What change in the movies ticks you off the most?

[theGrenadier]

Why not Tuor? LoTR is six books....Dune is six books. They are also close in length.

But, I really don't think any past the first would really make for a good movie anyway. Maybe, the second, but once the story moves beyond Paul Atreides to his son, the story begins to become rather drawn out. It spans a period of several millenia. It would be very tricky and probably not very attractive to any but the most ardent Dune fans.

I still reccomend the read, though. Entirely enthralling work.

 

[Rian]

I think the movie was ok, but there were some things that irked me.

1.) Galadriel - I did not like the way she was portrayed in this movie. I'll admit that this is probably more because of the way I've always envisioned her to be was not what they showed.

2.) The scene on Weathertop - I wish it was closer to what happened in the book.

3.) The Council - I wish this had also been closer to what had happened in the book.

I'll admit that there was a lot to cover in 3 hours. Some things were sure to be omitted or changed. Still, I wish it followed the book more closely.

 

[CPTinuviel]

I saw the movie yesterday afternoon.
As a movie, it was very well done. It flowed well and people who haven't read the books could understand it.
However, as a movie version of the book, it was a VERY poor job.
Let's see, where to begin...

1. The Elrond character really freaked me out. It felt like he was in the wrong movie. I kept wanting to put his sunglasses back on him. Also, he seemed way too hostile to Men. I really didn't see him that way at all. After all, he raised Aragorn. Why would he have done that if he was so hostile to Aragorn's entire race?

2. The whole Galadriel changing thing was really wierd. I didn't like the way they did that at all. And, Frodo never noticed her ring. That seemed pretty important to me when I read that part of the book.

3 . They never showed Gimli's change of heart. They showed that he didn't like elves at the Council, but in Lorien he grew to love them. He and Legolas even became friends. But did they show that in the movie? No...

4. They didn't say anything about the mallorn trees in Lorien. I thought that they were one of the main reasons why it was famous.

5. Arwen's first line was SO dumb!
"Oh look, a ranger, caught off his guard." Or something like that. If you're going to change a character's lines, don't give an Elf a pathetic line like that!

6. The expansion of Arwen's role to bringing her in to rescue Frodo really wasn't needed. They could have shown her and Aragorn in Rivendell talking about their love without having her come and save the day.

7. Their expansion of Gandalf and Saruman's confrontation(s) was rather annoying too.

And ditto to the changes you others have mentioned too. What's with the pod things anyway?

Well, there were lots of other things too, but I'm tired of complaining. it's putting me in a bad mood.

But, on the good side of things, Bill the Pony made the cut!

And it was SO fun to be sitting in the theatre when it ended and to listen to all the other people going "what happened? why'd it stop?"
when you already knew it was going to stop around where it did.

I still enjoyed the movie in spite of the changes. I'd recomend going to see it, if only to get more to discuss about!

Adios, Amigos!

Tinuviel

 

[Huan]

The film

There is much in the film to be commended, the sets, the music of which little has been mentioned, The casting is on the whole excelent. We all must recognise that to be accurate in all parts of the story is not possible on film. However there seems to be some glaring problems here. Elronds attitude to Aragorn leaves much to be desired and the idea that all the people at the council had been summoned. By whom ? It would not have taken much extra time for Galadriel to bestow her gifts and to see the change in Gimli after his visit to the lady of the golden wood !

 

[Tuor]

Grenadier: it's because of all the subplots. and a lot of times they show the characters thinking, and it's hard to show that in a movie.
and there are also 3 prequels: House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Corrino. and individually the Dune books are considerably bigger than LotR.

 

[Grond]

Alas Tuor, I believe the prequels are not the work of Frank Herbert but that of his son and another writer. I have yet to read them feeling that nothing could compare with Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune.

 

[theGrenadier]

Right-O Grond.....the prequels aren't by Herbert and I haven't read them either. Unlike Lucas's Universe, you don't have to pass a test and buy a license to write about Herbert's universe. Anyone can write about the Atreides or Harkonnens, etc, as long as you include that you have based your writings on Herbert's books.

Moriarty, you're bloody nuts! ( just a friendly jibe there ). But, we'll just have to agree to dis-agree. I'm sure Mr. Banks appreciates your thought though.

