Finnish LotR - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Thinlómien · 09-16-2010, 05:39 AM

They really have it on YouTube?

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love love love.

I was so depressed a few weeks ago when I decided to watch it from the very old self-recorded VHS we had and found out that our video player doesn't work anymore (probably thanks to my little cousins sticking all kinds of small things in there) and that the cassette is possibly not working.

That miniseries is simply a part of my childhood and even when I'm trying to be objective I have to say it beats PJ 10-0 most of the time. There are just so many more nuances and the atmosphere is more tolkienish. Besides the actors are quite good even though they sometimes look funny. Fun fact: Strider and Gollum are portrayed by the same actor!

If you need more info on the original play or something, you should ask Nogrod. I did not see it because I wasn't even born yet! And I was very small when this was broadcasted and my parents say I was terribly afraid of Gollum.

Bêthberry · 09-16-2010, 09:34 AM

I haven't watched it all yet, but the first one looks very fine. It has an aura of authenticity to it, nothing prettified by Hollywood standards, yet still beautiful. I like especially how Merry and Pippin capture different English types.

I'll be watching more as time permits. Nice find, davem. And

to Lommie and Aganzir and Noggie for keeping it hidden.

davem · 09-16-2010, 02:30 PM

This site http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat...ies_173642.asp has ep 1 with english subtitles.

Thinlómien · 09-16-2010, 03:09 PM

If I had more time, I'd just love to learn to use some movie maker and make English subtitles for the rest...

narfforc · 09-18-2010, 08:55 AM

I have sat and watched all the episodes on youtube, thanks Dave. I must say I quite enjoyed it, though I couldn't understand their speech, you don't really need to if you know the story.

A Little Green · 09-19-2010, 05:33 AM

Wow, I can't believe they have it on youtube! Love!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lommy

If I had more time, I'd just love to learn to use some movie maker and make English subtitles for the rest...

If you get me a movie maker (and time) I could do that, I know how to make subtitles. (At least with one particular program the name of which I can't remember, don't know if they all work the same way..)

Pitchwife · 09-29-2010, 06:40 AM

Just noticed that the videos davem linked to in his original post seem to have been deleted from YouTube

, but I found episodes 1-4 and the beginning of 5 with English subs here - are those by any chance your work, Greenie?

Anyway, this is a very interesting version: very gloomy (most of it makes Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz look brightly lit by comparison), very minimalistic in it's use of scenery and sfx (you can tell it evolved from a theatre play and was probably made on a small budget), relying mainly on atmosphere, music and acting, its visual side about as far removed as you can possibly get from the popular images PJ, Howe & Lee, the Hildebrandts e tutti quanti have implanted in our heads. They condensed the story a lot, of course (e.g. by cutting from the Nazgûl attack on Weathertop straight to Frodo awakening in Rivendell, so no Glorfindel), but they kept Tom Bombadil (bonus points for that!, even though he looked nothing like I imagine him), and all in all I think they captured the gist of the story quite well.
Some of the highlights: Frodo looks like an adult and indeed quite tough, Gollum is scarily mad and depraved and utterly uncute, and Gandalf is an impressive wizard even without the usual yardlong beard. And I love the idea of having the whole story told/read by old Sam Gamgee to his kids (or grandchildren?); that actor did a great job - the wistful smile when he first mentions "Frodo Reppuli" has all his love and dedication to his former master in it, all the fond memories of the good and hard times they shared, it's brilliant.

(Side-note: I watched the first three episodes without the subs while they were still available, and it's marvellous how much you can understand even without knowing the language, just by knowing the story; if nothing else, I've picked up that "ring" is "sormus" in Finnish. Learn a foreign language with LotR - not a bad idea, is it?

)

I'm curious how they handled the later parts of the story - especially the Elves, but also the development of Sam's character - , so I hope whoever made the subbed versions will go on uploading the remaining episodes.

09-16-2010, 05:39 AM	#1
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	They really have it on YouTube? SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! Love love love. I was so depressed a few weeks ago when I decided to watch it from the very old self-recorded VHS we had and found out that our video player doesn't work anymore (probably thanks to my little cousins sticking all kinds of small things in there) and that the cassette is possibly not working. That miniseries is simply a part of my childhood and even when I'm trying to be objective I have to say it beats PJ 10-0 most of the time. There are just so many more nuances and the atmosphere is more tolkienish. Besides the actors are quite good even though they sometimes look funny. Fun fact: Strider and Gollum are portrayed by the same actor! If you need more info on the original play or something, you should ask Nogrod. I did not see it because I wasn't even born yet! And I was very small when this was broadcasted and my parents say I was terribly afraid of Gollum. __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris

09-16-2010, 09:34 AM	#2
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,007	I haven't watched it all yet, but the first one looks very fine. It has an aura of authenticity to it, nothing prettified by Hollywood standards, yet still beautiful. I like especially how Merry and Pippin capture different English types. I'll be watching more as time permits. Nice find, davem. And to Lommie and Aganzir and Noggie for keeping it hidden. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

09-16-2010, 02:30 PM	#3
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	This site http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat...ies_173642.asp has ep 1 with english subtitles. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

09-16-2010, 03:09 PM	#4
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	If I had more time, I'd just love to learn to use some movie maker and make English subtitles for the rest... __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris

09-18-2010, 08:55 AM	#5
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	I have sat and watched all the episodes on youtube, thanks Dave. I must say I quite enjoyed it, though I couldn't understand their speech, you don't really need to if you know the story. __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER.

09-29-2010, 06:40 AM	#7
Pitchwife Wight of the Old Forest Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Unattended on the railway station, in the litter at the dancehall Posts: 3,329	Just noticed that the videos davem linked to in his original post seem to have been deleted from YouTube, but I found episodes 1-4 and the beginning of 5 with English subs here - are those by any chance your work, Greenie? Anyway, this is a very interesting version: very gloomy (most of it makes Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz look brightly lit by comparison), very minimalistic in it's use of scenery and sfx (you can tell it evolved from a theatre play and was probably made on a small budget), relying mainly on atmosphere, music and acting, its visual side about as far removed as you can possibly get from the popular images PJ, Howe & Lee, the Hildebrandts e tutti quanti have implanted in our heads. They condensed the story a lot, of course (e.g. by cutting from the Nazgûl attack on Weathertop straight to Frodo awakening in Rivendell, so no Glorfindel), but they kept Tom Bombadil (bonus points for that!, even though he looked nothing like I imagine him), and all in all I think they captured the gist of the story quite well. Some of the highlights: Frodo looks like an adult and indeed quite tough, Gollum is scarily mad and depraved and utterly uncute, and Gandalf is an impressive wizard even without the usual yardlong beard. And I love the idea of having the whole story told/read by old Sam Gamgee to his kids (or grandchildren?); that actor did a great job - the wistful smile when he first mentions "Frodo Reppuli" has all his love and dedication to his former master in it, all the fond memories of the good and hard times they shared, it's brilliant. (Side-note: I watched the first three episodes without the subs while they were still available, and it's marvellous how much you can understand even without knowing the language, just by knowing the story; if nothing else, I've picked up that "ring" is "sormus" in Finnish. Learn a foreign language with LotR - not a bad idea, is it?) I'm curious how they handled the later parts of the story - especially the Elves, but also the development of Sam's character - , so I hope whoever made the subbed versions will go on uploading the remaining episodes. __________________ Und aus dem Erebos kamen viele seelen herauf der abgeschiedenen toten.- Homer, Odyssey, Canto XI

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