Microphones in Middle-earth...the BBC Lord of the Rings

[ArathornJax]

Ok, did listen to the CD's today, while the first one (I started at the beginning and went from there). Here are my thoughts:

First, the opening prologue was really brief and quick. I think it gave the listener a general concept of the rings, without revealing the secret of the one ring.

Gollum's search for the ring was a nice touch, as was his capture near Mordor and his torture. Sorry, I would have to go back into the booklet that came with the CD's (and that would require a lot of effort right now as they are packed away, while they aren't unpacked yet), so is that the Mouth of Sauron who finds Gollum or the Witch King? I assume it is the Mouth of Sauron since he dispatches the nine later on the CD.

I loved the scene at the Inn with the Gaffer and all the other Hobbits gathered together. I think this scene was done extremely well.

The Last Party was also quick yet effective. I loved that the explosion of Gandalf's firework as Bilbo puts on the ring and wish that Peter Jackson had included that in the film version.
I also like after the confrontation between Bilbo and Gandalf at Bag End about Bilbo leaving Frodo the ring, how Bilbo walks out singing The Road Goes Ever On, and how that refrain continues, but fades slowly, signaling that Bilbo's role in this story has also faded out.
I have to share that when my son was younger and the movies were coming out, and he owned and played with some of the Toy Biz Black Rider toys, that he made that sound that is on the BBC tapes that the Black Riders make whenever they attacked his "good guys." I like how the Black Riders sound.
One last thing is the attention to detail like Frodo offering Gandalf the three types of pipe weed to smoke. In memory of Bilbo Gandalf take the Old Tolby. Very nice touch, and great details. The link between Gandalf and the ring, his warnings and final proof that the ring is evil, and is Sauron's ties nicely back to the prologue. Another example is the sounding of the clippers as Sam works around Bag End. Then they fade and shortly thereafter, Sam is caught! Again, nice attention to details I also have to say with the winter we've had here in Utah, it was nice to have the CD's to bring to my mind an image of a spring day with blue sky, fluffy white clouds, a promise of warmth and gardening! What a great job done in creating visual images.

Overall, I have to say that I loved the strings that represent the beginning and the end of each disc. So much here, yet not enough time to go through it all! I can't wait for my journey tomorrow to and from work!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I too finally got around to (re-)listening to the first CD today, and enjoyed it very much. For me, hearing Tolkien's own words so faithfully reproduced is an important aspect. So far, I liked all of the voices used.

I do have one minor dissatisfaction - the melody to the Road poem is in a minor key and sounds rather depressing to me. But then, I haven't heard a melody yet that I really thought appropriate, which resulted in my making up my own. Actually, this is one thing I did like better in PJ's movie version - the melody there is cheerful and simple, which seems right for Hobbits.

I did like the sound effect for the Ring - if I remember correctly, the same effect was used on the Hobbit recordings. Interestingly, I think it sounds similar to what the movie used for Arwen's pendent!

[davem]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

For me, hearing Tolkien's own words so faithfully reproduced is an important aspect.

As I've said, I think this is why the series captures the spirit of the book so well. And I think its easy to underestimate what was involved in adapting the work for this reason. You can get the idea that because so much was taken from the book that the adaptors didn't have to do very much. From what I've read/heard about producing this adaptation it was far from easy & there were a number of difficult choices to make. I've mentioned that Brian originally included the encounter with Gildor & omitted the Farmer Maggot scenes, but then changed his mind because he felt that that would work better & was more important.

One thing I wonder about is why the BBC originally went for 26 half-hour episodes, rather than 13 one hour episodes. After all they were pretty quick to edit it into 13 episodes for rebroadcast. I also wonder if Brian & Michael Bakewell would have taken a different approach if they'd been commissioned to do it as 13 hour long episodes in the first place - certainly they'd have needed fewer cliff-hangers ...

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by davem

One thing I wonder about is why the BBC originally went for 26 half-hour episodes, rather than 13 one hour episodes. After all they were pretty quick to edit it into 13 episodes for rebroadcast. I also wonder if Brian & Michael Bakewell would have taken a different approach if they'd been commissioned to do it as 13 hour long episodes in the first place - certainly they'd have needed fewer cliff-hangers ...

The series was originally commissioned for what was a regular 30-minute drama slot. The success prompted the BBC to up-grade to the other regular slot which ran for 60 minutes. I would have certainly approached the division of the material quite differently had it been for hour-long episodes and the cliff-hangers' (many of them phoney or contrived) are now I think a blemish on the 60-minute versions.

