I found this review in PejmanPundit and thought you would enjoy it.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch [Aryan]. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is, Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring if I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people.
--J.R.R. Tolkien, responding to inquiries by Nazi publishers as to his ancestry. Were Tolkien to admit that he was of "Aryan" extraction, The Hobbit would have been published in German, and would have made him fabulously wealthy at a time when he was suffering through financial problems.
:: Pejman Yousefzadeh 11:33 PM [+]::
Let The Muse Inspire You
...
AND THE REASON I WAS OUT LAST NIGHT . . . was that I finally got the chance to go see The Two Towers.
To put matters succinctly: the movie was magnificent beyond measure. How Peter Jackson and New Line Cinemas are able to put out two straight superb fantasy movies in two years--movies whose technical and logistical requirements pose tremendous challenges--and still pull off production in such splendid manner, while George Lucas has a hard time coming out with more taut and consistent Star Wars episodes despite having three years to work on each episode, is beyond me.
And now for the more detailed review:
First off, I'm glad that Frodo Baggins was displayed as a character with a greater degree of spine and industry than what he was portrayed as being in Fellowship of the Ring--where Elijah Wood had an unfortunate tendency to look too often like a deer caught in the headlights. There was a bit of that in the latest movie as well, but it was lessened considerably. Remember that in the books, Frodo is a capable and competent Hobbit, one who is unusual and unique in his personal characteristics. Peter Jackson captured a bit more of the original Frodo in Two Towers--portraying him as the wearied yet dutiful hero that Frodo was. Part of this, of course, is that the Ring becomes much more of a burden in The Two Towers, and at times, Frodo's emotions display and betray the corruption of the mind and soul that the Ring is capable of bringing about. Part of thos is also attributable to the fact that the Fellowship is broken, and that unlike the first movie, Frodo is indisputably in command of his party--which includes the loyal Samwise Gamgee, and the fascinating Gollum/Smeagol. However, I think that the movie's directors and producers also learned from the first movie, and helped ensure that Frodo's character evolved in preparation for this movie.
As for Smeagol, the movie did an excellent job in displaying his inner dialogue and commensurate torment as he thought about what to do with Frodo and Sam. The computer animation of Smeagol was well done and well achieved. The only criticism I have is that the repeated uses of the word "Gollum" were excised from Smeagol's vocabulary, which was somewhat disconcerting for me.
The Two Towers benefited mightily from having a greater emphasis on the characters as individuals, rather than as members of a Fellowship. We see Aragorn's valor, his intelligence, and his inner torment over his relationship with Arwen. We are treated to a delightfully funny portrayal of Gimli--who at the same time displays remarkable bravery and cunning in battle. Indeed, the only character who gets something of a short shrift in the movie is Saruman--I wish that the producers and direction team were able to make greater use of Christopher Lee, given his remarkable acting skills and monumental screen presence.
Of course, there was one particular reason why I loved The Two Towers, and why I think that Tolkien is so consequential as an author and a thinker: Throughout the movie, all I could think about was September 11th.
Tolkien, of course, hated analogy and allegory, and wished that his work could be considered separate and apart from any historical references that it may bring to mind. One wishes, of course, to respect his intent. And believe me, I tried. But the movie fits into the times in a way that I cannot help but notice and comment on.
Whether it is watching Theoden temporize over the need to engage in preventive war to save and preserve his people, or watching the Hobbits realize that the Shire will be destroyed if action is not taken against Sauron and Saruman, or whether it is witnessing the incredible scene where the Ents come to grips with the perils they face, the entire story is evocative of all of the debate and argument that Americans and citizens of other countries have engaged in regarding the war on terrorism. Indeed, at the risk of making Tolkien do cartwheels in the grave, I hope that just about every single person who goes and watches the movie analogizes its story to that of September 11th. And I hope that includes high public officials who are in a position to do something about defending what is good, and damning what is evil. Just as in Fellowship, I found myself reacting to parts of the movie in an emotional manner that betrayed just how fresh and raw the injuries inflicted on that awful Tuesday in September of last year still are for me.
And given that we in the Blogosphere tell one another that we must keep our anger fresh, and that we must remember our hurt in order to ensure that we do not slacken our pace in this war, I found the emotions I felt remarkably welcome, despite the pain inherent in feeling them.
Were I to forget them, I would feel less than human. And while, of course, one does not--and should not--have to see The Two Towers to remember the onslaught inflicted against us, quite frankly, any stimulus that reminds us of what has been done to us, and what we need to do in return, is most welcome.
Go see this movie. Again, and again, and again, and again. Rejoice in the fact that there are artists who still can produce and display fantasy in a manner that excites and fascinates the intellect, instead of dulling it.
And give thanks for a story that speaks to our time, and gives us the resolution to confront hard times now, so that hopefully, we may not stricken with catastrophic times in the future.
:: Pejman Yousefzadeh 10:49 PM [+]::
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