OK, I've gotta ask...

Message

Lord Dimwit · #1 Post by **Lord Dimwit** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 6:59 pm

...since everyone here (and particularly in this forum) is obviously a Tolkien enthusiast and have undoubtedly seen the last LOTR movie, I'd like some opinions.

How'd you like Return of the King? Uninhibited adulation? Complete disgust? Was it a fitting end to the trilogy? Was it the best part or did the other movies outshine it?

Just trolling for input..

zasvid · #2 Post by **zasvid** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:25 pm

Well, what to say... still shocked after Pelennor Battle... and the perfectly made journey through Mordor... I'm gonna see it tomorrow again, maybe then I'll be able to tell something more... but certainly I liked it.

Neil · #3 Post by **Neil** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:59 pm

I refuse to watch any of the movies. I was leaning against seeing them, and when I heard about some plot changes, my mind was made up.

Nerdanel · #4 Post by **Nerdanel** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 10:15 pm

It's a great film. I experienced a Second Viewing Syndrome which cured my First Viewing Syndrome and now I think RotK may be the best of the spectacular lot. There are lot of moments that are Pure Awe and everything from the end of the intermission (which some theaters have) to the destruction of the Ring goes in what feels like half an hour.

I still haven't accepted what they did to Denethor though, and I'm usually a staunch revisionist.

Teber · #5 Post by **Teber** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 12:06 pm

Neil wrote:I refuse to watch any of the movies. I was leaning against seeing them, and when I heard about some plot changes, my mind was made up.

you took the words right out of my fingers...

Ben-San Arizona · #6 Post by **Ben-San Arizona** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 3:28 am

I treat the differences between the movies and the book as follows: Tolkien in some ways treats the books as if they are a recounting of an ancient epic, which is of course frequently recorded in differing forms due to the changes of oral tradition, local preferences of various editions, and so on. Thus, I consider the movie as based on a different interpretation of the originating myth, just as (for example) a movie about the Arthurian myths might take a version different from Malory or White's.

Lord Dimwit · #7 Post by **Lord Dimwit** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 8:39 am

Interesting... I know Tolkien fans who've gone to the movies just to heckle, but I haven't heard of anyone up to this point who flatly refued to go... huh.

Teber · #8 Post by **Teber** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 10:37 am

freedom of speech implies freedom of listening. or viewing in this case....

Maylith · #9 Post by **Maylith** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 5:14 pm

Regarding the plot changes: What Ben-San said. And also, you need to consider what is possible/probable/feasible to do in the medium. I'm waiting with bated breath for the director's cut. But even that version can't be complete, unless the entire movie were to be... well, how may hours long? I'd happily sit through such a thing, given intermissions, but many people would not.

I loved RotK and thought it was exceptionally well done (as were the other two films.) I won't belabor it, but that film took my breath away in awe far more than once. That being said, some of the visuals didn't synch up with what I'd imagined in the past: some details were far, far better, some not as good, others just plain different, and interesting & valuable for that.

I respect the choice of those who say they don't want to watch the movies. It's a true tribute to JRR. (But I do have to say you are missing out.

)

TobiasParker · #10 Post by **TobiasParker** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 5:04 pm

i am very very very happy that the movies did not encapsule my two least favorite parts of the book...

1.)All that freakin walking!

2.)The months upon months spent in rivendell/lothlorien

Lord Dimwit · #11 Post by **Lord Dimwit** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 6:23 pm

TobiasParker wrote: 1.)All that freakin walking!

On the other hand, I'm pretty certain that the journey across Mordor takes exactly three minutes in the ROTK movie (both in screen time and real time).

zasvid · #12 Post by **zasvid** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 6:32 pm

Lord Dimwit wrote:
TobiasParker wrote: 1.)All that freakin walking!
On the other hand, I'm pretty certain that the journey across Mordor takes exactly three minutes in the ROTK movie (both in screen time and real time).

Hoom... what do you do expect from hobbits going to take on Mt. Doom?
My chars get usually +40 speed at this stage

More seriously, maybe more will be added in extended versions. After all sitting in the cinema for three hours and seeing as hobbits do 15-minute march through Gorgoroth wouldn't be exceedingly comfortable experience, right?

PowerWyrm · #13 Post by **PowerWyrm** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 10:35 pm

Very spectacular movie... didn't see the 4 hours of time passing. Still wondering what they all forgot at the end of the movie... wait! they left Theoden on the battlefield without even burying him! Man as king of Rohan I would have expected to have great funerals...

Lord Dimwit · #14 Post by **Lord Dimwit** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 3:22 am

Now that I remember it, you're right. And they didn't make it clear that Eowyn didn't die (there was only one shot of her after her battle with the Witch-King).

Quite an oversight. And I thought Theoden was one of the best executed characters in the latter two movies...

Makkoan · #15 Post by **Makkoan** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 3:50 pm

I could go on for a long while about the changes they made and pointing out with each one how it was a critical aspect to the story and how it totally ruined the plot and tarnished forever the LoTR story........but whenever I fell a need to criticize the movie I remember this quote by Peter Jackson:

You shouldn't think of these movies as being The Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings is, and always will be, a wonderful book - one of the greatest ever written. Any films will only ever be an interpretation of the book. In this case my interpretation.

You heard it straight from the horses mouth, its not really LoTR so it doesn't have to follow the plot exactly.

On the other hand it still carrys the name LoTR, so I am still somewhat offended by the changes.

Oh and about ROTK, it was OK, but they changed way to many things.....