Is Aragorn as you pictured him?

[MatthewM]

What are your opinions on the representation of Aragorn? I'm not talking personality or motives, I'm talking strictly apperance. Did you picture Aragorn like Viggo?

[narfforc]

A really strange thing has happened, I find it hard to remember how I visualised Aragorn, the only previous images were mainly calenders and they were very diverse. When I first read LotRs there weren't any images at all, the first I remember was the poster by Jim Cauty who also did the album cover for The King of Elflands Daughter featuring Christopher Lee as The King of Elfland (singing). So I cannot now see Aragorn without thinking of Viggo, or for that matter Gandalf without Sir Ian.

[Bêthberry]

Well, I know Aragorn is no outlaw, but I have to admit that I often got my images crossed and thought of him as similar to Richard Green's Robin Hood. Yes, I know that Aragorn is no bowman, but Robin Hood did also carry a sword, hide out in the woods, keep the place safe for the good local yomen against a nasty usurper, and harbour a love he could not have. A bit of Erroll Flynn with English nobility--I think that's how Green's Robin Hood was described and that fit my sense of Aragorn too.

Designer stubble just didn't fit into my mental image, nor short stature.

Originally Posted by narfforc

A really strange thing has happened, I find it hard to remember how I visualised Aragorn,. . . .So I cannot now see Aragorn without thinking of Viggo, or for that matter Gandalf without Sir Ian.

I'm so terribly sorry, narfforc that you've lost your early imaginings about the characters. Does this mean that your parody work owes more to the movies than to Tolkien?

[Finduilas]

Viggo did not at all fill my thoughts on Aragorns looks. I was very disapointed.

A bit of Erroll Flynn with English nobility

That's really funny, because when me and my sister have discussed on who we would have liked to see play Aragorn, we agreed that Erroll Flynn would have worked well.

[Beleg Cuthalion]

Originally Posted by narfforc

A really strange thing has happened, I find it hard to remember how I visualised Aragorn, the only previous images were mainly calenders and they were very diverse. When I first read LotRs there weren't any images at all, the first I remember was the poster by Jim Cauty who also did the album cover for The King of Elflands Daughter featuring Christopher Lee as The King of Elfland (singing). So I cannot now see Aragorn without thinking of Viggo, or for that matter Gandalf without Sir Ian.

I have the same problem.

I don't think I ever really had an idea what I thought he looked like before the movies.

[Boo Radley]

I... always pictured Aragorn as somewhat taller.
Not that Viggo is short, mind you, but "Strider" had very long legs and I viewed him as being a bit older looking and... dare I say it? (Oh, why not?) a bit more gaunt.
Just my opinion. YMMV.

[The Sixth Wizard]

Aragorn's just about exactly right in appearance for me. I usually pictured him with the same shape face, hair colour and length, and beard. Although I always picture him as sort of "striding" due to his name. And Boromir should be shorter.

Of course, the character is the bit that's messed up.

[narfforc]

The one thing I remember about the calenders and the artists (especially the Hildebrandts) was their insistance of showing Tolkiens characters as if they were in some Robin Hood or Three Musketeers movie , I hated them with their pointy hats, lincoln green and lots of buckling of swash, even the films that Errol Flynn appeared in drove me crazy, for Hollywood had some strange ideas about english history, no lets make that any history, their motto was 'Don't let the truth get in the way of rewriting history'. Jackson shows Aragorn as a man that spent a lot of his life in the wild, he looked the part, I never saw an inch of dirt on a Hollywood Robin Hood and as for some of the calenders, some of the people in them looked more like they were going to a ball than a battle.

I agree with the comments of Boo and The Sixth Wizard 100%


Hi Bethberry, when I first started the parody, I imagined the characters to be like Monty Pythons, now I have a whole list of people that if a film was made of The Lord of the Grins would be ideal for their part. I will PM you with some more info.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by narfforc

When I first read LotRs there weren't any images at all, the first I remember was the poster by Jim Cauty who also did the album cover for The King of Elflands Daughter featuring Christopher Lee as The King of Elfland (singing). .

There's summat else by Cauty I'm going to have to hunt down!

