Aragorn's Fall...any changes of opinion out there?

[Black Breathalizer]

A number of "outraged" fans have ranted and raved about the changes in TTT here. Some wondered why Peter Jackson had to "make up" new scenes when, in their opinion, Tolkien's original was fine just as it was. One of the new scenes drawing particular Purist scorn was the "invented" warg battle and Aragorn's fall.

Yesterday I received an email from a guy who debated with me about the merits of these changes on another forum. He sheepishly admitted I was right. After watching the film a number of times, he realized he'd grown fond of them, particularly Aragorn's dramatic ride to Helm's Deep and his reunion with Legolas.

I suspect he is not alone. Any others out there who are now ready to admit you overreacted and are willing to give Jackson his due? Don't worry, I promise not to say 'I told you so.'

[ElfFriend]

It didnot happen! but he is very sexy when wet

AND HALDIR DIDN'T DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Elvedans]

I don't particularly mind the differences between the book and the film. Remember that the film is BASED on the book not an exact replica. And it reminds you that it is another man's version of Tolkien's work. I mean you get loads of copies of artists' paintings that are anything but exactly the same. I just forget everything and lose myself in it and am content. Could you do a better job?

[Celebréiel]

I minded! Minded alot, mind you! I think I could do a better job! ! j/k Um no, okay, I acctually have gotten over most of my beefs with TT , some of the stuff I can acctually understand and yeah, PJ did do a good job. But there are some things still that I wont ever ever get and will always bug me...one line that really bugged me was Legolas 'your late' line to Aragorn!! Ow the pain! But anyways, yeah, I will admit I was hasty in my first judgement of TT. Its semi good......yeah......
~Celebréiel

[Elvedans]

Aaaah.. go on Celebreiel, admit it... you loved it didn't you? Go on say it, say it, go on say it!!!

[Miranda]

Originally posted by Elvedans
Aaaah.. go on Celebreiel, admit it... you loved it didn't you? Go on say it, say it, go on say it!!!

Easy huney- you been doing woodlouse impressions again or something!!!!!!? I have to agree with you though. Be it the books or the films I can't help but lose myself in Middle Earth and you and I well know my personal take on Tolkien's work! Oh and Roxie's too!!!! Mx

[Huan]

None of the changes are keeping me from seeing the movie multiple times, but the ones I objected to originally I still do. Namely: when Treebeard calls the Ents at Isengard, they're all right there, magically popping out of Fangorn Forest. WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? And I don't mind the story of Arwen and Elrond, but Aragorn's fall and rescue are still ridiculous to me. The minute the scene begins of him floating unconscious in the river, I get up for the bathroom. But the way I see it, a three-hour movie needs a weak spot for those with human bladders. For Fellowship I always went to the bathroom during the Caradhras scene (man against the elements always bores me).

[Kalimac]

>>WHERE DID THEY COME FROM<<

Well, they are trees . . and, there is a forest there . . perhaps he just woke them up.

[straight_face]

Of course, having Aragorn become attached to the Warg, dragged over the cliff etc. etc. was the only way they were able to slip Arwen into the movie. I was nodding off at that moment during the film- it was that bad. I understand that Arwen's role in the Fellowship was not terrible, but this? This is horrible!

[Elf Girl]

I minded a WHOLE LOT!!! But I did like his meeting with Legolas and Eowyn.

[Eglantine Banks]

I think Aragorn's fall off the cliff is unnecessary, Hollywood-esque, and poorly executed. It seems to always draw loud titters from the audience -- and I agree, that scene is so horrible I feel embarrassed for the moviemakers. I put it on the level of some of the fan fiction that you can read on some of the Tolkien sites. Fan fic is fun for the people writing it, and sometimes it's fun to read, but nobody has ever claimed their fan fic was an improvement on JRRT. I look at a great deal of this movie as basically PJ & Co.'s fan fic, that unfortunately they got to make into a movie.

I have no problem with Arwen being included, since her presence in the movie does address the question of Aragorn's motivations, but I don't see why they don't just incorporate her in flashbacks or dream sequences. There's a whole, lovely story in the appendix they could have used. There was no need to make one up.

I'm not crazy about the whole Warg battle, either. Usually in Tolkien (Hobbit & FOTR) when Wargs appear they *don't* have orcs on their backs. There is just that one brief mention of "wolf riders" in TTT, that PJ & Co. embellished to make a whole battle out of.

