Still forming your own images of Middle-earth, or stuck with Elijah and co.?

[Theron Bugtussle]

I really meant it in more of a selfish way, not in a way to actually try to impose my will on you.

I mean, I went to see the movies, though I knew in some way they would alter or affect my own perceptions. It was just that, if the movies were supposed to be pretty decent, then I wanted to see them, regardless of how it might affect my internal images.

So it is not that you should not go see them, it is just that it would probably be really neat to have one or more frequenters of the B-D that can comment on things from the "movie virgin" vantage point.

Alas, I, myself, am stained...and by my own choice.

[VanimaEdhel]

I've actually managed to retain my own mental images of the characters. I sort of have two images running through my mind at all times: my mental image, sitting right next to the movie image. Then I quickly make up my mind as to which is appropriate, depending on the conversation. It actually remains a rather simple task, especially for characters like Arwen, Eowyn, Legolas, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Haldir, Saruman, and Faramir, who were played with such different dispositions from those that I imagined. The physical aspects are a touch closer, but still different enough that I keep up two completely separate images.

For this reason I have not gone to see any of the Harry Potter movies!

Aw, and miss making fun of the kids' horrible acting skills? I wouldn't pass up Radcliffe trying to produce stage tears for anything. And Cuaron is actually a bit better than Columbus was.

[PaleStar]

Probably unlike a lot of people here, my mental imagery is based alot on Alan Lee's illustrations, except when it comes to the people...there, I use my own ideas about what they look like.
The only thing that has really happened because of the movies is that, whenever the wizard's speak, I hear Sir Ian McKellan and Christopher Lee. That also happens every now and again when there is a quote from the book that i've heard in the movie.
So no, it hasn't done anything to disrupt my image of Middle Earth.

[VanimaEdhel]

Probably unlike a lot of people here, my mental imagery is based alot on Alan Lee's illustrations, except when it comes to the people...there, I use my own ideas about what they look like.

Actually Alan Lee designed the jackets of the books my dad has. Those are the books that I read when I was nine, and that I reread every time I feel the urge to jump back into Frodo's adventure. Therefore, as I've been looking at those pictures for about eight years, they give me my impressions of what Middle Earth looked like. Actually, if you want to see the cover design, here is a picture of the three covers. You can tell what they are pretty easily (I hope).

[PaleStar]

Hmm...so there are other people...
Alan Lee, at least for this one (referring to myself, here), defined M-E appearance...it's just beyond words. I read all three books right before FOTR came out, and when I saw the illustration for Rivendell, it nearly knocked me flat.