Better Titles

Elfhelm · 12-17-2003, 04:13 PM

The book titles were made up by Houghton Mifflin, as I recall, and JRRT didn't like them. Of course, they made three movies instead of six so naturally they used those less-than-perfect titles.

Anyone want to have fun making up better titles?

The Two Towers is the most obvious bad title because it's misleading, but I think Return of the King is also less than perfect because the focus of the last two books (I mean numbers 5 and 6) is the destruction of the One Ring. Obviously, British fantasy fans love to hope that Arthur will return, but for me that is one more misleading element in the title. At most, Return of the King could be a chapter title.

I'm taking a shot at the new movie. What if they realized it and named it differently? What might it have been called? How about:

The Destruction of the Ring
Assault on Mount Doom
Saruman's Revenge (OK this was a title suggested by a co-worker for Book 6, not for the movie which has no scouring).
Samwise Gamgee, Hero!

hehehe... anyone else?

Anglorfin · 12-17-2003, 04:45 PM

I disagree with you. I think the titles that were given for the books fit for the most part. That is, with the exception of The Two Towers. But yes, the movies skewed the meaning of some titles or maybe caused some deeper symbolism to be lost. They did manage to make it clear though which of the many towers were being referred to in the TTT. I am not so sure that RotK's title will fit so nicely tho. We'll just have to wait and see.

Elfhelm · 12-17-2003, 06:23 PM

OK, that's cool.

But what I'm saying is, the title implies that Aragorn's ascending the throne is the whole point, when it's really just a secondary plot element next to the destruction of the One Ring.

Bacchus · 12-17-2003, 06:31 PM

I like the HOME titles for Volumes II and III:
The Treason of Isengard (More applicable of course to Book 3 than Book 4)
and
The War of the Ring

I think FOTR is aptly named

Bacchus · 12-17-2003, 06:35 PM

Perhaps we could name all six Books:
1. The Shadow of the Past
2. The Fellowship of the Ring
3. The Treason of Isengard
4. The Choices of Master Samwise
5. The War of the Ring
6. Sauron Defeated

Tuor of Gondolin · 12-17-2003, 06:59 PM

FYI:

JRRT didn't like "Return of the King" because he thought it would give away too much of the plot and preferred "The War of the Ring." And he rather liked "The Two Towers."

Quote:

The fellowship of the Ring will do, I think; and fits well with the fact that the last chapter of the Volume is the breaking of the Fellowship. The Two Towers gets as near as possible to finding a title to cover the widely divergent Books 3 and 4; and can be left ambiguous- it might refer to Isengard and Barad-dur, or to Minas Tirith and B; or Isengard and Cirith Ungol. On reflection I prefer for Vol. III the War of the Ring, since it gets in the Ring again; and also is more non-committal, and gives less hint about the turn of the story: the chapter titles have been chosen to give away as little as possible in advance. But I am not set in my choice.

So, since he wasn't all that obsessed with the three sub-titles, for the second movie, a title like The Struggle for Rohan would seem apt, since that gets the lion's share of the movie. For movie III I also like "The War of the Ring" (has a classical/mythological sound to it). Movie I title is fine as is.

***gdl96*** · 12-17-2003, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bacchus
6. Sauron Defeated

Gives a bit too much away, don't ya think?

jellyfishannah · 12-19-2003, 12:03 AM

They may be misleading but that's how we all have known them all this time.

You know what a 'friend' of mine said when I told her I got free tickets to see "The Two Towers"? She said "Oh. Is that a movie about the towers that were blown up on 9/11?"
HA HA HA! I wanted to die. These hicks...seriously. She didn't know what LotR was. They don't know literature. They don't know philosophy. They can't make good enough grades to play on a school team at a sport that they kick butt at. Granted. But they don't even know media?! They don't know about movies and music that the news is yelling at them every day? What do these people do? I wonder if they even know what Nintendo Gamecube is...

hectorberlioz · 12-19-2003, 12:38 AM

well, i dont care if tolkien liked em or not. too late to change the titles now...

but Bacchus did have some good thoughts above, except maybe for the last book...

