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Just last Saturday I got to watch the movie Rush Hour 2 (You should try watchings movies here in Bangkok, the theatres are superb! Well at least that's what I hear from my American and British friends here.)

Anyway, got to see the trailer of the LoTR.

Call me "over," but hey, I can't help but get that thud in my heart. Finally, I could get to see my favorite story unfold right before my very eyes...

I wish that I would not get disappointed with this one. The D&D movie was a total flop for me.

The only thing is, is that book to movie adaptations can never fufill the fans true feelings. Too much becomes left out.

I hope Peter Jackson will do justice to the book. I also heard, don't know if it's rumor or the truth, that they are going to cut out Tom Bombadil. OMG, how could they do that, I love that guy. Did anyone else hear about this?

@Aegis: I agree. Actually it holds true for almost ALL movie adaptations. I have yet to hear from somebody who would tell me that the movie flick is much better than the written story it was based from.

But I still do hope that the people behind this project wont have JRR turning himself from the grave... ("It's Uncle Lester! He has risen from the grave! --- ?, Graveyard District, Athkathla BG2-SoA)

@HF: Tom Bombadil out?!!! That would be ridiculous! He was instrumental in saving the Hobbits outside the Shire. That's when the hobbits first realize the taste of peril that their journey would be.

Yep, internet rumours certainly point to him being cut out.

However that won't stop me from seeing the trilogy.

@Tamerlane: In that case, they must have a good reason for that! *half disgusted*

At any rate, the suspense is killing me! Although they are shooting the trilogy simultaneously, they'd be releasing each part of the trilogy a year apart.

I'd be 30+ by that time!!!

...and if they decide to come up with The Silmarillion and The Hobbit, I'd be 40-ish...

...oh, well... I hope that they're worth the wait *fingers crossed*

The Silmerillion as a whole would make a god awful film, the stories unfortunately are too disjointed from one another to make for a fluid story. Therefor it would only appeal to rabid Tolkienites, not to the general public at large.

However a film of say the Tale of the Children of Hurin or Beren & Luthien would be quite feasable.

Tom Bombadil out? Who care's? Really, in a movie tom would just be a dumb addition (IMHO, he was also a dumb addition in the books as well).

The LotR movie is going to be great...

I’m with you Gaxx. Tom Bombadil is just plain unimportant to the overall story of LotR and would suck up time and money that would be better spent elsewhere on the movie.

Tom is an important part of the book at least in the eyes of the writer himself.

Afterall Bombadil survived numerous re-writes of huge sections of the book including the most major story evolution of them all, when LOTR changed from being a childrens tale that followed on from The Hobbit into being a major work of liturature that had it's roots set in Tolkien's true work of love the Silmarillion.

but in the words of Tolkien himself;

"...I kept him in, and as he was, because he represents certain things otherwise left out."
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No 153, dated 1954.

For similar reasons Bombadil is a very important charcter to many fans.

Being one of those fans I personally will miss Bombadil if he his left out of the film however I can see very real reasons for Tom to be left out, the main one being that in the book Tom is an enigma left over from an earlier time both from within the storyline point of view but also with regards to how LOTR was written. Such an unexplained enigma will not work with your average non fan film viewer who will have no understanding of Tom and why he is there and as such that part of the film will end up being meaningless to them.

[ 09-20-2001: Message edited by: Saruman ]

On second thought, The makers should put Tom in, then leave that part on the cutting room floor, and then release a directors cut of the film ten years after the film initially came out on DVD and coin it in by selling a second version of the DVD to all the fans that would have rather have seen Tom in the film in the first place

[ 09-20-2001: Message edited by: Saruman ]

Uhh... Saruman, I think I'd rather go for your "first thought"

Nahh, really. Your argument is well taken noten of. In my excitement, I forgot that a lot more people will be watching who most likely haven't read the books yet.

Beren and Luthien would be a great story too. But I'd always wanted to see how the Nirnaeth Arnoediad would look like, or better yet, the Fall of Fingolfin in the hands (rather, the shield) of Morgoth.

