reenka: (Default)
[personal profile] reenka
So. I saw RoTK last night. Finally! And with [livejournal.com profile] sistermagpie, at that. Yeah, nyah.

...Do I have thoughts?


No, I don't have thoughts. That said, I may as well say something while I'm still unaware of what most people are saying. Maybe.

I loved this movie just as I loved the other two, though I loved this one more because it just brought everything together and all the overall themes were present. It's a sprawling gorgeous queen of a movie, the grandest most truly royal film I can remember easily. Quite often I was just on the verge of tears merely from the scenery and the music. Ah, the music.

This was such a visual movie. And I was sitting in the second row, so I was all up-close and personal. Too much so, but eh. While everyone probably remembers the slash & the plot & the pretty, I remember that scene where they lit the fires across the mountains, man. That was just so cool I have no words. And the design of the city of Gondor. When I saw it, I got shivery and weepy, like it's the lost city of my heart-- and really, I'm more of a Shire kind of girl. It was just completely breathtaking. The designs in general-- creatures and landscapes-- are completely unmatched by anything for sheer scale and grandeur and sweeping beauty and ability to match the mood. The mountains of New Zealand own my soul, man.

It's hard for me to say anything coherent about it 'cause the story inspires such a deep-seated emotional response in me-- almost a sense of loyalty-- an inspiration. I think it captures that semi-lost sense of fresh wonder that one has watching one's first fantasy movies, or reading legends and fairy-tales. Everything is both intensely physical and larger than life, so that one is swept along completely, losing oneself in the story and the world. The only other movies that have done this to me are `The Neverending Story' and the Star Trek movies. This taps into some primordial source of awe within me, both visually and spiritually, because especially in this movie, the story is one of redemption and hope, and I'm obviously a complete sucker for that traditional fairy-tale motif.

In terms of personalities-- I felt this one was more of an ensemble movie than the other two, but Merry and Pippin came alive for the first time, for me, and I fell in love with them. All of the actors have a wonderful chemistry together, of course, but there was much more attention paid to Merry and Pippin this time, I think. There were fewer moments of comic relief and actual relationship growth or characterization, 'cause it was all-action-all-the-time for most of it, but I think Merry & Pippin remained somewhat outside it all even as they were in the thick of things. It really seemed that they were the hero-protagonists this time even though officially it's still Frodo's story.

I had weird angst, going up and down in terms all the battle scenes. On the one hand, I hate battle scenes, especially melee fighting-- I can't really follow it and visually it overloads me, as well as stressing me out. There were a -lot- of battle scenes in this movie, and mind you that was my least favorite part of `Fellowship' & TTT. This time, though, I had flashes of actually being drawn into it and feeling the glory of battle more than once. I was so inspired and onboard with the cause that I actually liked the unity and valor and mad courage and so on-- maybe that's why I identified with Merry and Pippin. Because I hate fighting, detest war, abhor violence-- but it was hard to withstand the sheer drive of the moment.

I wouldn't say that the movies glorified battle or war by any means, in principle, but in terms of the swell of music and the sounding of horns and the battle cries-- certainly there was something there of glory, especially when the tide had turned in the Fellowship's favor. I found I liked the battle more when they weren't losing. Funny, that. I actually like the uncomfortable feeling of being pulled along into that mindset-- it kind of makes me face my own issues 'cause I do idolize bravery and idealism and righteous anger enough so that it could be used to stir up battle fervor, even though fighting makes me ill.

As before, I still like Arwen (in her one major scene), probably because I'm a sucker for star-crossed love even when it's as melodramatic as all that. My favorite relationship here (take a wild guess) was Merry&Pippin, of course, 'cause they still retained a measure of their innocence and I need that. I didn't feel as close to Frodo and Sam because Frodo was just breaking apart and becoming something less than himself for most of it-- Frodo kind of passed beyond simple humanity and became a pure vessel, so he was hard for me to fully identify with in this movie, though I felt sorry for him. I don't like feeling sorry for characters, though.

