If the Movie had been Directed by Someone Else - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lostgaeriel · 05-04-2002, 02:51 PM

Don't get me wrong. I think Peter Jackson has done a magnificent job with the movie. I can’t imagine it being much better*. I’m just trying to imagine how different (better? worse? who cares?) the movie would have been if it were directed by someone else (living or dead).The cinematography in Jackson’s film(s) is truly beautiful. The only other director that came to my mind when I viewed those New Zealand vistas was David Lean (1908-1991).His films include: ·Great Expectations (1946) ·Oliver Twist (1948) ·Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - Best Director, Best Picture, Best Actor ·Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – Best Director, Best Picture ·Dr. Zhivago (1965) ·A Passage to India (1984) – Best Supporting ActressI have no doubt that David Lean would have chosen New Zealand as the perfect location for this film. The guy loved to shoot on location. And trains – railways – just noticed that – in Bridge, Lawrence, Zhivago, and Passage. He’d be disappointed – no trains – just oliphuants. He would have cast Sir Alec Guinness in the film - perhaps as Gandalf or as Saruman – they worked together on all the films listed above. Would he have cast Omar Sharif as Aragorn? Peter O’Toole as whom? Éomer? (I'm thinking of the year 1962.)Can you imagine a long, long shot of Éomer and the riders of Rohan, at first just barely visible on the horizon, galloping across the grass through some mist toward the waiting Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli? I’m thinking of Sherif Ali Ibn El Kharish (played by Omar Sharif) riding across the desert sands through the mirage toward Lawrence at the well in Lawrence of Arabia.And think just how spooky and creepy The Paths of the Dead would look – in black & white for best effect. Recall Lean’s opening of Great Expectations – the shadows and the creaking of the trees in the wind playing tricks on young Pip’s mind in the churchyard scene. Not to mention the dark and dusty halls of Miss Havisham’s ‘unlived-in’ house – reminds me of Moria.What do you think? Do you have a favourite director who might have given the movie a different spin? I'm not interested in new scripts, but the different emphasis, film techniques, editing, and casting each director might have used and how that would make them a good choice to direct this movie.Or perhaps you can see references to past directors (and films) in Peter Jackson’s version? For example: Jackson’s penchant for appearing in his own films was Alfred Hitchcock’s signature. Any Hitchcock fans want to speculate what he would have done with the Rings?Another example: Boromir’s death scene rivals that of Messala in William Wyler’s Ben-Hur (after the chariot race). The situations of the death scenes in the two movies differ radically – they’re almost polar. A major difference is that Boromir confesses and is forgiven by Aragorn, whereas Messala ‘confesses’ to taunt Judah and so he is not forgiven. But the impact of both scenes is incredible – they tell so much about the character of both the penitent/taunter and the survivor/confessor. Someone out there really keen about Wyler and want to discuss his possible take on tLotR? I like a lot of his movies – what a range! [Edited May 5/02: Do you think PJ was referencing Wyler in this scene? The lighting? Mottled thru the grating / trees. The other figures in the background awaiting the outcome? Surgeons / Legolas & Gimli. The 'confession' is similar in content - 'I've put 2 people you care for in mortal danger.' I'm probably just reading too much into it.][Let’s skip discussion of modern ‘post-Walt’ Disney animated versions since that’s been covered in thread: <A HREF="http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=000491" TARGET=_blank>Disney's Lord Of The Rings...??!! </A> Ideas about versions produced, if not directed, by Walt himself – especially live-action á la Swiss Family Robinson, Davey Crockett, etc. would be of some interest.] [Some script re-writes can be found in <A HREF="http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000801" TARGET=_blank>Books >> If LotR had been written by someone else!?</A> And probably elsewhere in The Movies forum. So there’s no need to do those here.]*I'll go into that somewhere else, perhaps.[ May 05, 2002: Message edited by: Lostgaeriel ]

05-04-2002, 02:51 PM	#1
