LOTR:TT:EE Appendices Disc 3. Discussion of Tolkein

[Camarath]

To me, they basically mirrored my thoughts: the books have a good story concept, re-invented mythology, and have the occasional well-written line of dialogue or clever idea BUT the actual story-TELLING is incredibly weak, flawed, and tedious.

That sounds like a description of Peter Jacksons movies to me.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

That sounds like a description of Peter Jacksons movies to me.

I disagree with you, but I can see why one might describe his storytelling as "weak" or "flawed." There were, after all, flaws (substantially fewer than in the book, IMO, but a number nonetheless). But "tedious"? If anything, the Return of the King was fast-paced even by Hollywood standards, and the pace of the Fellowship of the Ring movie is like a bullet train compared to the book, which tends to meander like a drunken mule.

 

[Endur]

My general feeling is that these people aren't important enough for me to worry about their opinions.

What is the general feeling on the screenwriters and Tolkein scholars using such flattering phrases such as "hundreds of pages where nothing happens" and "not the way a professional writer would write" ?

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

My general feeling is that these people aren't important enough for me to worry about their opinions.

This is what I love about the internet. People who have devoted careers to a subject can be dismissed as unworthy of attention because you don't like something they said.

 

[Dark Jezter]

What is the general feeling on the screenwriters and Tolkein scholars using such flattering phrases such as "hundreds of pages where nothing happens" and "not the way a professional writer would write" ?

I havent heard any uproar...have people not gotten around to watching the extra discs yet?

I think that "hundreds of pages where nothing happens" is a bit of an exaggeration... unless you are describing a Wheel of Time novel.

Seriously, I don't mind what the people were saying about Tolkien in that documentry. LotR is a great story and I've read it multiple times, but even I can admit that it bogs down in parts (Tom Bombadil, long poems about elves that died eons ago, etc).

 

[Camarath]

But "tedious"? If anything, the Return of the King was fast-paced even by Hollywood standards, and the pace of the Fellowship of the Ring movie is like a bullet train compared to the book, which tends to meander like a drunken mule.

I found the Return of the King the movie to be very boring even by my rather low standards. I simply did not find the characters to be compleling, the story to be persented in an engaging manner, or the action to be in any way exciting.

 

[Numion]

Yeah, it's more of changing the story JRRT was telling instead of changing the storytelling style. My bad.

Actually the appearance of elves in Helms Deep bothered me too .. not per se, but the fact bothered to me how they conducted themselves: they came in a close order formation, really parade troops. I thought elves were more aloof, and not that militaristic or how should I put it.

Damn show-offs

 

[barsoomcore]

I found the Return of the King the movie to be very boring even by my rather low standards.

Okay, I'll bite. What movies DO meet your rather low standards for "not boring"?

 

[Camarath]

Okay, I'll bite. What movies DO meet your rather low standards for "not boring"?

RotK is the only movie that I watched in 2003 that I wish I had not seen.

A partial list of movies I have seen in 2003 (most of those that closed in the top ten at least one week in 2003); Chicago, About Schmidt, Gangs of New York, Catch Me If You Can, Just Married, The Recruit, How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days, Daredevil, Shanghai Knights, Old School, The Jungle Book 2, Gods and Generals, Anger Management, Bulletproof Monk, Phone Booth, Bringing Down the House, Head of State, View from the Top, The Hunted, Charlie's Angels 2, The Hulk, Finding Nemo, Bruce Almighty, 28 Days Later, The Italian Job, The Matrix Reloaded, X-Men 2, The In-Laws, Bend it Like Beckham, Freaky Friday, Open Range, Pirates of the Caribbean, Terminator 3, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Legally Blonde 2, Mystic River, School of Rock, Kill Bill, Lost in Translation, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Underworld, Secondhand Lions, The Last Samurai, Elf, Master and Commander, The Matrix Revolutions.

None of which were in my opinion of as irredeemably poor quality as Return of the King, even Matrix Revolutions was better.

 

[Tsyr]

What's that line we just passed?

Oh, the border to the Twilight Zone.

Bruce Allmighty? Freaky Friday? Legaglly Blonde 2? Head of State? Charlie's Angels 2? Better than Return of the King?

Screw the twlight zone... that's about three counties back...

I mean, don't get me wrong, SOME of those movies I really loved, and while I don't agree, I could at least see how someone would prefer over RotK.

But those?

Come on...