Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Audiophilander (A) on December 27, 2002 at 23:05:55

In Reply to: Re: "What was wrong with the original story..." posted by KeithC on December 27, 2002 at 11:55:51:

I'd hope we might agree that your not being a "habitual filmgoer" places you at a disadvantage in trying to fairly criticize the merits of what will and won't work in a cinematic sense. Heck, trying to second guess the appropriate screenwriting and direction of an epic like this is far removed from my experience as well even though my wife and I do see a lot of movies and also share some experience in the novel writing and screenwriting department! Take my word for it, novels and screenplays are totally different animals and with rare exception answer to different masters!

At any rate, I enjoyed both films immensely and admire The Two Towers for what it is even when it strays from the original literary work. That's because when the film does vary from Tolkein's novels it does so artfully, without creating irreconcilable problems with the author's original vision. In other words, the story is nicely paced without sidetracks, dead-ends or unresolved plot points. If Peter Jackson had betrayed Tolkein's concepts and undermined the original vision just to leave his own "creative" stamp on it that would be different; we both know it would reflect badly on how the next film would be received by the public and critical press.

Few believed that Tolkein's Ring series could be filmed much less treated as respectfully as Peter Jackson has attempted to do; he has brought the characters and Middle Earth to life and if the "history" has shifted slightly in order that this epic tale be more visually accessable, perhaps we should give the Director the benefit of doubt. That's all I'm trying to say.

AuPh