So!
Back at work, blah blah blah
I rented a vintage-ish Tux for the affair and plan to shave to the 30’s ideal French ‘stache (a la Willam Powel). I’ll post pictures.
I wanna go home
Gandalf And Slash
From www.mckellan.com
SLASH
From: Saathi QueenB@trust-me.comQ: My fellow yahoogroup members and I all respect you, the cast, crew, and movie itself. Most of us indulge in a hobby called ‘fanfic.’ A great deal of us write (or read) ‘slash,’ and a few members write ‘RPS’ (Real Person Slash.) What are your thoughts on such things? Do you consider them slanderous to your good character and/or to the good character of any actor/movie/etc?
A: I am not well acquainted with slash but find nothing harmful in sharing fantasies about favourite characters or their interpreters. Within the context of such sites even Real Person stories seem unobjectionable as they are clearly fictional.
Hear That? Sir Ian McKellan says go right ahead. 🙂
Heather gave this to me for Christmas. I didn’t even know it existed.
I’ve not played it yet, but it looks to be a combo of RISK and Castle RISK, both of which I have loved.
I felt like a little kid.
Crappy Christmas
On Christmas Eve, our sweet little cat Emo was run over and killed in front of us, so that pretty much ended any happiness to be had.
I really don’t even want to be at work today. At least
Things really suck sometimes.
I’m really ready for a nice surprise – these bad ones aren’t that much fun anymore.
and a one and a two and a
Hippo Bird-Eye to
Why I love Tolkien
It’s all about the language:
From Book I, Near the end of “The Bridge of Khazad-dûm”::
The Balrog made no answer. The fire in it seemed to die, but the darkness grew. It stepped forward slowly on to the bridge, and suddenly it drew itself up to a great height, and its wings were spread from wall to wall; but still Gandalf could be seen, glimmering in the gloom; he seemed small, and altogether alone: grey and bent, like a wizened tree before the onset of a storm..
He gives away his Anglo Saxon here in aliteration:
but still Gandalf could be seen,
glimmering in the gloom;
he seemed small,
and altogether alone:
The mere phrase “glimmering in the gloom” is one of the shortest fragments that can wholly serve as evidence to why Tolkien fascinates me and moves me: Language, or rather the sound of it.
Just say it out loud: “glimmering in the gloom.” My, what a lovely sound.
And the masterful choice of word order:
… still Gandalf could be seen — There is this huge monster of a Daemon, but still Gandalf could be seen, grey and bent, like a wizened tree before the onset of a storm.
Imagery. Sound and Imagery. Verse poems. No wonder the misologistic literati dislike him. Well, that and the anti-irony. Damn Etonians! Your time is coming to an end! 😉
The Two Towers Review
I’ve seen the movie three times (including once when I was sitting right behind, Mr. George Lucas Hisself.)
Overall: 9/10
I think everyone who has had even the cursory contact with me knows I am a Tolkien freak.
So I’m a tough critic. While I’ve been called a Tolkien slut (I’ll take any interp, even bad ones like the Bakshi Movie[ugh]), I still prefer well-informed interpretations.
So The 2nd movie. The first movie was preceded by so much anticipation over every aspect. The second movie gave less to worry about, since I am near-completely satisfied with PJ’s skills.
So my first thing to say about TTT is that I utterly loved it. I know as with FOTR that these quibblings will fall away with repeat viewings and extra footage that I know is out there, but I feel PJ deserves this level of honest criticism, so I’ll just fire away at the largest problems with the movie (it is overly harsh):
#1. HELM’S DEEP / ROHAN:
The change that Saruman is seeking to ethnically cleanse the Rohiirim (main goal) was a bad choice, IMHO. This leads to having the civillians at Helm’s Deep rather than Dunharrow (and while saving a shooting location) forces different motives and concerns for Theoden, etc.
For instance, if this were truly their “last stand.” ALL able bodied people would be fighting, not just men. This dissapointed me. Why don’t the women fight? Not because they are women, but because in the book they are a) not under threat of extermination, and b)not AT bleeding Helm’s deep. This trivializes the culture of Rohan. I didn’t think it helped the story ‘tall.
#2: ARAGORN GOES MISSING
Why? Ok I can see ‘why’ but it seems contrived. If you are going to have contrived things, keep the ones that are in the book over your creations, PJ. Yes, Aragorn (AND GIMLI) go missing, but it is during the battle of Helm’s deep. Why can’t we have it happen there, like it did in the book? If you want the emotional impact, you can have gimli not go missing and tell Eowyn for that reaction. Then Gimli can’t be in the charge, etc. Oh well, not _too_ big of a deal, but a little troubliing.
