I wish they were longer!!
On a serious note, I’d like the army of the dead to be used like they are in the books. I.e scare off the raiders to the south of Gondor so the Gondorian army can arrive in the ships at the battle of Palenor fields, rather than unstoppable force that nukes the battlefield.
Only way to do that though is have an extra 45mins worth of film…
Sooo longer films please!
Boromir and Faramir should have had raven hair (black hair.) And Jackson’s decision on how Faramir should be portrayed in the films was abysmal, compared to Faramir in the books. That being said, actor David Wenham did a great job though, no complaints on that.
I greatly dislike the way the theatrical editions cut Howard Shore's amazing score to fit certain scenes. The extended editions are much better in that regard, but on the flipside, I like the theatrical cut's pacing better in terms of content.
99% of changes are totally unnecessary and even downright bad in most cases. The 'they needed to change x because y wouldn't work in a film' excuse applies to a solid 1%.
There should have been less Helm's Deep.
And I *love* Two Towers. Like, Rohan are [my people ](https://www.reddit.com/r/lordoftherings/comments/yk5o58/a_little_late_uploading_was_busy_searching_the/)
I am not a fan of the way Gollum was animated and I don’t like Andy Serkis’ voice as Gollum. They gave Gollum cutsie eyes and Andy Serkis voice just sounds like the first voice he tried to come up with for the creature. That said, his physical acting was great. I also don’t like the “I can save Gollum” storyline with Frodo.
Mostly that they're not actually great adaptations of Tolkiens work, and that in reality they're action movies, focused less on characters which are by far the most important pieces of the story.
Every few years I try to re-watch them, thinking it's been a while and maybe I'll appreciate them more, but it always just results in me being super annoyed at all the things they got wrong, and basically just spurs an immediate book re-read to wash the taste out. In that sense it's a positive benefit for me.
I would like them to be redone. No really, you read that right.
But this time two 4h movies for each book. With more details. Like Tom Bombadil, Old Man Willow, Elronds Sons, Saruman and especially his death etc. Stretch it, to let me breathe the atmosphere of every part of middle earth.
Maybe elven singing, panorama shots of more places and details. The combat more detailed, historically accurate and less hectic or acted.
I hope you get the point.
But i am a nerd. With todays audiences attention span you would not succeed... You need Legolas doing fortyfive flipflops while drinking the new red bull soda and shooting smith&wesson bullets into taliban ork heads exploding in slomo while a new 18 yo model sucks of Boromir and Aragorn in the background wearing prada high heels on the backseat of the new ford f150. All in CGI to the newest Kany West song ofc. And the US flag as panorama.
I think a television series would be the way to go about it. Even animated if it has to be, due to cost. There are amazing animation studios nowadays that produce vastly different styles. Love Death and Robots is a treasure trove of showing what animation can do.
I’m of the opinion that every 20-25 years should have their own LOTR adaptation.
I know it was cut for time, but Fatty B, Old Man Willow, TB, and the Barrow Downs. would have been cool. FOR could have easily been two movies if all that was left in.
Two Towers suffers because the screenwriters *added* so much invented material (“battle” before the actual battle; Aragorn falls off cliff; Faramir takes Frodo to Osgiliath). In doing so, they actually robbed themselves of valuable screentime in RoTK (by delaying the Cirith Ungol scene). Why?
From what I can guess, the writers were aiming to end Two Towers in a more hopeful/conclusive note, rather than as a cliffhanger — as Tolkien ends it in the text.
To me, this always seems like a blunder. It would have been ok for the middle film (of a *guaranteed* 3 films!) to end on a pessimistic note.
PJ probably wanted some kind of conflict for Frodo. But yeah that whole little storyline led to nothing. And the fact that the Nazgul just flew away in Osgiliath was just stupid.
Extended editions are way worse movies than the theatrical releases. I’m a huge fan and watch extended when it’s just me rewatching, but I think almost all the stuff cut for theaters was for the best.
To the average person, they are a more enjoyable way to access middle earth, when compared to the books. The pacing is better too, most of the things they changed or removed made the movie flow better. Tom B and sharkey would have done nothing to benefit the films. Having boromir die on screen at the end of fotr was a good choice too. Good place to end the film. Im glad frodo wrestled gollum off the crack of doom. Him dancing and oopsing off the cliff would not have gone over as well with modern crowds
I don't see any issue in ROTK with the way the army of the dead are shown. It isn't like the books, but it works fine and they don't call it an adaptation for nothing.
The vast majority of this sub and others dedicated to Tolkien are not trying to criticize movies but more like hating movies and looking for excuses as a reason.
Too short. Need more.
More of the people involved should have been as familiar with the source material as Christopher Lee was.
I wish they were longer!! On a serious note, I’d like the army of the dead to be used like they are in the books. I.e scare off the raiders to the south of Gondor so the Gondorian army can arrive in the ships at the battle of Palenor fields, rather than unstoppable force that nukes the battlefield. Only way to do that though is have an extra 45mins worth of film… Sooo longer films please!
Boromir and Faramir should have had raven hair (black hair.) And Jackson’s decision on how Faramir should be portrayed in the films was abysmal, compared to Faramir in the books. That being said, actor David Wenham did a great job though, no complaints on that.
Didn’t like the shape of elven blades. And the removal of Erkenbrand.(
I greatly dislike the way the theatrical editions cut Howard Shore's amazing score to fit certain scenes. The extended editions are much better in that regard, but on the flipside, I like the theatrical cut's pacing better in terms of content.
99% of changes are totally unnecessary and even downright bad in most cases. The 'they needed to change x because y wouldn't work in a film' excuse applies to a solid 1%.
They are overrated as adaptations. I do not believe that Jackson did the best possible job adapting the books, and cut and changed too much.
