Your fav.... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Vorrothiel · 01-27-2003, 03:57 PM

PJ has done an amazing job with all the creatures in Middle - Earth.. Which of the creatures in Middle Earth are your favorite?? (The Watcher, the Uruk-Hai, the orcs etc.) Personally I find the Balrog very facinating and just.. I havn't got a word that describes it.. just pretty cool..

01-27-2003, 04:11 PM

The Watcher in the Water, and naturally the Balrog. And probably Shelob when she makes her appearance.

Manardariel · 01-27-2003, 05:02 PM

I really liked the Nazgul, they were just soo cool and scary. Oh, and Gollum. He was sooooooooo cute and everything.

Laialthriel · 01-27-2003, 06:04 PM

I don't know if we can count him as a 'creature', but I conquer with the Gollum vote. He was...amazing...stunning...and I was just thoroughly impressed with him throughout the whole movie. Within the first 5 minutes he was on screen I had completely accepted him as a character and didn't even think about him being CGd. My creature vote would have to be for the Barlog. I loved the portrayal of the others so much, but wow. The Barlog was perfectly animated and presented. I heartily applaud the people in charge of it's creation and presentation.Laialthriel

Calenamarthiel · 01-27-2003, 07:22 PM

I would have to say Treebeard and the other Ents. They were so much like what I imagined them to be that it was like literally seeing my imagination come to life on the big screen. They had what I always imagined Treebeard to sound like down pat too. Very impressive.

Gorwingel · 01-27-2003, 07:28 PM

I would have to say Gollum, because the Balrog was very amazing and all, but it was an easier creature to do using CG. I was very worried about Gollum though, because from the first scenes that I saw in FOTR I was worried that he would not be a believable charater that I could watch for the entire film and believe that he was really there ineracting with Sam and Frodo. He blew me away! there are actual times where he doesn't look CG at all, he is very cool.

Fingo · 01-27-2003, 07:46 PM

Personally, my creature vote goes to the Cave Troll. They did a really good job animating him, dubbing in the walrus noises for his emotions and making him seem more than a mindlessly rampaging barbaric... thing. Yeah. For TTT at least.And I don't know about you guys, but I distinctly remember "the creature Gollum" from the books and the movies. So hands down, Gollum is my absolute fave. HE ROCKED! Here are my standings: 1) Gollum 2) Cave Troll 3) Balrog 4) Watcher 5) EntsWhy are Ents so far down on the list? They lacked the eyes I desperatly wanted to see rendered on the screen, so full of knowledge, history, wisdom, and the long passage of time. Ok that's being really picky and they did do a great job with Treebeard. But the rest of the Ents and their role in TTT just did not happen for me.

HCIsland · 01-27-2003, 08:27 PM

If you are counting Gollum as a creature, then Gollum wins hands down. Without a doubt the most realistic CG creation every. Just watch the texturing around the mouth. There's even a bit of moisture on the lips and they stick together a bit when he speaks slowly like real lips. This is especially noticable when Frodo calls him Smeagol early in the film and he repeats the name slowly to himself in close up.If Gollum isn't a creature, then my vote would like be for the Balrog, especially the scene where Gandalf falls with him. That was brilliant.H.C.

**The Saucepan Man** · 01-28-2003, 09:16 PM

All of them (Gollum in particular of course) except those damned stuffed hyena-lemming cross-breeds (Wargs).

HCIsland · 01-28-2003, 09:56 PM

LOLIt will be interesting to hear Weta talk about their design for them. I have an old Middle Earth Role Playing module for Isengard and Rohan. On the cover is a warg rider which amounts to an orc on a big wolf (which is guess is what it's supposed to be). It looks ridiculous though.H.C.

Inderjit Sanghera · 01-29-2003, 12:29 PM

Gollum and the Balrog.

Carlas · 01-29-2003, 04:11 PM

I dont really have a favorite, but Gollum was cool, and I will probably like Shelob, I loved her in the book!

Vardadurwen · 01-29-2003, 04:20 PM

Wow, no one has said the orcs yet! I thought they were well-done and definitely creepy, but still not my fave.I'd have to say the Balrog and the Ents were what I enjoyed the most. I love the Ents anyways, so even though their eyes were definitely lacking, I still thoroughly enjoyed their mere presence.My brother loved the Balrog. It was totally his favorite thing to see. And he really liked Gollum too...with good reason! Gollum was totally well-done and a very believable character.To me, the Wargs looked like some sort of dog that would be really fun to play with. They reminded me of Milo from "The Mask" when he puts the mask on. Don't ask why, but that's the picture I get haha.And of course the Cave Troll was very effective as being a creepy and gross and repulsive...cave troll! In TTT I really liked it when they showed the trolls pushing the gate open. That was totally cool!I don't really know what order I would put them in....probably something like this:1) Ents 2) Balrog 3) Gollum 4) Cave troll 5) Nazgul 6) Wargs 7) Orcs

doug*platypus · 01-30-2003, 03:52 AM

Peter Jackson at Bree is my favourite creature - he's so disgusting! I wish they had an action figure for him - Bree Man, NEW! now with Carrot!What did you mean when you said 'creature', Vorrothiel? I dunno if you could really count the Nazgûl if you're talking about beasties. Saruman's number one orc (not Uruk-Hai), with the face held together by rings was pretty durn scary! But I think the Watcher would have to be my pick of the bunch, very well done, even if a little too obviously CG.

