The Two Towers
Dec. 28th, 2002 08:35 pmHave just seen the movie today. Been back about 2 hours. Waited until I was calm enough to type.
As a movie, it's wonderful. I loved it as just a movie. The scenery was breathtaking. The score was moving, so much so that I'm going to go buy the soundtrack with some of my Christmas money rather than use it for just groceries. The characterizations were pretty much dead on (except for Faramir... more on that later) and the casting for said characters was exceptional. The acting was supurb; above calibar for most of the actors... some of their best work I'd say.
As an adaptation of the book... well... I wanted to cry. I still want to cry. If I can keep the book as the book and the movie as just the movie and not "an adaptation of the book" then I'm fine. It's just that... well... The Two Towers is my favourite of all three... I can sit and read it over and over again and completley ignore Fellowship and Return of the King. I wanted him so badly to stay truest of all to that book above all others, and then I see the movie. He took away so much from the book and I would understand that if it were just a time issue, but it's not. He added so much more that wasn't there. Some of it makes sense. Most of it does not. Faramir really bothered me, one of the worst offenses of the movie. I cannot possibly see any reason at all for Peter Jackson to have screwed his character so widely out of whack that he was virtually unrecognisable as the Faramir I adored in the books. Some of the changes don't make sense, but I like them, such as Pippin leading Treebeard towards Isengard to get him to act for the war, rather than the way it was written in the book. It was nice to see Pippin actually being portrayed as smart and cunning and not just a stupid little prankster. Still... Frodo and Sam... major parts there bothered me. I'm not going to assume everybody reading this that wants to see TTT has seen it, so I won't spoil more than I already have. If you want to know, ask or let me know and I'll discuss it with you. Just don't be like my sister and try to convince me that I'm just being a stuck up prude about movie adaptations and all the changes were for the better. If that's your view, that's fine and I'll be happy to talk with you, just please do not make me feel stupid and wrong for having my own opinion that just happens to differ from yours.
As a movie, it's wonderful. I loved it as just a movie. The scenery was breathtaking. The score was moving, so much so that I'm going to go buy the soundtrack with some of my Christmas money rather than use it for just groceries. The characterizations were pretty much dead on (except for Faramir... more on that later) and the casting for said characters was exceptional. The acting was supurb; above calibar for most of the actors... some of their best work I'd say.
As an adaptation of the book... well... I wanted to cry. I still want to cry. If I can keep the book as the book and the movie as just the movie and not "an adaptation of the book" then I'm fine. It's just that... well... The Two Towers is my favourite of all three... I can sit and read it over and over again and completley ignore Fellowship and Return of the King. I wanted him so badly to stay truest of all to that book above all others, and then I see the movie. He took away so much from the book and I would understand that if it were just a time issue, but it's not. He added so much more that wasn't there. Some of it makes sense. Most of it does not. Faramir really bothered me, one of the worst offenses of the movie. I cannot possibly see any reason at all for Peter Jackson to have screwed his character so widely out of whack that he was virtually unrecognisable as the Faramir I adored in the books. Some of the changes don't make sense, but I like them, such as Pippin leading Treebeard towards Isengard to get him to act for the war, rather than the way it was written in the book. It was nice to see Pippin actually being portrayed as smart and cunning and not just a stupid little prankster. Still... Frodo and Sam... major parts there bothered me. I'm not going to assume everybody reading this that wants to see TTT has seen it, so I won't spoil more than I already have. If you want to know, ask or let me know and I'll discuss it with you. Just don't be like my sister and try to convince me that I'm just being a stuck up prude about movie adaptations and all the changes were for the better. If that's your view, that's fine and I'll be happy to talk with you, just please do not make me feel stupid and wrong for having my own opinion that just happens to differ from yours.