The Return of the - ARRRGHH!
Dec. 26th, 2003 11:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meteordustI love Anthon Berg chocolates. I got a box of them for Christmas. Each chocolate is shaped like a little bottle, and inside is sweet syrup flavoured like liqueur.
It is a bad, bad idea to try unwrapping one at the keyboard.
I've done what I can to clean up, and fortunately the spillage was mostly on the function keys on the right hand side of the keyboard. I can still see syrup glistening in the cracks where I can't reach. Only time will tell whether any permanent damage has been done.
Well. Back to my original topic.
And, on this day of all days, was there ever any doubt as to what it would be?
As I said earlier, I reread the book over these last few days. This was the first time I had done so since my original reading, way back when I was twelve.
It was an incredibly rewarding experience. There was so much I had forgotten, and much else that had grown dim and faded. That first time, I was mainly interested in the fortunes of the hobbits, and I suspect I skimmed a lot of the other action. Certain images stay with you - Eowyn fighting the Witch-king, Frodo and Gollum at the edge of the fiery pit, the last farewell at the Grey Havens - but the Paths of the Dead were just a name to me, and I had forgotten also about Denethor's pyre and his madness.
More than The Fellowship of the Ring, more than The Two Towers, The Return of the King was filled with numerous moments of power and emotion. Like when the gates of Minas Tirith are broken, and the Lord of the Nazgul strides through, and then, just when all hope seems lost, the horns of Rohan sound. Or when the Corsairs of Umbar sail up the river, and despair falls upon the city's defenders once more, and then the banner of the king is unveiled upon the lead ship, with the host of dead under his command.
And the language! Oh man, Tolkien knew how to *write*:
In rode the Lord of the Nazgul. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgul, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face.
Or:
As if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.
Everything, everything. And I remembered why that twelve year old child fell in love with these books.
And then today, I watched the movie.
Someone asked me, afterward, if I thought it was a good movie. I found it hard to answer. Having just reread the book, and being greatly moved by it, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret at the things they had to leave out, or compress, or simplify. And then there were changes that seemed inexplicable or unnecessary. But all the same, there were moments of epic grandeur and tragedy and sheer wonder, and when I was younger I never would have imagined that one day I would see them come to life on the screen.
Moments I loved
* That first glimpse of Minas Tirith. I've seen it rendered before in paintings by Tolkien artists. But to see it on film alive and real at last - the white towers and the seven tiers and even that great spur of stone - it's just, wow.
* Faramir and Denethor's last exchange. "But if I should return, think better of me!" Oh Faramir. There were *tears* in his eyes. This is the Faramir we know and love, not the hard stranger of the second movie.
* The charge of the Rohirrim. "Ride now! Ride now! FORTH EORLINGAS!" I was ready to leap out of my seat and join the charge too.
* Eowyn's moment of glory. But that goes without saying. I'm glad they did justice to it.
Moments I didn't
* Pippin's burning palantir experience. Okay, it's more of a style quibble than anything - why do they have to overdramatise things when something more subtle would work just as well? Yeah, Pippin sees the Eye. Does the palantir have to explode into flame as well? It's like Bilbo's face changing or Galadriel's sudden transformation.
* Gandalf hitting Denethor. You *don't* assault the ruling lord of a city and get away with it lightly. Not even if you're Mithrandir.
* The portrayal of Denethor. He's supposed to be in full possession of his wits and cunning at the start - he's actively preparing for the defence of the city, he lights the beacon fires and sends to Rohan for aid. He doesn't start saying "We're all gonna die" until Faramir comes back full of arrows. And even though Denethor lost it at the end, he was courteous and kind to Pippin before. It seems as though few characters make it across from book to movie untarnished and unlessened.
* Aragorn and Arwen's long, public smooch. He's the King Elessar! She's the Lady Arwen! Where's your dignity, dammit?
Moments I went "WTF?"
* When Elrond gives Anduril to Aragorn. What? You mean he doesn't even have it yet?
