01-09-2004, 06:22 PM | #1 | |
Marshal of the Eastmark
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Ebert's review
It's a pity, really. The guy has no taste. I saw that he left it off his Top Ten Movies of 2003, so I thought I would find out why. He seems to miss the entire idea of verisimiltude completely. But worse than that are the things he says about Tolkien in the review.
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01-09-2004, 06:46 PM | #2 |
Marshal of the Eastmark
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I will mention only that the My Lai Massacre did happen and we need to put objective distance between ourselves and that reality in order to discuss it. So we talk about orcs. And the Donner Party had to eat their dead. How can we possibly understand that? The eskimos have legends about Windigos. In the coldest part of winter a monster can take over a human being, and he will eat people. Monsters are people. They always were. Even Grendel is really a human in disguise. It's a very human thing to objectify in this manner. Yes, Apocalypse Now attempted to put our minds around the travesties of Viet Nam, but they never actually showed the travesties, did they? I fear this is too complicated for Mr. Ebert to understand.
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01-09-2004, 06:46 PM | #3 |
Elven Warrior
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What were his top 10 movies?
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01-09-2004, 07:04 PM | #4 |
Marshal of the Eastmark
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1. "Monster"
2. "Lost in Translation" 3. "American Splendor" 4. "Finding Nemo" 5. "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" 6. "Mystic River" 7. "Owning Mahowny" 8. "The Son (Le Fils)" 9. "Whale Rider" 10. "In America"
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01-09-2004, 08:04 PM | #5 |
Domesticated Swing Babe
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Aw! Screw that jerk!
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01-09-2004, 08:26 PM | #6 | ||
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I don't usually watch movies based on Ebert's reviews (or anyone's, actually) because I usually disagree.
He thinks Tolkien's story is silly!? He probably derived this from the movies (fair enough, I suppose) and hasn't actually read the books. His comparison of Minas Tirith to the Emerald City doesn't work, and is ridiculous. I harshly criticize the movies, but I would definitely put them on a top ten movie list. The only one on his list I have seen is "Finding Nemo", and I think "Return of the King" is better. (I actually haven't even heard of most of them - is that a sign?)
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01-09-2004, 09:01 PM | #7 | |
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There are far greater "classics" than those...
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Council of Entmoot - Foreign Affairs Minister - 2004-05 Visit the Ye Olde Avatar Shop and The New One Dont tell me what I cannot do Two men are on a Island, they both see a "monster", one sees a bright light, and the other sees a dark cloud My name bares no reference to the music artist. Last edited by Twista : 01-09-2004 at 09:24 PM. |
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01-09-2004, 09:18 PM | #8 | |
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01-09-2004, 09:34 PM | #9 | |
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classics yes but movies of 2003 is a different thing
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-"Down with the system"-Serj tankian of system of a down -“Humans have been on the earth for millions of years, yet we don’t believe man began thinking until he started building walls. And what good have these walls ever done us?”-Serj tankian of soad -"stupid people do stupid things"-Serj tankian of soad "Trying is the first step to failure" Homer Simpson "It isn't going to be easy"-jerseydevil "only the good die young" I AM CANADIAN If the people lead, the leaders will follow. |
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01-09-2004, 09:39 PM | #10 |
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oh silly me lol. Ive really gota learn to read lol.
