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[heidi]

I know I'm nowhere near caught up reading the plethora of reviews and comments on my flist, and I'm already seven hours from the end of the movie, which I certainly need to see again (anyone from hp_florida interested?) but I beyond exhausted and I needed to put my thoughts down.

Oh, have I sobbed today. Look, I know I'm a sap. I cried a pint of tears in You've Got Mail when Meg Ryan's character speaks about the Shoes books, so it's almost required that I sob in RoTK.

I've never been moved to tears by a battle scene, no not even Branagh in Henry V, but I think Peter Jackson and Viggo emulated that feeling so perfectly in rotk. And when eowyn said she was no man. And yes, even when Arwen shows up and they do that big smoochy bit.

Of course, Sam leaving Frodo for Rosie was wrong, wrong, wrong - hobbitses have great and t00by love that transcends everything. But with the context of Tolkein, I'll twitch a bit, and wince a bit, and live with it.

epicyclical, do you remember two years ago, when I walked out of FotR and called you and asked you why they couldn't just fly to Mordor on birds? Aaron and I had a discussion about it, as the bird-rescue happened, and he now says it's because there was too much Bad magic in the air before The Eye got the red out.

All in all, I think I liked FOtR better, as a film, but it's amazing to appreciate the artistry and the overwhelming emotion, even on the enormous scale, that was in every frame of the film.

And I can't wait for the extended edition; I've already asked for it for our anniversary next fall.

Oh, haven't I come a long way from the girl who, almost three years ago, saw the first trailer for LOTR and thought, "Rudy? And the kid from flipper? What the hell is this? Nope, no interest."

And I'm not sure I even would've seen FOTR without all the overwhelming discussion two years ago on LJ, then in playing around with the Very Secret Diaries, and hearing from those of <"http://www.livejournal.com/~heidi8/friends"> you who are longtime fans of the books. Of course, I'll make another try on them again, and will try not to get hung up by the Really Long Delay in Frodo and Sam's 'flight' from the Shire ("oh no! They're after us! Let's flee! But only after we get a good price for the olde homestead!").

---

Anyhow, I didn't only turn into a gibbering wreck at the film.

Tonight, Aaron and I saw Simon & Garfunkle (with the Everly Brothers) live in concert. Seeing art & paul together is something I never thought I would manage, but then again, I once thought that about Paul McCartney, and 18 months ago, I did.

And I think seven songs made me cry - the boxer, the only living boy in new york, sounds of silence (and copperbadge, I tried to do a phone post for you during the song but it didn't work, wah!), I am a Rock, All I Have To Do Is Dream, and, strangely enough, Mrs Robinson and Feeling Groovy. Not scarborough fair; that was Aaron, who, btw, pointed out that had he realised that I'd clutch at his arm and weep into his shoulder all day, he'd've not worn a brand new blazer (it was vaguely cold (47 degrees!) tonight.

Amazing show, and I just wish I had the time to see the film & go to their concert (in broward country) again tomorrow night.

But I'm afraid I'm old and don't have the energy to do this every night, so I'll just cherish the memories of today. And get caught up on LJ tomorrow...

Comments

[shelaghc.livejournal.com]

If/when you give reading LotR another attempt, try reading it this way.

Don't bother right away with book one. Go right into The Two Towers. It's way more actiony and you can sort of glean (since you've seen the movies) what happened to get them where they are.
The momentum will drive you right into RotK.

Then, when you're all finished, you'll *want* to read FotR - just so you can read more about the wonderful characters that just left you.

[longstrider.livejournal.com]

Or if you want to get some of the action from FotR start with book II (of 6) that skips most of the parts where the hobbits can't do anything, even fall asleep under a tree without it being an Evvilll tree.

[sincelastjuly.livejournal.com]

that was Aaron, who, btw, pointed out that had he realised that I'd clutch at his arm and weep into his shoulder all day, he'd've not worn a brand new blazer (it was vaguely cold (47 degrees!) tonight.

*snerks*

[misako.livejournal.com]

in the air before The Eye got the red out

Hee. Nice Visine-pun. :)

Misako

[aome.livejournal.com]

In terms of the books, I thought FotR was the most boring, and for the reason you stated - it takes FOREVER for them to actually get anywhere. Once you leave Bree, though, it keeps much better pace with the movie overall. I saw FotR, then read the trilogy, and, actually, I found that having the movie in my head helped me get through the slower parts of the books, because I was able to keep a view of the characters and the scenery better in mind, and I knew if I got through a slow section, something good was coming up.

However, I thought TTT and RotK were much stronger, as books. I hadn't seen either movie at the time, and even though I had movie versions of the characters in mind, the stories were well enough paced that I was able to be engrossed in the story on its own. A few slow spots still, and Tolkien's style isn't really my thing, but I enjoyed the *story*. You could always try picking up TTT, instead of FotR, and see how you feel about that book instead.