* Arwen dying of the Ring. I have no words for this one. I mean, WTF?
* When Frodo sends Sam away. (Nooooo! Never, never, never!)
* Aragorn and Legolas, when Arwen's delegation arrives. *Why* does Legolas step up like he's the bride? *Why* do they spend several seconds gazing meaningfully into each other's eyes? I'm a purist, okay, I don't *want* to see Aragorn/Legolas slash. But I swear, *somebody* is doing this deliberately.
Moments I cried
* When Eowyn stands all alone between Theoden and the Witch-king, and says, "I will kill you if you touch him."
* When Sam says, "I can't carry it for you, Mr Frodo, but I *can* carry you."
* When Aragorn, newly crowned, stares at the bowing hobbits in astonishment and says, "My friends - you bow to no one." And then kneels to them. And so does Arwen. And so does the sea of people all around them.
* At the Grey Havens. But I'm not alone there.
Other moments of note
* Smeagol and Deagol. I liked seeing Smeagol before he became Gollum, and I liked how it foreshadowed what Frodo might become if caught too long in the grip of the Ring.
* Everyone's making Pirates of the Caribbean jokes, especially since Orlando Bloom is involved. But I can honestly say it did not occur to me that there was a resemblance between the King of the Dead and Geoffrey Rush.
* Frodo and Sam at the Crack of Doom. I liked the way the scene echoed the confrontation between Isildur and Elrond, way back at the start of the first movie. It was a nice touch.
I'll probably end up watching it again later on, and I definitely look forward to seeing the extended edition.
Wow. I can't believe it's really over.
It is a bad, bad idea to try unwrapping one at the keyboard.
I've done what I can to clean up, and fortunately the spillage was mostly on the function keys on the right hand side of the keyboard. I can still see syrup glistening in the cracks where I can't reach. Only time will tell whether any permanent damage has been done.
Well. Back to my original topic.
And, on this day of all days, was there ever any doubt as to what it would be?
As I said earlier, I reread the book over these last few days. This was the first time I had done so since my original reading, way back when I was twelve.
It was an incredibly rewarding experience. There was so much I had forgotten, and much else that had grown dim and faded. That first time, I was mainly interested in the fortunes of the hobbits, and I suspect I skimmed a lot of the other action. Certain images stay with you - Eowyn fighting the Witch-king, Frodo and Gollum at the edge of the fiery pit, the last farewell at the Grey Havens - but the Paths of the Dead were just a name to me, and I had forgotten also about Denethor's pyre and his madness.
More than The Fellowship of the Ring, more than The Two Towers, The Return of the King was filled with numerous moments of power and emotion. Like when the gates of Minas Tirith are broken, and the Lord of the Nazgul strides through, and then, just when all hope seems lost, the horns of Rohan sound. Or when the Corsairs of Umbar sail up the river, and despair falls upon the city's defenders once more, and then the banner of the king is unveiled upon the lead ship, with the host of dead under his command.
And the language! Oh man, Tolkien knew how to *write*:
In rode the Lord of the Nazgul. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgul, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face.
Or:
As if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.
Everything, everything. And I remembered why that twelve year old child fell in love with these books.
And then today, I watched the movie.
Someone asked me, afterward, if I thought it was a good movie. I found it hard to answer. Having just reread the book, and being greatly moved by it, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret at the things they had to leave out, or compress, or simplify. And then there were changes that seemed inexplicable or unnecessary. But all the same, there were moments of epic grandeur and tragedy and sheer wonder, and when I was younger I never would have imagined that one day I would see them come to life on the screen.
Moments I loved
* That first glimpse of Minas Tirith. I've seen it rendered before in paintings by Tolkien artists. But to see it on film alive and real at last - the white towers and the seven tiers and even that great spur of stone - it's just, wow.
* Faramir and Denethor's last exchange. "But if I should return, think better of me!" Oh Faramir. There were *tears* in his eyes. This is the Faramir we know and love, not the hard stranger of the second movie.
