I just got back from the Two Towers

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Those deviations aren't as big a deal as everyone's making them out to be. I'd bet that if anyone took time to line up the plot deviations from FotR and TTT, they'd actually find that TTT is much closer to the book than FotR was.

Possibly, but I don't think any characters in FOTR were as butchered as Faramir and Theoden.

Having said that I loved the movie, even if it's not quite the story JRRT was telling.

 

[Dragongirl]

Ahh no one mentioned my second bigest change gripe, the first being the elves of Lorien showing up at Helm's Deep. One thing I was really looking forward to was the awakened tree forest appearing at Helm's Deep and destroying the rest of the hillmen/orc army.

Though I have read the books over 20 times and am disappointed at some changes it did not detract from me enjoying the movie. Other than book differences the only thing that I really disliked in the movie was Legolas' little skateboard move down the stairs in Helm's Deep. I thought that was just plain stupid.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Those deviations aren't as big a deal as everyone's making them out to be. I'd bet that if anyone took time to line up the plot deviations from FotR and TTT, they'd actually find that TTT is much closer to the book than FotR was.

Actually, I think even PJ admitted he'd taken the most liberties with TTT.

That said, you're right, in the scope of things the changes are relatively minor, and you can't make an effective movie word-for-word even from an effective book.

I suspect most of the Tolkien fans (like myself) here really liked the work, and are picking nits out of an otherwise great performance (what is criticism if not picking nits?).

I loved it, warts & all. And I'll probably go see it again soon!

 

[Sammael99]

Ahh no one mentioned my second bigest change gripe, the first being the elves of Lorien showing up at Helm's Deep. One thing I was really looking forward to was the awakened tree forest appearing at Helm's Deep and destroying the rest of the hillmen/orc army.

That one rattled me too... I guess the fx budget didn't go quite that far... No Huorns...

On the whole, I have a mixed feeling about the movie. Some of the stupid Legloas antics really annoyed me, they really detracted from atmosphere. The plot changes didn't annoy me too much although the Faramir thing is borderline.

On that point, I can see a consistency issue with Eric's explanation, unless they scrap the whole "Pippin looks into the Palantir" scene which would definetely rattle me. That's how Sauron thinks the ring is with Saruman, how his attention is disctracted the first time (the second time is Aragorn himself, of course...)

Another general comment is the Worg scene. Not only was it an unnecessary addition (IMO), but the worgs aren't even convincing. Considering the time constraints, they could have done away with that whole thing (takes at least 15 mn of movie I guess) which would have left more time for Merry, Pippin and the ents, amongst other things...

I also thought the elves in Helm's Deep looked like they walked straight of a Warhammer mniature contest...

Still, altogether it was OK. i won't see it again, but I will probably watch it on DVD when it comes round.

 

[mooby]

I think Pip might take a peek into the palantir in ROTK.


I certainly hope so, anyway.



Any word on the Special Edition DVD yet? I'm really hoping for some Ent-water drinking!

 

[Celtavian]

Re

Legolas sliding down the steps on a shield was pretty stupid, but his acrobatic mounting of the horse at full gallop was pretty awsome. Looked very real to me.

 

[Lurks-no-More]

Saw TTT yesterday; I give it four stars, or four-and-a-half. Great movie, no doubt, but... it could have been even better.

Detailed analysis, slightly spoilery but hopefully not too much:
Visually amazing. Edoras and Meduseld, Hornburg and Helm's Deep, Dead Marshes, the Black Gate, the ents... whoah. I'm awed.

Gollum looked kinda fake for the first minute or so he was on screen, but then I forgot he was CGI. Very well done, IMO, especially providing reason for his future actions.

I felt that Theoden's situation and Wormtongue were much darker and, well, evil than in the book. Grima was, for the lack of a better word, creepy.

Overall, though there were pretty extensive modifications to the books, only two of them bothered me: the ending of the battle at Helm's Deep, which felt rushed and unbelievable (where's the huorns?) and the Faramir side-trek.

Actually, I think the last one could have been improved by a tiny modification: show that Faramir would let Frodo & co. go himself, but as a captain of Gondor, he must obey his father's orders and take them to Minas Tirith. From there, proceed as in the movie.

Oh, and about the wargs: I liked them! They didn't look like wolves, but rather like some sort of mutant beasties Saruman might raise for his orcs to ride on. (Did anyone else notice the scarred, one-eared, patched-together Warg keeper at the Isengard? Not a safe occupation... )

 

[Psion]

I am not on board with the "Faithfulness to the book" histrionics -- I merely think that in many cases, effectively telling the story on the screen is a different task than telling it with the leisure of the printed word... especially given than Tolkein was given to simple expostion, which seldom works well for extended periods on screen and takes a lot of time.

Impressed by:
Gollum
Legolas mounting the horse as it comes over the hill
Battle of Helm's Deep

Not particularly bothered by the shield thing... once again, a difference between telling something and showing it... in this case, the insane battle prowess of the elves.

I had a strong case of actor association with Grima. I was waiting for him to break out with "It is by will alone I set my mind in motion" at any moment.

I thought the scene where (SPOILERS) they finally show Gandalf the White was a little annoying. It sounded like they used Lee's voice in the beginning of his speech and faded to McKlellan's voice was a totally cheap trick. I symbollically smack the moviemakers over the nose with a newspaper for such tomfoolery.

The biggest problem with the movie, IMO, was the pacing. It never really hit a stride, and having three plot threads going on was a bit distracting. I'm not sure how they could have changed it, but making less break-ins during the battle of Helm's deep would have been a start.

Edit: Side note: Previews

Interesting previews. X2 looks like it will be good, but T3 looks like it will suck hard.

 

[Assenpfeffer]

I had a strong case of actor association with Grima. I was waiting for him to break out with "It is by will alone I set my mind in motion" at any moment.

I've seen Dune more times than any person left sane, and I didn't have this problem. I didn't think the bearing or delivery of the two characters was at all alike. Grima is more pathetic, Piter more childlike. Anyway, a worse association would have been with Chucky.

I thought the scene where (SPOILERS) they finally show Gandalf the White was a little annoying. It sounded like they used Lee's voice in the beginning of his speech and faded to McKlellan's voice was a totally cheap trick. I symbollically smack the moviemakers over the nose with a newspaper for such tomfoolery.

I thought that was kinda cool, actually.

EDIT: Remember that Gandalf has now become Saruman, in a sense. I think it fits in that context.

The biggest problem with the movie, IMO, was the pacing. It never really hit a stride, and having three plot threads going on was a bit distracting. I'm not sure how they could have changed it, but making less break-ins during the battle of Helm's deep would have been a start.

I agree that there are pacing issues, but I don't know that this is any more true of TTT than it was of Fellowship. I do know that I was doing some shuffling after a couple of hours in the seat at Fellowship. I did not do this at TTT, even in the second viewing.

Interesting previews. X2 looks like it will be good, but T3 looks like it will suck hard.

I still have not seen the T3 preview, but I expect it to suck anyway, based on what I'm hearing.

 

[qstor]

The thing that really annoyed me was when Faramir said..we are taking this ring to Gondor...argh!!!

Overall I like the Fellowship better because the changes in the book I felt made the story flow better where as in the TT the changes from the book made the movie feel constrained...They rushed several things from the book and it didnt fit well in the movie..

Mike