[I only got into LotR because my husband wanted to see the movie, and I tagged along to keep him company. I'd slogged through the Hobbit, and wasn't otherwise interested in Tolkien. Then I fell in love with PJ's portrayal, and jumped on the bandwagon with everyone else. And I *did* enjoy the books, even with the stylistic differences.]

[debellatrix.livejournal.com]

so it's almost required that I sob in RoTK.
And when they are on the rock in Mordor surrounded by the lava and Frodo says "I'm glad your with me Sam..."
*sobs*

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

WAH!

But then he starts talking about Rosie and all is lost and I want frodo to push him into the lava, wah!

[sternel.livejournal.com]

And I think seven songs made me cry

I saw S&G with ursamajr and another friend in NY two weeks ago. Absolutely amazing. I figured I was born far far too late to get to see them...
and I nearly started blubbering during "Bridge Over Troubled Water," which was sung at my HS graduation and therefore Deep and Meangingful. So beautifully done... Only the fact that ursamajr had sharp pointy knitting needles with her kept me together. 0=)

Oh -- and if you dive back into the LOTR books, I'd suggest skimming the songs; they tend to drag things out quite a bit and while they are great for background, they don't advance the plot. You can jump through them without missing anything important.

[meril.livejournal.com]

I couldn't get into LOTR at first either. Then I read the appendices. My reaction (at age 14:) "Cool world! I wonder what the actual book is like!"

I find Frodo and Sam moving amusing. Poor Fatty Bolger. XD

[corialis.livejournal.com]

(anyone from hp_florida interested?)

*raises hand*

Of course, Sam leaving Frodo for Rosie was wrong, wrong, wrong - hobbitses have great and t00by love that transcends everything.

I don't think that was as bad as Sam talking about *Rosie* when they thought they were going to die, before the "end of all things" comment from Frodo.

And what do you mean, "vaguely cold"? It's *freezing*. *g*

[gryffindor-girl.livejournal.com]

*raises hand as well* I can't wait to see this movie again!! :D

And yes...i was very sad that Sam only got a kiss on the forehead and that he didn't go with Frodo :( I think if that series were written today, it'd have a different ending...but oh well...that's what imagination is for :)

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

*SPUTTER*

Please take a look at the links I posted here, which I got from seviet. They're well-written essays and worth the time to be read.

[corialis.livejournal.com]

And yes...i was very sad that Sam only got a kiss on the forehead and that he didn't go with Frodo :( I think if that series were written today, it'd have a different ending...but oh well...that's what imagination is for :)

I like the ending just fine, actually, though I think there could have been something about Sam and Rosie moving in with Frodo, because the last thing Sam would do is abandon Frodo. It just seemed a bit...off, to me, to have Sam and Frodo together in what they think are going to be their last minutes alive, and the have Sam start talking about Rosie. But I can't remember if that was in the book or not.

[bowdlerized.livejournal.com]

Jealous on two counts:

1) Simon and Garfunkel!

2) that 47 degrees is vaguely cold down there. *shivers*

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

: friends

And I'm not that funny all the time. But I am flattered!

[hedda62.livejournal.com]

If you want a comment to make you feel young... I saw Simon and Garfunkel 22 years ago (when I was in college) playing in Central Park. We got there about ten hours before the show so as to find a space to spread our blankets, and drank champagne all day, and grooved on the teeny tiny little art&paul we could barely see on the stage what seemed like a mile away, and made it to Grand Central for the last train afterwards. It was wonderful. I'm so glad they decided to play together again. (Am suddenly realizing I am about as old now as they were then. Yikes.)

[ragnhildholm.livejournal.com]

Am *so* jealous. Love Simon & Garfunkel. Feelin' Groovy makes me smile, not cry, though, and I would definitely get your shoulder wet during Scarborough Fair ;-)

[chresimos.livejournal.com]

All in all, I think I liked FOtR better, as a film

Whee! Am not alone!

[zorb]

Try FotR first and stick with it till they get to Rivendell. That's where I finally got hooked on it, and it's still my favorite of the books (and, I think, of the movies).

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

...there was too much Bad magic in the air before The Eye got the red out....

Got... the... RED...

*MEEP!*

[dies]

[casfic.livejournal.com]

*delurks*
I think it must be nearly 30 years since I read LoTR for the first time. I had been given the Hobbit for Christmas and rushed out and bought LoTR as soon as the shops were open afterwards. I sat down and read it until I finished it (about 3 days). Then I re-read it and re-read it until I knew it off by heart almost. I haven't read it so much in recent years, and I was tremendously excited when I first heard about the movies. They've lived up to my expectations. Of course there are bits that are wrong, and which don't quite work, but they capture the spirit of the books.

I did feel that Rosie Cotton was wrong, wrong, wrong, although that was probably because I'd just been reading AJ Hall's discussion about spatchcocked female characters, and Rosie certainly appeared to be that.

Like you, I cried at that battle scene, and they're not normally something that gets me blubbing at all.

I'm sure there are things that could have been done better, but I think I'll wait for the extended edition until I pass final judgement.

Cas