Let's cast the Silmarillion - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Anguirel · 04-19-2006, 12:27 PM

Keira is apparently part-Scottish so needs to be paid some respect, but unfortunately resembles a dogfish. Honestly, that chin, it terrifies me.

This is my dream game, incidentally. My only problem is going to be thinking of enough passable actors.

Fëanor - Though willing to ratify John Malkovich here, as he is an incredible actor, I think this might actually be Hugo Weaving's perfect role. Didn't he say he wanted more action?

Lúthien - Not Keira, not Keira! Hmmm. Monica Bellucci will have to be my exceptionally unintellectual choice. No, scrap that. She's too human a beauty. I think I shall, much to my own surprise, pick Liv Tyler actually.

Beren - Oh blast, let's continue this low-brow selection and have Ralph Fiennes. He and Liv were perfect together in Eugene Onegin...

Thingol - Some elder statesman actor of distinction could go here. Hmmm. Get a grand Shakespearean. Conceivably Peter O' Toole despite some recent disasters.

Melian - Oh Lord. Luthien was enough of a struggle. Urgh. Um. Hum. I tell you what, CGI some psychedelic vision but get the voice of Maggie Smith!

Finrod - Bearing in mind I haven't seen him in anything-would that youngster Daniel Craig be up to this?

Fingolfin - Argh, not Kenneth Branagh! Hmmm, noble hulking armoured warrior who dies. Russell Crowe? No, add elven hulking warrior who dies. Pass.

Maedhros - Eric Bana's not that bad an idea. He was one of the redeeming features of Troy. But my vote would undoubtedly go with Edward Norton, by far the best thing about Kingdom of Heaven as the Leper King Baldwin. Anyone here gets agonisingly dyed dark red hair, naturally.

Maglor - This just gets more and more difficult. I settle, though, for Alan Rickman here. It's always interesting seeing him as a sympathetic character. I'm not sure if he's enough of a mental actor, but...

Túrin - Interesting to see if David Tennant could stand an unending, heavy tragic role. He'd convey Turin's curious vulnerability...

Húrin - This is where Sean Bean gets his call and is told to do exactly what he's done before eight million times.

Morwen - Ah. Excellent. Monica Bellucci goes here.

Celegorm - This is where I'd insist on Jude Law. With blonde curly hair. Until someone has a better idea.

Curufin - Damn and blast, I've already used David Tennant. Ah! Of course! Lucky I kept John Malkovich, isn't it? Definitely Curufin.

Galadriel - Cate Blanchett probably endorsed. Though I wouldn't mind Rosamund Pike and a playful younger Galadriel. Actually, scratch both of those. Tell Emmanuelle Beart to go back in time to her Manon des Sources look and hire her at once.

Beleg - Arrrrgh. Um. Er. Got it. Jack Davenport. Give hima break from naval roles...

Idril - Reese Witherspoon for a nasty little Becky Sharp of an Idril...

Maeglin - Get an unknown. I know a perfect candidate. He lives in Oxford, attends school in Berkshire, has soulful brown eyes and attends the Barrowdowns under the name of Ang... er...

Morgoth-CGI visually, obviously. The voice of Brendan Gleeson. Ha ha...

Sauron - CGI visually, maybe. The voice of...er...Joaquin Phoenix? (Who incidentally is obviously really called John Bird and decided to spice things up a bit...)

Boromir88 · 04-19-2006, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Húrin - This is where Sean Bean gets his call and is told to do exactly what he's done before eight million times.

Haha, true he typically tends to get type-casted. Except in his recent movie Silent Hill, he actually plays a concerned father...rather strange.

Quote:

Morgoth-CGI visually, obviously. The voice of Brendan Gleeson. Ha ha...

I was wondering where to fit in Brendan Gleeson because he has that bad guy, deep voice. And I first though the voice of Gothmog, but then I'm like..wait does Gothmog ever speak? Now I think Morgoth would be a better fit.

Which gets me thinking on Liam Neeson perhaps...Cirdan?

Eruanna · 04-21-2006, 10:29 AM

Some brilliant suggestions here. Alan Rickman is an asset to any film!
I think I'd like to see a few 'lesser known' actors get their chance too. I'd suggest Gerard Butler as Hurin (he played the title role in Phantom of the Opera but is also good at emotional and action man type roles)
I'd also suggest Morena Baccarin (from Serenity...or Firefly as it was originally) as Luthien. She is very beautiful.

Anguirel · 04-21-2006, 10:38 AM

An extremely good point. Probably the perfect parts for many of these, in all seriousness, are relative unknowns.

Lalaith · 04-21-2006, 11:06 AM

I must have Joaquim Phoenix as one of the sons of Feanor, I don't care which one.

