Still forming your own images of Middle-earth, or stuck with Elijah and co.?

[Amarie]

More vital to me when I read the books than the way the charactors look in my mind is the way they sound. Since watching the movie(which by the way ticked me off until I was able to separate it from the book) I do see the movie charactors at certain moments in the book. I Don't mind that. Sometimes I hear the actors' voices and that does bother me a little, but those parts are few and brief. It was quite upset about the omission of Gildor Inglorion when I first watched the movie, but now I think I am thabnkful for it. Deep down, I want to know what he would have been like in the movie though.
I said this morning at another forum: It's funny how the movie could not take the boook away from me as so many other adaptions have. One the whole,I read the book, PJ and his attempts do not exist.

[ September 19, 2002: Message edited by: Amarie ]

[bombur]

I think the most failed charachters in the movie were those who were not humans... I mean, they are played by just normal humans...

Aragorn and Boromir (who is my fawourite of the fellowship) are exactly as I have alwys thought them to be. So are Gandalf and Saruman.

Not even all the non-humans were failed. Dwarwes were rather good... its easy to conseal inadequaciues under that enormous beard. Elronds player brought well out his bitternes and tiredness to the world and looked as a half elf should.

But...

Hobbits were not stubby and plumb enough.

Legolas was not tall enough.

Note to Liv Tylor, you might be pretty, but you are not Arwen.

Note to Cate Blanchett... It is not easy to play someone who is threehundred times your age.

Oh the inadequasies of humans trying to play eleves and hobbits.


JH

[Lûthien Nénharma]

When I first read about Arwen when I read the fellowship I pictured it differently then how Liv Tyler presented her. I pictured Arwen with a more aged look apon her, not physically , but emotionally and mentally. I mean yes Liv did do a good job with potraying Arwen's love for Aragorn. But I pictured Arwen more independent and her love for Aragorn to be more of how Jesus loved his disciples way. I also pictured her to be more fragile and more daint of a person with an amazing will. I alos pictured her to have more of a weary look apon her.

Oh well that is personally my thought.

[Saraphim]

At first I thought i had been corrupted by the actors. But now, with the onset of my re-reading the books again, I find myself falling back to the old way I used to picture the characters.

[Bombadil]

I like to use the word contamination for this occurence. The negative connotation is not directed at the film or the filmmakers, but for myself going to watch it over 20 times, and contaminating my own imagination. For this reason I have not gone to see any of the Harry Potter movies!

Hmm, I'm going to go through the actors and actresses step by step in order of apearance.

Elijah/Frodo- He just was not right. I'm not sure how, but his only expressions were "the rock is going to eat me" (sorry, I've been spending too much tim around my overly spooky horse) and a look of absolute terror.

Sir Ian/Gandalf- This was exactly how I pictured Gandalf and I think Sir Ian McKellan did a very good job. Now if only he'd gotten the Dumbledore part...

Ian/Bilbo- He wasn't in the movie that much, so I can't really say.

Sean/Sam- He was the best of the hobbit actors, but that was just not how I pictured Sam Gamgee.

Billy/Pippin- He was really good. Pippin was just how I pictured him and he got the personality right too.

Merry- Don't shoot me, I forget the actor's name. He was good. He was every bit the responsible hobbit I thought him to be.

Viggo/Strider/Aragorn/Elessar- He was a perfect Aragorn. He was exactly how I pictured Aragorn and his personality fitted perfectly. He was quiet, and did not speak unless he had to. As I've heard, the real Viggo is the same personality as Aragorn. Quiet, kind, polite, helpful. And please not that I do NOT like Viggo.

Post more later.

[wilwarin538]

I saw FOTR and then I read all three books , so i already had a picture of what everybody looked like, but i did change my view of some characters, for example:

hugo/elrond:he is way too old looking, elves are supposed to stay young looking and not age but he looks aged

liv/arwen: I find she doesnt have the right look, she looks really pouty and has big lips, i dont want to be mean but i dont think shes pretty enough for that role.

billy/pippin: dont get me wrong I love him as pippin but in my mind I did make him a little younger and more vulnerble looking but hes still perfect for the movies

elijah/frodo: hes the complete opposite of pippin he was too imature looking like hes supposed to be 50 he didnt seem old enough for me

[Rinfanawen]

I have noticed that many of you have commented on the fact that Elijah looked too young for the role of Frodo, and he thus did not fit the part. I have to admit that I agree with this to a certain extent, but I only agree with the physical aspect of the point. You also have to look at the fact that Elijah showed a very mature Frodo, though young in the face. He played the part well in acting like an older Hobbit rather than a younger one. And after all, Hobbits live longer than mortal men. So who says that a 50 year old, or 33 year old when they started out, Hobbit could not look like a 20 year old human?

