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Essex
Unfortunately, and this is not a go at ANYBODY, but these movie chapter by chapter discussions have finally joined all of the other movie discussions and are mainly an area for us to say what was wrong with the movie.
Yes, now and then people explain what was good about the movies (the music or the scenery mainly!) but then move onto their discection of the movie and why it failed compared to the book.
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Alas! I fear that I am guilty of much maligning of the movies, and a constant stream of suggestions as to how they could more accurately represent the book. I do, from time to time, come up with praise for the movies, but this is usually quite clipped and simply stated. The reason being, I don't feel any need to go too in-depth about the reasons for my liking this or that. The reasons are probably already apparent to other viewers. On the flip side, I feel like my gripes must be defended, as I am trying to convince people of the reasons
why I was disappointed by something in the movie. If any should disagree with my positive feelings about the movies, I am ready to jump in in defence of them, but that hasn't happened yet.
I am yet to find a sequence where I didn't think any improvements could have been made, unfortunately, so I fear that my SbS posts will continue in their negative vein. Sorry if this grates. I must admit I have never felt this way about any other movies. It's just that I love the book so much that I can't help but cringe whenever I see the adaptation fall short of my very high expectations. I have felt that at times scenes from
Star Wars could have been done differently, but there again it's because I love the movies so much, and wish that they were perfect.
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Essex
Are you glad that movie Frodo has been given 'extra' decisions to build up his character that don't exactly tie up with the book, but build his character up?
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In a word, no. Not where such decisions are not based on any knowledge of his. Perhaps if they had added a sentence or two in to qualify his decision to risk the long dark of Moria, that would have seemed more like leadership or wisdom, but they didn't, and it comes across as the blind leading the... not so blind?! If the filmmakers really desired to strengthen Frodo as a character, they should have shown him resisting the Nazgûl at Weathertop and the ford, rather than becoming Frodo Baggage, as
alatar put it.
And now to the sequence...
I have loved the so-called "hero shot" of the fellowship crossing over the hill in file since I first saw it (in trailers for the film?). This shot emphasises the fact that the filmmakers got the looks of all the members of the fellowship down pat, aside from perhaps Gimli wearing a cap before Rohan.
Boromir instructing the hobbits in swordplay, and his tousling with them was just great! PJ did well to portray Boromir as a likeable character; this scene is when he is at his most likeable.
I don't know why the filmmakers chose to alter Gandalf's preference of route. In my opinion (here we go again!) it worked much better in the book. Gandalf is wary of the Gap of Rohan because he has been a prisoner of Saruman. He is somewhat weakened by his reluctance to enter Moria, as if he were afraid of his own doom, which we know is not like Gandalf at all. In this film so far we have seen the weakening of men, specifically Aragorn, and of Frodo... must we also endure the weakening of Gandalf?!
Legolas' line "Crébain from Dunland!" would have been better off with Aragorn the renowned traveller rather than the elf from Mirkwood.
Boromir picking the Ring up in the snow was good... really creepy and eerie, despite the clear sky and sunshine. Bean did well! Although it does beg the question, how firmly attached to Frodo is the Ring? It's a bit of a worry if It comes loose after every little stumble... It's quite important, after all!
The company's climb as the snow closed in around them was well shot. It definitely looked like a situation I would not want to be in! Nice touch that Legolas walked upon the snow while the others toiled through it. Go, the Elves!
I thought that Saruman's control of the weather was a little ridiculous. If he is so powerful, why did he let Gandalf escape from under his nose, and why was he powerless against the Ents? Internal inconsistency here, folks. I also disliked Saruman's blatant foreshadowing of the Balrog. Thanks for ruining the surprise, PJ. I must also say here that I miss the battle with the Wargs. In the book, it was very dramatic, and it would have been neat to see the swordplay and the fireworks. It would also have provided a credible reason why the company could not venture southwards.