Article Tag: books-movies

A detailed and highly irreverent review of the Return of the King by someone who, like me, would have liked the films to be more consistent with the books. And she expresses herself much better than I can. Highly recommended whether you agree or not. (Some adult language but nothing as bad as the title might lead you to think.)

Reviewer Fazio reluctantly acknowledges how impressed he is with The Fellowship of the Ring, from the script to Peter Jackson's attention to detail to the acting. Excerpt: "It's McKellen, with a voice that truly could summon forth the spirits, who provides the film with depth and gravitas. His is a mesmerizing performance, with Gandalf at times looking like the aged, weary man who knows his time is getting short, and then, like a cat, suddenly revealing a flash of vigor and ferocity, the fire that still burns within. Subtract this performance and you could lop one star off this review."

Detailed review of The Fellowship focuses on the differences between the books and the films and the reasons for the changes. In spite of some reservations, he is impressed. "The filmmakers have shown great respect for their source material. I was moved by Peter Jackson’s passionate, caring, and human portrayals of these characters and dramas.... I’ve imagined these scenes my whole life, and to see them portrayed as vividly, or more vividly than I have imagined, really shook me. I felt like I was meeting in person someone with whom I had only corresponded long distance for decades."