Ringers, a review... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Tigerlily Gamgee · 10-24-2005, 01:57 PM

Well, I had the chance to see "Ringers" this weekend. A friend of mine brought an advanced screening copy to our gathering this weekend. I'll start out by saying that I've gone to Amazon.com and cancelled my preorder. Why? Well, it just wasn't what I expected.
It's actually more of a documentary about the books/films than about the fans... and I already have a lot of those. I thought it would be highly more fan-based, but it was not. The fans only got, I'd say, about 85% of the time in the film. The best part was this kid they interviewed in line. When they asked what he'd do it Lurtz was approaching him, the kid replies, "I'd kick him in the weiner." Other than that, I actually got kind of bored. Most of the shots of fans were probably humiliating for them... or they were so short that you didn't even have time to blink! It saddened me that the subtitle for this film is "The Lord of the Fans," but not that many fans were featured. Most footage came from one line party that they went to... and here I thought they traveled around to lots of cons to get footage.
Also, the parts about the books were rather drab. It wasn't anything that any other documentary hadn't already covered. Also, they tried to do it in a "fun" way, but it just looked like they were ripping off Monty Python's animations and adding campy voice overs to it. Not really all that enjoyable.
The part where they go through the 60's just ended up being annoying. Too much of these same four actors just trying to look hip, and dancing, and it just got stupid, really. Too much psycedelic interlude stuff, too.

So, yeah, that's my review. I'll be interested to hear what others think. So, please... post your reviews.

davem · 10-24-2005, 03:10 PM

Can't believe this is coming out, along with all the other rip off DVD 'documentaries' on Tolkien we've seen over the last few years, when the greatest Tolkien documentary by far 'JRRT: A Film Portrait of JRR Tolkien' (with filmed interviews with Christopher, Priscilla & John Tolkien, Tom Shippey & Verlyn Flieger, plus film of Tolkien himself discussing his work) hasn't been available for years & was only ever released in VHS

Christopher's insights alone make it worth the search.

Hyarion · 12-02-2005, 01:32 PM

Tigerlily Gamgee, I'm glad we're both in the same boat. Unfortunately it was just not what I was hoping for, it just concentrated on random parts of the history of the culture, excluding most of all the fan footage I was hoping for. Below is the link to the rant I've written about it, unfortunatley I'm a terrible writer and I wrote it all last night while I was still upset with the movie, but you can get the gist.

http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/User:...rd_of_the_Fans

Lalwendë · 12-02-2005, 03:16 PM

I found Ringers a bit...well...shabby to be honest. I cannot square up the fact that they got so many stars in to participate with the fact that so much of it seemed cheap. What essentially spoiled it for me were the cheesier than gorgonzola inserts of fans-through-the-ages with young actors dressed in 60s/70s/80s costumes and cheap supermarket music which was supposed to be an approximation of the music of the various eras. If they had got rid of these the whole would have been much better. If they could get all those stars in to participate could they not have paid out some royalties on a few famous Tolkien inspired tracks?

My other gripe was that they only featured fans from The One Ring, who seemed overwhelmingly film-centric. They evidently travelled to Oxonmoot but deemed that the members of the Tolkien Society weren't wacky enough for their film.

Lemmy was great though. Entirely random and off topic of course, but hey, it was Lemmy.

If you can get the DVD cheap it's worth a look, but it's not worth spending a fortune on as you won't learn that much sadly, and may even find yourself a little bit irritated by it.

Tigerlily Gamgee · 12-12-2005, 03:35 PM

I'm so happy that people agree with me! Dang! So many reviews I've read have been all, "I love it!" and such... I was beginning to think I was alone. Whew! *wipes forhead*
I'm so glad I got to see it ahead of time so that I could cancel my preorder of it.

Tigerlily Gamgee · 12-12-2005, 03:40 PM

Just read that review that was linked to. I agree with it 95-100%! I think they really missed the ball with this documentary.
I think that the AMC preshow that is 2 minutes long captures the esscence better than this full length movie. Why? Because AMC went to many locations and filmed tons of fans. Ringers only went to one line party... ONE! I mean, what's up with that? Ug.