* The charge of the Rohirrim. "Ride now! Ride now! FORTH EORLINGAS!" I was ready to leap out of my seat and join the charge too.
* Eowyn's moment of glory. But that goes without saying. I'm glad they did justice to it.
Moments I didn't
* Pippin's burning palantir experience. Okay, it's more of a style quibble than anything - why do they have to overdramatise things when something more subtle would work just as well? Yeah, Pippin sees the Eye. Does the palantir have to explode into flame as well? It's like Bilbo's face changing or Galadriel's sudden transformation.
* Gandalf hitting Denethor. You *don't* assault the ruling lord of a city and get away with it lightly. Not even if you're Mithrandir.
* The portrayal of Denethor. He's supposed to be in full possession of his wits and cunning at the start - he's actively preparing for the defence of the city, he lights the beacon fires and sends to Rohan for aid. He doesn't start saying "We're all gonna die" until Faramir comes back full of arrows. And even though Denethor lost it at the end, he was courteous and kind to Pippin before. It seems as though few characters make it across from book to movie untarnished and unlessened.
* Aragorn and Arwen's long, public smooch. He's the King Elessar! She's the Lady Arwen! Where's your dignity, dammit?
Moments I went "WTF?"
* When Elrond gives Anduril to Aragorn. What? You mean he doesn't even have it yet?
* Arwen dying of the Ring. I have no words for this one. I mean, WTF?
* When Frodo sends Sam away. (Nooooo! Never, never, never!)
* Aragorn and Legolas, when Arwen's delegation arrives. *Why* does Legolas step up like he's the bride? *Why* do they spend several seconds gazing meaningfully into each other's eyes? I'm a purist, okay, I don't *want* to see Aragorn/Legolas slash. But I swear, *somebody* is doing this deliberately.
Moments I cried
* When Eowyn stands all alone between Theoden and the Witch-king, and says, "I will kill you if you touch him."
* When Sam says, "I can't carry it for you, Mr Frodo, but I *can* carry you."
* When Aragorn, newly crowned, stares at the bowing hobbits in astonishment and says, "My friends - you bow to no one." And then kneels to them. And so does Arwen. And so does the sea of people all around them.
* At the Grey Havens. But I'm not alone there.
Other moments of note
* Smeagol and Deagol. I liked seeing Smeagol before he became Gollum, and I liked how it foreshadowed what Frodo might become if caught too long in the grip of the Ring.
* Everyone's making Pirates of the Caribbean jokes, especially since Orlando Bloom is involved. But I can honestly say it did not occur to me that there was a resemblance between the King of the Dead and Geoffrey Rush.
* Frodo and Sam at the Crack of Doom. I liked the way the scene echoed the confrontation between Isildur and Elrond, way back at the start of the first movie. It was a nice touch.
I'll probably end up watching it again later on, and I definitely look forward to seeing the extended edition.
Wow. I can't believe it's really over.
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no subject
Date: 2003-12-26 11:49 pm (UTC)Generally, you don't have too much to worry about - but you should try to remove any syrup or other subtances as completely as possible. Depending on the type of keyboard you have, it may be possible to just pry the keycaps off so you can clean up underneath them. If (as in my case) you spilt a liquid into the keyboard, you should also open it and remove any traces of the liquid left. (Milk, for example, congeals and fouls up the key action resulting in a very stiff keyboard)
Anyway... *toddles off to unbeer his keyboard*
no subject
Date: 2003-12-27 05:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-27 12:42 am (UTC)The Grey Havens... me too.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-27 06:02 am (UTC)I said I was a purist. As far as I'm concerned, the canonical pairings (or as close to canonical as you can get) are Frodo/Sam and Legolas/Gimli. Of course, in the movies, Gimli's not as photogenic as the pretty elf boy and the rugged handsome ranger, so he gets shafted. But y'know, it's not *Aragorn* who ends up taking the grey ship with Legolas, is it?
