AbsoluteZero
Banned
I've never seen any of these films, come to think of it.
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The Fellowship of the Ring is ten years old
- Thread starter Edmond Dantès
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Edmond Dantès
Dantès the White
It's bee exactly tens years since The Fellowship was released in US theatres.
Here we are tens years on and we're all anticipating another journey into Middle-Earth. To borrow a quote from Indiana Jones, I'm as giddy as a schoolboy.
What a time to be alive for Tolkien enthusiasts.
Here we are tens years on and we're all anticipating another journey into Middle-Earth. To borrow a quote from Indiana Jones, I'm as giddy as a schoolboy.
What a time to be alive for Tolkien enthusiasts.
RPGCrazied
Member
My favorite flims, I have the extended cut DVD's. I hope I can get the blu-ray versions at some point, cause the DVD's are showing their age.
I remember this. I specifically remember saying "don't worry about it" to somebody on the way out of the theater! hehe
XANDER CAGE
Member
It's really a shame that the CG in these movies has aged so poorly, considering how good a lot of the practical effects in the movie are. I was blown away by the cave troll at the time. Now? It's a bit painful to watch.
Still love this film series. Fuck the extended editions though, they should be called the Desperate Plea for an Editor editions.
Still love this film series. Fuck the extended editions though, they should be called the Desperate Plea for an Editor editions.
What saves the cave troll is his personality. I always feel remorse when he dies.
The Extended Editions add some much needed backstory and dialog. Particularly regarding Saruman. He gets a lot more screentime in the EE's. They're really long, but the theatrical versions are vastly inferior, IMO.
The cave troll looked crappy back then as well. Much of the rest of the CG, however, remains impressive to this day.
And for fans of the books, the Extended Editions are sublime. I can't watch te theatrical versions anymore. Too much missing and some very big holes.
Discotheque
Banned
Criminal Upper
Banned
Hobbit movies will be way better than the LOTR movies.
But that's only because the Hobbit book was better than the LOTR trilogy.
But that's only because the Hobbit book was better than the LOTR trilogy.
EmCeeGramr
Member
Absolutely amazing movie.
And while I understand most of the changes as being done to make it easier or more dramatic and entertaining for an audience to understand and consume, there's still one change in the trilogy that will always bother me: Sauron as a literal giant flaming eyeball. I understand, conceptually, why they did it. They had to show the antagonist (the one the books and films are named after), physically present during the action. But it's just so goofy, it contradicts the books in several places so they had to remove those parts, and in ROTK it devolves into a pretty laughable scene in which Sauron's all-seeing gaze apparently gets downgraded within Mordor itself to Bad Video Game Stealth Section Spotlight status.
And while I understand most of the changes as being done to make it easier or more dramatic and entertaining for an audience to understand and consume, there's still one change in the trilogy that will always bother me: Sauron as a literal giant flaming eyeball. I understand, conceptually, why they did it. They had to show the antagonist (the one the books and films are named after), physically present during the action. But it's just so goofy, it contradicts the books in several places so they had to remove those parts, and in ROTK it devolves into a pretty laughable scene in which Sauron's all-seeing gaze apparently gets downgraded within Mordor itself to Bad Video Game Stealth Section Spotlight status.
K
kittens
Unconfirmed Member
That cover in the OP is amazing.
They (poorly) chose NOT to show Sauron manifest himself at the climax, which I think detracted big time. the all-seeing eye became a lighthouse and that wasn't very threatening. They had the work to show this already started...
This should have been left in the film, even for a brief moment.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
They (poorly) chose NOT to show Sauron manifest himself at the climax, which I think detracted big time. the all-seeing eye became a lighthouse and that wasn't very threatening. They had the work to show this already started...
This should have been left in the film, even for a brief moment.
Taking it out was a great choice. That's one of those book changes that did not have to be made.
PhoncipleBone
Banned
Agreed. Sauron was always scarier when he was just an abstract thought. He is there all the time in the shadows (or atop his lighthouse) and sees all. Making him into physical form at the end would just seem like he had won and had the ring back. It would make him seem somewhat less threatening if you could actually strike him.
