Best Movie Setting - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Aldarion Elf-Friend · 11-18-2004, 10:32 AM

There are many and varying opinions about the many story changes made for the screenplay by PJ and his fellow writers. There have been great threads about the most egregious of these.

However, one thing that many people agree PJ did very well was capture the flavor of the book's locations very well. I'm curious, how do people here respond to the sets and set pieces that PJ used in the movie. I'll kick it off with a few of my favorites.

First, I thought that the Shire and Bag-End were right on. PJ really captured the idyllic country life of the Shire. Maybe Hobbiton was a little more sparse than a community should be, but maybe we only saw the "suburbs". Anyway, what I saw on the screen is just what I imagined in my head.

Moria, and especially the bridge of Khazad-Dum were also very well done. He really captured the feel of an underground kingdom hewn out of the very stone.

Lastly, Minas Tirith took my breath away the first time Gandalf comes over the hill on Shadowfax.

A little trivia - that's not the first time that Minas Tirith appears in the movies. In the Two Towers EE (maybe the theatrical release, but I'm not sure) there is a scene in Osgiliath where, if you look closely, you can see Minas Tirith wayyyyyy off in the distance.

So, thoughts, anyone?

p.s. - I didn't care for Lorien...

Rimbaud · 11-18-2004, 10:44 AM

Hello there:

You are absolutely right; the best thing about the movie was the astonishing sets. Truly inspired design work, and the effort and detail! The Shire was certainly spot-on, and Khazad Dum could not have been bettered. But although Rivendell was stunning, it was overwrought, and I share your misgivings with Lorien.

Much is made of the undeniably dramatic scenery of Edoras, but something about it that really didn't connect with me. Horselords they are, sure, but it was overly provincial compared with Minas Tirith (or Merthyr Tydfil as an acquaintance charmingly names it). Also, and I am willing to be picked up on this by someone geographically better informed, but would a country founded on horses build their capital and main city on a huge hill? Very unpleasant for their equine pals.

MT was ok, just spoilt by being made apparently of polysterene. I like the inside of Sauron's personal furnace, that was good, but I didn't enjoy the sweeping shots of Mordor, which just reminded me of one too many computer games.

~Rim

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 11-18-2004, 12:03 PM

I thought the insides of the large halls were excellent, Edoras, Helm's Deep, et cetera. Maybe we suppose they are easier to convey but it still takes talent to make them appear so authentic. Especially that room in Helm's Deep where Aragorn returns to meet Theoden. Made me feel like I was there.

I know the thread is titled 'Best Setting' but I think that it could turn into a good discussion of settings in general, including the ones we didn't think were so right. We have mentioned our dislikes already anyway. What say you Aldarion? (Welcome to the site, by the way.

)

My personal dislikes are The Prancing Pony Inn and Fangorn Forest. I'll explain if I may.

Sapphire_Flame · 11-18-2004, 12:35 PM

I agree with Aldarion on all counts. Especially about being breathtaken at the first sight of Minas Tirith in RotK!

I also love the look of the Sammath Naur. Very creepy and... dark-lord-ish. Heh.

Fangorn was good. It bothered me a little in that it had underbrush, whereas Tolkien described it as just being trees.

Shelob's Lair, although very creepy, wasn't how I pictured it. Weren't the walls and floor supposed to be smooth? Ah, well.

Abedithon le,

~ Saphy ~

Son of Númenor · 11-18-2004, 12:46 PM

...You fear to go into those mines. The dwarves delved too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm. The shadow and flame."

