high, purged of the gross: the movies

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Well, for the record I will say that Tolkien did get there. (I think it would be kind of pointless in discussing this topic if we doubt that Tolkien got there at all.)

And I think that, by and large, Jackson 'got' there too, or thereabouts at least. Certainly in comparison with basically every other big Hollywood-style film Jackson's characters were noble and admirable (excepting Denethor). Its just that we constantly compare Jackson with Tolkien on this forum (and not other film directors) and that is why he gets so much criticism.

[Lush]

The movies took themselves less seriously and I liked that. Though in that sense, I thought that the Lothlorien chapters were not given their due. But that's, like, just my opinion, man.

[Lalaith]

I know I've said this before, but I felt that Rohan and specifically Theoden were shortchanged by PJ. Once he had been healed by Gandalf, Tolkien's Theoden was noble and vigorous. Bernard Hill stayed sullen, quoting many of the lines that Tolkien's Theoden came out with *before* the healing.
The relationship between Rohan and Gondor in the book was I felt very noble, and I didn't like the way it was drawn into question in the movie.

Having said all that, the arrival of Rohan at the battle of the Pelennor Fields was still the best example in the entire movie trilogy of the "high" I think Mark 12_30 is talking about.

[Saraphim]

The heroic Legolas scenes, more than anything, got under my skin. But that is only a small bit, and easy to ignore when looking at the big picture.

What I loved very much was the time put into every detail of the societies. From Hobbiton to Lothlorien to Mordor, and everything in between, the setting was magnificent and the costumes were lovely.

Also, I don't think anyone was miscast in any way. All the actors played thier parts to the best of thier abilities. None were fake, or strained in thier lines. So despite the fact that some of the characters were different, they were all played well.

I also must mention the music. The music was always perfect, matching to the feeling of the scene.

~and thus my thoughts cease~

(For now at least )

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Yes Saraphim, I too think that the music was very 'high' and it would have been truly gruesome had they tried to incorporate pop music into them.

[Orominuialwen]

I also think the music was very "high." At some points it becomes so beautiful and emotional that it makes me cry, or feel like I could burst (in a good way ) It was absolutely perfect.

[Mad Baggins]

I think that in terms of settings, costumes, and scores, PJ did an excellent job. The only thing that bothered me was how Caras Galadhon was not golden; it was more of a bluish-silver colour. But I'm not going to get started on that.

The one thing that bothered me was some of the characters. Yes, the "Let's hunt some orc" line didn't really float my oyster, but let's leave sleeping dogs lie. The one character I think PJ really buggered up was Arwen. In the book, the relationship between Aragorn and Arwen was beautifully simple, only explaining it more thoroughly in the Appendices. In the movies, PJ decided to stick Arwen in every scene he could. Let's not mention the infamous Helm's Deep fiasco. The constant appearance of Arwen in the movies made the relationship cheap and annoying.

The 'high' that mark12_30 was talking about did (I think) appear in some moments of the movies. The arrival of the Rohirrim was a good example, like Lalaith said. I think that the line of Gondorian soldiers galloping towards Osgiliath is another good scene that portrays the 'high'.

[mark12_30]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

http://www.webster-dictionary.org/

It isn't Oxford, unfortunately, but I did find a Websters 1913 online. Tolkien was in college at that point. I think it sheds some light on his vocabulary choices.

Consider these exerpts:

cosmogonic - pertaining to the branch of astronomy dealing with the origin and history and structure and dynamics of the universe; "cosmologic science"; "cosmological redshift"; "cosmogonic theories of the origin of the universe"
Synonyms: cosmogenic, cosmogenical, cosmogonical, cosmologic, cosmological

Splen´dor
n. 1. Great brightness; brilliant luster; brilliancy; as, the splendor ot the sun.
2. Magnifience; pomp; parade; as, the splendor of equipage, ceremonies, processions, and the like.
3. Brilliancy; glory; as, the splendor of a victory.

vast:
1. Waste; desert; desolate; lonely.
The empty, vast, and wandering air. - Shak.
2. Of great extent; very spacious or large; also, huge in bulk; immense; enormous; as, the vast ocean; vast mountains; the vast empire of Russia.
Through the vast and boundless deep. - Milton.
3. Very great in numbers, quantity, or amount; as, a vast army; a vast sum of money.
4. Very great in force; mighty; as, vast labor.
5. Very great in importance; as, a subject of vast concern.

high:
1. Elevated above any starting point of measurement, as a line, or surface; having altitude; lifted up; raised or extended in the direction of the zenith; lofty; tall; as, a high mountain, tower, tree; the sun is high.
2. Regarded as raised up or elevated; distinguished; remarkable; conspicuous; superior; - used indefinitely or relatively, and often in figurative senses, which are understood from the connection
3. Elevated in character or quality, whether moral or intellectual; preëminent; honorable; as, high aims, or motives.


No´ble
a. 1. Possessing eminence, elevation, dignity, etc.; above whatever is low, mean, degrading, or dishonorable; magnanimous; as, a noble nature or action; a noble heart.
Statues, with winding ivy crowned, belong
To nobler poets for a nobler song. - Dryden.
2. Grand; stately; magnificent; splendid; as, a noble edifice.


Purged of the gross:

v. t. 1. To cleanse, clear, or purify by separating and carrying off whatever is impure, heterogeneous, foreign, or superfluous.
[imp. & p. p. Purged ; p. pr. & vb. n. Purging .]
...
5. To clear from guilt, or from moral or ceremonial defilement; as, to purge one of guilt or crime.
When that he hath purged you from sin. - Chaucer.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.

gross - twelve dozen. Synonyms: 144. (Number of Hobbits invited to hear Bilbo's speech.)

More common definitions:
1. Great; large...
2. Coarse; rough; not fine or delicate.
3. Not easily aroused or excited; not sensitive in perception or feeling; dull; witless.
Tell her of things that no gross ear can hear. - Milton.
4. Expressing, or originating in, animal or sensual appetites; hence, coarse, vulgar, low, obscene, or impure.
The terms which are delicate in one age become gross in the next. - Macaulay.
5. Disgusting; repulsive; highly offensive; as, a gross remark.