Except that he wasn't very scary and was just a lighthouse by the climax. I see what you're getting at...but the giant eye just wasn't intimidating.
PhoncipleBone
Banned
But to suddenly have him appear in physical form at the end, with no explanation, would be better? If he could do it, why didn't he just do it before and maraude around Pellinor Fields with the rest of his army if he was that unstoppable? If they had talked through the first two movies that he was almost at enough power to take physical form again and hinted that it might happen, then it might work. But they didnt, and having him just materialize in front of Aragorn just to have a smack down would be dumb as hell.
Having him manifest and smackdown Aragorn would have been a perfect climax to finalize that for all the fighting, it's still secondary to Frodo's quest and that's still the most important goal. Could say he could only do it so close to Mount Doom.
gollumsluvslave
Member
The problem was that they appeared to change the design of the Eye from Fellowship anyway - when Frodo accidentally puts on the ring in the Prancing Pony, the Eye is spectacular, and hugely imposing.
In TTT and ROTK, they bizarrely changed the Eye design entirely to a Power Coupling.
Easily my biggest annoyance / gripe with the trilogy.
Just finished another viewing of Fellowship. Two Towers and Return of the King are to come, it's rapidly becoming a Christmas tradition here.
A few parts moisten my eyes, but the Breaking of the Fellowship never fails to make me want to cry. The redemption and death of Boromir, Frodo's anguish on the beach, Sam's devotion.
Edmond Dantès
Dantès the White
That would have been far too dramatic a change from Tolkien's writings. Sauron lost the ability to take fair from at the climax of the sinking of Atalante (the Númenóreans home), he could never again take that form even with the power of the ring, plus Sauron lost every physical encounter he was ever in and with the weakened physical form he wrought for himself prior to the start of the War of the Rings, he would have been foolish to engage in the battle against an Aragorn with Anduril.They (poorly) chose NOT to show Sauron manifest himself at the climax, which I think detracted big time. the all-seeing eye became a lighthouse and that wasn't very threatening. They had the work to show this already started...
This should have been left in the film, even for a brief moment.
It was never about Sauron and the heir of Númenor, it was always about Frodo and Sam's journey.
Sauron has his time in spotlight in the Silmarillion.
Edmond Dantès
Dantès the White
Enjoy.
I hope you're not too tired by the end of such a marathon session of Middle-Earth goodness.
Edmond Dantès
Dantès the White
It's a graphical illustration of what that scene may have looked like if they decided to go in that direction. No actor, but if did go with someone, it may have been one of the extras playing an Elf.
Here's the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqKt_h0EPuU
Monocle
Member
Certainly the best trilogy in film history. There, I said it.
I'm about to introduce someone who has seen part of one of the movies to all three extended editions. For me, it'll almost be like watching them for the first time all over again. But not quite. I envy people who can experience this series with fresh eyes.
I'm about to introduce someone who has seen part of one of the movies to all three extended editions. For me, it'll almost be like watching them for the first time all over again. But not quite. I envy people who can experience this series with fresh eyes.
I agree completely, this would have been many times more questionable than the men of Dunharrow sweeping across the plains of Pelennor. Whereas that was an issue of introducing a tinge of anticlimax (though it was built up to), this would have fundamentally ignored a foundational aspect of Sauron's character and the flavor of the final battle. The Black Gate is not about Aragorn fighting Sauron one on one, it's about the gathered hosts making the ultimate gamble to safeguard the West's best and last hope at defeating Sauron (Frodo). Centering the drama on Aragorn would only serve to weaken the focus on the climb up mount Doom, the confrontation, the ring's ultimate demise, and the theme of "even the smallest person can change the course of the future". It's really for the best that they backed away from the boss fight concept.Edmond Dantès;33734780 said:
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
The Giant Flaming Vagina was due to an honest misreading and misunderstanding of Tolkien's writings. Unless you pay specific attention to like one single sentence in the book where Gollum specifically states that he's seen the dark lord in person, assuming that Sauron was literally a giant flaming eye is an easy mistake to make.
