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Night at the movies - Lord of the rings (minor spoilers alert!!!)


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Yes! I finally got to see LotR tonight. Almost missed it again, because even after we picked up tickets (an hour early - all showtimes for theaters around here seem to be packed) my friend insisted we go get something to eat while we wait. Of course, we had to go to the theater near his house and being the moron he is he doesn't know where anything is or how to get there. So we get lost and end up walking in about a minute before the previews ended. Talk about cutting it close

Anyway...

Oh. My. God. All I have to say is that I'm going back to see it tommorow with my girlfriend. Then I'm going back Saturday to see it again. If I can escape my relatives for long enough on Christmas Eve, I'll go see it again then . And then I'll spend the rest of my month long break seeing it on a daily basis. Yes, this is what I must do...

Er, so I liked it. A whole lot. I have to be honest, though, Liv Tyler (did I get that right?) was horrible. She only had ten minutes of screentime, but they had to be the worst ten minutes I've ever been subjected to. Ever. Everything she said seemed out of place. The "accent" she used completely jarred me from the movie. And she overacted worse than anyone in any fantasy movie in history. Luckily, she's not around for too long.

Elijah Woods (again, is that right?) was a lot better than I thought he'd be. It's hard to pull off the kind of lines you find in Lord of the Rings without sounding too cheesy, but everything comes off well. Everyone (except Liv Tyler ) did an amazing job.

Oh, and the battles were great. Some of the best I've seen in any movie. Maybe it's just my movie theater's awesome sound system, but the entire movie seemed incredibly loud. Anyone else noticed this? To be honest, it really helped draw me in. Someone said they fell asleep during it (!!!!)? Try doing that where I saw it and two seconds later you'll be shocked awake by some deafeningly loud sound.

Argh, sorry. I guess I'm ranting. I just can't stop talking about this movie. One of the best (if not THE best) movies I have ever seen, and I watch a lot of movies. Good acting, great story (well, d'uh), incredible effects, amazing battles, and a very epic feeling. It's the perfect movie - go see it.

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All right, I saw it. Without a doubt one of the best movies I've ever seen. In fact, I'll likely be seeing it again (for free!) in our state-of-the-art theatre. Especially so I can see the five minutes I missed when my bladder just said "Ahhhh, I can't stands no more!"

Bag End was just perfect. I read the book, and it was just like I had visualized when I read it (it was a few months ago in anticipation of the movie). Also, all the creatures were perfect, with good acting and good casting. The hobbits looked just right, the elves looked like elves, and the dwarves, well, looked like dwarves. The Orcs, the troll, that fire creature (can't remember what it's called) all looked like they meant business.

All in all, it ranks up there in my list of Top 10 movies of all time with Die Hard, Star Trek II, Goldfinger, and Ben Hur.

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quote:

Originally posted by Urza:

The Orcs, the troll, ... all looked like they meant business.

Definetly. Although, to be honest, the Orcs were a bit off from how I imagined them. I'm a AD&D/D&D player, so I have a slightly different vision of goblinoids. Same thing about the troll, a little different from how I would have pictured it. I guess I just have a less "disgusting, realistic" picture in my mind.

Regardless, they looked awesome. I especially loved the fight in Moria near the grave. One of the coolest, most chaotic battle scenes I've seen in a long time (if ever). The way the fight raged on with the troll appearing every few seconds to fling a random orc across the room or nearly kill one of the Fellowship was just great.

quote:

that fire creature (can't remember what it's called)


Balrog.

By the way, did anyone else notice a strange resemblence between Balrog and Diablo (the Diablo from Diablo the game, that is)?

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Ok, I've got my air-ticket!

And this is my plan:

1) Fly from Milan to London.

2) Get a Cab to the first movie theater showing LotR.

3) Watch the movie.

4) Loving it!!

5) Get a cab to go back to airport.

6) First Concorde to NY, go go go!

7) After landing in NY get a cab, quickly to Manhattan.

8) FInd a movie theater showing LotR.

9) Watching it for second time in a day!

10) Get a cab to the arirport.

11) Fly back to Italy.

Now: I would be the first (and probably only) one to watch LotR in two different continets on the same day!

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All I can say is, if they had released all 3 movies at once and the only way you could see it was to sit there for all 8 hours non stop, I'd do it.

