Why?? Special effects and CGI in LOTR

[Lalwendë]

I didn't find the special effects to be too intrusive at all, but then I'm a little naive and innocent at times and tend to just sit back and watch films, silently accepting that all these peculiar things are in fact, real. To this end, I tend not to enjoy watching those documentaries about how special effects are created as they tend to take away that naive enjoyment I get from them. I was most disappointed to find out that much of Master & Commander was filmed in a water tank, though I suppose my expectations that it might have been entirely filmed at sea were perhaps a little unrealistic. I was, however, pleased to discover that a lot of the shots are actually real time shots from The Endeavour.

But I digress. It is inevitable I suppose that films with a lot of action in them are going to rely heavily on special effects these days. We all want more! bigger! louder! Or do we? There have recently been a fair amount of documentaries sneaking into the local multiplexes in the wake of Bowling for Columbine, and they do pretty well. Not all are political, as shown by Touching The Void. Is this evidence that audiences are actually getting jaded with special effects? I went to see Van Helsing and found myself a little overwhelmed with the effects to the extent that I actually enjoyed it a lot better when I watched it at home and could take a breather halfway through. I think this was a good example of where special effects almost took over entirely; there was simply too much! Then I went to see The Day After Tomorrow which naturally (thankfully?) had to include lots of effects; in this case, they worked beautifully, as they were in context, not just slapped on with a trowel to make a louder, larger film. Perhaps the rise in popularity of documentaries shows that real life is actually more shocking and more stunning than even the best special effects?

Now, on those specific effects in LotR. The only times I found them particularly intrusive stick in my mind. In TT there is a scene with a Warg rider which seemed obviously fake, and there are the scenes where Legolas does his outlandish 'leaping on running beasts' stunts. While watching these I thought "these remind me of the jumpy animation in those old Sinbad movies". Then I found out that Jackson reveres Ray Harryhausen and I wondered if he deliberately tried to have some effects like his in the films. Now, those old Sinbad movies may well be ace to watch for a bit of nostalgia, but it was also these effects which wer the only ones I found odd and intrusive.

I did not find I enjoyed many of the scenes where Mumakil/Fell Beasts were wiping out horses left right and centre, but this could be because I am rather squeamish, and again due to my innocent belief that all this is really happening. I tend to watch those scenes from behind a cushion, in much the same way as I used to watch Doctor Who as a child. But it is the long shots that the effects really did work well. There are many stunning scenes which simply could not have worked without special effects, such as the Ride of the Rohirrim, which to me bring apects of the book to life. Though if I'm being nit-picky, there are some errors in comparison to the book (could. not. resist.). The green beam of light at Minas Morgul is a favourite of mine in the long list of special effects, but not due to the visuals, due to the sound. It seems to stop for a heartbeat and almost become reverse sound, if such a thing is possible, and it scares me half to death.