They (poorly) chose NOT to show Sauron manifest himself at the climax, which I think detracted big time. the all-seeing eye became a lighthouse and that wasn't very threatening. They had the work to show this already started...
This should have been left in the film, even for a brief moment.
No, it should not have been included in the film. It should have been made clearer in the films that Sauron wasn't just an eyeball, but having him come forth like a final boss (in that mediocre Final Fantasy X-ripoff LotR: The Third Age, you literally fight a giant flaming eyeball as the final boss) would be the worst idea ever. Although I wouldn't have been opposed to somehow including a flashback to show what Sauron once looked like before his beautiful guise was destroyed.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Edmond Dantès;33734780 said:
Yes. I can totally deal with movie adaptations of books cutting things for time and flow. It's when they start altering themes and such that annoys me (hence my hatred of the 2002 Count of Monte Cristo adaptation).
maquiladora
Member
I read the books sometime in the mid-late 90s in school and fell in love with the idea of a film version of LOTR. I used to waste time in school sketching out fake movie posters and come up with lists of who I would cast in all the roles. I wish I could find those now but I'm pretty sure I had Christopher Lee or Ian McKellen in my dream team!
Never forget the day a friend of mine told me that LOTR was actually going to be filmed back in 1999. I remember emailing the official Tolkien fan club on a school computer (had no internet at home for another year) and asking them if it was for real or not, I was so fucking happy when they confirmed it.
I also remember Ian McKellen replying to an email I sent him after he was cast as Gandalf. Wish I had a copy of that.
Followed theonering.net pretty much everyday during production. Hype, off the scale.
Actually seeing Fellowship then on the big screen, wow, just unbelieveable. Most powerful cinema experience I've ever had.
Never forget the day a friend of mine told me that LOTR was actually going to be filmed back in 1999. I remember emailing the official Tolkien fan club on a school computer (had no internet at home for another year) and asking them if it was for real or not, I was so fucking happy when they confirmed it.
I also remember Ian McKellen replying to an email I sent him after he was cast as Gandalf. Wish I had a copy of that.
Followed theonering.net pretty much everyday during production. Hype, off the scale.
Actually seeing Fellowship then on the big screen, wow, just unbelieveable. Most powerful cinema experience I've ever had.
PastorOfMuppets
Banned
So are these movies considered the Stars Wars Trilogy for the current generation?
I remember the hype the movies generated and my friends and I all skipped class to go to the theaters on release day. Ended up falling asleep in each movie. The only one I can say I liked was the Two Towers. My experience with these movies convinced me that I will probably never enjoy fantasy settings in any sort of fiction ever. Even Skyrim's settings wore on me after a while despite being a great game
I remember the hype the movies generated and my friends and I all skipped class to go to the theaters on release day. Ended up falling asleep in each movie. The only one I can say I liked was the Two Towers. My experience with these movies convinced me that I will probably never enjoy fantasy settings in any sort of fiction ever. Even Skyrim's settings wore on me after a while despite being a great game
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
I still want an all Christopher Lee commentary track someday.
From a distance it seems like this is your typical good vs evil fantasy story with elves and what not, but it is actually far from it. There is a lot of complexity here, I can see why it inspired writers like George RR Martin. Deathly Hallows also seems to take inspiration and ideas from the LOTR story.
My favorite character by far is Gollum:
"Taters precious, what's taters?"
"They are young, they are tender, they are nice, eat them, eat them!"
"Stupid Fat Hobbit"
"Give it to us raw and wiggling."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMlR55Dr4RU&feature=related
That's all in just one scene. Second place has to go to Sam.
My favorite character by far is Gollum:
"Taters precious, what's taters?"
"They are young, they are tender, they are nice, eat them, eat them!"
"Stupid Fat Hobbit"
"Give it to us raw and wiggling."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMlR55Dr4RU&feature=related
That's all in just one scene. Second place has to go to Sam.