Then I'd turn right back around (maybe after a snack and pit stop) and do it again.

Incredible.

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quote:

Originally posted by Stephanos:

Ok, I've got my air-ticket!

And this is my plan:

1) Fly from Milan to London.

2) Get a Cab to the first movie theater showing LotR.

3) Watch the movie.

4) Loving it!!

5) Get a cab to go back to airport.

6) First Concorde to NY, go go go!

7) After landing in NY get a cab, quickly to Manhattan.

8) FInd a movie theater showing LotR.

9) Watching it for second time in a day!

10) Get a cab to the arirport.

11) Fly back to Italy.

Now: I would be the first (and probably only) one to watch LotR in two different continets on the same day!


Why not:

10a: Fly back to London

10b: Find the same movie theatre as mentioned in 2.

10c: watch the movie for the 3rd time that day

10d: get in a cab and head back to the airport

11: fly back to italy

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I guess it would not work... mmmhhh let me see, with all those change of hours...

Let's say I watch the 1st movie in London at 3pm, it will finish around 6pm, then to the airport by 7pm. Take off with concorde around 8pm, get to NY JFK at around 5.30pm. Custom and security check and find a cab. Should be in Manhattan by 7.30pm.

Watch 2nd time LotR. Finish around 10.30pm. Back to airport, take off around 1 am next day!

Nope, it would not work! I would arrive in London on the next day, even with concorde.

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quote:

Originally posted by Stephanos:

I guess it would not work... mmmhhh let me see, with all those change of hours...

Let's say I watch the 1st movie in London at 3pm, it will finish around 6pm, then to the airport by 7pm. Take off with concorde around 8pm, get to NY JFK at around 5.30pm. Custom and security check and find a cab. Should be in Manhattan by 7.30pm.

Watch 2nd time LotR. Finish around 10.30pm. Back to airport, take off around 1 am next day!

Nope, it would not work! I would arrive in London on the next day, even with concorde.


Ok, take it from there, take off at 1 AM, arrive in London at about 9 AM, customs etc, and you can be in the theatre at around 11 AM, movie finishes at 2 PM.

Seen the movie three times within 24 hours

Guess it depends on your perspective of _when_ a day starts

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quote:

Originally posted by Stephanos:

Ok, last decision. I will wait till LotR arrives here in Italy, and then rent an entire movie theater all for myself (and maybe some friends of mine) e watch it again and again and again....


Rent one near an airport, Holland to Italy is very cheap if you travel with Easyjet

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quote:

By the way, did anyone else notice a strange resemblence between Balrog and Diablo (the Diablo from Diablo the game, that is)?

yeah I thought so too! I'm a BIG fan of Tolkien and consider myself a little anal retententive when it comes to the details. I felt that the movie had the spirit of the plot but lacked the details. This is not a major drawback though another gripe was that the characters were not as "developed" as in the novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie though and would say that it increases my enjoyment of the originals. A viewer who has read the novels will get a lot more out the movie than a Tolkien nOOb.

The best part imo was the visualisation of the characters. everyone looked perfect! exactly as I imagined them, except for the orcs, orcs make me think of warcraft orcs. The orcs however were still right. gollum oh my god he is so perfect!

my advice, read the novel before you see the movie, you'll appreciate it much more.

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quote:

Originally posted by buckthesystem:

my advice, read the novel before you see the movie, you'll appreciate it much more.

I agree, but I think that's one of the good things about the movie. People who have never read the novel want to have a nice movie to enjoy, but for those who have read the novel you can appreciate some of the details that were there more and know that certain events happened even if they're not shown in the movie.

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It is now 11:00am Friday morning and I have seen the movie four times since 12:01am Wednsday. The first time is always critical, and I left both dissapointed and impressed. So I saw it again... this time selectively ignoring the differences from the book. It became officially the best movie I've ever seen (With Moulin Rouge in distant second). Then I saw it two more times for the hell of it.

Now for the cynicism. FotR was the most chopped-up movie I have ever seen. It reeked of cut footage. I was a little dissapointed by the lack of Tom Bombadil and the Barrow Wights, but I KNEW those scenes didn't make the cut. So long as the DVD is 4+ hours long, all will be forgiven. Heh.