Also, I am rather taken with the earlier suggestion of Angelina Jolie as Luthien. Luthien's Mary-Sue qualities are something of a problem and Ms Jolie is edgy enough to dispel them.
Halle Berry as Yavanna? (Again, thus dispelling irritating hippy earth mother quality)
French actresses are in general a Good Thing. Good call of Emmeline Beart, Ang, but I'd prefer her as Idril....and Catherine Deneuve as Varda.

Anguirel · 04-21-2006, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalaith

French actresses are in general a Good Thing. Good call of Emmeline Beart, Ang, but I'd prefer her as Idril...

Nooo! You're going to turn Maeglin into Ugolin! Actually, that works on so many levels...

Joaquin for Maeglin surely, come to think of it. Remember Commodus...?

Lalaith · 04-21-2006, 11:56 AM

Sorry, Emanuelle, not Emmeline.
I thought Ugolin a very poignant character. The ribbon thing....

Eruanna · 04-21-2006, 11:15 AM

I think David Tennant would still qualify as a relative unknown...For now anyway. He's certainly capable of the intensity needed for Turin. He has really impressed me as Doctor Who.
I'd have to think of a replacement for Jude Law as Celegorm though.
Liam Neeson would get my vote as Beleg Cuthalion...he's a master at those type of mentor/father figure roles these days.

Macalaure · 04-22-2006, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anguirel

Probably the perfect parts for many of these, in all seriousness, are relative unknowns.

Sure. Not at least for budget reasons.

I suspect there are quite a lot totally unknown and, of course, totally under-rated actors right here at the Barrowdowns... I'd like to cast myself for the role of Daeron!

"Seriously" again, I definitely wouldn't take relatively unknown actors to play the elven royals. They will mostly not have that much screen time (like Galadriel in LotR), and by being played by a known actor the common audience will better perceive their importance.

You brought up Edward Norton, Anguirel. What about him as Fingon?

Anguirel · 04-22-2006, 04:03 AM

Not a bad idea, but I really do think Maedhros is his ideal part.

I'm now having second thoughts about Alan Rickman as Maglor...argh...

The title of the thread evoked a bizarre dialogue.

MAGLOR: Hey, Maedhros, let's cast the Silmarillion!

MAEDHROS: OK. Where? A fiery chasm? The ocean?

Lalaith · 04-22-2006, 04:41 AM

Quote:

She has sex appeal without being beautiful, the utter opposite of Luthien

I don't know about that...think of the evil lust she provokes in Melkor and in Celegorm...
David Tennant....I know I cast him as Merry but I'm not at all convinced about having him as Turin or what-have-you. He lacks gravitas. I'm not 100% about him as the Doctor, he's fun but he's no Ecclestone.
Speaking of which, I think he (ie Christopher Ecclestone) would be good as Gwindor, the broken elf.

PS How about Alan Rickman as Aule? Can't you just hear him saying dryly: "Nevertheless they will have need of wood..."

Diamond18 · 04-26-2006, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anguirel

Maeglin - Get an unknown. I know a perfect candidate. He lives in Oxford, attends school in Berkshire, has soulful brown eyes and attends the Barrowdowns under the name of Ang... er...

Ehhhhh... I have just entered the Twilight Zone, since I have been thus far certain that you were around SpM's age (yes!) and all those allusions to school meant you taught or something. I can't actually wrap my mind around the concept that you are what the birthdate on your profile says you are, so I'm going to descend into gibbering madness any moment now.

Yes, that is off topic. But my brain is melting out my ear over this so you must forgive me....

Actually, I was coming here with the intention of nominating Marc Warren for a role. I am not sure which role, but I think he needs to be in the Silmarillion in some capacity. I saw him in the 2000 Television version Oliver Twist in which he played Oliver's tortured, villainous yet eminently tragic and sympathetic half-brother Edward aka Monks. Now, he was sickly so the make-up people did their best to make him look ugly but he's actually rather good looking (he also played the Red Baron in Young Indiana Jones, incidentally) so he would make for a great tortured Elf. And really, brooding, tortured elves are a dime a dozen in the Silmarillion. He could play a brooding, tortured man too, I suppose. But he needs to play someone.

Lalaith · 05-05-2006, 04:13 AM

Some blasts from the past, alighted on in an idle moment...

Audrey Hepburn as Aredhel (Aredhel is *so* a gamine)
Gregory Peck as Turin.
The young Jeanne Moreau as Morwen
(bearing in mind that both Turin and his mother are described as very beautiful....)

Thinlómien · 05-05-2006, 06:50 AM

Hayden Christiansen as Glorfindel? Never!