To further emphasize my point, I must tell a line ffrom both the movie and the books. In TTT, Aragorn mentions to the Riders of the Riddermark the following about Merry and Pippin:

"They would be small, only children to your eyes,..."

I would guess by this comment that it would not just be the hight that would make a grown Hobbit look like a child, but also the look of the face. However, in this scene the riders were riding through on horseback. So one might say that they were riding too fast too take a good look at their face. But then look at this from ROTK...

"I will not hide from you, Master Peregrin," said Beregond, "that to us you look almost as one of our children, a lad of nine summers or so;..."

Even though Pippin was indeed younger than Frodo, still 9 years is quite a ways seeing Pippin was 28, I believe when they set out from the Shire. Frodo might have looked 20 although he was indeed 33. That's just one person's opinion though.

[One of the Nine]

Well, either I'm a really sad case of a lack of imagination, or I'm just wierd, because whenever I try to get a mentle image of whatever I'm reading, I get a blurry somewhat half-picture of whatever I'm trying to put an image to. So, as soon as I saw the movies, the images kind of stuck. AND, since I didn't have a mentle image for anyone, nothing ever bothered me. No one's looks or if they looked to young or not. I'm just me, but I think PJ actually did OK with the cast. That's at least one thing good I can say to his name. I don't know. Maybe I got dropped to many times as a young child.

[Araréiel]

Anunia, what country are you in that only just published the book? Beware of translated versions. The old Swedish version was translated into Legolas remembering walking through the forests with his children!! I'd imagine other translations also have errors.

I read the Hobbit right before seeing the first movie (the day the DVD came out!!), which was right before I read the book. And the version of The Hobbit I read had a picture of what looked like John Goodman on the cover. So I had been picturing Bilbo like that, and, while I did know who Frodo was before the movie, I imagined him to look like that as well. I'm reading the book yet again, and have an older-looking character in my head, and for Sam, I see him almost buck-toothed. The movie characters are definitely much more attractive.

I had read up on who Arwen was before the movie, and Liv Tyler ended up looking close to what I had in my head.

And, sorry, but I do see Orlando Bloom as Legolas. While I was so swept away in the story when I first saw the movie, I did later develop a crush on him (should I duck to avoid the tomatoes I'm sure some of you BD-ers are likely to throw now?). However, I do sometimes see him with black hair.....

[Aredhel]

No, don't duck, Araréiel! Orli was wonderful as Legolas. Nevermind the hair color thing. His performance was soft voiced, he was light on his feet as we'd expect Legolas to be, and of course his work with the special effects crew was fantastic. To this day I still can't shake the picture of him hitching a ride, swinging himself up into the saddle in TTT. It was GREAT. I found all the secondary characters in the movies wonderful - and Sir Ian was great as Gandalf. I've got a few itchy points with Elijah, though, and the recharacterization of Faramir irked me greatly.

I didn't use the movies to color my imaginations of Tolkien's world. I already had that in my head. I will say that the scene artists, the armourers, the silversmiths, even the makeup artists all had the same image that I did, and I'm thankful for that.
I still walk in Doriath in my dreams, though. *sigh*

[Araréiel]

Aredhel, he broke I think it was a rib or two filming that shot. Though I'm still trying to figure out if that was a bad MSN article or if they really were stupid enough to have a main character (main as in not easily replaceable-Eowyn was filmed in 6 months, and Arwen in less time I think, but Orli was there the whole time) film such a dangerous scene nearer the end of filming!

I do think the main problem so many people have with him now is that he was a percet character in the books, but sacrified for sex appeal for the film, much as Merry and Pip were sacrificed for comic relief. I understand the PJ was working on such a huge budget, no backing down if film one bombed. Most films, if #1 bombs, just don't make #2. But since they were filmed together, the risk was great, even if it was half the cost of filming three individual movies.

