LoR [the movie] True to the book?

[Gelion]

Well I fulfilled a small dream of mine. Bought the full version of LoR. Just finished watching the last episode. I was happy that they included some parts of the book that were omitted in the "short version", like the "Mough of Sauron" and more of the Council of Elrond. Still having watched all of this in one chunk I feel as though LoR has failed as a Tolkien Movie. Yes the graphics was great, yes the music was wonderfull and especially recorded, and I really like the fact that all the decorations were specially made. What I don't like is the Spirit of the movie apart from lack of physical laws.
Here are some funny parts:
- Horses are seemed to be made of pure steel and nothing can hurt them when they charge against armoured enemy. Those 100-kg orc were flying like logs from hourses. The riders must have loved their hourses too.
- threads/ropes that hold a whole structure on an elephant can be cut with a pocket knife while flying on a robe passed the elephants corps.
- superheroes. This will always stay in US movies. Makes you wonder for example when Legolas fights with orcs in Minas Tirith battle why wan't he so good before of why did his relatives die so easily in Helms Deep? This can be said about any fight where main heroes were involved. If I were Sauron I would not breed fighters that cannot take on a Hobbit....

I will not list all the factual errors and important omissions - Tolkien fans know them all. I want to know if you liked the movie and if you think that it is in the books Spirit?

I find that as usual the visual effects and "look" of the movie is outstanding, but very few of Tolkeins ideas were there. I liked Denethor in particular.... HE would have made an excellent Wormtongue not Steward of Gondor.

One more observation that from the first movie to the last I found Orcs (and Evil Forces) to be much better than I expected and all "Forces of Good/Light" much eviler than they actually were. I never liked one Elf in film they were to evil for the "Firstborn". Gimli was the only character I liked at first sight.

Oh one more brilliant thing is how the designers were facinated with death of teh bad guys. Just see the fall of Isenguard, end of Siedge of MInas Tirith and the End of Sauron. The message is clear: "be born on the goods side, for you shall die a horrible death just because you are evil"..... LoR is not yet a propaganda movie, but getting close to the mark....

Anyway I'm done with bashing and looking forward to hear your comments on the movie.... faults, funny parts, what was wrong and right.... I may post a list of "what they got wrong" soon if I have the time to compile it. Still the graphics is imressive...

 

[AceChilla]

Look at it from the bright side. It could have been SOO much worse.

 

[Gelion]

Yeah it is a valid point actually.

Oh and the poll is messed up so ignore it please.... or ignore the last part of the poll option... and also my spelling

 

[The Last Conformist]

Well, I've long since accepted that movie adaptions of my favourite books will never fully satisfy me. This was better than most, and visually stunning.

I'll agree the portrayal of the Elves was one of the weaker points.

As for the whacky physics, well, on that point suspension of disbelief is a basic survival skill for watching movies involving action. Expecting anything else is like expecting a romcom to end with they heroine dumping the hero for the 83-year-old billionaire.

The only review of Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" you'll ever need

 

[yoshi74]

Its just impossible to make a good film to a good book and still be 100% true to the book. Various media work differently. While i don't like every change made (or every interpretation), i think all in all it were great movies to a great book. True to the spirit of the book, and thats IMO most importent.

 

[Yom]

I read the book and watched the movie; both were pretty good. I don't remember much from either, since I just read it for fun, but from what little I do remember, the movie seems like a good presentation of the book. I abstained from voting about Tolkien's ideals because I have no idea what they are.

 

[Gelion]

LC thank you for the link! I agree with the guy 110%!

 

[Akka]

I was extremely impressed by the ability of Peter Jackson to render character, ambiance and ideals true to the book.
The flaws are sufficiently small to not be noticeable in any detrimental way. I give the movies a full row of thumbs up.

 

[Gelion]

To Yom
Well for one thing Gandalf would never fight Denethor over the autority in Minas Tirith. Tolkien is into a lot of confrontations: between good and evil, sins and good deeds in men, love for yourself and love for others, old vs. new and so on... most of that is missing from the movie or is done in a silly way.... most is just pure action....
Some things that heros did in the movie contradict the very nature of the book. Denethor sending Faramir to die (he did but before Osgiliath was taken), Faramir taking Frodo to Gondor to prove "usefulness" to his father... Gollum was a swine in every respect. In the book he was a fallen creature, but still not without hope and he deserved pity. In the movie you feel sick of Gollum in the book you understand him at least.... I could go on for hours, but I dont't think I can give "bigger" and clearer examples than just focusing on details. But on the other hand those details make a book what it is.... and the movie.

but all that is IMO....

 

[Perfection]

None of the poll options applied to me, so I picked them all

 

[Plexus]

I think that the movies were true enough to the books to render the movie throughly enjoyable. All of it looked incredible as well, so, no complaints here.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Regarding the change of details and perspectives that always seem to happen in movie adaptions of books that at least to me often seem on the surface totally unnecessary, I've come to wonder whether they reflect a psychological impossibility for directors - almost by definition artistic people - not to leave their mark, so to speak, on the movie.

But back to my original point. The trick in appreciating movie adaptions is not to expect complete fidelity. If the movie's failures as an adaption the book - and there are always going to be some - will outweigh the its success as a movie - and I'll assert that in this case, they are many and great - in your mind, there are better uses for your time and money.

