Q of the Week: The Lord of the Rings films?

Started by Leon, 06 July 2010, 01:36:14 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Leon

Are these three of the greatest films of all time, a fantastic visualisation of Tolkiens work?  Or are they a poor attempt at bringing the novels to life?  Could they ever do the trilogy justice?
www.pendraken.co.uk - Now home to over 7000 products, including 4500 items for 10mm wargaming, plus MDF bases, Battlescale buildings, I-94 decals, Litko Gaming Aids, Militia Miniatures, Raiden Miniatures 1/285th aircraft, Red Vectors MDF products, Vallejo paints and much, much more!

lentulus

Quote from: Leon on 06 July 2010, 01:36:14 AM
Are these three of the greatest films of all time, a fantastic visualisation of Tolkiens work?  Or are they a poor attempt at bringing the novels to life?  Could they ever do the trilogy justice?

Greatest films of all time?  Not in a world that includes Dr Zhivago and Duck Soup.  OK visualizations of Tolkein - no-one will ever match what is in my head, after all -- so they could never do the trilogy as it is in my head justice.



Derk G

Quote from: Leon on 06 July 2010, 01:36:14 AM
Are these three of the greatest films of all time, a fantastic visualisation of Tolkiens work?  Or are they a poor attempt at bringing the novels to life?  Could they ever do the trilogy justice?

I think they were amazing movies for the visuals alone. And I think it will be a fair while before they can be outdone as far as doing the trilogy justice.

Still, I guess there is enough to gripe about if you must. Such as the elves at Helm's Deep that just don't belong there.

FierceKitty

John Boorman was interested in filming 'em once; pity that didn't come off, methinks. That aside, I just can't support movies in which cavalry get away with charging pikemen down difficult going, even with the sun behind them. Try it in a wargame and see what happens.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

count_zero99uk

I enjoyed all three movies for what they were, which is Peter Jacksons view of Lord of the Rings.

Its a big story, and some things that work in a book dont necessarily work on screen.  Its hard to capture what millions of people wanted to see on screen, certain characters didnt look right, Boromir in my mind was always more of a Brian Blessed type.

I think the most disapointing this is that if i read LOTR now i skip vast sections of text as i find them a little pointless, and its the same with the films, once you have seen it do you really want to rewatch a twee village.

My biggest gripe with the film, and infact most fantasy films, is that the Dwarves are played for laughs.  I dont recall Gimli being the comedy relife in the book.

Anyway just my random thoughts.

Oh and Liv Tyler :):) she was ok :):)

Take care all
Brian.

Nosher

I suppose its one of those things really with the trilogy of films as others have already stated, it depends what your purpose was in going to see the films - if you wanted serious eye candy in terms of CGI, battle scenes and good acting then the films were awesome.

If you were looking for the films to follow the book - and came away disappointed then you only really have yourself to blame. When has a film ever been as good as the book?

And I agree, Liv Tyler was 'good' ;)
I don't think my wife likes me very much, when I had a heart attack she wrote for an ambulance.

Frank Carson

Derk G

Quote from: FierceKitty on 06 July 2010, 05:40:00 AM
John Boorman was interested in filming 'em once; pity that didn't come off, methinks. That aside, I just can't support movies in which cavalry get away with charging pikemen down difficult going, even with the sun behind them. Try it in a wargame and see what happens.

Agreed, that was a ridiculous scene.

Argh, I can't see!
STFU and keep still!
*skewered horse*

Would be more likely an outcome!

lentulus

06 July 2010, 05:24:29 PM #7 Last Edit: 06 July 2010, 05:27:32 PM by lentulus
Quote from: FierceKitty on 06 July 2010, 05:40:00 AM
... cavalry get away with charging pikemen down difficult going, even with the sun behind them. Try it in a wargame and see what happens.

If (1) I get to pick the fantasy rules and (2) I get Gandalf.

Of course, I never found Rohan that convincing.  New Zealand just does not have enough flat.  That part would have worked better filmed in Alberta.