For visual appeal, and to draw in people who would later be fans, Jackson had to take certain concessions. I feel there is very little to laugh at in the books. And to try to make new fans with a movie three hours long would be difficult. Most people cringe at the thought of a three-hour-movie.

Arwen was added in more partially to show the relationship between her and Aragorn (imagine the chemistry between Aragorn and Eowyn, butthen this strange Elf coming in at the end and vapor-lock-smooching Aragorn!-Non-readers would be like, Huh? ***?) and also to appease those morons who think Tolkien is disrespectful of women in not giving more than Eowyn a very active role. Or so I real. But it fits.

A three-hour-movie, all serious, no matter how beautiful the overall scenery and visuals, would be to "dull" for people who haven't read the books and developed an appreciation for Tolkien. Hence the chance of Merry and Pip to comics. But they were so perfectly cast it's forgiveable-almost. At least it's enjoyable!

But with Legolas and the legions of girls who pine away in their little teen-age dreams cheapens him to a great extent. I had a crush on him once, and got over it when I found out Orli was (and still is) dating some girl from the movie Blue Crush (I can't keep interested in a guy who's with someone else). The first time I watched FotR, before the books, I hardly noticed him. I was so into the story as a whole, and I knew that things would be changed. So I watched the DVD again immediately, and was hooked. It wasn't until after reading the books that I noticed Orli, and was actually confused at first since I had pictured Legolas as a dark-blue-eyed, sometimes brown-eyes, Elf with long black hair. Then there he was as a blonde? I go back and forth between liking my version better and liking Orli's version better. My version is brisker, but Orli's version is softer. It depends on my mood.

[VanimaEdhel]

I had a crush on him once, and got over it when I found out Orli was (and still is) dating some girl from the movie Blue Crush (I can't keep interested in a guy who's with someone else).

Well, you shouldn't let someone like Kate Bosworth interfere with who you have a crush on. It's like I tell a lot of the Orlando Bloom fangirls: if they really like how they look, admire away. It is not as though any of them will ever actually be with the person. Then they usually hate me - though by then they're usually upset that I've said he is, in my opinion, a horrible actor so they're mad anyway. And that brings me to my reasoning for my special disapproval of Orlando Bloom and my exclusion of him from my thoughts of who "is" Legolas. I just don't see him as a very talented actor at the moment.

Aredhel, he broke I think it was a rib or two filming that shot. Though I'm still trying to figure out if that was a bad MSN article or if they really were stupid enough to have a main character (main as in not easily replaceable-Eowyn was filmed in 6 months, and Arwen in less time I think, but Orli was there the whole time) film such a dangerous scene nearer the end of filming!

And yes, Bloom did break two ribs falling off of a horse. The horse tripped, Orlando Bloom fell off the horse, landing on a rock, and the Gimli body-double fell off as well, landing on Bloom.

To this day I still can't shake the picture of him hitching a ride, swinging himself up into the saddle in TTT.

I, personally, did not care for that scene. I felt as though it was rather forced, especially as it went against the laws of physics. Elves were lithe, strong, and quick, but they were not completely superhumans, though they were immortal. This shot, in my opinion, made it look as though Elves could fly or something equally as impossible to their kind.

Getting off of the living actors for a second, the scenery was what really made the movie for me. When I was in Madrid, we went and saw Franco's Spanish Civil War Memorial. There is a church carved into the mountain. When I entered, I felt as though I walked into Dwarrowdelf. It looked a great deal like my mental images - and the onscreen images, of the place. Going back to the topic from my tangent, Peter Jackson did a magnificent job with the landscape and surrounding area of Middle Earth. I feel as though the land itself was a character in the movie worthy of mention as much as the people themselves.

[ninlaith]

The only two characters I thought could have been presented a little better in the movies were Frodo and Arwen. Eli was a wonderful Frodo but a little too soft and serious for my liking. Yes, Frodo had never been on an adventure but I just can't see the written character standing on the shores of Parth Galen with two gleaming tears running down his cheeks. It was a good idea for dramaic effect but oh well it was ok. Liv presented a wonderful performance as well, however, Arwen was only mentioned in the book. her appearance in the movie just shattered my visions of Glorfindel, whom I thought would've been played beautifully by Keifer Sutherland if he had slimmer facial features and was a little less masculine. I just can't picture him on a horse! Everyone was sensational all in all.

