Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
i dunno, i think not having ever read the book might help an actor.. since he or she would be free to act the part as the screen writer and or director wants it done.. it might not be true to the book.. but what's new about that? i know LotR's lovers want it to be totally true to the book.. but its not...

when i was a teen, my sister got to see The Sound of Music on B'way... i was so envious. my mother suggested i read the book --the von trapp family singers i think it was called... well, i have to believe the person who did the script for the play never read the book either.. marie von trapp might not have become a nun, but her book was as religious a tract as i ever read.. i would have rather spent my days saying the rosery rather than reading her prayers.. and the book was full of prayers.. the show, and the movie on the other hand, were light hearted.. and had song.. it would take a real leap of faith to go from maria's book to hit musical.. but if you just had a synopsis, young, lonely girl, who thinks about joining the religious live, mets stern, also very regilious widower, and his kids.. family sings and prays together, and stays together.. it sounds like a great story, and it is..

as i recall, the movie ends at what is the mid point of the book. the book details the family's efforts, crossing the alps, in late september, on foot, hiding from german forces looking for them, the difficulties getting to swizterland, and finally is settled in Vermont.. a lot more prayer was involved.


Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
we would not require Mr Woods[sic] to breathe

And neither would we forbid him from breathing. To me it would seem to be the director's call. The actor is free to turn down any role that he cannot in all honesty take due to what he consider unacceptable restrictions or requirements.


Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Ahem. Let me launch into why I think Peter Jackson's effort is deeply flawed. No ... I won't bore you with that. Besides, one my main beeves - the Arwen/Aragorn thingie and therefore taking the emphasis away from the quest itself - has already been mentioned.

However, one small aspect is his selection of youths of hermaphroditic mien as hobbits. Hobbits weren't, in Tolkien's view, short, slender people with angelic (sic) looks. They were about the same size as dwarves (the fictional kind, not "little people") but were ... different. They were rough and ready in appearance. They were hairy. They were not fair-skinned. He took as his model the English peasant in terms of culture, names and language, for the most part.

Flawed, flawed, flawed!



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094
J
old hand
Offline
old hand
J
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094
Hobbits weren't, in Tolkien's view, short, slender people with angelic (sic) looks.

I don't think that's really how they're portraying them in the movie. They used blue screens throughout the movie to make the hobbits and dwarves the right height and, for at least one clip I saw, they made Wood look quite a bit chubbier than he actually is. They also had them wear dirty, hairy hobbit feet and other things to make them look less human.

About the Arwen story, I'm aware that it's in the appendix, but it goes beyond that. I read a new clip on iWon.com in which someone said that the movie expands her character from merely sitting next to her father at the council table to basically saving Frodo from the Ringwraiths before he gets to Rivendell. The man says that this lessens Frodo's development as a heroic figure just to gain more female viewers.

I'm not too concerned, though. It's a movie so it's supposed to be a little different. I'm still excited to see it Wednesday


#50046 12/17/01 10:59 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409

#50047 12/21/01 02:46 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409

Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
but I liked it.

I have to agree, Max. I just saw it tonight and was largely impressed with the treatment. Well done! I have to say I'm looking forward to the next. In fact, I found myself sitting there at the end perfectly willing to sit there for at least a good hour more!

And I also have to say, Max, (and CapK) that you should consider yourself blessed to be living (or having lived) in the majestic beauty of New Zealand! I knew it was beautiful there, but I had no idea how spectacular until seeing this film.



#50049 12/21/01 03:40 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409

Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
> I knew it was beautiful there, but I had no idea how spectacular until seeing this film

WO'N - can we assume you haven't seen Jurassic Park - well the latest in the series anyway?

What about Jane Campion's "The Piano"?

What about "Once Were Warriors"? (Although a dour struggle, there were a few minutes of countryside shown).

And what about the Hercules and Xena TV series? (though I have sufficient respect for your intellectual capacity for not watching these!!)

stales




Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
No stales, I'm a paleontology buff and loved Jurassic Park (the book and first movie), and liked the sequel ok...but I hesitate once they start diluting it into sequelhood beyond 2 (see "Rocky"). "The Piano," though on my must-see list, I have yet to watch; "Once we were Warriors," no; and I'd peek occasionally, at the "Hercules" and "Xena" series (though I didn't realize they were filmed in NZ). But, still, I've never seen the breathtaking panormas of the NZ naturescape as shown in LOTR? So, now that you have a small compendium of my film/TV viewing habits, what's the comparison here? Did you see The Lord of the Rings before you asked me this??


Page 2 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5