[Child of the 7th Age]

It's been over two weeks since I've seen the movie. OK, I admit -- I saw it a number of times during the first week.<P>My initial assessment of RotK still stands. It isn't classic Tolkien but it is a wonderful film by Peter Jackson, which pulled me in and held me, eliciting tears in a number of places<P>I purposely waited to post my specific likes and dislikes to see what actually stuck with me over the weeks, rather than giving first impressions. Here are the things I can't get out of my head:<BR> <BR> <UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Lighting of the Beacons -- The fantastic aerial scenery and the sensation of that message being sent from Gondor to Rohan just blew me away. Hey, if I can't make a trip to Middle-earth, I'll settle for New Zeeland. <LI>My first glimpse of Minas Tirith on the plain - It was breathtaking. I have to admit my personal Minas Tirith now looks a lot like PJ's!<LI>Sean Astin's portrayal of Sam -- Sam was just plain awesome. If Frodo was my "hero" in Tolkien's book, Sam was my hero in PJ's films. Astin was so good in his portrayal that he made me forget some of the less desirable script alterations and the fact that Sam should have looked a bit more tan, seeing that he was a Harfoot.<LI>The new and improved Frodo! All joking aside, I felt that Wood's Frodo in RotK came a lot closer to what I'd hoped to see than the Frodo of PJ's TTT. He was different than Tolkien's Frodo -- more passive and vulnerable, less mature and more reliant on Sam, but he was still someone I could appreciate in the context of PJ's tale.<LI>Pippin's poignant singing while the Rohan cavalry and Faramir galloped into the mouth of death. I cursed what the Palantir had done to Denethor, even though few others in the audience would have had that missing piece of background information.<LI>98% of what happened on the slopes of Mount Doom and the actual Chambers of Fire ---the scene where Frodo lies on the mountain in Sam's arms and describes the Wheel of Fire, Samwise carrying Frodo, and Frodo's final declaration at the Crack of Doom. <LI>The scene at Grey Havens, especially Frodo's accepting smile as he boards the ship. And unlike some others, I wanted to see that final kiss between Frodo and Sam (but then I come from an ethnic group where a lot of kissing goes on!) <LI> the depiction of Middle-earth in general -- Just as in the other movies, the overall visuals were generally faithful to Tolkien, or at least to those artists we are used to seeing. <LI> those glistening words about grey rain curtains turning to silver glass, white shores and a far green country under a swift sunrise, even if the phrase was put forward in a wholly different context! The words gave me chills. </UL><P>Yes, there were things I still had trouble with. Sam and Frodo's split-up worked cinematically, but I still would have preferred a closer adherence to the book. I just don't think it would have happened in this manner --- anyway, anyhow! <P>Also, seeing a Shire that had not changed after the War.... Yes, there was no way they could have included the Scouring, but the Shire <B> did </B> change and that bothered me, even though many have said how they appreciated the Inn scene which showed the disillusionment of "veterans" returning after a war. <P>Arwen and Elrond at the end....Surely a father would have shown more grief! That Elf had a block of ice instead of a heart...<P>The 2 percent at Mount Doom I had trouble with -- Gollum struggling with an invisible Frodo. Yes, I know it's canon, but it surely did look strange!<P>Sauron the Searchlight -- There had to have been another way to do this than a brilliant light reminiscent of a floodlight in front of a newly opened store.<P>And finally....not really explaining why Frodo left. I've gotten a lot of questions from casual moviegoers who could not understand what was going on, and why a shoulder wound would cause a hobbit to leave all the places and people he loved. There should be some indication of what's going on inside.... <P>Still, if I weigh the ups and I weigh the downs, I am exceedingly glad that PJ made this movie. And I would hope to see it win some recognition from fellow filmakers in April.<p>[ 3:37 PM January 08, 2004: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]