LotR Book/movie differences

[Krug]

SPOILERS if you haven't seen/read the movies/books.

FotR: http://gary.appenzeller.net/FotRDifferences.html

TTT: http://gary.appenzeller.net/TTTDifferences.html

RotK predicted differences: http://gary.appenzeller.net/RotKPredictions.html

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I really didn't notice anything missing in FoTR, sure TB and the Barrow Downs are gone, but the movie has such an amazing feel and impact you don't notice stuff being gone, and they didn't butcher the character of anyone. Sure they could have cut out more Arwyn but I was able to deal with it.

The Two Towers changes stood out quite strongly to me, the Arwyn crap they added seriously damaged teh story for me as it caused them to leave out stuff that was actually important to the story. The character changes mangled Theoden and Faramir, as I've stated in other threads, so much I don't feel they have much in common thier book selves. It's detrimental to the story to me. I was so dissapointed I actually have no "burning desire" to see RotK at the moment, not like was was fired up to see Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions, or Star Wars Ep 3.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

I really didn't notice anything missing in FoTR, sure TB and the Barrow Downs are gone, but the movie has such an amazing feel and impact you don't notice stuff being gone, and they didn't butcher the character of anyone. Sure they could have cut out more Arwyn but I was able to deal with it.

The Two Towers changes stood out quite strongly to me, the Arwyn crap they added seriously damaged teh story for me as it caused them to leave out stuff that was actually important to the story. The character changes mangled Theoden and Faramir, as I've stated in other threads, so much I don't feel they have much in common thier book selves. It's detrimental to the story to me. I was so dissapointed I actually have no "burning desire" to see RotK at the moment, not like was was fired up to see Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions, or Star Wars Ep 3.

I finished each book right before I saw the corresponding movie for the first time.

After finishing RotK Monday night, I finally understood why Peter Jackson added Arwen to the films.

Spoiler

If we never saw her, and she just showed up to marry Aragorn, it would not have been believable (esp. with Eowyn around). All the Arwen additions make her appearance at the end plausible.

Just a thought.

 

[Welverin]

After finishing RotK Monday night, I finally understood why Peter Jackson added Arwen to the films.

Spoiler

If we never saw her, and she just showed up to marry Aragorn, it would not have been believable (esp. with Eowyn around). All the Arwen additions make her appearance at the end plausible.

Spoiler

Except they don't actually get married, and it would have been easier to just leave her out entirely.

 

[diaglo]

yeah, they butcher practically all of Book I. not Book I and II which make up FotR. although, they did take liberties with Book II also.

Spoiler

the one that sticks in my craw (other than TB) was the letter from Gandalf left at the PRancing Pony for Mr. Underhill. and the fact that without even reading it. Strider knew every word. which is the only reason Frodo initially trusts/believes him. and uses his advice to avoid the Riders' assassination attempt.

and Poor Bill's introduction.

Bill was in 2 out of the 3 compilations in the series. he skipped TTT but he showed back up again in RotK.

 

[TiQuinn]

Eh.

The analysis of the differences between Tolkien's books and Jackson's movie I think gets old for me. There were a number of things that Jackson did better than Tolkien...quite a few, in fact. There a number of things that I would've liked Jackson to do that were parts of the book, but didn't. In the end, they are two different works of art, both entertaining and equally valid.

 

[Desdichado]

Eh.

The analysis of the differences between Tolkien's books and Jackson's movie I think gets old for me. There were a number of things that Jackson did better than Tolkien...quite a few, in fact. There a number of things that I would've liked Jackson to do that were parts of the book, but didn't. In the end, they are two different works of art, both entertaining and equally valid.

I agree, and folks that criticize the movies for not being adapted the way they would have done it are also very tiring. I'm a HUGE Tolkien fan and have been for years and years, yet I can't find it in me to criticize the movies for taking liberties with the books. The movies work fantastically as movies which is all anyone can reasonably ask of them anyway.

 

[dagger]

Spoiler

I can live with the way the mangled Faramir's character. I can even live with the way they did Arwen in the movies. I can also live with the whole elf thing at Helm's Deep and the Gandalf save the day with a cavalry charge.

What REALLY bugs me though, is the way the hobbits had to trick the Ents into attacking.

But I still liked the movies, and I think they stand on thier own.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I can live with the way the mangled Faramir's character. I can even live with the way they did Arwen in the movies. I can also live with the whole elf thing at Helm's Deep and the Gandalf save the day with a cavalry charge.

What REALLY bugs me though, is the way the hobbits had to trick the Ents into attacking.

Yes, Treebeard was smarter and much more noble than the Treebeard on screen, they are not the same character.

 

[KenM]

I think the reason PJ had Merry and Pippin trick the ents into attacking is to give the hobbits something useful to do in Two Towers, otherwise they would just be hanging out with the ents.