# Skald. LOTR. Peter Jackson. Get in here! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988 "2012-01-09T23:54:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/1 "2012-01-09T23:54:36Z")
I tried to send you a PM but evidently your inbox was full. Now you will bear the ignominy of having your unscrupulous laundry aired in front of prying eyes! I saw in a recent thread you said you couldn’t forgive Peter Jackson, the man who brought the vision of Tolkien to near perfection on the silver screen, because he screwed up on The Lovely Bones, a flash-in-the-pan bestseller that will be remembered as long as it takes to write the next random flavor-of-the-month bestseller. How could you?! I thought you were a huge LOTR fan! Those movies cement Jackson forever in my Favorable column. Unless he starts tampering with his movies like George Lucas, I don’t care if he screws up a dozen more movies. He made Lord of the freaking Rings. He is the best director in the world in my eyes. I demand you explain yourself, knave! ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/2 "2012-01-10T00:04:16Z")
Skald really knows his Tolkien. I should think he has a whole a whole _buttload_ of problems with the LOTR movies. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/3 "2012-01-10T00:09:15Z")
One does not demand, “Skald get in here!” One requests his August Presence. How’s that for sucking up? Ought to keep the flying monkeys and flaming bees away for a while. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/4 "2012-01-10T01:25:49Z")
And one does it in the right forum (reported). ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/5 "2012-01-10T01:29:39Z")
To the Cafe Society with thee, ye elvish brethren. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/6 "2012-01-10T01:33:50Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > One requests his August Presence.[/SIZE] What if we don’t want to wait seven months? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/7 "2012-01-10T01:38:57Z")
Can you at least link to the post in the thread you saw? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/8 "2012-01-10T01:45:11Z")
I hate board “personalities”. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/9 "2012-01-10T01:49:49Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Skald really knows his Tolkien. I should think he has a whole a whole _buttload_ of problems with the LOTR movies. I know a little about JRRT & his fantasy writings, and I admire PJ’s guts and drive to bring his vision of what LOTR seemed like to him onto the silver screen and indelibly into my memory. I can and have disagreed with a LOT of what PJ did to the story, but what he got right is so great that for me it outshines the flaws. Others don’t see it that way, and that’s cool. 🆒 Aurë Entuluva! (in about 11 months, anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![Bartman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bartman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bartman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/10 "2012-01-10T01:51:26Z")
Eh. I can’t speak for Skald, but I can certainly understand why someone would be less than overjoyed at Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the LotR. Yes, it is probably the best version that is likely to exist in my lifetime. Doesn’t mean Jackson didn’t make some (imho) horrific errors in its adaptation. His treatment of Denethor, for example, stripped the final movie of some great drama. Jackson really dumbed down a lot of the material and turned a lot of well rounded characters with a lot of depth into 2 dimensional caricatures of their book counterparts. He was hardly perfect as an adapter. He doesn’t need to pull a Lucas to be deeply flawed as a director. He already is. So if he screwed up The Lovely Bones, I can see that as a deal breaker if I cared about The Lovely Bones. Evidently Skald does. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/11 "2012-01-10T01:51:31Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Can you at least link to the post in the thread you saw? Ooops, [here it is.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=636585) Now, granted that even I didn’t like some of the changes he made, but I still think 95% of the movies were essentially perfect in capturing the feel and events of the book. Even the changes that were made, with a few exceptions, weren’t too bad. But to spit on Jackson for that? Blasphemy! The man should have a bust in every LOTR fan’s homes! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/12 "2012-01-10T03:42:44Z")
> [@Bartman](#): > > Eh. I can’t speak for Skald, but I can certainly understand why someone would be less than overjoyed at Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the LotR. Ah, but he left out Tim Benzedrine! Tom Bombadil, for those who have not glimpsed the realm of gold. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/13 "2012-01-10T03:49:02Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Ah, but he left out Tim Benzedrine! > > Tom Bombadil, for those who have not glimpsed the realm of gold. Even more than that . . . I was really **looking forward** to seeing Gandalf confront Saruman at Orthanc and cause his staff to break. How could a film adaptation have left out something so dramatically awesome?! ---
