Who's going to see Return of the King tonight?

geoschmo · #1 December 30th, 2003, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:

quote:
Originally posted by geoschmo:
That did come to mind for me as well actually. Is that scene not in the books?

Of course not. Neither was that ridiculous skate/snowboarding scene in the 2nd movie...

A simple yes or no would suffice for these answers you know. There is no "of course" about it when talking to someone that hasn't read the books. Neither of those sceens seems particularly out of place for someone who doesn't really know what to expect. That's one of the reasons I am reading the books now. I probably should have read them before watching the movies though.

Fyron · #2 December 30th, 2003, 04:57 AM

The skateboarding scene is wildly out of place in a book written 50+ years before the invention of the skateboard (and even more before the invention of the snowboard). And then you have a scene reminiscent of the Hoth battle in Star Wars with that Oliphaunt, which was written some 30 years later than LOTR. I said "of course not" because LOTR (the novels) doesn't have cheap thrills in it like those scenes.

Gravey, I don't think he shot anything, I think it was just some really bright "holy" (or "good/pure") light or somesuch. Perhaps it was symbolic of a contest of will? At any rate, I'll have to see it again to know for sure.

[ December 30, 2003, 02:59: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

geoschmo · #3 December 31st, 2003, 02:18 AM

I saw an old movie from the 30's, maybe one of Erol Flynn's, where he was sword fighting in a castle and jumped on a shield and "surfed" down a stair case. Just because you haven't seen something personally yourself doesn't mean it's a new thing.

Erax · #4 December 31st, 2003, 01:21 AM

I saw the movie this weekend. I liked it very much and thought it was very well done, but I still liked TTT better (not surprising, since the battle of Helm's Deep is my favorite part in the books).

ROTK was good, but just too different from the way I imagined things (this is subjective, I know). Barad Ungol was too large, Minas Morgul and Shelob too small. Mordor was not dark enough. The battle at Minas Tirith took place in daylight, not through the night as I recall it from the books. Small things like this kept getting in the way of my enjoyment of the movie, but the ending - or endings, if you like - were perfect.

(now for a spoiler - Alert Alert)

But what really, really buged me was this : spiders do not have stingers on the end of their abdomen ! What were they thinking ????!!

Puke · #5 December 31st, 2003, 07:03 AM

Did the book specify that Frodo was bit by the spider? I cant remember. Its a monster, whos to say it didnt have a stinger?

and as for Gandalf shooting the ray of light at the Nazgul and driving them off, the way they showed it is about exactly as I remember it being described.. except I seem to recall that there was only one Ring Wraith.

I really enjoyed the ending, and am glad that they kept it true to the book. Hopefully the extended edition will do a little bit more with it. I did hate those transitions, though. seemed sloppy.

and why did they lose Bilbo's mythril armor? I swear he kept it till the end of the book, but in the film they never collect it after he is captured, and they destinclty show him NOT wearing it, later. That was Bilbo's mythril mail, man! They cant just throw it out!

Fyron · #6 December 31st, 2003, 11:19 AM

Yes, Frodo was bit by Shelob in the book.

That thing at the end of Shelob looked more like the web spinning... appendage... than a stinger to me.

Mephisto · #7 December 31st, 2003, 12:06 PM

Shelob is no spider, just very similar. And in my German translation a stinger is mentioned but only one time and not in the paragraph where they describe Shelobs appearance but were the poison is mentioned.
Gandals does indeed ride out and meet several Nazguals while covering the retreat of Gondor. White Fire coming from his hands is mentioned but nothing more.