Other qualms:

******************

*****SPOILERS*****

******************

1) Lurtz (The Orc leader) kept reminding of The Rock... especially after that Scorpion King preview. That bugged the hell out of me.

2) No blood. Dammit, what were they thinking? That we wouldn't notice? The guy that directed such movies as "Bad Taste" and "Dead Alive" forgoes the blood? Did he think we wouldn't notice? Who cares about the movie rating, the book was gory as hell.

3) As far as the movie is concerned, there is no reason that the Hobbits should trust strider at all.

4) Arwen... I think ever man, woman, and child in the theatre booed the first time Frodo saw her. The idea is that she is half human, but since thats NOT the way it is in the books, that needed to be clarified in the movie. She dosn't look very elvish.

5) Passage of time. It feels like all the events in the books took place over the course of two days and one night. It irks me.

6) As far as the movie is concerned, where on earth did bill come from?

7) Where did Strider go when he left the Hobbits at Weathertop?

8) Where did Arwen come from? How did Arwen find them all running around and why should she care about Frodo? Noone told her anything about the situation. In fact, I don't think she even was told Frodo's name.

The goods:

1) Getting to see breastsesses during the Spiderman Preview.

2) Galadriel was friggin creepy. Very cool.

3) Elrond was the perfect elf.

4) Everyone (Except for Arwen) looked just as I had imagined them.

5) Balrog!!! W00t!

6) The opening battle scene! W00t! (You could hear "Holy sh*t" being uttered all throughout the theatre during the very first 12:01am showing. Very impressive.)

7) The battle between Saruman and Gandalf!

8) The scene where Bilbo gives Frodo Sting and the Mithril. Hehehehe. Was just cool.

9) The Black Riders entering Bree.

10) The fact that Gamdalf puzzling over the door to Moria (And the tentacled creature) actually made the final cut. I was very enthused. When the door lit up, you could hear the groans of people anticipating a major cut.

11) The transformation of Isengard!

***********************

****END SPOILERS*******

***********************

Ok. So almost all of my issues were over missing scenes. And there were LOTS of them. Scenes that you tell were SUPPOSED to be there, but must have been cut for time's sake. So long as the DVD has all those extra goodies, I'll be very, very, very happy. Here's hoping this is the biggest movie opening of all time!

[ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: Scrivener ]

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quote:

Originally posted by Simparadox:

Definetly. Although, to be honest, the Orcs were a bit off from how I imagined them. I'm a AD&D/D&D player, so I have a slightly different vision of goblinoids. Same thing about the troll, a little different from how I would have pictured it. I guess I just have a less "disgusting, realistic" picture in my mind.

If you know the history of orcs, you realize that they look right - the orc race was bred by Melkor in mockery of the elves using elves he captured and twisted. My problem was that Rankin and his blasted animated goblins in The Hobbit and his orcs in The Return of the King always pop up when I think of goblins or orcs.

quote:

By the way, did anyone else notice a strange resemblence between Balrog and Diablo (the Diablo from Diablo the game, that is)?

As Tolkien pretty well was the father of the modern fantasy genre, no it's not surprising at all.

Trivia question: What is the difference between a goblin and an orc?

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Stop it!

The Paaaaiiiinnn....!

LOTR doesn't open in Australia until Boxing Day. And as a long time Tolkein fan, It's my must-see movie, although I doubt I'll see it on opening day - we nurses keep working over the xmas break, you know...*sigh*

I'm currently trying to engender a burgeoning love of this great classic of English fantasy literature in some of my colleagues at work, so I've got someone to go with. Thus far, I've had one offer to accompany a colleague's ten year old boy. Heh - it'll do at a pinch.

I think they could get away with leaving Tom Bombadil and the rest of the Old Forest adventures out because - as far as the Lord of the Rings itself is concerned - they are virtually unimportant. It is only when you get into the extended mythology of the Lord of the Rings - which is a complete area of study itself quite apart fom the epic - that Tom bombadil, Goldberry, and the other characters become quite important. Most people who read the LoTR say that the Tom bombadil scenes are the most boring parts of the book. It's not until they read some of Tolkein's other Middle Earth works (Silmarillion, etc.) that they realise exactly why he made an appearance.

