Remember when...

[Churl]

…we had no idea about how the films would turn out?

Here's a link to an August 2000 Salon.com article previewing the Rings films.

Many of you might have read this article way back then, but it’s all the more interesting now, when read with 20/20 hindsight.

For instance, consider this quote: “Let’s say the first one stiffs, or is just mediocre,” [Cinescape editor Steve] Hockensmith says. “The whole thing could be quite a humiliation by the time the third one comes out.  New Line are really sticking their necks out for something that is not a sure thing.”

There’s lots more of that kind of speculation, good and bad.  Check it out if you have the time — it’s a fun time capsule.

[samwiselvr2008]

This was an interesting time capsul for me, as I wasn't here when it all began. It sher was fun to see what people said before the movies were out, and to see how they were tied up imbatween the movie fans and book fans so much. I geuss PJ pulled it off-as far as $ gose. As for the fans of the books, I geuss that's all our own personall opinion, isn't it?

[Ben]

Hehe, there's stuff in this very forum that's cool to look at now. I dug some of it out.

John Williams should compose the music for LotR
What do you think? Williams is certainly the master of film scores, but could he pull off something like LotR? I think he could. He's scored for films of many genres, and fantasy is no different. However, I don't think that he would have enough time to score both Episode II and LotR, so unfortunately they'll have to get someone else. - me, 9/24/99

I just read a review of the scripts and it has me worried. Sure, it was a review from when there were only two, but I'm still nervous. Don't quote me on this, but there's a great possibility that Lothlorien will be cut. Also, Arwen has a huge role and Eowyn completely replaces Eomer. The worst thing is the relationship between Legolas and Gimli is humorous, not the wonderful thing it is in the text. None of these things, at least from what I've read, look like they'll be changed for the 3 script version either. Gandalf was written as a bit of a wimp, but it looks like that will be somewhat fixed. Also, Boromirs roal is way to small, but that'll probably be better in the new scripts too. PJ seems willing to take up the time that he cut important stuff from with new stuff. He adds Saruman in where he never was before, and I just can't see this as a good thing. I'm hoping in the new scripts it's a little better, but right now my suggestion is not to keep your hopes up. - Darth Tater, 1/17/00

Forthcoming LOTR trilogy will be a huge hit in UK, USA, and across the world. The story is already firmly ingrained in worldwide pop culture giving it a pre-existing fan base of great magnitude as this website and the countless others like it attest. A serious attempt to portray Tolkien's boundless imagination on film using today's special effects is a "can't miss" proposition. The strides taken by CGI and the like lends itself to fantastic opportunities within the story. I can't wait...Must go now and buy more stock!! - John309, 2/11/2000

I'd like to point out two examples of legendary novels, modern classics that much-anticipated film adaptations came from. And as a result, with both these cases nowadays when you mention the title, the film is the first thing that comes to mind. As a matter of fact, the younger generation doesn't even know about the source material.

I refer to none other than Margaret Mitchell's Gone With The Wind and Mario Puzo's The Godfather.

Do you think the same thing will happen with LOTR?
-IronParrot, 2/18/00

How much of the appendices should be included?
Well?

It provides a lot of interesting information about what happened before and after the main story, but I don't think the audience would care to see it all on screen, nor should it be. I think that what could be done is have those little epilogues like many movies do, where the future of the characters is shown in text. So Sam could stay behind for the first ship but then they could say what happens to him, and that he finally sails away, and then they could write a sentence or two about each character that says behind.

The story of Aragorn and Arwen can't really be put onscreen. - me, 5/21/00

Turns out it can

The wizard and the wheel
This is possibly one of the most controversial pics that have appeared.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/common/im...50,6150,FF.jpg
What's this? is it real or only a fake? the source didn't seems too learned about Tolkien, because they cannot get the difference between Gandalf the Grey an Gandalf the White...

is it the death of Saruman? then it would have been changed to a death in the New Mill of Ted Sandyman or, as it has been suggested in many fan sites, a death at Isengard, cuz Chris Lee hasn't filmed anything at the Shire set and cuz he signed only for the first two movies. - Fat middle, 8/8/00

Whatever happened with this? Is Saruman really gonna die on a spiked wheel?

[dawningoftime]

One thing that I found funny is that the director of the Matrix was blasting PJ and New Line for shooting all three movies at the same time saying they were nuts. And guess what he did with the last two Matrix movies, He filmed both of them at the same time.