White Ajah Middle Earth Event - Mashi's Movie Rewatch: The Fellowship of the Ring

[Mashiara Sedai]

 

Welcome to Mashi's Movie Rewatch: The Fellowship of the Ring!

 

It's been probably eight or nine years since I've watched these films and I thought this would be a great opportunity to view them all again.  We'll start with The Fellowship of the Ring, the first in the series.  The film originally opened in the US on December 10, 2001, with an extended version released the next year on DVD and VHS (which really dates how long ago the film came out!).  For this purpose, I'll be viewing the extended version.

 

I'm going to watch this tomorrow, (Monday the 9th) around 11am EST.  I'll post my comments as I'm going through, with things I like, dislike, or anything that stands out to me from my previous viewing.  Feel free to watch too, or just add to the discussion if it's all clear in your mind.

[Sooh]

Probably my favorite out of the three. It's just magical!

[Mashiara Sedai]

I honestly can't remember!  That's why I'm so excited to go through them again.

[Shad_]

Good lord I wish I had time to do this.

 

I have the extended versions of all three.

 

I liked the second one best, I think. The first two were definitely more entertaining for me than the third.

 

I think it might be a bit underwhelming now? because we're so used to over-the-top computer rendered special effects. When Peter Jackson did it, it was a novelty. But he used a lot more real costumes and landscapes than come out of the Hollywood chop shop, so maybe it still would come off as refreshingly realistic.

[Gentled Ben]

I will probably watch the three Hobbit movies, too. 

 

I thought that Fellowship was the best of the three. I really wanted to see the extended version of the third one, because I didn't like that they cut the stuff with Saruman and the Shire out.

[Lessa Nikia]

I genuinely don't remember what the extended scenes are any more I've watched them that many times. I typically have them on as background noise and something I used for my depression, the familiarity keeps me sane

[Mashiara Sedai]

If I can find the time, I'd like to watch the three Hobbit films as well.  I only saw the first two in theaters, so I've never even seen the final film!  But, while the spirit is willing, I may not be able to sit on my bum for so long.

[E James Todd]

Scary thing is, I think I remember more from the extended versions than I do the original theatrical releases; but then again it’s been 8+ years since last I saw any of them. Perfect excuse to pull them up and watch them during down-times at work crawl into a cave to binge-watch them all in one go!

 

James in four days’ time

[Gentled Ben]

I only have the extended Hobbit versions (which I haven't seen yet--I've only seen them in the theater), and I am about 1/3 of the way through the first one. I have them on Vudu as a bundle, so I can get right back to it later. Today, it is our first snowfall of the year, and I am off, so I am cooking all day, making soups and chili and a roast, and I will just cook and eat and watch movies and play mafia (two games at once, my first time doing that! ) all day, and tomorrow, I will clean and do laundry, then go to the range and shoot my gun. I have to balance out all that girly bachelorhood stuff with something manly.  

 

I have the Lord of the Rings movies on DVD, and I'll watch The Fellowship of the Ring today.

[Lessa Nikia]

I got the Lord of the Rings Extended Edition DVD's from my step dad when he got the Blu ray set. I saw the Hobbit films in theater's, as well as dressed up for them, and have them as Extended Editions on Bluray. I watch them about every 6 months, which might be too often for some people

[Gentled Ben]

It would be for me, especially for the Hobbit films, which added a lot of stuff I didn't care much for, but there are films I've watched way more times than others probably would, so I understand. I'm surprised at how long it's been since I've watched the Lord of the Rings movies, though. I really enjoyed them in the theaters and at home, but I think I've only watched the DVDs once or twice. This will be fun! As soon as the hamburger browns and goes into the chili pot, I'll put the first one on.

Edited October 9, 2017 by Gentled Ben

[Mashiara Sedai]

All right, I’m starting the movie now. I can’t even find out how long the movie is. 3 hours? 3 and a half? Oh well.

[Mashiara Sedai]

Already, I’m seeing a lot of aspects other series have drawn on. Definitely WoT and even Harry Potter.

 

The ages that come and pass, lost civilizations and knowledge, races which want to leave the world from the threat of the Dark Lord—all in WoT too.

 

The Dark Lord’s soul not being destroyed because the One Ring survived is definitely Voldemort and his hourcrux.

 

I’ve read several essays on the concept of intellectual property, meaning an idea can belong to one person. And yet so many books, movies, shows are lifted from so many others! Where do you draw the line between being inspired by something and stealing an idea from something?

 

Also, does anyone else remember when Elijah Wood was a teenage heart throb? *lol*

[E James Todd]

I think it all comes down to how universal an idea is, and whether it’s unique enough to be considered IP or broad enough to fall under trope and archetype. For instance: the call to adventure as leaving a childhood home for the first time is a common trope, especially in the fantasy genre; but if it’s instead leaving the ancestral home from a quaint little village where the main character’s uncle is throwing a party for reaching an exceptionally grand age and the three big pastimes are eating, smoking, and more eating, then one could make the argument for infringing on IP. (Bonus points if the uncle’s name is Gilfo Smaggens.)

 

Just got to the point in Fellowship Extended where Frodo and Sam watch the elves on their way to the sea. It is beautiful. I had a quiet moment after it finished. To borrow from Master Gamgee: “I don’t know why – it makes me sad.”

[Ryrin]

 I have all three, I think.

[Mashiara Sedai]

I agree, James, that the scene with the wood elves was beautiful!

 

When the Fellowship is in the mines of Moria, it seems as if Gandalf makes too big a deal about Gollum’s importance. They really beat you over the head with it. Wouldn’t it have been better for it to pass by without so much fanfare? That’s the way good foreshadowing is done. Now we know that Gollum is the one who saves the day at the very end. It’s a bit disappointing.