Leon

Is it just me, or for a supposedly powerful wizard, Gandalf didn't really do much?  He stood in the way of the Balrog, and managed to crack the bridge, which was alright.  But he gets whupped by Saruman, uses the sun to his advantage, and flies around on eagles.  Not really very magic-y is it?
www.pendraken.co.uk - Now home to over 7000 products, including 4500 items for 10mm wargaming, plus MDF bases, Battlescale buildings, I-94 decals, Litko Gaming Aids, Militia Miniatures, Raiden Miniatures 1/285th aircraft, Red Vectors MDF products, Vallejo paints and much, much more!

lentulus

Quote from: Leon on 06 July 2010, 05:29:38 PM
Is it just me, or for a supposedly powerful wizard, Gandalf didn't really do much?  He stood in the way of the Balrog, and managed to crack the bridge, which was alright.  But he gets whupped by Saruman, uses the sun to his advantage, and flies around on eagles.  Not really very magic-y is it?
Don't forget winning at Balrog Mud Wrestling.  Still, Middle Earth is not your D&D "couple of lightning bolts, a fireball and Bob's your uncle" sort of magic environment.  Even the book is pretty calm as far as that goes.

Leon

Quote from: lentulus on 06 July 2010, 05:42:02 PM
Don't forget winning at Balrog Mud Wrestling.  Still, Middle Earth is not your D&D "couple of lightning bolts, a fireball and Bob's your uncle" sort of magic environment.  Even the book is pretty calm as far as that goes.

Yeah, I just kind of expected him to do more.  Him and Saruman were flinging each other all over, why couldn't he have just shoved the Balrog off the bridge instead?  Or whacked the Cave Troll in the mines?
www.pendraken.co.uk - Now home to over 7000 products, including 4500 items for 10mm wargaming, plus MDF bases, Battlescale buildings, I-94 decals, Litko Gaming Aids, Militia Miniatures, Raiden Miniatures 1/285th aircraft, Red Vectors MDF products, Vallejo paints and much, much more!

Last Hussar

He actually uses more magic in the films.  I never saw that as the sun rising- more like a fire wizard doing his thing..

Needs a prequel
http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/comic.php?current=2615&theme=14&dir=next5
I have neither the time nor the crayons to explain why you are wrong.

"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

GNU PTerry

Derk G

Quote from: Leon on 06 July 2010, 05:29:38 PM
Is it just me, or for a supposedly powerful wizard, Gandalf didn't really do much?  He stood in the way of the Balrog, and managed to crack the bridge, which was alright.  But he gets whupped by Saruman, uses the sun to his advantage, and flies around on eagles.  Not really very magic-y is it?

Well, in the books it's 'less is more' for magic as well. I'm glad they did not fall into the 'let's do loads of magic cuz we got special effects!' trap.

nikharwood

Quote from: Derk G on 06 July 2010, 08:11:22 PM
Well, in the books it's 'less is more' for magic as well. I'm glad they did not fall into the 'let's do loads of magic cuz we got special effects!' trap.

Absolutely - couldn't agree more...

For me, I think the films capture a fantastic vision of Middle Earth - it's not 'my' vision, but I'm unlikely to attract Hollywood funding to translate mine to the big screen - and therefore have brought to life visually something that I hold dear. I pretty much read the trilogy every year & listen to the BBC radio version of The Hobbit & LotR regularly (often while painting); what the films have done is brought a whole load of people closer to things that I love - people who would never have read the books...and in doing-so, it's given me a chance to introduce them to my world of gaming...which is coolio  8)

And Ms Tyler's alright - but Miranda Otto as Eowyn gets my vote:





Luddite

You get off Nik, she's mine i tell you...couldn't agree more on the Arwen/Eowyn debate.  Definately the flaxen haired beauty for me.

As for Jackson's LotR trilogy.

Well, you've got to go a very, very long way indeed to find;

a. A better film
b. A better literary adaption

Simply astonishingly good.

I think its impossible ever to say 'best film ever made' about any film really by the trilogy comes pretty damned close.

I think Ralph Bakshi got closer to 'my' vision of Middle Earth, and i do tend to 'fill in the dialogue' from Bakshi's Sam Gamgee while watching Jackson's version ('help Mr Frodo!  I'm DROWNIN'!!).

I'll second the concern about Boromir - he's definately a bearded, barrel-chested sort of chap, and Sean Bean was, as usual completely out of his depth...

But it wasn't as bad as Sam - the epitome of the loyal, dependable, innocent, simple chap being played as a blubbering girl...

But for each fault in Jackson's version there are countless breathtaking gems...

Best films ever?

Well, the books are a 'must read'.  These films are a 'must see'.




http://www.durhamwargames.co.uk/
http://luddite1811.blogspot.co.uk/

"It is by tea alone i set my mind in motion.  It is by the juice of Typhoo my thoughs acquire speed the teeth acquire stains, the stains serve as a warning.  It is by tea alone i set my mind in motion."

"The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules." - Gary Gygax
"Maybe emu trampling created the desert?" - FierceKitty

2012 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

"I have become inappropriately excited by the thought of a compendium of OOBs." FSN