Adaptation by Vague Recollection

[Zigûr]

Originally Posted by IxnaY AintsaY

I think a Del Toro version would have been really interesting at the least. Possibly very good; and almost certainly would not have cleaved closely to the book except maybe, maybe in a spiritual sense.

There, in just a quick lick of typing, I've fulfilled my vague and indemonstrable speculation quota for the day!

Oh don't get me wrong, I would have been far more interested to see Del Toro's "Hobbit" than what we got. That being said, the only Del Toro film I've seen is Hellboy II and I didn't like it (although that may be because I watched it on a plane, hadn't seen the first one and/or wasn't a pre-existing Hellboy enthusiast).

I just think that Del Toro's version, as you say, might have cleaved less closely, and might have been even more stylised and, perhaps, weird. It probably would have been more visually and artistically interesting than Jackson's, though, I suspect.

I know little of the art of filmmaking but I sometimes can't help but think that the success of Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" may have owed more to the fact that it was an exciting story to begin with than people usually give it credit for.

[IxnaY AintsaY]

Originally Posted by Zigûr

Oh don't get me wrong, I would have been far more interested to see Del Toro's "Hobbit" than what we got. That being said, the only Del Toro film I've seen is Hellboy II and I didn't like it (although that may be because I watched it on a plane, hadn't seen the first one and/or wasn't a pre-existing Hellboy enthusiast).

Watch Pan's Labyrinth or The Devil's Backbone when you get the chance.

[Faramir Jones]

I agree with IxnaY about Pan's Labyrinth. Having not seen The Devil's Backbone, I won't say if it's worth seeing or not.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

I agree with IxnaY about Pan's Labyrinth. Having not seen The Devil's Backbone, I won't say if it's worth seeing or not.

In many ways, The Devil's Backbone is as good or better a movie than Pan's Labyrinth. Simply one of the best filmed and poignant ghost stories I've seen.

[Zigûr]

Another article came to my attention just now on the issues with the production of the films which seem to suggest it was less "Vague Recollection" and more "Rushed Production" (although surely they at least had the book as a guide?):

http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/19/9...le-explanation

Long story short, as Faramir Jones posted on the previous page, there is indeed a special feature on the Part 3 Blu-Ray which discusses the difficulties of the production.

This seems like the perfect promotional opportunity to me: "Only by buying The Battle of the Five Armies on Blu-Ray will you be able to discover why the film is so terrible!"

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Zigûr

Another article came to my attention just now on the issues with the production of the films which seem to suggest it was less "Vague Recollection" and more "Rushed Production" (although surely they at least had the book as a guide?):

http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/19/9...le-explanation

Long story short, as Faramir Jones posted on the previous page, there is indeed a special feature on the Part 3 Blu-Ray which discusses the difficulties of the production.

This seems like the perfect promotional opportunity to me: "Only by buying The Battle of the Five Armies on Blu-Ray will you be able to discover why the film is so terrible!"

I would give them points for 'fessing up...except they didn't do it until after they had made as much money as they could.

[Zigûr]

As a side note on these films as adaptations, some friends have got me watching US sitcom "Parks and Recreation" and one character was baiting another for his "nerdiness" in an episode I just watched by asking him if he was going on a "year long walking tour of the set of The Lord of the Rings," to which he replied "To be honest with you I wasn't a fan of Peter Jackson's interpretation, so you can put that one away."

Now there's a point of view about the films that you don't see represented too often in popular culture. I found it rather pleasing.