The Two Towers
Dec. 31st, 2002 12:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redfiona99Finally got to see The Two Towers
I was so excited about seeing it. Most embarrassing.
So I'll get worst bit out of the way first. I don't think it was quite as good as the first one, no solid sane reason, I just didn't. That being said it was still fantastic, and I'm declaring that the three films are actually one. So FOTR and TTT are my favourite film.
Huge applause to the filmmakers and the producers for not putting a previously bit in at the beginning.
I was about so far from hitting Grima Wormtongue on Eomer's behalf. Must stop calling him Andrew WK with a really bad dye job though.
I love Gimli. Not least because that bit about being better over sprints happened to be my mantra during high school cross country races.
I thought it was good how they used him. He was the butt of most of the humour, but when it was necessary he came through for them.
Gollum looked really like the one in the cartoon version. But the conversations he had with himself were brill. Dear George Lucas, this is how you use CGI.
I wish to say quite how much Brad Dourif rocks. He's one of those actors who's on my 'I think he's really great' list. He made my flesh creep.
Treebeard was freaking scary when he first appeared.
The Marsh of the Dead was also freaky.
The riders of Rohan were about as helpful as a wet lettuce when they met Aragorn. Three cheers however for not using them as exposition people.
Loved how Legolas defended Gimli. When did that elf grow a personality?
I knew it was Gandalf under the white light, but the voice sounded really like Sauruman. And good job of making him 'we're not in Kansas' Gandalf.
Loved the SFX work when Theoden gets dispossesed.
Poor Theoden.
Stupid Theoden.
I'm nigh on certain that if Boromir ever grew up, he would have turned into Theoden. They're both so very human.
Dear various cultures of middle earth, maybe if you'd helped each other out when this first started brewing, it wouldn't have got this bad.
Why did Arwen keep popping up? I'm not anti-Arwen, I'm just confused.
Loved how the theme of parents losing their children kept reappearing. Does Arwen have a clue what she's putting her father through? Poor Elrond.
(sighs) Aragorn is so utterly devoted to Arwen, I don't think he notices that Eowyn has a thing for him.
I so had to laugh at what Gimli said when Aragorn reappeared. That's what my Mum does whenever I come back when she thinks I've gone missing.
Could you excuse me while I go throttle Faramir. The damn ring killed your brother, you nitwit. And I know that he's not real, and that he wasn't to know this but that doesn't stop me yelling.
I spent large chunks of this film calling the king and the heir to the high steward nitwits, and then saying they were doing an understandable thing, and then calling them nitwits again. Reminding myself that they aren't real doesn't help.
Helm's Deep - not much to say other than wow. I grew up on stuff like this so I'm happy. However, if there was a middleages battle cliche that wasn't used, I must have missed it.
Aragorn doing the 'little touch of Harry in the night' bit.
Loyal soldiers returning to the fold ala Legolas.
The 'It's hopeless, it's hopeless, we're all doomed. Then we all die together' bit.
And I lapped it all up. Every minute.
I sniffled thrice, once over Theoden's son, once over Faramir, and once over Theoden getting his groove back. I cried once, and that was over the corniest scene, where Gandalf and the Horsemen come to the rescue. I couldn't help it. It was happy relieved crying.
And the Ents. I loved the ents.
And Faramir. Oh thank goodness he resisted. (gets all sniffly again) I give up. I'm hopeless. My heart belongs to Gondor.
That was one thing they did very well, deliniating the two kingdoms, Rohan and Gondor. They looked very different, and the people were different. Rohan looked like a nice place, while Gondor definitely seemed more rough and ready.
And the Hobbits. They were so good. Merry and Pippin who were strangers in a strange land, caught up in affairs that were 'too big for them'. And they still did their best.
Frodo was Frodo, still occasionally to be screamed at for doing something stupid, still suffering nobly. Then those moments where only Frodo and not the ring come out and it's like 'dude, good to have you back.'
And Samwise, the unsung hero. Sam is Sam and there's no more to say other than he's lovely.
So I really liked it. My favourite characters had to be Gimli, Theoden and Sam. The only thing I didn't like was random Arwen, and the scene with Gimli and the horse. Although way to get back on the horse Legolas. And muchly love Aragorn's horse. My horsey friends all loved the film for some reason ;)
And Gandalf saying that Haleth would get to the hall of his ancestors gave me some hope for a certain other character.
I was so excited about seeing it. Most embarrassing.
So I'll get worst bit out of the way first. I don't think it was quite as good as the first one, no solid sane reason, I just didn't. That being said it was still fantastic, and I'm declaring that the three films are actually one. So FOTR and TTT are my favourite film.
Huge applause to the filmmakers and the producers for not putting a previously bit in at the beginning.
I was about so far from hitting Grima Wormtongue on Eomer's behalf. Must stop calling him Andrew WK with a really bad dye job though.
I love Gimli. Not least because that bit about being better over sprints happened to be my mantra during high school cross country races.
I thought it was good how they used him. He was the butt of most of the humour, but when it was necessary he came through for them.
Gollum looked really like the one in the cartoon version. But the conversations he had with himself were brill. Dear George Lucas, this is how you use CGI.
I wish to say quite how much Brad Dourif rocks. He's one of those actors who's on my 'I think he's really great' list. He made my flesh creep.
Treebeard was freaking scary when he first appeared.
The Marsh of the Dead was also freaky.
The riders of Rohan were about as helpful as a wet lettuce when they met Aragorn. Three cheers however for not using them as exposition people.
Loved how Legolas defended Gimli. When did that elf grow a personality?
I knew it was Gandalf under the white light, but the voice sounded really like Sauruman. And good job of making him 'we're not in Kansas' Gandalf.
