Speaking of The Lord Of The Rings...

[Drizzt]

Originally posted by Gurm
Yeah well Leech, he's beyond understanding. In some ways he's supremely respectful of the text, and in other ways he butchers it beyond belief. *shrug*

- Gurm

I s'pose no one did look at the extended edition of TFOTR, uh?
Jackson explains it quite well.

And, he is a borious dumbass.

[Gurm]

But he's a REALLY GOOD director.



While I may or may not agree with what he cut, the first two movies are EXCELLENT movies. If I am able to put aside my love of the original text, they work astonishingly well.

And the directing is top-notch. His ability to work with atmosphere is second to none.

- Gurm

[KvHagedorn]

There have always been these sorts of arguments about great books being made into movies. How does one take a 500 page book and turn it into a 100 page (at the VERY most) movie script? It isn't that easy, and something has to be cut, unless you are doing a miniseries for TV, where you have 8 hours to fill. Then there are the aspects of pacing for dramatic effect and delivering due emphasis to the main action, without which you often get a film that falls flat. Jackson did a great job with the first two movies, I felt. While not following the books exactly, the films are at the very least a great tribute to the feel of Tolkien's world and its main characters. You know, no one has said anything about the music here. The film score is just magnificent. At first it didn't thrill me, but it grew on me quickly, and I love it now.. an epic cannot come alive without music that does it justice and, as big a challenge as LOTR is, this score doesn't let it down. I like the Two Towers score even better than the first one. You could take out everything but the grandeur of the South Island and that music and feel the soul of Middle Earth right there, especially in the Edoras sequence. The casting is spot on, too. I can't imagine Gandalf as anyone other than Ian McKellen now, so perfectly has he captured the old wizard. Cate Blanchett really IS an elf, isn't she? I have my suspicions about Liv Tyler and Hugo Weaving as well..

[Jon P. Inghram]

I love the ending of the second movie, creepy and depressing.

[leech]

Would have been more creepy and depressing had they ended it with Sam crying over Frodo's comatose body, thinking he's dead, and Sam telling himself that he must go on.

Though I do agree that the music and the casting was excellent. I just disagree with a few of the changes Jackson made (like removing the Huorns and TOTALLY changing the battle of Helm's Deep because of it.)

Leech

[Gurm]

They're back in the extended edition.

---------------------

Julie and I discussed this at some length over dinner.

And I guarantee you... GUARANTEE... that Isengard was cut for a very specific reason. I mean, look at the first movie.

Pacing-wise, they HAD to reach Rivendell at the halfway point in the movie. So they had EXACTLY 1.5 hours to get to Rivendell. Now, anyone who wants Bombadil back in the movie... let's be honest. You would need AT LEAST half an hour to do Bombadil, the barrows, and the old forest - because it would necessitate adding a little of Buckland, which was TOTALLY left out. So you would need to LOSE half an hour elsewhere in the first half of the movie. I can't think of 5 minutes you could cut from that first half, nevermind 30!

Same thing with The Two Towers. They couldn't have the confrontation with Saruman, and Shelob... because that would have added 20-30 minutes to a movie that was already too long. Where would you like to cut those 20-30 minutes from, considering that the 3-hour mark is hard and fast?

And the thing with Huorns... requires adding some explanation of what Huorns are, which requires adding more Merry & Pippin & Treebeard scenes, which requires cutting something ELSE.

See the problem here? Jackson has a big tackboard with all the plot points on blocks, and strings that point to related plot points, and little numbers (or some similar system), and has to make HARD choices based on what fits and what doesn't.

And I haven't even addressed pacing here! Matrix Reloaded got SLAMMED by reviewers and fans alike due to its "exposition... kung fu... exposition... kung fu" silliness. And LOTR is pretty damn tedious the way it's laid out in the book. You HAVE to rearrange some stuff.

So let's all relax. Isengard will be in the extended cut. No worries.

- Gurm

[DukeP]

True. They prob. should have made 4 movies.

One thing the movies lack, is proper music. I mena, to really, really build a classic, you need a music score, that people remember. Like the Star Wars score. John Williams score must be the goal all others aspire to reach

They might haven taken some of the official The Lord OF the rings music, as composed here in Denmark

~~DukeP~~

[Gurm]

Pfeh. I've heard the "official LOTR music" from Denmark. It's ... nothing special.

I really like Howard Shore's scores for these films. They're quite perfect, thanks.

- Gurm

[DukeP]

Really? You have heard it and still do not find it striking?

Thats rather rare, in my experience.

Heres a link to a small part of the first cd.

I especially like the part where Goldberry starts singing - she takes off on the high note of a violin.

As for the music score - I find it rather bland. Eventhough I have seen the two movies on a number of occasions, I cant really remember the music - I dont think I could whistle half a verse from any of the songs.

The music from starwars tho' - Who cant whistle (or hum!) at least part of the maintune? Or the Imperial theme?

Dont see this happen with the music thats in LotR the movie.

~~DukeP~~

[Gurm]

Oh c'mon. The LOTR main theme gets stuck in your head forever.

- Gurm

[Gurm]

Ok I forced myself to listen to that garbage again.

It's ... ok. Not inspiring. I really never pictured Tom Bombadil being played by Dick Van Dyke, nor Goldberry by Julie Andrews. Y'know?

Maybe it's our different cultures. But music from different countries really strikes me as FROM that country. I can tell a German composer/conductor the minute I hear the band strike up. Same thing with Danish, or French, or (heaven help us) Russian.

So this sounds a lot like some Danish guy trying very hard to compose British provincial music.

- Gurm

[Gurm]

And what's up with Goldberry busting into typical operatic posturing?

I never really pictured LOTR as an opera. Yuck.

Julie was shocked and horrified by this. She came out of the living room going "dear god - is that some opera singer trying to do 'Tom Bombadil'?"

- Gurm

[DukeP]

Lol. It really is.

What DID you think the ancient ones where singing - rock n' roll??

And she IS in fact, doing "GoldBerry".

Allright, seems taste differs. But this really IS the first time I have meet someone that didnt like this particular number.

The texts are tolkiens own - as is the genres. The Hobbits are somewhat like Folksongs, the HighMen are like Operettes, and the elves are like Opera. Just the way Tolkien himself imagined.

~~DukeP~~

[Jon P. Inghram]

Originally posted by Gurm


"dear god - is that some opera singer trying to do 'Tom Bombadil'?"

- Gurm

Lets try not to take that quote out of context.

[KRSESQ]

How does one take a 500 page book and turn it into a 100 page (at the VERY most) movie script?

Leaving the question aside, a movie script is usually clocked out at one page per minute of screen time. A one hour television script is usually 55-60 pages.

As for the original question, I've tried it. Even with a relatively short 250-300 page novel it's hard as hell.

Sorry. I'm doing it again. Carry on.

(I REALLY like Enya's vocals on the soundtrack or FOTR. Actually I just kind of like Celtic music in general.)

Kevin