[Osse]

No, I have just watched the mounting sequence, and have come to the long-known conclusion that is indeed impossible, that is, for any of humanoid form... He generates motion from nowhere, and then moves in the opposite direction of that motion, add to that the fact that he was standing still and the horse was at a fast canter, the fact that there is an 80 kg dwarf atop the horse and the fact that the move would have broken his arm, and you'd still only be about a third of the way through the reasons of impossibilty!

It looks very CG as well...

Oh, the days of cheesy Legolas stunts... one would almost go as far to say that they are all he does in the films - sliding down stairs on shields, swinging onto horses, jumping all over moving Oliphaunts, doing backflips, jumping up and down... oh dear! No wonder the race of elves is declining!

[ninlaith]

sorry to burst the hypothetical bubble but Orlando Bloom did that stunt himself. Of course there were saftey features involved and they had to put a CG character over him to make it look realistic if that makes any sense. The scene went so fast that in the final cut of that scene Orlando was just a blur, so they slowed it down and covered him with a CG character.

[Lalaith]

I do now see Arwen as Liv and Legolas as Orlando but they are both very handsome and elf-like IMO, so I have no problem with that!

[Neferchoirwen]

Still am forming my own images. I've only seen the movie once, so, so far, the images of the actors have blurred (except when I finally get to watch it on DVD a few months form now).

Legolas has reformed in my mind, now. And yes, come to think of it, Aragorn does look like Jesus Christ...But I kinda like guys who look like that (like the guys who work at my favorite cd place).

I really don't mind the problem with the movie disrupting the imaginations of the readers. As for E Wood, I think he did a good job. Judging from this project that he participated in, I think that he was quite meticulous about deciding to make this movie. Elijah's image just blended in with the clear protrayal of his counterpart in the books.

In spite of the way the film executed the whole thing, I'd say reading it is much worth the experience. The mind makes an interpretation of its own, and Middle Earth becomes your own home--personalized into your own style.

[Mithuial]

I think that I'll never be able to quite go back to that time before the movie when I had to rely completely on my own imagination for the images of ME, but whenever I'm reading it now, and I find myself lost in it, sometimes my hobbits will more resemble what they looked like before I saw the movie, and Lothlorien will look like I always thought it should look. What, for you, is the character and place in the movie that are closest to your imagination? Sam is the character for me, and hobbiton is the place.

To be honest, I had just started the books when I saw the movie, but I most definitely have my own images. My pet peeve has to be Elijah Wood. He did a good job, but he's just not right. For one thing, Frodo's eyes are brown...and he should be..well..rounder. As for Legolas, he's really the only one I had trouble shaking the movie picture of. Not because I thought he looked right(I didn't), but for some reason I couldn't picture Legolas. I've finally managed to work up a mental picture, though, and suffice it to say it looks nothing like Orlando Bloom.

The rest of the hobbits looked just about right, and the elves were OK(except for shieldmaiden Arwen...ick), but to throw in my own version of the 'portrait' analogy, it was like you were seeing someone that looked a lot like a friend of yours -- enough like that friend that you might call out their name, but realize as the turned around that it wasn't them at all.

As for locations, well, most of them were gorgeous. I didn't really have a problem with most of the locations -- excepting Lothlórien, which didn't seem 'majestic' enough -- but it's true that they don't seem to have the sense of age, of having 'seen it all', that I get from the places in the books.

Mithuial -- well, that would have to be Bilbo, and Hobbiton. Hobbiton was the only place that looked just the way I imagine it. To expand on the question, what character and place looked least like you imagine them? Legolas and Lórien, for me.

[Bill Ferny]

The movie didn't really affect any of my mental pictures from the book. However, I can't remember of ever having a truly personnal mental picture. I read the books so long ago, and have re-read them so many times in the interim, that over the course of time my mental picture has been significantly influenced by many, many illustrators. John Howe, Alan Lee, Ted Nasmith, Roger Garland, to name just a few, plus Tolkien's own illustrations, have helped build a picture of Middle Earth in my mind's eye. Peter Jackson's illustration is just one more influence, and a pretty good one at that.

As my wife says a movie based on a book is good or bad in reference to whether or not it insults the book or not. PJ did a good job in not insulting the book.