Aragorn, well I always saw him as tall, dark and intense. But not long after I read the books for the first time a certain Robin Of Sherwood appeared on ITV and I grew to associate Aragorn's 'look' with Michael Praed's look in that, but a little leaner and taller, and with longer hair.

I worked with a 70s Rings fan around a year before the films came out and we'd discuss what Aragorn ought to look like. We agreed he just had to have long har and be dark - she said that Aragorn's 'look' had been a common pub argument when she was at uni in the 70s.

Now I did like Viggo and my chief fault with him was his lack of eyebrows. On Aragorn they should be black and slightly beetling. And when he scrubs up Viggo does look a tad 'cheesy' like someone out of an early 80s 'mullet rock' band, but he's alright when he's grubbing round in his overcoat and stuff.

However, after I'd got an eyeful of the tasty Sean Bean as Boromir I was wishing he'd got the part instead. He's way more manly.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Rikae

While Aragorn could be sarcastic, etc, I always imagined him more intense and, in FOTR, slightly menacing even; and in the ROTK, just more dignified and powerful.

Totally agreed!

Originally Posted by Rikae

Another thing...Viggo's running is hilarious...especially when he sees the beacon and runs up the steps of Edoras! It never fails to make me laugh...

Funny... A friend of my mother's once said that Viggo is good-looking but runs like a woman...

Originally Posted by MatthewM

On the hair thing...are you going by your own imagination or fact from the book? I'm guessing imagination?

You're right. Sorry for not making that clearer.

I admire Viggo's devotion to his role, but he still isn't Aragorn.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

However, after I'd got an eyeful of the tasty Sean Bean as Boromir I was wishing he'd got the part instead. He's way more manly.

You know, I was thinking that Sean Bean might have been a better choice just other day. (And was reminded of it again last night while watching Patriot Games. I think he might have been able to carry it off quite well. (Now I'm just wondering if Viggo might have made a convincing Boromir... actually the book Faramir would be more likely.)

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Hilde Bracegirdle

Now I'm just wondering if Viggo might have made a convincing Boromir...

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, he wouldn't have.

[Rikae]

I just can't see Sean Bean as Aragorn either. He's too...doofy looking. (Sorry...)

I mean; he just looks too young and not intelligent or wise enough, I'm afraid. Too well-fed, as well.

[ninja91]

Of course, I saw the movies before I read the books. But even if I had read the books, I pictured someone like Viggo playing him. Not necessarily and English noble warrior type, but more like a loner fateful type with something to prove. And I think Viggo fit that ticket quite nicely, if I do say so myself.

[Laurinquë]

I never really have a very clear pictures of book characters in my head, so they are easily replaced by movie characters. I suppose I thought of Aragorn as being, well, darker I guess is the right word, more mysterious-looking, rather aloof. I do however think that Viggo Mortensen is a great Aragorn, he is not quite what I thought I thought he would be but still, he is really good.

[Groin Redbeard]

I pictured Aragorn just as Viggo looks, but with a slightly thicker beard.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

I like to think of Aragorn more mysterious than Viggo!

[Laurinquë]

Mmm...yes...mysterious....

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by TheGreatElvenWarrior

I like to think of Aragorn more mysterious than Viggo!

In the Fellowship of the Ring he was really mysterious, but once you find out who he really is there's nothing left.

[Folwren]

Nope. 'Fraid not. Neither so hansome nor so rugged as I pictured Aragorn. Sorry.

EDIT: Just looked at the picture Mith linked to. That's a great pictures and very Aragorn-ish to my mind. Thanks for the link.

[HerenIstarion]

No

[Rikae]

Day-Lewis does have more of the right facial structure, but he's still not quite as I pictured him.

Actually, though, I think Macalaure should have played Aragorn. His eyes have more wisdom than Viggo's, and his goatee is scruffier!

[Snowdog]

Viggo did ok as 'Strider' but there should have been a scene where he challenged Sauron through the Palantir, and afterward appeared older, more strained, but more kingly. To me there wasn't enough difference between the Ranger and the King, but then I never could understand the movie's reason that the 'heir to the kingship of Gondor' ran away to the north, since there was no mention of the two sundered lines of Elendil.