Off_White Posted December 16, 2003 Posted December 16, 2003 badvoodoo said:unfortunately, no matter how much a filmmaker wants to stick to a book, things must be sacrificed to keep a film moving and to keep the audience engaged. I think the issue is that a book contains so much more detail and information, you just can't fit a novel into a three hour movie. A good novella is about as much as you can do. A example is "Stand By Me," the Steven King novella that was pretty much wholly transferred to film (caveat: it's been years since I've seen or read the story, so I may be wrong.) How long does it take to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy? How could you fit all that into just 9 hours? Still and all, it's a pity the scouring of the Shire was left out, I thought it added an important flavor to the story. Quote
Dru Posted December 16, 2003 Author Posted December 16, 2003 yeah, the scouring of the shire is tolkein's protest against industrial society represented by saruman! also saruman is the best-cast character in the movie except maybe for aragorn and gollum. Quote
glacier Posted December 16, 2003 Posted December 16, 2003 Dru said: yeah, the scouring of the shire is tolkein's protest against industrial society represented by saruman! ...also considering that the bulk of LOTR was written during WWII as a serial story for Tolkien's son in the army in Africa(?) - a time when a great evil was encroaching on the world. ... off to Cinerama to see Two Towers, extended. Quote
chelle Posted December 16, 2003 Posted December 16, 2003 So it sounds like you guys read the supplementary lit interpreting Tolkien's symbolism. What other deep insights should we be looking for? I haven't had the time to read up on the deep meaning in the books. I just like the story. Quote
Dru Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 Even with no Saruman and no Scouring it still Saw it last night. The girls will like the scene where Legolas and Aragorn run around with their shirts off, Just kidding Quote
glacier Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 Got in last night - The movie does rock - And for you who care, Shelob does not look like a tarantula, rather a large orb-weaver who has had a number of bad days. (No giant spiders were harmed in the making of this film). The portion with Frodo and Sam stuck to the book pretty well, if I remember right. The battle scenes were incredible, but what was with the hokey scene of Legolas taking down an oliphant on his own? All I could thing of was 'the empire strike back' AT-AT's. Great cavalry charge, btw. I need to get me an army of the dead. another mild omission (not necessary to the movie story) was Gandalf and Aragorn going up into the mountains where they find a sapling of the White Tree to replace the dead stump at Minas Tirith to signify the return of the king and the coming if the 4th age. With no 'Scouring of the Shire' it does leave the ending a bit weak, as the four hobbits return to a place that couldn't care less that they were gone. Quote
plexus Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 sneak peek of some action from Return Of The King! Dude, did you see him climbing down in the Emyn Muil head down. Don't think that stoor needs any pro...Great shot though Quote
Dru Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 ya but they slip the new tree in when all the petals are falling on the arwen-aragorn wedding scene i must admit i was thinking of the at-at walkers too when legolas takes out the oliphant! no saruman shelob though although that whole sequence was in two towers in the book. leaving frodo assumed dead at the end of two towers would have made a better cliff hanger ending imho. overall, fellowship and return rawked and two towers was a bit weak. i don't think Denethor is that evil in the book? Quote
glacier Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 i don't think Denethor is that evil in the book? I think the interpretation was fairly close - doesn't he have one of those 'eye' stones as well in the book, which was affecting him in preparations for war and feelings of hopelessness, as wel as his mental stability? - the whole sibling rivalry thing is cobbled together for the movie, though - Although it is a good contrast between the reaction of Theodan and Denethor to the loss of their sons. I remember being disappointed with 2 towers when Faramir takes the hobbits to gondor, rather than just releasing them as he did in the book, saying that he was not his brother and not tempted by the ring. The other big bitch I had with 2 Towers was that Helm's Deep was shown as this desperate last stand rather than a holding action, as in the book (also the banishment of the Rohirrim). And the contingent of elves reinforced Gondor, not Helm's Deep. And I need a trebuchet for my deck. Quote
