Frodo's change from book to film

[Lotrelf]

Originally Posted by FerniesApple

I dont agree, thats silly, of course the script was about Frodo

You think so? 'cause I don't. Tolkien's Frodo is completely a different character than Jackson's Frodo. Movies stripped most of the qualities he showed in the books. His wisdom, selflessness, will to sacrifice himself etc.were missing from the movies. Gollum's redemption, Saruman's death were not added at all. I'm rambling badly, I'll explain better later. Cheers!

[FerniesApple]

Originally Posted by Lotrelf

You think so? 'cause I don't. Tolkien's Frodo is completely a different character than Jackson's Frodo. Movies stripped most of the qualities he showed in the books. His wisdom, selflessness, will to sacrifice himself etc.were missing from the movies. Gollum's redemption, Saruman's death were not added at all. I'm rambling badly, I'll explain better later. Cheers!

Nope. I think people (in general) are mistaking Elijah Woods facial expressions as evidence that he is somehow lesser in character. He showed selflessness and courage throughout the films, maybe it was hard to recognize because he has quite an innocent baby face which lends itself to looking hurt and bewildered. Just imaging that it wasnt Wood but another actor with exactly the same dialogue, imagine its James McAvoy someone a bit more masculine looking maybe, I dont think it was a problem of the things he said but more his acting style that puts people off. Anyway thats my opinion take it or leave it.

[Lotrelf]

Originally Posted by FerniesApple

Nope. I think people (in general) are mistaking Elijah Woods facial expressions as evidence that he is somehow lesser in character. He showed selflessness and courage throughout the films, maybe it was hard to recognize because he has quite an innocent baby face which lends itself to looking hurt and bewildered. Just imaging that it wasnt Wood but another actor with exactly the same dialogue, imagine its James McAvoy someone a bit more masculine looking maybe, I dont think it was a problem of the things he said but more his acting style that puts people off. Anyway thats my opinion take it or leave it.

I am not one of those who after watching the films said Frodo was whiner or wimp. But I could not consider him the hero of the movies either. It was the books that gave me the confirmation of it. I don't doubt Elijah Wood did an admirable job in portraying the character of Frodo, and ROTK is his best. I don't judge a character or a person by their looks, it's About how they are from inside. Frodo, in the movie, is quite frail. Gollum's redemption, the part that is one of the most important parts of the book was not added there. The whole Gollum redemption scene proved Frodo's decision wasn't wrong, his wisdom and his ability to cope with the evil was proved by that part. Saruman's death is there in the extended DVD but completely different scene that does not have anything to do with Frodo. In the book that scene explains who Frodo has become. He asks Sam to go home. There are many explanations from both fans of the movies and movie makers themselves but honestly, they don't justify the decision they took for Frodo. That is the reason most movie fans hate him.

[FerniesApple]

Originally Posted by Lotrelf

I am not one of those who after watching the films said Frodo was whiner or wimp. But I could not consider him the hero of the movies either. It was the books that gave me the confirmation of it. I don't doubt Elijah Wood did an admirable job in portraying the character of Frodo, and ROTK is his best. I don't judge a character or a person by their looks, it's About how they are from inside. Frodo, in the movie, is quite frail. Gollum's redemption, the part that is one of the most important parts of the book was not added there. The whole Gollum redemption scene proved Frodo's decision wasn't wrong, his wisdom and his ability to cope with the evil was proved by that part. Saruman's death is there in the extended DVD but completely different scene that does not have anything to do with Frodo. In the book that scene explains who Frodo has become. He asks Sam to go home. There are many explanations from both fans of the movies and movie makers themselves but honestly, they don't justify the decision they took for Frodo. That is the reason most movie fans hate him.

I seriously question whether most movie fans hate him. Maybe most people on this forum hate him, but mostly I think people agree Wood did a sterling job. As do I.
He perfectly embodied the slightly effete officer, Sam as faithful capable batman that Tolkien probably based their relationship on. Frodo depends entirely on Sams sturdy good Hobbit sense, in a film of 3 or so hours they dont have the luxury of many book layers. It has to be a somewhat simplified portrayal and they decided to have Frodo be vulnerable and full of inner pain and torment. It worked out brilliantly.

[Nerwen]

FerniesApple, I agree that Lotrelf is exaggerating by saying most movie fans hate Frodo. However, your belief that everyone else here is judging by Wood's acting and appearance rather than by the character's actions or dialogue also seems to me quite unfounded. The complaints voiced on this thread have mostly been too specific to bear that interpretation.

