Ten years

For discussion of the upcoming films based on The Hobbit and related material, as well as previous films based on Tolkien's work
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vison
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Ten years

Post by vison »

10 years ago, yesterday, the movie opened. Which movie, you ask?

Well, I didn't see it until Boxing Day of 2001. One of the best days of my life. :D
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Frelga
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Post by Frelga »

It was the first time we had gone to see a movie since my son was born. And then we went out for dinner and I filled in my husband on all the things the director got wrong. I recall that he in fact spotted some of them already, even though he never read the books.
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Post by Elentári »

It was one of the few occasions that warranted us getting a baby-sitter (we don't get out much!!) and I remember going along, wondering how bad it was going to be in terms of deviating from the book, and was honestly, really pleasantly stunned!!! I still think FotR is the best of the three on that count, and it was truly magical seeing so much of Tolkien's story brought to life in front of my eyes. I also came away in love with Viggo as Aragorn and depressed at the thought of having to wait 12 months for the next instalment!

(And when Dec 2002 rolled around I sat through TTT seven months pregnant with our daughter, and queued right through the intermission for the Ladies, missing the start of the second half! :roll: )
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Post by Alatar »

I was there a couple of days earlier for the Irish Premiere. I still remember the feeling of awe as the elvish speech whispered out of the darkness with Galadriel's voiceover. I also quite clearly remember that when Gandalf's cart came over the hill and we saw our first complete view of Hobbiton my eyes filled up with tears. There were moments in the film when I was a little disappointed, or more accurately "underwhelmed", but as I have said often to anyone who will listen, the movie (with all its minor and major flaws) was just so much better than we had any right to expect.

I can't wait for next December!
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Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

I'm going to move this to the Tolkien Movies forum. After all, it is about a Tolkien movie!
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Maria
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Post by Maria »

I waited for weeks before seeing it, just knowing it would be awful. Finally a friend assured me that it was OK, and we risked it. I was pleasantly surprised. :)
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Post by Lalaith »

I had the pleasant experience of being a LotR virgin. :D

I saw the previews, was captivated instantly, and knew that I wanted to watch it--and watch it badly enough that we actually went to the theatre. That's a rare occurrence for us.

I was taken in immediately, just completely sucked in. I can remember not being able to get the story out of my head. And I had no idea that it was a trilogy, so I was freaking out at the end to Freddy, "Well...WHAT HAPPENED?! Did Frodo and Sam make it to Mordor? What happened to Legolas? And Merry and Pippin? What kind of stupid movie is this?!!!"

:rofl:

I think he said, rather gently, "I think it's a series."

Oh.

So I promptly asked for the books for Christmas, read them all in a few days, still couldn't get Middle-earth out of my head, and began searching around online for some place to talk about this. I found TORN first but didn't care for the format, and then I found TORC. :)

The rest is history.
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Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

And history became legend, legend became myth ... . :)
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
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Post by Dave_LF »

And the internet means nothing is lost, whether you want it to be or not. :D
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Post by Pearly Di »

Alatar wrote:I still remember the feeling of awe as the elvish speech whispered out of the darkness with Galadriel's voiceover.
Oh, man. The thrill that went through me ... 8)

I saw FotR for the first time on my own, at the morning showing at the Odeon Leicester Square, the day after the film came out. The cinema was packed!

The emotions I felt on seeing that Prologue were indescribable. These were some of my thoughts during that opening sequence, and I do not exaggerate:

"OMG the Ring-bearers... and the Dwarves ... and the Nine, OMG they look fantastic ... and wow that's Sauron (oooh, he looks a bit pudgy) ... and ohhh the map of Middle-earth!!!!! OMG it's Mount Doom erupting, this is so awesome ... be still my beating heart, the Last Alliance! ... there's Elrond! And Gil-Galad!!!!! They included Gil-galad! I love this film! Wow, Sauron just went nuclear! That was so cool! I wonder who that Elf with strawberry-blond hair was, was that Legolas? ... " and so it went on, until I saw Frodo sitting beneath the tree, reading his book.

Yes, PJ's version has flaws. But I can honestly say that was the most magical movie experience of my whole life. It was just so amazing to see Middle-earth done justice at last on the big screen. :bow:
Lalaith wrote:I was taken in immediately, just completely sucked in. I can remember not being able to get the story out of my head. And I had no idea that it was a trilogy, so I was freaking out at the end to Freddy, "Well...WHAT HAPPENED?! Did Frodo and Sam make it to Mordor? What happened to Legolas? And Merry and Pippin? What kind of stupid movie is this?!!!"

