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Book to Movie, Good or Bad? The controversy. There is a plethora of palaver in all directions on the subject... exciting, if the topic interest you. ...elle Tolkien works
Author, J.R.R.Tolkien, Biographical
The Lord of The Rings is the most famous of the vast works of J.R.R.Tolkien, and enjoying a popularity in the theaters right now. The story runs a fanciful parallel to times past in human history, sharing the story of the creation and destruction of the ring of ultimate destructive power. Some of Tolkien's earlier works fill in the blanks of past and future, either end of the story of the rings, and, an Oxford scholar and professor, his translation of the Finnish epic, "Beowulf" is newly published, and his classic work has always been respected. But The Lord of The Rings is loved. ( Remember the hitsong of the late sixties? "The Lord respects me when I work/ But he loves me when I Sing!".......a celebratory thing!) I think it is important to remember that Tolkien himself was surprized at the following he collected through the "Lord of the Rings" Triology. He had a naive interest in the forgotten languages even as a little boy, and played games with his friends using the elvish words. Many years later, as a Father, his main motive for the books was to delight his own four boys... I like to think that he, in his heaven, is at peace, having accepted the idea that his intellect simply produced stories that ought to delight milliions of litle boys and girls and those who love them, and those who can appreciate the brilliance in the simple stories. If he did not wish such hoopla, he should have produced less brilliantly. The Trilogy is like a review of Literature, in some ways. Not many study ancient lost languages, Images, icons and symbols in the vast accumulation of ancient tales. So these things would be lost to us common minds. However, having family fun with the Lord of the Rings, how many of us have made acquaintance to the best of the ancient tales and symbols, as presented in his books! For example, in the old tales, there are dozens of stories of rings found in fish....a fact I was reminded of today when I chanced on this passage from a religious note. "... The Fish was one caught by Saint Kentigern in the Clyde River. When it was slit open, a ring belonging to the Queen of Cadzow was miraculously found inside it. The Queen was suspected of intrigue by her husband, and that she had left with his ring. She has asked Saint Kentigern for help, and he found and restored the ring in this way to clear her name." How many of us would know that? And yet, because of LOTR, millions of us have enjoyed a refresher in this concept, with Golllum , then Smeagol the fisherman, and his brother , Deagol, finding a fish and ring in a matter involving deception. Smeagol kills Deagol over the ring. One of the things that delighted me in the film, was Producer Peter Jackson's way of carrying this concept into the making of the film. For example: in the old movies, due to the poor visual and audio quality, exaggerations in reactions and very broad statements were used to get the message across to the audience. Also, in "days of yore", our social and interpersonal gestures, facial expresssions, tones of voice, cliches and body language were very different......How many of us tell our children or grandchldren of these times and ways? How many of our children will view films from the twenties , thirties and forties? So it delighted me to see these snippets of old culture included in the performance of the film. Some rainy afternoon, I will view all the videos and catalog them, unless I find it already done by someone else , online, or in other study. All I know is I experienced a happiness in those moments when a nuance from my childhood days played out on screen, and felt myself and my children enriched for it, and so felt grateful, as well. Just a movie? Unbuzz from it all for a minute and think. I love the films! When I went to see the first episode, I refused to get into it, fearing I would be too disappointed, but ten minutes into the story, it was all I could do to remain seated like a lady, from sheer delight! The fidelity to the visual and the overall fine feeling of the films just kept coming on. Twenty years ago, my young family and I made a big wish that one day, someone would see the books would make a great film and do it up right! And I reallly experienced a satisfaction in these films.....well done! I still recommend the books, though, since telling the event -filled story in only three segments was a feat: Tolkien's book was published as a trilogy, but was writtenin six parts. The film could not hope to include every incident, every song and poem, and the explanations of symbolic persons, places, things and moments. But it did a fine job of it, nevertheless. I had only one major criticism: an omission in the equation of events: I enjoyed work with preschool when my grown children were that age, and so kept the "psych 101" children's basics in mind when viewing the film, as well. The film does beautifully at portraying family affections, and teaching of human concepts of team play in the battle between good and evil, and the idea of sacrifice for one's fellow man, on a small or large scale. Tolkien had sons, who, in fact, often served as on-site editors of the stories.... and the books are written just so.... a Father of young boys telling the story to jus them...but the films, to appeal to a general audience, expanded on the light and reverenctial and slightly distant mention of the ladies in the books and did a pretty good job of portraying a better balance in the actions...integrating the female characters ...and romantic interactions. Tolkien was sure, as a proper British Father of young boys, to tell the story of good habits....hobbits/habits? The storyline travelled from safety at home, hospitality, comfort and delight in the literacy, cultural, social, the bath and good grooming and appearance. Then events move the reader into rough and ready adventures where enduring lack of clean, safe and comfortable was important to prove integrity......but then, after each adventure, in the books much attention was given to the salvation of repairs from it all......"