I've come to accept Arwen's increased role in the movie version of LOTR. However, what irritates me is how the film makers keep patting themselves on the back, saying how they've taken the extra Arwen/Aragorn scenes from the Appendices. I have read the Appendices of ROTK backwards and forwards and I have yet to see any of the scenes they portrayed in Rivendell. There was no scene over the pendant(which didn't exist in the book), no last minute before-the-Fellowship-leaves scene where Elrond is urging Aragorn to "let Arwen go". Good grief, there would be no reason for him to do that in the books. Aragorn and Arwen have been betrothed for thirty-something years now. I would think that Lord Elrond would not only have grown resigned to the idea, but be slightly encouraged that at least this guy is steadfast enough to commit this much. Furthermore, Elrond would not be urging Arwen to go at this late date. He already knows she's committed to Aragorn. If they wanted to use stuff from the Appendices, they could have shown a brief scene of Arwen and Araogrn plighting their troth on Cerin Amroth, then show Elrond first finding out and used that whole speech he does int he book about how Arwen shall not marry any less than a king of Gondor and Arnor. <P>However, this whole thing is beside and away from the storyline they wish to use in the movie, so I understand why they went the way they did. Trying to connect with the audience and show them this stuff first-hand is my best guess. I won't begrudge them their changes to the Aragorn and Arwen storyline, that's their choice. It just annoys me when the film makers try to excuse themselve by saying that it was in the Appendices when clearly it was not. They should be able to live with their choices and defend them on their own terms, not bring the drastically different book storyline into it.
|