Now the fun begins…
Favorite Characters: (mine, feel free to chime in with your own)
Eowyn–hands down, no question. JRRT gave the world a strong female character, w/o making her a ball busting/frigid bitch or one who just needed a good lay or a man, or rescuing for that matter. True, she does “melt” a bit once she meets and lover Faramir, but so do most people. All the more amazing is JRRT had essentially a Victorian/Edwardian upbringing. His saga would be remarkable if only for Eowyn.
Eowyn/Film–good casting. Miranda Otto does well portraying Eowyn’s tensions. She could have been a bit more ice maidenish, IMO. (more remote).
Aragorn–you say this coming. He’s the ultimate ubermensch (no umlaut on my keyboard). He is nobless oblige, the Hero, the Good Man who won’t let the side down.
Aragorn/Film-you gotta be kidding me. Is there ANYONE who is unhappy that Viggo played Aragorn? He is Strider on set and off. I cannot imagine this book w/o him now. He embodies this character–and even gives him more depths, IMO. Absolutely spot on.
Frodo-the Everyman. He’s a good guy and wants to do what’s right. He reminds me of Milo in The Phantom Tollbooth, who couldn’t have done what he did, if he had realized it was impossible. He is much more than this, but I only have so much time (so is Aragorn, but this is a bb, not literary analysis and theory class)
Frodo/Film–another winner. I liked Elijah Wood as Frodo. He was more physically beautiful than most on paper Hobbits, but that is film for you. I thought he did a good job of interpreting Frodo’s torment. I really liked his turning and keeping of the ring in Mt Doom. Well done, and if PJ likes to film this handsome young man in bed, over and over again, that’s his right!
Boromir-kind of a cardboard cutout character here. Good, simple soldier and leader, going for the obvious, not appreciating subtlety. Meh.
Boromir/Film-fantastic. Sean Bean encapsulates Boromir, but like Viggo, gives him shades of meaning. Best death scene in a long, long time. Excellent small touches in the scene on the mountain where Boromir picks up the ring.
Gandalf–wonderful. A truly lovable and respected character. I could read just about anything about Gandalf. He is well rounded, alive on paper, yet powerful and fantastic. I want to know more about HIM (not Maiar in general).
Gandalf/Film-fabulous. Ian McKellen did a great job. Perhaps he could have made Gandalf more mysterious or eerie, I dunno.
Ioleth-great minor character, as was the pharmacist in the Healing House. Comedic touch in a dark part of the book-very welcome relief. Shows JRRT’s love of play re language and intellectual pomposity.
Ioleth/Film–sucks, because she doesn’t exist. No reason they couldn’t have had that scene with the athelas and Ioleth–PJ tossed the damned dwarf, didn’t he!?
Gimli-nice dwarf, as dwarves go. Kinder and more “human” than the ones who go on the burgalry with Bilbo (although I came to like them as well). Wonderful growth in character when he sees the Caverns and then goes into Fangorn with Legolas.
Gimli/Film-good job. Rode that line of becoming a schticky sidekick of Aragorn and Legolas, but didn’t quite topple into it. Well played by John Rhys-Davis.
Legolas–great elf character. I thought the woodland elves laughed more and sang and drank a lot. That seemed to be missing, although they were on a deadly quest and all. I expected more laughter or humor from him, though.
Legolas/Film-the supermodel of the trilogy, and by that I mean no disrespect. He is a perfect complement to the earthiness of Gimli and the rough-hewn warrior of Strider. See? A man can be manly and have great hair. Love the braid. Orlando Bloom must have channeld Errol Flynn or Douglas Fairbanks to do what he did.
Faramir-deeper, more subtle character than his brother. Felt his pain re his father.
Faramir/Film-David Wenham stepped into this role. I could see his conflict in his eyes and felt his loss of his brother and his conflict with his father.
Ok, I’m tired now. More later.
