Did your View of the Characters change after seeing the films? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

The Only Real Estel · 05-04-2004, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Faramir is such a jerk in TTT that I wanted to kill Peter Jackson. In the book he was so different from Borormir and so wise too. But in the movie he acted like Boromir did only wanting to take the Ring to bring honor back to Gondor.

That's how Boromir professed he'd use it to, to defend his people. They both wanted it for the same reasons really, although I'll agree that I obviously liked book Faramir better.

Essex · 05-05-2004, 06:37 AM

Kitanna, your point

Quote:

The other character was Eowyn. I loved her in the books. She was so strong and valiant. But in the movies up until she defeats the Witch King I thought she was whiny.

I think Jackson shows how valiant and strong she was by actually showing her being terrified of the Witch King. She is absolutely scared down to her boots but will not stand down. she fends off a blow from the wk's mace exactly as in the book, and then she kills the wk with (kind of) the same lines. she stands by her king no matter what the cost. the look on her face as she backs away from the WK is amazing. she's terrified but stands her ground.

I don't actually remember her a whiny before this, though. I think we see a character who wants to fight, and is willing to disobey her king to do so.

Lalaith · 05-05-2004, 08:27 AM

Ah, the old Eowyn debate, we've been here before.
I'm inclined to back Kitanna on this. PJ Eowyn was not Tolkien's cold shieldmaiden - she was too soft, sweet and giggly. Psychologically, she did not seem a warrior the way 'book Eowyn' clearly was - as a result, her wish to fight appeared rather petulant and ill-judged. Is that what you saw as whiny, Kitanna?

Tolkien's Eowyn, facing the witchking, was "beyond fear" - her eyes, "grey as the sea, were hard and fell." In the book, the terrified figure who nonetheless stood his ground was Merry, not Eowyn. He was 'crawling on all fours like a dazed beast', she, meanwhile, 'did not blench.'

Lathriel · 06-01-2004, 10:47 AM

I don't think PJ made Eowyn that giggly, I think she only smiled once. No I like Eowyn the way she is. However I would have liked to see more development in Denethor's character because in the movie he only seems like some crazy steward who has lost his mind cause he lost Boromir. I hope there is more character development on his part in the EE.

I also think Gimli has more dignity in the book than in the movie though it doesn't bother me too much since Gimli isn't a major character for me.

(Don't mean to offend the Gimli fans)

Azaelia of Willowbottom · 06-19-2004, 02:18 PM

I agree with Lathireil's comment about Gimli. Gimli was good in FOTR, I thought, but then in the later two installments, he seemed to become just an outlet for comic relief. I didn't mind this so much in ROTK as I did in TTT. I do have to commend John Rhys-Davies for his handling of the character, however. I thought his Gimli was well done, and he handled a perhaps less-than-satisfactory script very well.

I liked PJ's Eowyn... I don't think she came off as "whiny" or "giggly". I think she came off as human. To play the part of Eowyn as the cold shieldmaiden... I think it would be hard for many actresses to keep true to the book Eowyn and still seem human. A little emotion is a good thing. No one is totally cold and desperate.

About Boromir, I actually learned to like him through the FOTR movie. I didn't like him in the books: he wasn't in the spotlight so much so he just came off as arrogant and then almost evil. The movie made me really understand his motives and hopelessness about his father and his city.... and then made me love him in spite of trying to take the Ring when he gave his life in an ill-fated but very noble attempt to save Merry and Pippin. For some reason, I didn't get that out of the books. I think he is the one character that I can say that I clearly, definitely liked better in the movie.

Lathriel · 06-19-2004, 06:19 PM

Well Azaelia since you agreed with me I wil agree with you. I agree that I began to like Boromir more after I saw the movie than before. I also liked the part where he and Faramir are seen together because it develops his character.

kboleen · 06-19-2004, 07:45 PM

I am able to enjoy both the books and the movies on their own merit. When I first heard they were making the movies, sometime in 1999, I thought "Oh no, here we go again." But when I viewed the first trailer and saw Legolas walking "on-top" of the snow in the Caradhras scenes, I knew the books were in good hands. If the filmakers were attentive to pick up that much details from the book I was confident they could make a good version.

06-01-2004, 10:47 AM	#4
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	I don't think PJ made Eowyn that giggly, I think she only smiled once. No I like Eowyn the way she is. However I would have liked to see more development in Denethor's character because in the movie he only seems like some crazy steward who has lost his mind cause he lost Boromir. I hope there is more character development on his part in the EE. I also think Gimli has more dignity in the book than in the movie though it doesn't bother me too much since Gimli isn't a major character for me. (Don't mean to offend the Gimli fans) __________________ Back again

06-19-2004, 02:18 PM	#5
Azaelia of Willowbottom Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: By the Sea Posts: 446	I agree with Lathireil's comment about Gimli. Gimli was good in FOTR, I thought, but then in the later two installments, he seemed to become just an outlet for comic relief. I didn't mind this so much in ROTK as I did in TTT. I do have to commend John Rhys-Davies for his handling of the character, however. I thought his Gimli was well done, and he handled a perhaps less-than-satisfactory script very well. I liked PJ's Eowyn... I don't think she came off as "whiny" or "giggly". I think she came off as human. To play the part of Eowyn as the cold shieldmaiden... I think it would be hard for many actresses to keep true to the book Eowyn and still seem human. A little emotion is a good thing. No one is totally cold and desperate. About Boromir, I actually learned to like him through the FOTR movie. I didn't like him in the books: he wasn't in the spotlight so much so he just came off as arrogant and then almost evil. The movie made me really understand his motives and hopelessness about his father and his city.... and then made me love him in spite of trying to take the Ring when he gave his life in an ill-fated but very noble attempt to save Merry and Pippin. For some reason, I didn't get that out of the books. I think he is the one character that I can say that I clearly, definitely liked better in the movie. __________________ "Wherever I have been, I am back."

06-19-2004, 06:19 PM	#6
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	Well Azaelia since you agreed with me I wil agree with you. I agree that I began to like Boromir more after I saw the movie than before. I also liked the part where he and Faramir are seen together because it develops his character. __________________ Back again

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05-05-2004, 08:27 AM	#3
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	Ah, the old Eowyn debate, we've been here before. I'm inclined to back Kitanna on this. PJ Eowyn was not Tolkien's cold shieldmaiden - she was too soft, sweet and giggly. Psychologically, she did not seem a warrior the way 'book Eowyn' clearly was - as a result, her wish to fight appeared rather petulant and ill-judged. Is that what you saw as whiny, Kitanna? Tolkien's Eowyn, facing the witchking, was "beyond fear" - her eyes, "grey as the sea, were hard and fell." In the book, the terrified figure who nonetheless stood his ground was Merry, not Eowyn. He was 'crawling on all fours like a dazed beast', she, meanwhile, 'did not blench.'

06-19-2004, 07:45 PM	#7
kboleen Animated Skeleton Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Northwest Florida Posts: 27	I am able to enjoy both the books and the movies on their own merit. When I first heard they were making the movies, sometime in 1999, I thought "Oh no, here we go again." But when I viewed the first trailer and saw Legolas walking "on-top" of the snow in the Caradhras scenes, I knew the books were in good hands. If the filmakers were attentive to pick up that much details from the book I was confident they could make a good version.