-Eglantine

[Insidious Rex]

Had no problem with the Warg attack. Thought it was pretty cool actually. Although Im not sure about that horse mounting stunt by Legolas. Looked wrong somehow. But when Aragorn falls off the cliff well that was a bit much. I was thinking Indiana Jones the whole way. Kind of unnecessary but hey I can go with it. The two unforgivibles to me were having Pippen TRICK treebeard into going to war on Isengaurd after they originally decided not to. Ok first off in the book they are already pissed and this leads to them deciding to attack. Why change that? And then we are to accept that a little hobbit can trick this ancient creature who is the leader of his race and considers things very very carefully and thoughtfully before he does them just like that? No. Didnt work for me at all. And then the biggest hiccup I had was with the whole showing the Nazgul the ring scene. God... Are you kidding me? But then Ive talked about this in another thread so I wont get into it here.

[Lanelf]

I wasn't too peeved at Aragorn's fall (mainly because he looked sooooo hot in the water!) but I did get annoyed that they didn't put all of the book in. Gandalf & co didn't even get to Isengard and they should have been almost leaving by the end, shouldn't they? And no Shelob, and.... Just get the next movie out, and maybe I'll be nice to PJ. Meaning maybe I'll strangle him before burning him at the stake.
And teh Ent-forest at Helms Deep. I thought it should have been there. If PJ can make o-so-many special effects doing other stuff at Helm's Deep, how come he can't find time to do a few things like that?
Lanelf.

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by Lanelf
I wasn't too peeved at Aragorn's fall (mainly because he looked sooooo hot in the water!) but I did get annoyed that they didn't put all of the book in. Gandalf & co didn't even get to Isengard and they should have been almost leaving by the end, shouldn't they? And no Shelob, and.... Just get the next movie out, and maybe I'll be nice to PJ. Meaning maybe I'll strangle him before burning him at the stake.
And teh Ent-forest at Helms Deep. I thought it should have been there. If PJ can make o-so-many special effects doing other stuff at Helm's Deep, how come he can't find time to do a few things like that?
Lanelf.

The parts you talked about first will be in Return of the King. The Ent-forest (Huorns) was cut and will be in the Extended Edition DVD for TTT...

[Elf.Freak]

i saw TTT again yesterday. I admit i liked the film, but afterwards i was ranting on how there were changes, people died who shouldn't, how ARWEN DOESN'T LEAVE RIVENDELL and so on. may i say that Aragorn's Fall wasn't that bad though, so sometimes PJ manages to do SOMETHING right!

[Blackboar]

Just out of interest, why did PJ add that bit about Aragorn anyway?

[Black Breathalizer]

Originally posted by Blackboar
Just out of interest, why did PJ add that bit about Aragorn anyway?

One of the best qualities of PJ's work is that he is able to share alot with the audience with mere looks, gestures, glances, and other actions. Combined with Howard Shore's moving soundtrack, many important things about the story are communicated without the need for lengthy exposition. Aragorn's reunion with Legolas, Aragorn's good-bye to Arwen, Elrond and Arwen's talk, Aragorn handling the young boy's sword, and Gimli telling Eowyn that Aragorn fell are all wonderful examples of scenes where the Director communicates a great deal beyond the script's dialogue.

Aragorn's recovery on the riverbank was PJ's way of showing the audience just how connected Aragorn and Arwen were. We understand that Aragorn's love for Arwen is able to push him beyond pain and physical exhaustion. We also learn that both Aragorn and Arwen have an unshakable hope when everything around them literally cries out for hopelessness and dispair.

I think one of the reasons why some people don't understand this film is because of the way they are watching it:
Person One --- watches the March of the Ents and is moved by the visually gorgous scene of the Ents coming out of the forest while that incredible boy's singing is heard in the background from the soundtrack.
Person Two --- watches the same scene and immediately reacts with, "hey, how'd all those Ents get there so fast?!?!?" and ends up missing the beauty -- and the point -- entirely.

[Elf Girl]

Originally posted by Elf.Freak
ARWEN DOESN'T LEAVE RIVENDELL

Indeed! Where was she going, anyway?

[Kalimac]

>>Where was she going, anyway?<<

The audience is suppose to think she is going to the Grey Havens with the rest of her people . . . . but . .

there is a 'spoiler' picture of a cloaked figure that looks a lot like Arwen going to pick up the Shards of Narsil . . leading to speculation that Arwen will bring Aragorn the sword reforged in Return of the King.

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by Kalimac
[B [/B]

Do you have a link for that pic?