Vorrothiel · 01-30-2003, 04:03 AM

I think I meant every "creature" that was not human , or elves or hobbits, I think.. The Nazgul counts..

doug*platypus · 01-30-2003, 04:11 AM

Then definitely, without question the Nazgûl. They make me drool like Grishnákh. Hate their voices though, especially after learning that they belong to Fran Walsh, scriptbutcherer. In PJs movies the Nazgûl should definitely be seen and not heard.

Grimbold · 01-30-2003, 08:21 AM

But I think we all wanted to hear the blood-chilling screech of the Nazgul which was so exciting in the book, particularly when it was first heard: when Sam and Frodo were walking through the woods to Farmer Maggot's and they heard it for the first time.

01-27-2003, 03:57 PM	#1
Vorrothiel Pile O'Bones Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Norway Posts: 14	Your fav.... PJ has done an amazing job with all the creatures in Middle - Earth.. Which of the creatures in Middle Earth are your favorite??<BR>(The Watcher, the Uruk-Hai, the orcs etc.) Personally I find the Balrog very facinating and just.. I havn't got a word that describes it.. just pretty cool..

01-27-2003, 05:02 PM	#3
Manardariel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Rivendell Posts: 807	I really liked the Nazgul, they were just soo cool and scary. <BR>Oh, and Gollum. He was sooooooooo cute and everything. __________________ Love is a perky elf dancing a merry little jig and then suddenly he turns on you with a miniature machine gun. Blog :-)\|FanFic Dream City

01-27-2003, 06:04 PM	#4
Laialthriel Animated Skeleton Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wherever my mind has currently taken me Posts: 48	I don't know if we can count him as a 'creature', but I conquer with the Gollum vote. He was...amazing...stunning...and I was just thoroughly impressed with him throughout the whole movie. Within the first 5 minutes he was on screen I had completely accepted him as a character and didn't even think about him being CGd. <P>My creature vote would have to be for the Barlog. I loved the portrayal of the others so much, but <I>wow</I>. The Barlog was perfectly animated and presented. I heartily applaud the people in charge of it's creation and presentation.<P>Laialthriel __________________ "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us." --Phil 3:14 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." --Gandalf the Gray

01-27-2003, 07:22 PM	#5
Calenamarthiel Pile O'Bones Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Philippines Posts: 24	I would have to say Treebeard and the other Ents. They were so much like what I imagined them to be that it was like literally seeing my imagination come to life on the big screen. They had what I always imagined Treebeard to sound like down pat too. Very impressive. __________________ "All that is gold does not glitter. Not all those who wander are lost."

01-27-2003, 07:28 PM	#6
Gorwingel Beholder of the Mists Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Somewhere in the Northwest... for now Posts: 1,419	I would have to say Gollum, because the Balrog was very amazing and all, but it was an easier creature to do using CG. I was very worried about Gollum though, because from the first scenes that I saw in FOTR I was worried that he would not be a believable charater that I could watch for the entire film and believe that he was really there ineracting with Sam and Frodo. He blew me away! there are actual times where he doesn't look CG at all, he is very cool. __________________ Wanted - Wonderfully witty quote that consists of pure brilliance

01-27-2003, 04:11 PM	#2
Ironshanks Guest Posts: n/a	The Watcher in the Water, and naturally the Balrog. And probably Shelob when she makes her appearance.

01-27-2003, 07:46 PM	#7
Fingo Haunting Spirit Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Over the river and through the woods (literally) Posts: 59	Personally, my creature vote goes to the Cave Troll. They did a really good job animating him, dubbing in the walrus noises for his emotions and making him seem more than a mindlessly rampaging barbaric... thing. Yeah. For TTT at least.<P>And I don't know about you guys, but I distinctly remember "the creature Gollum" from the books and the movies. So hands down, Gollum is my absolute fave. HE ROCKED! <BR>Here are my standings:<BR>1) Gollum 2) Cave Troll 3) Balrog 4) Watcher 5) Ents<P>Why are Ents so far down on the list? They lacked the eyes I desperatly wanted to see rendered on the screen, so full of knowledge, history, wisdom, and the long passage of time. Ok that's being really picky and they did do a great job with Treebeard. But the rest of the Ents and their role in TTT just did not happen for me. __________________ "We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers- thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams."

