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Dec. 21st, 2003 02:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blodeueddI have an awful lot of incense. Who knew?
Allow me to take a break from my strenuous (hah!) efforts to say a bit about first,
So, what did I think? I think it's very sad that I have no movie to look forward to for next December. As lame as it is to say, I feel ambivalent about the whole thing. When I first saw FotR, I was trembling with excitement at the end. This was what I'd always dreamed about, put up on screen for my own personal enjoyment! What wasn't there to love? And it wasn't only one movie, it was three! Almost Christmas presents, even! Now, I almost dreaded going to the cinema because it would be the last time I'd see it for the first time. If you know what I mean.
This movie more than the two others had changes that really bugged me. First and foremost, Gollum setting Sam and Frodo up against each other. WHY was that necessary? We know he's evil, we know Frodo isn't himself, we know Sam is loyal, blah blah blah. It cut into the time Frodo and Sam spend crawling across the plains of Gorgoroth so it made the journey seem to be a leisurely stroll. Maybe it was just so Sam could again show his devotion to Mister Frodo.
Also, what was the deal with Denethor jumping off the mountain?! Beregond was cut out of the movie completely, which is all right, so there's no subplot about him fighting his own brothers-in-arms, but Denethor being senile until the end wouldn't have been hard to do. Remember, he orders the guards loyal to him to come burn with him and sets the pyre alight himself, I believe. In the movie, his burning is turned into an accident at the last minute, which in my opinion cheapens his resolve. He was also an annoying prick who can't eat properly, which is true, but in the book he did show more dignity than that.
Moving right along, the things such as the army of the dead and Sauron's eye, that others found cheesy, I didn't mind. I was expecting worse for the dead, which weren't as bad as the dead guy in the Dead Marshes, which I think along with Galadriel's existential crisis were among the cheesiest moments in the trilogy. Sauron's eye did look silly at first, but how else could the concept have been represented? In the books nobody ever sees his physical form, they just feel the weight of his malice. Yeah, I can just imagine Frodo stopping every thirty seconds to blurt, "I feel the weight of his evil gaze upon me!" I'd rather have the lighthouse with an attitude. *laughs*
Hmm, what else? Eowyn rocks, obviously. It's funny that the line "But I am no man!" sounds almost like Gimli's added jokes, but she really does say that in the book. What was left out was that it was actually Merry's blade (from the barrow, remember?) that defeated the Witch-king, but because in the first movie Aragorn gives the hobbits their swords, they could hardly start retconning. So it just looks like only a woman can do the job, which comes out of nowhere.
Oh yes, and Saruman not appearing at all and the Marvelous Unchanging Shire bugged me, but not enough to ruin a wonderful movie. I can tell where things will be added in the Extended Edition, but I fear the ending won't be, as they'd have to completely change it. Still, I hope their meeting Saruman and Grima on the road will be added. and
I must have watched too much anime because I immediately thought, "Well of course the final battle has to take place in the spring otherwise there couldn't be any random cherry trees spewing forth blossoms!" And is it just me, but isn't in an enormous coincidence that every single samurai dies but Tom Cruise's character survives? At least when he kills his bitchy commander it's quick to the point. And the scene where the love interest, after controlling her emotions so well for months, breaks down and sheds a tear or two on your shoulder, is supposed to be emotional, Tom! You look like you're thinking about what's on tv tonight, or what kind of pizza to order. .
Now, my living room is clean, I finally unpacked all my candles and vacuumed. Should I a) clean the kitchen, b) clean the bathroom, c) clean my room or d) wrap presents?
Allow me to take a break from my strenuous (hah!) efforts to say a bit about first,
So, what did I think? I think it's very sad that I have no movie to look forward to for next December. As lame as it is to say, I feel ambivalent about the whole thing. When I first saw FotR, I was trembling with excitement at the end. This was what I'd always dreamed about, put up on screen for my own personal enjoyment! What wasn't there to love? And it wasn't only one movie, it was three! Almost Christmas presents, even! Now, I almost dreaded going to the cinema because it would be the last time I'd see it for the first time. If you know what I mean.
This movie more than the two others had changes that really bugged me. First and foremost, Gollum setting Sam and Frodo up against each other. WHY was that necessary? We know he's evil, we know Frodo isn't himself, we know Sam is loyal, blah blah blah. It cut into the time Frodo and Sam spend crawling across the plains of Gorgoroth so it made the journey seem to be a leisurely stroll. Maybe it was just so Sam could again show his devotion to Mister Frodo.
Also, what was the deal with Denethor jumping off the mountain?! Beregond was cut out of the movie completely, which is all right, so there's no subplot about him fighting his own brothers-in-arms, but Denethor being senile until the end wouldn't have been hard to do. Remember, he orders the guards loyal to him to come burn with him and sets the pyre alight himself, I believe. In the movie, his burning is turned into an accident at the last minute, which in my opinion cheapens his resolve. He was also an annoying prick who can't eat properly, which is true, but in the book he did show more dignity than that.
Moving right along, the things such as the army of the dead and Sauron's eye, that others found cheesy, I didn't mind. I was expecting worse for the dead, which weren't as bad as the dead guy in the Dead Marshes, which I think along with Galadriel's existential crisis were among the cheesiest moments in the trilogy. Sauron's eye did look silly at first, but how else could the concept have been represented? In the books nobody ever sees his physical form, they just feel the weight of his malice. Yeah, I can just imagine Frodo stopping every thirty seconds to blurt, "I feel the weight of his evil gaze upon me!" I'd rather have the lighthouse with an attitude. *laughs*
Hmm, what else? Eowyn rocks, obviously. It's funny that the line "But I am no man!" sounds almost like Gimli's added jokes, but she really does say that in the book. What was left out was that it was actually Merry's blade (from the barrow, remember?) that defeated the Witch-king, but because in the first movie Aragorn gives the hobbits their swords, they could hardly start retconning. So it just looks like only a woman can do the job, which comes out of nowhere.
Oh yes, and Saruman not appearing at all and the Marvelous Unchanging Shire bugged me, but not enough to ruin a wonderful movie. I can tell where things will be added in the Extended Edition, but I fear the ending won't be, as they'd have to completely change it. Still, I hope their meeting Saruman and Grima on the road will be added. and
I must have watched too much anime because I immediately thought, "Well of course the final battle has to take place in the spring otherwise there couldn't be any random cherry trees spewing forth blossoms!" And is it just me, but isn't in an enormous coincidence that every single samurai dies but Tom Cruise's character survives? At least when he kills his bitchy commander it's quick to the point. And the scene where the love interest, after controlling her emotions so well for months, breaks down and sheds a tear or two on your shoulder, is supposed to be emotional, Tom! You look like you're thinking about what's on tv tonight, or what kind of pizza to order. .
Now, my living room is clean, I finally unpacked all my candles and vacuumed. Should I a) clean the kitchen, b) clean the bathroom, c) clean my room or d) wrap presents?
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Date: 2003-12-21 06:46 pm (UTC)For The Last Samurai, I couldn't agree with you more. I've seen some movies where I thought Tom Cruise could act, but this is not one of them. :)