h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Blueshark,

Pleased you enjoyed it


*SPOLIERS*











Saruman's "flattened" motives - his true motives were subtly pointed out - remember the orc, he asks it who it's master is....

Sauron - the point is, he wasn't always a "lidless eye" he once did have a physical form. I thought it was pretty impressive (especially when he "cleared" those bunch of fighters during the battle), although why baddies feel the need to hold rings aloft rather than "coin-flip" them like the rest of us is a cinematic mystery!

The list of credits should have included this line.

The Scenery: New Zealand

Actually, the credits should have featured the line often. After the actors, after the trade credits, after the producers, after the diretor

Pretty much agree about the scenery.
I was aware that the battle was from the texts. I just didn't like the execution of it, I guess.
As to Saruman, yes, I agree, but it is more explicit in the book.

scenery was excellent
dint like Elrond tho. looked too much like the young Obi Wan in wars 1!

As I recall it, although Sauron is portrayed throughout the book as a great lidless eye I believe he does possess physical form at the time of the War of the Ring. I think he took shape at Dol Guldur prior to the move to Mordor.
There is a line somewhere in the book from Gollum/Smeagol describing the Black Hand as having only nine fingers in reference to the fact that the Ring was cut from his hand.

This thread seems to indicate that nearly everyone, from Tolkien buffs to those new to Middle Earth, thinks that the film was something of a triumph and I don't think anyone really thinks that it was a disaster. Is that right?
Well done Mr Jackson.

On the scenery topic, I heard someone say that he thought that Hobbiton looked too much like Teletubbie land!!!

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't spotted that similarity !
I wouldn't say a triumph, but certainly not a disaster either. I suppose I should confess that it has made me think I might have to re-read the book, so it must have something going for it.

i dont watch the teletubbies, but from what ive seen i agree, the greens too vivid etc.
film was a triumph in that he succeeded to create a (nearly completely) accurate representation of the film without losing the plot , even tho i feel too much has perhaps been cut out.
oh & in reference to the lack of time in the book that could easily been shown, maybe by some added dialogue or by showing the phases of the moon at different times (afterall thats how the fellowship works out the rough dates!)
overall a big thumbs up. cant wait to see wht he does with the next 4 books! (or 2, depending on how youre counting!)

I don't think anyone's mentioned the music. To me, that's the most important credit - the incidental background music sets the scene and emotions, and such an important influence can make or break a film. So credit to the so-far unsung hero (pun, yes, I know!) Howard Shore.

The film was excellent, and I include the music in that!

x x Fenny (UT)

Yes, the music was fantastic, in fact it's a shame noone has mentioned that up to now.

Yes, the music was really good. Added to the atmosphere.

What are folks particularly looking forward to in the next movies?

I can't wait to see how Fangorn and the other ents are portrayed. Will they be all different as in book?

I look forward to seeing the Paths of the Dead which Aragorn chooses to go through to call up an army of dead warriors. Should be spooky.

Shadowfax and the flying Nazgul could be good too.

I really really hope that they put in the touching bit where old Smeagol (at the pass of Cirith Ungol) finds both Sam and Frodo asleep. Instead of immediately sneaking the ring away as you might expect, he seems to be affected by some inner compassion for a moment. Sam wakes up and ruins the moment though.

I bet they miss out Ghan-Buri-Ghan (sp?) and his men of the woods and possibly the whole episode with Faramir at the Window on the West.

Doubt they'll miss out the bit with Faramir. The journey to Mordor would be a bit too dark and dreary with that bit missed out I guess.

I want to see the Winged Nazgul although how they'll portray their power and terror growing as the ring nears Mordor I'm not sure. The hosts of Mordor beneath them possess a nameless fear due to them and people just fall down in terror when they pass overhead. Tough to get that across on film I reckon.

I agree that they'll probably miss out on Ghan Buri Ghan, I also suspect they might miss out the paths of the dead although I hope not. Let's face it they missed the ghost and ghouls of the Barrow Downs so why not the paths of the dead too?

Top moments I'm waiting for are the death of the Black Captain and the Battle of the Pellenor fields in general and the Battle of Helm's Deep. I'll also be interested to see how they deal with the Tower of Cirith Ungol. The arising of the Ents will be interesting too.

Can't wait

dang not much to add...I will put my vote in for the Ents though...that should be interesting oh and I want to see Strider bloom into the King..if ya follow me...


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i want to see the Ents 2! & the window on the west/faramir. shud b beautiful sight!
agree that they shud include that bit with Smeagol (Gollum to any1 not familiar with the book), wonder if they'll show both sides of his personality, that shud b interesting, esp. as ive heard they dont call him Smeagol at all. (Slinker & Stinker r probably the best names tho!)
they shud include the paths of the dead, do u think they'll bring in Aragorns men from the North? hope so!
what happend to Narsil anyway? was it left in shards at Rivendell? if so who reckons they'll have Arwen bring it to him?!
another bit i'll look out 4 will b the flowers round the old stone kings head at the crossroad. that may be included without being mentioned tho.
the Dead Marshes shud b creepy too!
in fact im looking forwards to the whole thing!

there was something else i was going to mention about the Fellowship of the Ring...but ive forgotten now. doh!

A Truly stunning film - it has pushed out the boundaries for film making, and to think that cinemas were been written off only 15-20 years ago as part of a bygone age!

The music is superb. It has a classical, and therefore timeless quality, so that the film will remain relevant for years to come. Just imagine giving Westlife, Robbie or Madonna the score instead - .

Actually, now that I think of it, the whole film is timeless. I saw the whole film without any interval, and interestingly I *did* hear some complaints afterwards (from non LoTR fans, I might add). The main criticisms were "too long, too dark, not enough humour, a real bloke's film, too many boring bits, too many details, names and roles" - so you see what you are up against, ie. the standard Hollywood script. So, if Jackson had decided to make it shorter, with lots of one-liners and to edit out lots of characters, you might still have a blockbuster on your hands, but LoTR fans would hate it and it would age very quickly indeed.

My best parts were the Moria sequence, and Bilbo's face change in Rivendell.

I liked it, but "pushed the boundaries of film-making"?
How? Where?

right in the lower left hand corner of the film


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Sorry, I should have added *SPOILER* to the last line, but I doubt if we are likely to hear the following conversation anywhere :-

*Well, I was going to see the film, but the LoTR thread on H2G2 told me everything I needed to know, so I didn't bother*

it could happen

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