Why is Lord of the Rights so great?

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

Rave about everyone's favorite...

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I'm going to ignore the topic entirely and instead make fun of you for calling it "Lord of the Rights".

[2GOLD 0]

Other than part two, I found the series to be the most boring trilogy in the history of film.

 

Although SW:New Edition has a damn good chance of passing it since not one of those has been worth a damn.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

Well ym serious conversation starter will officially be turned to shit. Thanks Banky for being an asshole.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Fellowship of the Ring was the biggest hosing ever. You literally pay whatever it costs to go into the theater and watch them walk for about 3hrs. I left the theater extremely pissed off.

[Hank Kingsley 0]

I can't believe all three movies are in IMDB's top ten of all time. Not to mention ROTK is #2.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

"Give me your hand!!!"

 

"Give me the rights!!!"

 

 

 

 

ps - i don't like them. I will admit that they got progressively better.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

I didn't think they were anything special, but then again, I never read the books, either. Guess you have to be fans of the books to really enjoy the movies.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

I watched the first one, it was brutal.

[Guest Fook]

I can't believe all three movies are in IMDB's top ten of all time. Not to mention ROTK is #2.

That's just because it's recent.

 

Give it a couple of years and it'll fall off the list.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

They're not great. The second one is decent, as its big special effects scenes are dark and don't reveal how cheap everything looks. It's a really, really dire set of movies otherwise.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I watched the first one, it was brutal.

Imagine having to pay $7.50 along with $3 for a drink to see it. I really felt ripped off but my complaints to the manager went on deaf ears.

 

These movies basically get over creditted for the great costume designs, sets, and special FX. The acting was nothing special except for Sean Austin(the guy from Encino Man) and the story is pretty bland.

 

That little golem creature was almost as annoying as Jar-Jar Binx too.

 

All in all I won't be able to help convince Banky to change his opinion on these films because I agree with him. They're over-hyped pieces of crap, and to put my own spin on them they tend to completely entertain people who have a simple mind.

[yankovic fan 0]

I had no interest in the series at all.

 

Then when the second one came out, a female friend of mine (hot) told me she was going to see it, and wanted to know if I'd go with her.

 

Well, I wasn't turning down that opportunity, so I agreed.

 

I also did not want to be lost, so I rented Fellowship, and watched it over the course of two days, as the walking that was mentioned, was very tedious.

 

We went see the movie, and since I'm a completionist, I had to see the third one so I could see how it turned out.

 

The 2nd one has some good battle scenes as does the third one, and I will reaffirm that they get better with each installment.

 

My biggest gripe was that the third one was, and seemed like it, longer than the rest.

 

The last 30-45 minutes was pointlessly drawn out and I wanted to jab my eyes out.

 

And in the second one (with the girl) stupid me orders an extra large Minute Maid, and of course after 90 minutes I had to pee. I didn't want to miss anything, so I was miserable. I digress.

 

As a whole, I enjoyed the trilogy.

 

However I don't think I will ever watch them by choice again. Too long. I rather do other stuff than watch it.

 

I frequently have to question these extended four disc sets they release with all the extra footage. I mean seriously, wtf?

[TheBigSwigg 0]

The four disc Extended Editions are closer to the books, with extra storylines and character development/

[The Amazing Rando 0]

NEW LORD OF THE RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP OF THE RIGHTS!!

 

This 9 disc Super Special Anniversary Collector's Deluxe Widescreen Edition provides you with not 30 minutes...not 45 minutes...not even an hour of extra footage. It gives you EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF FOOTAGE SHOT IN NEW ZEALAND!!

 

Oh yes! Why wonder how many takes it took for them to make through the first scene when you can watch it unfold right in front of your eyes! Watch as Sean Austin trips down a hillside and nearly kills himself along with 19 tourists in a bus! UNBELIEVABLE!!

 

Plus, the final two discs contain every Pixar motion picture EVER, all with the Golem playing EVERY CHARACTER!!! Why? BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO PAY $783.99!!

 

Golem Story!

 

Golem Story 2!

 

Golem Inc!

 

Finding Golem!

 

 

...and all the rest are just waiting for you on Discs 8 and 9!!! You'll never look at Disney the same way again!

 

 

 

 

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Act now and recieve Discs 10 and 11! The Government didn't want you to see them but FUCK THOSE COMMUNIST BASTARDS!! Call now and recieve them FREE! Disc 10 is filled with audio commentary from the producers as they decide which Zealandian hooker to strap to the roof of their car as well as new drink recipes for when all you have is gasoline, olive oil, and dirty bath water!

 

But just wait until you see the hilarity of Disc 11, as the cast of Lord of the Rights destroys the entire state of New Jersey with snow shovels and a lady's handbag!!

 

 

Call Now and Reserve Your Copy Today!! Only $783.99 while supplies last! BE DIALIN!

[The Metal Maniac 0]

1. It's Gollum. A Golem is something else entirely.

 

2.

Guess you have to be fans of the books to really enjoy the movies.

 

No you don't. I never read the books (Well, okay, I read The Hobbit, but I could never really slog through the books) and I greatly enjoy the movies.