:rofl:
This reminds me of the girl who wailed behind me, "They can't end it there!!!!!!!!!!" :D
Voronwë the Faithful wrote:And history became legend, legend became myth ... . :)
Thanks to PJ for making those films, despite the things that make us crazy, and for bringing all of us together! :)
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Lalaith
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Post by Lalaith »

:D

I have to admit that I'm a bit emotional after watching The Hobbit trailer.

:help:
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Post by Holbytla »

Yeah.

I was as pissed off as I have ever been watching a movie.

It took me a week to calm down. After which I went back to the theater with a calmer head and re-watched it.

It was far less painful the second time around and I began to take it for what it was. The third time was at once enjoyable and painful and inspiring.

In the long run, I am not any less angry, but I am able to appreciate the effort and the quality of the writers, directors, and actors. I am thankful for what we received to a large extent, but for the most part I am disappointed and angry that such talented people could be so blind and self serving.

I admit to being overly sensitive with this subject, but there are far too many instances where the spirit of Tolkien's work was trod upon and was largely disregarded in lieu of "today's audience" and "differing media".
This has made me very angry and mostly unforgiving.

The real life tangential experience of this anniversary, which has turned out much more important, has also proved to be a series of ups and downs.

Thankfully, to this point anyway, the ending or the project, as of now anyway, promises to be a much more completed work and a much more enjoyable endeavor.
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Post by Dave_LF »

Ten years, huh. Someone on TORN mentioned that seeing The Hobbit preview was like returning to his childhood. That threw me for a moment until I realized he was 22 and was therefore only 12 when FotR came out. What a weird experience this must be for someone that age.
Last edited by Dave_LF on Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by axordil »

Thanks Dave. Now I feel positively wizened.
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Post by vison »

YOU feel wizened?

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Post by Dave_LF »

I'm afraid for me these films haven't aged all that well. I watched RotK recently after not seeing any of the films for several years. I remembered it being almost sublime with a couple moments where PJ was allowed off his leash and promply went over the top. This time, everything just struck me as ham-fisted, over-acted, and over-FXed. I'm afraid this has rather diminished my excitement for The Hobbit. :|

Not getting younger, I suppose.
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Post by CosmicBob »

I watched the first 45 minutes of the Blu-Ray of FOTR (while exercising), and I found that they aged quite well for me. In the short space I watched, I was impressed with both Ian Holm's Bilbo and Ian McKellan's Gandalf. I am looking forward to seeing both Bilbo and Gandalf back again in December.

As an aside, the spell check on Chrome lets the word "Bilbo" pass without any red underline, but not "Gandalf". I'm pretty sure that Bilbo has no other meaning in the English language, so it's weird that spell check would let it through but balk at Gandalf.

Anyway.
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Post by Lhaewin »

Ten years ago I refused to watch FOTR or TTT. I had read the books years ago and had enjoyed them. But the media hysteria put me off the movies.

My children went to the pictures and in the gap between TTT and ROtK they watched the FOTR DVD at home. I had some spare time and jumped in right in the middle. Of course, I had no clue what was going on, as I had forgotten about the books. Who is who and where are they running to? Are they running all the time? :P

Finally I decided to watch the whole film and then I immediately went on to TTT. Soon afterwards ROtK came into the theatres and I went to see it. ROtK got me really hooked. I went there like eight more times, read the books over and over and complained about the changes like almost everyone did. I managed to see FOTR on the big screen, but never TTT. I honestly hope for the chance of a repeat when the Hobbit comes out.
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Post by axordil »

I'd say there's an even chance they back-convert them to 3D the way Cameron is doing with Titanic. For better or worse.
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Post by narya »

Somehow, the first wave swept past me without my even noticing it, even though I was a long time book re-reader. I did not see FOTR on the big screen, and did not even watch it with my family the first time my husband brought home the video. But then, somehow, I saw the trailer for TTT, and couldn't get the images and the haunting music (lifted from the Kronus Quartet's Requiem for a Dream) out of my mind. I'd watch it several times a day. I started searching for tidbits on the Internet and stumbled on TORC. I'm so glad I found you guys.

By the time TTT opened, I was there on opening day, with Aiwe dressed as a first age elf. (The costume was completely handmade by Aiwe, with my large slide rule in a leather scabbard doing a stand-in for a sword.) I don't know how many times I watched the DVDs at home after that.

I finally got to see FOTR on the big screen last year, with full live orchestra. :love:

Yes, I'm looking forward to the Hobbit. I don't mind over-the-top at all. :woohoo:
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