Not that it matters after all these years, but the producer found my obsessive attitude towards the material during recording an utter trial (I was almost as defensive of Tolkien's text as Tolkien would have been!) and, as a result, I was not consulted about the amalgamation of the episodes - which I assume was done by the producer with, possibly, the assistance of Michael Bakewell.

This was ironic since I was commissioned to create the original 26 episode structure and was given credit for that work in addition to that for the episodes I dramatised, but the structuring of the 13 hour repeat was carried out without my involvement! The dramatisation as it was originally intended to be heard can, in fact, no longer be heard!!

Meanwhile, my article on the series The Ring Goes Ever On has now got its illustrations back and will be expanded as soon as I have time.

[ArathornJax]

Well, Frodo made it to Crickhollow. I realized how the script was adapted by eliminating the scene with the Elves in Woody End and transitioning after the appearance of the Black Rider the 1st time, to the short-cut and then ending up at Farmer's Maggot. This for me made more sense and I much prefer this adaptation to the one on the movie.

In both versions I miss the running in with the Elves and the conversation that occurs since Gildor sends out messengers that have to run into Aragorn/Dunedain, Elrond at Rivendell. But one cannot have everything one wants.

One of the things that I noticed was the difference between Khamal's voice at Bag End and the Witch King's voice. The voice of Khamal is more along the lines of what I imagine the Black Riders voice to be, whereas the Witch King sounds normal to me. I'd be interested to hear if that was a conscience choice or was it just the way it came out? What do others think of this difference?

Again, I love the use of the UT with the Hunt for the Ring with the Nazgul finding Grima. I also loved in this section today the actor's voice who did Farmer Maggot. I could picture Farmer Maggot in my mind's eye as I listened to him.

Sure made the drive home go by with far more enjoyment! Not sure how my local PBS radio station will like it though as I'll be listening to the adaptation while their drive is going on (I donate at a certain point each year so it won't take away a donation).

[davem]

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

Meanwhile, my article on the series The Ring Goes Ever On has now got its illustrations back and will be expanded as soon as I have time.

Thanks so much for reinstating the pictures - I especially love the little one from RT about the first episode: seeing that instantly transports me back to March 1981.

Thanks for the link here to the Downs too

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I have a question on pronunciation - I noticed that Sméagol and Déagol were spoken as "Smeegol" and "Deegol". I was under the impression that the vowels are separated into two syllables, as in the movie - Sme-a-gol, De-a-gol. As I read that Christopher Tolkien had given guidelines for pronunciation, which is correct?

As to Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum voice - it's perfect! I love the way he emphasizes the "g" with a swallowing sound when it's at the beginning of a word.

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

I have a question on pronunciation - I noticed that Sméagol and Déagol were spoken as "Smeegol" and "Deegol". I was under the impression that the vowels are separated into two syllables, as in the movie - Sme-a-gol, De-a-gol. As I read that Christopher Tolkien had given guidelines for pronunciation, which is correct?

As to Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum voice - it's perfect! I love the way he emphasizes the "g" with a swallowing sound when it's at the beginning of a word.

Not sure which is 'correct'; certainly, we followed Christopher Tolkien's pronunciation at the time...

Yes, Woodthorpe is a marvel! I think one or two members of the cast were seriously worried about being upstaged (!), but he fully embodied Gollum and, despite Andy Serkis' remarkable film performance, Woodthorpe's voice is still the one I hear when I read the book...

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by davem

Thanks so much for reinstating the pictures - I especially love the little one from RT about the first episode: seeing that instantly transports me back to March 1981.

As you probably know, Eric Fraser drew 26 little head-pieces for the 'Radio Times' billings during the run of the series, although a couple never appeared due to industrial action which meant that the magazine for those weeks appeared only in a very basic, unillustrated, 'emergency' format.

One or two these pictures (which have something in common with Fraser's LOTR decorations for the Folio Society's 'Hobbit' and 'Rings') were used on/in the cassette/cd packaging for a while, but are largely unknown; and - in the case of the ones never printed - unseen!

Originally Posted by davem

Thanks for the link here to the Downs too

My pleasure. I am really enjoying reliving that journey of so long ago... Just hope my presence on the forum doesn't inhibit free-speech! Believe me, after 27 years, I am beyond taking offence!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Originally Posted by Brian Sibley

Just hope my presence on the forum doesn't inhibit free-speech!

Not at all! Actually, I think it may serve as an incentive to really dig into this discussion. After all, it gives us a wonderful "getting-to-know-an-insider" feeling...