Well duh Legolas!

[Elyna of Rivendell]

I'm not sure if there is another thread like this around, I could't seem to find one anywhere but if there is please let me know!

Now i was watching TTT (again) and as i was watching i fond myself thinking "What was the point of saying THAT Legolas!" It seems to me that he seems to make the most obvious comments, and someimes useless ones at that. I'm not having a go at Legolas himself, but is it REALLY nesessary to say some of the things he says in the movies?

P.S. This is my first thread so I'm not sure if I've done alright or not...

[Nogrod]

Don't you worry Elyna, you've done alright. It maybe the movie Legolas' captain obvious statements have received quite a lot of ridicule around different threads but you're probably quite right in there not being a special thread for them...

So like all threads this will either gather a host of posting if people feel like picking on it or will wane into oblivion - and no one can kind of foresee which thread goes where... :)


But to your point... well yes.

Let me make an absurd and yet plausible proposition: maybe PJ and / or the gang at the studio thought this story is so hard for the average 21st century teen-age audience to catch (and we need their money anyway), so let's pick one of the characters that a) looks cool for the teens, b) does all the cool stuff like skateboarding on shields, and c) explains the dummies what's going on? :cool:

[Galadriel55]

Let me make an absurd and yet plausible proposition: maybe PJ and / or the gang at the studio thought this story is so hard for the average 21st century teen-age audience to catch (and we need their money anyway), so let's pick one of the characters that a) looks cool for the teens, b) does all the cool stuff like skateboarding on shields, and c) explains the dummies what's going on? :cool:

Why don't they make him take the Ring to Isengard too, as a diversion? :Merisu:

Seriously, though, I completely agree with your proposition.

PS: I can finally see the Merisu smiley! Horray! It was showing up blank ever since the deprecation! :D

[Aganzir]

I've heard the term 'Exposition Elf' used of characters that state the obvious. I don't know how it came into existence, but I wouldn't be surprised if it had originated with movie!Legolas.

[Inziladun]

I've heard the term 'Exposition Elf' used of characters that state the obvious. I don't know how it came into existence, but I wouldn't be surprised if it had originated with movie!Legolas.

As long as he isn't Exhibitionist Elf. :eek:

When they can't rely on prose, they have to pick somebody to explain things to the viewers. To echo what Nog said, I would think the Captain Obvious moments of Legolas are right in line with modern film-making, which seems to have the idea that the average movie-goer has the attention span and intellect of a drunken ferret.

[Aganzir]

As long as he isn't Exhibitionist Elf.
A large part of the audience wouldn't have minded that either.

[alatar]

Nice thread, Elyna.

Captain Obvious must be a revered rank in Middle Earth, as many characters seemed to be fighting for the title.

Think that blondy Legolas just made his bid for the role more...uh...obvious. :D

[Boromir88]

I haven't watched TTT or ROTK in a long time, but last time viewing FOTR, I did mentally take note of Legolas' lines...I seriously think all of his lines are either something obvious, or something already established by another character moments before:

"He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn"

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond just said...the Ring must be destroyed!"

"You have my bow!"

"Crebain!"

"Orcs!"

Goblins!"

"The horn of Gondor!"

"Frodo and Sam have reached the Eastern Shore!"

The extended edition might be a little more kind to Legolas, but not much. (and yes I imagine all of these captain obvious statements as having exclamation marks. ;)

[Elyna of Rivendell]

Thank you so much! Now i know i am not the only on who thinks this about Legolas! I mean yeah he is an elf so i suppose he should be given some credit for that but still...

I agree with your ideas about Legolas being "the explainer" in the movies and as a teenager myself i can see Legolas being needed to explain things for some of my classmates... :)

P.S. I actually started a thread! Yay!

[Zigûr]

It always bothered me that Legolas was given this boring expository dialogue in the films when in the books he's so whimsical and cheery a lot of the time.

"'Farewell!' he said to Gandalf. 'I go to find the Sun!'"

Of course this is not the case all the time, but it's an element of his character I missed. In the books Gimli's often dour and cynical while Legolas is often of a rather more positive disposition and more light-hearted. In the films it's rather the reverse, wouldn't you say, with Legolas being the doubter and Gimli the wise-cracker, even if it's more gallows humour.

[Mithalwen]

To be fair they had a similar problem with the Radio adaptation IIRC and tried to solve it by having ask lots of questions which prompted the question "Why is Pippin so stupid?" from Christopher Tolkien.

[Kath]

We have stupid!Pippin in the films as well though so perhaps this is part of the reason why we needed exposition!Elf. I don't really mind a few Captain Obvious statements but Zigûr is right that it makes you miss the more whimsical Legolas you see in the books. By all means tell us what's going on, but maybe try smiling? Or not acting as though this is the most important statement you will make all film.

[Galadriel55]

We have stupid!Pippin in the films as well though so perhaps this is part of the reason why we needed exposition!Elf. I don't really mind a few Captain Obvious statements but Zigûr is right that it makes you miss the more whimsical Legolas you see in the books. By all means tell us what's going on, but maybe try smiling? Or not acting as though this is the most important statement you will make all film.

My question would be is why they can't split the Captain Obvious statements among different people? Why do they pile all of them onto Legolas?

[Inziladun]

My question would be is why they can't split the Captain Obvious statements among different people? Why do they pile all of them onto Legolas?

Maybe Orlando chafed at PJ's original direction of "stand there and look pretty". ;)

[Mornorngûr]

I remember the scene at Helms Deep where Haldir is talking to Aragorn, and legolas is standing behind, he has got the most stupid expression on his face that I have ever seen. I use to rewind it constantly just so me and my brother could laugh at it! :p, its a sort of perverted and confused look.

[Elyna of Rivendell]

I remember the scene at Helms Deep where Haldir is talking to Aragorn, and legolas is standing behind, he has got the most stupid expression on his face that I have ever seen. I use to rewind it constantly just so me and my brother could laugh at it! :p, its a sort of perverted and confused look.

I deliberetly (god i cannot spell), watched this scene so i could see what you meant, an when i noticed it cracked me up so much. You are so right, it is the silliest look ever! Well spotted!

[Dark Lord]

I deliberetly (god i cannot spell), watched this scene so i could see what you meant, an when i noticed it cracked me up so much. You are so right, it is the silliest look ever! Well spotted!

Do not offend poor old Legolas. He is mystical and should be treated with respect, as he could easily shoot an arrow through our heads. =(


But I can remember that part. I must not laugh...

[Morsul the Dark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqIMhrS14B0

Pausing at 1:13 I assume that's the face if not there's another one.

[Elyna of Rivendell]

Do not offend poor old Legolas. He is mystical and should be treated with respect, as he could easily shoot an arrow through our heads. =(

Fair point :)

[Elyna of Rivendell]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqIMhrS14B0

Pausing at 1:13 I assume that's the face if not there's another one.

I thought it was more 1:27 ish, but i could be wrong, and Mornorngûr and i could be talkiing about completely different faces.. :eek:

[Morsul the Dark]

Ah the "Blue Steel" Look.

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Speaking of PJ elfspeak, one of the "fascinations" with the
lonnnnng PJ Hobbit series will be seeing how the elves, esp.
the female featured elf, will engage in faux Middle earth speak,
since of course the character(s) have no real Middle Earth
dialog to draw on.