Outrageous Quotes of the Week - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Child of the 7th Age · 12-16-2002, 12:41 PM

Most of us are eternally grateful for PJ's film release of LotR, even those who have criticisms about the way certain characters and events have been presented in the movie. However, the same can not be said for some of the feature articles that interpret the film, purport to compare it to the book, or, worst of all, describe fans of fantasy or Tolkien in less than glowing terms. Hey, if the book and/or film is so wonderful, why aren't the fans who discovered it long before the "masses" as a whole equally wonderful?Often, one has the distinct impression that the journalist has not come within one hundred miles of Tolkien's actual writings.This one really got my goat. <A HREF="http://www.news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?id=1378662002&tid=4" TARGET=_blank>web page</A>In this article entitled "Frodo Takes on the Mob", the author compares the LotR with the Godfather series. (Really!) He is quite positive about the film, but some of his interpretations make my hair stand on end. Let's start with this quote: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Yet there is more; both sets of films have, in their own way, transcended their source material. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Sorry, I don't buy that. The film is great but it pails beside the book. Now, here comes the good part: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>In The Fellowship of the Ring and now, The Two Towers, Peter Jackson achieved just that but against even greater odds. The fantasy genre, over which JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings casts so dark a shadow, has long been the preserve of the socially maladjusted, men and women (I consider myself a recovered veteran) for whom personal hygiene is of secondary importance to a working knowledge of Elvish and who name their Ford Cortinas after Gandalf’s brave steed, Shadowfax. (For my sins, I was once an avid fanatic of Dungeons & Dragons and portrayed an Elfen ranger entitled Griswald the Bold. But let us draw a curtain over the folly of youth.) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Lack of personal hygiene....Grr! This chap is obviously bemoaning his youth. Plus, an "Elfen ranger"? What the blazes is an Elfen ranger? <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Jackson’s genius has been to treat the epic tale of Frodo the Hobbit’s journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring of power not as fantasy, but as history. The elves and wizards, the orcs and trolls, dwarfs and demons of Middle Earth are not the denizens of another planet, which once existed "… in a galaxy far, far away". Instead, they once walked our planet, just as dinosaurs once did, or the armies of Alexander the Great, or the ancient druids. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes, mister, if you ever bothered to read the book seriously, you would see this has little to do with PJ. This is exactly what Tolkien said!Then, the journalist goes on to compare Frodo Baggins with Michael Corleone, pointing to a number of supposed similarities: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Frodo and Michael Corleone are both on journeys of personal salvation and neither will succeed. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Agh! I know I am overprotective of hobbits and Frodo, but this is ridiculous. If I started a thread on the Downs making this analogy, people would rightfully throw eggs at me.Yes, there are a few good points made in this article, but they are lost amid the drivel. I am laughing, but I also want to make a serious point. To many of these film critcs and feature writers don't have the foggiest idea what's realy going on in the books.[ December 16, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

12-16-2002, 12:41 PM	#1
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Outrageous Quotes of the Week Most of us are eternally grateful for PJ's film release of LotR, even those who have criticisms about the way certain characters and events have been presented in the movie. However, the same can not be said for some of the feature articles that interpret the film, purport to compare it to the book, or, worst of all, describe fans of fantasy or Tolkien in less than glowing terms. Hey, if the book and/or film is so wonderful, why aren't the fans who discovered it long before the "masses" as a whole equally wonderful?<P>Often, one has the distinct impression that the journalist has not come within one hundred miles of Tolkien's actual writings.<P>This one really got my goat. <P><A HREF="http://www.news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?id=1378662002&tid=4" TARGET=_blank>web page</A><P>In this article entitled "Frodo Takes on the Mob", the author compares the LotR with the Godfather series. (Really!) He is quite positive about the film, but some of his interpretations make my hair stand on end. Let's start with this quote:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Yet there is more; both sets of films have, in their own way, transcended their source material. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Sorry, I don't buy that. The film is great but it pails beside the book. Now, here comes the good part:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>In The Fellowship of the Ring and now, The Two Towers, Peter Jackson achieved just that but against even greater odds. The fantasy genre, over which JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings casts so dark a shadow, <I>has long been the preserve of the socially maladjusted, men and women (I consider myself a recovered veteran) for whom personal hygiene is of secondary importance to a working knowledge of Elvish and who name their Ford Cortinas after Gandalf’s brave steed, Shadowfax.</I> (For my sins, I was once an avid fanatic of Dungeons & Dragons and portrayed an Elfen ranger entitled Griswald the Bold. But let us draw a curtain over the folly of youth.) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Lack of personal hygiene....Grr! This chap is obviously bemoaning his youth. Plus, an "Elfen ranger"? What the blazes is an Elfen ranger?<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR><I>Jackson’s genius has been to treat the epic tale of Frodo the Hobbit’s journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring of power not as fantasy, but as history.</I> The elves and wizards, the orcs and trolls, dwarfs and demons of Middle Earth are not the denizens of another planet, which once existed "… in a galaxy far, far away". Instead, they once walked our planet, just as dinosaurs once did, or the armies of Alexander the Great, or the ancient druids. <BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Yes, mister, if you ever bothered to read the book seriously, you would see this has little to do with PJ. This is exactly what Tolkien said!<P>Then, the journalist goes on to compare Frodo Baggins with Michael Corleone, pointing to a number of supposed similarities:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Frodo and Michael Corleone are both on journeys of personal salvation and neither will succeed. <BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Agh! I know I am overprotective of hobbits and Frodo, but this is ridiculous. If I started a thread on the Downs making this analogy, people would rightfully throw eggs at me.<P>Yes, there are a few good points made in this article, but they are lost amid the drivel. I am laughing, but I also want to make a serious point. To many of these film critcs and feature writers don't have the foggiest idea what's realy going on in the books.<p>[ December 16, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ] __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.