For What It's Worth...

[Theoden]

I know that all of us die hard Tolkien fans would find fault with any version of LotR movie, no matter how close to the book it was. So what I wnat to know from you guys is this: Do you think that as a MOVIE, tFotR was well done. And why. I am really interested.

For my part, I think that PJ did a good job. I didn't like some parts but on a whole, I thought he portrayed ME really well and gave did the character (or at least most of them) justice. I did not care for the UrukHi scene with the pods... that was too weird. Anyway, let me know!

-me

[Talimon]

As a movie it's incredible and timeless.

As an interpretation it keeps many of the same themes but lacks the charachter and wit portrayed in the books.

[Úlairi]

A brilliant movie nevertheless, one of the best I've seen. It deserved the thirteen Oscars it was nominated for.

[DGoeij]

Good job, but PJ did make some serious mistakes. Visually it was astounding and I give him and his crew a lot of credit for that.
But he messed up a couple of scenes IMHO. If he had kept away from 'true to the book' statements and used 'my interpretation' from the beginning, I would have felt better.

[Flame of Anor]

LOTR: FOTR was one of the best movies I have ever seen and it is worth seeing many times. Loved every minute of it.

-Flame

[ReadWryt]

I'm going to refrain from comment because I think that people are sick of hearing my feelings on this subject other then to say that as far as movies go I think it was amazing to see...

[Talimon]

Originally posted by DGoeij
Good job, but PJ did make some serious mistakes. Visually it was astounding and I give him and his crew a lot of credit for that.
But he messed up a couple of scenes IMHO. If he had kept away from 'true to the book' statements and used 'my interpretation' from the beginning, I would have felt better.

Not to make any more arguments, but I have to insist that PJ never said "true to the book" relentlessly. He has two very good quotes, one of them saying that his first goal is to make 3 good movies, rather then 3 good interpretations. His second quote is as follows:

"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."

I'll try and get the other quote, but to me these two quotes combined really say it all. Sure, you can find other quotes by him saying how "we are finding that the further we go along the more we are sticking to the books", but that's not really a promise. PJ never promised anything. People can't hold him for much.

Knowing PJ's goals, I never expected the movie to be much more then an action blockbuster. The fact that it was so much deeper and more beautiful then that really impressed me. Maybe my expectations were much lower then most peoples, but I was really impressed by how true the movie stuck to the book. I, for one, never expected any of the dialogue to be kept. I had taken it for granted that it would all be changed. I had expected Matrix-style slow motion battles, loads of CG only scenes, and a much more modern soundtrack. I agree, all these things would have been horrible had they been included, but I wouldn't have been surprised. I was never expecting much.

Having seen what I've seen (and knowing that more good stuff was shot and will be included on the DVD), I am shaking in anticipation for TTT.

[Úlairi]

Originally posted by ReadWryt
I'm going to refrain from comment because I think that people are sick of hearing my feelings on this subject other then to say that as far as movies go I think it was amazing to see...

RD, your opinion is extremely valid, and I can't see why you can't post here. I've read it before, however, I'm sure some haven't.

[DGoeij]

Talimon, I'm not in for that argument, but I never mentioned promise, I mentioned statements.
Maybe PJ himself even thought he was going to stay very close to the book at first, but somehow it didn't work out for him. Maybe one day we'll know for sure. *shrug*
At least the latter statements you quoted are more close to reality IMHO. Most of it my personal gut feeling anyway.:)

[Talimon]

Yeah, I really want to hear more from PJ on the movies. I heard there's going to be commentary on the Novembere DVD's, so that will be a good 3 1/2 hour source ;). He'll have to watch what he says there, because people will quote him to death. But I get the feeling he is much more easy going then that. To me it looks like he has his vision and is very confident of it. That's truely the sign of a great artist. It could be so easy to loose confidence along the road, especially such a tough one as this, but PJ has been all too cool. That's very admirable, at least to me.

[Xanaphia]

As a movie it was beyond wonderfull, thte best I've ever seen!!! But as for matching up to the book? I have not yet seen a movie that is better than a book version of it and really intend to.There was no way the movie could have matched EVERYTHING EXACTLY and I understand that. They had to add in and take out some stuff to make it apeal to more audiances other than LOTR fans. So the movie was as good as you could REALISTICALLY expect it could ever be. (Perhaps even better:))

[Úlairi]

I think most opinions of the movie are similar. However, I am partially inclined to take heed the words of RW, as what he says is quite truthful. However, he sometimes fails to see that the movie was an adaption, not the same as. :p

[Gandalf_White]

Good movie but PJ was off of the book. I don't see what problem he had with keeping to the real story. I hated how he portrayed Arwen! What a disgrace to Tolkien. The orcs were a little too overboard. Aragorn and Arwen weren't that deeply in love as PJ showed. I hate how nowadays people seem to think there has to be love in EVERY SINGLE MOVIE! I didn't like how Galadriel was done either. She was supposed to be nice. PJ turned her into a white witch. I have other complaints too. But I just ignore the faults. All in all it was a good movie.

[Úlairi]

Its unanimous, so what's the point now anyway?

[Selkieschild64]

Aragorn and Arwen weren't that deeply in love as PJ showed.

I believe they were. There were a lot of subtle suggestions in the bood that alluded to Aragorn being deeply in love with Arwen (not including the appendix which pretty much says they were).

Kelly

[Lhunithiliel]

Brilliant work, I say!!!

I like the fact that PJ could (How could he ever do it?!) in two "miserable" hours, present an epic, that needs a human life-long-time to fully read and understand!
I wished each film were at lest twice as long!
I wish (and I'm sure PJ also did!) every character and/or place from the book were in the movie....but I understand it is not possible!

I LOVED the FOTR! Now I can't wait for the TTT!

[Talimon]

3 hours, not 2 :).

[pohuist]

I can forgive omissions (lack of time, etc) but I will never undestand why a good story should be changed. What's the reason behind dropping a bucket instead of trowing the stone? Battle of wizards, the whole Arwen business, battle with the throll( who was 10 times bigger than he is supposed to be) are just a few examples (there are many) of HORRIBLE changes to the book that change personality of characters. I don't think artistic license gives someone such broad rights as PJ assumed.

As far as the movie goes, I liked it a lot. And the Balrog scene is spectacular.

[Ariana Undomiel]

Well, good question, Theoden. My father has been reading the entire series to me for the past ten years and I have been waiting that long for them to make a movie from the books. I personally adore both the books and the movie, but each for what it is. The books can never be potrayed perfectly, but they are not necessarily supposed to be. They were written inorder for the reader to let his or her imagination soar along with Tolkien's, to see Middle Earth through his eyes and then some. The Fellowship of the Ring the movie is well done and a visual masterpiece even if it takes several differnent courses that steer away from the books. PJ followed his imagination and pulled off a brilliant film. So three cheers for him!

~Ariana