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Jaraxle · Fri Mar 15, 2002 2:28 pm

As I have not read the book, I can't comment on that aspect of it.
I saw the movie (finally) about 2 weeks ago, and thought it was great, possible the best movie I have seen in a fantasy/sci-fi setting. I was impressed with how realistic the characters and landscape looked, I wasn’t disappointed in the visual effects arena.

Just wondering about other peoples POV about this movie? (and/or have you read the book)

0oALio0 · Wed Mar 20, 2002 9:40 pm

I've read the books (and many other tolkien books) and i have to say i'm somewhat surprised that the movie followed it so religiously. The story was great and all aspects of "Middle Earth" were very true to what i thought it would look like as I read the story. Overall, i think it was great for a movie (especially when you compare it to other LotR movies like that AWFUL cartoon one).

Bruce · Thu Mar 21, 2002 4:32 am

I made some comments here a while ago. I've since re-seen the film, and I don't think I've changed my opinion too much.

Maybe I'm a Tolkien purist, but I thought they'd have done their homework better and found that Tolkien removed all references to tomatoes from the books - they're a new world vegetable, and Middle Earth parallels the old world.

I think the first half was great - the shire scenes and the pre-history, but the second half was a bit disjointed. The Lorien scenes simply didn't make sense unless you'd read the book and knew the story.

There's big continuity error near the end involving the ring and the magically appearing/disappearing/reappearing chain.

Overall it was good for a fantasy film. Ian McKellen was great. But I'm not sure I'd rate it highly in my list of favourite films.

And I've heard they've had to alter the story more for parts 2 and 3 to make it work in a movie - I don't think I'm too fired up about that.

Bruce

zgirl · Thu Mar 21, 2002 8:55 am

Any time a movie is made from a book things are going to be lost. I mean I've heard so many complaints about things missing from LOTR, but my God the movie was 3 hours long. If they put every little scene that was in the book. I'd still be sitting in the theatre watching the damn thing!

I think they stayed very true to the book. Yes there were a few ackward moments when I realized things were missing. However for a change I thought they did a terrific job of getting the book into movie form without screwing it up too much.

The visuals and effects were great I felt like I was there watching the whole thing. That the basic thing I look for in a fantasy movie. Can I believe what I'm seeing. That and considering some other books made into movies. Well, they did a damn fine job.

Nothing is perfect.

ANApex · Thu Mar 21, 2002 9:03 am

I know I'm a tolkien purist, the movie just changed too much for me to enjoy it.

Vrock · Thu Mar 21, 2002 10:51 am

On 2002-03-21 08:03, ANApex wrote:
I know I'm a tolkien purist, the movie just changed too much for me to enjoy it.

Personally I loved the movie, can't wait till it comes out in a directors cut on DVD. First read the LOTR trilogy when I was 13 and have reread it many times since.

I think that the stuff they left out/changed is less noticeable than what they did right. The scenes where the movie mirrors the book makes the scenes that don't look that much weaker. Example: The best scene in the film was taken straight out of the book: Gandalf's battle with the Balrog. The dialogue is almost exact, the scenery is perfect, the battle sequence right in line with the book. When I watched that scene in movie theater, my hair stood on end because it was as if my mind's image of the battle had been projected onto the screen.

That one scene to me was both the best and the most disheartening. It was the best because it was so exact in detail, and it was the most disheartening because it showed how much better an already excellent film could have been if they were able to duplicate that exactness in the other scenes.

OK now I'm rambling...sorry :grin:

tanker27 · Thu Mar 21, 2002 12:23 pm

My question is, what are the Ents going to look like. Or are they going to be left out like Tom Bombadil? I have read they book(s)(Tolkien even states IT IS NOT A TRILOGY) so many times and I now rereading it again. Every time I pick up on something new. The movie(s) just adds to that. LOTR is a great movie. J.R.R. Tolkien is also a great story teller.