Naturally, I loved the Frodo&Sam moments at the end (of all things)-- who wouldn't? There was so much pure emotion that I'd have to be made of steel not to love it. The visual cues made it impossible for me to resist, along with everything else-- I mean... a river of fire, the huge echoing sky, the eagles carrying them away. It's the stuff legends are made of, quite literally.

Even though there was all this grand visual symbolism, I never actually felt like it went over the top. The story could support it, as well as the emotional output of the actors. *sigh* Even the goopiest moments were saved for me 'cause I could sense the genuineness of them, like when Frodo wakes up and all his friends are there, and Sam is smiling at him. Oh man. OH MAN.

Sort of like Viggo still completely sells me as King (mmm, mountain scene! swords! commanding stare!!) and Ian sells me as Gandalf and oooooh Gollum. Yes. They kind of all merged with their parts, they really did. It made me happy to see. The only person I felt was over the top (as usual) was the dwarf, but oh well. Maybe dwarves are just. Like that.

I really liked Faramir. I didn't notice Faramir before, not really, and I didn't have any love for Boromir-- or most of the supporting characters like the dead elf or whatever-- but Faramir is adorable. It's his puppy dog look, man. Yes.
~~

Anyway.

+ Favorite moments....

- Merry and Pippin separate (& anytime either Merry or Pippin is in a scene).
- First sight of Gondor.
- Lighting of the fires.
- "I am no man!" <33333333
- Arwen sees the future.
- Aragorn commands the ghost army (my king! *swoon*.)
- Legolas brings down the elephant-type-creature (he still got it).
- "...but I can carry you."
- "...here at the end of all things." (WAH.)
- Frodo wakes up. (!!! THE SMILE!!)
- Aragorn clasps Legolas' shoulder. (theirloveissopure)


+ Things I (pettily) wish for....

- More Legolas (kicking ass, 'cause that's what he does best).
- More Aragorn/Legolas (theirloveissorestrainedmanlyclasp!).
- More quiet moments of character-interaction.
- More Merry/Pippin-ness (there is never enough!)
~~


Do I see slash? Yes.

Do I need slash? No.

That's basically it, for me. I realize friendship is beautiful without sex, but that doesn't mean I think any friendship is "too pure". Sometimes I just don't see it as being likely or think it would change the dynamic in a weird way, and then it's weird. But Merry & Pippin and Aragorn/Legolas seems ripe for some bit of spice. It'd make it more... I dunno... angsty. Which I like. Perfect harmony grates on one, no? :>

As far as Frodo/Sam.... Eh. More conflicted.

I think I can see how Sam would never admit it to himself 'cause it'd be disrespectful in some way and Frodo just never noticed he had a body since he got the ring. So it's that sense of "it'd never happen" that really prevents me. That said, I think it's got the possibility of want on Sam's side 'cause there is a power imbalance in that relationship, and there's a slight sexualization of anyone you obsess over that much that happens in my mind. Frodo is resolved in his relationship with Sam, but not vice-versa. Sam is ripe for angst, which makes the unrequited thing possible. But no, not requited, weirdly enough.

That said, I can't pair Frodo with anyone else, either, since the reason I can't see him with Sam even in theory is because he's not really as human as he could be once he gets the ring. He reminds me of a priest, maybe, and Sam of a priest's caretaker, if priests had such things.

I can see Merry/Pippin 'cause they're equals and their relationship grew, I think, as -they- grew within the course of the story, so it's not static and has kinetic potential. Aragorn and Legolas-- well-- they're just adorable together, though clearly I don't actually think it'd happen. It's pretty though, who could argue that? But Aragorn is painfully in love with Arwen, which annuls things (and Legolas isn't exactly a sex-crazed teenager anyway). I can definitely see the potential though, sans Arwen. But it doesn't really matter to me.

So yeah.

This pretty much exhausts the subject for me. I loved the movies, and I loved this last part of the trilogy. I can't actually see myself in the fandom in any way, shape or form, because I -have- liked them so much-- so much that they're now -mine-. The story as it stands is enough for me, and I don't feel the need to rehash it and write fanfic and see where things go-- to me, they already went where they needed to go, which is kind of how I feel about QAF also.

All things considered, I -would- like the soundtrack, however~:) Mmmm, Annie Lennox my love.

