[Jordan]

I can't name any names. But I m sure there are 3 little guys out there that could have filled the positions nicely.

As far as Aragorn I thought maybe Collin Ferrel. With his hair shagged up and a 12 o'clock shadow, I think he could pull it off.

[Ninja Duck]

Just saw it today. I'm sorry I didn't see it Wednesday.

It would be ridiculous if actual midgets were cast as hobbits. Go watch "The Wizard of Oz", or an old movie called "Freaks". It's impossible to take them seriously. Would anyone had empathized with Sam and Frodo when they were crying about not ever being home again? How on Midgard would Sam have been able to fight the spider if he couldn't move as swiftly as a normal man could?

I've only half-finished the tirlogy. In fact, I'll probably have to start over, since I don't remember parts of what I did read. I blame society. Specifically, the school system.

EDIT: And there are four hobbits. That doesn't really help your claim that you're "a huge Lord of the Rings Fan."

[Despondent]

Have yet to see rotk, but I did catch some of that "freaks" film a month or two ago (by happy accident.) pretty weird stuff! at least now I know where that early simpsons episode, at the burns picnic/"get in the car, homer" chant: "One of us! one of us!" comes from

my uncle david, a bombadil-scale tolkein fan is getting misty-eyed about seeing rotk (has not yet.) grey havens, sorry that it will all be over and all... any similar feelings from viewers?

[Jordan]

It's impossible to take them seriously

They are supposed to by pathetic creatures. That is why the journey is such a miraculous event. A hobbit, the least of the creatures in middle earth pulls it off. He may be small and dorky but he is able to do what most cannot, resist temptation of the ring. Or at least resist it to the point that it does not fully courrupt his mind.

EDIT: And there are four hobbits. That doesn't really help your claim that you're "a huge Lord of the Rings Fan."

And it doesn't hurt my claim either. Don't try catch me on a technicality then come at me from the side slobbering like an idiot. You got something about to say about my movie critique? Then come out and say it. You think I'm fibbing about being a big fan? Or you just enjoy pointing out obvious errors and putting them in my face?

Wanna be wise? Let's get wise, real wise.

[Ninja Duck]

EDIT: And there are four hobbits. That doesn't really help your claim that you're "a huge Lord of the Rings Fan."

And it doesn't hurt my claim either. Don't try catch me on a technicality then come at me from the side slobbering like an idiot. You got something about to say about my movie critique? Then come out and say it. You think I'm fibbing about being a big fan? Or you just enjoy pointing out obvious errors and putting them in my face?

Wanna be wise? Let's get wise, real wise.

No, I'm just saying that some really hardcore fans (the kind you might find on the forums of lordoftherings.net) might take offense at that. It's just a debate. There's no reason to get personal about it.

[civilian_number_two]

I can't name any names. But I m sure there are 3 little guys out there that could have filled the positions nicely.

As far as Aragorn I thought maybe Collin Ferrel. With his hair shagged up and a 12 o'clock shadow, I think he could pull it off.

Well, for Hobbits yoou'd need at least six, since there'a also Bilbo and Rosie. Not to mention (here I go mentioning it) all the extras in the Shire.

Hobbits are NOT supposed to be pathetic little people; they are supposed to be little people. We are not supposed to be amazed that they can waddle around and somehow climb hills and fight giant spiders, despite their disadvantages. They are the core of the series, and it is throught their eyes that we see all of the events in the novels. The account is even written by them. For a movie to work the way the novel worked, we need to be able, at some level, to empathize with the hobbits. I think it's easier to do that if you cast good actors, rather than go scrape the bottom of the barrel fot appropriately-sized unknowns.

Where I can't tell if you're just kidding on all this is the comments about Aragorn. Colin Ferrell? When has he ever been anything but an average actor? (TIGERLAND, SWAT, DAREDEVIL). Geez, why not Josh Hartnett? Sure he's got star pretensions, but can he even ride a horse?

PS: I am sure there are several little people out there, untrained and with no film experience, maybe working in community theatres all over the Englis-speaking world, who could have more or less pulled off the roles of the hobbits. I am sure you're right. But there's no way that would have made this series *better*.

[barend]

the scouring of the shirt because they didn't even film that,

yeah, no trilogy is complete without a little laundry.

hey, don't be mean. it was just a typo, give me a break.

sorry, it just made me laugh (i got a visual of someone passionatley cleaning thier shirt to really dramatic music).



also: Viggo rocked, jord. he lost a tooth just to entertain you! :angry:

have you all seen the cartoon version. i really hated thier version of sam. and boromir showed way too much leg :yuck:

i think, so far, this ha been the best all round casting job EVER!!! epsially Christopher Lee as Saruman and Brad Douriff as Wormtonge.

