Accuracy of the Movies

[nPiLL]

For the two movies that have been released, do you think they accurately follow the book?

[Davin]

Of course they don't...They are movies. Good...but not that good.......yeh...

[Iarwain]

Hmmm. Well, I don't know, do they?<P>NO!!! Of course they don't. And just for you, nPill, here's a list of how:<P>-Tom Bombadil<BR>-Frodo's response to the ring, and his previous knowledge (that of Sauron's death)<BR>-The Party (response to Bilbo's speech, and the speech itself)<BR>-Merry and Pippin: turned into theives and unaquinted with Frodo<BR>-Where's Fatty Bolger?<BR>-Planning to meet Gandalf at Bree<BR>-Aragorn not carrying the shards of Narsil<BR>-Aragorn's overall lack of spirit and enthusiasm in taking the crown of Gondor<BR>-Arwen as superelf (replacing Glorfindel, the funky make-out scene in TTT)<BR>-The butchery of the Council of Elrond<BR>-Galadriel's appearance as an evil witch, and the darkness of Lothlorien<BR>-Frodo solving the riddle at the west gate<BR>-the fellowship going <I>down</I> at the split in the Moria road. (Gandalf should have known better)<BR>-Frodo and Gandalf's little talk on the steps in Moria (belonged in Shadow of the Past)<BR>-Faramir's bewitchment<BR>-Theoden possessed<BR>-Entmoot refusing to help<BR>-Frodo offering the ring to a Nazgul at Osgiliath<BR>-The overwhelming length and drama at Helm's Deep<BR>-The lack of Huorns at helms Deep<BR>-The lack of Eomer at Helm's Deep<BR>-The extreme surplus of elves at Helm's Deep<BR>-Elrond's cruel demeanor towards his daughter<BR>-Galadriel saying that the quest will claim Frodo's life<BR>-The fact that the TTT movie cut of about half way through each book<P><BR>I could list things for hours and hours. But I think that's enough now.<P>Iarwain<P>P.S. I'm not saying I could have done better necessarily, so don't criticize me for complaining.<P>P.P.S. Just a guess, but I'm thinking Estelyn is going to close this thread pretty soon.<p>[ March 05, 2003: Message edited by: Iarwain ]

[Eruwen]

I remember PJ making a comment on the Extended Version DVD about how they only kept the scenes in there that actually effected the story and how it would end.<P>For instance, the left Tom Bombadil out because, I mean, he's a cool character and all, he just didn't have really anything to do with the plot line. It was just one of those cool coincidences that happened along the way. <P>I'm sure he will stick as close to the books as possible though, as we have seen in the past 2 movies. He's a good and loyal director. He'll make us proud.

[Rynoah, the Overly-Happy]

I think this has been discussed numerous times, but ah well. I have nothing better to do:<P>No, I don't believe the movies followed the books to the letter, but they kept up with the moral quite well, and for that I applaud them. Of course, I still have my reservations and little sore spots where something hasn't sat quite right with me, but on the whole the movies are good.

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

Absolutely no. They do not acurately follow the books.<P>Just look at TTT. You can see hw they changed parts in that, and there are some in FotR. But, still, look at the Overall Impressions thread, and many others too; it is obvious that PJ did not acurately follow the book. That is one reason why people don't like him, if you haven't noticed already.<p>[ March 05, 2003: Message edited by: MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie ]

[HCIsland]

Of course they don't accurately follow the books. Few film adaptations do, and most of those are poorer for it.<P>However, how closely they match the books shouldn't be used as a yardstick for measuring their quality.<P>H.C.

[nPiLL]

Iarawain, what do you mean just for you npill? Please tell me what that is supposed to mean. <P>About them dropping this thread, i dont see why they would because it is not a bad thread. In the FAQ it says only things that can be discussed. I think this is definatly something that can be discussed.<P>Back to the LotR. I felt the was very good because if you think about it, if they had included everything in the book i think it would become to boring for non-LotR fans. Many of my friends who wouldnt even think of reading a LotR book liked the movie.<P>I also think the main reason they did not include every scene was because they needed to make a profit off of the movie. If they included everything the non-LotR fans would not be interested and would not go and see it. Therefore, they tried to include as much as they good while trying to keep it both interesting for the non-LotR fans and the LotR fans.<P>Thats just what i thought about it.

