Characterization most butchered

[Slacktopian]

I know exactly what you mean with the whole Agent Elrond thing. xd

One of my friends was watching FOTR with someone who hadn't seen it before. He had just seen The Matrix for the first time earler. Anyway, when Frodo wakes up in Rivendell, and the white light is shining around him, the guy who hadn't seen it before leaned over to my friend and whispered, "Welcome... to the real world." Then, when Elrond leaned over him, the guy turned to my friend and said, "Hey, isn't that...?" His eyes bugged out and he yelled, "Oh crap! RUN, FRODO!!!"

In the theater. xd  

[Nimbrethil]

Was it just me, or was Frodo's (movie!) story arc boring as hell anyway? Right after the sundering, and up until Cirith Ungol, I was really more interested in what was going on with the other characters. Maybe it was because I knew what happens in the end. Anyway, by adding in the little detour to Osgiliath (as a result of Faramir's change), it just dragged out the already tedious storyline. I may need to watch the movies again or something, but that had just occured to me. They probably could have shown Faramir tempted/wishing to obey his father in a less extreme but still effective way.

I remember being surprised when I found out who was playing Elrond. Hugo Weaving wouldn't have been my first thought, but I think he did an alright job. It's not his fault that movie Elrond is bitter and grim and has weird eyebrows. Or that the urge to hear him say "Mr. Anderson" after he speaks is so strong.  

[TenshinoHikari]

Ooh that's awful! Poor Elrond! I adore him in the book (and in my own fan fiction, but that's really beside the point). Everytime I think about his history, about everyone he's lost, I just want to hug him. How hard it must have been for him to be different from everyone else as well as have no parents, and in the end know that once his brother died they could never (ever) be together again. Its just awful crying .  

[Anatole_serial]

TenshinoHikari

Ooh that's awful! Poor Elrond! I adore him in the book (and in my own fan fiction, but that's really beside the point). Everytime I think about his history, about everyone he's lost, I just want to hug him. How hard it must have been for him to be different from everyone else as well as have no parents, and in the end know that once his brother died they could never (ever) be together again. Its just awful crying .

But then again, Elrond as a Half-Elf had to choose between being a Man or an Elf; having chosenimmortality, he may have known from the start what would become of his brother's fate, wouldn't he?  

[TenshinoHikari]

I don't know. I like to believe that he fully thought Elros would make the same choice...and then he just didn't. I like to think that they were close like Elladan and Elrohir appear to be. I dunno'. I love Tolkien's work more than almost anything, yet it seems there was always more of what I didn't want and not enough of what I did xp .  

[Kalile Alako]

Nimbrethil

Was it just me, or was Frodo's (movie!) story arc boring as hell anyway? Right after the sundering, and up until Cirith Ungol, I was really more interested in what was going on with the other characters. Maybe it was because I knew what happens in the end. Anyway, by adding in the little detour to Osgiliath (as a result of Faramir's change), it just dragged out the already tedious storyline. I may need to watch the movies again or something, but that had just occured to me. They probably could have shown Faramir tempted/wishing to obey his father in a less extreme but still effective way.

I remember being surprised when I found out who was playing Elrond. Hugo Weaving wouldn't have been my first thought, but I think he did an alright job. It's not his fault that movie Elrond is bitter and grim and has weird eyebrows. Or that the urge to hear him say "Mr. Anderson" after he speaks is so strong.

I was also bored by Frodo's journey... I mean, he just sort of wanders through the wilderness for a while, starving and thirsty. (I confess, after the first time reading LOTR, I just sort of skip those parts even in the book. sweatdrop )

And I liked Elrond's eyebrows. Although a balding man with long hair really doesn't work too well... and did anyone else think he looked like he had a pot belly in The Two Towers, when he's arguing with Arwen? He did to me for some reason.

Annnnd.... Faramir lives!
Honestly, I almost walked out of the theatre when Faramir took the hobbits to Gondor. I kept shaking my head incredulously the whole time. That might be because Faramir is one of my favorite characters, but still. smile  

[Boolean Julian]

TenshinoHikari

Quote:

and celebrate the loss of Tom Bombadil because he gives me nightmares, but that's just me...

I hate you with a fiery passion. Tom Bombadil pwns. ninja

 

[Boolean Julian]

serial_experiments

Falathrim

They needed Faramir's character to change because Frodo needed conflict. The only way to give Frodo conflict without getting him to Shelob in the second movie would have been to do something to Faramir.

It was in all honesty a lose/lose situation for PJ. Either change Faramir's character or make Frodo's story arc boring as hell.

Indeed.
They also needed to further portray the Ring as SUPER-EVIL�, and lacking the long descriptions of said burden in the books, they chose a different path... Another temptation.
Which Faramir obviously survived. He being Faramir and all. wink

This I think is the most relevant reason for the changing of Faramir's charachter. You have the Ring shown to be completely destroying the mind of Frodo. If you then have Faramir say "I would not take this thing if it lay by the wayside" then all it's power is destroyed. As you said, in the book you can convey that all with description, but it has to come across in a different way in the movie.

