Reverse LOTR Gripes

[brownjenkins]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

How do you mean? I actually remembered the hobbits, particularly, as more "real" in the book. The dwarves, too.

Better late than never!

Faramir and Denethor come to mind. They both almost seemed too noble in the books, as did Boromir. If you look at Tolkien's works alone, so many of his main characters had no faults. Anything they did that would be considered evil was simply a result of corruption by the Ring and/or Sauron.

It's idealistic, which is fine, but also unrealistic.

[Thehoundsofdeath]

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

Better late than never!

Faramir and Denethor come to mind. They both almost seemed too noble in the books, as did Boromir. If you look at Tolkien's works alone, so many of his main characters had no faults. Anything they did that would be considered evil was simply a result of corruption by the Ring and/or Sauron.

It's idealistic, which is fine, but also unrealistic.

I am not sure how you interpret Denethor setting fire to himself and his still-living son, in a feeble act of despair, as "too noble". Some kind of morale-raising immolation-o-gram to the Gondor troops perhaps?

I think the current fashion for realism is getting a bit out of hand when people start complaining that a work of fantasy is unrealistic. So far as I know elves, trolls, balrogs, wizards and hobbits do not exist. I thought a lack of realism was kind of the point.

[brownjenkins]

I meant it in terms of Denethor's general failings being later attributed to his access to a palantir, which lead to corruption by Sauron.

[Jon S.]

I can only speak for myself but when I turn to sci fi and fantasy, I like my landscapes surreal, my species and races (other than humans) unreal, and my humans (and their concerns and issues) real.

I feel generally satisfied from the movies on all 3 points so whereas, like almost everyone, there are aspects of each that grate on me, I enjoyed (and still enjoy) them.

[Rían]

I think a lot of the props were really beautiful. This will come across better in the films, because when a person walks into a room, the author doesn't describe everything in the room, but in a film when a person walks in a room, your eyes go around the room and notice things. And I think they made a lot of beautiful things for the films.

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Thehoundsofdeath

I thought a lack of realism was kind of the point.

Well, I think a work should be internally realistic, and in LOTR, humans are humans, and we all know they're not perfect.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

Well, I think a work should be internally realistic, and in LOTR, humans are humans, and we all know they're not perfect.

Speak for yourself.

[Rían]

*gives Sis a big ol' kiss*

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

I meant it in terms of Denethor's general failings being later attributed to his access to a palantir, which lead to corruption by Sauron.

Which was only made possible by his overconfidence in his own abilities. Denethor is really a classic tragic hero; a great man, several notches above most, with a tragic flaw which eventually undoes him.