The Hobbit Movie Trailer!

[Galadriel]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by narfforc

I recently watched The Eagle, a film which had virtually no female roles in it whatsoever. This did not spoil the film for me at all, for there was no reason for any female lead role in it.

Agreed. I'd rather see a film with no female characters than with female characters that are cliched or unrealistic.

I do not think that beefing up a female serves any purpose, yes they can fight, there are many female boxers, martial artists and servicewomen who are tough, however they are not tougher than the men.

There's nothing wrong with a female fighter. Just because they are not as strong as men does not mean they are not strong period (in the same way that not having an IQ of 300 doesn't mean that you're stupid) – BUT I see something wrong with 'beefing up' a female character just to show that she can fight, and not because she's serving any purpose. Usually, when women in movies are fighters, they are the ONLY woman present, and actually just serve to be eye-candy for the men seated in the audience. In the end, they always need to be rescued. Bottom line? Either give me a female fighter with emotional flaws that doesn't need to be saved every two minutes, or don't give me a female fighter at all.

where things level out is in the grey matter

Men - physically superior due to strength
Women - biologically superior due to creation of life

Fact of nature. No point arguing.

[narfforc]

[QUOTE=Galadriel;666996]

Usually, when women in movies are fighters, they are the ONLY woman present, and actually just serve to be eye-candy for the men seated in the audience.

I can see how nauseating this can be for women, but it can be for men also. Do the makers of these films think ALL men are unthinking brutes, who only survive on their base animal instincts. Don't get me wrong I have my moments, but never in a cinema . I find this type of exploitation work both ways, firstly the young good looking actress is enticed (with either money or furthering her career) by the director, to flash the flesh. Secondly this is used to enticed men to watch what is normally a crap film, and from that point of view these were the only bits they can remember, therefore taking their minds away from the fact they have just watched a rubbish film (this also happen with music/singers of crap songs). If a woman uses her body to gain something from a drooling man, that is exploitation, but only really stupid men cannot see that, and only the man driven by base animal instincts will fall under that spell.

If we are being forced to watch this film with Taurielektra in it, I hope that it is done with some decorum. I think this elven woman will be dressed very much like Arwen who stole Glorfindel's place, but it is not and never will be, the part of the film I am looking forward to. I suspect it will annoy more people than it will please. Given the fact that they are making two films out of this little book, surely this time they won't miss huge chunks out, and if the have space to introduce Miss Nobody of Nowhere and do miss out ANYTHING I will be very DISPLEASED.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by narfforc

If a woman uses her body to gain something from a drooling man, that is exploitation, but only really stupid men cannot see that, and only the man driven by base animal instincts will fall under that spell.

If we are being forced to watch this film with Taurielektra in it, I hope that it is done with some decorum. I think this elven woman will be dressed very much like Arwen who stole Glorfindel's place, but it is not and never will be, the part of the film I am looking forward to. I suspect it will annoy more people than it will please.

Ohh, maybe they'll make her a dominatrix, thereby attempting to appeal to third wave feminists.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Ohh, maybe they'll make her a dominatrix, thereby attempting to appeal to third wave feminists.

That has already been planned. In the second movie, Bilbo gets a dominatrix love-interest, a buxom Stoorish beauty named Labia Spankbottom.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Ohh, maybe they'll make her a dominatrix, thereby attempting to appeal to third wave feminists.

A third wave feminist would surely be more likely to reject the whole thing as commercial nonsense and not indie enough?

I've got no particular ideology to make me think this way, but my primary concern is it's all too predictable and cheesy to throw in a constructed female character because they think women will be turned off by the film without this. A bit like how toy shops insist on making everything for girls in vile pink. It's patronising.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

A third wave feminist would surely be more likely to reject the whole thing as commercial nonsense and not indie enough?

I've got no particular ideology to make me think this way, but my primary concern is it's all too predictable and cheesy to throw in a constructed female character because they think women will be turned off by the film without this. A bit like how toy shops insist on making everything for girls in vile pink. It's patronising.

It is patronizing, which is why I can't take Jackson's films seriously. The very idea that he considered throwing in Xenarwen at Helm's Deep is laughable. And even what was kept in the LotR films shows his knack for novelty and not serious filmmaking; for instance, we have bold Arwen defying the Nazgul at the Fords of Bruinen, only to watch her character becoming more and more squishy as the films progressed. It's almost as if she had an evil twin who only made an appearance in FotR, and then Elrond made her to go her room. Bad Xenarwen! No supper for you!

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Bad Xenarwen! No supper for you!

And no "Sweet 1600" party if you don't forget about that Aragorn boy!

My basic problem with such changes from book to movie remains: if you have to alter a book substantially to make it work in a different format, maybe you should just write your own story and screenplay and do with it what you like. Oh, right, No one would likely be that interested unless you can attach the name of a well-known book to it.

[Dilettante]

Originally Posted by narfforc

If we are being forced to watch this film with Taurielektra in it, I hope that it is done with some decorum. I think this elven woman will be dressed very much like Arwen who stole Glorfindel's place, but it is not and never will be, the part of the film I am looking forward to. I suspect it will annoy more people than it will please. Given the fact that they are making two films out of this little book, surely this time they won't miss huge chunks out, and if the have space to introduce Miss Nobody of Nowhere and do miss out ANYTHING I will be very DISPLEASED.

If they put her in a leather bikini like Guinevere in King Arthur, I am going to scream.

[Mithalwen]

I haven 't seen any casting for Galion so I am afraid it will be hobbit needs to be saved by Elf-warriorette again. Billy Connolly is playing Dain. Wonder how many more unlikely cameos can be shoehorned in?

[narfforc]

Billy Connolly as King Dain Ironfoot.................I think this will work. No doubt we will see The Iron Hills and the dwarves getting ready/marching to war when they get the message...

[Mithalwen]

On his current form the dwarves would heckle him and he would stomp off half way through...

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

On his current form the dwarves would heckle him and he would stomp off half way through...

Speaking of Dwarves, why the heck do they need a burgler? They're armed to the teeth! In the book I thought they had kitchen knives or something? I don't think PJ can pull off that 'unlucky number' act with the dwarves he's made.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by narfforc

Billy Connolly as King Dain Ironfoot.................I think this will work. No doubt we will see The Iron Hills and the dwarves getting ready/marching to war when they get the message...

Well, it seems a logical choice, as Billy has had previous experience with dwarves (warning: profanity and politically incorrect terminology):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbsNUvQQmI