For fans of the Lord of the Rings movies, I think this is worth a watch

"gin-san - shitpost specialist" (gin-san-) 06/02/2020 at 18:45 • Filed to: YOU SHALL NOT PASS

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EDIT: repost for the evening crowd - I posted this yesterday morning and it was suggested that I repost for evening folks, just in case.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

These movies came out while I was in high school and I don’t think I’ve watched any other movie series as much as I have watched The Lord of the Rings .

I still have the three extended edition box sets lying around, and I’ve even watched the extra behind the scenes stuff that comes with the movies.

It’s really cool to see them altogether and reminisce about the making of the movies. This is probably the difference between a labour of love in making three movies all at the same time and whatever it was that resulted in The Hobbit trilogy.

I wonder if we’ll ever see an undertaking like this again - I remember from the extra material that their original studio had dropped them, the original actor for Aragorn was dropped (which they touch upon in this reunion), plus the fact that they were pushing the boundaries of CGI, motion capture, etc. It’s incredible that this trilogy was completed at all!

Anyway, if you’re a fan and you have an hour (which you will if you’re a fan) I think it’s worth a watch. It turns out I still have a crush on Liv Tyler.

Just Jeepin' > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 12:03

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I had a hard time getting over some of the divergences between the films and the books, but overall they were indeed an astonishing success. Thanks, will check this out sometime.

And yeah, Liv.

ttyymmnn > Just Jeepin' 06/01/2020 at 12:18

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Agreed on all counts. Story changes were annoying, but they  absolutely nailed the look.

Just Jeepin' > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 12:23

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I’d forgotten about these, but Ian McKellen’s diary/blog of his time filming is well worth a read. Fascinating stuff.

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/ian-mckellen-lord-of-the-rings-blog

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Just Jeepin' 06/01/2020 at 12:26

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I have to admit that I haven’t read the books in a very long time... it’s probably been at least 15 years, if not longer. While I love re-watching movies it’s rare that I re-read books.

The differences that stick out most in my mind are Tom Bombadil (I don’t think it would have fit well into the movie), the elves arriving at Helm’s Deep (I don’t think that happened at all... right?), Faramir’s part in capturing Frodo and Sam (I forget how it plays out in the books, but I think they parted ways differently), and of course the whole ending of The Return of the King where the hobbits need to take back the Shire for some reason (I forget why at this point).

Since you’re more familiar with the books, what were the major divergences that you didn’t enjoy? I read the books after  seeing the movies so I have a very different perspective.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Just Jeepin' 06/01/2020 at 12:31

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I’ll definitely check it out! Looks like it might take a little while to get through so I’ve bookmarked the Grey Book.

Chariotoflove > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 12:35

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This a blast to watch. Thanks. I have to take it in installments. 

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 13:21

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Saved for later. Thx

ttyymmnn > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 13:24

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where the hobbits need to take back the Shire for some reason

There is an entire section of The Return of the King that didn’t make it into the movie where the four Hobbits journey back to the Shire only to find it under the control of Saruman (who didn’t die at Orthanc like he did in the movie) and Wormtongue. Saruman, whom the Hobbits call Sharky (based on his Elvish name or something), has hired lots of bad men and they are controlling the commerce of the Shire, oppressing the Hobbits, polluting the waters, and basically messing everything up (remember when Sam looked in the Mirror of Galadriel and saw somebody digging up Bagshot Row and his old Gaffer being turned out?). They even chopped down the Party Tree. Anyway, the four battle-hardened Hobbits organize a rebellion, and when it gets to the end game, Wormtongue stabs Saruman in the back and the Hobbits kill Wormtongue with bows and arrows. THEN the story continues, Sam marries Rosie Cotton, Sam plants the Mallorn seed he got from Galadriel which replaces the party tree, Frodo feels the wound from the Morgul knife every year, followed by his eventual departure, with Bilbo and Gandalf and the remaining Elves, to the Gray Havens for the journey into the West.

I have lost count of how many times I’ve read those books....

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 06/01/2020 at 13:49

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The story changes are at least a lot easier to swallow and more logical than the ones in the Hobbit. Turned it into an entirely different story.

My biggest beef with the LOTR isn’t so much the story changes because I can sort of understand them... Bombadil and the scouring of the Shire are pretty much self-contained stories that are easily discarded without taking too much from the story.   It’s the fact that many of the changes made don’t seem to have any purpose other than to add to the run time, and then when it got too long as a result they cut out some key scenes from the books. I don’t mind the Elves at Helm’s deep as it doesn’t really impact the story, but their screen time could have been better used on the Huorn forest scene that got cut IMO. Likewise, had they not changed Faramir’s attitude towards the Ring, the entire scene with Frodo in Osgiliath doesn’t exist, and they have time to show the full interaction of Gandalf and Saruman instead of chopping it bizarrely short.

My $0.02

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/01/2020 at 14:03

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The Hobbit movies are a hot mess, and I haven’t been able to watch any one of them in its entirety.

I don’t really remember the scene of Faramir at Osgiliath, but I do remember his interactions with Frodo, Sam, and Gollum in Ithilien. I really liked the way Tolkien handled that, but I guess the movie needed more battle scenes. Another one of my favorite parts in the book that didn’t make the film was in the days after the Battle of Minas Tirith was over, and Aragorn chose not to reveal himself, instead going around and healing the sick and wounded. The story of how Faramir and Eowyn gradually fall in love is some of Tolkien’s best character writing. I never bought the tension between Aragorn and Eowyn they put in the movies. I don’t remember any such thing in the books.

I was also disappointed with the way they changed The Flight to the Ford. Arwen was never there, but we know that Jackson et al were trying to write larger roles for women, which is arguably one of Tolkien’s weaknesses. But that whole, “If you want him, come and claim him” business. Phooey. The way Tolkien wrote that scene was fantastic.