Bruce Spence playes the mouth of Sauron, he was also the lanky train dude in Matrix 3, and i heard he's going to be in SW:ep3...

that guy likes the number 3 (aside from the fact that he was in Mad Max#2)

[Supes]

Just jumping in with an overall support for the casting choices for LOTR. I really have no problems with any of the casting choices as they stand.

Elijah, Sean, Billy and Dominic have done a sterling job in bringing the Hobbits to life. They are very much as I pictured them. As far as size and shape goes I simply bring it back to he books. They are very much the shape of a man except for their feet which are a prominant feature. In all other ways they would appear as a "mini" man. The book also mentions their ability, when they choose to do it, to move very quietly through the fields and forests. A skill that could rival the elves. I really don't see the characters represented by dwarves (little people) being able to accomplish this. Now having dwarves play dwarves, well I could certainly see this arguement given they have the natural stature attributed to dwarven characters. Short, stocky and powerful.

As to Aragorn, I found Viggo to be superb for the role. He is a very good actor and had the physical presence to portray the role. He is every bit Aragorn and his dedication to the role is evident in his performance.

There are no arguements regarding Ian McKellan or Christopher Lee so I'll leave them as is. Perfect for their respective roles.

Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Sean Bean as Boromir, John Rhys-Davies as Gimli and the voice of Treebeard. Again no arguments. Rather they continue to show the great work done in the casting.

Orlando Bloom is great as Legolas. Although it is evident the way scenes are played out that Peter Jackson has a great love of the Elves and only a moderate interest in the Dwarves, he has still allowed the actors to create the characters.

Liv Tyler as Arwen I also have no issue with. Given the extended role that the character was provided I think she was fine. She is a stunning woman which you would expect an elf to be and is also a good actress.

I feel that PJ and his casting crew took a great deal of time to make sure that they had actors that would compliment the varied roles that they had to fill and I don't think there is any real evidence that they have erred in these choices.

[Jordan]

Wanna be wise? Let's get wise, real wise

I tried to do an old school impression of Gagne. I thought the last line made it obvious. But since it was not, sorry, I could see you taking it the wrong way.

[Jordan]

I am sure there are several little people out there, untrained and with no film experience, maybe working in community theatres all over the Englis-speaking world

big assumption above

Colin Ferrel is a good actor, I ve never left the movies thinking he did a poor job of acting. Viggo does not have a better track record, since you are judging Colin on his rec go look at Viggo's.

And it is not a joke, with some dirt on an unshaven face and a shaggy dew he could pull it off well. Dare Devil was not a good moive but I thought Ferrel played the part of the villian very well.

The moive does however have good casted postions. Sean Bean, Gandalf, just about everyone else actually save Aragorn.

It's like this, my most beloved scene from the books was the pracing poney. I love how tolkein describes the place and how he introduces stryder sitting in the corner under dim lighting puffing on some middle earth tobbacco. I was able to picture that whole scene perfectly in my head. My mental image of stryder was well established from this introduction and it held through out all the books

The movie's were great. But Jackson's take of the pracing pony will never beat my mental picture of that place. And the same goes for his take on stryder.

If I never read the books then I would not mind, it's just I had this expectation for aragorn, and the movie did not live up to it.

[civilian_number_two]

I am sure there are several little people out there, untrained and with no film experience, maybe working in community theatres all over the English-speaking world

big assumption above

Well, you're right. It IS a big assumption. But for the record, it was YOUR assumption, and I was just agreeing with it to keep the peace. If you would like, I will go back to my previous assumption, which is this : it is NOT the case that there are several perfectly-castable little people all over the world that could have replaced the fine roster of actors that were chosen for he series.

It's simply a given that if there is a good collection of actors out there of small stature, they are not currently working in cinema. I'm not going out on a limb here; you weren't even able to name any, apart from the too-old actor from WILLOW. So to accomodate your notion that Jackson goofed by not casting little people, I imagined that these actors must be working in theatre. If you would rather I not give your idea its due, then I am happy to back off.





(As for Aragorn, Jackson *did* introduce him sitting in the corner smoking a pipe. I apologize that he wasn't doing it in some inimitable Colin Farrell fashion, but Geez! The book is the book; this is the movie.)

[Jordan]

Good points civillian number two. I don't really know how to retort to what you just said. Except for one thing. What do you mean by my assumption?

As for Aragorn, Jackson *did* introduce him sitting in the corner smoking a pipe. I apologize that he wasn't doing it in some inimitable Colin Farrell fashion, but Geez! The book is the book; this is the movie.)