Back in highschool, my friends and I would talk about this battle and somehow found it amusing... imagine Morgoth trying to unsuccessfully hit the lightning-quick elven lord with his great hammer (causing instant craters all around) and in the process getting nicked now and then by Fingolfin.

In his frustration, he discarded his great hammer (Grond?) and used his large shield which obviously would cover a greater area ... of course it helped that the elven lord eventually grew tired making him finally an easy target.

BTW, what would be a scene or set of scenes in any of JRR's stories would (any one of) you want to see in living color? This could have been a new topic, but then again never mind...

Originally posted by Maharlika:
<STRONG>BTW, what would be a scene or set of scenes in any of JRR's stories would (any one of) you want to see in living color?</STRONG>

I would love to see the battle of five armies especially the bits where Thorin leads his companions on their own agaist the goblin armies van or the bit where Beorn in full bear form carves his way through the massed ranks of goblins to reach the goblin general.

Good scenes from the coming movies should be when Sam wounds Shelob (have to wait for the second film), When Aragorn leads the grey company along the paths of the dead, and when Gandalf faces the Balrog.

[ 09-20-2001: Message edited by: Saruman ]

Goodness, i'm totally looking forward to the release. I was worried that I'd only end up seeing it due to my love for the book, but after seeing the previews i knew i'd enjoy the movie itself. True, certain adaptations will probably be made, but just from the previews alone I felt that Tolkein's original mood and tone for the book had been maintained. I have friends, having never read the book, telling me that it looks to be an impressive movie. I feel the same.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that this movie will not be like the D&D movie. (I am shivering at the thought)

I agree with Saruman. Tom would be too big of an enigma for casual moviegoers. I have read almost everything by Tolkien and still cannot find any more reference to Tom than the one made in LOTR. The Silmarillion does not even mention him. Come to think of it, another big engima would be the Ents. I think they are some sort of lesser wood spirit created by Yvanna, the Giver of Fruits to watch over the living things of Middle Earth while the Valar lived in Valinor.

Does that mean they are going to cut the Ents out? I don't know but if they do, they are going to have a really hard time changing how Saruman was defeated.

THEY BETTER NOT CUT THE ENTS OUT!!!!!

(One of the best parts) Also I too would really like to see The Battle of Five Armies, and really the whole hobbit book - in live action. Check out Bilbo vs the Spiders for an excellent example of the hit and run / invisible backstab tactic that works so well in Baldurs Gate and SOA.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Saruman:
I would love to see the battle of five armies especially the bits where Thorin leads his companions on their own agaist the goblin armies van or the bit where Beorn in full bear form carves his way through the massed ranks of goblins to reach the goblin general.[QUOTE]

Hello.


I could understand Tom was important to Tolkein, and he seemed quite powerful. I believe Gandalf said that if he gave the ring to Tom, the man would not get affected by its evil. he has also been living for a long time. In the end of the book Gandalf spends some tiem with Tom.
Obviously this guy is very powerful, his power beyond that of any mortal in such a way nothing can affect him.

I really want to see the ents and the tall hobbits.


The battle of five armies would be cool, but at the moment their not making a movie of the hobbit.

The final battle scene seems kind of interesting.
Although in the book i was really disappointed because i was expecting a battle 10x the size of the battle outside of Minas Tirith, but it ended soo quickly.
But watching the armies of Easterligns and Orcs coming down the cliffs charging at the Riders of Rohan and the men of Gondor and the elves and fellowship, and then suddenly breaking up when Frodo destroyed the ring. 3.

And i want to see Hobbiton, and Rivendill.

[ 09-20-2001: Message edited by: ThorinOakensfield ]

It would be a really big challenge to portray the Silmarillion on screen. It's practically the Bible for all Tolkien fans and Tolkien mythology. It's just too complicated for casual people to figure out what went on with several generations of elves and their battle against Morgoth.

Guys like I said, nothing has been officially confirmed yet about cutting out Tom. However it would/will? be tough portraying a character such as him in the trilogy.

What I'm particularly looking forward to, is the director's vision of the Dark Tower Barad-Dur, and also of the history of the Ring at the Council Of Elrond.

Hmmm, Double Post

[ 09-20-2001: Message edited by: Tamerlane ]