Hi! Just started to watch this one for,like the 10000th time and I was wondering if any of ya remember your first impressions of the movie.

Hello,Vee I never had that problem I read the books and enjoyed the movies.

Well I am a bit embarrassed to say that I watched them out of order the first time. I was pregnant with my son and a group of us from work went to go see TTT at the movies. I of course was entirely too pregnant to be at a movie that was that long all you girls out there know what I am talking about. One of my friends figured out by the perplexed look on my face that much to his shock I had never seen TFoTR before going to see TTT. So after I had my son he came to the hospital and and loaned me his extended version of TFoTR I watched that while I was on maternity leave and when my son was about 2 1/2 weeks old my friend and I packed him into the car and went and saw TTT again. He slept through the whole movie too. I must say that my first impression of TFoTR was a good one however I had never read the books so I was not aware of what I was missing. I thought that as far as trying to put together a world that until the movies came out never existed anywhere but in a book I thought that PJ did a great job. He got me wanting to read the books so not having much else to do while on Maternity leave I picked up The Hobbit and read that and then I delved into the others and now I am hooked and that has been over a year ago. I am glad that I got into those though even if it did take a movie to turn me onto a series of books I loathe to think that I missed out on those stories for all these years. I do agree with a pp on this topic after reading all the books I was a little disappointed in the movies but then when I take the movies seperate from the books then I enjoy both although I do enjoy the books more.

Ashley276

Hi

I thought FotR was fantastic when I saw it and still think it's the best of the three (the third one's REALLY disappointing). I didn't mind any of the changes or cuts - how could you put Bombadil on film without him looking an idiot? - though I've always found the guy who plays Elrond the worst of the lead (second lead or whatever) actors. He'd be the only thing I'd change in FotR.

I was hoping to *finally* see a lord of the rings movie that would show me what the story was about. Previous attempts had been disapointing and confusing, if I had only know about this site then... The story was as wonderful as I had hoped. Legolas was perfect, I remember being a bit annoyed when I saw the animated lotr, the elves weren't pretty enough. (Don't remember much from it though. ) Music, costumes, scenery, all was good. I understood and I loved it! I do remember thinking that Galadriels "even the smallest person can change the course of the future" (or something like that) was not a Tolkien line but a had to be a Hollywood line.

I remember being quite excited befor seeing it, surfing the web for info getting more interested, curious and confused wondering why Elrond was the only elf to have dark hairk and thinking that Arwens jewel was what made her immortal and other silly stuff. I'm glad I know this stuff now and that I know where to go when I have any questions.

I'm so pleased it did though, Mike. In fact that is the one memory I really came out of the film with, because for ages there seemed to be a rumour circulating that Boromir was not going to die. I sat through most of the film thinking at the back of mind, how disappointed I would be if they did not kill him off. When he took that arrow, therefore, I was so relieved I actually cheered out quite loudly.

I think the other thing that struck me was how realistic everything appeared. It didn't seem to have that "hollywood haze" about it. Although I could not quite place what was different about it at the time, I think with hindsight it was the close attention to minute detail that the makers had gone to. Costumes and weapons etc appeared real because they were real.

I remember that when FOTR first came out I DID NOT want to see it (I know! I must have been senile or something! ). I hadn't read the books and I figured it would just be some sort of phase that the whole "normal" population was into (yes I'm actually not normal! HAH! ). Everyone was saying how it would blow the Harry Potter movies out of the water in popularity and also in that it was just plain better than the HP movies. I LOVE Harry Potter so I was ticked until finally my mom said, "Well why don't we just see what this is all about," and then guess who came out of the theater saying that that was probably the BEST movie they ever saw? Yeppers it was me not my mom. I was totally in awe by all the great effects and the phomenal drama that was present throughout the entire movie. The whole plot just drew me in and I could think about nothing else. I thought I was a part of the adventure and even though at some parts I was a little confused, basically I thought the movie was a perfect mix of all the things that I love (and actually I think it was kinda a better than the Harry Potter movie. Talk about ironic huh? ) The other thing that everyone ought to know about me (in case they meet me and need to know to back away from me.....just kidding) is that I get really into movies and I get really emotional. So I think I cried 3 times during the movie: once when Gandalf fell (not died like I first thought), when Boromir got shot 3 times and died, and when Sam nearly drowned. Well for Gandalf I think I was more in shock than anything and when Sam started to go under I think I was mouthing "NO! NOT SAM!!!!!!!" (Yeah see what I mean? I'm a freak and proud of it! ) So that's my interesting story of the first time I saw FOTR and now I've read the books, including the Hobbit and the Simarillion, and my twin told me all the stories in Unfiinished Tales. I do agree that some parts of the book shouldn't have been taken out but overall I thought it was the BEST MOVIE EVER! (which I stil think it is! )

FOTF the movie introduced me to Tolkiens world..... well not entirely true, i tried to read the hobbit in like grade 3 and wasn't too successful; so that doesn't count.

