Lord of The Rings/ It's Finally Over!!!

[Bushknew]

No, not the media's unending lovefest with Team Bush. That'll go on forever. Nope, I'm talking about Endless Lord of The Rings Hype.

I'll confess something to you: I hate Lord of the Rings. When I first saw the commercial for the first movie, I thought "nice effects" but was otherwise underwhelmed. Then I went to see the movie. My lord, what a snoozefest. I can truthfully say that the LOTR's rise to cultural phenomenon confuses me more than the fame of Ashton Kutcher. Kutcher, at least, is on one of the better written tv shows around.

Lord of the Rings for me is like all those idiotic Dungeons and Dragons things mashed into one cinematic orgasm. One of my favorite books was Le Mort D'Arthur, but I just can't stand the swords and sorcery nonsense. I'm a comic book geek (shock!) and the idea of a teenager who can stick to walls and dresses up in pajamas to fight crime is a million times more honest than "A questing we will go, a questing we will go". So now the last movie is out, and everyone loves it, and I'm just glad it's over.

http://www.oliverwillis.com/

[TrogL]

1. It's not

They start filming "The Hobbit" in 2005.

[DarkPhenyx]

3. They are?

Yippie!!!!!!!!!!!

*happy dance of joy*

[DarkPhenyx]

2. You some sort of commie?

Just kidding.

Well...sorta kidding.

[Runesong]

4. Have you read the books?

I am sorry to say, I am one who saw the movie 1st, then read the book later. I was mighty cheezed. The movies do not do the books justice. The movies focus on action, magic and swordplay. They leave out the coolest parts of the story. The books are mostly about the strength, courage and goodness ordinary people are capable of... even if he conveys a very simplistic view of "good and evil" Well, that's my take anyway.

[WilliamPitt]

6. I think it would take a stupendous Act of God

to give someone the power to accurately translate J.R.R. Tolkien's incredible books into film...without said film lasting longer than Ramadan. These guys did damned good, I think. Those themes are still very much present; the third film does Frodo's finale struggle really well, for one example.

[roguevalley]

9. I agree Will. If anyone finds that hard to believe, consider the

Silmarillion.

I personally believe the distance between dungeons and
dragons and most of the sword and sorcery stuff out there
and LOTR is the distance between Conan the Barbarian with
Arnold and Lawrence Olivier and Hamlet.

They did an incredible job with an intensely satisfying
book. I know I could also watch it for 30 hours. :)

[MoonAndSun]

12. Wouldn't it have been great if it was done on cable as a continuing

series that covered the 3 books as completely as they could? Wow, that would have been awesome. But Jackson did what no one thought was possible, capture the heart of the books and the story line in 3 movies. This last one made my laugh and cry and be happy and sad and all the other emotions in between.

I cannot wait for the extended DVD version to come out. I want to see the Eowyn and Faramir romance and how it was handled.

[Bushknew]

7. I havenÕt read the books

I donÕt read fiction, and maybe like you pointed out, people will enjoy the movie more
if they have already read the books.

[Touchdown]

14. It could've been worse.

Originally at Miramax, Jackson's version was to be 2 movies. When Disney execs reconfigured Miramax's per film budget allotments (They also own Touchstone, Hollywood Films, Dimension Films, and of course Walt Disney Pictures), Harvey Weinstien trimmed the bidget down to a SINGLE film.

Jackson knew that he couldn't get everything into a single film, even if it was 3 hours long, and still have a coherant story, so he shopped the 2 film script around. Every other studio rejected it.

Then , his last chance he came to New Line, and during the meeting, Michael DeLuca loooked incredulous at Jackson, and aske "Why 2 films?"...before PJ could answer, he said..."It looks like Tolkein did your work for you. He wrote 3 books, so you will make 3 movies." Peter Jackson later said that he felt his legs give out.

[Lorien]

16. Mine too

'real" Tolkien is the stuff of Joseph Campbell essays; the classic hero's journey. "Jacksonized" Tolkien is CGI battles, endless monsters, and sullen looking men who haven't taken showers in months. The movies have their moments, but really those moments are only for either fans of the books that are reminded-briefly-of some aspect of the story that was envisioned on film in much the same way they imagined it, or teenagers who are either fans of the actors or fans of big budget special effects driven films. I can't think of any film off hand that is actually exceptionaly well adapted for the screen, can you? :shrug:

I'm just happy that the movies have, like Harry Potter, turned kids on to reading again. After all, no movie can inspire us as a great novel can, and no special effect can exceed the bounderies of our own imaginations.

[DrWeird]

5. The Spiderman movie, eh?

An allegory about puberty written for acne ridden 14 year old boys and filmed as an excuse to show liquor commercials for the very same audience?

Thanks, but I'll stick with the films made of one of the most beloved books in literary history.

[HEyHEY]

8. hahaha

I'm at work with a huge LOTR fan, I read this out loud...he told me to say "fuck you and fuck your momma" haha ...I'm with ya though, I can stand that freaking crap!

[Bushknew]

10. ROTFLMAO, DonÕt get me wrongÉ

I love science fiction movies, and I even played D&D when I was a kid but I could
not get into the Lord of The Rings. I wonÕt be duped into seeing the third movie.

[Bushknew]

11. Watch Steven Spielberg Presents Taken instead

This is by far more entertaining and intellectually challenging.

And itÕs on DVD now.

See it, this you wonÕt regret.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005JM39/104-6898347-8154351?v=glance

[chookie]

13. A quick question for you, Bushknew

I would be grateful if you would answer.

Would you please tell me what film you believe is outstanding, or what is your favorite film?

I don't intend to argue with your assessment -- I'm just curious to see what you personally would consider a great film. It might help me to understand why you are so utterly repulsed by LOTR.

Molte grazie.

[Bushknew]

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