[alatar]

alatar shudders at what he is about to do...defend the work of Peter Jackson...

Originally Posted by MatthewM

I agree with both these points here. The relationship of Eowyn and Faramir is a great one, especially because, like you said, Tolkien elaborated more on it in the narrative of the novel. It's also just a great love story, to see how Faramir carries himself towards Eowyn, and vice versa. Great, great stuff that didn't make it in PJ's world, amongst other things he left out.

There is only so much time, and even though PJ's films were overly long by today's standards (the more times you show a movie per day, the more money you make, and there's still only 24 hours/day), he still had to leave some scenes and ideas on the floor. And, especially with the experiment that was FotR, PJ had to make sure that the first film was a financial success, as if it weren't, Helm's Deep may not have been as fun to watch (no money = no CG, no refilmed scenes, etc). And though I've been on this roundabout before, PJ thought that (1) having Arwen in the film earlier and more rather that later and little would make the film more successful, (2) adding extra powerful characters not only muddied the waters in the audience's minds but wasn't good storytelling and (3) he had enough plot holes to sham over, and having a powerful character not show up later in the movie would just have too many people stuck wondering.

Plus, with wonderful Tolkienesque dialog like "Give up the halfling, She-Elf!" you just know that he made the right choice.

The Council definitely needed work. Wasn't the Council at a rectangular table?

Round table...where have I read that before? Note that nothing was in the scene by chance.

And the whole "You have my sword...etc.,etc." from each character just does not fit. It is the wisdom and choice of Elrond that joined the Nine Walkers, not some spur of the moment desire of each member to vow his life for Frodo. Not to mention, don't you think that when each character got up to pledge alliegence to the Quest that almost every single other body there would have as well? No doubt that their courage would have been doubted if not. Instead in the films the rest just sit back and relax like it's no big deal.

Although it was nothing like the book where a case was made for taking the Ring for a lava swim, the scene where the Nine Walkers assemble themselves, to me, was emotionally powerful. I see persons 'standing up' against the Darkness, and to me the scene worked well enough. Especially Aragorn and Boromir - Aragorn later will bow before Frodo and refuse the Ring right before the Uruks come, and Boromir does sell himself for the Ringbearer (or nearest kin).

Anyway, as much as I have issues with the trilogy, Glorfindel is way down the list on things I would have changed.


P.S.

Originally Posted by Finduilas

and I think sending a girl out against nine black riders is silly.

Galadriel, Eowyn and my daughter Boog ("Stronger than boys!") would beg to differ.