Alex Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 ya but they slip the new tree in when all the petals are falling on the arwen-aragorn wedding scene oh! I didnt understand the significance of that no saruman I bet there is an ommitted scene in the extended DVD that shows Worm throwing the palantir and Gandalf breaking Sarumans staff anyway i don't think Denethor is that evil in the book? No, not evil but quite mad nonetheless. I thought Denethor was pretty well represented actually Quote
Dru Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 there ws a great article in Scientific American a few years ago on how to build your own trebuchet. I seem to recall that Dnethor is under the influence of the palantir, but that he's a nice enough guy that Pippin feels sad for him when he eventually dies agree that Helms Deep is the low point of Two Towers movie. oh except for the long "Aragorn is concussed and dreaming of Arwen" sequence which Ifelt did little for the plot. The battle for Gondor is way better. I don't think Osgiliath and Minas Tirith are that close together in the books either? Quote
Dru Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 OMFG we just triggered Iains geekometer! he's getting a pocket protector and taping up some glasses right now Quote
Dru Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 oh yeah i saw the preview last night for Spiderman 2 with Dr Octopus as the villain Quote
iain Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 OMFG we just triggered Iains geekometer! he's getting a pocket protector and taping up some glasses right now negative, have not seen any of these rings movies. They made for some stiff traffic coming back from the gym the other night. Almost was run over by some shithead fat elf in cloak driving a jeep cherokee Quote
glacier Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 there ws a great article in Scientific American a few years ago on how to build your own trebuchet. hell, you can even buy kits warwolf I seem to recall that Dnethor is under the influence of the palantir, but that he's a nice enough guy that Pippin feels sad for him when he eventually dies. yer right, I think they evilled him up a bit for the flick. agree that Helms Deep is the low point of Two Towers movie. oh except for the long "Aragorn is concussed and dreaming of Arwen" sequence which Ifelt did little for the plot. The battle for Gondor is way better Yeah, the whole 'Arwen will die if you don't become king' in ROTK grated a bit, although I did like the treatment overall of the Aragorn character having doubt and having to come to grips with his destiny as they did it in the movie, even if it wasn't as true to the book, where he went in with full knowledge and confidence. I don't think Osgiliath and Minas Tirith are that close together in the books either? Probably not, but they needed them for the short commute. Quote
glacier Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 oh yeah i saw the preview last night for Spiderman 2 with Dr Octopus as the villain Ours also had a preview for 'Touching the Void' [insert shiver graemlin here] Quote
E-rock Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 Aside from all the knit-picks about story interpretation, here's why the whole series sucks. The music.... SUCKS The acting.... SUCKS The script..... dear God does it ever SUCK The story is told as a series of action sequences instead of as a story..... which TOTALLY FUCKING SUCKS. In short to the whole SUCK-ASS series of movies. I'm glad it's finally over. Quote
Dru Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 LOSER! Cate Blanchett in elf ears is worth the price of admission in all 3 movies The casting rox, the actors can act, just look at Andy Sirkis! Why don't you go off on the Peter Jackson is racist tangent whil U at it? You know, the only black and asian people appearing in the movie are servants of Sauron, etc. Quote
Lord_Bosco Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 Found some photos taken of some of the many fans at the opening of the new Lord of the Rings Movie. Looks like quite a few (all?) of the cc.com regulars were there! Quite a crowd! It just shows that there is no rule that says that if one is a climber, that one cannot likewise be a patron of the arts! Lord Bosco was busy that evening but would not have attended anyway. Quote
Off_White Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 ummm, dude? Those are Trekkies? Get your cults straight please before you feel compelled to diss them. Quote
plexus Posted December 23, 2003 Posted December 23, 2003 Saw it last night on the IMAX here in Denver. Cool!! The eagles and mumakil were two of my highlights. Some small nitpicks: I wanted to see Pippin kill a troll!! I wanted to see Rangers!! And gosh darnit, I wanted to see the Pukels!!! So would you call the stairs up to Shelob's lair Class 3 or 4? Quote
Blake Posted December 23, 2003 Posted December 23, 2003 I'd say very exposed class 3. (Maybe the dragons make it more hazarous) Quote
Dru Posted December 23, 2003 Author Posted December 23, 2003 they didn't rope up so it must be 3rd class.... Quote
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