The Mines of Moria were far and away my favorite sets in the movies: a perfect mix of horror, darkness and faded grandeur - a glimpse into the 'vanished past' that I found disappointingly rare in the rest of the movies. The Dwarrowdelf evoked in my a sense of pure wonder, and the music (complete with haunting doom-doom incantations) and lighting at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm were magnificent. The vision of a 'higher' past that I (inadequately) described above lingered with me into the scenes in Lothlórien, but I lost it after the Fellowship sailed down the Great River past the Argonath, and never regained it in the second and third films. (This is, I suppose, due at least in part to the fact that The Two Towers and The Return of the King focused almost exclusively on the realms of Men.)

drigel · 11-18-2004, 01:23 PM

Son,
agree with you totally. Most of FOTR was wonderfull. I would have loved to seen the firehall though. I agree w/Rim's accessement of Edoras - too small, but the set of the insides of the hall was richly done. The location itself is wonderfull, but too bad PJ couldnt have found a bigger hill for Edoras. What we saw could have house mabye a few hundred..?..?

I didnt like (its been observed before in another thread - sorry) the compressed location / view of Osgiliath and Mordor as seen from MT. I dont have a map with me, but surely the curve of the earth would have prevented this..?..? I imagined that if you could have seen anything, you would have seen possibly the foothills of the mountains way, way off in the distance. But surely not the river and Osgiliath... a small distant glow from Mt Doom, not the firery eruptions. I think I know what PJ was doing there, but to me the scale he presented diminished the effect of hiding the fact it was cgi, instead of enhancing it.

Lalwendë · 11-18-2004, 02:07 PM

The most awesome spectacle in the films for me was the lighting of the beacons - this to me conveyed a sense of the size of Middle Earth, and was, well, simply visually stunning. The sets for Hobbiton were good - I liked the use of vegetation and the bridge (even though it's an odd thing to spot) was pleasing to me, very village-like. The only reservation about Hobbiton for me was that as they are gardeners and farmers, the Hobbit gardens and fields should surely have been neater? I also liked the interiors of Meduseld (it was a shame that the tapestries were quite difficult to see) Fangorn and Isengard.

I did not like the Grey Havens, mainly as I always envisioned the place to be more practical as a harbour. And I had in mind a much greener place for Rohan; it appeared quite rocky and bleak, while I had a place like the Lambourn Downs in mind, rolling green hills, lush, and maybe with a White Horse or two, and the odd barrow.

But, in my mind, Middle Earth was a more intimate place, and to some extent, my personal small-scale vision was wiped out by all the grand vistas! But I do realise that this is a personal viewpoint and for many (most?) the scenery was all awesome.

Aldarion Elf-Friend · 11-19-2004, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

I know the thread is titled 'Best Setting' but I think that it could turn into a good discussion of settings in general, including the ones we didn't think were so right. We have mentioned our dislikes already anyway. What say you Aldarion?

By all means. Have at it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eomer

(Welcome to the site, by the way.

)

Thanks. I was initiated in the Chapter-by-Chapter discussion, but everyting here is serving to magnify my enjoyment of the books.

One aspect of Moria that I didn't appreciate as much until my most recent re-read was the great hall with the windows way, way, wayyyyy high up to let in a little light. Captured very well.

There has been some agreement with me concerning my briefly stated and unsupported opinion about Lorien. I'd like to know what some other people's reactions. If you didn't like it, can you say why? I'll have to think about it more, but I imagine it has something to do with it being too ethereal - similar to Cate Blanchett's overdone interpretation of Galadriel.

Beanamir of Gondor · 11-22-2004, 12:17 PM

I was just so impressed by all of the sets that I couldn't absolutely pick a favorite, but if I had to say there was one that really, really stuck to the description in the books, I would say Mordor. It just floored me when Sam and Frodo are looking out into Mordor and all the campfires are there.

David Wenham did such a great Faramir, though. Such wonderful acting.

Nimrodel_9 · 11-23-2004, 05:57 PM

Well, here are my faves:
Minas Tirith
Rivendell
Weathertop
Edoras

I was also very impressed with Hobbiton. It was so realistic! (ofcourse it was. They used real plants!)
I love the sets in LotR. I would rate them 11 out of 10 in all sets in the history of film-making. Fantastic.

