General Discussion

gulliver

(13,180 posts)

18. I won't be seeing it.

Reply to The Straight Story (Original post)

Tue Dec 4, 2012, 10:53 PM

Dec 2012

You have to read Tolkien's prose to actually get Middle Earth. There is just no way to recreate the language, the sense of history, the state of mind, the pacing...that Tolkien achieves. Tolkien himself is an indispensable ingredient in The Hobbit and LOTR.

I saw the Jackson LOTR movies and thought they were thin gruel. Maybe Rob Reiner could have done better, judging from The Princess Bride. Cheesy, muppety special effects beat computer-choreographed pixel torrents for fantasy IMO. (At least your sense of physics isn't grossly offended in every scene.) With Tolkien, I think you want the audience to know it's all a story so they can willingly suspend disbelief and commit.

People need to engage in fantasy, not have it shown to them. I love movies, but for Tolkien a book is the only way to go, IMO. Maybe an audio book.

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A review of the Hobbit [View all] The Straight Story Dec 2012 OP

The only reason I suffered through the original rings was because Cleita Dec 2012 #1

I'm a woman and I love Tolkien blogslut Dec 2012 #5

Well, his women characters don't ring true to me. Cleita Dec 2012 #6

actually Tolkien either based or saw himself as being most like Faramir, who ends up with Eowyn JI7 Dec 2012 #10

Maybe that's why she's somewhat fleshed out more. n/t Cleita Dec 2012 #11

yes, it could be, Arwen wasn't even in the books much JI7 Dec 2012 #14

Faramir maybe was a better fit for Éowyn because of their lifespans. Norrin Radd Dec 2012 #22

He's not good with women, overall, but one section of The Silmarillion is better muriel_volestrangler Dec 2012 #23

I think the problem is that his women are perfumed, pure and noble. Cleita Dec 2012 #24

I love Arya, but I hate her sister. white_wolf Dec 2012 #25

Yes, but we all have known girls like Sansa in school, you know Cleita Dec 2012 #26

It's been 4 books and I still haven't' forgiven her for actions in book one regarding Joffery. white_wolf Dec 2012 #33

That was not only selfish of her but downright stupid. Cleita Dec 2012 #37

i'm a woman and it appeals to me, Eowyn appeals to me far more than some "romance" things JI7 Dec 2012 #7

Differences in taste I suppose. It's all good. Cleita Dec 2012 #9

no problem, i like romance also but it has to be done right JI7 Dec 2012 #12

I don't care for those either and I do like fantasy romances Cleita Dec 2012 #15

Never understood why the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen was relegated to the appendix pokerfan Dec 2012 #16

Like I said in an above post, I don't think Tolkien Cleita Dec 2012 #17

But he still wrote it pokerfan Dec 2012 #21

I could see how they made three, three hour movies from the trilogy. I am not geckosfeet Dec 2012 #2

And this is the main issue most people will have. slutticus Dec 2012 #4

That makes me want to see it even more :) Marrah_G Dec 2012 #36

Radagast is in it? Marr Dec 2012 #39

There is enough back story to flesh it out--just google "dol guldur" nt geek tragedy Dec 2012 #13

Some reviewers are saying the 3D 48 frame per second made them nauseous & sick. JaneyVee Dec 2012 #3

This is what I feared when I heard that he was going to stretch this out into three Egalitarian Thug Dec 2012 #8

I won't be seeing it. gulliver Dec 2012 #18

I am a huge fan of Tolkien Marrah_G Dec 2012 #35

Marta and I have tickets already Omaha Steve Dec 2012 #19

I just saw a preview and I liked it a lot. Kablooie Dec 2012 #20

The Hobbit was a much lighter book Marrah_G Dec 2012 #30

I'm very excited to see it Marrah_G Dec 2012 #27

Have not been to the movies since the Return of the King, going to see Hobbit The Straight Story Dec 2012 #31

Me too! Marrah_G Dec 2012 #40

I'll see it if only for the extra cool stuff before the movie starts... wyldwolf Dec 2012 #28

I am a diehard fan of the original Star Trek. lalalu Dec 2012 #32

With that and 3h 9m movie I need big popcorn and that one thing Burt Reynolds had The Straight Story Dec 2012 #34

I'll pass and wait to watch it on cable. lalalu Dec 2012 #29

Well, the riddle scene is still great! Though it's true, it's a different story now villager Dec 2012 #38

omg 3 hours !!!!!! Wooohoooo!!!!! Marrah_G Dec 2012 #41

You get a *lot* of "Hobbit" for your movie going dollars! villager Dec 2012 #42

I am sooooo excited Marrah_G Dec 2012 #43