Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
That was just a brief and un-called-for bout of socialist-like resentment of the upper classes and all their privilege and pampering. I am over it now. It was late and I was weak. I am sure Arwen-the-breathless will make a fine mom ;~D
I will just go back to looking at the pretty pictures now.
Boromir spent the whole trip (from Rivendell to the Palen ??) trying to convince the Fellowship to go to Minas Tirith. And when he realized that Frodo would take the ring to Mordor, he had no choice but to physically take the ring from Frodo.
A madness might have come over Boromir at that time. For Boromir knew what he had done was wrong. But it doesn't change the fact that at Lorien Sam knew the Boromir would take the ring. Now, they were 30 days in Lorien, then down the river... (never minding that Boromir watched Frodo the whole time)
So, the madness manifested itself... but Boromir's intent from the time he left Gondor (110 day journey) to the time he tried to take the ring from Frodo was to get the ring to Minas Tirith and use it to protect the city against the forces of Mordor.
What say you?
Because they are the best kind of heros. So much to overcome during the course of the story.
He is that!
Actually, Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind addresses this situation with Scarlett. He tells her that when parents have a hard go in life (Scarlett during the reconstruction), the parent always tries to spare their children the hardship they have endured. This turns the children into soft, spoiled things since hardships are what shapes character.
I don't know if I would take parenting tips from Rhett Butler... but, from observations in life... Rhett's not too far off the mark.
Or the poodle!
I don't have any faith in the Academy. (I know I'm going to get flamed for this.) If LOTR does well in the Oscars,that would mean that the Academy and I might actually agree on something...and that scares me. :)
He made the point that the material that made up the image gradually decreased in value the further down the image you went. Nebuchadnezzar was the golden part of the image, his kingdom was an absolute monarchy. The empires that came after, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and eventually the revived Roman Empire are all weaker forms of government.
Well, to make a long story short(or is it to make a short story long?) he made the case that it would be a democracy that would make up the empire represented by the feet of clay and iron. It was his contention that God has a dim view of democracies.
Any thoughts about that? I know this had nothing to do with Tolkien so if you would like to take this conversation to The Neverending Story that would be ok with me.
-ksen
But then they find their hard work rewarded and live happily ever after...what kind of message is that sending to our kids? "Nose to the grindstone, son, and you'll have a throne of your own someday." Children need to be slapped upside the face early on with the cold hard facts of life. Give them heroes like Agamemnon -- survives ten years of brutal war only to return home and get hacked to death in the bathtub with an axe by his cheating wife. Now that's reality! :-)
Boromir's very first idea at the council was to use the ring, and although he heard the reasons why not, he did not really believe them. He accepted the decision of the council more because he was outvoted than because he was convinced. I don't think the idea of using the ring disappeared... And he kept his doubts close, to be sure, which worked with everyone but Galadriel.
And lets not forget, Tolkien tells us through Galadriel that Boromir will be the first, but not the only one of the fellowship to be taken by the evil. If Boromir was to be the only weak link, Frodo would not have had to leave everyone behind, only Boromir. Frodo was told that one by one it would take all of them (except for our Sam) If the lure of the Ring is as evil as Tolkien tells us it is, it would have found a way of corrupting all of them in time. Let us not forget the way the end plays out.
So Boromir was only the first to go, and his susceptability to the temptation was not inherently evil, but was formed out of his patriotism and desire to find something, anything, that would save his people. He had his father's distrust of the wisdom of wizards and elves perhaps, and temptation re-organizes our thoughts and priorities.
Paul McCartney has a best original song "Vanilla Skies" so he'll win because the Academy always votes for the rock icon. Bob Dylan? Come on!
Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Picture will all go to Beautful Mind. Robert Altman may sneak in for Gosford Park.
I think Lord of the Rings is hands-down the best picture... on the strength of the acting job that Jackson got out of his principle actors. Wow! But, Jackson has committed an unpardonable crime. He was both successful and excellent. Ask Spielberg! It took him making Shindler's List to force the Academy to give him what he should have had for Jaws, Raiders, and ET. Best Director and Best Picture. (I would have given him Best Director for ET on the strength of the children... it takes a great Director to wrangle that out of children consistently.)
But the Academy may do the right thing and give Jackson and LOTR what it deserves... (and I will stand up and give the Academy a standing ovation if they do)
There's no heat... it's a discussion!
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