Date: 2003-12-27 03:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tocomfortyou.livejournal.com
and Legolas isn't exactly a sex-crazed teenager anyway

You wouldn't believe how many people have yet to realize this. *cries*

Don't think for a second you're alone in your love for the landscape and music and sensory overloads. The lighting of the beacons is such a sweeping, majestic scene that I always start crying (though I admit that's not saying much as I bawled - bawled! - my way through this entire movie the first time I saw it) and I wish we still had traditions and signals like that these days. These movies always stir strange feelings in me of cross-country sprints and a kind of bitterness towards instantaneous communication (ignore the girl typing on the COMPUTER here) because it just seems so honorable to slog your way across the world just to inform your captain that the fires of your allies have been lit.

Before my train of thought derails, yes, the music adds so much more. I've never felt more at home with music than I have with these scores; I can listen to them at any point in my life: working on the computer, driving around in the car, edging into sleep. The music just seeps into my bones and to hear it as it supports the films is just awe-inspiring.

Merry and Pippin are just so precious to me. It's so heartbroken to watch them leave the Shire as almost children and return wizened men, even if they do retain a portion of their former jollity. They're just so brave and courageous and wah. I have to stop here or I'll never end.

These movies inspire new feelings in me regarding war. Tolkien and Jackson are so sure to make us realize that war is terrible and costly and ruinous and poisonous, but at the same time, they're showing that there are small instances of humanity on battlefields not found anywhere else: the laying down of one's life for the stranger next to you, the willingness to charge into certain death out of sheer love for your captain, the unswerving sense of loyalty that compells you to risk all you have for what you know is right. I think it's in keeping with the story's overall theme of hope, that even in something as cataclysmic as Pelennor fields, there is an almost holy unity of Men.

Éowyn! <3 "I am no man!" sends shivers down my spine. However, my favorite line in the movie isn't even from the books: "I will kill you if you touch him!" My god, how the goosebumps arrive during that line. These scene plays out so much better on the screen than in the books; I can see her tremble even while she's slaying the Witchking, I can see just how soft her skin is even as she weilds her sword. For all the pages in that book, Tolkien can't express something like the look in Éowyn's eyes as she crawls to Theoden's side.

Aragorn charging onto the dock with the Army of the Dead is the coolest thing I have ever seen on film.

You know, I usually don't like to see slash in LOTR, but even I couldn't help but snicker during that final shoulderclasp, right before Arwen is revealed. I mean, honestly. Theirloveissoprettyandroyal. Also, holy mother of God, but Orlando Bloom cleans up nicely. I just. Awuh. Beel. Fipp. Fttttttp.

Eh, I've already talked about F/S in my own LJ and I'm so exhausted on that subject.

So yes, I agree with a lot of what you've said. These movies are just so epic and sweeping and in some ways they are inferior to the books, but they are also superior to the books in many ways. Above all, both mediums managed to capture this story in a masterpiece. Well done, sirs.

Date: 2003-12-27 06:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yourpoison.livejournal.com
The problem with the sex-crazed thing is that people confuse actors with characters, so, I mean, the ancient-elf-archer thing isn't as important as the sexay-blond-dude-with-an-attitude thing. Plus he's legal. It's inevitable :>

It's weird for me to get all "ooh, sexay" about any of them 'cause in a way I'd be going against the grain of the movie, I guess. Only Legolas and Aragorn seem to project some sort of come-hither thing and they're way too heroic-dashing-hero for me to get into-- I mean, there's Eowyn & Arwen, but. Arwen is nonsexually pretty, sort of like she's about to start singing sad songs any moment. And Eowyn... is prolly just not my type, though I definitely like her a lot. :>

You know, I usually say I don't like epic stories-- that I don't -need- epic stories, anyway. But maybe it's just hard to really get at that sort of larger-than-life feeling without making it seem forced. It's probably the chemistry between the actors that made it seem real, though, 'cause they're just so -there-.

Also, when I saw the beads on that boy, I just sort of goggled, hehehe. He's so prettier than Arwen, it's cute~:))

Date: 2003-12-27 06:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tocomfortyou.livejournal.com
HAHAH. I'm sorry, it's just... "He's legal!" HAHAHA. Christ, what the hell would you talk about?"

