great films great books

Rating: Null/10 (20 January 2004)

Firstly, Aragorn's sword is called Anduril not Elendil. Elendil was Isildur's father and King. He is the old man with the beard lying dead next to Isildur just before Isildur cuts the ring from Sauron's finger in the Prologue. It is also "Elendil" that Aragorn cries as he jumps on the backs of the Uruks at Amon Hen. Anyway, loved the three films but still think that the Fellowship is the best of the three. Mainly I think because it was new and fresh and more of an adventure. Personally I think Mr Jackson has done an outstanding job in the making of these films. I view the films as films and the books as books. The only bits I didn't like was where Mr Jackson allowed himself to be possessed by Hollywood Reality. These are bits in a film where you say to yourself " oh come on, that would never happen". You know the bits I mean. For instance, Denethor going up in a huge, furnace-like, 1000degree, ball of flame, but still finds time to run half a mile and throw himself down a 1000ft sheer drop. I mean.....NO!! Other nit-picks are: Shelob looked like a typical hollywood monster spider. A taratula!! Shelob is fat, hideous, bulbous, ugly, gruesome, monstrous.(thats Shelob, not the wife. He he.) The most ugly spiders have fat bodys and long spindly legs. Like a big fat garden spider. Tarantulas are cuddly and hairy. Shelob was wrong. The ghost army DID look like they came out of the Pirates/Caribbean. Eowyn's line " I am NO man". I mean, come on. Typical Hollywood. I know that a prophecy was made that the Witch-king could not be killed by man etc but please. Sauron's eye turning into a lighthouse at the end. Very funny. And it squealed as it fell down. And did you see it looking for it's legs too? You can picture it.... Gandalf:" a great sqealing lighthouse, with legs, lid-less and wreathed in flame". The only 'Anti-lava' rock left in Mordor that Frodo and Dear Sam somehow managed to scramble onto on Mt Doom. Phew! That was a close one and no mistake Mr Frodo. Shut up Sam, I'm burning. But, I AM nit-picking. All in all, a good, rollicking, rousing, roller-coaster of a caper that is definately worth seeing. And also worth buying on DVD extended.