Loved the SFX work when Theoden gets dispossesed.
Poor Theoden.
Stupid Theoden.
I'm nigh on certain that if Boromir ever grew up, he would have turned into Theoden. They're both so very human.
Dear various cultures of middle earth, maybe if you'd helped each other out when this first started brewing, it wouldn't have got this bad.
Why did Arwen keep popping up? I'm not anti-Arwen, I'm just confused.
Loved how the theme of parents losing their children kept reappearing. Does Arwen have a clue what she's putting her father through? Poor Elrond.
(sighs) Aragorn is so utterly devoted to Arwen, I don't think he notices that Eowyn has a thing for him.
I so had to laugh at what Gimli said when Aragorn reappeared. That's what my Mum does whenever I come back when she thinks I've gone missing.
Could you excuse me while I go throttle Faramir. The damn ring killed your brother, you nitwit. And I know that he's not real, and that he wasn't to know this but that doesn't stop me yelling.
I spent large chunks of this film calling the king and the heir to the high steward nitwits, and then saying they were doing an understandable thing, and then calling them nitwits again. Reminding myself that they aren't real doesn't help.
Helm's Deep - not much to say other than wow. I grew up on stuff like this so I'm happy. However, if there was a middleages battle cliche that wasn't used, I must have missed it.
Aragorn doing the 'little touch of Harry in the night' bit.
Loyal soldiers returning to the fold ala Legolas.
The 'It's hopeless, it's hopeless, we're all doomed. Then we all die together' bit.
And I lapped it all up. Every minute.
I sniffled thrice, once over Theoden's son, once over Faramir, and once over Theoden getting his groove back. I cried once, and that was over the corniest scene, where Gandalf and the Horsemen come to the rescue. I couldn't help it. It was happy relieved crying.
And the Ents. I loved the ents.
And Faramir. Oh thank goodness he resisted. (gets all sniffly again) I give up. I'm hopeless. My heart belongs to Gondor.
That was one thing they did very well, deliniating the two kingdoms, Rohan and Gondor. They looked very different, and the people were different. Rohan looked like a nice place, while Gondor definitely seemed more rough and ready.
And the Hobbits. They were so good. Merry and Pippin who were strangers in a strange land, caught up in affairs that were 'too big for them'. And they still did their best.
Frodo was Frodo, still occasionally to be screamed at for doing something stupid, still suffering nobly. Then those moments where only Frodo and not the ring come out and it's like 'dude, good to have you back.'
And Samwise, the unsung hero. Sam is Sam and there's no more to say other than he's lovely.
So I really liked it. My favourite characters had to be Gimli, Theoden and Sam. The only thing I didn't like was random Arwen, and the scene with Gimli and the horse. Although way to get back on the horse Legolas. And muchly love Aragorn's horse. My horsey friends all loved the film for some reason ;)
And Gandalf saying that Haleth would get to the hall of his ancestors gave me some hope for a certain other character.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2002-12-30 08:05 pm (UTC)Yeah, but then we'd have no story. *g*
Why did Arwen keep popping up? I'm not anti-Arwen, I'm just confused.
Because Tolkien was Victorian prude, so LOTR is a little light on the romance for Hollywood's taste, so they had to pump up the Aragorn/Arwen angle.
Does Arwen have a clue what she's putting her father through? Poor Elrond.
Yeah, I felt for Elrond too. I'm growing to like that character.
I cried once, and that was over the corniest scene, where Gandalf and the Horsemen come to the rescue. I couldn't help it. It was happy relieved crying.
I did a lot of tearing-up during this movie. Never got to outright crying, but close. All during the preparation for battle and then the battle itself. Yeah, it was corny, but the scene where the Riders came to the rescue was very powerful. At least to me.
no subject
Date: 2002-12-31 03:59 am (UTC)True, it's just that's what all the characters keep saying. 'Wah, no one helps us.'
>>Because Tolkien was Victorian prude, so LOTR is a little light on the romance for Hollywood's taste, so they had to pump up the Aragorn/Arwen angle.<<
I think I have to join the ranks of Victorian prude 'cause the romance was too much. We get that Aragorn is mad about Arwen, we do not need constant reminders.
>>Yeah, I felt for Elrond too. I'm growing to like that character.<<
He is rather interesting.
>>I did a lot of tearing-up during this movie. Never got to outright crying, but close.<<
Exactly.
>>All during the preparation for battle and then the battle itself. Yeah, it was corny, but the scene where the Riders came to the rescue was very powerful. At least to me.<<
I second this. Like when Theoden is being strapped up, I think I started going there. And the light when Eomer and the riders appeared, it was like being saved yourself. I swear this film is bad for my sense of reality :)
no subject
Date: 2002-12-31 10:46 am (UTC)Book 2 is also incredibly light on the Elves. As far as I remember, the ONLY Elf in book 2 is Legolas, and mentions of Galadriel and possibly Elrond. And if there weren't more Elves in Movie 2, you just know when they show up in Movie 3 people will have forgotten who they are. *g* So that was probably another reason for drumming up the Aragorn/Arwen angle.
Like when Theoden is being strapped up, I think I started going there.
For me it was when the women/children were separated from the men and boys to start everyone gearing up for war.
And the light when Eomer and the riders appeared, it was like being saved yourself.
I hadn't thought of it that way. But that particular image is going to stick in my mind for a long, long time, I anticipate.
I swear this film is bad for my sense of reality :)
Oh, definitely! *g* That's okay, though, reality's kind of bland anyway.
no subject
Date: 2002-12-31 07:06 pm (UTC)The whole film sticks with you.
Yeah, reality is not only bland, but the good guys very rarely win. There aren't that many obvious good guys to begin with. :)