"I was reading all about the ancient Sumerians last night.."
"Oh, they're lovely people, really. Nice pottery."

I never really found Arwen. Unlike the rest of the fandom, I really don't have anything against her, but she's just so ethereal it doesn't work. And I don't lust after Eowyn so much as admire her. Though I could lust. Oh yesss, preciouss.

I know! It's hard to make him look ugly.

Date: 2003-12-27 06:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yourpoison.livejournal.com
You know, it's really surprising but people can in fact talk about anything, not just sex. Er. I don't mean that how it sounded ^^; I just mean, if they have the passion it's sort of like, wheeee let's-break-apart-every-tiny-detail-of-the-plot-and-everything-else-just-for-fun.

Not that I don't dig that, I do. My brain starts to hurt after a while, though. Or maybe it's just that I can't multi-task and eventually I get tired & want to read more H/D porn. *ponders*

Date: 2003-12-27 07:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tocomfortyou.livejournal.com
H/D porn... *drifts!*

My mind is a sieve.

Date: 2003-12-27 03:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] glitterdemon.livejournal.com
::claps:: I don't have much to say, as I was mostly "nod, nod, ow, crick in my neck" the whole time. But yeah. WORD.

Date: 2003-12-27 03:54 pm (UTC)
ext_6866: (Default)
From: [identity profile] sistermagpie.livejournal.com
Hee! I so love how these movies literally do make me cry over the scenery. I guess that's the point, though--they're fighting for the land and damn if they don't make you love the land!

It's kind of scary the thing I have for characters who are priest-like. Always the guy I go for--but you're right that's totally Frodo.

I love the wake-up scene too. Everybody says it's all mushy and slo-mo but they EARNED IT, dammit!

Date: 2003-12-27 05:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yourpoison.livejournal.com
Oh man. *laughs* I thought maybe I was on crack with my view on Frodo especially since I -don't- know how people see him, generally, so I was shooting blind a bit. I suppose the "Sister" thing seems more... um... semi-blasphemous now, though. Heheh not that that's a bad thing :>
I have a thing for fools, jokers and lunatics. Hee. You know, the most innocent-yet-fiery character, the one who's all intense and powerful and rash. I don't think there's any one person in LoTR who fits that description, though maybe all of them do at one time or another, except the dwarf 'cause I'm just not going there :>

The wake-up scene is just one of those things that you have to suspend your jadedness for-- then again, the whole Trilogy's like that-- and I think possibly Frodo, you'd have to suspend your jadedness for the most 'cause he's just not the sort of person you'd meet every day. People understand "good, kind man" but they don't understand when the kindness gets shorn to the bone and there's only the bare skeleton of a person left, and you can't tell he's kind or righteous 'cause he's not dressing it up and presenting it in a palatable way. I dunno. It's like the ring's a cancer on Frodo and he's let go of all the things that were unnecessary while fighting it.

You know what this reminds me of?

Have you seen `The Order'? That guy in it, he reminds me of Frodo, I guess. There's an essential loneliness to that position which I don't think any amount of fellowship can ever fully penetrate, and that's probably something that really got to Sam 'cause he really wanted to -help- and probably always felt helpless to some extent, no matter what. Sort of the way Gandalf is alone, I guess, and the way Arwen's father is alone. Once you reach a certain level of power & responsibility & knowledge, you are alone in the burden. The fellowship of men can help your purpose but not your heart.

Wah.

Date: 2003-12-27 08:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shatterglass.livejournal.com
like it's the lost city of my heart
yesyesyes, I love the layout of that city. However did they do that??

And yes, Frodo/Sam is complicated. I think in their case I'm resigned to revelling in The Forehead Kiss, while A/L and M/P seem to be fun new things to explore. It's as if Frodo and Sam's bit is all completely there -- no need to slash them. They play out their relationship FOR us. I dunno. Does that make any sense?

