LotR1-FotR-Seq03

[Mister Underhill]

Originally Posted by Lal

I spent many an hour at primary school making 'authentic treasure maps' by taking my newly crayoned map, burning the edges and then soaking the lot in tea to stain it.

I used the same procedure to gin up many a prop for D&D -- though as an American I of course used coffee instead of tea.

Originally Posted by SPM

there appears to be much wailing and gnashing of teeth here over what seem to me to be some fairly trivial issues

I wouldn't say wailing or gnashing. At most grumbling, muttering, and maybe a little hair-pulling. Let's be reasonable.

Originally Posted by Essex

and Frodo would become a more active character - Frodo becomes an active character, and indeed it is one of the defining bits in this movie - when he graps the ring as says 'What must I do.' - marvellous line and acting, showing he HAS become active and taken Action.

Hey, if it works for you, more power to you. I think overall Jackson/Woods's Frodo is far less active than book Frodo. Though my problems in these early sequences are relatively minor, I think we'll start to see this trend continue and grow fairly soon (Weathertop, anyone?).

P.S. -- I still say this doesn't have to turn into a shouting match between critics and Jackson defenders. Just because there are things I'd change or that don't work for me doesn't mean I don't respect his "immense achievement". We're just talking, just doing some armchair quarterbacking.