[DaughterofVana]

Don't take offense, nPiLL (I hope I spelled that right... but if not, I'll edit and spell it right that time... EDIT: I called you NPhill! hehe!). The discrepancies between the movie and the book (and the gaping holes that a person can drive a truck through) is a sore subject on this board (and I'm sure elsewhere in Tolkien fandom). Stuff more in-depth can be found on corresponding threads, like the Two Towers official Thread in the Movies section. And it *is* a fabulous idea for a thread... it's just that the topic can fall under other already-established threads. That's why Estelyn might close it.<P>Yet until then, the biggest difference between the TT book and the TT movie is the elf army. Never happened. Period. It would be like saying the Chinese came and helped out America during the Revolutionary War. (If someone can find a better analogy, go right ahead. That's the best I could think of)<P>-'Vana<p>[ March 05, 2003: Message edited by: DaughterofVana ]

[Iarwain]

Don't worry, nPill, I wasn't trying to be rude or poke fun or anything. This is not a bad thread at all, it's just been discussed before, and countless threads are already open in which this same discussion could easily take place. I'm not criticizing you or anything .<P>Iarwain<P>P.S. Not better than your analogy, Vana, but It would be like Switzerland sending troops to Japan during WWII<p>[ March 05, 2003: Message edited by: Iarwain ]

[Silmarien]

FARAMIR!!!<BR>Sorry but I think there's only one other forum I have vented my anger. But I'm still a going to see the movie again and again and again. I accept most of the changes now and I'm not angry at you nPiLL just you did ask about the differences. Faramir is an obvious one. Faramir is the best man around apart from Aragorn. It's like Robin Hood being told with him stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.

[Liriodendron]

No they are not accurate! If you've read the books you realize this without asking. If you wanted them to be accurate, then they are dissapointing! If you did not expect accuracy, then you might like them. It's a matter of individual taste. I just hope each and every person who has seen the movies and enjoyed them, makes a point to read the books!!!

[nPiLL]

Ok Iarwain, its cool. When i thought of making this thread i did check into some other threads to see if it had previously been posted and so either i just missed it, or didnt look enough.

[Meela]

i thought the movies were ok, but i hadnt read the books before. if i had, i may have complained. but actually, im glad they left out tom bombadil. he scares me

[Rynoah, the Overly-Happy]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I also think the main reason they did not include every scene was because they needed to make a profit off of the movie. If they included everything the non-LotR fans would not be interested and would not go and see it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>That, and if they had included everything in the books, you'd wind up with a ten-hour-long movie, which would put a strain on how many times it can be viewed in theaters (once a day? I think not), which would cut into your box-office bucks (unless you charged over $25 per ticket, in which case the movie would never see the light of day). If you don't make money at the box office, you're not going to pay for the film, and that's going to hurt your company, who will then promptly have you murdered (I'm kidding on that last part). So I think it's best that they cut it down to a minimum of three hours.

[nPiLL]

Yes, good way to put it. I heard some people who live near me saying that three hours was even long lol. I thought it was a resonable length of time.

[dunadan_aragorn]

I really am sorry, but I am kind of glad Peter left all that hobbit stuff out of the movie, like Bombadill and the old forest, because that stuff, although pretty good, bored me out of my mind when I read it. I think it was best left out, you know, to keep holding the attention of the viewer. If Peter had left it in people probably would have been a little bored, and might not have been riveted to the screen like they were. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen for the entire movie!

[Liriodendron]

Oh my! Dunadan aragorn, how different we are! That part (Crickhollow, the Old Forest, Bombadill and Goldberry, the Barrow Downs) is my favorite! Worthy of it's own movie (IMO) I find all those battles boring.

[TealDude3]

Well, the adaptations could be worse. Anybody remember David Lynch's Dune. But, even if they don't follow the book strictly, they are probably the best adaptation possible. Hey, they don't follow the book completly, but they are the best movies I've ever seen.

[Iarwain]

I think it says something about the accuracy of TTT, when it isn't even nominated for the Oscar for best adapted screenplay. It's quite incredible, considering they adapted one of the most popular novels of the century.<P>Iarwain

[Dain]

Come on, there just can't be enough Movie-rant threads! (As long as everyone behaves, of course.) <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> -Merry and Pippin: turned into theives and unaquinted with Frodo<BR><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Just for the sake of nit-picking: Merry and Pippin certianly were aquianted with Frodo in the film, there just wasn't that great bit where they move him to the new house and everything. Man, I have to read Fellowship again--and I just finished RotK!<P>I eventually accepted the innacuracies in Fellowship, but it's going to be harder to forgive those in Two Towers. And there are a few scenes that are just BAD, and not because they aren't accurate, but because they don't work, even if you've never read the book, I'm sure. That's what is really going to annoy me long after I've accepted all the changes...

[nPiLL]

I still have to read RotK!