The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Come Visit Bree: a terrible land filled with toothless giants and muddy alchoholics!

**The Saucepan Man** · 04-27-2003, 05:55 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> I am selfish, and am concerned with my pleasure while watching the film, not whether it matches the "intetions" of Tolkien. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes, I'll "fourth" that. I actually thought that the depiction of Bree was extremely well done in the film. Yes, it's different from Bree in the book, but don't forget that Bree in the book at that time was not exactly a safe place to be. The "Prancing Pony" is well supplied with a fair number of seemingly threatening and unsavoury characters, Strider not least among them. In fact, the Hobbits would not have been nearly so suspicious of Strider had Bree and the Prancing Pony provided a more cosy and friendly environment.Jackson simply took the more threatening aspects of Bree and played them up. There are still a few of the more friendly elements in the film. Merry and Pippin seem to have no problem downing the odd pint and joining in the drinking songs. And Barliman Butterbur is much the same as the friendly host we all know and love (although, alas, with a much reduced role).But, nevertheless, the sinister atmosphere is certainly emphasised by Jackson. And I think that it works well. There is a great contrast in the film between the rustic idyll of the Shire (complete with the antics of Bilbo's leaving party) and the sinister, threatening atmosphere of Bree. This is the first time that the Hobbits have left the Shire and the portrayal of Bree brings across very well the unknown dangers of the big bad world beyond it.Of course, with all the complex plot development that there is in the book (the attack on the house at Crickhollow, the ancient terrors of the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs, and the presence of the likes of Bill Ferny and the squint-eyed Southerner in Bree), then such a stark contrast does not need to be painted. But the more subtle, gradual building up of the shadowy threat outside the Shire that works so well in the book would simply not have worked on screen with the limited (albeit 3 hours' worth) of time available.

04-27-2003, 05:55 PM	#15
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> I am selfish, and am concerned with my pleasure while watching the film, not whether it matches the "intetions" of Tolkien. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Yes, I'll "fourth" that. <P>I actually thought that the depiction of Bree was extremely well done in the film. Yes, it's different from Bree in the book, but don't forget that Bree in the book at that time was not exactly a safe place to be. The "Prancing Pony" is well supplied with a fair number of seemingly threatening and unsavoury characters, Strider not least among them. In fact, the Hobbits would not have been nearly so suspicious of Strider had Bree and the Prancing Pony provided a more cosy and friendly environment.<P>Jackson simply took the more threatening aspects of Bree and played them up. There are still a few of the more friendly elements in the film. Merry and Pippin seem to have no problem downing the odd pint and joining in the drinking songs. And Barliman Butterbur is much the same as the friendly host we all know and love (although, alas, with a much reduced role).<P>But, nevertheless, the sinister atmosphere is certainly emphasised by Jackson. And I think that it works well. There is a great contrast in the film between the rustic idyll of the Shire (complete with the antics of Bilbo's leaving party) and the sinister, threatening atmosphere of Bree. This is the first time that the Hobbits have left the Shire and the portrayal of Bree brings across very well the unknown dangers of the big bad world beyond it.<P>Of course, with all the complex plot development that there is in the book (the attack on the house at Crickhollow, the ancient terrors of the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs, and the presence of the likes of Bill Ferny and the squint-eyed Southerner in Bree), then such a stark contrast does not need to be painted. But the more subtle, gradual building up of the shadowy threat outside the Shire that works so well in the book would simply not have worked on screen with the limited (albeit 3 hours' worth) of time available. __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!