10-24-2005, 01:57 PM	#1
Tigerlily Gamgee Hostess of Spirits Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Meduseld Posts: 1,055	Ringers, a review... Well, I had the chance to see "Ringers" this weekend. A friend of mine brought an advanced screening copy to our gathering this weekend. I'll start out by saying that I've gone to Amazon.com and cancelled my preorder. Why? Well, it just wasn't what I expected. It's actually more of a documentary about the books/films than about the fans... and I already have a lot of those. I thought it would be highly more fan-based, but it was not. The fans only got, I'd say, about 85% of the time in the film. The best part was this kid they interviewed in line. When they asked what he'd do it Lurtz was approaching him, the kid replies, "I'd kick him in the weiner." Other than that, I actually got kind of bored. Most of the shots of fans were probably humiliating for them... or they were so short that you didn't even have time to blink! It saddened me that the subtitle for this film is "The Lord of the Fans," but not that many fans were featured. Most footage came from one line party that they went to... and here I thought they traveled around to lots of cons to get footage. Also, the parts about the books were rather drab. It wasn't anything that any other documentary hadn't already covered. Also, they tried to do it in a "fun" way, but it just looked like they were ripping off Monty Python's animations and adding campy voice overs to it. Not really all that enjoyable. The part where they go through the 60's just ended up being annoying. Too much of these same four actors just trying to look hip, and dancing, and it just got stupid, really. Too much psycedelic interlude stuff, too. So, yeah, that's my review. I'll be interested to hear what others think. So, please... post your reviews. __________________ ~ ExerciseJunky.com (Hobbits fitness of choice!)~ ~Lady of Rohan: An Eowyn Fansite ~ ~The NEW/OLD Barrow Downs Photo Page~

10-24-2005, 03:10 PM	#2
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Can't believe this is coming out, along with all the other rip off DVD 'documentaries' on Tolkien we've seen over the last few years, when the greatest Tolkien documentary by far 'JRRT: A Film Portrait of JRR Tolkien' (with filmed interviews with Christopher, Priscilla & John Tolkien, Tom Shippey & Verlyn Flieger, plus film of Tolkien himself discussing his work) hasn't been available for years & was only ever released in VHS Christopher's insights alone make it worth the search. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

12-02-2005, 03:16 PM	#4
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I found Ringers a bit...well...shabby to be honest. I cannot square up the fact that they got so many stars in to participate with the fact that so much of it seemed cheap. What essentially spoiled it for me were the cheesier than gorgonzola inserts of fans-through-the-ages with young actors dressed in 60s/70s/80s costumes and cheap supermarket music which was supposed to be an approximation of the music of the various eras. If they had got rid of these the whole would have been much better. If they could get all those stars in to participate could they not have paid out some royalties on a few famous Tolkien inspired tracks? My other gripe was that they only featured fans from The One Ring, who seemed overwhelmingly film-centric. They evidently travelled to Oxonmoot but deemed that the members of the Tolkien Society weren't wacky enough for their film. Lemmy was great though. Entirely random and off topic of course, but hey, it was Lemmy. If you can get the DVD cheap it's worth a look, but it's not worth spending a fortune on as you won't learn that much sadly, and may even find yourself a little bit irritated by it. __________________ Gordon's alive!

12-12-2005, 03:35 PM	#5
Tigerlily Gamgee Hostess of Spirits Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Meduseld Posts: 1,055	I'm so happy that people agree with me! Dang! So many reviews I've read have been all, "I love it!" and such... I was beginning to think I was alone. Whew! wipes forhead I'm so glad I got to see it ahead of time so that I could cancel my preorder of it. __________________ ~ ExerciseJunky.com (Hobbits fitness of choice!)~ ~Lady of Rohan: An Eowyn Fansite ~ ~The NEW/OLD Barrow Downs Photo Page~

12-12-2005, 03:40 PM	#6
Tigerlily Gamgee Hostess of Spirits Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Meduseld Posts: 1,055	Just read that review that was linked to. I agree with it 95-100%! I think they really missed the ball with this documentary. I think that the AMC preshow that is 2 minutes long captures the esscence better than this full length movie. Why? Because AMC went to many locations and filmed tons of fans. Ringers only went to one line party... ONE! I mean, what's up with that? Ug. __________________ ~ ExerciseJunky.com (Hobbits fitness of choice!)~ ~Lady of Rohan: An Eowyn Fansite ~ ~The NEW/OLD Barrow Downs Photo Page~

12-02-2005, 01:32 PM	#3
Hyarion Pile O'Bones Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 16	Tigerlily Gamgee, I'm glad we're both in the same boat. Unfortunately it was just not what I was hoping for, it just concentrated on random parts of the history of the culture, excluding most of all the fan footage I was hoping for. Below is the link to the rant I've written about it, unfortunatley I'm a terrible writer and I wrote it all last night while I was still upset with the movie, but you can get the gist. http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/User:...rd_of_the_Fans