[Gentled Ben]

I am at the Inn in Bree, and my early thoughts are similar to some of Mashi's. I was struck immediately by, "History became legend, legend became myth."

 

When they walked up to the wall at Bree, I thought, "Yay, Baerlon!" So I guess now I am officially seeing LotR as derivative of WoT even though I both read LotR first and know the truth from Jordan's own words.

 

I lol'ed when Gandalf yanked Sam through the window and slammed him on the table, barking, "Samwise Gamgee, have you been eavesdropping?" And Sam, terrified and breathless, squeaks, "I haven't dropped no eaves, Sir, honest!"

 

I also like that we get to see the confrontation between Gandalf and Saruman that happened offscreen in the books. I have always loved Christopher Lee! RIP

Edited October 9, 2017 by Gentled Ben

[Mashiara Sedai]

Once I was watching, a lot of this came back to me. I wonder if the same will happen for the next two. I can barely remember anything from those.

 

This one was so good! I actually got pretty choked up when Boromir died. It was a great example of a good antagonist—someone who stands in the way of the protagonist, but is not necessarily evil. We get so hung up on antagonist being the villain. Boromir was only concerned about his people, as any leader would be.

 

I also really like that Aragorn chose to chase Merry and Pippin. In most cases, you think the less important characters are lost for the greater good. Getting the Ring to Mordor should be their first priority. But they want to save the kidnapped Hobbits instead and it makes me so happy!

[Gentled Ben]

I'm about halfway through, now. They just formed the Fellowship. I ate a big lunch though, and I'm ready for a nap, so off I go. My thoughts at this point are mostly that I really like Liv Tyler as Arwen, but some of that is because she's so beautiful and sexy that it's hard not to like her in anything.I loved the scene at the river when the ringwraiths are swept away as much as the first time I saw it in the theater. It was so much like I had pictured it as a kid. Also, there was a young Ned Stark, who proclaimed that one does not simply walk into Mordor. Haha this film is so much fun on many different levels.

[JamesBrown]

I LOVED the Balrog scene. When I first saw it in the theater I shrank into my seat.

 

And every single time, when the Balrog is falling and Gandalf turns away, I think, "He's gonna make it. He's gonna make it!" And then, SNAP. He doesn't make it.

[Mashiara Sedai]

I wonder why they didn’t run back and help Gandalf. One of them could have easily helped him climb up the ledge.

 

Also, I HATE the trope of believing someone is dead but they’re really not more than any other I’ve read. It’s such a turnoff for me. I don’t want to read another book where someone’s death was just a trick.

[JamesBrown]

I doubt anyone could have helped Gandalf. My recollection from the books is that he was on the ledge no more than a couple of seconds, and any rescuers would have had to dodge the arrows of the Orcs on the other side. Gandalf said, "Fly, you fools!" as a way of preventing anyone from being killed in a futile rescue attempt.

 

And I'm pretty sure that Gandalf did, in fact, die from his fall and subsequent ordeal.

[Gentled Ben]

I LOVED the Balrog scene. When I first saw it in the theater I shrank into my seat.

 

And every single time, when the Balrog is falling and Gandalf turns away, I think, "He's gonna make it. He's gonna make it!" And then, SNAP. He doesn't make it.

I cried the first time I read it. It is the first time I cried reading a book (the second time wasn't until the big death at Tarmon Gai'don). I am not one to cry over fictional characters in books, but I cried at those two deaths. I thought the balrog was wonderfully done in the movie; it might have been the best effect in the whole series. I love it when he gathers himself and then roars in Gandalf's face; he was so intimidating! The whip was awesome, and like you, I thought he might escape. I was thinking they were going to change the story in the film, because it really looked like he was going to climb up out of there, but then you see the whip come up, and down he goes.

 

I liked that it cut the sound out except for dramatic music and just showed the hobbits' grieving faces as they all stagger out of the mines without him. That was well-done, and Boromir has a non-jerk moment when he pleads with Aragorn to "Give them a moment, for pity's sake." Aragorn was right though; they weren't safe yet, and there'd be time to grieve later on. A great sequence, starting with finding Balin's tomb in the mine and fighting the cave troll. I also loved how the orcs were all scrambling up and down the pillars like spiders. Creepy...

[Gentled Ben]

I doubt anyone could have helped Gandalf. My recollection from the books is that he was on the ledge no more than a couple of seconds, and any rescuers would have had to dodge the arrows of the Orcs on the other side. Gandalf said, "Fly, you fools!" as a way of preventing anyone from being killed in a futile rescue attempt.

 

And I'm pretty sure that Gandalf did, in fact, die from his fall and subsequent ordeal.

Did he?  

https://www.tickld.com/x/this-guy-just-changed-the-way-we-see-lord-of-the-rings-mind-blown

[JamesBrown]

Gah! Made me look...

 

"Fly!" was a common phrase for Gandalf. In the Flight to the Ford, Gandalf said:

 

 

‘Fly!’ he called. ‘Fly! The enemy is upon us!’

 

When confronted by a pack of wolves, he said:

 

‘Listen, Hound of Sauron!’ he cried. ‘Gandalf is here.
Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to
snout, if you come within this ring.’

 

And when the Balrog was first revealed, but before he confronted it on the bridge, he said:

 

‘Fly! This is a foe beyond any of you. I must hold the narrow way. Fly!'  
 

Tolkien used 'fly' as a synonym for 'run quickly' elsewhere in his writings. For the link's theory to be accepted, we'd have to treat only the movies as canonical.

 

But it's an interesting theory, I must admit. Right up there with Jar-Jar Binks being an undercover Sith Lord.