 

Why is it so great? I dunno. But they entertain me; I think it's a combination of stunning visuals and a storyline that I find interesting. But then, I'm a mark for epic stuff - hell, I listen to power metal.

 

I will agree though - they do get better as they go on. The first one, while not bad, didn't seem to have much really happening in it for most of the movie.

[the max 0]

I look at it as:

 

Fellowship: heavy on visuals

Two Towers: combination of visuals and characters

Return of the King: heavy on characters

 

They weren't exactly like the books, but it was interesting seeing how someone else perceived Middle Earth compared to how I had it pictured while reading the books.

[Guest Big_Jay101]

It is Sean Astin not Austin

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

I really don't get this thread. At all. Each movie plays a HEAVY part of the overall story arc. We get to see the beginnings of all the characters and eventually through ROTK we get to see the culmination.

 

Look at it like this. Frodo starts off as a normal hobbit who much like his uncle has a interest in things beyond the Shire. Over the course of the first movie he's thrown into a situation he can't control in the slightest and by the END, he's forced to leave everything behind that he once loved and everyone he had come to care for to do this mission that was litterally practically thrown to him.

 

In the second one, we get to see how the Ring is slowly taking hold of his mind, controling his thoughts and actions. He starts off normal enough(As normal as he was by the end of Fellowship) but by the end he's a tortured being who is being tormented daily by the power of what he has to carry and the burden of responsibility.

 

Return of the King shows us how the Ring has litterally CONSUMED Frodo. He has no will, he has no power against it. It now controls everything about him and it eventually falls down to Sam to (Quite litterally) CARRY his ass to that mountain and in the end he can't go back to his life or anything he cares about due to what he went through.

 

Frodo's story arc is interesting to watch, and quite tragic. On top of that, you have Aragon coming to grips with destiny that he doesn't want, Faramir's quest to be looked upon favorably by his father and so on.

 

The overall story of LOTR is awe inspiring when you break it down. Free of all the burdens from the book(Who the HELL needs all those songs anyway?) it's able to reach what it should as an epic, classic movie. Combining the score, the action, the story and the characters together and you get the best overall movie I may have ever seen.

 

I've seen and liked FAR slower movies then the LOTR trilogy(Such as a good portion of all Kurosawa movies) so I really think anyone who wrote it off as "Boring" needs to put on a different thinking cap and give it another go.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

Frodo's story arc is interesting to watch, and quite tragic.

 

I see where you're coming from, but MAN, what a useless bastard that Frodo is.

 

Pretty much everything he does is WRONG.

 

He tries to give the ring to that Elf-Chick, tries to go to Mt. Doom himself (even though he doesn't even know where it is), almost gets himself killed, (multiple times) decides to go under the mountain (even though it's obvious that the smartest person in the group doesn't want to go), trusts a creature he KNOWS wants nothing but the ring over his BEST FRIEND, and doesn't even have the balls to complete his quest.

 

Yeah, I understand that's the power of the ring, but it makes him look like such a pussy. I was waiting for Sam to tell everyone what a useless cocksucker Frodo was so that he could rightfully be the hero (I mean, he practically drags Frodo, kicking and screaming to Mt. Doom) and sail off to meet the Gods himself.

 

So yeah, I think Frodo is kind of a cunt.

[Art Sandusky 0]

I've never liked fantasy stuff much in the first place, and take some small pride in never having seen a single second of any of these films.

[Nighthawk 0]

I'm fairly certain you've seen commercials.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

He tries to give the ring to that Elf-Chick, tries to go to Mt. Doom himself (even though he doesn't even know where it is), almost gets himself killed, (multiple times) decides to go under the mountain (even though it's obvious that the smartest person in the group doesn't want to go), trusts a creature he KNOWS wants nothing but the ring over his BEST FRIEND, and doesn't even have the balls to complete his quest.

 

Yeah, I understand that's the power of the ring, but it makes him look like such a pussy. I was waiting for Sam to tell everyone what a useless cocksucker Frodo was so that he could rightfully be the hero (I mean, he practically drags Frodo, kicking and screaming to Mt. Doom) and sail off to meet the Gods himself.

 

1) He doesn't want this burden at that point. It is also to show why Frodo has to be the Ringbearer. If someone powerful like Gandalf, Galadriel or Elrond tried to do it they would be corrupted quickly and they would have become the new Dark Lord.

 

2) The farewell speech to Aragorn really ruins this in the movie. I never liked it, because why would he escape once he knew Aragorn wasn't a threat. In the book he just takes off immediately following the incident with Boromir, and Sam follows him.

 

3) In the book it is Gandalf who knows they must take the road through Moria. It is Aragorn who came up with the idea to cross the mountain. It is building character for Aragorn since we know he will be leading the group at some point in the future.

 

4) In the book he doesn't treat Sam nearly as badly as he does in the movie. In the film he can feel some sympathy for Gollum since he is undergoing the same experience that Gollum did, and Sam has no clue about it. He also thought he could save Gollum, and in the end he was proven wrong.

