"Do you remember the Old Forrest Pip?"

[BlackCaptain]

This is probably a stupid point, but did anyone else beside me not like the fact that Merry mentions the Old Forrest to Pippin while describing Fangorn? He says that the trees are like that of the Old Forrest, and he asks Pippin if he remembers the Old Forrest. But of course, since there was no Old Forrest according to the movie, how can Pippin recall? This is a trivial (vocab word... hehe) point, but I didnt like it...

 

[Anamatar IV]

Well there is a big difference between lets say "do you remember the old forest?" and "do you remember south farthing?" The Old Forest speaks for itself. People know what it is, whether or not they read the books, by the name. But no one would know what South Farthing is unless they read the books.

 

[33Peregrin]

Yeah... that part in the movie did kind of bother me. It didn't really seem like they knew much about it in the book, so it did bother me in the movie. In the book they pretty much just wander into the forest. They didn't really know much about it. Merry at least studied a few maps in Rivendell, but "Frodo has a better head for that sort of thing."

-Poppy

 

[BlackCaptain]

But, Anamantar, the old forrest is well east of the Shire, and unless they heard it in a tale or something, Merry and Pippin still couldnt recall it. Merry would have to say something like

"Do you remember what the tales say about the Old Forrest Pip?"

 

[Anamatar IV]

Merry and Pippin did not live in Hobbiton (which is what I assume you mean by The Shire). Actually, Merry and Pippin (who I think lived in Buckland) were very close to the Old Forest. It was not a legend or myth to the hobbits. It was a real thing that contained legends and myths in itself.

 

[seadragon]

As i see it they are referring to a part of middle earth in or near the shire that would be within their knowledge. as we would refer to the lake district for example we may not have been there but we still know about it.

 

[Mirabella]

I liked the scene myself. I love all the throwbacks to events or chapters in the original story. Merry, being from Buckland, would be very familiar with the Old Forest. Just because the Old Forest was not shown in FOTR doesn't mean movie Merry doesn't know about it.

 

[joxy]

Originally posted by MorgulKing
....since there was no Old Forest according to the movie, how can Pippin recall?...but I didnt like it.

In the context of the film Old Forest could be any old forest!
I suppose PJ wanted to throw a scrap to Tolkien lovers who regretted that THE Old Forest was left out of the film, but I don't like being fed scraps, and I've have been happy to do without it.

 

[Mirabella]

Originally posted by joxy
In the context of the film Old Forest could be any old forest!
I suppose PJ wanted to throw a scrap to Tolkien lovers who regretted that THE Old Forest was left out of the film, but I don't like being fed scraps, and I've have been happy to do without it.

Not so:

Merry: Do you remember the Old Forest? On the borders of Buckland? Folk used to say that there was something in the water that made the trees grow tall... and come alive.

Merry definately meant the Old Forest from the book

 

[Anamatar IV]

Exactly....any old forest on the border of Buckland. In the movie since there is no capitalization people are implied to think Merry is talking about a forest with age. Not a forest by the name of the Old Forest.

 

[joxy]

Originally posted by Mirabella
Merry definitely meant the Old Forest from the book

I know that and you know that, but those don't know weren't meant to know!
Just another of PJ's irritating gimmicks - a gesture to soothe Tolkien lovers.

 

[Mirabella]

And I know that you know that you and I know

I don't find these little references to the original story irritating at all. Indeed, they appeal to my innate sense of humor and my love of the story.

 

[BlackCaptain]

a gesture to soothe Tolkien lovers.

What would have soothed me, is if PJ actualy put things in the book (The Old Forrest) and taken things out that shouldnt have even been there in the first place (Arwen, Lurtz, Stairway scene in Khazad-Dûm)

 

[Valawen]

Showing those who do not know about some things in LOTR (books and movies) by those who do know is what this forum is for.

 

[joxy]

Originally posted by MorgulKing
....if PJ actually put things {into the film that are} in the book....and taken things out that shouldn't have even been there in the first place....

Which is as neat a summary of a thousand postings as anyone could ask for!
You are SO right, MKing!

 

[Gimli'sGal]

I thought it was just cute how merry said that. Why talk about it?

 

[joxy]

Originally posted by Gimli'sGal
I thought it was just cute....

Do you think the LOTR trilogy is meant to be cute, even by Mr PJ?!

 

[Anamatar IV]

Originally posted by joxy
Which is as neat a summary of a thousand postings as anyone could ask for!
You are SO right, MKing!

But why include things that will not add to the story? In the Fellowship of the Ring (the book) there are many different sub plots. In the movie there was one plot. The hobbits don't need to get lost in trees or chased by wights...it doesn't enhance the plot.

 

[BlackCaptain]

I never thought i'd hear u say that... Neither did Lothlorien really. Sure, everybody got thier gifts, wich they use later on, but at the Barrow Downs, the Hobbits got thier swords, wich they use later on. Instead, Aragorn just gives them to him. Does Lothlorien realy help to enhance the plot?

Frodo leaves the Shire, gets into Mordor, and destroys the Ring. The rest of the stuff technicaly DOES enhance this plot. If PJ took out the rest of that stuff, would u be saying the same thing?