posted 12-20-2001 07:37            

dslhjlkjfg?!!!@$#%#^%

posted 12-20-2001 08:08         

Ok, I think that this movie warrants a bit more than I gave it. Jimbo nailed it on the head. This movie has to be best fantasy film creation ever. I think this stems from the fact that its based upon a text which was quite logically the first (and arguably the best?) fantasy epic ever written.

And in conjunction with this assertation, everything about the movie was *dead on*. The shire? Perfect. The relationship between Frodo and Bilbo, Gandalf and Bilbo? Flawless. Everything down to even the *trees* was done in a fashion that reflected the way they should look. Bag End was done well, and the hobbiton area in general was great. The encounter with Aragorn in the Prancing Pony, the internal conflict of love and loyalty of Boromir for Gondor and the salvation of his people from the coming darkness was both inspiring and tragic. The death of Boromir was one of the most powerful scenes for me in the book, and they did it tastefully and well. Aragorn at the alter of the shattered sword that cut the wring from the hand of Sauron. Legolas' skill with the bow and youthful loyalty. Gandalf's power and humanity. The stalwart simpleness and strength of Gimli the dwarf, and the fierce passion of his grief at the loss of family at Moria. The same comments go for the encounter with the Balrog in Moria. (which is an entirely different and beautifully done section. The dwarven pillars and Balrog were fantastic). I had trepidations that they would not be able to pull off nearly half of the majestic locales, but Jackson did all true fans a service in achieving almost perfection in portraying everything as it should be.

This is even without regards to the music, which in itself was phenomenal. It set the mood for every scene. Rather than dominate the movie's feeling and rhythm, it had an almost eery symbiotic relationship with it. Every single musical peice seemed to fit perfectly into each and every scene. The shire had a lovely celtic-like tune that was both carefree and whimsical in its simplicity. The steady march of evil was carried onward by unearthly voices of a full chorus. Everytime that the nazgul found Frodo, you clung to the edge of your seat. Everytime that the ring tempted Frodo or another character, you pleaded for them not to relent! The music didn't simply bring the true measure of the adventure to you, it included you within it. From subtle to bombastic, the true measure of the music's success can be estimated in leaps and bounds ahead of conventional theatrical compositions.

All the other various scenes and characters were played and illustrated to almost symphonic clarity with the original text. Granted, there were a few corners cut (I thin Arwen was used in place of one character for a small part. And the absence of Tom Bombadil gave me pause-was he book one?) and minute changes that don't jive with Tolkien's planning, but nothing on even a moderate scale for someone to care.

Those who didn't read the first book will just as fully enamoured and enthralled for those quickly-forgotten 3 hours as those of us who have read it (sometimes more than once).

As Samwise and Frodo overlooked the dangerous path ahead to Mordor, I knew the end was drawing near. With each breath I wished that the adventure could continue just a few moments longer. For a nearly 3 hour long feature, that is something that should be lauded. When the screen finally faded to darkness, and the credits appeared, there was a soft and short period of silence. Then, without prompting or any intense overexuberance, there was a sustained fit of clapping. The entire audience, as a whole, stood and started clapping for what seemed at least a minute if not more slightly longer. In that, I think I can attest that it has been an experience unlike any film experience I have had the pride to be witness to in some time, if at all.

I highly recommend that every see this movie, and enjoy Tolkien one more time. For those of you who have yet to ever truly immerse yourself in the wonderfully deep and verbose nature of his work, I beseech you to at least see this film.

As I have always stated to my friends, Tolkien's art should be experienced by everyone and every generation willing to embrace it. It is my sincere joy that with this film such an endeavor my come to pass.

posted 12-20-2001 11:07         

quote:

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Biggles said a whole bunch of stuff, but what i'm replying to is:
I think this stems from the fact that its based upon a text which was quite logically the first (and arguably the best?) fantasy epic ever written.

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Biggles, don't take this the wrong way, but are you on the bad crack?

I love Tolkien's work and have ever since i was 13 and read the hobbit and FOTR (except the silmarillion, which is technically great, but in practice reads like an army manual with all the zing and appeal of VCR programming isntructions,) but you've heard about Homer's The Odyssey right? Are you aware that that is considered an epic and is mostly fantasy (unless like soldiers really do get turned into pigs and gods help out humans for no good reason from time to time). JRRT's writing is probably the best written and certainly the most thorough epic fantasy -- and yes, imo, certainly the best, but it's not even close to being the first.

