What change in the movies ticks you off the most?

[Thorin]

As I've said before Tar. LoTR is not some cheap five and dime store novel. It is considered one of greatest books of the 20th Century and has developed an incredible following from it's imaginative power. You don't just take that and bastardize it because Hollywood, who as you've said does that to movies, wants to get its mud hooks on it and create a big money maker.

Having your kid taking a crayon and defacing your average local artist's painting is a lot different then him scribbling all over your Picasso. Don't you think that something this awesome deserves a little more sacredness? LoTR is a classic literary work that intertwines symbolism and allegory and prose and poetry into a story. When you change things, you change the rest. By eliminating the eggs, you alter the cake. The changes made aren't as insignificant as you may think. Most of PJ's changes are not just gimmicks to make more money or get a bigger audience By his changes he has:

1) Diminished the power of the ring, which is a central part of the story.
2) Gone against the specific wishes of Tolkien himself written in his letters as to how his characters should be portrayed. Tolkien must have had a good reason for keeping his characters as he wrote them don't you think?
3) Eliminated crucial elements to the background and history of things that are important to truly understanding the whole story.

I'm surprised it doesn't bother you that the person who has decided to undertake a venture such as bringing this masterpiece to the screen has such a casual disregard to what Tolkien intended. Oh well.

I'm not denying that it will be a entertaining movie. I'm not saying that I will not see it. I just don't think that it is truly Tolkien and I do believe that it will distort the way "newbies" will view the real LoTR and Tolkien in general.

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

SHUT UP sorry, what if it's not true! What if!

 

[Talierin]

Tar, that was really, really rude.......

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

yes.. i'm very sorry but i hate people who complain. I mean does he even know it's true!

 

[Thorin]

Haven't you looked at other websites Tar? Do you even do any research? Haven't you been listening to what everyone on this board is saying? Changes have been made. BIG changes and "little" changes (though just as damaging). Do you think I'm spouting cheesy rumor and rhetoric? What I'm saying is true regardless of WHAT changes are made. The principle is still the same.

Get a grip, Tar and realize that some people do care about what Tolkien intended even if you don't. That's what this board is for and that's why we all have congregated here to talk (and complain) about it. What are you here for?

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

I Care! But i'm not that obsessed! I have a life,school work, and friends (i know you guys do too) I do not spend the hours of the weary night researching a MOVIE! If pj messes up he does its the uninformed viewers loss, also people should read the book because they want to NOT because a movies coming out

 

[Kraas]

Hey. Some of us don't spend that much time looking at the things about the movie (I've only seen the trailer, and none of the pictures & other things), but we care deeply about that changes that more than likely have been made to the storyline.

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

welcome krass,i'm glad some1 takes my side.

 

[Greymantle]

Tar: I believe Kraas was disagreeing with you.

I'm in total agreement with Thorin here (not meaning to take sides in any argument), pretty much down to the last word.

As for the original topic, I think Action Arwen still annoys me the most. However, I would very strongly disagree with this earlier statement, "She's just supposed to be this little Elven-hottie that sits in the Hall of Fire & has next to no lines, and Aragorn marries her in the end." In my opinion Arwen is supposed to be one of the strongest characters in the books, though within the storyline of LotR she obviously does not play a huge role. I think it shows extraordinary strength of spirit that she would make the choice to give up immortality, a home, family, and Heaven itself because her love for Aragorn is so strong. I think that by turning her into this warrior sorceress Mr. Jackson is twisting and cheapening her character, thereby acheiving the exact opposite of his professed intent.

 

[ReadWryt]

Well, truth to be told...I am a bit annoyed with the cutting out completely of the "Scouring of the Shire", but from a cinematic viewpoint I can see where that would be a case of putting the brakes on the momentum of the story. Of course though, it means having to completely rewrite the death of Sauruman.

As for Boromir getting his hands on the ring, well technically he gets his hands on the Chain that the ring is on. At least that's all I've seen in the stills from the movie, but that alone is a shame.

It's the nature of the characters...the core of their motivations and how they react to them, these are the things that I fear will leave me scratching my head. Frantic half mad Gandalf is the best example I can point to, but there are many others...most of all showing Sauron as a physical being I think will be the most depressing. It completely defies the nature and design of the character. This I know not to be mere rumor, as Jackson has stated that there will be scenes of Sauron in the movie on several occasions and in several interviews, and not merely as flashbacks...

...this just in, in the interest of being fair and ballanced, here is a quick addendum...

Liv Tyler (Arwen) is on the cover of the November issue of W Magazine, the fashion Mag. In a surprisingly insightful article, she discusses Tolkien and PJ's films at length. The interview includes the following reassuring-to-purists statement about how Arwen (or as dubious fans have dubbed her, XenArwen) will be portrayed in the films:

"Let's get this straight," says Tyler..."Arwen is SO not like Xena in any way. She's a totally kick-ass, tough chick, but she doesn't fight. Those are all just rumors. Peter Jackson asked me to do this, and he's an incredible lover of Tolkien. I had to trust that, and so should the fans. If you don't want to see what another person does with the part, then don't go to the movies."

...well I guess we can see where Ms. Tyler is comming from, she all but said that if you don't want to see the sweeping changes that Jackson has made, save your ticket money and wait for the Cable release. "If you don't want to see what another person does with the part, then don't go to the movies."...Hmmmm, no Liv, we just wanted to see the characters the Author created is all...

 

[Thorin]

Amen, brother.

Hollywood will still always be Hollywood. Actors are still working for their paycheck and directors are still trying to gain an audience and make a buck.

From the many quotes I've seen from PJ and actors, they have a pretty warped idea of "lover of the books" and "staying true to the story". What a load of two-sided, speaking out of both sides of the mouth, drivel!

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

thanx for clearing that up! I shall sleep better

 

[Hein]

"Sure, it's not really THE LORD OF THE RINGS ... but it could still be a pretty damn cool movie. " -- Peter Jackson

WTF ??

Gandalf bumps his head on a chandelier and then a door frame when he first enters Bag End
Yeah right, Gandalf is a nutcase who is stupid enough to bump hid head in a house he visited many times.


Saruman captures Gandalf by fighting a "wizard duel" involving telekinesis, lightning, and Gandalf being slammed against the wall.
Please don't tell me this is going to be some sort of children movie like Harry Potter or D&D.

I really hope there is SOMETHING of the real story left. This thread scares the hell out of me

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

it would be kinda funny if gandalf did that though, lighten the movie up a bit.

 

[Greymantle]

I have only one word to say in response to that:

BAH!

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

wouldn't any of you find that slightly amusing!

"Hollywood screwed LOTR to high heaven, maybe PJ could be killed by a chaotic fan...OH well, it's done I hope this stuff is mostly rumors Eh,ho ,eh!"

 

[Greymantle]

Heh, I didn't quite follow that.....

Sure it'll be funny, but that doesn't mean it should be put in. That just isn't Gandalf.

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

I was making an Irish drinking song about LOtr being so messed up.

 

[Greymantle]

I see. *Chuckles*

 

[Tar-Ancalime]

LOL, the one jump frodo jump scene will not go to well. I think that i might be kicked out for talking in the movie theater while seeing thes