What's the point? (Tigerlily's Rant)

[alatar]

Sounds like very odd behavior, and that coming from me . I could understand if you'd rented the movies, and then while watching them thought that they were bad yet continued to watch them. Or if the films were considered campy yet were a great excuse to meet and drink (imbibe every time Legolas or Gimli kill an orc? By the by, don't try that at home ). I can think of some shlocky films that would fit the bill, yet wouldn't put LOTR by PJ into that category.

Note that although from some of my posts one might think that I would be at home amongst said company, but really I just vent here and keep my praise to myself. It's like when discussing the kids; I'll mention the times when my daughter was impossible yet not talk about the (few) instances when she was angelic. And I would agree about those who cover a song - I would choose just not to listen, though I always think it funny when some youngster (relatively) talks about some new song that's been covered two or three times already. Anyway.

You'd have to provide additional information about this group so that we can get into their collective psyche. Was it peer pressure? A unconscious feeling of inadequacy making them want to pound all things PJ? Was someone trying to impress someone?

And welcome back, and hope all is well.

[Tigerlily Gamgee]

No, I don't think it was peer pressure. They even made t-shirts that had PJs picture on it and read something like "wanted: for ruining our books" or something along those lines. I mean, they are all nice people, I like them, but there are times when I feel I need to turn around and walk away slowly.
What gets me, too, is that they complain about how the movies differ from the books, but yet they adore slash writing and stories. Now call me crazy, but doesn't slash get away from the original books too? Isn't slash yet another person's interpretation just as the movies are PJs interpretation?
One of the people adores the whole idea of Sam and Frodo, but when I asked her if she'd read The Mists of Avalon she said that she hated it because it "gayed up" her beloved Lancelot. ??? Ummmm... I didn't really know what to say without getting in an argument about that one. How can you acuse a book of "gaying up" a character when you "gay up" other characters on your own?
Interpretation is interpretation... and interpretations can lead to great discussions, but I had one-sided bashing.

Perhaps it's just like that old "actors and a lightbulb" joke, only you can insert just regular "people" in place of the actor. How many people does it take to screw in a light bulb? One, and 10 million others watching and saying that they could've done it better.

There is also this convention I was helping out with, too, and the people on the committee are strongly purist... but the bad part is, they don't let those who like the movies really have a say. They want to make the convention mainly book orientated, which is fine, but then they bash who they call "fangirls", or "people who like the movie." How dare any of us like these movies? It obviously makes us a lower life-form or it must mean that we have no brain cells. We are all fans, there shouldn't be two separate categories of fans. Book fans are not better than movie fans and movie fans are not better than book fans. We're all appreciating the same thing, when it comes to the core of it, really.

Wow, I think I'm going to turn this into the "Tigerlily's rant thread." Haha.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

These are the type of people who are very easy to ignore.

But inviting people over to force that upon them? Maybe they need some medication.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Tigerlily Gamgee

Now call me crazy

Dear Crazy,

Feel free to rant. What you've presented is both interesting and odd. Seems to me that you were dealing with the local chapter of the 'Down with PJ' club - I mean, come on, when you've made shirts...

What I can't figure out is why they would waste the time. Surely there was a time in my life that I had gobs of time to kill, and so found many standard and odd things with which to get involved, but this sounds like there's intent. Had this group gotten together before and talked about the films? Were they future film critics, having taken classes in the same? Have you spoken privately with the person who had invited you to the party, and what were his/her thoughts? Did you discuss your POV with this person? If so, again what was the person's response?

And just to note that there will be times when you'll be the odd one out and you'll have to just deal. Speak your piece, unless this increases others' frothing at the mouth, then just nod and smile and enjoy the show (not the one on the DVD).

[Boromir88]

So, what I wonder is... if someone hates the movies so much, why watch them?

I often wonder the same thing. I think people like taking pleasure in downgrading things others like. If you go to IMDB.com you can see many messages devoted to hating the movies. Sad is those people who hate the movies like them enough to take their time and bash them constantly.

I guess the same can be applied here. Sadly, some people have nothing better to do.

[The Saucepan Man]

Funny how such an extreme portrayal of film-bashing has some of the forum's more vocal film-bashers up in arms ...

[The Only Real Estel]

There would seem to be no point in inviting people from out of state over to watch the movies just to bash them. I don't even 'intelligently discuss' any dislikes I might have of some of PJ's story differences while I'm watching the movies-if I'm watching the movies it's because I want to be entertained. I can generally watch the movies without being bothered much by changes; although I don't mind some real discussion about them at other times.

These people you speak of must find some bizzare entertainment in bashing a movie for an entire three and a half hours.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

Funny how such an extreme portrayal of film-bashing has some of the forum's more vocal film-bashers up in arms ...

You wouldn't have anyone in mind, would you? And I can say, here and now, that truly I've never attended any parties that were also attended by Tigerlily Gamgee. Somewhere on the Downs I've posted compliments regarding PJ's works, yet I'm having a bit of a go trying to find them.

And bashing should be left to the professionals...T-shirts?!?

[Essex]

Tigerlily, Was it the EE DVD's they were watching? I would have paid good money to watch their reaction as the WK destroyed Gandalf's staf!!!!!