Tuor, I agree about the sub-plots. That's the whole point......plans within plans within plans.....and Lynch proved that you can't write private thought into a script. He tried and failed....his own private gom-jibbar, maybe. But, this is a Tolkien forum, so I won't debate here anymore on the value of Herbert's work. Eventually, someone will point this out so, I'll beat them to it.

Anyhow,yes, in German, JRR's name would be pronounced Tolk-een, had he spelled it Tolk-EI-n, it would be pronounced Tolk-INE. So, either way, I had been saying it wrong all along.

 

[Lantarion]

I can't believe this thread has been up for a few days and there is over twenty pages of posts.. yipes.
Anyway, I thought the biggest 'flaw' in the movie was taking away Galadriel's kindliness and understanding, therefore denoting all elves as being proud, pompous elitists who see Humans and Dwarves as inferior to them. Bah! That is the biggest flaw in the film, although it only slightly affects the course of the Company.
Another disharmonious edit was the Council, and the braw that ensued. It was very good otherwise, but it gives the image that the races are squabbling amongst eachother when they should be helping eachother. And in the book they are inside in a big hall, around a table. There were far less people present, and the air was tense and uncomfortable. In the book the aura is kindly and courteous, as well as tolerant and understanding. Not so in the film. But the mood was brightened by Pippin's absurd question, "So where are we going?". LOL
Orthanc was also a bit off, because the surface was not completely smooth and ominously perfect, like in the book.
The orcs and dwarves were quite accurately portrayed, and they're spirits were also introduced well.
The Weathertop- incident was very good, although I believe they camp in a small cave under the hill in the book; but I would have liked to see, or even know of, Gandalf's fight with the Nazgul: there didn't seem to be one!
And the Barrow-downs part, or the lack thereof, was disappointing. I grunted when I saw Aragorn suddenly pull out four short swords from a mysterious bundle. The Barrow- idea was a lot better.
But it was a great movie, no complaints and at least 4/5.

 

[Moriarty]

Grenadier,

Can't believe you can have that view.... I mean I thought my example of a major plot problem in Dune says it all, haha! ( But I mean it!). Well I know its not the thread but we won't be able to argue like this anywhere else so why not !
I'm going to change my name to "I've got a big stick and I'm not afraid to use it" or maybe "Atitude Adjuster' is more appropriate.

I am going to se LOTR movie tomorrow .......I am sure it will be great and also annoying in terms of the changes ......... but I htink this is bound to be the case .........

 

[Talierin]

Ponti, I started this thread in October, I think......

 

[¤-Elessar-¤]

I would most definately have to say my sword, what happened to Elendil's sword, they show it in the beginning, and then in Rivendell, but it like vanishes or something, where did it go? WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO ANDURIL? I THINK I AM RATHER MAD. Oh yea, and what was up with like the whole forest stuff? WHERE did it go? Oh, I miss Mr. Bombadil...

 

[Greymantle]

Yeah... Aragorn has a sword at the beginning, and they show the shards of Narsil... But there's never any mention of it being reforged into Anduril. Presumably the sword Aragorn uses later is the same one he had at the beginning.

 

[DGoeij]

I've seen it. I enjohed it, I really did. Great as a movie in its attempt to bring ME to life.

What ticks me off?

Elronds attitude towards the whole matter: Solve it you people, I tried 3000 years ago, now its your turn! (???)

Saruman, trying to talk Gandalf into a allegiance with Sauron, showing the Palantir???????????????????? And a wizards duel a la Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Last but not least, as I feared, Arwen summoning the flood and waving her sword around. yuk. The race to the fords itself was great actually, but the ending of it, nah.

And I didn't like the atmosphere in Lothlorien. It felt cold and dangerous instead of the warm and save haven it was in the book.

 

[Moriarty]

Well yes I also saw the movie today.

I thought the dialogue not so good ........... at times things were moved about a bit in the timeline often conversations that happened earlier were help later. Saruman was given a bigger part ....... this I think is probably necessary for the film.
Pronounciation of the names and so on is exactly right ....no complaints there.
Also thought that Lorien was a bit overly unfreindly.
The old forest and Tom we all knew would be cut.
Didn't really mind Arwen having a bigger rolein the end. I thought Liv was rather nice....
The pod things/ amniotic sac and the invention of the uruk-hai captain Lurtz is not a big problem - I didn't actually hear the name mentioned afterall.... if it was it wasn't made a big thing of anyway Ugluk probably be taking command of the orcs and will be tormenting Merry & Pippin in the next film......

