What does your heart tell you?

I think it's important to show the hobbits going home, and achieving what they achieved. I don't like that in the films they go back completely unrecognised. Again I'm coming at this strictly with regards to the films, but I liked the idea that nobody knew what had happened (unlike with certain characters in other fantasy worlds!) They set out to save the Shire, yet the Shire never knew it needed saving. It strengthens the bond between the four of them. It could almost seem like everything they did was pointless, but those four know what would have happened, and that in itself makes the fact no-one else knows worthwhile. I do realise that my opinion might change if I'd read the books, which brings me to a question. For people who don't like certain aspects that have changed, do you not like them simply because they have changed, or because they changes just don't work? If changes are made between book and film, so long as any changes work well within the films, can it be a bad decision to have made that change or will there always be the comparison between the two?

Books or films? I'm not sure I can choose. I'd already read the books several times before the films came out so very much had my own ideas about how the characters and world of Middle Earth should look. The fact that Peter Jackson created something so amazing and close to what most people seem to have imagined I guess shows how great Tolkien's descriptions were. What it does mean of course is reading the books is now a different experience. Aragorn is one character who looks different on screen to how I visualised him but reading now, I will always see Viggo Mortensen. The same goes for everyone else. Whatever images I created in my head are long gone after so many viewings of the films. As for the changes, I can live with most of them. I've no problem with the lack of Tom Bombadil and I think it was the right decision to not include The Scouring Of The Shire in the films. I agree with those who say that Faramir's character was changed to much though. However the biggest annoyance for me is in a scene added by the filmmakers. I really don't get why in The Two Towers they decided to pretend Aragorn was killed after the warg attack. Don't understand it at all. So I have rambled on a lot and still no closer to an answer. I love them both. Books and films.

Being a huge fan of Tolkien's literary output,it might seem unusual to ally myself to Aura and claim the movies as my first love...However,they really did visualize this whole world immaculately...and the casting was nothing short of genius...I honestly have never been so happy walking out of a movie theater as I have during those respective Christmas periods back in the early 00's... The movies are quite possibly the most definitive take on Tolkien's work ever... I reckon the old codger would have loved 'em...

I'm having a weekend watching the films and I finished the extended cut of The Fellowship a little while ago. It's been a year (seems like a lifetime) since I last saw the film and it's as awe-inspiring, spectacular, emotional and heartbreaking as ever. The tears came earlier than usual as well. It reaffirmed my belief (not that such an affirmation was needed) that it is the single grea-*test*-('") film I've ever seen.

Watching The Two Towers and The Return Of The King I still believe that they are the equals of The Fellowship. Yes, they have their flaws, ROTK in particular could have a few scenes tweaked, but they are tremendous achievements. I've also noticed that they hit me harder emotionally with each viewing, I was a wreck come the credits. I can understand people not loving the films as a whole, but I'll never quite fathom how folks who love the first film dislike parts two and three. Empire is filled with folk who believe Towers and King are far, far lesser achievements that lack any connection with the audience and throw away emotion in favour of spectacle. I'm not saying people are wrong to think this, but it's just so very different from my experiences that I can't quite figure it all out. Ah well. Time for the boxsets to go away for another year.

Watching The Two Towers and The Return Of The King I still believe that they are the equals of The Fellowship. Yes, they have their flaws, ROTK in particular could have a few scenes tweaked, but they are tremendous achievements. I've also noticed that they hit me harder emotionally with each viewing, I was a wreck come the credits. I can understand people not loving the films as a whole, but I'll never quite fathom how folks who love the first film dislike parts two and three. Empire is filled with folk who believe Towers and King are far, far lesser achievements that lack any connection with the audience and throw away emotion in favour of spectacle. I'm not saying people are wrong to think this, but it's just so very different from my experiences that I can't quite figure it all out. Ah well. Time for the boxsets to go away for another year. While my favourite of the three would be Fellowship,it's ridiculous to suggest that the other two have no emotional impact... They are quite different films to the first installment,but then anyone who has read the novel can tell you that Tolkien's style changes dramatically as the books progress.By the time it gets to the battle of the Pelennor Fields,his prose is almost biblical,so it's no great surprise to me that the films each possess their own individual character. I've really grown to love The Two Towers a lot more in the last few months,and as it's the film that differs the most from the original text,I find that fantastic...