Joaquin Phoenix as a son of Feanor... I think he would make a perfect Maglor, except the eyebrows...

I agree that elves of the same generation should be casted with actors about the same age.

As for Lúthien, absolutely no Angelina Jolie or Natalie Portman (too human-looking) or Keira Knightley (a poor actress, though beautiful).

Alan Rickman as... Eöl! xD

tom bombariffic · 05-09-2006, 08:55 AM

Chuck Norris as Fingolfin roundhouse kicking Melkor outside Angband. Though by the laws of science (and chuck norris) that would mean Melkor would have to die.

Oh and Ving Rhaimes as Manwe. Nuff said.

bombariffic

Diamond18 · 05-10-2006, 11:09 PM

I'd like to see Rufus Sewell and James Franco in The Sil. Any role. I'm not good at matching particular actors to particular roles, but those are two actors I'd like to see playing men (as opposed to Elves or Maia.) Rufus in particular, there's got to be some role that just cries out for those eyes.

(And yes, this is influenced by my having recently watched Tristan and Isolde -- though I've seen both actors in other films as well.)

And honestly I think the only actress beautiful enough to play Luthien would be a young Olivia Hussey.

Macalaure · 05-25-2006, 07:50 AM

Sewell is a good idea. He could play anyone of the Noldor, or maybe Túrin.

Another suggestion: What about Cillian Murphy? I think he would be fitting for Orodreth.

04-19-2006, 12:27 PM	#1
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	Keira is apparently part-Scottish so needs to be paid some respect, but unfortunately resembles a dogfish. Honestly, that chin, it terrifies me. This is my dream game, incidentally. My only problem is going to be thinking of enough passable actors. Fëanor - Though willing to ratify John Malkovich here, as he is an incredible actor, I think this might actually be Hugo Weaving's perfect role. Didn't he say he wanted more action? Lúthien - Not Keira, not Keira! Hmmm. Monica Bellucci will have to be my exceptionally unintellectual choice. No, scrap that. She's too human a beauty. I think I shall, much to my own surprise, pick Liv Tyler actually. Beren - Oh blast, let's continue this low-brow selection and have Ralph Fiennes. He and Liv were perfect together in Eugene Onegin... Thingol - Some elder statesman actor of distinction could go here. Hmmm. Get a grand Shakespearean. Conceivably Peter O' Toole despite some recent disasters. Melian - Oh Lord. Luthien was enough of a struggle. Urgh. Um. Hum. I tell you what, CGI some psychedelic vision but get the voice of Maggie Smith! Finrod - Bearing in mind I haven't seen him in anything-would that youngster Daniel Craig be up to this? Fingolfin - Argh, not Kenneth Branagh! Hmmm, noble hulking armoured warrior who dies. Russell Crowe? No, add elven hulking warrior who dies. Pass. Maedhros - Eric Bana's not that bad an idea. He was one of the redeeming features of Troy. But my vote would undoubtedly go with Edward Norton, by far the best thing about Kingdom of Heaven as the Leper King Baldwin. Anyone here gets agonisingly dyed dark red hair, naturally. Maglor - This just gets more and more difficult. I settle, though, for Alan Rickman here. It's always interesting seeing him as a sympathetic character. I'm not sure if he's enough of a mental actor, but... Túrin - Interesting to see if David Tennant could stand an unending, heavy tragic role. He'd convey Turin's curious vulnerability... Húrin - This is where Sean Bean gets his call and is told to do exactly what he's done before eight million times. Morwen - Ah. Excellent. Monica Bellucci goes here. Celegorm - This is where I'd insist on Jude Law. With blonde curly hair. Until someone has a better idea. Curufin - Damn and blast, I've already used David Tennant. Ah! Of course! Lucky I kept John Malkovich, isn't it? Definitely Curufin. Galadriel - Cate Blanchett probably endorsed. Though I wouldn't mind Rosamund Pike and a playful younger Galadriel. Actually, scratch both of those. Tell Emmanuelle Beart to go back in time to her Manon des Sources look and hire her at once. Beleg - Arrrrgh. Um. Er. Got it. Jack Davenport. Give hima break from naval roles... Idril - Reese Witherspoon for a nasty little Becky Sharp of an Idril... Maeglin - Get an unknown. I know a perfect candidate. He lives in Oxford, attends school in Berkshire, has soulful brown eyes and attends the Barrowdowns under the name of Ang... er... Morgoth-CGI visually, obviously. The voice of Brendan Gleeson. Ha ha... Sauron - CGI visually, maybe. The voice of...er...Joaquin Phoenix? (Who incidentally is obviously really called John Bird and decided to spice things up a bit...) __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso Last edited by Anguirel; 04-21-2006 at 10:40 AM.