**Author:** ![Bartman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bartman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bartman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/14 "2012-01-10T04:00:05Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Ah, but he left out Tim Benzedrine! > > Tom Bombadil, for those who have not glimpsed the realm of gold. Yeah. OK I’m a fair purist, and even I breathed a sigh or relief when Tom was left out. I’m quite fond of the old fellow. And I love the interlude he provides as well as the call back in tone to the Hobbit. But I can’t think of any way to adapt him into a movie that would work. Jackson earned a point from me for leaving him out. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/15 "2012-01-10T04:01:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Even more than that . . . I was really **looking forward** to seeing Gandalf confront Saruman at Orthanc and cause his staff to break. How could a film adaptation have left out something so dramatically awesome?! Actually, I was glad that he left Tom out, but you make a very good point. I hate being confused by the facts. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/16 "2012-01-10T04:16:40Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Even more than that . . . I was really **looking forward** to seeing Gandalf confront Saruman at Orthanc and cause his staff to break. How could a film adaptation have left out something so dramatically awesome?! Well, he actually did, ya know. [Extended Edition] ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/17 "2012-01-10T05:08:01Z")
I thought most people were upset about the lack of the scouring. Is that not a big deal? I find it kinda interesting that even the Shire was not immune, and seeing Saruman’s actual defeat by a strengthened Frodo is really nice. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/18 "2012-01-10T06:14:00Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I thought most people were upset about the lack of the scouring. Is that not a big deal? I find it kinda interesting that even the Shire was not immune, and seeing Saruman’s actual defeat by a strengthened Frodo is really nice. That too. Just imagine Christopher Lee mouthing those delicious lines in that scene! “Cut his throat in the night, I believe . . . Buried him, I hope, though Worm has been very hungry lately . . .” ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/19 "2012-01-10T08:44:16Z")
I thank god every day he chose to leave out the scouring. Didn’t Saruman go by the name Sharky McToothingface or something? As much as I adore the books (and the films) I think that was an even better call to kill Saruman at Orthanc then leave him and Wormy into an anticlimactic ending. Fine for the books, but like Tom B. – out of place for the film adaptation. The homage in the pool at Lothlorian was enough for me to foreshadow the outcome if Frodo failed. My biggest beef was the elves showing up at Helms Deep, and the change in personality of Farimir. Still, the movies are instant classics. Love, love, love 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988/20 "2012-01-10T12:34:28Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > The man should have a bust in every LOTR fan’s homes! I think you’ve crossed the line from appreciation into fanboyism here. There are issues with the films which ruin them for some fans of the books. I don’t have a problem with many of the changes Jackson made in order to get the trilogy filmed. For example, giving Glorfindel’s role to Arwen was a sensible decision, there are already too many characters to flesh them out fully. However, some of the character changes are detrimental. Aragorn is not a reluctant king in the book, [Denethor](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=634880&highlight=denethor) is not a pantomime villain and Treebeard is not an idiot (I rolled my eyes when Merry tricked the ents into attacking Isengard). But for me, the biggest problem is the style, it’s LOTR done as a modern action film. I quite enjoyed them when they came out, but find them unwatchable now, especially ROTK. Instead of experiencing the story, I find myself mentally cataloging all the changes. This isn’t a big deal, I can always re-read the books instead. Jackson gets some slack from me, any adaptation was always going to be a huge challenge. One thing I can guarantee, Tolkien himself would have absolutely hated the films. He would not have been happy to see his characters messed with. He was by nature extremely pedantic and obsessive, necessary attributes which helped him create such a rich imaginary world over several decades. He once wrote three pages of criticism on a publisher’s dust jacket bio of himself. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skald-lotr-peter-jackson-get-in-here/608988.md?page=2)