[Mithuial]

Lorien is definately the least like I imagined it. As far as characters go I guess I can probably say that Elrond is the least like I imagined him. Maybe my Matrix agent Smith associations kept getting in the way. lol. But I think that the way Hugo plays Elrond is a little too grumpy or something.

[Diamond18]

For all you who think Elijah Wood is wrong because Frodo should look older and rounder, read this:

As time went on, people began to notice that Frodo also showed signs of good 'preservation': outwardly he retained the appearance of a robust and energetic hobbit just out of his tweens. 'Some folk hve all the luck,' they said; but it was not until Frodo approached the usually more sober age of fifty that they began to think it queer.

So Frodo should look younger than he is.

I can say I never noticed anything wrong with Legolas. Yes, I read the book before watching the movie, and no, I don't think Orlando Bloom is a heartthrob. To be honest, the thought never occured to me before I joined this site, even though I'm an 18-year-old female. I guess Legolas has always been fuzzy in my mind, so OB filled a void. But it does seem to me that all Tolkien characters had long hair (or bushy, if a hobbit) so I'd have to disagree with whoever said Legolas had short brown hair.

I have to admit I had considerable trouble with picturing Lorien in my own mind. I just could not do it. But as far as losing my own images I did have previously, I'd have to say that I had a different picture of Pippin. He had to look younger than the others, and he looks the oldest. But, by the time I finished watching the movie, I could not regain my original picture. Now I only see Billy Boyd even if I'm reading The Two Towers or Return of the King. This doesn't bother me, though, because I thought that ALL the actors did such a good job that even if their features didn't mesh, their performance did.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Diamond18--

You cited the quote below as an example that Elijah Wood did indeed fit Tolkien's portrayal of Frodo, and that those folk who wanted an "older, rounder" Frodo were wrong:

As time went on, people began to notice that Frodo also showed signs of good 'preservation': outwardly he retained the appearance of a robust and energetic hobbit just out of his tweens. 'Some folk have all the luck,' they said; but it was not until Frodo approached the usually more sober age of fifty that they began to think it queer.

I respectfully disagree with your view.

Listen to this description which Gandalf gave to Butturbur of Frodo:

'A stout little fellow with red cheeks'......this one is taller than some and fairer than most, and he has a cleft in his chin, perky chap with a bright eye.

PJ's Frodo is a very slight fellow, and he has a dreamy look about him even before he actually gets the Ring. He looks and acts nothing like the above. And, once in possession of it, PJ's Frodo almost instantly becomes a haunted figure, with terror mirrored on his face. This is not the Frodo of the book who struck back at the Barrow-wight with a sword, and who stands up bravely in a number of scenes where the movie portrays him as being carted around like baggage. It's not the Frodo of the book who rather foolishly stands up on the table to dance and sing a silly song to divert attention away from the indiscretions of his younger hobbit friends.

As far as age goes, remember this. Bilbo was supposed to be "stuck" at he age of 50 on account of the power of the Ring; Frodo at age 33. That would mean a 17 year difference between them in terms of appearance. Yet, if you look at the beginning of the movie and compare Bilbo with Frodo, it looks as if Frodo is much more than 17 years younger than Bilbo.

And it's not just a matter of appearance. Whatever Frodo may have physically looked like, there was a definite difference in experience and authority between him and the younger hobbits who were also part of the Fellowship. There is, for example, a 15-year gap between Frodo and Sam. Often, in the earlier pages of the book and even sometimes in the middle, Frodo acts almost as a teacher for Sam (much as Bilbo must have done). It is only as they trudge towards Mordor that these roles are gradually reversed. And the age differenial was even greater with the other hobbits. The difference between Frodo and Pippin, for example, was a full 22 years.

Yet, PJ never gives us a sense of Frodo's role as the older leader. I certainly enjoyed the movie, but the portrayal of Frodo in the book was very different (and preferable in my mind). Since I read the book many years before seeing PJ's film, I don't have too much trouble keeping my older images intact.

sharon, the 7th age hobbit

[Bill Ferny]

7th, you hit the nail right on the head! I was really upset about making Frodo into such a wimp! It seemed like the hobbits were always yelling "Strider, Strider!" to save hopeless little, girly-man, Frodo. It was annoying.

[Diamond18]

'A stout little fellow with red cheeks'......this one is taller than some and fairer than most, and he has a cleft in his chin, perky chap with a bright eye.