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
I always liked Gollum, as I consider him more of a tragic character than a villain. He wasn't really born evil (although his morals were dubious, at least), but the ring's malicious influence and his family shunning him nurtured the seed of hatred growing in his mind, and eventually broke his mind and spirit and made him a twisted, corrupted creature that would trust no one and hate everything. I always found the part about Gollum having vague memories of the grass against his feet and soft voices talking to him to be touching, as he was still able to remember a better time in his life, even after hundreds of years of loneliness and anger.
But overall, I think I'd have to say Gandalf is my favourite character.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
ViewtifulJC
Banned
I remember just sitting down with my mom around 2002, watching this movie called Lord of the Rings. Never even heard of it, but my mom said its pretty good. Right the beginning when I saw Frodo chillin in the Shire, this world that I didn't believe could exist on Earth, and I knew this was gonna be something special.
3 hours later, I was completely in love with the movie and I just had to see it again and again.
Star Wars was my favorite as a kid, for its universe, its characters, and all the non-movie media, but LotR completely outclass them as actual films. Glad I got both on Blu-Ray though
3 hours later, I was completely in love with the movie and I just had to see it again and again.
Star Wars was my favorite as a kid, for its universe, its characters, and all the non-movie media, but LotR completely outclass them as actual films. Glad I got both on Blu-Ray though
Buckethead
Banned
I love this movie.
Need to rewatch.
Like all good 1st entries you get a "dudes chilling" vibe. It's nice just to see friends enjoying friends' company.
It was my fav thing about Lost when it first started.
Need to rewatch.
Like all good 1st entries you get a "dudes chilling" vibe. It's nice just to see friends enjoying friends' company.
It was my fav thing about Lost when it first started.
Powdered Toastman
Member
Crebain, a type of Middle Earth crow
maquiladora
Member
Crebain from Dunland.
DUFFMCWALIN
Member
Don't listen to this person and read The silmarillion if your interested at all in the lore of middle earth.
CrocMother
Banned
Re-watched TT on Netflix recently. My favorite movies ever, probably.
That being said, this thread gives me the opportunity to get some nerdy issues I had with some decisions by the characters (NOTE: CHARACTERS, not the movies themselves)
-When Frodo and Sam get caught by the Gondor guys, and had to help them catch Gollum, Frodo should have just said "Hey Gollum, they got us. They are all around you with arrows pointed at you. We have to be their prisoners or we die." Gollum's reasons for being mad at Frodo were based off of a huge misunderstanding.
-Eomer is forced into exile, along with thousands riders of the Roherim which easily crush the Uruk'hai force at the end. If he had so many riders willing to leave their families and follow him into exile, why didn't they back him when Wormtongue muscled him out of the palace in the first place? He clearly had the allegiance of 80% of the army and clearly Theoden was being poisoned.
just had to throw that out there.
That being said, this thread gives me the opportunity to get some nerdy issues I had with some decisions by the characters (NOTE: CHARACTERS, not the movies themselves)
-When Frodo and Sam get caught by the Gondor guys, and had to help them catch Gollum, Frodo should have just said "Hey Gollum, they got us. They are all around you with arrows pointed at you. We have to be their prisoners or we die." Gollum's reasons for being mad at Frodo were based off of a huge misunderstanding.
-Eomer is forced into exile, along with thousands riders of the Roherim which easily crush the Uruk'hai force at the end. If he had so many riders willing to leave their families and follow him into exile, why didn't they back him when Wormtongue muscled him out of the palace in the first place? He clearly had the allegiance of 80% of the army and clearly Theoden was being poisoned.
just had to throw that out there.
Been rewatching the movies after not seeing them since release. Amazing and I honestly appreciate them a lot more without some of the annoying hype/fanaticism surrounding them back then. I'm thinking about ordering all the books. LOTR+The Hobbit+The Silmarillion. There's so many other Tolkien works on Middle Earth out there, any others I should get?
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