Aragorn's Take On the Movies

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

So in principle all those who complain about changes made by movie-directors should be able to suggest how they would have done it differently and not just complain.

Easy enough. My solution would have been to simply not attempt the unattainable.
To me, Tolkien's works have always been unique. There are tangible reasons why, such as the Professor's wonderfully authoritative, yet intimately archaic verbiage.
But there is also an ethereal quality that defies description, save that the books, and LOTR in particular, have a distinct feel that I have never encountered with any other work of fiction. Certainly none has left as deep an impression upon me.
To translate that intangible to another medium is quite futile. Not only that, but the act of making the story "suitable" for the Big Screen cannot help reducing it to the baseline of just another "fantasy movie", indistinguishable from the Eragons and Harry Potters.
My opinion of these movies has not changed from the time I first heard of PJ's intentions back when I first joined this forum. The act of translation was an unnecessary exercise in futility.

[Smaug's voice]

While I disagree with Viggo at some specific points, I loved his straight-forwardness in there.

Still, I do not dislike any of the films.

I like The Hobbit films as well. But not as an adaptation. Rather a re-telling.
The second film especially was a fantastic fantasy film on its own.
(if only they were not riddled by a love story and a videogame villain <sigh>).

I feel the main themes of the book are preserved - so far.
As long as Bilbo continues to be the central partin BOFA, Thorin's death is done well and Smaug dies before BOFA it'll be allright for me.

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

The act of translation was an unnecessary exercise in futility.

True that.

And, being one that don't care for the screenplay, wrote my own movie "tweaks" that could have easily been filmed and would have remained true to the books while being easily watchable from a "movie-only" standpoint.