Think about it. Please. - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Sauron the White · 01-23-2008, 03:01 PM

A heartfelt thank you to all here who posted their thoughts and feelings. It does help me understand.

What about the idea that I put forth that no film or series of films could stand the continual and longterm scrutiny that is given by the Tolkien community to the LOTR films? Is that valid? Is there truth to it?

Here is how I put it in my opening post:

I wonder... if you took any film(s) which is/are based on a well known and well loved book such as LOTR... and that book had a significant following of intelligent people such as the folks here with LOTR ... and they could have years to watch and rewatch the film(s) over and over and over again .... and if they could read the thoughts, writings, articles, journal entries, musings and books of others on the subject of adapting the books into film(s) .... and many of those same people had some sort of axe to grind, some sort of personal antagonism towards the film(s) ....... and many of those same people are considered experts in that field and have spent decades honing their knowledge and espertise...

I wonder if any film or set of films could stand up to that sort of examination for that length of time in that sort of detail under those conditions?

Estelyn Telcontar · 01-23-2008, 03:15 PM

Well, those who have looked into other forums - Harry Potter, for example - will notice the fanatic attention given to details there. And of course there is discussion of various film versions of Jane Austen's novels, to mention other literary adaptions of well-loved books. I have participated in discussions of the latter, and they go into character changes for better or for worse - though they tend to be rather more civilized than the discussions I've looked into briefly on Potter forums. Then, that could be simply a matter of age and maturity...

Perhaps some of you who know Potter forums can share your experiences there?

Sauron the White · 01-23-2008, 03:41 PM

Estelyn... I am not a Potter fan but is not a huge difference the fact that the movies were made with the support and input of the author J. K. Rowling? And would not her participation in the movies somewhat mitigate the level of criticism directed at the movies?

I wonder about other beloved books that were made like LOTR - without the input of the author.

Are there OZ people who are huge fans of the books but who are somewhere still complaining about how Judy Garland was just too old for Dorothy..... the addition of those songs which were not in the book ..... the change of color from silver to red for the all important slippers ..... or how they changed the essential character of one character or another .... and lets not forget about all the stuff they left out like the Winkies ... or even worse added that was not in the book.

I wonder if when the OZ people talk with each other or get together do they still complain about those things?

I wonder if there are Margaret Mitchell fans who love the book but find fault with the film GONE WITH THE WIND? I don't think she wrote the screenplay.

01-23-2008, 03:15 PM	#2
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Well, those who have looked into other forums - Harry Potter, for example - will notice the fanatic attention given to details there. And of course there is discussion of various film versions of Jane Austen's novels, to mention other literary adaptions of well-loved books. I have participated in discussions of the latter, and they go into character changes for better or for worse - though they tend to be rather more civilized than the discussions I've looked into briefly on Potter forums. Then, that could be simply a matter of age and maturity... Perhaps some of you who know Potter forums can share your experiences there? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

01-23-2008, 03:41 PM	#3
Sauron the White Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 903	Estelyn... I am not a Potter fan but is not a huge difference the fact that the movies were made with the support and input of the author J. K. Rowling? And would not her participation in the movies somewhat mitigate the level of criticism directed at the movies? I wonder about other beloved books that were made like LOTR - without the input of the author. Are there OZ people who are huge fans of the books but who are somewhere still complaining about how Judy Garland was just too old for Dorothy..... the addition of those songs which were not in the book ..... the change of color from silver to red for the all important slippers ..... or how they changed the essential character of one character or another .... and lets not forget about all the stuff they left out like the Winkies ... or even worse added that was not in the book. I wonder if when the OZ people talk with each other or get together do they still complain about those things? I wonder if there are Margaret Mitchell fans who love the book but find fault with the film GONE WITH THE WIND? I don't think she wrote the screenplay. Last edited by Sauron the White; 01-23-2008 at 04:05 PM.

01-23-2008, 03:01 PM	#1
Sauron the White Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 903	A heartfelt thank you to all here who posted their thoughts and feelings. It does help me understand. What about the idea that I put forth that no film or series of films could stand the continual and longterm scrutiny that is given by the Tolkien community to the LOTR films? Is that valid? Is there truth to it? Here is how I put it in my opening post: I wonder... if you took any film(s) which is/are based on a well known and well loved book such as LOTR... and that book had a significant following of intelligent people such as the folks here with LOTR ... and they could have years to watch and rewatch the film(s) over and over and over again .... and if they could read the thoughts, writings, articles, journal entries, musings and books of others on the subject of adapting the books into film(s) .... and many of those same people had some sort of axe to grind, some sort of personal antagonism towards the film(s) ....... and many of those same people are considered experts in that field and have spent decades honing their knowledge and espertise... I wonder if any film or set of films could stand up to that sort of examination for that length of time in that sort of detail under those conditions?