LotR3-RotK-Seq24

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Essex

Let's take a look at what Book Sam felt when he woke up. So Sam can have these 'exsessive' and joyous thoughts, so why not Pippin and Merry? They went through a fair bit too, let's be honest.

Therefore, I don't see Pipin and Merry's joy being neither weird, excessive nor smarmy!

PS - I didn't realise Jackson took Gandalf's laugh from the book as well. Well Done. (well, ok it was for Sam not Frodo, but I can forgive him that)

Since when do we consider what's in the Books to dictate what can be on the screen? Surely Sam and the others were overjoyed by the Fall of Sauron and the joy of making it through the storm alive. But why then is Sam restrained in his joy whereas Merry and Pippin act like the fools from back in the Shire? I know that this is sounding repetitive, but why can't Merry and Pip have a moment of joy then move aside to allow others access to their 'saviour?' Not only is it weird (my opinion), but after the first few seconds it then becomes hammy, where you start hearing the scene director yelling, "Keep bouncing! More joy! Billy? Do a flip or something? Can we get some jugglers?"

Me thinks that it comes down to personal preference...some, I guess, don't find a bunch of adults bouncing on the bed of a healing companion essexive...oops! I mean excessive.

[Essex]

Originally Posted by alatar

Since when do we consider what's in the Books to dictate what can be on the screen?

Alatar, pity we don't have an 'Ironic' smiley to use in this circumstance! I'm sure you were being Ironic there weren't you?

Of course we want as much from the books to dictate what we see on the screen!

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Essex

Alatar, pity we don't have an 'Ironic' smiley to use in this circumstance! I'm sure you were being Ironic there weren't you?

I think that I was being serious.

Of course we want as much from the books to dictate what we see on the screen!

So why do we get, straight from the books, as you presume, the happy bouncing bed scene, yet do not get Gandalf being the member of the Fellowship to suggest the dark road of Moria (Even worse, Gandalf suggests that they try the Gap!), or Eomer as the brother of Aragorn? Why is it that, when it comes to getting it right with the books, my view is always the path less taken?

I know; it's me.

[Essex]

I said we WANT. Not we GET. Of course we want the film to be as close to the book as it is. Except maybe for the couple of mistakes Tolkien himself made in the editing of his timelines, etc. (Sorry, just being picky with the Bard)

So let's scrap the entire scene and have Sam wake up and meet Gandalf with Frodo already awake. As it's this in the books, then let's have that. But do you really think we the readers can dictate what will be on a Movie adaptation just becasue it's not exactly like it is in the books? So therefore, let's not have a reunion scene with the main characters. For the uninitiated, non book reader (which I put it to you were the VAST majority of people going to see this movie, first time at least!), NOT to have a 'happy ending(s)' like this with the characters celebrating together would be silly.

[alatar]

Again, I've let go and have immersed myself in PJ's world, which is based on, however loosely, on Tolkien's work. We can use the books for guidance but need to tell the story well in the media that we use.

Regardless of whether PJ follows the books or makes up a scene from whole new cloth, he should be at least consistent with the story, characters, 'feel' of the movie and arc. By this scene one would hope that the characters were set for the most part. Why then, after having Merry and Pippin "grow" do we have to jump back to their origins of being selfish fools, then just thereafter, when they return to the Shire, behave more as one would expect.

[Essex]

so Sam, as I have shown above, was allowed to 'regress' in the book - why can't Merry and Pippin show their joy in the movie? I think this is nit picking to the nth degree.

[alatar]

I did not see the scene where Sam cries as overblown nor out of character, much less creepy. Bottom line - I did not like Merry and Pippin's behaviour in the scene, just as you think that 'President' Bill Pullman's immortal words in ID4 are hokey.

I can see that we've reached an impasse. I hope to listen to what the actors think about this scene, and will report on how they agree with me...or what they think soon.