11-18-2004, 10:32 AM	#1
Aldarion Elf-Friend Animated Skeleton Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Playing in Peoria Posts: 35	Best Movie Setting There are many and varying opinions about the many story changes made for the screenplay by PJ and his fellow writers. There have been great threads about the most egregious of these. However, one thing that many people agree PJ did very well was capture the flavor of the book's locations very well. I'm curious, how do people here respond to the sets and set pieces that PJ used in the movie. I'll kick it off with a few of my favorites. First, I thought that the Shire and Bag-End were right on. PJ really captured the idyllic country life of the Shire. Maybe Hobbiton was a little more sparse than a community should be, but maybe we only saw the "suburbs". Anyway, what I saw on the screen is just what I imagined in my head. Moria, and especially the bridge of Khazad-Dum were also very well done. He really captured the feel of an underground kingdom hewn out of the very stone. Lastly, Minas Tirith took my breath away the first time Gandalf comes over the hill on Shadowfax. A little trivia - that's not the first time that Minas Tirith appears in the movies. In the Two Towers EE (maybe the theatrical release, but I'm not sure) there is a scene in Osgiliath where, if you look closely, you can see Minas Tirith wayyyyyy off in the distance. So, thoughts, anyone? p.s. - I didn't care for Lorien... __________________ Bado go Eru, Aldarion

11-18-2004, 10:44 AM	#2
Rimbaud The Perilous Poet Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Heart of the matter Posts: 1,062	Hello there: You are absolutely right; the best thing about the movie was the astonishing sets. Truly inspired design work, and the effort and detail! The Shire was certainly spot-on, and Khazad Dum could not have been bettered. But although Rivendell was stunning, it was overwrought, and I share your misgivings with Lorien. Much is made of the undeniably dramatic scenery of Edoras, but something about it that really didn't connect with me. Horselords they are, sure, but it was overly provincial compared with Minas Tirith (or Merthyr Tydfil as an acquaintance charmingly names it). Also, and I am willing to be picked up on this by someone geographically better informed, but would a country founded on horses build their capital and main city on a huge hill? Very unpleasant for their equine pals. MT was ok, just spoilt by being made apparently of polysterene. I like the inside of Sauron's personal furnace, that was good, but I didn't enjoy the sweeping shots of Mordor, which just reminded me of one too many computer games. ~Rim __________________ And all the rest is literature

11-18-2004, 12:03 PM	#3
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	I thought the insides of the large halls were excellent, Edoras, Helm's Deep, et cetera. Maybe we suppose they are easier to convey but it still takes talent to make them appear so authentic. Especially that room in Helm's Deep where Aragorn returns to meet Theoden. Made me feel like I was there. I know the thread is titled 'Best Setting' but I think that it could turn into a good discussion of settings in general, including the ones we didn't think were so right. We have mentioned our dislikes already anyway. What say you Aldarion? (Welcome to the site, by the way. ) My personal dislikes are The Prancing Pony Inn and Fangorn Forest. I'll explain if I may. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

11-18-2004, 12:35 PM	#4
Sapphire_Flame Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: The World That Never Was Posts: 1,232	I agree with Aldarion on all counts. Especially about being breathtaken at the first sight of Minas Tirith in RotK! I also love the look of the Sammath Naur. Very creepy and... dark-lord-ish. Heh. Fangorn was good. It bothered me a little in that it had underbrush, whereas Tolkien described it as just being trees. Shelob's Lair, although very creepy, wasn't how I pictured it. Weren't the walls and floor supposed to be smooth? Ah, well. Abedithon le, ~ Saphy ~ __________________ The Hitchhiking Ghost Last edited by Sapphire_Flame; 12-01-2004 at 05:29 PM.