What I would have liked to see .......the warg attack before Moria .... maybe it was done and cut.
Gandalf did say "fly you fools" ...... sorry (but not to the moron who put the incorrect clip on their website).
Biggest problems ....people laughing at unfunny bits .....but hey I am in Singapore!
Best ...... Aragorn was great, as was Boromir, Gandalf much better than I had been led to expect, I was also pleased that Legolas was shown to be light and fast but not made out to be some sort of pansy like in so many attempt at a similar thing. Fantastic fight scenes ...particularly Moria and at the end.
Verdict : Ok so it wasn't the book ..... I thought the dialogue was a bit weak in places ...
...... but it will be a classic.
Look forward to the next one!

 

[kazren]

Not the books but...

I agree, it's not the books, but there's scenes added or invented for the movie that I really liked. We see a growing friendship with Merry, Pippin and Boromir that gives more motivation for his character to defend them to the death.

I was set to NOT like Xen-arwen, but I have to admit, she was okay. I ma a Glorfindel fan, don't know why except for he's so gallant and the vision Frodo sees of him at the ford, but they bring that vision to Frodo who lies feverish beneath the statues of the trolls (from the Hobbit) and sees a vision of Arwen as a light being, so that helped.

And being an Elf-lover since my first read-through oh so many years ago, I have to admit I really enjoyed Legolas. It would have been nice if they left in more of the footage I know they shot for Lorien, but I think they were going for the mystery and 'danger' of the Lady of the Golden Wood theme. I'm waiting for the Director's Cut.

Sean Astin spoke here in L.A. a few times, mentioning they had filmed the scene with Sam and Frodo coming across Gildor and the Elves in the Shire. I hope that ends up in the Director's Cut, and the gift-giving before they leave Lorien, and the Elves killing off all the orcs who chased the Fellowship from Moria.

They say the DVD will be out August/Sept - I can wait. And news is that we will be able to see trailers for TTT in a month or so when we return to see FOTR and sit through the entire credits.

We LOTR fans have patience. After all, I waited 37 years for the movies.

 

[Dain Ironfoot]

I loved the movie .................STOP YELLING YOU'RE RUINING MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!

 

[LOTRF]

I saw the movie yesterday and I really liked it.
There were some thing I didn't like.

1. I didn't like Awens role at all. They ruined one of my favorit parts by putting Awen in there.

2. Elrond seemed to stiff I and I didn't like how they got in a big fight in the counsel of Elrond.

3. Lorin was too weird.

4. I DID NOT like when they had the "wizerd duel" it was to star wars.

and there is more I just can't think about it now. I love how they did the fellowship they each of them just how I thought they should be.
I loved when Pippin said "Right. now were are we going?".
I still really enjoyed the movie.

 

[PRH]

has this been bought up?

I haven't read it yet but surely someone has mentioned it. At any rate, here it is again:

When Arwen first appeared to Frodo, she was glowing etherially. Was this a replacement for Glorfindel at the Ford, scaring the horses into the flood in his 'true' form? Nice thought, but it doesn't make sense. Now all I've read are The Hobbit, LOTR and The Silmarillion and they don't make specific mention of this but isn't Glorfindel a special Elf in that he spent time in the Blessed Realm with the Valar (or is it that he had actually been to the Halls of Mandos (i.e. died))? Not many Elves have this special power and certainly Arwen would not. Can somebody comment on this?

Thanks

 

[Moriarty]

PRH I don't understand you ..... have you read LOTR or haven't you !
It a complex question if you haven't and if you haven't why would you care.

To be honest I feel Glorfindel was a bit part in the book and find it strange that so many people now say it's their favourite part. Tolkein also seems to have left him out of the fellowship, perhaps because he may be too powerful and therefore not helpful to a dramatic story!
Anyway why couldn't Arwen have that power .....after all they have changed the plot ...so why not! Hmmmmmm you do not make sense PRH!

 

[Elvish Archer]

WTF???!!!!!!

Thge wizard duel made me laugh and its supposed to be a very serious moment, when one of the most powerful mortals is discovered to be a traitor, and they make u laugh over it! Bloody brake dancing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But other than that i dont mind the 'changes they made, coz i view the film and book as separate, u watch r read. but dont mak them the same! lol!

But all the cutting reall pisses me of! i mean, c'mon! all thjat....just gone? puff! yup......