February 21, 2003

The Two Movies So Far
Regina

FotR: The thing about the first movie that really jarred with me was the Hobbits - specifically Merry and Pippin. They are portrayed in the film as stupid, idle, mischief makers and this is not how they were portrayed in the book. Indeed both of them are mature and intelligent hobbits and to make them figures of irritation (which to me they both were - I keenly disliked even their faces ie. the actors) was to take from their original characters and loyalty to Frodo. I am left to wonder why Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli would bother chasing the Orcs at all, I'd be glad to be rid of both of them. I wonder how PJ is going to take them from the insipid characters they are now and make them into the heroes they become. It will be too great a leap, in my opinion. Having read the books, I know what they really are but many of my friends who have not will find their heroism difficult to stomach.
I have no problem with the exclusion of Tom Bomadil, he is a very important character in the overall message of the book, however, I understand completely that he contributes nothing to the plot of the story and so is not needed in the film.


TTT: Much as I enjoyed the movie in itself, the photography, etc. I have greater issues with what was left out and put into this one. The changes seemed to me to be unnecessary. Firstly, Theoden being portrayed as resentful of the advice of his rescuers and cowardly running back to Helm's Deep. Why was this done? It would not have taken that much more time to allow him to ride out with Gandalf and then change course. Secondly, the Ent/Elves thing. Why would the outcome of the Entmoot be changed, what purpose does this serve? Was PJ so determined that Elves would arrive at Helm's Deep that he did not want to include the actions of the forest? This sours the movie for me. There appears to be no reason for these changes. Finally, Faramir. I don't think it was the actor misinterpreting the lines that took away the personality of Faramir. Faramir, in the book, shows the greatness of Gondor. At no other time do we encounter a man of Gondor (except, loosely, Aragorn) who still posesses the characteristics of the Numenorians. Faramir played an important role showing that the glory of Gondor was not all gone, there were still great men among them who cared about wisdom, history and people rather than power. PJ has now taken that away and one is left to wonder why.

We shall see.