I am also in the camp of those who find Fellowship the best of the three films, however, that doesn't mean I dislike the other two. I also strongly disagree with people who find The Two Towers and Return Of The King to be lacking in emotion, I really don't get the 'style over substance' argument at all. I think that The Two Towers suffers slightly because there is no big death scene as there was with Fellowship which had both the departure of Gandalf as well as Boromir. It is also the middle section of a trilogy which means it has no real beginning or ending but, in terms of both film and adaptation, I don't think that means it lacks emotion. As for Return of The King, even if you ignore the many highly emotional points such as the end of Pelennor Fields, Frodo leaving, Aragorn's coronation etc, anyone who doesn't get a lump in the throat hearing Pippin's song at Minas Tirith should check their definition of 'emotional'.

Actually for me, The Two Towers is my favourite one. "Look to the East on the fifth day" (or something like that). The battle at Helms Deep will remain for me one of the best battle scenes I have ever seen on the big screen.

Actually for me, The Two Towers is my favourite one. "Look to the East on the fifth day" (or something like that). The battle at Helms Deep will remain for me one of the best battle scenes I have ever seen on the big screen. Hmmph. Valuable air time that could have been devoted to the taking of Isengard

Actually for me, The Two Towers is my favourite one. "Look to the East on the fifth day" (or something like that). The battle at Helms Deep will remain for me one of the best battle scenes I have ever seen on the big screen. Hmmph. Valuable air time that could have been devoted to the taking of Isengard I thought it was...or have I just been watching the extended cut too much and forgotten what is actually shown in the theatrical cut?

Possibly. The attack on Saruman's fortress was never really given fair coverage. It always felt tagged on to me. I kept waiting for this big climactic battle to take place and it was over in about ten minutes. Instead we had to watch the relatively minor battle at Helms Deep given the grandeous treatment.

Possibly. The attack on Saruman's fortress was never really given fair coverage. It always felt tagged on to me. I kept waiting for this big climactic battle to take place and it was over in about ten minutes. Instead we had to watch the relatively minor battle at Helms Deep given the grandeous treatment. It was awesome though DF...come on...

Possibly. The attack on Saruman's fortress was never really given fair coverage. It always felt tagged on to me. I kept waiting for this big climactic battle to take place and it was over in about ten minutes. Instead we had to watch the relatively minor battle at Helms Deep given the grandeous treatment. It was awesome though DF...come on... I always get weepy when Treebeard gives his little speech - "There is no curse in Elvish, Entish or the tongues of Men for this treachery. They have business with the Orcs. My business is with Isengard tonight with a rock and stone.Come, my friends. The Ents are going to war. It is likely that we go to our doom. Last march of the Ents". A while later, "Break the Dam! Release the river!" always, always sends a shiver up my spine. The battle is amazing, plus you get the added bonus that none of the Ents actually die. Even the poor Ent that gets set alight douses himself! Some of the best music from the trilogy plays over these scenes as well Helm's Deep is just brilliant, sheer spectacle, and the moment when Gandalf, Eomer and the rohirrim charge towards Helms' Deep, sunlight blinding the Uruk-Hai, it's just perfect.

I have to say I thought the Ent that puts his head into the water to put himself out was a joke from the animators!

I always get weepy when Treebeard gives his little speech - "There is no curse in Elvish, Entish or the tongues of Men for this treachery. They have business with the Orcs. My business is with Isengard tonight with a rock and stone.Come, my friends. The Ents are going to war. It is likely that we go to our doom. Last march of the Ents". That is probably one of my favourite parts of The Two Towers, it doesn't make me weepy it just gives me goosebumps, especially with the way the music swells up as the Ents begin to walk towards Isengard. I actually find the end of Helms Deep to be far more emotional than any of the actual battle, from the point where Aragorn tells Theoden that they should ride out together and Gimli goes to sound the horn it really kicks in for me emotionally. I have to say I thought the Ent that puts his head into the water to put himself out was a joke from the animators! If I remember rightly, I think that was added in after Jackson voiced concerns about showing the Ents being killed. I don't know for sure as I can't remember it exactly but I do know it is pointed out in the commentary track of The Two Towers.

View Full Version: What does your heart tell you?