The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Parts of the movies criticized that you liked anyway

William Cloud Hicklin · 03-06-2019, 10:43 AM

In general, I found that the movies took a step-change up in quality whenever they used Genuine Tolkien Text(tm). This applied even when the GTT was moved to different scenes and different speakers, such as Wormtongue using Gandalf's words about Eowyn to Eowyn. Also Elrond's warning to Arwen, Theoden's composite speech before the Pelennor and so on. I even found myself moved, in spite of myself, by Gandalf using the "white shores" description to Pippin, notwithstanding the complete cosmological bogusness of it (The "white shores" were Tol Eressea, not whatever afterlife Men and Hobbits go to).

I had no problem with the basic idea of swapping Glorfindel for Arwen- way too many characters already to introduce a guy who only appears for five minutes, and even harder in the movies than in the books to explain why this kickass High Elf Balrog-slayer wasn't included in the Fellowship. And Arwen's intro shot through Frodo's eyes was very good. That however is no excuse for bigging-up Arwen at Frodo's expense, turning him into luggage.

But about the only pure PJ invention that I actually liked, or thought was an improvement on the books, was Boromir's last stand.

03-06-2019, 10:43 AM	#2
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,301	In general, I found that the movies took a step-change up in quality whenever they used Genuine Tolkien Text(tm). This applied even when the GTT was moved to different scenes and different speakers, such as Wormtongue using Gandalf's words about Eowyn to Eowyn. Also Elrond's warning to Arwen, Theoden's composite speech before the Pelennor and so on. I even found myself moved, in spite of myself, by Gandalf using the "white shores" description to Pippin, notwithstanding the complete cosmological bogusness of it (The "white shores" were Tol Eressea, not whatever afterlife Men and Hobbits go to). I had no problem with the basic idea of swapping Glorfindel for Arwen- way too many characters already to introduce a guy who only appears for five minutes, and even harder in the movies than in the books to explain why this kickass High Elf Balrog-slayer wasn't included in the Fellowship. And Arwen's intro shot through Frodo's eyes was very good. That however is no excuse for bigging-up Arwen at Frodo's expense, turning him into luggage. But about the only pure PJ invention that I actually liked, or thought was an improvement on the books, was Boromir's last stand. __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it. Last edited by William Cloud Hicklin; 03-08-2019 at 04:44 PM.