Soundtrack bad? I guess it depends on your tastes, but I've heard it and it sounds fantastic to me. Maybe because I like Enya. You've got to remember the kind of world that Middle Earth was intended to be - Celtic, rather than classic AD&D. And at least the tracklisting on this soundtrack CD doesn't give away a major part of the plot like the soundtrack CD to another recent blockbuster movie (*cough* phantom menace *cough*).

I'm told by some OS friends who have seen it that Legolas is anything but effeminate in the battle scenes, as well...*grin*. Looking forward to them based on some of the descriptions.

The trailer rocks, it's really got me pumped - can't wait to see this movie.

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The movie was GREAT!

quote:

Originally posted by Simparadox:

By the way, did anyone else notice a strange resemblence between Balrog and Diablo (the Diablo from Diablo the game, that is)?

I think the Balrog looks a lot like Pyros in Ultima 8 and 9.

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Some of those scenes you say are cut were in fact never filmed. There is more of Bree, Galdriel (sp?) and interaction amongst the fellowship during the journey that was cut but the Tom B. stuff and the Barrow Downs was never filmed in the first place. Jackson wanted a 3 hour 40 minute cut but had to trim it down to 3 hours to make theaters happy.

Lets be honest you got to keep a movie moving and it would take 12 hours to put all events of the first book in and would bore many to death.

I do look forward to the DVD myself but will see this baby a few more times in the theater.

Its an epic like a Dr. Zhivago or Ben Hur.

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quote:

Originally posted by Tyrn:

As Tolkien pretty well was the father of the modern fantasy genre, no it's not surprising at all.

Trivia question: What is the difference between a goblin and an orc?

I didn't say it was surprising, I was just saying that the Balrog looked a lot like Diablo. Incredibly so, as a matter of fact. Honestly, it bothered me a bit. Diablo always seemed kind of cartoonish to me .

Anyway, there isn't one. At least, not if you're referring to goblins and orcs in Tolkien's work.

quote:

If you know the history of orcs, you realize that they look right - the orc race was bred by Melkor in mockery of the elves using elves he captured and twisted. My problem was that Rankin and his blasted animated goblins in The Hobbit and his orcs in The Return of the King always pop up when I think of goblins or orcs.

I do know the history (trust me, I'm obsessed with Tolkien ), but that doesn't change the fact that my preferred image of Orcs is similiar to the D&D fantasy style.

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I didn't think the soundtrack was 'bad', I just didn't think it was nearly as strong as the rest of the movie. I didn't really mind the Enya song, but I am talking more about the orchestration of the entire movie. John Williams and James Horner are more than capable of creating beautiful 'celtic' style orchestrations (i.e. Horner's score in 'Braveheart' and William's score in 'Far and Away'. Funny how there was also an Enya song in 'Far and Away'.)

In general, I thought the music was good but not as good as the other relements. It just seemed to be lacking the memorable kind of themes for such a wonderful movie (in my opinion), and occaisonal it seemed out of place to me as well (could be more a fault of the theatre I was in or the mixing, but at times it seemed the soundtrack covered up some of the actor's lines).

But don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the movie! It's just that if I had to find one area to critique, it would be that.

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quote:

Originally posted by Simparadox:

[QB]
Trivia question: What is the difference between a goblin and an orc?

Anyway, there isn't one. At least, not if you're referring to goblins and orcs in Tolkien's work.QB]

Right and wrong : Goblins is the name for the smaller orcs that infested the Misty and the Grey Mountains in the later Third Age and had their capital at Mount Gundabad. That is the reason that Bilbo faced mainly goblins and Frodo faced orcs.

Two more:

What was Gollum's real name?

Who was Sauron's original master?

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Actually Simparadox is exactly right

They are different names for the same creature - It is simply a case of Tolkien changing his mind. He calls them Goblins in the Hobbit but then changed their name in LotR so people wouldn't confuse them with the more traditional folklore Goblins found in popular faerytales. Originally Elves were going to be called Gnomes, but he changed their name for the same reason.

Tolkien's story explanation is that Orc is the true name of the race (as listed in the LotR appendix) and the word goblin (used with small g in LotR) is a kind of slang name for the race used by Hobbits.

Tolkien writes this explanation himself I think in the preface for one of the books and also explains it in letters (which can be found in the book "Letters of JRR Tolkien").

As to your next questons:

1) Smeagol

2) Melkor (later known as Morgoth)

[ 12-23-2001: Message edited by: Elenkis ]

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