Comments on: Giving Peter Jackson His Due http://www.foothills.wjduquette.com/blog/archives/659 A tiny principality in the Commonwealth of Letters Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:53:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.6 by: Phil http://www.foothills.wjduquette.com/blog/archives/659#comment-520 Wed, 31 Mar 2004 22:32:11 +0000 http://www.foothills.wjduquette.com/blog/archives/659#comment-520 So, Ian, you were responding more to the whines of book purists than to Will's and my considered criticism? I freely admit many complaints I've heard are silly, but I thought some were pretty good. So, Ian, you were responding more to the whines of book purists than to Will’s and my considered criticism? I freely admit many complaints I’ve heard are silly, but I thought some were pretty good.

]]> by: Jack http://www.foothills.wjduquette.com/blog/archives/659#comment-519 Wed, 31 Mar 2004 19:26:31 +0000 http://www.foothills.wjduquette.com/blog/archives/659#comment-519 I agree with you both (Lawks! I sound like Frank Griswold!). I am not sure that Jackson could have done a better job; but I think his substantive changes were usually for the worst. Not the omissions, e.g. leaving out Bombadil; but the actual changes (Arwen's Romantic Wasting Disease, the massive shift in the Denethor-Faramir-Boromir relationship). But he got the last two hours almost perfectly right (thanks mostly to Bernard Hill), and this achievment overwhelms any other failure. Oh, and he hired Alan Lee. Best move of all, maybe. I agree with you both (Lawks! I sound like Frank Griswold!). I am not sure that Jackson could have done a better job; but I think his substantive changes were usually for the worst. Not the omissions, e.g. leaving out Bombadil; but the actual changes (Arwen’s Romantic Wasting Disease, the massive shift in the Denethor-Faramir-Boromir relationship). But he got the last two hours almost perfectly right (thanks mostly to Bernard Hill), and this achievment overwhelms any other failure. Oh, and he hired Alan Lee. Best move of all, maybe.

]]> by: Ian Hamet http://www.foothills.wjduquette.com/blog/archives/659#comment-518 Wed, 31 Mar 2004 05:10:34 +0000 http://www.foothills.wjduquette.com/blog/archives/659#comment-518 As I have said before, and will say again, the movies are not perfect (I try to make a point of mentioning at least one boner per post on this topic). But also remember, Tolkien was answerable only to himself. Sure, his publishers and editors had some influence over the final shape of the novel, but he could have chosen not to publish. He had total control over every word of his novel. Jackson had to guide hundreds, if not thousands, of creative individuals, and then he had to answer to the studio bosses. Is the book better than the movies? Sure. Are the movies faithful to the spirit of the book, despite their documented flaws? I think so. All I was pleading for was context, some sense of scale, in all of the quibbling I've heard and read over the past few years, which I felt was missing. As for measuring Jackson's achievement against Tolkien's, I don't think it's possible. Tolkien invented, Jackson adapted. By it's very nature, Jackson's is the lesser accomplishment. As I have said before, and will say again, the movies are not perfect (I try to make a point of mentioning at least one boner per post on this topic).

But also remember, Tolkien was answerable only to himself. Sure, his publishers and editors had some influence over the final shape of the novel, but he could have chosen not to publish. He had total control over every word of his novel.

Jackson had to guide hundreds, if not thousands, of creative individuals, and then he had to answer to the studio bosses.

Is the book better than the movies? Sure. Are the movies faithful to the spirit of the book, despite their documented flaws? I think so.

All I was pleading for was context, some sense of scale, in all of the quibbling I’ve heard and read over the past few years, which I felt was missing.

As for measuring Jackson’s achievement against Tolkien’s, I don’t think it’s possible. Tolkien invented, Jackson adapted. By it’s very nature, Jackson’s is the lesser accomplishment.

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