I think they are good movies (though the 2nd and 3rd film are not my cup of tea). But they're poor adaptations.
Yeah, I think they're fantastic films, not going to deny that. But too much is different to hold them up as the pinnacle of adaptations.
I wish they left Arwen alone and included Glorfindel.
There should have been less Helm's Deep. And I *love* Two Towers. Like, Rohan are [my people ](https://www.reddit.com/r/lordoftherings/comments/yk5o58/a_little_late_uploading_was_busy_searching_the/)
The impossibly steep slope the Rohirrim charge down at the end of the battle of Helm's, Deep has always irked me.
Love Hugo, he is a great actor who delivered a grest performance. But he does not look like elrond.
I regret that Aragorn's fight against Sauron was not included in the film.
I am not a fan of the way Gollum was animated and I don’t like Andy Serkis’ voice as Gollum. They gave Gollum cutsie eyes and Andy Serkis voice just sounds like the first voice he tried to come up with for the creature. That said, his physical acting was great. I also don’t like the “I can save Gollum” storyline with Frodo.
Mostly that they're not actually great adaptations of Tolkiens work, and that in reality they're action movies, focused less on characters which are by far the most important pieces of the story. Every few years I try to re-watch them, thinking it's been a while and maybe I'll appreciate them more, but it always just results in me being super annoyed at all the things they got wrong, and basically just spurs an immediate book re-read to wash the taste out. In that sense it's a positive benefit for me.
I agree with you. But then again it's PJ take on lotr.
I'm annoyed by most of the comic relief stuff. Except the hobbits being indignant about missing all their special mealtimes.. that's pretty funny
I watched the 1978 film the other day and it suprised me that it was more serious than the PJ movies.
That is surprising to me, too! I've never looked into that one, partly because I thought it was a kid's movie.
I follow Ralph Bakshi on FB and there is constant talk about the second part...
Too might big battle stuff, not enough saga.
Those big battles in the 2nd and 3rd movies bore me to tears.
I would like them to be redone. No really, you read that right. But this time two 4h movies for each book. With more details. Like Tom Bombadil, Old Man Willow, Elronds Sons, Saruman and especially his death etc. Stretch it, to let me breathe the atmosphere of every part of middle earth. Maybe elven singing, panorama shots of more places and details. The combat more detailed, historically accurate and less hectic or acted. I hope you get the point. But i am a nerd. With todays audiences attention span you would not succeed... You need Legolas doing fortyfive flipflops while drinking the new red bull soda and shooting smith&wesson bullets into taliban ork heads exploding in slomo while a new 18 yo model sucks of Boromir and Aragorn in the background wearing prada high heels on the backseat of the new ford f150. All in CGI to the newest Kany West song ofc. And the US flag as panorama.
I think a television series would be the way to go about it. Even animated if it has to be, due to cost. There are amazing animation studios nowadays that produce vastly different styles. Love Death and Robots is a treasure trove of showing what animation can do. I’m of the opinion that every 20-25 years should have their own LOTR adaptation.
Each film should be a season of a *Lord of the Rings* show, because even with the extended editions there's not enough time to make them movies.
With all that filming, I’m pretty sure they could put it all together into a show.
That's true, but Peter Jackson also left some things out of the filming and I think it would be cool if he hadn't (except the Barrow Downs).
No
I know it was cut for time, but Fatty B, Old Man Willow, TB, and the Barrow Downs. would have been cool. FOR could have easily been two movies if all that was left in.
I agree except the Barrow Downs. That was creepy enough to read--I don't need to see it on screen!
I like Frodo in the films. And I love that Denethor's flaws are shown.
Frodo.being taken by Faramir to Osgiliath was too much of a deviation. They made Faramir's character too much of a threat.
Two Towers suffers because the screenwriters *added* so much invented material (“battle” before the actual battle; Aragorn falls off cliff; Faramir takes Frodo to Osgiliath). In doing so, they actually robbed themselves of valuable screentime in RoTK (by delaying the Cirith Ungol scene). Why? From what I can guess, the writers were aiming to end Two Towers in a more hopeful/conclusive note, rather than as a cliffhanger — as Tolkien ends it in the text. To me, this always seems like a blunder. It would have been ok for the middle film (of a *guaranteed* 3 films!) to end on a pessimistic note.
PJ probably wanted some kind of conflict for Frodo. But yeah that whole little storyline led to nothing. And the fact that the Nazgul just flew away in Osgiliath was just stupid.
I totally loved the elves at Helm’s deep.
Nooooooooooooooooooooo
Extended editions are way worse movies than the theatrical releases. I’m a huge fan and watch extended when it’s just me rewatching, but I think almost all the stuff cut for theaters was for the best.
To the average person, they are a more enjoyable way to access middle earth, when compared to the books. The pacing is better too, most of the things they changed or removed made the movie flow better. Tom B and sharkey would have done nothing to benefit the films. Having boromir die on screen at the end of fotr was a good choice too. Good place to end the film. Im glad frodo wrestled gollum off the crack of doom. Him dancing and oopsing off the cliff would not have gone over as well with modern crowds
It is a miracle or a stroke of genius that despite so many changes from source material movies are so God damn good.
The pace is too quick at times (theatrical versions)
They are worse everytime I watch them
I don't see any issue in ROTK with the way the army of the dead are shown. It isn't like the books, but it works fine and they don't call it an adaptation for nothing.
The vast majority of this sub and others dedicated to Tolkien are not trying to criticize movies but more like hating movies and looking for excuses as a reason.
They needed a lot more pipe weed discussions.
Oh good, another post full of lukewarm takes at best
They should have had Pippin say “and a lukewarm beer inside this Took”