01-27-2003, 08:27 PM	#8
HCIsland Zombie Cannibal Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,000	If you are counting Gollum as a creature, then Gollum wins hands down. Without a doubt the most realistic CG creation every. Just watch the texturing around the mouth. There's even a bit of moisture on the lips and they stick together a bit when he speaks slowly like real lips. This is especially noticable when Frodo calls him Smeagol early in the film and he repeats the name slowly to himself in close up.<P>If Gollum isn't a creature, then my vote would like be for the Balrog, especially the scene where Gandalf falls with him. That was brilliant.<P>H.C. __________________ "Stir not the bitterness in the cup that I mixed myself. Have I not tasted it now many nights upon my tongue, foreboding that worse yet lay in the dregs." -Denethor

01-28-2003, 09:16 PM	#9
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	All of them (Gollum in particular of course) <B>except</B> those damned stuffed hyena-lemming cross-breeds (Wargs). __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!

01-28-2003, 09:56 PM	#10
HCIsland Zombie Cannibal Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,000	LOL<P>It will be interesting to hear Weta talk about their design for them. I have an old Middle Earth Role Playing module for Isengard and Rohan. On the cover is a warg rider which amounts to an orc on a big wolf (which is guess is what it's supposed to be). It looks ridiculous though.<P>H.C. __________________ "Stir not the bitterness in the cup that I mixed myself. Have I not tasted it now many nights upon my tongue, foreboding that worse yet lay in the dregs." -Denethor

01-29-2003, 12:29 PM	#11
Inderjit Sanghera Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wolverhampton, England Posts: 716	Gollum and the Balrog. __________________ “If I’m more of an influence on your son as a rapper then you are as a father then you've got to look at yourself as a parent” ~>Ice Cube. "Life is so beautiful"->Don Vito Corleone

01-29-2003, 04:11 PM	#12
Carlas Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lost in the Fog of the Downs Posts: 359	I dont really have a favorite, but Gollum was cool, and I will probably like Shelob, I loved her in the book! __________________ 七転八起...

01-29-2003, 04:20 PM	#13
Vardadurwen Wight Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 102	Wow, no one has said the orcs yet! I thought they were well-done and definitely creepy, but still not my fave.<P>I'd have to say the Balrog and the Ents were what I enjoyed the most. I love the Ents anyways, so even though their eyes were definitely lacking, I still thoroughly enjoyed their mere presence.<P>My brother loved the Balrog. It was totally his favorite thing to see. And he really liked Gollum too...with good reason! Gollum was totally well-done and a very believable character.<P>To me, the Wargs looked like some sort of dog that would be really fun to play with. They reminded me of Milo from "The Mask" when he puts the mask on. Don't ask why, but that's the picture I get haha.<P>And of course the Cave Troll was very effective as being a creepy and gross and repulsive...cave troll! In TTT I really liked it when they showed the trolls pushing the gate open. That was totally cool!<P>I don't really know what order I would put them in....probably something like this:<P>1) Ents 2) Balrog 3) Gollum 4) Cave troll 5) Nazgul 6) Wargs 7) Orcs __________________ 'In this phial,' she said, 'is caught the light of Earendil's star....May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out...' - Galadriel 'Now there's an eye-opener and no mistake!' - Samwise Gamgee

01-30-2003, 03:52 AM	#14
doug*platypus Delver in the Deep Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 960	Peter Jackson at Bree is my favourite creature - he's so disgusting! I wish they had an action figure for him - Bree Man, NEW! now with Carrot!<P>What did you mean when you said 'creature', Vorrothiel? I dunno if you could really count the Nazgûl if you're talking about beasties. Saruman's number one orc (not Uruk-Hai), with the face held together by rings was pretty durn scary! But I think the Watcher would have to be my pick of the bunch, very well done, even if a little too obviously CG. __________________ But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name'.

01-30-2003, 04:03 AM	#15
Vorrothiel Pile O'Bones Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Norway Posts: 14	I think I meant every "creature" that was not human , or elves or hobbits, I think.. The Nazgul counts..

01-30-2003, 04:11 AM	#16
doug*platypus Delver in the Deep Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 960	Then <B>definitely, without question</B> the Nazgûl. They make me drool like Grishnákh. Hate their voices though, especially after learning that they belong to Fran Walsh, scriptbutcherer. In PJs movies the Nazgûl should definitely be seen and not heard. __________________ But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name'.

01-30-2003, 08:21 AM	#17
Grimbold Haunting Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Númenor Posts: 88	But I think we all wanted to hear the blood-chilling screech of the Nazgul which was so exciting in the book, particularly when it was first heard: when Sam and Frodo were walking through the woods to Farmer Maggot's and they heard it for the first time. __________________ Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountains. Like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the west. Behind the hills, into shadow. How did it come to this?