Aragorn's Take On the Movies

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

So in principle all those who complain about changes made by movie-directors should be able to suggest how they would have done it differently and not just complain.

Easy enough. My solution would have been to simply not attempt the unattainable.
To me, Tolkien's works have always been unique. There are tangible reasons why, such as the Professor's wonderfully authoritative, yet intimately archaic verbiage.
But there is also an ethereal quality that defies description, save that the books, and LOTR in particular, have a distinct feel that I have never encountered with any other work of fiction. Certainly none has left as deep an impression upon me.
To translate that intangible to another medium is quite futile. Not only that, but the act of making the story "suitable" for the Big Screen cannot help reducing it to the baseline of just another "fantasy movie", indistinguishable from the Eragons and Harry Potters.
My opinion of these movies has not changed from the time I first heard of PJ's intentions back when I first joined this forum. The act of translation was an unnecessary exercise in futility.