Book vs. Movie characters

[Lyta_Underhill]

And Galadriel is just freaky in the movies. She was really neat in the books, one of my favorites. But the way she was depicted in the movies was kind of disturbing.

I kind of liked the way they made Galadriel imposing and sort of creepy. It takes into account her Noldorin sensibilities and her tendency to embalm things, an unnatural tendency, even though the things she embalms are natural. There are some disturbing things about Galadriel, and the test Frodo put her through was made all the more poignant by a reading of the Silmarillion and UT, so that we know Galadriel's history and the true import of the final test of her will, the culmination of her fighting the "Long Defeat" in Middle Earth. The scary green thing was over the top, but it illustrated the great battle going on in her mind, which could probably not be shown effectively otherwise. It also does double duty by making it clear to Frodo just how the Ring can corrupt both high and low, strong and weak. It would strengthen his view that he was going to have to break away from the Fellowship.

The Extended version of FOTR does great things for Galadriel IMO, by showing her softer and more kindly side. I cannot stress how much more I like the Extended than the regular version of this film! Galadriel comes off better; Frodo comes off better, Merry and Pippin and Boromir too, if that is possible (he was already a phenomenon in that I liked him in the film and not in the book).

As for Aragorn, I think they do play up a reticence to be king that wasn't there; however, there was uncertainty as to his path. He could not see how he was to achieve what he knew was his destiny. But in the Extended FOTR, his telling Boromir he would not take the Ring within 100 leagues of "your city" was too much. Aragorn was actually leaning towards going to Minas Tirith in the book. There was much uncertainty in Aragorn's mind as to his path, not to his destiny to reclaim the throne of Gondor. The events at Parth Galen forced his hand, and he ended up going the right way. I like the thought that it was destiny guiding him here...OK, I've probably gone off track, so I'll end here. Bye now! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers,
Lyta

P.S. by the way, Genevieve, I LOVE your sig! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ July 29, 2003: Message edited by: Lyta_Underhill ]