The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – Teaser Trailer

[Annatar]

but they are so arrogant and full of themselves that they believe it will not cause trouble.

McKay: “Can we come up with the novel Tolkien never wrote and do it as the mega-event series that could only happen now?”

For those who are interested about the video of the "superfans" actors.

Yes, unfortunately I also saw the video a few days ago. This is the most embarrassing and cringe propaganda I have ever seen.

 

[Aldarion]

This is very obvious to me. The question is, why so much effort to create something invented with Tolkien's name involved (and still losing customers)? That's what you should think about.

Two reasons: 1) they know that Tolkien's work is popular and they know that it does not follow their ideas, and so want to desecrate it in revenge and 2) they want to use Tolkien's work as a vehicle for their own ideas.

 

[Annatar]

Really a pity, because it had actually started promising with their lovingly designed map and the first picture of Valinor. I still like the pictures of the landscapes and cities. Also, it seemed to me at the beginning - based on the extended map - that they would make use of Harad and Rhun for their forced diversity guidelines: Fanfiction stories could have been established there, but not contradicting the canon and spirit of Tolkien's works. Here one could have shown also very well the relationship between Numenorians and Middle-earth people.

However, I then saw Amazon's rape of "The Wheel of Time", and it was very quickly clear to me that this was their prototype of what they will do to Arda:
- Totally exaggerated and random diversity quotas that make no sense within the realities of that world.
- Plots reminiscent of moronic teen series.
- Mediocre CGI effects.
- Flat dialogs.
- Strange understanding of feminism.
- The feeling of trash and mediocrity.
- Abstruse plots that unnecessarily deviate from the books.
- No atmosphere, no immersion.
- Questionable costumes.
- Awkward hairstyles that always look freshly styled.
- Boredom.
- Unsympathetic characters.

The book connoisseurs are almost all frustrated and angry, but Amazon doesn't care.
And many of these components can now unfortunately already be seen and felt in the Rings of Power trailer.

Actually, you don't even need to see more than this one stupid picture to know that they are just mocking us:

 

[Annatar]

Maybe he falls in love.

He falls in love with Celebrimbor. But Celebrimbor is unhappily in love with Galadriel, who in turn has a three-way relationship with Celeborn and Halbrand.
To win Celebrimbor's love, Annatar decides to forge the Master Ring.

Ha! I can do fanfiction too, at least as well as Amazon. 😜

 

[Annatar]

That Celebrimbor was in fact in love with Galadriel (but she did not return his advances) is mentioned in the "Unfinished Tales", at least in one of the many Galadriel versions.
(There's an interesting discussion about this here:
https://www.quora.com/If-Celebrimbor-loved-Galadriel-why-did-he-and-his-Gwaith-i-Mírdain-rebel-against-her-rule-in-Eregion-and-force-her-to-flee-to-the-East )

But who isn't in love with (book-)Galadriel?
So I agree with you that Annatar wants to sleep with her, too. Somehow, though (especially after the "Superfans" video 😹 ), I have a feeling by now that Amazon is going to put some LGBTQ+ stuff in there, too - even more so after I saw Amazon's first season of "Wheel of Time". Perhaps Sauron can also turn into an attractive woman if it helps him with his goals? I'd be surprised if Amazon didn't exploit this option.

When it was announced that Amazon had hired an "intimacy coordinator", the outcry from fans was very loud. Perhaps it wasn't too late then, and the showrunners reacted accordingly: They promised in the Vanity Fair article that there will be no sex scenes like in Game of Thrones.

I'd also say that sex scenes are of course not typical for Tolkien, but in a modern cinematic/TV adaptation I personally - apparently in contrast to many other fans - would not be particularly bothered too much if it was rather subtle and not tastelessly realized. (But it should be known relationships from the books, not some made-up fanfiction-nonsense.) These media are there to visualize what is only hinted at in the books, but without distorting the spirit or meaning of the original.
Difficult subject, and I don't have a final opinion on it yet. For me it depends a lot on the quality of the implementation. In practice, however, you can probably almost only do it wrong. Nevertheless, that would be rather unimportant for me in comparison, as long as they manage to tell exciting and atmospheric stories that at least partially bring the experience of the books to the screen.
What I try to say: A small sex scene doesn't necessarily have to destroy the immersion, if the conditions are right. However, after the trailer and the photos and the rights issue and the arrogant statements of the showrunners, I'm almost sure that Amazon will ruin nearly everything - even without any sex scenes.

 

[m4r35n357]

Yes, unfortunately I also saw the video a few days ago.

Seriously, the whole thing? I lasted about 20 seconds . . .

 

[Olorgando]

Yes, unfortunately I also saw the video a few days ago.

Seriously, the whole thing? I lasted about 20 seconds . . .