I know the movie had him sitting in the corner smoking a pipe. And a book is a book, but can't I have my expectations?

Like spiderman, I thought that movie was perfectly casted. Everyone fit the role so well. I m also ( or more like was ) a big spiderman fan. That movie lived up to my expectations. LOTR did too, just aragorn did not sit well with me, and the hobbits grew and shrank through out the film.

NO one has said anything about the growing and shrinking of the hobbits. Does this mean you all agree? And if so how could that not bug you?

[Supes]

Colin Ferrel is a good actor, I ve never left the movies thinking he did a poor job of acting. Viggo does not have a better track record, since you are judging Colin on his rec go look at Viggo's.

Okay. Here is Viggo's track record:

Hidalgo (2004) .... Frank T. Hopkins
Live Freaky Die Freaky (2003) (voice) .... Hoyteck
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) .... Aragorn
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) .... Aragorn
Lord of the Piercing (2002) (TV) (archive footage) .... Aragorn
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) .... Aragorn
28 Days (2000) .... Eddie Boone
Walk on the Moon, A (1999) .... Walker Jerome
Psycho (1998) .... Samuel 'Sam' Loomis
Perfect Murder, A (1998) .... David Shaw
Pistola de mi hermano, La (1997) .... Juanito
G.I. Jane (1997) .... Master Chief John James 'Jack' Urgayle
Vanishing Point (1997) (TV) .... Jimmy Kowalski
Daylight (1996) .... Roy Nord
Portrait of a Lady, The (1996) .... Caspar Goodwood
Albino Alligator (1996) .... Guy Foucard
Passion of Darkly Noon, The (1996) .... Clay
Gimlet (1995) .... Hombre (Man)
Prophecy, The (1995) .... Lucifer
Black Velvet Pantsuit (1995) .... Worthless Junkie
Crimson Tide (1995) .... Lt. Peter 'Weps' Ince
American Yakuza (1994) .... Nick Davis/David Brandt
Crew, The (1994) .... Phillip
Desert Lunch (1994)
Floundering (1994) .... Homeless Man
Ewangelia wedlug Harry'ego (1993)
Young Americans, The (1993) .... Carl Frazer
Carlito's Way (1993) .... Lalin
Ruby Cairo (1993) .... John E. 'Johnny' Faro
Boiling Point (1993/I) .... Ronnie
Indian Runner, The (1991) .... Frank Roberts
Once In a Blue Moon (1990) (TV)
Tripwire (1990) .... Hans
Reflecting Skin, The (1990) .... Cameron Dove
Young Guns II (1990) .... John W. Poe
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) .... Tex
Prison (1988) .... Burke/Forsythe Electrocution
Fresh Horses (1988) .... Green
Salvation! (1987) .... Jerome Stample
"Search for Tomorrow" (1951) TV Series .... Bragg (1985)
Witness (1985) .... Moses Hochleitner
Swing Shift (1984) (scenes deleted)
"George Washington" (1984) (mini) TV Series .... Lieutenant at LeBoeuf

Now, I can't say that I've seen even half of these films, but I do know that a few of those that I have seen were not stand out films (most that's I've seen were good, however). Despite the quality of the films themselves please let me know which of these films that Viggo has performed in that he did not perform well. I'd also be interested to know why people think the performance was not quality as that has yet to be presented by anyone in discussing LOTR.

[Supes]

NO one has said anything about the growing and shrinking of the hobbits. Does this mean you all agree? And if so how could that not bug you?

True, but I was getting to that

I must admit, that on first viewing I didn't really notice this. However, on subsequent viewings I have noticed the apparent shift in heights of the various characters. This did not really cause me all that much concern though as many of the scenes where this apparent height change occur in a variety of terrains and shot angles.

To take your example of Frodo jumping into Gandalf's cart. I had the opposite reaction. I was very impressed with the way that they presented Frodo standing on the bank and in fact looking much smaller that Gandalf. My impression was only improved as I watched Frodo leap into Gandalf's lap. It was very apparent that there was a marked size difference between the two characters.

It was not to hard for me to suspend my belief to view characters height differences. In the vast majority of establishing shots the CGI work is exceptional at identifying the obvious height differences in the characters. Frodo taking up the Ring again in Rivendell, the group shot in Rivendell, the group shot of the fellowship meeting Galadriel, were all excellent in showing the relative height differences.

The disparities your referring to me seemed to occur more often than not in low angled shots or where the group were moving over rough terrain. These for me were enough to allow me to put it down to landscape and angle.

Hope that helps to answer your question J.

[barend]

at the very least, if George Lucas had made LOTR, the hobbits wouldn't be played by actors. they'd be stupid looking CGI cartoon looking things. :angry: