So now that the fantastic LOTR trilogy and...the other trilogy...are both done, I'm thinking about the Silmarillion.
Mainly I'm just confused why people keep saying the silmarillion is simply not movie material.
I beg to differ. While obviously the ENTIRETY could not be made as a movie, there are a number of parts in the book where the narrative zooms way in and focuses on a single story for a significant period of time. I'll put one below along with my thoughts.

Beren and Luthien
This would make an excellent story for one or two (NOT THREE) films.
It has Beren's homeland being taken by orcs, his father and him being in a band of fugitive fighters for the first act.
His father and the others are betrayed by the guy who was promised his wife in return (by a much more involved Sauron), Beren fights alone, and then finds his way through the terrors of the Nan Dungortheb (excellent horror material) and into the Girdle of Melian, where he meets Luthien. Quite possibly the movie could start with him finding out his father is dead, and the other stuff is backstory.
Luthien returns to him, they fall in love, and then (oh no!) that stupid singer-elf tells Luthien's father Thingol, and Beren is captured and then given the quest of the silmarils to gain Luthien's hand.
END ACT ONE

Second act is him heading off alone to nargothrond, gaining friends there (along with all the fantastic intrigue) heading north and being captured by sauron.
The werewolf eating his companions one by one until his friend (forgot his name) fights it to death.
Then beren is alone in the dungeon when Luthien and Huon come to rescue him, showing what badasses they are by DEFEATING SAURON.
Then beren and luthien take a break in the wilderness, and then Beren stupidly thinking he needs to try getting the silmarils alone.
Beren gets deep into enemy territory alone, and then Luthian and Huon come to help him again in disguise.
Then the three of them head to Morgoth's lair, and luthien again outsmarts the evil dark lord, they get the silmarils, beren gets his hand bitten off by Carcharoth the Wolf (easily the coolest name ever). END ACT TWO

They escape, but Carcharoth goes on a rampage with the silmaril and Beren's hand inside him, and when Buthien (their celebrity name) gets back to menegroth, Thingol, Beren, Huon, and others finish off the movie by killing Carcharoth in an epic Hound-Hunter-Wolf battle to end the film.

Now maybe you could get into the whole Beren dies, and Luthien dies, and then sings to Mandos and gets Beren back, but that might be unnecessary (like the Scouring of the Shire). Love has already proven its worth at this point.

Of course, the tale of Turin would make an awesome tragedy, especially if contrasted with Tuor's adventures as well.

My point is, while the whole silmarillion would better serve as a setting than a story, there are several potentially AWESOME movies within the framework.

Any thoughts? Feelings? Rage?