I didn't say subtle humor *only* appealed to Europeans... but in any case maybe you would like "The Colour of Magic" quite funny, but you have to be an adult to really appreciate most of the humor (in sewer ants) .

I like Tolkien's humour as well. Refreshing, as sb said, it is indeed. It's there when you need it...

rrrrrrrrrrr ok if we are going to say things like that no one really is a European except for the germans? Coz I'm dutch and you cant (well actually you can it's quite easy to see the difference) compare me with Germans

and the brits aren't europeans baceause they are on an island and think they are driving on the right side of the road

and the french aren't european because they only know how to speak french and for gods sake they eat snails..... yuk...

etc etc....

But htere's actually humor in tolkien? wow must have missed it or forgotten

but for terry pratchet It's great but I think I would like it even more when my english is better, which- i hope- it will be someday
as for "in sewer ants" thats wasn't a hard one was it?


[Edited on 25/7/2002 by Boring]

Oh yeah I'd forgotten about that line!

And there's more: when Gandalf says to Frodo: "If you don't let me in, Frodo" and the curdled milk and stuff. And there are other great lines which I forgot just now.

I deleted Amari’ and my last posts as they were too political in nature and had nothing to do with the topic which has to do with humour in Lord of the Rings the movie and our hopes that PJ keeps Sam's funny lines in Return of the King.

Okay, the humor isn't plentiful but once in a while it is there, and that humor can not be compared with TP's DiscWorld books where there is usually a laugh per page.

This morning on Seattle's NPR station, KUOW-FM 94.9Mhz, (www.KUOW.org )Weekday call-in program, they talked about the Academy Award Nominations and those who should have received them, but didn't. Sean Astin's Sam received the most votes out of any catagory for Best Supporting Actor with 11 votes and with Andy Serkis' Gollum not too far back with about 3. Of course this was just the sense of listeners who called in or emailed during the one hour show, but it means there are a lot of fans out there in radio land too.

Would it go something like this Gnamps?

Sam is both simple and foolish, and PJ has managed to make him look like the Oaf he is, good one Pete! Thanks a lot.

But PJ made him 5 times as fat as in the books. Even in the end at Mount Bloom he's as fat as in the beginning of the movies.

Not too shabby Val, could be worse mate.

And I haven't argued with Vir in a while, but it's a hard habit to break....

I think I laughed more on serious scenes than the subtle humor.

Some subtle humor i laughed at:

Sean Bean: So they have a cave troll.

Not Subtle but funny: Legolas getting Drunk. : I think there is a tingle in my fingers.

Gimli: You could of picked a better spot

Sam: Don't go where i can't follow

Frodo: Oh, My dead Sam

I remember Frodo saying 'my dear Sam," but not what you said.

I think the trauma and hardships that JRR experienced during the war, and all the mental and emotional stress as well affected his writing and outlook. There was humour in the wartime but such that there was always an undercurrent of tenseness, of sorrow. I see any humour I came across much like that in the books.

I must agree with you Odette, and please find some time to come and be with us, you are a brilliant rainbow of thought and humour. I think the more one contemplates some of the things that are said or described in the books, the funnier and funnier they become. Just like in real life when someone, upset or angry or just touchy says something and ten minutes later a couple of people who listened will start laughing and laugh again just about anytime they think about it. But honestly it is hard to be hysterically funny in the midst of grief and horror, and even for those in the Shire, they were relaxed into a certain way of life and perhaps did not see humour in things that others watching them live their lives did. Of course under the influence of spirits their tongues loosened no doubt and they were funny and saw one another as funny.  They did not seem to have a gift for separating annoyance and selfishness that caused them to focus on themselves and their wants from humour being given by the one annoying them. Else the whole assembly at dear Bilbo Baggins"s party would have laughed themselves silly at his words. Because they were funny. The story of Farmer Giles is to me so silly I laughed and laughed despite my annoyance. And the scene where Gandalf is first in Beorn/s grand house trying to get all the dwarves and the hobbit allowed inside without infuriating the skin changer is genius.

I hate and dread the humour of the orcs, for the very matter of fact way that they say things and the humour with it, though unknown to them, underlines the fact that they are wicked murderous and it is all in a day's work to steal, kill and destroy, it makes me feel ill actually. It reminds me of some of the humorous things said by gang members while doing the most evil despicable things. Tolkien is genius at this sort of thing.