 

[Cuivienen]

There were a large number of changes from book to movie, mostly changing the story to fit what the moviegoer wants to see. While I only liked some of the changes, I can understand that such a long and high-quality set of movies needs to pull a profit. I also think that a lot of the changes, while bad ideas had they been implemented in the book, were good ideas from the more limited movie medium. I still loved the movies, though not so much as the books.

 

[Speedo]

I think the movies are excellent, I have the extended version trilogy as well I'm nowhere near a Tolkein expert, I've only read the book twice, but I think they do a very good job of presenting the plot. As for your complaints about the movies, well, I think suspended belief in reality is a requirement for being interested in fantasy...

There's only one part of the movie that I hate, absolutely despise. That would be where Frodo sends Sam before Shelob's lair. Hate it hate it hate it. I have no idea why they put that in there, and I'd really like to smack them for doing so.

Otherwise, I can't really think of any changes they put in that significantly impact the storyline.

 

[GEChallenger]

Didn't like the movies that much, especially on repeated viewings. I saw the long version of the third one during christmas and decided that I'll never watch them again. They're incredibly long, with bad editing, mediocre to plain terrible acting, annoying characters, big plotholes, and are in many places just plain unbelievable. The battles are cool with the first viewing, but after seing them again they're unrealistic enough to ruin them. The huge amount of cringe-worthy dialogue, overuse of slow motion, drawn-out scenes, and near constant weeping pretty much kill what little merits the movies have for me. Oh yeah, and the music borders on obnoxious at times (although in other places it's quite good).

And this is based on the movies alone, without considering the books. As a book adaptation... obviously the movie is nothing at all like the books, which isn't necessarily bad. I try to judge movies based on their own merits. In some places though I think they actually stuck way too close to the books. Much of the dialogue, for example, was if I remember correctly lifted pretty much directly from the book. It sounds good on paper, but in the movie it comes across as corny at best.

And I hated the extended cuts more than the originals-- I think the majority of the added scenes are pointless and mess up the pace of a movie that already drags. Oh, and the whole mouth of sauron bit was one of the campiest scenes I've seen in any movie.

 

[newfangle]

All in all the movies were done very well, but I think PJ's ego may have gotten in the way a few times too many.

My biggest quam BY FAR was the complete alteration of what actually happened at the Battle of Pelinor Fields.

The ghosties did NOT do what they did in the movie. It was MEN that defeated that army of Sauron. And not only did Rohan respond to the call for aid, but a Gondor Noble from the South responded with his knights. 90 or so Rangers came too. Gah! They made the ghosts too powerful. Why not just use the uber powerful ghosts to escort Frodo into Mordor in the first place. God damnit Aragorn, you jerk! You could have saved so many lives, but instead you were all ***** whipped by your elf-biatch.

Anyways, that's my biggest quam. The rest was neato.

 

[Rhymes]

I thought the movie was as great as a movie can get. But still you just cant put every aspect of the book in a movie, it would have to last at leats 20 hours. And my biggest disapointement was Legolas, I think Orlando Bloom looked pretty gay.

 

[Yuri2356]

The ghosties did NOT do what they did in the movie. It was MEN that defeated that army of Sauron. And not only did Rohan respond to the call for aid, but a Gondor Noble from the South responded with his knights. 90 or so Rangers came too. Gah! They made the ghosts too powerful. Why not just use the uber powerful ghosts to escort Frodo into Mordor in the first place. God damnit Aragorn, you jerk! You could have saved so many lives, but instead you were all ***** whipped by your elf-biatch.

With how dangerous they made the ghost-army, it did seem kind of stupid to release them when he knew they were about to go after Mordor.
What should have happened in that scene:

"We have done as you asked, now free us from this curse."

"No."

"But you said we'd fight one last battle, and then we'd be free."

"Ya, but the battle's not officialy over yet..."

"Then when is it over?"

"When the ring is destroyed. Now, I want you to attack the black gates..."

"That is the biggest load of S*** I've ever heard."

"Hey! I'm your king, you do what I say."

"Some king. I didn't vote for you..."

*sigh* "Not this again."

 

[blackthorn]

Both book and movie are fantastic and pure genius in their own right.

You guys write an epic triology,adapt it for a movie, then you'll see how hard it is to impress millions of people.

I give credit where credit is due. PJ did the best that could possibly have been done. period.

 

[WS78]

Since I have quite an interest in Tolkiens works, I will have to have two seperate comments in this post.

First as a filmwatcher/filmmaker. Of the three, I liked the first the best. Fellowship had a sense of wonder and adventure they captured perfectly. And the death of Boromir was well done. Two Towers was quite good. Return of the King was a downright cryfest. I was thankfull that they didn't make it any longer.

As a Tolkien fan. Fellowship kicked ass.
Two Towers, didn't like the Elves popping up at Helms Deep, that Eomer led the Rohirrim at the climax instead of Erkenbrand and that the Huorns weren't there.
Return of the King, Frodo/Sam/Gollum was way too dramatized. Stop crying already!
Would have liked that Prince Imrahil was represented. I also agree that the Dead of the mountains were presented wrongfully. They helped Aragorn and a Human army to capture the Rogue ships at Pelargir nothing more.
I do have to admit that excluding the Scouring of the Shire was a good idea.