04-21-2006, 10:29 AM	#3
Eruanna Memento Mori Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Past The Point Of No Return Posts: 1,117	Some brilliant suggestions here. Alan Rickman is an asset to any film! I think I'd like to see a few 'lesser known' actors get their chance too. I'd suggest Gerard Butler as Hurin (he played the title role in Phantom of the Opera but is also good at emotional and action man type roles) I'd also suggest Morena Baccarin (from Serenity...or Firefly as it was originally) as Luthien. She is very beautiful. __________________ "Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."

04-21-2006, 10:38 AM	#4
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	An extremely good point. Probably the perfect parts for many of these, in all seriousness, are relative unknowns. __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

04-21-2006, 11:06 AM	#5
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	I must have Joaquim Phoenix as one of the sons of Feanor, I don't care which one. Also, I am rather taken with the earlier suggestion of Angelina Jolie as Luthien. Luthien's Mary-Sue qualities are something of a problem and Ms Jolie is edgy enough to dispel them. Halle Berry as Yavanna? (Again, thus dispelling irritating hippy earth mother quality) French actresses are in general a Good Thing. Good call of Emmeline Beart, Ang, but I'd prefer her as Idril....and Catherine Deneuve as Varda. __________________ Out went the candle, and we were left darkling

04-21-2006, 11:56 AM	#7
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	Sorry, Emanuelle, not Emmeline. I thought Ugolin a very poignant character. The ribbon thing.... __________________ Out went the candle, and we were left darkling

04-21-2006, 11:15 AM	#8
Eruanna Memento Mori Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Past The Point Of No Return Posts: 1,117	I think David Tennant would still qualify as a relative unknown...For now anyway. He's certainly capable of the intensity needed for Turin. He has really impressed me as Doctor Who. I'd have to think of a replacement for Jude Law as Celegorm though. Liam Neeson would get my vote as Beleg Cuthalion...he's a master at those type of mentor/father figure roles these days. __________________ "Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."

04-22-2006, 04:03 AM	#10
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	Not a bad idea, but I really do think Maedhros is his ideal part. I'm now having second thoughts about Alan Rickman as Maglor...argh... The title of the thread evoked a bizarre dialogue. MAGLOR: Hey, Maedhros, let's cast the Silmarillion! MAEDHROS: OK. Where? A fiery chasm? The ocean? __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

05-05-2006, 04:13 AM	#13
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	Some blasts from the past, alighted on in an idle moment... Audrey Hepburn as Aredhel (Aredhel is so a gamine) Gregory Peck as Turin. The young Jeanne Moreau as Morwen (bearing in mind that both Turin and his mother are described as very beautiful....) __________________ Out went the candle, and we were left darkling

05-05-2006, 06:50 AM	#14
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	Hayden Christiansen as Glorfindel? Never! Joaquin Phoenix as a son of Feanor... I think he would make a perfect Maglor, except the eyebrows... I agree that elves of the same generation should be casted with actors about the same age. As for Lúthien, absolutely no Angelina Jolie or Natalie Portman (too human-looking) or Keira Knightley (a poor actress, though beautiful). Alan Rickman as... Eöl! xD __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris

05-09-2006, 08:55 AM	#15
tom bombariffic Wight Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: In the house of Tom Bombariffic Posts: 196	Chuck Norris as Fingolfin roundhouse kicking Melkor outside Angband. Though by the laws of science (and chuck norris) that would mean Melkor would have to die. Oh and Ving Rhaimes as Manwe. Nuff said. bombariffic __________________ The 'hum' generated by an electric car is not in fact the noise of the engine, but that of the driver's self-righteousness oscillating at a high frequency.

05-10-2006, 11:09 PM	#16
Diamond18 Eidolon of a Took Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: my own private fantasy world Posts: 3,460	I'd like to see Rufus Sewell and James Franco in The Sil. Any role. I'm not good at matching particular actors to particular roles, but those are two actors I'd like to see playing men (as opposed to Elves or Maia.) Rufus in particular, there's got to be some role that just cries out for those eyes. (And yes, this is influenced by my having recently watched Tristan and Isolde -- though I've seen both actors in other films as well.) And honestly I think the only actress beautiful enough to play Luthien would be a young Olivia Hussey. __________________ All shall be rather fond of me and suffer from mild depression.

05-25-2006, 07:50 AM	#17
Macalaure Fading Fëanorion Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: into the flood again Posts: 2,911	Sewell is a good idea. He could play anyone of the Noldor, or maybe Túrin. Another suggestion: What about Cillian Murphy? I think he would be fitting for Orodreth.