Dang, I forgot all about that one. (I mentally kick myself). Thanks for reminding me, Child of the 7th Age.

I'm afraid when I watched the movie I had the image of Sam dragging Frodo around Mordor stuck in my head, so I didn't notice him being wimpier than he should have been. But I've noticed in the TTT teaser trailer that they show Frodo whipping out his sword with a dangerous look in his eyes, so maybe he won't be so girly in TTT.

Well I must say that it was rather rude of PJ to do that to us all. Distorting our perceptions and imaginations as they did. [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img]
But then again ... Them guys are much too cute to stay mad at for long.
Especially Billy and Dominick (Pip and Merry) [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] They are much too cute for words, so I will now leave and sit and think of how awesomely cute they are as Hobbits of the Shire. (Merry Christmas all) [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Gorwingel]

Even though I read the books after I saw the first film, I still have my very own mental images. When I think of Frodo (especially in the first part of FOTR) I think of a shorter, wiser, older hobbit. My mental image of Gandalf the Grey is not much different from the movie version, but my version of Gandalf the White is. I also think of Aragorn looking different but it is hard to discribe. I also think of Arwen much differently. I really separate the film versions from my own.

I also think of many of the scenes differently . Like the Dead Marshes. My Dead Marshes are really dark, and are much more ominious. I also think of places like Shelob Lair differently, because I read these before I saw their version in the film, and shucks, I still like my version much better. Mine is again much darker, and more complicated. My Lorien is also much more golden, because the line about the leaves not falling and staying on the branches and turning gold is one of my favorites.

I keep the film and the books differently. When I watch the film, I think of it like the film. When I read the book, I use my own mental images.

[drigel]

I still have my own images. If I were able to advise PJ for a movie of The Hobbit - i would tell him: Keep up the landscapes but make them ummm well mistier, foggier, more mysterious. this is a pre- prehistory for goodness sakes. The earth was younger, more vital and alive. As with all historical movies - the actors are just too clean. They look like they just walked out of a dressing room onto a set. Of the characters in the LOTR movies, Morteson best put a face of Aragorn in the books for me. The rest I had to turn up the suspended disbelief knob in my head..

[Firefoot]

The movie didn't ruin my perception of characters and places. Bilbo looked older than I had thought in the movie. I didn't think Frodo looked too young but they changed other things about his appearance. I never saw the Matrix but Elrond didn't look at all like I had imagined him... in the book he seemed more wise and, I don't know, something else. Merry and Pippin grew and that was okay because of the ent-draughts but in RotK when they were all standing next to each other they were the same height and they should have been taller than Frodo and Sam. Sam was pretty good but how come he never lost any weight even on such short rations? Boromir was pretty good. When Gimli came in though my first reaction was "Whoa, THAT'S supposed to be Gimli?" He was completely changed.

As for places, Rivendell seemed very fakey to me. Also Lothlorien was pretty different. I thought the Shire was just about perfect!

So I guess what I did was if the movie images were similar to mine I kept those but if they were different I just sort of ignore them when I read the book. The movie also helped me in some places where I didn't have a very clear image in my mind of a character or place.

Well this wasn't supposed to be a long post... [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[TheSquireof Aragorn]

Everytime i read the book i see the movie characters, but i don't really mind because i think every actor fits well with their character.

Sadly I only read the books after i say the Fellowship so I had the movie characters in my mind and the way ME looked but I still ended up changing my image of some things such as pippin who I thought of being more young looking and more vulnerable even though Billy did a great job, i also think Elijah and Orlando were the perfect ones for the job.

[Lyta_Underhill]

Sam was pretty good but how come he never lost any weight even on such short rations?

I always wondered that too, Firefoot! Of course, Elijah's Frodo started out so thin that the concurrent Frodo-shrinkage could not have been borne! (Honestly, I think they should have padded Frodo's outfit for the first parts, though. He's constantly remarking how he'll have to keep tightening his belt along the beginning of the journey...) As for my images of the characters, strangely enough, when I read the books in 1991, I pictured Sam VERY much like Sean Astin came out to look! (Of course this could be hindsight blurring my perspective). I never had a clear picture of Frodo until I re-read the books in 2002, and by that time, Elijah was already Frodo (and always will be!). I didn't really have a problem with the way he looked, because of the Ring-effect, although there are a few clear differences, most notably the relative ages of all the hobbits. Bilbo and Gandalf--spot on! The Two Ians will ever be my image of these two! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] My mental image of Elves, however, still changes, and Elrond is not always Hugo Weaving; Arwen not always Liv Tyler, Galadriel not always, Cate Blanchett, etc. etc. I think the Silmarillion has a lot to do with this!

