us that read his words to become more than we were, to reach after our dreams, and to take pride in our work even if we are assistant pig-keepers.
Finally, I am very glad that I had the opportunity to make this film. It truly made me a better human being. It helped me learn more about the human condition. It introduced me to many wonderful people. It taught me that no matter how big or far away our dreams may seem, nothing is impossible if we work hard and persevere. I hope that as people are exposed to this film for generations to come, they can have part of the same learning experience that I had making it. I hope that many others can come to know and love Lloyd Alexander, just as I have been able to.
Today, for his 90th birthday, we are permanently dropping the price of the DVD's down to $10.00. Also, I am releasing 5 different clips from the documentary throughout the day. They will be available on the Lloyd Alexander YouTube channel
here. We will eventually have the full film available on this YouTube channel, although I am not sure when exactly that will be.
Here is the first of the clips. This clip is 4 minutes from the beginning of the documentary. I hope you enjoy.