Date: 2003-12-28 05:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yourpoison.livejournal.com
Yeah, I kept trying to imagine that they actually -built- it, though of course that's ridiculous. I'd so live there if they did. It's so -realistic-, too. The -stones- and everything! Wah! *WANTS MEDIEVAL CASTLE TO LIVE IN* :((
Except that was Super!Medieval. Heh. Funny thing is, buildings of equivalent difficulty and grandeur -had- been built in the Middle Ages and before-- just, usually they were religious edifices of some sort.

Hehe I know what you mean about the no-need-to-slash, but a part of me gets jealous for Sam's sake if I imagine Frodo with anyone else-- I'm perfectly happy if lots of my favorite pairings never "do the deed" with each other-- if they're monogamous anyway :> Ahahahah. I'm this way about H&D, even-- they could be alone together if they wanted-- not that they -could- keep their hands off each other. You know. In my head :>

Date: 2003-12-29 09:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shatterglass.livejournal.com
My head can share with your head. :D I can't see Frodo with anyone else, though. Only Sam, and stupid Rosie, and thatmakesmemad in an irrational sort of way.

Date: 2003-12-28 02:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chresimos.livejournal.com
While everyone probably remembers the slash & the plot & the pretty, I remember that scene where they lit the fires across the mountains, man. That was just so cool I have no words.

It was my favorite scene! :D

I think a lot of interesting visual things are going on in all three movies, but I didn't notice any particular scene in ROTK that struck me as having a really beautiful set-up. I like when I'm watching a movie and I'll see some piece of camera work that looks like it could be a painting, and two scenes in TTT - the Balrog falling deep under the mountain, and Arwen standing by old Aragorn's grave - were some of the best examples of that kind of thing I've seen.

The only other movies that have done this to me are `The Neverending Story' and the Star Trek movies.

The Star Trek movies? Whee, geekery! :D :D

Date: 2003-12-28 05:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yourpoison.livejournal.com
To me, it was like a painting any time I saw a shot of the countryside. I think I'm just obsessed with NZ-- 'cause I was like that every time I watched Xena, too. Heh. Something about the ocean and all those mountains and sweeping views. The place is ridiculously majestic and untouched-looking. Also, I'm easy~:)

Whenever it's something more fantastic-- like the Balrog drop-- I'm kind of more distanced, 'cause there's more suspension of disbelief involved, I guess. The clothing & buildings & countryside were all seamless, though, but then, I knew what they're supposed to look like, vaguely. Loved the Arwen-dream sequences 'cause they really had a sense of dreamscapes as well as real places, though. Mmm.

Am huge geek, though I mean, usually I don't think that has much to do with the Star Trek obsession :>!

Date: 2003-12-29 07:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chresimos.livejournal.com
The place is ridiculously majestic and untouched-looking.

*gloats*

And sheep. Full of sheep.

More suspension of disbelief when seeing Balrog falling that panning over the mountains? Hmm.

Star Trek movies are the movie that I like while realizing they are really very lame. I forgive them. Even that crazy Klingon quoting Shakespeare dude in STIII. And Kim Catrall. Yeah.

Totally Agree

Date: 2003-12-28 02:15 am (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Yes, am a furtive lurker. But the comment about the Aragorn/Legolas prettiness flushed me out [theirloveissoaestheticallypleasing]. Also, love the apprecation of the NZ landscape- cental Otago is even lovelier in real life. Although living in New Zealand and then watching high fantasy transported there is kinda strange, surreal and hard to believe, e.g Arwen and the departing elves ride through the forest, and mentally one wonders why the hell they are riding through the Waitakeres and notes the ponga ferns everywhere. Particularly in FotR, when they sail down the river - I went to see that in Queenstown, and when those scenes were shown, the cinema resounded with murmurs of "the Shotover River". Is very strange. Anyway, keep writing your fab H/D ficlets!

Re: Totally Agree

Date: 2003-12-28 05:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yourpoison.livejournal.com
Wow, that's so cool, the idea of living there & watching the movies. Eeee! *jealous!*
Although I'm sort of used to NZ-as-fantasy-setting since I used to watch Xena a lot. It makes me pretty happy, thinking those are real places. Wah. Now I want to actually go and see them -.-

And um, thanks! :> I don't think I could stop very easily~:))

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