#3: ELROND AGAIN
My biggest beef with FOTR is back and worse in TTT. Elrond isn’t that big of a dick, K? Hugo can play concern better, let’s not turn E. into a black-and-white overbearing father, K? Really sloppy.
#4: ENTS
More, please. ( I know this will be fixed in the Extended Ed. Wellinghall WAS filmed.)
—-
That’s about it.
Now that those are out of the way, problems others had that I didn’t:
#1: GIMLI AS COMIC RELIEF
I thought all the Gimli scenes that are interpreted as comical were done well and tastefully. They were more often then not only funny if you look at his actions as a human or man, and ignore dwarf culture. Yes, they were done with full intent for comic effect, but all have support from the material. Table manners, etc. No, the belch didn’t bother me. I’ve even read on some boards individuals complaining about the Dwarven Women dialogue. That’s fine if you didn’t like it, but don’t pretend for a moment that PJ invented it. It’s all canon. Check the appendicies.
#2: SAMS SPEECH AT END
I’ve seen may people dislike Sam’s speech about being in stories at the end of the movie. All I can say to those people is sorry. This is the soul of the books, the silly simple and honest Sam and his (innocent/naive) sentiment. Look past the (intentional) sacharine feel and read the emotion. Friendship, Love, Comaraderie, Honour, Compassion. If you don’t like that, this isn’t the movie/book for you. Move on, we won’t miss you.
#3: FARAMIR
Too bad David Whenham weren’t better. The change didn’t bother me too much since we got to see Osgiliath. Plus, the timeline is correct, since F. did go to osgiliath in the book, just ‘off screen.’ It gave him a better chr. arc, and It’s an ok change for me — much like the Arwen change in FOTR.
——————-
Now for the great:
#1: GOLLUM
Ok, it was obvious – but even if the rest of the movie were a mess, Gollum would have saved it. All I can say is “mother fucker.” Dead on. Dead. On.
It took a few reads for me to feel compassion for Gollum, which I do with great depths. The movie made me feel for him more.
I really can’t understand the simpleminded people laughing at Gollum – I suppose that is all they can get out of him, so I’m glad PJ could deliver on that level for them. But underneath, as those of us who know know, there lingers the fate of us all – but for the grace of ($diety, Fate, chance) go us all. It is the same effect you get when you pass a homeless person, an addict: This was once a person who did not want to be this way. I really like how Frodo’s mission to ‘save’ Gollum is really a mission to save himself, for If Gollum cannot come back, how can he? A great theme I did not pick up on during any of my readings, but one I’ll be happy to look for at next reading.
#2: HELM’S DEEP
Watch the movie, you’ll see.
#3: ENTS STORMING ISENGARD
At times the scale was a bit noticble, but the effect were unbelievable – I never dreamed I’d ever see this on screen. I never dreamed it would be done this well.
#4: GANDALF AND THE BALROG
“long time I fell…” While we didn’t get to see
—————
That about ends my little review – I’m sure more will come with more viewings, but I’m happy with that. I think I liked the experience of FOTR more, but I think this is a better “movie” – at least more traditional “movie.”
comments and discussions welcomed!
TTT
Review coming later, short one now:
Many changes, Some OK, some questionable. Not enough questionable to do (too much) harm.
Yay Gollum
Yay Treebeard
9 out of 10
0 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes, and 6 seconds left until The Two Towers
0 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes, and 6 seconds left until The Two Towers
Less than one day
in 0 days, 15 hours, 42 minutes, and 43 seconds,
Some here at work have scoffed at my prioritization of the event (fuck them), but these premiere dates will only be happening once in my life. These days are as infrequent ans as important as graduations, weddings, funerals.
Tonight is the midnight show already mentioned (in Fairfield — still tickets available if anyone wants to join us)
So tomorrow I am taking the day off. In the morning I will be cooking a heaping Hobbit (read: English) breakfast for
So it is three times for TTT. It doesn’t match my 4 vieiwings of FOTR last year, but I did one too many screenings last year anyway. We were falling asleep anyway in one showing.
Tonight, tonight! We’ll be sure to bring a few boxes of tissues. I cannot wait to hear the Entmoot or watch the White Rider leading the charge – I’m excited for Gollum’s characterization, Theoden’s healing, Eowyn’s struggle.
This year really seems to have flown by now. Remembering the long year ahead as it loomed when FOTR ended that first time I saw it last Christmas, It’s hard to realize the wait is near over, and it will be over so (too) soon.
So — everyone go see TTT! Mutiple Times!