[The Saucepan Man]

Happy haunting Rindowen. Wow! You have certainly whipped up a hornet's nest (to mix my metaphors), but then discussion of this particular topic always seems to do just that.<P>I must admit that, when I first came to the Downs, I was quite taken aback by some of the anger directed towards Jackson & co. I agree with Rindowen that it occasionally tends to the extreme. It was to investigate why this was that I started <A HREF="http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=001698" TARGET=_blank>this thread</A>. In fact, some of the views that have since been very clearly expressed on this thread (and others) go a good way towards providing the explanation that I was looking for.<P>What I still don't quite understand is why those who dislike the films or feel that Jackson has "sold out" in some way, or betrayed JRRT's works, cannot just ignore them and get on with enjoying the books. As I have said many times already, the books are still there. They have not magically disappeared and been replaced by the films. Who cares if some people watch the film and never read the books and think that that is all there is to Tolkien? It's just not one of those things that I lie awake at night thinking about. <P>To pick up on a few points that have been made:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> You can all sit here and talk about how you would have filmed this differently.. well, then DO it! I challenge you! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>lindil, I don't think that Rindowen was seeking to stifle people's opinions about the films. I interpret this simply as a graphic illustration of Rindowen's <B>opinion</B> that Jackson had a very difficult task and that it would have been nigh on impossible for anyone to make a commercially successful film that would have satisfied every fan of JRRT's works. It is an opinion that I happen to share, although I think that you make good arguments in seeking to put across a different point of view.<P>But this can cut both ways. It has been suggested on some threads that anyone who enjoys the films does not truly appreciate the books or is not be a true Tolkien "fan". I appreciate that you are not saying this, but it is illustrative of how extreme criticisms of the films can upset those who have been lifelong Tolkien "fans" and yet still enjoy the films and give them the impression that their opinions are being stifled. <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> People now have distorted views [especially regarding Arwen and say framir] to contend with. The impression a major production movie, shown in a large theatre is immense and I would imagenfor the average human it would take many re-reads to counteract or clear the images formed by the movie, if it can be done at all. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I think that you are being a bit unfair on people who have been introduced to the books by the films (I am married to one such person). Anyone who is sophisticated enough to read and enjoy the books is, I am sure, capable of forming their own opinions on what they read. Their visualisation might be affected by the films (although I see the visualisation of Tolkien's world as one of the major strengths of the films), but their views on the characters, their peronalities and their motives will, I believe, be formed on the basis of what they read, not what they have seen on the screen. The wonderful way in which the books are written should almost guarantee this, surely?<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> LoTR is fiction and not something to get so incredibly emotional about! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>This is where I don't agree with you, Rindowen. Great works of literature (as with any form of art) are just the sort of things that we should get emotional about. I too have an emotional attachment to the books, having first read them some 25 years ago. But I don't find that this precludes my enjoyment of the films. Nor do the films impair the emotion that I feel for the books.<P>One final point:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> darkside, I am glad you appreciated my analogy. I think it really cut's to the heart of the responsibility anyone who approaches a work like the LotR truly has. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>lindil, surely anyone who is given a huge amount of money to make a series of blockbuster films has a responsibility to recoup the outlay. And surely they are entitled to make a tidy sum for themselves, having made the effort to do so. I know that we disagree on this point, but I really believe that, had some of the changes from the book not been made (Arwen's extended role being one of these), Jackson would not have suceeded in discharging that responsibility.