My favorite line from the books: Rohan had come at last. 

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 06/01/2020 at 14:29

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Obviously there are issues that make it hard to match the books and movies perfectly, and bearing that in mind I like the product overall... but it just feels like they rushed the wrong parts of the story sometimes. Aragorn not revealing himself is a great example of that. Not that I didn’t enjoy them, but there needed to be less time spent on battle scenes and more on the subtleties like Aragorn’s decision there .

In saying that, one battle scene I think was nailed was the attackers using the heads “psycological ammunition” during the siege of Minas Tirith.

I’m partial to Gimli’s “ Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

I’m working back through the Silmarillion at the moment... and the cycle continues. Looking forward to seeing what Amazon is going to do with it’s new series. Dunno if I’d have started from the Second Age, but it’s not like there’s a shortage of material to pull from anyway... hopefully they don’t mess it up.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > ttyymmnn 06/01/2020 at 14:36

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I remembered what you said about the mirror of Galadriel, but I think it was Frodo who looked in it in the movies. Anyway, I remember the scene you’re talking about since they touched upon it in the extras, showing the Scouring of the Shire (that’s the name that comes back to me now).

I also totally forgot that that’s how Wormtongue ends up stabbing Saruman in the back, rather than how it happens at the beginning of the Return of the King movie.

Thanks for filling me in... I think my parents got rid of most of my paperbacks when I moved out so I’m tempted to buy the books again.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > ttyymmnn 06/01/2020 at 14:42

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Reading your posts makes me realize I’ve forgotten too much about the books. Thanks for filling in the blanks for me!

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 14:46

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Both Frodo and Sam looked in it in the books, and iirc both looked in it in the movies as well, but Sam’s scene got cut from the main release.

ttyymmnn > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 14:48

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I can’t speak for the movies, but both Sam and Frodo looked in the mirror in the book . Sam, who said to Frodo that he’d like to see what was going on at home, saw just that. He saw the Shire being destroyed. He wanted to go home then and there, but he knew he couldn’t. Frodo took his turn, and he saw rumors of the coming siege and battle at Minas Tirith, as well as the arrival of Aragorn with the army of the dead. But then that vision changed to he Eye of Sauron, which held Frodo in its gaze. It’s a pretty powerful scene. But I don’t remember if they had Sam look in the mirror in the movie.

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/01/2020 at 15:00

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Despite having read the LOTR books countless times, I have only made it through The Silmarillion twice. For obvious reason, I absolutely love Tolkien’s description of the creation of the world through the metaphor of music. I think it would make a bang-on piece of music in itself.

I also read many of the Lost Tales books, and I particularly enjoyed The Lays of Beleriand and their poetic treatment. Some of them get a bit fiddly, with Christopher spending way too much time hashing out the differences between Tolkien’s edits and versions. But the wealth, depth, and breadth of Tolkien’s vision are made clear, and there is just so much to experience. All of that back material is what makes LOTR so rich and fully formed, based as they are on such a dense history.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 06/01/2020 at 15:10

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It’s not an easy read, but it’s definitely the key piece that ties everything together... r eally makes the main LOTR story feel more rooted when you see the links to the past like that.

I haven’t got to anything Christopher has put together though. Kinda feel like I had to draw a line somewhere, or I’d never do anything else... :) so so far I’ve stuck with just the material his father finished.

ttyymmnn > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 15:53

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That was great. Thanks. Now I want to go watch the movies. 

Just Jeepin' > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 18:42

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Finally watched. Amazing . Repost this tomorrow evening so people who might miss it in the mornings will have a shot.

Urambo Tauro > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/01/2020 at 19:22

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That was a good watch. “The Fellowship of the Cast” was one of my favorite parts of the DVD extras, and this feels very much like a sequel to that .

arl > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/02/2020 at 18:59

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Ah...Arwen Undomiel....enough said....

arl > ttyymmnn 06/02/2020 at 19:03

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Oh yea, leaving out the Scouring of the Shire was my biggest disappointment in the movies. Although Tom Bombadil and the Barrow Downs was something I was looking forward to seeing as well.

But otherwise, I loved the movies. I can’t read the books now without seeing most of the actors as the characters - especially Andy Serkis as Gollum. There can never be a better Gollum! 

Nauraushaun > Just Jeepin' 06/02/2020 at 19:10

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^ I’m in

Nauraushaun > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/02/2020 at 19:12

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I’m in. I do love these movies. They’re a good thing in this world.

I remember when they came out, I was like 12 and didn’t grasp it. I actually have one distinct memory of my family being at my grandma’s house in Hearn Road Mount Martha, probing my aunty as to why it’s got the “fellowship of the ring” subtitle. I didn’t know there were books and whatnot so I was just confused.

Anyway  I grew into them haha

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Nauraushaun 06/02/2020 at 19:23

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I guess I’m only a couple of years older than you - I knew of the books but only read them after seeing the movies.

I remember being amazed by Return of the King, but I guess the fact that I was stoned off my arse helped. It was fantastic to see on the big screen!

Nauraushaun > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/02/2020 at 19:46

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Haha, I see our teenage years weren’t that different.

I tried the books at some point. The Hobbit was a good read but the following ones were so dense, I couldn’t get through them. I came back later and enjoyed them a lot.

Nauraushaun > Just Jeepin' 06/21/2020 at 05:04

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Thanks for posting this, I’m reading it and it’s great

Nauraushaun > gin-san - shitpost specialist 06/21/2020 at 05:04

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Just wanted to say I just watched this finally and it was great! Not in love with the host, but it’s not about him ;)