I just don't understand.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Lhunardawen

Hmm...shouldn't we be adding Haldir and Celeborn to the list? And Haldir's company of androgynous Elves in film FotR?

Originally Posted by The Moddess

. . . can you imagine Peter Jackson, with his rather "hasty" personality, embracing that philosophy in today's society of instant gratification?! I think he did not have a fundamental understanding of the Elves and if you don't grasp something yourself, you can't make others understand it.

A late reply to you both. It was all the elves--including, to me, Galadriel--which suffered and not merely Legolas.

Originally Posted by Imladris

To elaborate more on this point, can you have an "ent like" personality/philosophy when filming a movie? No, you can't.

There is only so much money.

There is only so much time to film the story. Deadlines are dreadful things (or so I'm told, I haven't really experienced them yet).

And you have to catch the audiences attention. Some people were complaining that the theatrical release was "too long." The Entertainment business is about pleasing people so that they will dish out money and buy your product. You have to make a profit in the business...so you have to make your product appealing to everyone -- not just the nerds but the fan girls and the people who want a few hours entertainment, etc.

as I've said -- translating a book to a movie doesn't work. There are bookish elements and there are movie elements and the elves, I think, are decidedly bookish.

Hmm. Hmmm. Who is being hasty? This assumes that there is no "art" in movies, only depiction of already existing reality, no representation, just presentation.

David Lean could have depicted the elves or, for a more contemporary director, Zhang Yimou. I thinkEsty is bang on that Jackson's filmic style or philosophy doesn't incorporate qualities needed to imagine elves on the screen.