Limiting potential imagination

[mark12_30]

I agree with Saucy, and I extend that to illustrations as well.

For me, the visual imagery of the films matches with that formed in my imagination in most cases, although where the two do diverge I have no difficulty in sticking with my own image when reading the book.

Basically, whenever I see something that is better than what I imagined, I adapt it. And if I don't like an image, it (eventually) gets tossed.

Very few of the Hildebrant pictures did my imagination any favors. But I have not retained a single Hildebrant image of a character as my own. Galadriel's mirror was almost okay, and for a while, I imagined Galadriel to look (a little) like that.

But now the Hildebrant Galadriel has been happily tossed in favor of Kate Blanchett. Dominic Moynahan has not replaced my Merry; Billy Boyd is encroaching on my Pippin but only partway; Elijah Wood is a separate and distinct Frodo from my book Frodo (but I enjoy both.) My Boromir tends to morph, occasionally taking on Sean-Bean-like qualities, but more often my own picture entirely.

My Aragorn and Viggo's Aragorn are two separate entities, although (as Frodo) I enjoy both. Likewise, Arwen; I enjoy both Movie-Arwen and Book-Arwen, but they are separate.

For Eowyn I have happily and almost entirely adapted Miranda Otto-- and am content.

My Legolas is fuzzy and indstinct, and morphs quite a bit.

PJ's Minas Tirith was magnificent and is now "mine." Likewise the beacons, although I still see them being lit as Gandalf and Pippin ride eastward.

Anyway, I could go on ad infinitum but you get the idea. I expect this progressive adaptation will continue as long as my interest in Tolkien remains.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 10:40 AM February 03, 2004: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]