Wait, I forgot really masculine men don't work in shounen ai.
Slash, however, can involve very masculine, muscly, hairy men. (And in any case, I'm not sure Legolas can be called a 'really masculine man'...)
every time there was a touching scene between two of the hobbits my brain went "*ding*! slash!"
Well, like I said before, Frodo/Sam is practically canon. I don't mean "OMG wild hobbit sex", but definitely "OMG they are so in love". A case can also be made for Merry/Pippin, but I'm not really fussed either way about them.
So, er, don't blame us. The hobbit love is in the text. Interpretation is up to the individual...
no subject
Date: 2003-12-27 02:09 pm (UTC)Yeah, Sam is definitely more smitten with Frodo than the average bear (or hobbit... whatever.) The problem was my brain raised a flag every time it showed up, which tended to blow my suspension of disbelief out of the water. It's hard to be moved by a scene when your brain starts racing off on tangents :(
It's been far too many years since I last read the books (our copy of FOTR got lost long ago.) I need to pick it up again.
RotK Part 1
Date: 2004-01-02 03:03 am (UTC)There was so much I had forgotten, and much else that had grown dim and faded.
Though I've read the book several times in the past, I've had that experience with it too. You mention Tolkein's writing style, further down, and I think that a lot of us spend so much time criticising the bad aspects that we forget to give credit for the really good bits. I've seen a few paragraphs quoted on LJ lately, and they stun me all over again.
It was an incredibly rewarding experience.
It's so interesting to see many people saying the same thing. I myself have been keeping well away from the books before seeing the corresponding film, since I discovered that rereading lessened my enjoyment of the *book*, as I was busy stressing over what would be included and how things would be done, *and* of the film, as I was too familiar with a lot of details that were changed. I'm not averse to *now* going back and minutely comparing the books to the films, but the first time I saw each film I strongly wanted to have the general gist in mind, and not all the details. That may well just be me being unusual, though, since as I said I've seen many comments from people who enjoyed reading just before viewing.
even that great spur of stone - it's just, wow.
Absolutely. I had no doubt it would be *right*, after the accuracy of the landscape in the previous films. But seeing the road piercing the spur on each successive level... I was impressed.
Faramir and Denethor's last exchange.
There were tears in *my* eyes.
Yeah, Pippin sees the Eye. Does the palantir have to explode into flame as well?
I remember thinking at the time that it was overdramatic but that I didn't really *mind*. Thinking more about it later, I find like it less. There's just a few too many moments like that during the films. They clearly *do* know that implications can be more dramatic than visual effects - they did it with Faramir's men being killed off-camera. I'd prefer a bit more of that sort of thing. At least they didn't show Sauron actually interrogating Pippin.
It's like Bilbo's face changing or Galadriel's sudden transformation.
I was very unhappy with Bilbo's face at first, though I've grown somewhat accustomed to it (and it doesn't look quite as extreme to me now as it did on first viewing). Less *would* have been better. I dislike the Galadriel effects *so* much that I hadn't even thought about the overly-dramatic aspect. I agree there too, but I mostly just think the effects look dreadful and in five years everyone will realise that. I think that's the only part of the films I think that about.
The portrayal of Denethor. He's supposed to be in full possession of his wits and cunning at the start
My first thought was that he was way too similar to Theoden. He's fallen into despair because his son's dead. Yeah, we've seen that before. I don't mind changes that improve things, but this didn't really seem improved.
Aragorn and Arwen's long, public smooch.
Good Lord yes. I mean, no. Couldn't they have cut to their wedding if they really needed to show kissing (as I'm sure they did)?
Re: RotK Part 1
Date: 2004-01-07 09:38 am (UTC)That's very true. I mean, these books are so revered that it's *healthy* for people to be scrutinising the flaws - but like you said, sometimes we lose sight of why they became so revered in the first place.