Lostgaeriel Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Toronto the Good Posts: 477	If the Movie had been Directed by Someone Else Don't get me wrong. I think Peter Jackson has done a magnificent job with the movie. I can’t imagine it being much better. I’m just trying to imagine how <I>different</I> (better? worse? who cares?) the movie would have been if it were directed by someone else (living or dead).<P>The cinematography in Jackson’s film(s) is truly beautiful. The only other director that came to my mind when I viewed those New Zealand vistas was David Lean (1908-1991).<P>His films include: <BR>·<I>Great Expectations</I> (1946)<BR>·<I>Oliver Twist</I> (1948)<BR>·<I>Bridge on the River Kwai</I> (1957) - <B>Best Director</B>, Best Picture, Best Actor<BR>·<I>Lawrence of Arabia</I> (1962) – <B>Best Director</B>, Best Picture<BR>·<I>Dr. Zhivago</I> (1965)<BR>·<I>A Passage to India</I> (1984) – Best Supporting Actress<P>I have no doubt that David Lean would have chosen New Zealand as the perfect location for this film. The guy loved to shoot on location. And trains – railways – just noticed that – in Bridge, Lawrence, Zhivago, and Passage. He’d be disappointed – no trains – just oliphuants. He would have cast Sir Alec Guinness in the film - perhaps as Gandalf or as Saruman – they worked together on all the films listed above. Would he have cast Omar Sharif as Aragorn? Peter O’Toole as whom? Éomer? (I'm thinking of the year 1962.)<P>Can you imagine a long, long shot of Éomer and the riders of Rohan, at first just barely visible on the horizon, galloping across the grass through some mist toward the waiting Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli? I’m thinking of Sherif Ali Ibn El Kharish (played by Omar Sharif) riding across the desert sands through the mirage toward Lawrence at the well in <I>Lawrence of Arabia</I>.<P>And think just how spooky and creepy The Paths of the Dead would look – in black & white for best effect. Recall Lean’s opening of <I>Great Expectations</I> – the shadows and the creaking of the trees in the wind playing tricks on young Pip’s mind in the churchyard scene. Not to mention the dark and dusty halls of Miss Havisham’s ‘unlived-in’ house – reminds me of Moria.<P>What do you think? Do you have a favourite director who might have given the movie a different spin? I'm not interested in new scripts, but the different emphasis, film techniques, editing, and casting each director might have used and how that would make them a good choice to direct this movie.<P>Or perhaps you can see references to past directors (and films) in Peter Jackson’s version? For example: Jackson’s penchant for appearing in his own films was Alfred Hitchcock’s signature. Any Hitchcock fans want to speculate what he would have done with <I>the Rings</I>?<P>Another example: Boromir’s death scene rivals that of Messala in William Wyler’s <I>Ben-Hur</I> (after the chariot race). The situations of the death scenes in the two movies differ radically – they’re almost polar. A major difference is that Boromir confesses and is forgiven by Aragorn, whereas Messala ‘confesses’ to taunt Judah and so he is not forgiven. But the impact of both scenes is incredible – they tell so much about the character of both the penitent/taunter and the survivor/confessor. Someone out there really keen about Wyler and want to discuss his possible take on tLotR? I like a lot of his movies – what a range! <P>[Edited May 5/02: Do you think PJ was referencing Wyler in this scene? The lighting? Mottled thru the grating / trees. The other figures in the background awaiting the outcome? Surgeons / Legolas & Gimli. The 'confession' is similar in content - 'I've put 2 people you care for in mortal danger.' I'm probably just reading too much into it.]<P>[Let’s skip discussion of modern ‘post-Walt’ Disney animated versions since that’s been covered in thread: <A HREF="http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=000491" TARGET=_blank>Disney's Lord Of The Rings...??!! </A> Ideas about versions produced, if not directed, by Walt himself – especially live-action á la Swiss Family Robinson, Davey Crockett, etc. would be of some interest.]<P><BR>[Some script re-writes can be found in <A HREF="http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000801" TARGET=_blank>Books >> If LotR had been written by someone else!?</A> And probably elsewhere in The Movies forum. So there’s no need to do those here.]<P>I'll go into that somewhere else, perhaps.<p>[ May 05, 2002: Message edited by: Lostgaeriel ] __________________ Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo, a star shines on the hour of our meeting.