January 13, 2004
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Third (and final) remarks
So on a cinematic overdose high, you snatch your small hobbit from her carseat, hearing in the moan of the chill wind the keening of the Nazgul, rush her into the house ("Hey, this is fun!" shrieks the little innocent) and acheive safety just in time, your white cape swirling about you.
"What's the rush?" asks the spouse sardonically as you sweep in. He apparently can't see the white cape. "Didja know you left your lights on?"
Yeah, yeah. I'm blaming the One Ring, okay?
Sunday I took my mother up on her Christmas promise of childcare while I rounded out my all-at-once megadose of Peter Jackson's interpretations with an actual cinematic experience.
To quote a kid's book recently much-read in our house:
"'Wow,' she said. That was all she could say. 'Wow.'"
Before I enthuse a bit, though, let me grumble more (hey, I AM a former English major and a multiple-times-reader of the trilogy; I know my rights). I thought from the first two movies that Jackson had got the Frodo-Sam relationship perfectly, but in the "Return" he disappointed me with his treatment of
Frodo-Sam-Gollum by making it a triangle. Now, that's just wrong. Tolkien's Frodo would never, even for a moment, have supplanted Sam with Gollum; there was never a hint of such a thing. Sure, Tolkein had Frodo suspect Sam's undying loyalty many times because of the influence of the ring, and Frodo recognized that and so did Sam and in the end it only strengthened their love. But Frodo never betrayed Sam to or for anyone else, and most particularly not Gollum. Nope, I did not like that. And in lesser vein, but along the same lines, I could have seen more of the details about how wrenching the final parting was for both of them (not just Sam) at the end.
But other than that I was all for how Jackson did Frodo-and-Sam, and I even forgive him for casting too-beautiful Elijah. Too-beautiful he may be, but he can act, that young lad. And Sean Astin was pure perfection.
Beyond that, I was indeed completely entranced by the depiction of the final battles. I'm definitely no fan of movie-makers' predilection to equate ugliness with evil (why did all those orcs and Uruk Hai and trolls and everything look like Freddie with a seriously studly makeover?), but frankly battles are, for me, where the screen wins out over the written word. "The Return of the King" was my least favorite, and least well-read of the trilogy because I just never could get my mind properly around all those kings and their followers and their multitudinous allegiances and cross-loyalties and battles here and there. I'm not even sure (to indicate the degree of my stupidity) I was ever entirely clear who was at Gondor and who at Rohan. I fully acknowledge stereotypical girlishness here (yes, I have equal inability to this day to understand exactly how the game of American football is played, despite sitting through uncountable games).
So having handsome men (and woman) and weird beasts and dead people and everyone out there, neatly labeled and consecutively moved onto the game board did wonders not only for my understanding of the events, but my deep appreciation and emotional involvement (I'm sure the theatre-goers behind me, if they could wrench their own eyes from the screen, were giggling at my physical wincing every time someone took a good swing at one of Our Heroes).
So I herewith acknowledge publically: Jackson indeed worked a wonderous thing. I've even come beyond regretting all the losses en route from book to screen.
And oh yeah. When is the release date for the 3rd DVD?!
Comments (12)
I admit I had issues with the "out of characterness" of Frodo in the movie. It took me awhile to see that Jackson had to show in a short period of time that the ring had a huge effect on his mind. I was glad to see that he snapped out of it and let Sam know what was going on - it worked for me and this and the first movies were my favorites. I am still thinking on the ending - if I liked it or really liked it. I would have sat thru the entire book made to movie with nothing cut LOL
I enjoyed the battles but I have read and re-read the books so much that I knew who was who - the only thing I didn't like was how they portrayed Denethor - he was going mad, but they didn't say why he was. It left us thinking he was a jerk on his own, when it was something else that was doing it to him.
Whenever the release date is, I'm going to buy that DVD the day it comes out. This is just a thing that I know about myself.
That's almost exactly what I thought about reading The Illiad. The characters lost their personality and became ciphers to keep track of.
The Frodo-Sam thing bothered me a bit, too, but I do understand that they had to create some tension for the audience in that climbing sequence or else lose them. And I get that Jackson needed to show the effect of the ring on Frodo very quickly, too.
I still don't get the whole bit about Arwen's fate thing, though. Definitely a "what?!" moment for me, you know?
Jackson has promised in the extended edition to add back scenes of Merry's that were cut. I hope we also get some of Denethor back. We need to know that he was being driven mad.
And I loved the army of the dead. That never quite made sense to me when I read the book, but seeing it really worked.
oops, wrote a novel. sorry!
I feel singularly unqualified to comment, having seen precisely none of these movies and having precisely no interest in doing so. Just not my cup of tea. But I'm glad they're giving you pleasure.
I so agree!
Sean Astin did a wonderful acting job with the part of Sam.
From the first time I read the trilogy, some 25years ago, I have waited with anticipation and dred for someone to make an epic type film from the story. Anticipating that, properly done, film would be an awsumb media to tell this story and dreding that someone would try it and muck it up. Your last comment sums up my feelings about the movies, "Jackson, indeed worked a wonderous thing"
Nicely done.
I gotta tell ya, the 3rd DVD release isn't fast enough for me!!
OOOOhhh, I can finally get into your page !!!! I too could not reconcile the differences between book and screen ....... the movie seemed so choppy to me ? But it was a task the was entirely huge, impossible to capture all the nuances and shades in the books, and above all the movie had to be watchable.
Our girls loved it (mostly because of Orlando Bloom ?), and the only way to enjoy the movie was to switch off from the book, enjoy the sweeping panorama of the scenes, the beauty of the photography.
For me, Astin's Sam made the last film... I was always a Sam fan, but Jackson was at least loyal to his character...
dunno... but i do hope its soon.. cos i wanna see it too !!
I also hated what they did to Faramir in the second movie. Took a noble and kind character of great depth and made him into a simpering fool.
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