Frodo v's Elijah

[Dragon Reborn]

Just wanted to know what everyone thinks about Elijah's acting. I thought it was kinda stodgy and I'm sure a lot of you agree that he is not the Frodo of the books. I think he is the kind of actor you can either love or hate.

The way he talks in the movies irritates me... don't ask why.

I think he should have had more of an input into the fighting scenes. We hardly see him fight at all, whereas in the books he is noble and brave. The other hobbits get to fight- y can't he??

Btw this is the first thread I've started so I hope its ok and it hasn't been done a million times before!

So what does everyone think?

[Turin]

I share your sentiments.

Apart from the fact that (for me) Elijah is way too young to play the Frodo of my own imagination, here's a couple of reasons:

I too was irritated at times by Elijah's voice. It just doesn't sound convincing. I remember the scene when the hobbits arrive in Bree and Frodo/Elijah says "our business is our own". I can't clearly explain why but it just irritated the hell out of me.

Too much eye-rollling and falling over.

Elijah sometimes doesn't exude an air of authority or of being quite intuitive enough.

[Finwe-89]

The way Elijah acts like Frodo doesn't look that good. Elijah made Frodo look like a weakling with that voice of him, and those big eyes. But on the other hand, I don't think that any one else could fullfill the part of Frodo

[Lyta_Underhill]

Well, its a toss-up! Elijah is 5'6" and much younger than Frodo, who is about 3'6" and 50 years old! They're both pretty fast, though, but I think Elijah has a lot of reach on Frodo. He could land more punches that way. Frodo, being a hobbit, has an extraordinary talent of making himself disappear when the 'big' people are around; thus he might elude Elijah for awhile. Also, depending on the point in his career, Frodo has THE ONE RING, while Elijah has a prop! It is interesting to speculate, but I think Elijah would have to corner Frodo if he were to win this bout. If Frodo can keep moving, he could escape, but he doesn't want to match punches with the much taller and younger Elijah!

Sorry, folks! I couldn't resist!

Cheers!
Lyta

[Essex]

One of the strengths of the film for me was the acting, and the quality Jackson got from his Cast just from a look, let alone dialouge

Elijah Wood did a very good job for me. Highlights that stand out:

'I'm here, Sam' at the Cracks of Doom. It still sends a shiver down my spine the way that line was delivered.

the cracks of doom section when he claims the ring.

His smile at the start and end of the Trilogy

his delivery of the 'do not know the way' line at the end of the Council of Elrond

many more to mention, but:

But most of all, when the tear runs down his face when he's lying with Sam at the 'End of all Things', waiting to die.....

PS Apologies if I've got anyone wrong, but just because he's not 'your' Frodo from the books should not cloud your judgment on whether Elijah wood acted well or not, should it?

PPS cross posted with Lyta, but to answer a point. In the book, 33 years for a hobbit is coming of age, ie 18 - 21 in 'real life' Human Years. In the film, we did not have the 17 year gap, so therefore Frodo left when he had come of age, so Elijah's age is perfect.

[Lyta_Underhill]

In the book, 33 years for a hobbit is coming of age, ie 18 - 21 in 'real life' Human Years. In the film, we did not have the 17 year gap, so therefore Frodo left when he had come of age, so Elijah's age is perfect.

A point well taken, Essex! Still, if we take the age offset as 12 years, Elijah would be about 30 to Frodo's 50. Remember how Pippin teased Frodo about being out of shape in the beginning of Fellowship (the book that is...). Anyway, I agree with you about Elijah being the right age, as he would have been preserved at 33 (i.e. 21) due to the effects of the Ring, even if we had not had the 17 year stretch.

Cheers!
Lyta

[mark12_30]

I walk down a long road that lies between the movie and the book, looking left to right, enjoying the differences between the two.

Two Aragorns, very different, both likable for different reasons.

Two Boromirs. Two Faramirs. Two Legoli.

And definitely two Frodos.

But in each case, I am very fond of both of them. In considering each, I learn more about the other that I might not have otherwise noticed. And I remain the richer for it.