Odd. You're only seven (or six-and-change) years younger than I am. I looked at the whole thing (and that one-minute "teaser"); I guess wizened cynicism is not solely a function of age; just don't ask me to quote from it - the only thing that stuck was the comment on the "younger, inexperienced Galadriel" ...
... born in Valinor, saw through Fëanor better than Manwë did, tutored by Melian the Maia in Doriath ...
🤢🤮🤬🤢🤮🤬🤢🤮🤬

 

[m4r35n357]

Odd. You're only seven (or six-and-change) years younger than I am. I looked at the whole thing (and that one-minute "teaser"); I guess wizened cynicism is not solely a function of age; just don't ask me to quote from it - the only thing that stuck was the comment on the "younger, inexperienced Galadriel" ...
... born in Valinor, saw through Fëanor better than Manwë did, tutored by Melian the Maia in Doriath ...
🤢🤮🤬🤢🤮🤬🤢🤮🤬

I have a cringe threshold, and it is very, very low! I seriously couldn't stand listening one second longer.

In fact, I overestimated; "Sauron is Hot . . . I could 'fix' him" - 7s, "If Middle Earth had a club - 10s, then I hit stop.

Just to clarify, it is only the Tolkien aspect that makes me cringe, not what they were saying per se! Context is all.
Please don't accuse me of being too "mature"

 

[ZehnWaters]

That Celebrimbor was in fact in love with Galadriel (but she did not return his advances) is mentioned in the "Unfinished Tales", at least in one of the many Galadriel versions.
(There's an interesting discussion about this here:
https://www.quora.com/If-Celebrimbor-loved-Galadriel-why-did-he-and-his-Gwaith-i-Mírdain-rebel-against-her-rule-in-Eregion-and-force-her-to-flee-to-the-East )

Fëanor's grandson and her half-first-cousin once-removed? Yeah, I can see why she'd be squicked out. Though she has no room to criticize the close familial relationship considering (in some versions) she married her COUSIN. Still, Galadriel was never one to play by social norms that conflicted with what she wanted.

Perhaps Sauron can also turn into an attractive woman if it helps him with his goals? I'd be surprised if Amazon didn't exploit this option.

lol Probably. The idea of a trans Ainur makes no sense considering Tolkien's explanation for how they operate (their bodies always match their disposition or "gender identity" to use the modern terminology.

What I try to say: A small sex scene doesn't necessarily have to destroy the immersion, if the conditions are right. However, after the trailer and the photos and the rights issue and the arrogant statements of the showrunners, I'm almost sure that Amazon will ruin nearly everything - even without any sex scenes.

Heck even nudity makes sense in some instances (we encounter it in the Silmarillion at least twice (both in regards to Turin's story)). It's a matter of how it's handled.

Seriously, the whole thing? I lasted about 20 seconds . . .

I could only make it so far. I had to laugh at the scene of them walking through the smoking ring, though, because there's someone peeing off to the right, in the background (or so it looked like).

 

[m4r35n357]

I could only make it so far. I had to laugh at the scene of them walking through the smoking ring, though, because there's someone peeing off to the right, in the background (or so it looked like).

Had another go, darting around to various points, maybe 5% of it, but no, not again.

It is clearly made for young children, comes across like the Wonderful World of Disney (yuck). I give up!

 

[ZehnWaters]

Had another go, darting around to various points, maybe 5% of it, but no, not again.

It is clearly made for young children, comes across like the Wonderful World of Disney (yuck). I give up!

WWoD has more dignity than this.

 

[Olorgando]

It is clearly made for young children, comes across like the Wonderful World of Disney (yuck). I give up!

That made the term "Mouseketeer" pop up in my mind. But that term belongs to the 1955-59 ABC TV show "The Mickey Mouse Club", which seems to predate any WWoD stuff. The most famous of the "Mouseketeers" would probably be Annette Funicello, who went on to star in some "beach party" films alongside Frankie Avalon in the 1960's.

 

[herlig9]

Baiting means making outrage for sake of it, which is just cheap hack articles

But gate keep is to preserve the quality of something so that it wont be ruined by activists interms of keeping the source material faithful to the original work of the creator. J.R.R Tolkien and his son did a very good job of preserving it for so long.

Hope there is still fight left.

Looks like fan fiction. On same level of Game of Thrones quality of writing

 

[m4r35n357]

I suspect we will never find out, but I would be interested to know how many of the actors & production staff have actually even read Lord of the Rings, or any Tolkien whatsoever (I wonder has anyone produced a "novelization" of the Jackson work yet, hehe?). I would guess a very low number, but if someone can prove me wrong go for it!

I simply can't imagine it being part of the job description, why would it be?

 

[Annatar]

I would be interested to know how many of the actors & production staff have actually even read Lord of the Rings, or any Tolkien whatsoever

They probably read the summary on Wikipedia and were advised by the "superfans" from that supercringe video...

The immensely high budget is apparently only there to keep the Tolkien Estate quiet.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

I wonder how many involved with the movies had?

 

[m4r35n357]

I wonder how many involved with the movies had?

I would guess that there were at least some. I am pretty sure that Saruman read it, although it must have been hard to see himself written out of the ending!

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Yes, I believe Mr. Lee had been reading LOTR every year since it was first published.

I recall some of the other actors talking about reading it for the first time on the plane to New Zealand.

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Christopher Lee actually met Tolkien, if I remember correctly. He also corrected PJ on what it's like to get stabbed.

That time Christopher Lee taught Peter Jackson the sound a stabbed man makes

www.latimes.com

 

[Ealdwyn]

I am pretty sure that Saruman read it, although it must have been hard to see himself written out of the ending!

I seem to recall that Christopher Lee refused to attend the premiere of RotK because he was cut out of it.