[Gryphon Hall]

Still busy; still nothing personal. <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Ridley Scott has made some great contributions in the past, but frankly, his latest efforts are starting to suggest to me that he is senile. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Or maybe, he is selling out, too. Whatyathink? <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> So guys, don't let me think that you're pathetic and give me a good definition of a "sell out" <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> And that is what "sell out" means - it means compromising values for the commercial realities. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>More literally, it also means doing something other than what one should, ought or even want to be doing for the sake of money. So sometimes it can be betrayal (like when Judas told Jesus' enemies where to find him alone for thirty pieces of silver) to something like 'bribery' ('Look, son, I'll give you a penny if you stop making a racket, ok?'). So when people say that PJ 'sold out' it doesn't necessarily mean betrayal (though some feel betrayed).<P>Let me just repeat what I said before: some people think that it is okay to change the LotR for film because it is <I>just</I> fiction, it is not real. If we can change history to make the screenplay more fabuluous and get an Oscar nomination, why not the mere imaginings of just one man? Who says that Tolkien has the monopoly of how the history of the War of the Ring <I>really</I> happened? FYI: sarcasm, but not personal, 'kay.<P>It still boils down to how people see integrity (I am not talking about the virtue, but the adjective; let's be clear about that) and respect for authorial intent.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> . . . this would be far better suited to the Silmarillion. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I think so, too. <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> In my view, the films are great fantasy/action films, marginally blighted by a few holes in the plot and some rather unfortunate editing errors. That is all they are. Nothing more. And that for me is not a problem. If people who watch the film and enjoy it choose not to read the books, then than that is their loss. If they do read the books and love them, then so much the better.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I agree with you on this as well as well. <P>I did enjoy watching the films as well, was even moved to tears very often, and loved the way they were portraying Gimli. If I never read the books, this would have been great. I also still think that they are greater than any of the films of the same genre that were EVER made.<P>Still, some of it is inexcusable. I mean, was it really artistically necessary, for instance, to make Faramir less noble than Boromir? Theoden mad at Gondor? Yes, a great film that I enjoyed inspite of the dire warnings posted on the Barrowdowns about it being a total travesty. A beautiful film.<P>BUT STILL NOT TOLKIEN.