I watched this movie and was at complete awe. So i went and read TTT and ROTK, because i couldn't wait for the movies, and was flabberghasted. When i saw the movies TTT and ROTK, after reading the books, i was quite disappointed because they didn't live up to my expectations. i forgot to mention that after reading TTT and ROTK, i started over proper by reading FOTF, TTT, and finally ROTK.... all in a months or 2. After reading FOTF i realized the movie isn't as good as the book, surprise! But from the book to movie translations i think FOTF was the best, hands down.

You like namecalling, don't you?

I dislike the movies, so what? That's just my opinion. It are just movies. Get over it.

I'm not whining all the time about you constantly griping on Hairy Potty, am I?


Tsk tsk, it's not allowed by Ms Vee to correct spelling mistakes! That's "picking despite your own imperfections". Jeez. Probably a new Council rule i missed.

Hey! Who's whining? And I didn't mean any offense to you. I just helped them visualise what I wanted to say.


Make that to read we missed! This is a bad rule!

Correcting a spelling mistake is NOT nitpicking, let alone ridiculing someone, imo, sorry.

In another thread, you suddenly stated that i was picking on a member, which i didn't? I think THAT is ridiculing, not to mention offending someone.

Or are you trying to make me leave this so-called forum? Hey, it's certainly working.

I first saw TFOTR on 21 december, 2001. I can remember it like yesterday : all those Tolkien purists grabbing seats, beer cans and ppl dressed up as Elves and then throwing them at the screen...

Yes, a fruitful day that was. When a friend asked me to go rewatch the movie some weeks later, i answered : "NUTS!". Hurhurhur.

Vir, I didn't accuse you of nitpicking or picking on another member. I said you like to pick up on spelling mistakes, which you do. I just wanted to make sure that Gothmog wasn't offended by the way you did it. Sometimes it is difficult to tell.



That wasn't aimed at you. It was a comment for everyone's benefit, bearing in mind the difference in languages. Don't take it personally. Most comments (such as LA's post before this) are said in humour. I'd hate the humour on PT to be squashed. And I love the idea of people dressed up as elves being thrown at the screen as well as chairs. (Humour - go on, smile, it's the festive season!)

I don't want anyone to leave. I want to keep you all here for ever. It's the differences which make it so interesting.

Have a mince pie and a glass of festive cheer. Yes, I made the pies myself and no, I haven't poisoned them.

I loved it, but the seats in the cinema where REALLY uncomfortable - that's my only moan!

The first time i watched TFOTR, i was abit confused because i didn't fully know what it was about! But i watched it another 12 times and then fully understood it's context! i was fine then with the other films and am happy that i like it too and im happy that i've joined this website!!

WTF happened to Glorfindel?!!! Oh, right, he wasn't sexy enough for a movie; all he did was kill a Balrog and come back from the dead (and he wasn't even an Istari.) Arwen stayed behind the scenes throughout the REAL story, which, as she was Elronds only daughter is unsurprising. After what the Orcs did to Celebrian he was a little reluctant to let her go gallavanting around the countryside with Ringwraiths. She stayed in Rivendell where she belonged until Sauron was beaten and Aragorn crowned in a secure Gondor. Compared with that Bombadil was small potatoes, though it created other problems like having to just hand out replacements for the Barrowblades to the Hobbits. Also cute was the way Sting glowed in the vicinity of Orcs but Glamdring didn't. Apparently the same smithcraft that was good enough for daggers was too good for the sword of Turgon, though this wasn't true in the books. Plus the wizards duel between Saruman and Gandalf never happened either; Middle-earth didn't do "magic" like that, which is understandable given the Professors background. Oh, and since when are Sindar part of the House of Finarfin? Stuff like this is why I avoid the "If You Could Change One Thing" thread; if I could change only ONE thing I'd still be greatly disappointed.