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[ This Message was edited by: tanker27 on 2002-03-21 11:25 ]

Vrock · Thu Mar 21, 2002 12:29 pm

All indications are the Ents are going to be there. I really don't see how they couldn't be as the Ents are the ones largely responsible for destroying Isengard and putting an end to the evil of Saruman. I bet you they will look like very tall, large men that are made out of treelike materials :smile:

As far as what other creatures are going to look like, I'm wondering a bit about Shelob (yeah, I know, big spider, but how will she LOOK?)

Tom Bombadil was kind of comic relief, a free spirit character who had nothing to do with the big picture. He was fun though, and probably could kick some serious ass if the mood seized him, or he cared to (which he wouldn't)

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[ This Message was edited by: Vrock on 2002-03-21 11:32 ]

tanker27 · Thu Mar 21, 2002 12:33 pm

Thanks for spoiling it!!!!! :grin:

(not really I knew that)

Vrock · Thu Mar 21, 2002 12:44 pm

Ents are cool. It will be cool to see them destroy stuff.

I want more epic battle sequences in the next movie(s). The big battle in front of Minas Tirith ought to be good but we will have to wait for the third movie to see it.

The battle at Helm's Deep though is coming up in the next movie, that should be interesting too.

tanker27 · Thu Mar 21, 2002 12:57 pm

I also want to see how Gollum interacts with Sam and Frodo. In FOTR he was a computer animated creature. Or what the Nazgul is going to look like. or even Shelob! :grin:

lenzenm · Thu Mar 21, 2002 1:39 pm

On 2002-03-21 11:57, tanker27 wrote:
I also want to see how Gollum interacts with Sam and Frodo. In FOTR he was a computer animated creature. Or what the Nazgul is going to look like. or even Shelob!

They showed the Nazgul/Dark Riders repeatedly in the FOTR. Or do you mean the Nazgul's flying mounts, the over-sized undead bats?

ANApex · Thu Mar 21, 2002 1:55 pm

They showed the Nazgul/Dark Riders repeatedly in the FOTR. Or do you mean the Nazgul's flying mounts, the over-sized undead bats?

Not quite bats, Fell Beasts are what they're refered too if I remember right.

rikki tikki tavi · Thu Mar 21, 2002 1:55 pm

i forget how many times i have read the LOTR trilogy, but i was amazed at how well the film recreated the REALM of Middle Earth. it didn't have to be perfect, and i think it would have been nearly impossible to do so anyway. the point is is that what was created was mostly faithful, and that the overall look and feel definitely was Tolkien-esque. perfect? no. excellent? definitely.

i want to see it again, and can't wait to get it on DVD.

for a movie to follow a book so religiously, especially when the author is dead, is nearly unheard of these days. quit your whining!

Thu Mar 21, 2002 1:58 pm

I saw the movie back in December and was just floored at the time. I couldn't believe how closely they followed the book and just how well the movie was made.

But then I got this itch, I hadn't read the books in over five years and I just had to know what happened next. So I read them again. And then I found all the little things that they left out and my admiration for the movie went down a little.

But I realized that they can't include everything (no matter how much we want it) and decided to look at the movie based on its own merits and I fell in love with it again. Now I just can't wait until December to see the next one.

And I can't believe how many Acadamy nominations FOTR received. Usually SciFi/Fantasy movies get snubbed. It will be interesting to see how many it finally receives.

Jaraxle · Thu Mar 21, 2002 2:04 pm

Hmmm, looks like I need to read the book(s)

Question for all you diehard Tolkien followers. :wink:

Did Tolkien start the whole forgotten realms/D&D genre of sci-fi? Up until I saw the movie, I had no real idea that it was along the same lines as the forgotten realms books. (what I usually read) I once tried to watch the cartoon (~15 yrs ago?) and it was horrible and didn’t understand anything.

Vrock · Thu Mar 21, 2002 2:20 pm

On 2002-03-21 13:04, Jaraxle wrote:
Hmmm, looks like I need to read the book(s)

Question for all you diehard Tolkien followers.

