Original Aragorn? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

***Mister Underhill*** · 01-02-2004, 05:22 PM

Nice points, Theron. As you say, neither actor is up to Númenorean stature. I’d hardly describe Day-Lewis’s voice as deep and rich either. I don’t recall any specific mention of Strider’s voice as being especially deep or rich, though of course it may be there. I guess this is something we all come up with in our own heads, and if an actor is very different from what you’ve imagined, it can really ruin a performance for you.

Anyway, I’m not trying to run down Day-Lewis by any means. I think he’s a terrific actor, and LotM is one of my favorite movies. But he’s always struck me as being removed and enigmatic and kinda cold and frankly a bit humorless. I think he would have made an interesting Strider, but I also think he lacks a certain measure of warmth that Mortenson brings to the role. I don’t know how to explain it any better than that. As far as him being able to “disappear” into the role, you are probably right; I reckon it’s just my personal preference to have relative unknowns in parts with which I’m very familiar. I have no preconceptions of William Wallace, for instance, so I can immediately accept Gibson in the role. This is by no means a hard and fast rule and is all just my opinion anyway. Just something I’ve observed about my own tastes.

In the Prancing Pony scene you cite, I would definitely fault the direction. It’s one of those scenes which I think suffers for the sake of the momentary “did the Hobbits just get stabbed?” moment. I think it’s one of the clumsier scenes all-around in FotR, IMO.

01-02-2004, 05:22 PM	#1
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,744	Nice points, Theron. As you say, neither actor is up to Númenorean stature. I’d hardly describe Day-Lewis’s voice as deep and rich either. I don’t recall any specific mention of Strider’s voice as being especially deep or rich, though of course it may be there. I guess this is something we all come up with in our own heads, and if an actor is very different from what you’ve imagined, it can really ruin a performance for you. Anyway, I’m not trying to run down Day-Lewis by any means. I think he’s a terrific actor, and LotM is one of my favorite movies. But he’s always struck me as being removed and enigmatic and kinda cold and frankly a bit humorless. I think he would have made an interesting Strider, but I also think he lacks a certain measure of warmth that Mortenson brings to the role. I don’t know how to explain it any better than that. As far as him being able to “disappear” into the role, you are probably right; I reckon it’s just my personal preference to have relative unknowns in parts with which I’m very familiar. I have no preconceptions of William Wallace, for instance, so I can immediately accept Gibson in the role. This is by no means a hard and fast rule and is all just my opinion anyway. Just something I’ve observed about my own tastes. In the Prancing Pony scene you cite, I would definitely fault the direction. It’s one of those scenes which I think suffers for the sake of the momentary “did the Hobbits just get stabbed?” moment. I think it’s one of the clumsier scenes all-around in FotR, IMO.