The New Hobbit Hole

[JenB]

So, carton, you're continuing your trend of defending those whom everyone else despises? This seems like taking it a little too far, though - but again, I'm a partisan. Thanks for the compliment; I just wish I knew more about LotR than anyone else I know.

2JM, what you said, exactly. Look at the Bakshi and tell me it was easy to adapt LotR as well as Jackson did. Now find me the rabid ABM book fans who would tear the screenwriters limb from limb if it varied too far from their imagined ideal. Obviously LotR was the harder screenplay to adapt, after all, ABM is set in the real world, and there are no Elves, Dwarves, or Hobbits. Actually that's most of the problem I have with it, right there....

[JenB]

Miranda Otto for Best Actress 2002/2003! Eowyn could take on Halle Berry and beat her in any kind of fight, anywhere.

[2Jedismom]

Otto would be good! Eowyn was my absolute heroine when I was growing up and was skinny and wore glasses an inch thick.

But seriously...I didn't even know who Halle Berry was, just a lady in a Pepsi commercial that unzipped her face and turned into Barry Boskovitch or whatever. Then when I saw her on the Oscars, she just seemed to border on hysterical, in the clip they played of her and then when she got the award. Rather vulgar, if you ask me...

[2Jedismom]

Obviously LotR was the harder screenplay to adapt, after all, ABM is set in the real world, and there are no Elves, Dwarves, or Hobbits. Actually that's most of the problem I have with it, right there....

And although we really knew it could happen, we were hoping it wouldn't even though none of us give a ring-tailed toot what the "Academy" thinks. It still smarts.

[Restorer]

after all, ABM is set in the real world, and there are no Elves, Dwarves, or Hobbits

Not all of it was as real world as you might think. Goodly chunks of it take place pretty much just in his mind. N

[JenB]

Yeah, but his mind was set in the "real world", wasn't it? He didn't imagine Elves or dragons, just real-world things that weren't actually there. Kinda like our own tinfoilhat people, I'd say.

[Penny1]

I just want to add that ITA with those who think FOTR should have won the adapted screenplay award. And no, I haven't seen or read ABM, but I have read enough reactions to it to know that while the story itself might have been well-done onscreen, it departed significantly from the work upon which it was based.

LOTR was absolutely the most difficult adaptation--just consider the fact that it took 8 years to develop a workable screenplay, and that is an indication of how challenging the material was to adapt. Then add in the sheer scope of what had to be translated from text to screen, with visuals, other-worldly characters, and the depth and number of characters, and it really is no comparison. It should have been a shoo-in, but it wasn't because it was not part of mainstream Hollywood's idea of who should win a screenplay award.

Hmph! Stupid academy!

[Penny1]

When they showed her clip at the Oscars, and then she won, I felt like they were following their usual pattern of giving awards to the best screamers in the business...

I know that's not fair, because I didn't see the film so I couldn't evaluate whether or not she turned in a great overall performance, but why is it that so often it is the screaming that is valued when it's awards time?

I can scream and wail....can I have an Oscar too please?

Hmph!

[Restorer]

True. I guess he didn't have a very inventive imagination!

If I was going to live in a fantasy world, I think it would look a lot more like ME.

[JenB]

Oh, mine too! Or at least would be full of snooty Elves and handsome Numenoreans... how come psychotics and insane people, in movies, always have boring imaginary worlds? I'm perfectly sane and can come up with better delusions.

[Penny1]

But what you don't find out unless you read the Appendices is that Aragorn has been defending Gondor all along under an assumed name. Of course that's for book-Aragorn only. I don't get much sense of Aragorn's past in the movie (except for the Arwen thing).

But the exchange between Aragorn and Boromir at Lothlorien hints at Aragorn's past defending Gondor. Nothing is said overtly, but he does say he had been there "long ago" and it's obvious in his face that he's remembering those long years spent there. I fully expect that to be referred to more overtly in TTT or at least in RotK.

[Penny1]

Darn...sorry about that, OT. I wish I knew how to set it up so that you could restart the download wherever it leaves off...

I guess I'll have to look into why it won't download the full file for anyone else...

Just for future reference, Imladris.net is trying to keep updated info on where people can download the trailer--it's usually listed right on their front page so you could check there for info too.

[carton253]

Well, best adapted screenplay is not about the book, it's about the screenplay that comes from the book. Now, I would have voted for A Beautiful Mind in this category because the adapter did a marvelous job. But, I do think that the Lord of the Rings did deserve the Best Picture and the Best Director.

And you do know more about these books than anyone I know and it is always fun to read your posts because I know I'm about to learn something.

[Overtaxed]

A small hint surely. :) A hint that he'd been there but not fought there.

[carton253]

Hmph! Stupid academy!

I will agree with you there!

[JenB]

Hmm... really, you flatter me. Good thing I'm not the sort of take advantage of your trust and feed you false information, isn't it?

Incidentally did you know that Galadriel and her evil twin, Beruthiel, are the illegitimate children of Feanor and Yavanna? Or how Aule created dragons to fight Balrogs, but the dragons went bad and turn on him?

;-)

[Penny1]

No, it was definitely just a hint, but it's obvious, to me at least, that it was there specifically for those Tolkien fans who knew the backstory and could insert exactly what Aragorn was "remembering" in that scene. If you watch Aragorn's face when Boromir is talking about coming home to the sound of silver trumpets, he's not just remembering being at the city, he's remembering just exactly what Boromir is talking about.

However, you're right, it's only a small hint...what is still to come may develop more of that, however. It's a question of whether or not they want to incorporate more of the extra-textual info from the appendices or not, I suppose. I remain very hopeful, though.... ;)

[carton253]

No... but I do now. Really, you are a wealth of information. My understanding of the books grow and grow.

[carton253]

Smeagol boldly makes a run at 1700!

[carton253]

Is it his?