Besides, if you were right, it would show he was miscast, wouldn't it?

[FerniesApple]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

FerniesApple, I agree that Lotrelf is exaggerating by saying most movie fans hate Frodo. However, your belief that everyone else here is judging by Wood's acting and appearance rather than by the character's actions or dialogue also seems to me quite unfounded. The complaints voiced on this thread have mostly been too specific to bear that interpretation.

Besides, if you were right, it would show he was miscast, wouldn't it?

No. it wouldnt.
I am trying to understand why the people on this forum seem to dislike Woods performance and am putting forward hypothetical reasons why. The 'characters actions or dialogue' and his acting are one and the same thing. I am saying perhaps Wood has been misjudged by not 'looking' like people imagined Frodo from the books, and perhaps he has 'acted' in a manner unlike imagined from the books, but that is down to personal taste more than any serious flaws or deviations from the original. The message is the same even if the messenger is speaking in an unfamiliar accent. I dont think they did Frodo a disservice by making him gentler, I think it made him more interesting, but thats my personal opinion.

[alatar]

I wouldn't blame Elijah Wood for the failures of Frodo or the movies - that would be like blaming Hayden Christensen for the dreck that are the Star Wars prequels. Wood could only do what he was asked and what was in the script.

In other posts I renamed the movie Frodo as "Frodo Baggage," as the character always seems to be being carried by others. In the books he seems to be much more self-reliant.

What scenes from the movies or from the books do you feel show Frodo in a better light?

- Of course I like when he takes a swipe at the Witch-King on Weathertop.

- "Go back to the land of Mordor and follow me no more!" at the Fords of Bruinen.

- The scene where Frodo is shown to be both soft and stern (in Sam's eyes) when dealing with Gollum and the Ring.

- His shrewd interactions with Faramir.

In the movie I do like when he and Sam are awaiting death on Mount Doom, before the Eagles appear. The look on his face when the entire Minas Tirith crowd turns to him (and his three companions) is excellent.

[Lotrelf]

Originally Posted by FerniesApple

I seriously question whether most movie fans hate him. Maybe most people on this forum hate him, but mostly I think people agree Wood did a sterling job. As do I.
He perfectly embodied the slightly effete officer, Sam as faithful capable batman that Tolkien probably based their relationship on. Frodo depends entirely on Sams sturdy good Hobbit sense, in a film of 3 or so hours they dont have the luxury of many book layers. It has to be a somewhat simplified portrayal and they decided to have Frodo be vulnerable and full of inner pain and torment. It worked out brilliantly.

Last year, after finishing the books, I liked lots of Facebook pages and was suprised to see the hatred/dislike he recieved from the fans. There wasn't a single post that was had the comments like "Frodo is a wimp" or "Frodo whines a lot". I realized it was because of the movies that most fans thought so. I couldn't believe someone could hate any LOTR character. It was suprising to me. Since then, it's only Frodo who's hated with passion and being a "Frodo-fan" is considered a sort of insult. Maybe it's kinda exaggeration but I don't think it's appropriate to hate any character from the movies or books. It's just stupid. As for Elijah, I agree his was an exceptional performance, but it's the script that ruined MANY THINGS.

[Zigûr]

Originally Posted by Lotrelf

Last year, after finishing the books, I liked lots of Facebook pages and was suprised to see the hatred/dislike he recieved from the fans. There wasn't a single post that was had the comments like "Frodo is a wimp" or "Frodo whines a lot".

I don't wish to be facetiously reductive as such, but I think the kind of people who blurt out derogatory remarks (even about fictional characters) in comments on Facebook are probably not the kind of people who can appreciate the nuances of a character like Frodo.

At the risk of making a further generalisation, in my opinion a lot of online "fan communities" on social media are rife with ill-thought-out and simplistic views on texts. I think there are different kinds of "fans" who appreciate things on different levels and for different reasons. This is why I stick to the Downs.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Zigûr

At the risk of making a further generalisation, in my opinion a lot of online "fan communities" on social media are rife with ill-thought-out and simplistic views on texts. I think there are different kinds of "fans" who appreciate things on different levels and for different reasons. This is why I stick to the Downs.

Not being a FaceBooker, I'm not privy to specific comments on social media, and my sole online interaction with those who have seen the movies is accomplished here.

My personal experience though with friends and relations who have viewed the films has revealed that even those who have read the books don't esteem them the way I do. They have difficulty separating the two media, and view the books through the same lens as the movies. I like to think of the films as a loose adaptation, with the 'real' story being in the books.