Did Tolkien start the whole forgotten realms/D&D genre of sci-fi? Up until I saw the movie, I had no real idea that it was along the same lines as the forgotten realms books. (what I usually read) I once tried to watch the cartoon (~15 yrs ago?) and it was horrible and didn’t understand anything.

If by start you mean personally create then no. I think it's fair to say his works inspired the creation of D&D and things though.

lenzenm · Thu Mar 21, 2002 2:22 pm

On 2002-03-21 13:04, Jaraxle wrote:
Hmmm, looks like I need to read the book(s)

Question for all you diehard Tolkien followers.

Did Tolkien start the whole forgotten realms/D&D genre of sci-fi? Up until I saw the movie, I had no real idea that it was along the same lines as the forgotten realms books. (what I usually read) I once tried to watch the cartoon (~15 yrs ago?) and it was horrible and didn’t understand anything.

Hm. I'd say that he was the inspiration for the entire D&D and similiar universes, yes. However, he borrowed heavily from much older mythologies & combined them into a cohesive whole. IMNSHO, he is the founding father of modern fantasy, but not the father of all fantasy.

Jaraxle · Thu Mar 21, 2002 2:39 pm

Interesting, thanx for the replies. The forgotten realms happen to be my favorite novel genre. Maybe I should be surprised at myself for not checking out the origins of that genre.

tanker27 · Thu Mar 21, 2002 2:49 pm

Actually Tolkien created his own Language and alphabet. That is what started the whole LOTR. (plus a bet he made on the side). If you read the intro in the Hardbounds from Tolkien himself he states that the story is suppose to revolve around this new language he created from scratch ( which by the way is the elven language). AD&D have borrowed heavily from Tolkien. Hence the classes elves, ranger, wizard, etc.....

_________________
Steel on Target.

No roadmarch should begin without saying, "Driver move out!"

Why walk when you can ride?

[ This Message was edited by: tanker27 on 2002-03-21 13:49 ]

Princess Die · Thu Mar 21, 2002 5:36 pm

I think PJ & Co have done a damn fine job of bringing LoTR to the screen. I'm not a purist, but I am a big fan...read the series 3 or 4 times, Silmarillion, etc.. Right now I'm reading the Book of Lost Tales and Unfinished Tales.

My only comment to the Purists out there ( you know who you are ) :grin:

Is this:

Something is always changed in the transition from the written page to the silver-screen...How would you have made it fit into three hours AND made it into something good to watch for even the Tolkein Virgins(TM)? I for one, think it is perhaps the best transfer of a book into a movie that I have seen. ( It also kicks the crap out of that HIDEOUS Animated travesty )

I am personally waiting for:

The battle of Helms Deep. 'nuff said

The March of the Ents. Ents are too cool. I wan't to see the Huorns tear up some Orc a** and see the Ents raze Isengard.

The Witch-King as he confronts Gandalf at the gates of Minas Tirith...and meets his fate...

Vrock · Thu Mar 21, 2002 10:04 pm

The Witch-King as he confronts Gandalf at the gates of Minas Tirith...and meets his fate...

But Eowyn and Merry are the ones responsible for killing the Witch-King...and Eowyn is who I really want to see. I don't know who the actress is or what she looks like, but I've always liked the Eowyn character-a beautiful woman with a sword who ain't afraid to use it...nice :grin:

Thu Mar 21, 2002 11:11 pm

What I hope to see is the battle sequence between Gandalf and the Balrog after they fall into the pit. You know how it is mentioned in The Two Towers? Kind of like the flash-back sequence of Gandalf on the top of Orthanac that was in FOTR.

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[ This Message was edited by: Kevin on 2002-03-21 22:17 ]

Princess Die · Fri Mar 22, 2002 11:18 am

Vrock, yes I know that...I was just trying not to spoil it for anybody that didn't know.

Looking back I see that was dumb to worry about that. :smile:

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