12-17-2003, 04:13 PM	#1
Elfhelm Marshal of the Eastmark Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,412	Better Titles The book titles were made up by Houghton Mifflin, as I recall, and JRRT didn't like them. Of course, they made three movies instead of six so naturally they used those less-than-perfect titles. Anyone want to have fun making up better titles? The Two Towers is the most obvious bad title because it's misleading, but I think Return of the King is also less than perfect because the focus of the last two books (I mean numbers 5 and 6) is the destruction of the One Ring. Obviously, British fantasy fans love to hope that Arthur will return, but for me that is one more misleading element in the title. At most, Return of the King could be a chapter title. I'm taking a shot at the new movie. What if they realized it and named it differently? What might it have been called? How about: The Destruction of the Ring Assault on Mount Doom Saruman's Revenge (OK this was a title suggested by a co-worker for Book 6, not for the movie which has no scouring). Samwise Gamgee, Hero! hehehe... anyone else? __________________ cya

12-17-2003, 04:45 PM	#2
Anglorfin Alasailon Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: college Posts: 861	I disagree with you. I think the titles that were given for the books fit for the most part. That is, with the exception of The Two Towers. But yes, the movies skewed the meaning of some titles or maybe caused some deeper symbolism to be lost. They did manage to make it clear though which of the many towers were being referred to in the TTT. I am not so sure that RotK's title will fit so nicely tho. We'll just have to wait and see. __________________ "and then this hobbit was walking, and then this elf jumped out of a bush and totally flipped out on him while wailing on his guitar." "Anglorfin was tall and straight; his hair was of shining gold, his face fair and young and fearless and full of anger; his eyes were bright and keen, and his voice like music; on his brow sat wisdom, and in his hand was great skill."

12-17-2003, 06:23 PM	#3
Elfhelm Marshal of the Eastmark Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,412	OK, that's cool. But what I'm saying is, the title implies that Aragorn's ascending the throne is the whole point, when it's really just a secondary plot element next to the destruction of the One Ring. __________________ cya

12-17-2003, 06:31 PM	#4
Bacchus Elven Warrior Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Houston TX USA Posts: 245	I like the HOME titles for Volumes II and III: The Treason of Isengard (More applicable of course to Book 3 than Book 4) and The War of the Ring I think FOTR is aptly named __________________ Yet neither by wolf, nor by Balrog, nor by Dragon, would Morgoth have achieved his end, but for the treachery of Men. Always after a defeat and a respite, the Shadow takes another shape and grows again.

12-17-2003, 06:35 PM	#5
Bacchus Elven Warrior Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Houston TX USA Posts: 245	Perhaps we could name all six Books: 1. The Shadow of the Past 2. The Fellowship of the Ring 3. The Treason of Isengard 4. The Choices of Master Samwise 5. The War of the Ring 6. Sauron Defeated __________________ Yet neither by wolf, nor by Balrog, nor by Dragon, would Morgoth have achieved his end, but for the treachery of Men. Always after a defeat and a respite, the Shadow takes another shape and grows again.

12-19-2003, 12:03 AM	#8
jellyfishannah Elven Warrior Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Library, may it live forever!!! Posts: 269	They may be misleading but that's how we all have known them all this time. You know what a 'friend' of mine said when I told her I got free tickets to see "The Two Towers"? She said "Oh. Is that a movie about the towers that were blown up on 9/11?" HA HA HA! I wanted to die. These hicks...seriously. She didn't know what LotR was. They don't know literature. They don't know philosophy. They can't make good enough grades to play on a school team at a sport that they kick butt at. Granted. But they don't even know media?! They don't know about movies and music that the news is yelling at them every day? What do these people do? I wonder if they even know what Nintendo Gamecube is... __________________ "Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much." ~Oscar Wilde "Don't tell lies you can't keep." ~My little sister...

12-19-2003, 12:38 AM	#9
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	well, i dont care if tolkien liked em or not. too late to change the titles now... but Bacchus did have some good thoughts above, except maybe for the last book... __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

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