Movie comments - don't read if you haven't seen the movie yet! - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Erulasto · 12-21-2001, 04:44 PM

I haven't seen the movie yet... for some odd reason, our local movie distributor decided NOT to premiere LOTR on december 19th along with the rest of the world... probably because it would have clashed with Harry Potter, which was released here a week ago. (a country of 1.4 million doesn't have that many moviegoers to go around, so they often juggle release dates to make more money)....<P>Okay, even though i haven't seen the movie yet, i feel i have to get this off my chest... to all the naysayers who've been *****ing about the omission of Tom Bombadil and the Barrow-downs... What the hell is wrong with you? as much as i love Tolkien and LOTR, I've always had a problem with Bombadil. What the hell is a character too wacky for something like Narnia doing in LOTR? I was 11 when i first read LOTR, and it was quite an achievement on my part, as my native language is not english, and reading a 1000-page novel in a foreign language was something that i thought i might not be able to do... my father certainly thought so, and i had to fight him hard, so he'd buy the book. Eventually he did, and I found it to be the best book ever, and i still stick to that opinion. And what i found most refreshing was the serious manner in which the story was presented... I had read the Hobbit before, translated, and it was translated as a kid's book. Dwarf was translated using a word that had about much credibility as using the word 'leprechaun' for the Eldar. And when i had to do a book report on my favourite book, i felt quite embarrased, as i'm sure all of you would, at age 11, desperately trying to get that girl sitting behind you to like you, having to tell everyone how your favourite book was about 'leprechauns'. Okay, back to my point... What I liked about LOTR was the way it took a serious angle to what was, in all honesty, a fairy tale. And the only thing I had a problem with in the book, was Tom Bombadil. And I am glad he's not in the movie. I seriously doubt I'd enjoy a film with someone singing 'hey dol, merry dol'. I don't care if it's LOTR or not, that's a bit too much. My girlfriend already thinks it's a kids' book, I'd rather not have her misguided notions justified in the movie theater, thank you very much.<P>As for the barrow-downs, I sort of think that some of the people here are putting a bit too much weight on that chapter... Anything can be made of any line in the book, but I seriously doubt Tolkien created that scene for any other reason than arming the hobbits, and giving them (and the reader) an idea about the general inhospitability of Middle-Earth. To denounce a movie on the omission of Bombadil and the barrow-downs is, in my belief total idiocy. I for one am VERY grateful the movie got made, and I was very pleasantly surprised to hear of Enya's collaboration on the soundtrack. I'm hoping i'll hear the melody she created for Lothlórien when the fellowship first enters it.<P>And I am pretty damn certain this movie will be the greatest I have ever seen, thank you, Peter Jackson. And as for those who would call me a newbie who should keep his mouth shut, i think that reading the books annually for 11 years now makes me a fan. And if I don't know the lineage of Glorfindel by heart, that does not take anything away from my 'fanhood', so to speak. And if anyone thinks it does, they should invest in a life. It's pretty fun once you try it.

12-21-2001, 04:44 PM	#20
Erulasto Pile O'Bones Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Estonia Posts: 15	I haven't seen the movie yet... for some odd reason, our local movie distributor decided NOT to premiere LOTR on december 19th along with the rest of the world... probably because it would have clashed with Harry Potter, which was released here a week ago. (a country of 1.4 million doesn't have that many moviegoers to go around, so they often juggle release dates to make more money)....<P>Okay, even though i haven't seen the movie yet, i feel i have to get this off my chest... to all the naysayers who've been *****ing about the omission of Tom Bombadil and the Barrow-downs... What the hell is wrong with you? as much as i love Tolkien and LOTR, I've always had a problem with Bombadil. What the hell is a character too wacky for something like Narnia doing in LOTR? I was 11 when i first read LOTR, and it was quite an achievement on my part, as my native language is not english, and reading a 1000-page novel in a foreign language was something that i thought i might not be able to do... my father certainly thought so, and i had to fight him hard, so he'd buy the book. Eventually he did, and I found it to be the best book ever, and i still stick to that opinion. And what i found most refreshing was the serious manner in which the story was presented... I had read the Hobbit before, translated, and it was translated as a kid's book. Dwarf was translated using a word that had about much credibility as using the word 'leprechaun' for the Eldar. And when i had to do a book report on my favourite book, i felt quite embarrased, as i'm sure all of you would, at age 11, desperately trying to get that girl sitting behind you to like you, having to tell everyone how your favourite book was about 'leprechauns'. Okay, back to my point... What I liked about LOTR was the way it took a serious angle to what was, in all honesty, a fairy tale. And the only thing I had a problem with in the book, was Tom Bombadil. And I am glad he's not in the movie. I seriously doubt I'd enjoy a film with someone singing 'hey dol, merry dol'. I don't care if it's LOTR or not, that's a bit too much. My girlfriend already thinks it's a kids' book, I'd rather not have her misguided notions justified in the movie theater, thank you very much.<P>As for the barrow-downs, I sort of think that some of the people here are putting a bit too much weight on that chapter... Anything can be made of any line in the book, but I seriously doubt Tolkien created that scene for any other reason than arming the hobbits, and giving them (and the reader) an idea about the general inhospitability of Middle-Earth. To denounce a movie on the omission of Bombadil and the barrow-downs is, in my belief total idiocy. I for one am VERY grateful the movie got made, and I was very pleasantly surprised to hear of Enya's collaboration on the soundtrack. I'm hoping i'll hear the melody she created for Lothlórien when the fellowship first enters it.<P>And I am pretty damn certain this movie will be the greatest I have ever seen, thank you, Peter Jackson. And as for those who would call me a newbie who should keep his mouth shut, i think that reading the books annually for 11 years now makes me a fan. And if I don't know the lineage of Glorfindel by heart, that does not take anything away from my 'fanhood', so to speak. And if anyone thinks it does, they should invest in a life. It's pretty fun once you try it. __________________ Nîn o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer! Rimmo nîn Bruinen dan in Ulaer!