11-18-2004, 12:46 PM	#5
Son of Númenor A Shade of Westernesse Join Date: May 2004 Location: The last wave over Atalantë Posts: 515	"Moria... ...You fear to go into those mines. The dwarves delved too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm. The shadow and flame." The Mines of Moria were far and away my favorite sets in the movies: a perfect mix of horror, darkness and faded grandeur - a glimpse into the 'vanished past' that I found disappointingly rare in the rest of the movies. The Dwarrowdelf evoked in my a sense of pure wonder, and the music (complete with haunting doom-doom incantations) and lighting at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm were magnificent. The vision of a 'higher' past that I (inadequately) described above lingered with me into the scenes in Lothlórien, but I lost it after the Fellowship sailed down the Great River past the Argonath, and never regained it in the second and third films. (This is, I suppose, due at least in part to the fact that The Two Towers and The Return of the King focused almost exclusively on the realms of Men.) __________________ "This miserable drizzling afternoon I have been reading up old military lecture-notes again:- and getting bored with them after an hour and a half. I have done some touches to my nonsense fairy language - to its improvement."

11-18-2004, 01:23 PM	#6
drigel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: commonplace city Posts: 518	Son, agree with you totally. Most of FOTR was wonderfull. I would have loved to seen the firehall though. I agree w/Rim's accessement of Edoras - too small, but the set of the insides of the hall was richly done. The location itself is wonderfull, but too bad PJ couldnt have found a bigger hill for Edoras. What we saw could have house mabye a few hundred..?..? I didnt like (its been observed before in another thread - sorry) the compressed location / view of Osgiliath and Mordor as seen from MT. I dont have a map with me, but surely the curve of the earth would have prevented this..?..? I imagined that if you could have seen anything, you would have seen possibly the foothills of the mountains way, way off in the distance. But surely not the river and Osgiliath... a small distant glow from Mt Doom, not the firery eruptions. I think I know what PJ was doing there, but to me the scale he presented diminished the effect of hiding the fact it was cgi, instead of enhancing it.

11-18-2004, 02:07 PM	#7
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	The most awesome spectacle in the films for me was the lighting of the beacons - this to me conveyed a sense of the size of Middle Earth, and was, well, simply visually stunning. The sets for Hobbiton were good - I liked the use of vegetation and the bridge (even though it's an odd thing to spot) was pleasing to me, very village-like. The only reservation about Hobbiton for me was that as they are gardeners and farmers, the Hobbit gardens and fields should surely have been neater? I also liked the interiors of Meduseld (it was a shame that the tapestries were quite difficult to see) Fangorn and Isengard. I did not like the Grey Havens, mainly as I always envisioned the place to be more practical as a harbour. And I had in mind a much greener place for Rohan; it appeared quite rocky and bleak, while I had a place like the Lambourn Downs in mind, rolling green hills, lush, and maybe with a White Horse or two, and the odd barrow. But, in my mind, Middle Earth was a more intimate place, and to some extent, my personal small-scale vision was wiped out by all the grand vistas! But I do realise that this is a personal viewpoint and for many (most?) the scenery was all awesome. __________________ Gordon's alive!

11-22-2004, 12:17 PM	#9
Beanamir of Gondor Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: the Shadow Gallery Posts: 276	I was just so impressed by all of the sets that I couldn't absolutely pick a favorite, but if I had to say there was one that really, really stuck to the description in the books, I would say Mordor. It just floored me when Sam and Frodo are looking out into Mordor and all the campfires are there. David Wenham did such a great Faramir, though. Such wonderful acting. __________________ The answer to life is no longer 42. It's 4 8 15 16 23... 42. "I only lent you my body; you lent me your dream."

11-23-2004, 05:57 PM	#10
Nimrodel_9 Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Utah Posts: 734	Well, here are my faves: Minas Tirith Rivendell Weathertop Edoras I was also very impressed with Hobbiton. It was so realistic! (ofcourse it was. They used real plants!) I love the sets in LotR. I would rate them 11 out of 10 in all sets in the history of film-making. Fantastic. __________________ .:A friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart:.