Cheers!
Lyta

[Arcuwen]

I started reading the LOTR trilogy after I saw the Fellowship also. When I read the books I did see the characters in the movies but it doesn't bother me because each actor really did an excellent job. The only thing that bothers me is that I keep wondering how I would have pictured them if I would have read the books before seeing the movie.

[Theron Bugtussle]

Ithaeliel *cowers from disdainful forum veterans*

I don't think it will be necessary for Movie-firsters to fear anything from us Book-firsters. Here on the Barrow-Downs, we are all equal in death. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

People who read the book first are expecting a big in-rush of first time book readers after the movie-going public is exposed to Tolkien for the first time. Or at least for the first time in a way they cannot ignore. Welcome to the wonderful world of Tolkien!

[Teleri]

I read the books first, and I think my problem with the movie/books is exactly the opposite of what would be exptected. I went to see ROTK in theaters, and couldn't get the books out of my head (not that that's really a problem). A couple of times (such as when Rohan charges) I actually found myself quoting the book in my head.
Some characters were perfect. I remember going to see the Fellowship of the Ring, and right at "A wizard is never late..." I wanted to stand up in my seat and scream "Look everyone it's REALLY Gandalf".

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

(I apologise in advance for the post. Time constrains me from reading properly the entirety of the thread.)

I've thought of making a thread like this when RotK's over. But I see someone beat me to it...

Fro and Sam are stuck!!!!!! So is Gandalf and Aragorn, and Gimli. That's about it.

Some scenes in my mind are more grand than that of the movies(should I make the movies, then?), while some are...well...the movies themselves(maybe it has something to do with the fact that I was converted by the movies... [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] )

->Elenrod

[Elentári_O_Most_Mighty_1]

Hmm well...firstly, Elijah's eyes are blue anyway, he wears clear contacts. Although of course with all the colour grading stuff in post production and what-not, I think his eyes became somewhat blue-er...and heck man, Orlando doesn't have a sissy voice! It's just kind of hoarse in the films for whatever reason. And his pronunciation of 'Aragorn' cracks me up every time I hear it...but not sissy. And dark eyebrows with blonde hair...I know someone like that! (Naturally, not dyed or anything). It looks fine, once you're used to it.

But yeah...I have a problem with creating images of people for some reason. I can imagine the place and whatever in perfect clarity, and the movies haven't changed that for me. I can switch back and forth with ease. But not ever having had images of the characters apart from a sudden flash I had when reading about Frodo's first glimpse of Arwen...I just insert the movie characters in. With some alterations or whatever of course...like no stubble on the hobbits or Elrond and whatever. Although I did assume Legolas had dark hair...where abouts in the Hobbit does it say Thranduil has blonde hair? I've never been able to find it...

And as for movie Legolas ruining any interest in book Legolas...I have no problem at all. Legolas may be my favourite character in the movies (along with Sean Astin), but I hardly notice him when I read the books and stuff. I still like Aragorn, Gandalf, Frodo and Sam more than Legolas. Although it is irritating that I can't find anything more about Legolas' character...apart from that short paragraph Tolkien wrote which was defending him against 'ladylike pictorial renditions' and whatnot. If I can find it, I might post it...It might have been in Lost Tales or something, I can't remember.

Hello,

I've left a private message for you.

Thanks

Larmess

[Carnimírië]

Yes, I'm still forming my own mental images, because I've never stopped. That's right, I must be the only person on this forum who has not yet seen any of the movies. My parents don't let me go to movie theaters, and we only watch videos occasionally, but this August I'll get to watch Fellowship of the Ring. I can hardly wait, but in a way I'll regret it, because when I read the books again I'll hear the actor's voices in my head and see the scenery from the movie instead of my original mental imagery. I'm almost sure that once I see the movie it will completely change the way I "see" and "hear" the things in the book, because it's happened to me before with other books and movies. I can't wait to see the movie, but at the same time I'm afraid, simply afraid of what it will do to my own imagination.