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Council of Entmoot - Foreign Affairs Minister - 2004-05 Visit the Ye Olde Avatar Shop and The New One Dont tell me what I cannot do Two men are on a Island, they both see a "monster", one sees a bright light, and the other sees a dark cloud My name bares no reference to the music artist. |
01-09-2004, 09:53 PM | #11 |
the dumb stoner canuck
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lol were all dumb at sometimes, me more then usual
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-"Down with the system"-Serj tankian of system of a down -“Humans have been on the earth for millions of years, yet we don’t believe man began thinking until he started building walls. And what good have these walls ever done us?”-Serj tankian of soad -"stupid people do stupid things"-Serj tankian of soad "Trying is the first step to failure" Homer Simpson "It isn't going to be easy"-jerseydevil "only the good die young" I AM CANADIAN If the people lead, the leaders will follow. |
01-09-2004, 10:53 PM | #12 |
High King of Númenórë
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I rarely agree with what movie critics say about movies, because my tastes usually never agree with theirs. Although I will say my opinion of Cold Mountain compared to many critics was the same, that it sucked
lol I noticed the "elfin" comment too, what a moron, lol
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'Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!' - And those were the words that Elendil spoke when he came up out of the Sea on the wings of the wind: 'Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.' 'Then Tuor arrayed himself in the hauberk, and set the helm upon his head, and he girt himself with the sword; black were sheath and belt with clasps of silver. Thus armed he went forth from Turgon's hall, and stood upon the high terraces of Taras in the red light of the sun. None were there to see him, as he gazed westward, gleaming in silver and gold, and he knew not that in that hour he appeared as one of the Mighty of the West, and fit to be father of the kings of the Kings of Men beyond the Sea, as it was indeed his doom to be; but in the taking of those arms a change came upon Tuor son of Huor, and his heart grew great within him. And as he stepped down from the doors the swans did him reverence, and plucking each a great feather from their wings they proffered them to him, laying their long necks upon the stone before his feet; and he took the seven feathers and set them in the crest of his helm, and straightway the swans arose and flew north in the sunset, and Tuor saw them no more.' -Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin "Oh. Forgive me, fairest of all males of Entmoot...Back down, all ye other wannabe fairest males! Dunedain is the fairest!" --Linaewen |
01-09-2004, 10:57 PM | #13 | |||
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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01-10-2004, 12:29 AM | #14 |
Enting
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As a movie critic this is where it would pay to actually sit down with the book and read it. Since the first movie it is clear that he is not at all familiar with the story. Unfortunatly most of the bad reviews I have read of LoTR it is painfully clear that the people have not read the books recently or not at all.
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01-10-2004, 01:41 AM | #15 | ||
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I agree. If you really want to understand a movie that was adapted from a book, you have to... wait for it... read the book! And that's also what I say to anyone who goes "Who's that short bearded guy?"
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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01-10-2004, 01:48 AM | #16 | |
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Actually, I agree with Ebert (Not a common occurance). In fact, I think that's almost the best review of the films I've read-
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01-10-2004, 01:57 AM | #17 | ||
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I think I have a reasonable view on what the movies are. I admit, reading the books made my opinion a little harsher.
Ebert says, or at least implies, that Tolkien's story is silly. I have a hard time taking him seriously after that, especially if he only extrapolated that from watching the movies.
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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01-10-2004, 02:10 AM | #18 |
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I think you're stretching his words. He said that of the films, and quite frankly, he's correct. The films are silly and puerile- quite apart from the books.
This isn't in response to Nurvengiel, but I'd just like to throw something out for all you to consider- I have been an outspoken critic of the films since TTT. Time and time again I have heard the refrain 'you can't judge them based on the books, you have to consider them as movies'. Now- if you must be familiar with the story (Tolkiens) in order to truly appreciate the films, and if most of the bad reviews have come from people who 'obvious haven't read the books' then isn't there just the tiniest suggestion that they're bad films when taken apart from the books? I find that there's a slight implication that many people wouldn't have even bothered to see them if they hadn't been based on Tolkien, and the vast majority of good opinions are probably transferring a love of the LOTR books over to the films. It is my firm opinion that if, after watching a film based on a book, one must still read the book to appreciate or understand it, then that film has FAILED both cinematically and as an adaptation of the book it claims a basis in.
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01-10-2004, 02:32 AM | #19 | ||
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01-10-2004, 11:25 AM | #20 |
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o.O. Even from watching the movies, any idiot really should be able to distinguish between Faramir and Borormir.
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