Quote:

And on the subject of Elrond... GOSH! He was *really* butchered. But then again, I can see some reasons why... And some I just don't understand at all. I mean, Hugo Weaving does make a really cool Elrond, but sometimes the way he portrays our beloved elf makes you believe he's gonna be calling Aragorn "Mister Anderson" anytime now.

I sort of agree with you there, although I really don't think the script was at fault there. Certain people just have certain particularly memorable roles, which they will always be remembered by. I doubt Elijah Wood will ever really be able to act in another film without everyone thinking "o.O it's Frodo!" The same has been true for people in the past, such as Julie Andrews.

I think, also, that none of the charachters are reallly as butchered as people make them out to be. I found with all of the charachters that people complain about that they didn't deviate much from their persona in the books. Faramir makes different choices and decisions, but he's the same person underneath that. I didn't see Denethor as a villain, but as a tortured ruler far out of his depth (although I agree that quite a lot was lost with Elrond.)
I think it depends on whether you have read the books. My having read the books made me see the charachters from a different persective to someone who hadn't, and therefore I think the impression the charachters left on someone who hadn't seen the books would be somewhat different. All the scripwriters had read the books (duh!), and so obviously this makes it very hard to make the charachters work for those who haven't. I think that all in all, things could have been a lot worse.  

[Morien Alexander]

I'd have to say that I still haven't quite registered the change with Sam's character. When he didn't want to give the Ring back to Frodo in the movies (in Cirith Ungol), I could hardly believe it. I am still floored at the audacity of the writers/ director(s) to change this. It's... just... not... Sam.

While I was also incredibly disappointed with Faramir's lack of Faramirosity, I understand the change, and actually like the movie character as much as the book character despite the differences.

As for Elrond and Merry... I just weep.  

[TenshinoHikari]

Nanariel

I'd have to say that I still haven't quite registered the change with Sam's character. When he didn't want to give the Ring back to Frodo in the movies (in Cirith Ungol), I could hardly believe it. I am still floored at the audacity of the writers/ director(s) to change this. It's... just... not... Sam.

That's what both Sean Astin and Elijah Wood thought, according to the cast commentary. They both tried to play it that Sam was afraid of Frodo and not relucant to give him the ring. If you watch it without sound, that's what it looks like too. Its the music that changes the feeling.  

[Gornwen]

Nanariel

I'd have to say that I still haven't quite registered the change with Sam's character. When he didn't want to give the Ring back to Frodo in the movies (in Cirith Ungol), I could hardly believe it. I am still floored at the audacity of the writers/ director(s) to change this. It's... just... not... Sam.

Completely agreed. Sam should be uncorruptable, and loyal... and, yeah. As brilliant as many of the things in the movie are, they changed way too much of characters, well, basic characteristics. I couldn't stand the Two Towers because of what was done to Haldir and Faramir. I do not, at all, comprehend the Elves at Helm's Deep, nor why Faramir had to take Sam and Frodo to Gondor. If my memory serves me correctly (which isn't always likely) Faramir wasn't even tempted by the Ring. On that note, the Ring's power of seduction was overly exaggerated for the screen. Many characters who were not troubled by it as much, are completely effected, and that's irksome.

On the note of Agent! Elrond, well, I can almost understand some of the changes made to him. Or, more or less, that is more similar to how I pictured him, but that I believe has to do with the Half-Elveness discussed earlier, as well as the loss of Celebrian. And, yes, Hugo Weaving is most definitely taited by the Matrix, so no matter what he does, it'll be Agent!  

[SYFFER]

Faramir was very different than the book. The book showed him with more emotion and sympathy while the movie showed him as a hardened and a little selfish warrior. I think that if they showed him in the gardens of healing with Eyown he would have revealed a much more emotional side (I think they did in the extended edition). Glorfindel was a major part of the story but, being a director myself, he had to be sacrificed for the greater good. Tom Bombadil, however, should have been added since he's really important. I think Jackson cut him out because his presence might confuse the people who didn't read the books. Interesting fact: Did you know that Tom Bombadil was actually the name of JRR Tolkien's son?  

[Morien Alexander]

TenshinoHikari

Nanariel

I'd have to say that I still haven't quite registered the change with Sam's character. When he didn't want to give the Ring back to Frodo in the movies (in Cirith Ungol), I could hardly believe it. I am still floored at the audacity of the writers/ director(s) to change this. It's... just... not... Sam.

That's what both Sean Astin and Elijah Wood thought, according to the cast commentary. They both tried to play it that Sam was afraid of Frodo and not relucant to give him the ring. If you watch it without sound, that's what it looks like too. Its the music that changes the feeling.

Yeah, I saw the commentary, and I totally agreed with them. Without sound... I'll keep that in mind next time I watch it. It's hard when the actors totally disagree with the director/ writers. Because in the end, the director's the guy who sets the tone. So sound... yes...  

[Kalile Alako]

[ Message temporarily off-line ]  

[Elvidnir]

I rather disagreed with the portrayal of Denethor. He was made out as an evil villain, but when I read the books he seemed more like a slightly crazy grieving father.
Although, it could just be me. sweatdrop I have a Boromir Complex.