I dislike the Galadriel effects *so* much that I hadn't even thought about the overly-dramatic aspect. I agree there too, but I mostly just think the effects look dreadful and in five years everyone will realise that.
I think I was also disappointed that they didn't give Cate Blanchett a chance to *act* the scene. But yeah, I'd agree that the effects do look pretty awful.
RotK Part 2
Date: 2004-01-02 03:05 am (UTC)I liked this because Anduril hadn't been mentioned before. I'd been thinking it'd be odd for him to have been carrying it all this time and then suddenly mention what it is, so I was hoping he'd be given it just before the Paths of the Dead. Better gift than a flag sewn by Arwen, anyway.
Arwen dying of the Ring.
Yeah. Absolutely. I was dumbfounded and then irritated by Aragorn randomly falling off that cliff, but I came to terms with it. This is way worse. I can't figure out what it means, how it's happening, or what it possibly was supposed to add.
When Frodo sends Sam away.
I do feel twinges there, but I think they did a good job of convincing me *why*, and it added to Sam's angst about Shelob. So I'm ok with it.
I'm a purist, okay, I don't *want* to see Aragorn/Legolas slash. But I swear, *somebody* is doing this deliberately.
Heh. I suspect Phillipa Boyens, as I think she was the one who made that Aragorn/Boromir comment. I quite like the Aragorn/Legolas, myself, but mostly because it *doesn't* interfere with Legolas/Gimli, for me at least. Legolas has history with Aragorn, he ends up with Gimli, it's all fine with me.
And then kneels to them. And so does Arwen. And so does the sea of people all around them.
I was actually too busy snickering at the assorted looks on their faces to feel teary at this point.
I had the same thoughts as you did about Smeagol and Deagol, Geoffrey Rush, and the Crack of Doom repeat.
Re: RotK Part 2
Date: 2004-01-07 09:56 am (UTC)At first, I thought it was supposed to put more pressure on Aragorn to fight against Sauron and fulfil his destiny. Which seemed pointless to me - isn't saving Middle-Earth from its doom a good enough reason already?
But later I realised that it's not Aragorn who's being pressured by Arwen's imminent demise - it's *Elrond*. Movie!Elrond has been Mr "We're All Doomed" from the start (just like Movie!Theoden and Movie!Denethor, incidentally). It's the prospect of his beloved daughter dying if the One Ring is not destroyed that finally motivates him into helping Aragorn. So I can see how it's meant to fit in with the movie's internal logic.
Though it still doesn't explain WTF Arwen has to do with the ring. But anyway.
I suspect Phillipa Boyens, as I think she was the one who made that Aragorn/Boromir comment.
Ooh, what Aragorn/Boromir comment?
I quite like the Aragorn/Legolas, myself, but mostly because it *doesn't* interfere with Legolas/Gimli, for me at least.
I'll admit it's fun to watch (especially the reunion scene in The Two Towers when Legolas gives Aragorn the necklace back, and you can see Eowyn looking on wistfully, probably thinking to herself, "Damn, why are all the hot ones gay?"). I mainly mourn for the legions of movie fangirls who have no understanding or appreciation of Legolas/Gimli at all.
Re: RotK Part 2
Date: 2004-01-13 05:22 am (UTC)Ah ok, thanks. That does take care of part of it. I was disturbed by just how *much* I hated it; I'm fine with just hating it a fair bit now.
Ooh, what Aragorn/Boromir comment?
In the director/writers commentary of FotR, though I can't remember when. Probably just before or during Boromir's death, she said it added to the pathos that they were "almost like lovers". It took a while before I calmed down enough to notice the "almost" part.
"Damn, why are all the hot ones gay?").
"Oh. He *does* like elves".
I mainly mourn for the legions of movie fangirls who have no understanding or appreciation of Legolas/Gimli at all.
Yeah, fair enough. I really wanted to see bits of the Appendices that tell us what happens to everyone - Sam going over the Sea as well. Did he even put the Ring *on*? I'm going to believe he still did, when offscreen.