Quote:
Originally Posted by Alassë Estel
That is well put, and I quite agree.
But while the adaptations fall ever short of their source material, Peter Jackson's movies hold a special place in my heart for being my first taste of Tolkien, however tainted it might have been. I suppose my feelings toward them might be quite different had I read the books first. For instance, I did read The Silmarillion before seeing Rings of Power (I know they don't technically have the rights to The Sil., but they are dealing with things covered in The Sil.) and I surely bear no love for it. Then I ask myself how RoP is different from PJ's movies, and I don't have a very good answer (other than that I far prefer the effects and writing in the movies; some of RoP is downright "cringey", and you certainly couldn't tell that it has a billion dollar budget if you didn't know). So, I guess it's just a bit of favouritism on my part.
In the end nothing can hold a candle to the original work, but somehow I like P.J.'s movies anyway.
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In great part it's because Jackson had an affection and respect for the originals, even if I think he misunderstood some things, oversimplified others, and occasionally indulged his old horror-film instincts (too many jump scares, gratuitous water zombies). Whereas the writers of ROP do not appear remotely to understand what they are working with, and certainly have no respect for it, often revealing naked contempt for the original.. because in their twenty-something conceit, they think they "know better" than some awful old Edwardian Catholic how his world ought to work. (Also, they have no talent; there is better dialogue in a Transformers movie).