The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Do you like Arwen's role in The Lord of the Rings?

Tar-Palantir · 04-22-2003, 02:02 PM

Most people don't care where Arwen 'got the power'. She is a high and mighty elf and the daughter of Elrond, that is enough for them. I agree about the unraveling, hopefully they can hold it together for one more movie. But as far as 'too little insight into what Tolkein was doing' goes, I think they did have enough long time fans on set to clue them in on certain major points and minor ones. The flaws occur when they compromise for percieved audience and studio demands. i.e. more sex (Arwen) more humor (Gimli) more action (Aragorn facing 50 uruk-hai at Amon Hen by himself, extended Helm's Deep sequences, wargs, etc..) dramatic sets (the stairs of Moria). Mistakes were made here that I believe were deemed necessary to hold the audience for 3 hours.But director/writer interpretation is a different animal and I think not all bad. Obviously mistakes were made here too. Although it may seem to some that the writers/director did not have a clue about what Tolkien "was actually doing" I think it's far closer to the mark in saying that mistakes happen. They cannot all be prevented, nobody is perfect, and especially so with adapted screenplays. The funny thing is, although everybody knows what restrictions there were and how complex Tolkien's work is, they still come down hard on the production team. Misdirected in my opinion, it was never meant to be anything but entertainment, certainly not the definitive version of LotR. You know it, I know it, BarrowDowns knows it, the writers know it. The only people who don't know it are the people it was written for - the moviegoing masses and the entertainment media, so I guess they hit their target, no? They certainly weren't clueless to the score as intimated.I think the cuts have been tolerable so far, ttt was harder but I still got it down and didn't mind seeing Arwen a bit. New insertions like the cliff falling and elves at HD are more out of place than expanding and expounding Arwen's role.crossing fingers for RotK, Tar[ April 23, 2003: Message edited by: Tar-Palantir ]

04-22-2003, 02:02 PM	#11
Tar-Palantir Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: napa valley, ca Posts: 496	Most people don't care where Arwen 'got the power'. She is a high and mighty elf and the daughter of Elrond, that is enough for them. <P>I agree about the unraveling, hopefully they can hold it together for one more movie. But as far as 'too little insight into what Tolkein was doing' goes, I think they did have enough long time fans on set to clue them in on certain major points and minor ones. The flaws occur when they compromise for percieved audience and studio demands. i.e. more sex (Arwen) more humor (Gimli) more action (Aragorn facing 50 uruk-hai at Amon Hen by himself, extended Helm's Deep sequences, wargs, etc..) dramatic sets (the stairs of Moria). Mistakes were made here that I believe were deemed necessary to hold the audience for 3 hours.<P>But director/writer interpretation is a different animal and I think not all bad. Obviously mistakes were made here too. Although it may seem to some that the writers/director did not have a clue about what Tolkien "was actually doing" I think it's far closer to the mark in saying that mistakes happen. They cannot all be prevented, nobody is perfect, and especially so with adapted screenplays. The funny thing is, although everybody knows what restrictions there were and how complex Tolkien's work is, they still come down hard on the production team. Misdirected in my opinion, it was never meant to be anything but entertainment, certainly not the definitive version of LotR. You know it, I know it, BarrowDowns knows it, the writers know it. The only people who don't know it are the people it was written for - the moviegoing masses and the entertainment media, so I guess they hit their target, no? They certainly weren't clueless to the score as intimated.<P>I think the cuts have been tolerable so far, ttt was harder but I still got it down and didn't mind seeing Arwen a bit. New insertions like the cliff falling and elves at HD are more out of place than expanding and expounding Arwen's role.<P>crossing fingers for RotK,<BR>Tar<p>[ April 23, 2003: Message edited by: Tar-Palantir ] __________________ History shows again and again How nature points up the folly of men Go, go, Godzilla!