[lindil]

I agree with the thought that PJ did way more for commercial acceptance than needs be. He was guaranteed a blockbuster, just by virtue of the budget he had and the material he was working with and a great cast.<P>The hoo-ha that he <I>had</I> to make it more commercial is tripe. He could have made it far more faithful and still made hundreds of millions. Sure sexing it up with Arwen probably set a few hearts a flutter, but it's abscence would hardly have doomed the movies.<P><BR>As for why I did not like Arwen in the Movies [I think she is the weakest link actually] due to and I will be blunt: her acting ability[merely average], her poorly directed and poorly re-written scenes and the simple fact that she does not even come onto <I>my</I> radar screen as one of the most beautiful women whoever walked in M-E.<BR>Oh and that breathy low voice which is so obviously faked, and not that well at that.<BR> <P>If I was Aragorn [in the movie that is], I would send Arwen the dear jane osanwe and start getting to know Eowyn better. <P>In the book she has mystery and power, is comprable in beauty only to Galadriel and is said to be Luthien revisted, in the same way Aragorn was said to be closer to Elendil than any of his forebearers.When Arwen is finally given dialouge in the RotK you feel you are truly in the presence of the most powerful woman in the world. If LT gets the same lines in ROtK, I will if what I have seen so far is any indication, be happy if it is soon over.<P>PJ completly sold out and wasted an opportunity to portray her true strengths in a subtle and unique way, instead of creatively incorporating her back story [other than the osanwe aspect] in a tasteful and unique way, he 'chose the way of pain', painful for many of us steeped in the Legendarium.<P><BR>She did not need to come riding out alone [ Elrond in the book calls her back from Lorien because the passage between is getting to dangerous!] against Black Riders!<BR>If you are going to replace Glorfindel [and I do not buy the "well he would only confuse people" argument, he could be prominent in the council and the later wedding, heck he is a more realistic choice for the helm's deep scene, though you could not have killed him] than use Legolas, PJ already has him filling in for Bilbo at the council.<P>Of course then you have to have Gandalf and elrond trigger the flood, and whaty a pity that would be, more faithfulness to the book.<P>She could still be shown in rivendell cozying up to Aragorn [ as was done ] and there can still be osanwe scenes in TTT [ hopefully less 'romantic' ones]. But PJ opted for the mainstream sell. <P>Too bad he could have saved the only romantic scene [in the books] for RotK<BR>and had it be all the more special.<P>No to me Arwen is the part that I seem most unable to enjoy when watching the movies. Galadriel, who in the original FotR disappointed me at first [ and I generally love K B's works] has grown on me, especially with the help of the extended Lorien scenes.<P>I will say at least the rumours that she would be a Xenarwen / Arwen Xenastar proved almost entirely untrue. But I also heard that much of her fighting scenes were delated due to her lack of ability in that area. And that I can well believe. Also the several petitions with thousands of signature's each may have had something to do with it , although I doubt PJ would ever admit it.<P>The death scene in the hallows was pretty good though, I will happily admit, but that is exactly the kind of thing Arwen needed, not pulling a sword on her fiance'.<P>No the main problem, and that which keeps PJ's LotR form living fully up to it's potential, is the fact that the allure of writing/filming his own LotR was too great for him, just as the Ring was too big for frodo.<P>I am reminded of sam's vision of 'the glorious triumphant gardener' as he passed into mordor, and how he had the sense to realize his humble place in the scheme of things, even though at the moment, he was truly the most important person in M-E [with the possible exception of Gandalf].<P>He put it asaide and devoted himself faultlessly to the task.<P>PJ, with that example literally in his hands, instead fell under the spell of fame and 'creativity' and instead of fully becoming a servant of the story, he chose to leave his footprints where all could see.<P>I still give it a 'B', and a few parts and A [ and a few C or D] but it clearly, by sticking more to the book, could have been and A or even an A+.<p>[ January 29, 2003: Message edited by: lindil ]