What PJ got right

[LaurelinBearsFruit]

Christopher Lee actually said that he reads the Lord Of The Rings every year.

It was from Lee that I was inspired to do the same. He also was supposedly notorious for having the books on-hand on the set to contradict directorial choices made by Jackson that he felt went against the Spirit of Tolkien. I believe McKellen may have done the same.

 

[Ent]

He also was supposedly notorious for having the books on-hand on the set to contradict directorial choices made by Jackson that he felt went against the Spirit of Tolkien. I believe McKellen may have done the same.

Indeed in one of my readings somewhere, it was said many books were at hand and could be found all over the sets for people to refer to - and they were pretty constantly consulted.

 

[Deimos]

Indeed in one of my readings somewhere, it was said many books were at hand and could be found all over the sets for people to refer to - and they were pretty constantly consulted.

I heard that also. I read that in some scene or other with Eowyn PJ was considering having her do something or say something to which Miranda Otto objected, saying that Eowyn in the book would have never acted that way. And she convinced PJ to drop the idea.

 

[Ent]

I heard that also. I read that in some scene or other with Eowyn PJ was considering having her do something or say something to which Miranda Otto objected, saying that Eowyn in the book would have never acted that way. And she convinced PJ to drop the idea.

Wish a little more of that would have gone on, like - oh - sledding down stairs on shields, skiing off Oliphaunt trunks, and a few other incoherent things. (Especially the Oliphaunt one.. the CG was terrible.)

BUT... still it came out an effective spectacle overall. (Just not an 'epic'... but I question whether Cinema can ever really produce an 'epic', as the subtleties and depths of epics are generally beyond their range of capabilities. Unless of course they change their mindset from 'specacular graphic representation' back to 'story tellling'... the two are very different things, and few can handle both.)

 

[LaurelinBearsFruit]

Another thing that was a spectacular choice was actually building the Edoras set. PJ had debated whether to just use an indoor set, but decided that he wanted more genuine acting from all the Edoras scenes. Took them around 3 months to build Edoras and it was only filmed in for a few days. That is dedicated right there.

 

[Aramarien]

I don't know if PJ was the one to hire Howard Shore, but the music/score was great. I just came across this, short video that highlights the music and it reinforced how wonderful it is.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1017543942659824

It was unexpectedly enjoyable, and I thought I'd share it.

 

[Deimos]

O.M.G..... That was great! Incredibly performed and very cleverly dramatized.
Also, kudos to whomever transcribed Shore's orchestral score to a score entirely for brass and percussion.

 

[Aramarien]

O.M.G..... That was great! Incredibly performed and very cleverly dramatized.
Also, kudos to whomever transcribed Shore's orchestral score to a score entirely for brass and percussion.

I agree! I was so pleasantly surprised when I watched it and had to share it! The ending of this superb video when they played "Into the West" actually moved me to tears.

 

[Eljorahir]

I like this beautiful version of #3 Bagshot Row, right down to the number on the mailbox, at the end of the movie. It looks like the home of a gardener.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

I like this beautiful version of #3 Bagshot Row, right down to the number on the mailbox, at the end of the movie. It looks like the home of a gardener.
View attachment 36322

The portrayal of the Shire is one of my favorite aspects of the movies too. It does a beautiful job at showing the simple pleasures of the Hobbits' lifestyle.

 

[TrackerOrc]

I was lucky enough to visit the Shire in New Zealand, which has been set up as a permanent tourist attraction. Brilliantly done, mimimum of tackiness, tasteful gift shop and nice cafe. You are shown around the place by guides who have a really good knowledge of the films/site and then you finish off with a free drink at the Green Dragon!
Apparently you can now actually enter one of the hobbit holes as well, which would be an even better experience.

 

[Deimos]

The portrayal of the Shire is one of my favorite aspects of the movies too. It does a beautiful job at showing the simple pleasures of the Hobbits' lifestyle.

Ditto.

At one time I hoped that a space/time portal would open up (in my living room) that would allow me to step into The Shire.
ANd then I recalled that we Big Folk aren't allowed in the Shire without the permission of the Hobbits; probably the permission the Mayor, the Thain and the Master of Buckland. I could visit, but I couldn't live there; I'd have to settle for someplace like Bree or Staddle.

 

[Eljorahir]

This is one of my favorite scenes: "The Ents are going to war!"
I especially like the interaction between the scene and the music that begins at the moment the ents emerge from the forest.

 

[d4rk3lf]

This is one of my favorite scenes: "The Ents are going to war!"
I especially like the interaction between the scene and the music that begins at the moment the ents emerge from the forest.

For me personally your statement is both yes and no.
I never saw this extended version, and imho is muh worse then theatrical version, because it has more PJ mess.
However I like that, very last shot, in both versions, when they start marching... maybe all the rest scenes should be just cut.

 

[Halasían]

So, what do you think PJ got very, very right in the movies?

He got the names of the three movies very very right.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

Dare I add a kind of sub-thread here; what Bernard Hill got right.

1. Apparently Theoden clashing the spears with his sword just before the charge of the Rohirrim was Hill's own idea - a very good idea imo.
2. When they ride away from Edoras to Minas Tirith, Bernard Hill as Theoden briefly looks back at his beloved Meduseld - an example of a moment that works better on the screen than the page.

 

[Idril Celebrindal]

I think somebody pointed out that Minas Tirith looks like a ship with the horses as waves earlier in this thread (I'm sorry, I don't have the time to pull up the exact post). I noticed something similar in this image. Minas Tirith makes me think of one of the ships escaping the destruction of Numénor, with the mountain range as the great wave. I wonder if that was intentional. Also, Osgiliath looks like the Millennium Falcon from this perspective, though I doubt that was intentional.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

A lot of these discussions about PJ vs JRRT are really about film vs book as the medium. When the Ring is destroyed PJ gives us a brief look of quiet satisfaction from Ian McKellen, expertly done. That suits the film not the book. On the other hand Gandalf's statement in the book may come across as rather pompous in the film, but suits the book better.

 

[Eljorahir]

Here's another of my favorite sequences that I think was well done.

It probably makes sense to have the Witch-king on the winged beast instead of horseback. I really like his entrance into the scene here as well as the music and the modifications to Tolkien's description of the "livid lightnings".

…And Minas Morgul answered. There was a flare of livid lightnings: forks of blue flame springing up from the tower and from the encircling hills into the sullen clouds.

 

[Elthir]

He got the names of the three movies very very right.

But not all the names in them.

Anyway, I kinda liked this part.

Cut from the theatrical version :cough: but at least it was filmed.