And the sad thing is, I agree with the statement above: Jackson did a fantastic job of recreating the world. It was my great dread that this challenge was impossible to meet, yet he did it far beyond my expectations. And then the easy part, the part that he didn't have to do because the Professor already had, he totally muffed: he decided he needed to improve the narrative. Bah! What a disappointment a doably perfect job was done so wrong.

Well, I don't think the Keening Wail of Haldirs Fall was the purists idea. Certainly not this one. Besides, if Arwen had been at Helms Deep it would have spoiled Aragorns attempts to make time with Eowyn, and we all know how much we loved "Aragorn the Cad" from the books. :elfvomits:

Well, as for me, i have no idea what my first impressions were!! I watched all the movies so many times that i just cant remember the first time.

I could have tolerated the omissions without the revisions. "Go home, Sam!" EXCUSE ME?!!! You don't just turn around and "go home" from Mordor, besides which Frodo would NEVER have said that. I almost got up and walked out at that point. And the wizards duel that never happened. And Aragorn the Cad. And Denethor the Gibbering. And a whole generation of moviegoers who have the idea Saruman was just a craven who submitted to Sauron rather than a skilled and ambitious manipulator who played his own game. Me, I'm (relatively) young; I only waited twenty years, but Jackson somehow managed to overcome my appreciation for doing the impossible in creating the world by doing the inexcusable and changing the story. The one upside is it still ends with "Well, I'm back." So I was able to beat the crowds out of the theater. Or at least, I assume it did; that's where it ends, and if Jackson elected to go further I'm just as glad I didn't see it.

Oh, and Vir... we all know I'd rather see Galadriel vs. Eowyn, right? Or maybe vs. Idril.... *ponders* ;-p

This raises a question : considering your apparent fondness of blondes, why then do you object that every Elf in PJ's adaptation of LOTR is so wonderfully fair-haired? Lipservice, perchance? :-P

Well, then consider it a courtesy of PJ to you. :-P


I think some were, but certainly not everyone. There's Elw’, Celeborn & Celebr’an who are mentioned as silverhaired, that's all. Maybe only those related to Elw’ have silver hair.

And we already had this discussion at the "Hair colour" thread, I believe : Hair colour

PS : Celeborn one of the Two Trees?! You're slipping, my friend. Celeborn was a seedling of Galathilion (who was a seedling of Telperion and stood in Tirion) and stood on Tol Eresse’. :-P

I have just taken the jubilee bank holiday as an opportunity to watch all three moves back-to-back, FotR and TTT on Sunday and RotK last night. Although I've seen all three films numerous times, I've not managed to watch them together before. If you ever get the chance to watch them in one go, try it - together they are truly epic. It still amazes me the level of detail that was put into these films with the costumes and scenery. The scale of it too - when you see the Rohhirim arrive at the Battle of Pelinnor Fields, there are so many of them. It really struck me this time though, that although they seemed such a large army, that was almost their entire population of fighting men. Watching the slaughter as they were shot down by orcish arrows or smashed by Mumakil, it made me realise how empty their halls would be afterwards.

I too have had occasion to do the whole thing with my family every year or so, I could not take it mentally any oftener, neither can i bear to be inactive that long for any reason but being in a coma or having two broken legs! But once a year, it is heaven.

I agree the work done is spectacular and intricate and detailed and but for the directors, etc we would have to just see it in our own imaginations. I hope to be clear on that score. I just hate messing about with order and who said what and cutting out crucial things as well as making up things or creating emnity between peoples that never existed . That to me is a real blow to the integrity of and fifteen years work of a person who managed it between tragedy and overwork, sickness, bereavement. I know as a writer I would hate that so much and feel literally as ill over it as I would if a child of mine were operated on and their entire appearance was changed simply because the surgeon did not like the way the child's features were put together. I cannot get past that. So, if i look at it as just another story with many points pilfered from the real thing I can enjoy it a great deal. Sigh.............it is how i am.

Hail Eglantine Longholes, having a little cry is common for me in the films and I agree, after the many hours of film the credits after the final film, with loverly Annie singing the main theme of ROTK always brings me to tears. "Frodo, it's time......"

Therian, congrats on you first reading. You will find that over the many years of your life, every time you re read, you will find many hidden meanings in the words of JRRT which will have a different meaning according to your age and mood at the time of your reading. I found that I came to love the little, seemingly unimportant things which are actually the reason that His Middle Earth is so fully formed and wonderful. Again congrats.