...sing , "hey!" for the bath at the end of the day!" the hobbits sing after a very dirty day's activity. .....For examle: After the dirt and fire and horrors of Moria, the Fellowship is dazzled with elvish hospitality....the book tallks at length of the grooming and primping up and the accommodations in dazzling "flets" or treehouses of golden mallorn leaves.....the clean and glittering and healing effects visual and spiritual are not really there in the film, except in the footage of Galadriel's and Celeborn's throneroom.... After the adventures on the trail with Orcs, Merry and Pippin are dazzled again with Treebeard's hospitality....he shows them how to enjoy the natural cleaning healing of his woods, waterfall, and magical liquids that glow, in bowls, and restore a persons natural glow..........this part is omitted in the film as well...... The film did demonstrate most effectively, the transformation of the eccentric "Gandalf the Grey" into the Valiant and mystical "Gandalf the White", and also portrayed a smoothed and restorative time at Edoras for him , Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, after the arduous trek and struggle with Grima, and Liberation of King Theoden. I especially liked the "dance" - the personality development of Aragorn and Arwen. At film's start, with her Mother having been killed by Orcs, the Lady Arwen holds a position of power superior to her age and generation, while Aragorn had been raised, hidden, and is called up to his destiny by the discovery of the Ring, and is reticent in many ways. He has no experience to give him reason for confidence in the tasks he now faces....he has fear from the errors of his ancestor, Isuldur. But he has the skills of the Ranger's life he has led, and understanding. As the story develops and his worth is proven, he gains in stature, and readiness to assume his lead role in Middle Earth, and the Lady Arwen is the blushing bride at the day of Triumph in Gondor, his devoted Lady. "Frodo lives".... as the rest of Middle Earth does their best, Frodo"s success in surviving to destroy the Evil One Ring is what it is about, and there are no cellphones......."is Frodo alive and proceding successfully?" ...."What does your heart tell you?".... is the best answer available. And so, many years ago, a heartening and fun catchphrase was used and overused by LOTR fans" "Frodo lives!" ....faith and hope! My only problem with Frodo was one of frustration......as he suffered the burden of the ring, I wished to help, and could not, and at the end of the tale, I was grieved: how could they not find him a Rosie like Sam's....one who could bring him a healthy happy ending for all his investment of self.......I still pretend that some elfmaid or fairy at the Grey Havens finds him and makes a mystical and happy miracle for him there! Sam and Rosie, by the way, according to Tolkien's notes to the book, become parents of no fewer than thirteen children, and are the parents of the family name "Gardener". I love happy endings! The socio-logics in Tolkien, however fantastic, are actually very old, traditional and still lived by people today. Both central Hobbit characters, Bilbo and his adopted nephew, Frodo, were orphaned, and Tolkien's writing says that their loss simply fated them to be less interested in a traditional path, i.e., wife and children and average work...preferred "adventures" and loved their home before and after. And yet the author himself was orphaned young, raised and Oxford-educated by the church, and enjoyed a delightful romance, lifelong happy marriage, and four boys, who were often his brightest editors. I liked the "Big Picture" in LOTR but a respectable analysis would be lengthy, so I have chosen a few perpectives frome the film that made a special impression: As in most epics, friends gather and bond for the achievement of a grand and worthy goal, one that tests them all, each in accordance with the personality and circumstances. There are easy symbols of good and evil in the story, and the Wizard's warning that no soul is to be discounted...all have an important part in the success of the Plan, however great or small...and the fate of Men depends on this wisdom. Generations before, the dominant kingdom in Middle Earth, Gondor, loses its monarchs, due to what seemed a minor error by the reigning king, an honored descendent of honored forebears. The Kingdom, Gondor, is administered by the "Stewards", which means administrator, or caregiver, for two thousand years after. The heirs to the King are raised elswhere and wander, awaiting the time to come forward again, as promised, to redeem the kingdom and its Kings. In the absence of the King, the Stewards are devoted and steadfast, become kingly themselves in time,in spite of many sociological and personal setbacks due to the loss of the king, and an underlying sorrow in waiting, and lately, threats of violent doom. The time arrives for Men to join forces, overthrow the evil Sauron, and return with Aragorn, as the excellent descendant of the True King to the throne of Gondor, the idea, at first is jarring to Boromir, son of the current Steward of Gondor, Denethor. Both book and film describe his emotional confict. Aragorn also, says he has not political passion...almost like Jesus.."let this cup be spared from me".....In the early days of the Fellowship, I love Borormir, in appreciation of his sincerity as a caregiver, grooming Aragorn to assume the throne.....Boromir sees his fate is death to make way for the King, and says as much, but before he dies, having demonstrated his humanity with three good outbursts over his fate, he had done a good job with the irritated student, Aragorn, helping the futureking understand and gracefully embrace his role and duties and love for "the People". Boromir's last words are one more reassurance demanded from the mouth of Aragorn that he cares , and cares about the People, and as he should......Juliet's maid, of a sort, Boromir's motives are humbler, like a good caregiver, and I still believe that it was his fear for Frodo's wellbeing, as he observed Frodo's sufferring with burden of the ring, more than any desire for power, that drove Boromir to try to take the Ring from Frodo... The film did a good j ob (I love Sean Bean, the actor in the role), of portraying Boromir's anguish....he is almost "old-ladyish" in his committment to caregiving in a big-time scenario... he cries...he is futile to prevent the events about to pass, but dies in peace, "the torch has been passed..." |