Return of the King....

[fajrdrako]

Comments while still relatively fresh:

I went to see the movie at midnight with the "Gathering of the Fellowship" crowd. Since I am a famous wimp when it comes to late nights I wasn't sure how well I'd cope, but, as I hoped, I was so entranced by the movie that the lateness of the hour didn't even matter.

I am thrilled that three of my favourite books have been turned into three of my favourite movies. I can only think of one other instance where a favourite book was made into a movie that lived up to the book - that was the Timothy Dalton version of "Jane Eyre". That it should happen with these books, of all books - well! I couldn't be happier.

The best thing about it: the movie took a story I know very, very well, and changed and added things that made it fresh and new and moving. I regret some of the losses (particularly the Houses of Healing) but rejoice in the touches that surprised me and excited me and which I never anticipated.

I suppose I should put these things under a cut tag. Okay: the things I most loved were

1. Aragorn's arrival on the Black Ship. Yes, I expected it, anticipated it, and when it came, relished it. What a great heroic scene.


2. The moment when Aragorn and the people of Gondor bowed to the Hobbits. Chokes me up just to remember it.


3. Every moment with Pippin. Aragorn is my favourite character, but Pippin has always been my second favourite. I love his transformation from curious boy to Soldier of Gondor. I love the image of Pippin in Gondorian armour. I love his allegiance to Denethor and the motivation for it. I love his relationship with Gandalf - yes, it's always the ones you love most who give you the most trouble. All of this was so beautifully done, and so beautifully acted by Billy Boyd.


4. Aragorn leading the charge against the Black Gate of Mordor with the words: "for Frodo!" That took me by suprise, and it was perfect.


5. Shelob. Although I think the description of Shelob and her fight with Frodo and them Sam contain some very powerful writing by Tolkien, I always thought the idea of a big scary giant spider was dumb. At least, I did when I was reading and re-reading the book as a teenager. And I can't say Shelob scared me here, but the sequence was just about perfect and I loved being able to root for Sam and see him prevail.


6. The inclusion of the various endings. Seeing Bilbo again, and the line about the Ring ("Pity"). The Grey Havens. Sam 'at home'.


7. The scene with Merry climbing the guard-tower to watch the departure of Pippin.


8. The death of the Witch-King of Angmar. I wanted "begone, foul dwimmerlaik" but didn't really miss it, since "I am no man" was so beautifully done, so perfectly delivered. And he shrivelled so creepily. It was disgusting and satisfying.


9. The physical look of Minas Tirith. What a place. I've always adored that city; I can't believe that they did justice to it, but they did. I also liked it that they had women and children still in the city.


10. The entry to the Paths of the Dead. The way Aragorn strides in and Legolas follows, and Gimli expresses his doubts and still follows - true to the spirit of the scene in the book, and to the respective characters.


11. Elijah Wood's acting. He is good. He is so good. I think people have been overlooking his talent because of his beauty. I can't imagine actors depicting Frodo's archetypal suffering any better, and it's all the more remarkable because Elijah Wood is so young.


12. The fall of Barad-Dur.
    
13. Denethor.

There were things I missed, most specifically the Houses of Healing. I would have liked more of Eomer and of Faramir, but given that they had to cut, I thought what we had of them - particularly the reference to Faramir's romance with Eowyn - were quite Wonderful. Bernard Hill was impressive - I have a new appreciation of Theoden.

Sean Astin as Sam was wonderful, but it was Elijah Wood's performance that I thought was most stunning.

I didn't miss Saruman in the least. I did miss Wormtongue. So it goes.

Comments

[katkim.livejournal.com]

I remember watching the Timothy Dalton version of Jane Eyre at school. We were studying Jane Eyre for English Lit, and my English Teacher went out with Timothy Dalton for a time- so she obviously had a soft spot for that version too, besides from the fact that it's an excellent adaptation...

[youraugustine.livejournal.com]

Given where we leave Eowyn and the flash of Eomer cradling someone and mourning that we get in the trailers, I have hope that there will be some Houses of Healing bits in the extended.

(The second time I was paying enough attention to see where my icon comes from! ::g::)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

my English Teacher went out with Timothy Dalton for a time-

My goodness! Lucky woman. (Though he looked pretty bad in the last thing I saw him in - a disappointing experience.)

But yes, it's the best adaptation of "Jane Eyre" I've seen - I thought most of the others ranged from bad to worse.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

There should be Houses of Healing bits - we've seen photos of them. I certainly hope so. Of course the photos feature Eowyn, but my favourite bit has always been the awakening of Faramir. I love the whole concept of "the King as Healer", at least, when the King is Aragorn.

I love your icon! I remember that moment well. Does the elf have a name?

[youraugustine.livejournal.com]

I think he does, but to fandom he is known as Figwit. This comes from the first girls to "notice" him, in FotR, just as Frodo is standing up to take the ring. The thought process was "Frodo is great . . . who is THAT?" Thus, "Figwit."

. . . <--geek. ::nods::

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Long live Figwit!

[imaginarytiff.livejournal.com]

An emphatic YES to points 1-13! :) Billy Boyd really shined in this movie in particular. And DAMN Minas Tirith was visually amazing.

The inclusion of the various endings. Seeing Bilbo again, and the line about the Ring ("Pity"). The Grey Havens. Sam 'at home'.

I also liked that the description of Frodo's final journey in the end of the book was recited almost word for word from Gandalf to Pippen in an earlier scene. (If there was a moment like that in the text, I've forgotten it...)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Billy Boyd's acting was amazing, I thought. In a crowd of stellar actors, he was still remarkable. But weren't they all?

Minas Tirith: yup, a wonderful place, beautifully rendered.

As for moments in the text, I have to reread: I think it was there, but can't recall when or what the context was. Rereading, however, will be a pleasant chore.