Shannon Costello

Of course I think the movies are fantastic. But I do have a couple of observations, things I didn’t notice so much at first, but that really stood out to me upon subsequent viewings.

1) There is a consistant pattern of exaggeration (unfortunately common in such movies) which is unnecessary given the scope of Tolkien’s tale. Every moment has to be a cliff-hanger. Frodo running directly before the Black Riders and Theoden’s transformation are good examples. A more drawn-out example is that of Faramir’s dilemma over Frodo and Sam. In the book his indecision is relatively brief, and Faramir’s noble character shines through from almost the very beginning. In the movie Faramir is at first inclined to follow in his brother’s footsteps and only under great duress, complete with orc attack and Nazgul, does he change his mind. Faramir’s relationship with his father also seems unduly exaggerated. Again, the story is huge without those exaggerations.

2) A good character is going to speak consistently. A farmer will speak like a farmer. A well-educated nobleman’s speech will reflect his training. An American will speak with an American accent. Sam generally speaks in a down-to-earth manner that does not necessarily bespeak education. He drops his g’s and addresses Frodo as “Mister Frodo.” So when in the middle of Mordor Sam breaks out with “It’s gone! Something has drawn its gaze!” the contrast can be pretty startling. I should further point out that Sam’s accent is different from Frodo’s in a way that can be explained by their upbringing. But what about Pippin and Merry and the heavy Irish accent? They don’t live that far away…