The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) (1 Viewer)

[JJKP]

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[James E]

thought i would post this
in case anyone missed it

 

[Alex Spindler]

I would normally phrase it that computer monitors have the same aspect ratio as traditional televisions (4:3/1.33:1) but have different pixel ratios. Computers use square pixels while televisions use rectangular pixels (or the equivalent as pixels). So, for a television, 720x480 gives them a 4:3/1.33:1 ratio. On a PC, that will give a 1.5, which is obviously wrong for the source material. Resizing it to 640x480 will give you the proper display on a PC.
Just to make matters even worse, PAL has differently shaped pixels as well.
Sorry to make it confusing, but I had to break a ruler out in the past to make sure I wasn't going crazy when someone said my monitor had a 1.5:1 ratio. I know, clear as mud.
Here is a killer page on aspect ratios.

 

[Kami]

So anyway, about that lord of the rings movie.

 

[Alex Spindler]

 

[David Echo]

My own take on how to view PJ's LOTR films compared to J.R.R.'s novel(s) boils down to this - Tolkien wore two hats in Middle-Earth, one of mythmaker, one of storyteller.

As mythmaker he created the world(s) and their histories, populated them with incredible creatures and personalities. Gave them unique languages. Mapped out in great detail a vast stretch of time; its struggles and conflicts.

Then as storyteller he wrote two great narratives to dramatize some of those epic adventures in his histories - The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

I am aware that creation of the myth and stories actually went hand in glove with each other but I wish to keep them separate here.

Now along comes PJ and what does he do? In my opinion he skips Tolkien the storyteller altogether and goes straight for the mythology. In his films he is drawing directly from the source of Tolkien's myths and ignoring Tolkien the storyteller's dramatization of those myths.

PJ's films are not adaptations of the novels per se but are rather dramatizations on film of some of the core stories that make up those myths.

PJ and Tolkien are both using the same source material and bringing to it those qualities that make both unique and individual artists in their own rights.

I find this to be a way that avoids the polarization among fans to either be pro and con on the whole question.

Tolkien the mythmaker has almost no equal in literature, but he could never have brought his own creation to life onscreen as wonderfully as PJ and company have achieved.

Each plays to their own strengths and time. I, for one, am just so pleased to have two masterful ways to experience the World of Middle-Earth instead of just one.

Dave

 

[Holadem]

Now along comes PJ and what does he do? In my opinion he skips Tolkien the storyteller altogether and goes straight for the mythology. In his films he is drawing directly from the source of Tolkien's myths and ignoring Tolkien the storyteller's dramatization of those myths.

This is absolutely amazing... because I feel exactly the opposite way!
Methinks PJ skipped right over the mythology and went straight for the narrative! Have non-readers ever heard of Elendil? Gil-Galad? Do they know who Elrond and Galadriel are? How about Elbereth? Gilthoniel? Was it ever mentioned that treebeard and company are older than just about any other Middle Earth natives? What is Durin's Bane? How about the Witch-King of Angmar who terrorized Anor for several centuries? Was Numenor mentioned once? I could go on all day...
The feasible way was to cut out the fat, the mythology, and only hint at it. Heck, the narrative alone has trouble fitting inside the current time constraints.
--
Holadem

 

[David Echo]

Perhaps I can clarify my position with another example.

Let's take the historical event of the shooting at the O.K. Corral. It really happened and such personages as Wyatt Earp and his brothers were there, along with Doc Holiday, the Clanton's, Johnny Ringo, etc.

Now, there have been many verions of this same story (including scads of dime novels) committed to film over the year - My Darling Clementine, Gunfight At The O.K. Corral, Tombstone and Wyatt Earp among them. But each of these films tells the story slightly differently - adding, subtracting, merging real people; downplaying/upplaying the gunfight itself; twisting the actual event in service of the filmmaker's grander theme.

But all of them draw on the historical event itself (and the iconic figures of Wyatt and Doc in particular) as the starting point of their stories.

This is what I believe both Tolkien and PJ are doing. Using the Backstory (if you will) of Middle-Earth as their respective starting points and shaping it to fit their individual creative and thematic needs.

In PJ's version of the story, for example, Tom Bombadil has no part to play in the narrative he is telling because he serves no function in the greater scheme of things, so out he goes. No damage done to PJ's version.

But in Tolkien's version he plays a greater role both to the hobbits adventures and in service to one on the themes of the book. So he gets quite a few pages in this version.

To my mind both versions are right or correct, just as Wyatt Earp is just as "right" a telling of the shootout at the O.K. corral as My Darling Clementine is, irregardless of whether or not either version is historically correct.

If it's good enough for Real History, it's certainly good enough for the Fictional kind as well.

Dave

 

[NiklasKarlsson]

I finally got my "The Art of TTT" from Amazon today, and it is just amazing. I found Bennett´s paintings to be just amazing. You hear more about Alan Lee and John Howe but Bennett have done some amazing paintings. I looked back in "The ARt of FOTR" and he has contributed with plenty of pictures there as well. Worth checking out.

 

[Jeremiah]

I am going to have to read these books soon. Will knowing the final book before seeing the movie dampen the experience? I haven't really read a book and than liked the movie after so....

 

[SarahG]

Trying to prove a point to someone....


who here has pre-order the TTT DVD and where did you find the best price

 

[Matt Stone]

I've got the two disc preordered at Deepdiscountdvd.com for $18.89, and I've got the EE-only version preordered at Amazon w/STL for ~$23.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

I am going to have to read these books soon. Will knowing the final book before seeing the movie dampen the experience? I haven't really read a book and than liked the movie after so....

In your position I would wait until after you see ROTK.

BUT - make sure you do read them afterwards. The books are much more detailed and definitely worth the journey.

 

[Ricardo C]

Jeremiah, as someoen who went into both movies knowing the books, I'd recommend waiting till after seeing ROTK. I loved FOTR even though I noticed all the changes, but this knowledge came back to haunt me when I saw TTT. Too many changes for my liking. So, I'd say "enjoy ROTK the film on its own terms, and THEN read the books and nitpick it to hell :p)"

 

[Brenton]

I say go for it. But don't just read ROTK. Read the whole thing. It's hard reading, but it's great, and once you get going, you won't be able to stop.
The way I see it, the book has been around for a half a century, has been considered the ultimate book of the twentieth century, and the movies are only based on it. To see the movie first would spoil the book. Not vice-versa.
You still have time to read the whole entire thing before ROTK comes out!

 

[BradWOO]

I thought I would resurrect this thread since a release date has been confirmed, sort of, for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings. Doug Adams posted this earlier today over at www.moviemusic.com.
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Ok gang,
I’m just back in town now. I’ll dig into questions tonight in earnest, but for now a quick—and yes, important!—update. A couple of key people had to be away this week on personal business, so while there won’t yet be an official statement in the press, Howard just called to ask me to let you know that…
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – The Complete Recordings will be available in late October, 2006.
So spread the word. You’ve got less than three months to wait now!
Back later,
-Doug
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[Chuck Mayer]

Back from the dead! I have a trilogy thread for this sort of thing...let me look.
Lord of the Rings Trilogy Discussion Thread
It's your info, so I won't repost it there. Just a heads up
Great news, though.