 

5) The real hero of the story is Sam. It is not a coincidence that he is also the only major character who is not of noble or royal blood. Much like Frodo thought he could save Gollum but couldn't, he thought he could part with the ring and when the time came he found out that the ring had taken too much control over him.

 

6) Frodo's life was destroyed by the ring. He left because he could no longer find peace and happiness in Middle Earth. Sam lives a long and full life as Mayor of the Shire, and eventually he gets to go to the Undying Lands anyways. Sam clearly got the better of the deal.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

I can see the points of view from those who consider them boring or overrated, and at points I'd agree with them, but that's Fellowship. I love The Two Towers, as not only does the story pick up the fucking pace, but it also adds new twists and turns to each part of the tale that wasn't there before.

 

Though, in King, what was hyped as one of the most emotional scenes ever, where Frodo and Sam are finally at Mt. Doom, I laughed my ass off at. Sean Astin's acting is terrific in this movie, and Elijah Wood even shows some of the spark he had as a little kid, but the story itself of those two...blah. I didn't care for it. I cheered for Gollum/Smeagol. THAT was the character I liked the best. He was so completely overpowered by the Ring that he no longer resembled what he once was, and in Towers he shows signs of redemption. That's my big complaint. I wanted Gollum to find redemption in some way, shape, or form. Instead...I get shit on for liking the character.

 

I need to be in the right mood to watch any of them but Towers, really.

[NoCalMike 0]

I am in the minority that LOVED FOTR, but pretty much didn't care for the other two. I think Fellowship setup the next two fantastically, but then the other two failed to deliver. Not that I hated them or thought they were awful, just not great like others think.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

Kahran pretty much nailed everything that I could have said, and probably more.

 

I just don't know, I can see not liking the trilogy but calling it boring or slow seems kinda...wrong. Something is generally always going on in some form and there aren't many wasted scenes. I can see not wanting to watch a three hour movie in one shot, but that doesn't make it slow and/or boring, that just means you don't feel like watching it IMO.

 

I gleefully watch Kurosawa movies though, so I'm used to a VERY slow pace in movies(I actually detest movies that go *BOOMBOOMBOOM* with the info or scenes) so I'm really uneffected by the pace.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I loved all three, but Two Towers is the weakest due to the emphasis being on the more generic Aragorn storyline as opposed to the better Frodo/Gollum/Sam stuff. Helm's Deep never really did it for me either compared to the bigger battles in ROTK or even Gandalf vs. the Balrog. ROTK is my favourite with nearly all of my favourite scenes occuring in that movie. FOTR is in the middle. The Extended Versions are also much better than the theatrical versions. The biggest improvement is in the The Two Towers, where in the original the Hobbits (especially Merry & Pippin) were rarely seen as the Rohan plot got all the screentime. Adding the new scenes of the Hobbits & Faramir really help flesh out the story.

 

EDIT: I am a fan of epics so I have no problem watching long films. My favourite movie is Lawrence of Arabia.

[Lightning Flik 0]

I cheered for Gollum/Smeagol. THAT was the character I liked the best. He was so completely overpowered by the Ring that he no longer resembled what he once was, and in Towers he shows signs of redemption. That's my big complaint. I wanted Gollum to find redemption in some way, shape, or form. Instead...I get shit on for liking the character.

 

I need to be in the right mood to watch any of them but Towers, really.

Gollum had been under control of the Ring for centuries. By then, he was nothing more than a shell for the Ring to use at its will. For him to suddenly break free after all that time, would be a cop out. He wouldn't be able to break free until the Ring was destroyed. Hell, even then it would take him centuries to pull himself out of the torment of what he has done while being a slave to the ring and even then it would be no guarentee that he would find gain redemption.

 

Hell, if Frodo who bore the Ring for just a few years couldn't get on with his life and eventually left everything he cared about speaks clear volumes of what would've happened to Gollun if given the chance to fully be free of the Ring's corruptive might.

 

Edit:

Only way I'll watch any of them is all together, back to back. I can't STAND reading a story, or watching a series and for it to end in the middle of things. I can't just pause, I need to finish it or I go nuts.

Edited December 17, 2004 by Lightning Flik

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Gollum says that he would die if the ring was destroyed. Now I know it just came from Gollum, but if it is true it is extra motivation for him.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

Sam lives a long and full life as Mayor of the Shire, and eventually he gets to go to the Undying Lands anyways. Sam clearly got the better of the deal.

 

I was unaware of that.

 

he thought he could part with the ring and when the time came he found out that the ring had taken too much control over him.

 

I understand that no one really could destroy the Ring, but it still makes him look like a chump.

 

If someone powerful like Gandalf, Galadriel or Elrond tried to do it they would be corrupted quickly and they would have become the new Dark Lord.

 

I liked that they explained this early on (What with Gandalf's "Don't tempt me Frodo!") but wouldn't it have been possible for someone else (without crazy powers; just your average, strong-willed joe) to do it?

 

As for Gollum, I think that the end of RotK did give him at least a little redemption, at least in his mind. I mean, he GOT the Ring, and since that was the only thing he cared about, he probably at least died happy. I liked how they had him hold it up for as long as possible while he sank.