All that said, i'm glad to hear all you guys give it such good reviews, I was really worried it was going to suck ass in a major way (still haven't seen it cos work schedules keep shafting my free time, goddamit.)

posted 12-20-2001 11:35            

quote:

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Originally posted by Dave:
JRRT's writing is probably the best written and certainly the most thorough epic fantasy -- and yes, imo, certainly the best, but it's not even close to being the first.

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Hmm. I dunno that "best written" is the adjectival phrase I'd use to describe Lord Of The Rings - I love the story, and the mythos behind it, but Tolkien's writing style was so pedantic to me as to resemble barbiturates on paper.

And I will also say that there are some real differences between "epic fantasy" a la the Odyssey and "epic fantasy" a la Lord Of The Rings... while the Odyssey was all the adventures of the same crew, it really read to me more like a collection of short stories with a theme than like a single coherent epic.

Maybe it'd be more accurate to say that Lord Of The Rings was the first fantasy epic in the modern style?

posted 12-20-2001 12:21         

quote:

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Originally posted by Jimbo:

Maybe it'd be more accurate to say that Lord Of The Rings was the first fantasy epic in the modern style?

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Quite So. That was my intent. I apologize for the misconception.

I'm well aware of previous works. In fact, I did a research paper a few years back detailing the paralles (and direct admission of Tolkien saying there was an influence) between some facets of LotR and the works of Virgil. (Mainly Virgil's Aneid).

posted 12-20-2001 21:59            

Did CS Lewis write "fantasy epics"? Was he before JRRT?

Man, I can't wait til March when LOTR comes out here.

posted 12-20-2001 22:40         

While best known for his Christian kids' stuff (Chronicles of Narnia) and his apologetics (Mere Christianity, Screwtape Letters) his other stuff is _great_ -- particularly his apologetics on the subject of pain.

posted 12-21-2001 07:30         

I'm just glad that the movie is generating, or re-generating for some, an avid interest in Tolkien. I hope that it introduces new people to the books, because nothing beats the real thing. That goes for reading in general, too. I find that quite a few people have a distaste for reading at school (which is counterproductive, isn't it?). I'm hoping the movie may jump start their adventure in exploring fiction.

In addition to LotR, people should also take a look into some of the subsidary texts. The Book of Lost Tales, The Silmarillion, and non-Middle Earth related stories like Farmer Giles of Ham.

posted 12-26-2001 10:26            

but honestly the movie kicked major ass. i have ready the series the lost tales and silmarillion quite a few times. and i think that the movie was extremely well done. not great as a true-to-the-book great because it's not. but it is much better than almost any other movie that was adapted to a book except maybe dead poets society, where the book was made after the movie and you can read along to the movie.

and i love the little things in the movie, like one scene in the forest the camera pulls back and there are the trolls that gandalf turned to stone all covered in moss and vines. and stuff like that

posted 12-26-2001 12:46         

if you know the book, you know what an exceptional job was done in keeping the movie true to the book (well...some omissions and changes, but those are minor indeed) and you know that the movie is essentially the same as the book with like two or three scenes cut, condensed or altered.

everyone else who sees this movie (ie, non-fans,) will like it but be annoyed by the length and the ultra-downer non-resolved cliffhanger ending. I think the 2nd and 3rd movies will do much better, cos they'll be bolstered by video/DVD sales and the good reviews this one's getting.

I think David Bowie would have been a good casting choice for one of the humans in the 2nd book like the king of the mark or the steward of gondor, or maybe one of the elves, but the fucking casting was GREAT, ditto the scenery, the acting itself. I really got fucking annoyed at the music -- the fucking dialogue is more important than your swelling trumpets, mr. incidental-music-guy. there were a few incongruities that bothered me (like Galadriel's voice through a phaser to give her an "evil" voice during the "set up an evil queen" part or Bilbo's CGI when he almost jumps Frodo for the ring.) And right around the 15th time elijah woods gave the camera his tired-but-undefeated-cherubic-hobbit-face-turning-to-camera-in-a-hopeful-way face i got real fucking tired of it. But these are my anal-retentive-fanboy quibbles, I've been telling all my friends (that have asked) that the movie rocks and needs to be seen a quintillion times.

posted 12-27-2001 00:58            

What ges me is that all the movies are finished, I want to steal the rest. I can't wait !

posted 12-28-2001 12:41         

All the CGI stuff made it look really "phantom menace" and that sucked. The balrog was cool though.