Peter, Peter, Pumkin Eater

LoTRO inspired me to go back and reread the Lord of the Rings. I first read the books when I was a precocious 10 year old. Ok, so I wasn't precocious, but mean as hell. What can I say? It was fun kicking the other kids in the shins with my cowboy boots.

I might have read the trilogy again later in high school. I definitely remember reading it in college. I worked in the periodical section of the university library and instead of shelving books, I'd hide in the stacks and read about Frodo and Sam hugging each other ever so tenderly. I was so crazy back then.

So it's been a good fifteen years since I last read the books. Nope, I didn't go back to them when the movies came out. Curious, I know. To be honest, it never even occurred to me to reread them. I mean, I just watched the movies for Christ's sake! Isn't that what everyone wants, a movie version so they don't have to read the book?

So, imagine my surprise to discover that *gasp* old Pete buddy monkeyed around with J.R.R.'s books something powerful. Now, I knew certain elements had been left out, like that fascist hippie Tom Bombadil. But it went passed my radar screen that he cut out all of the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs. Or that Frodo didn't race to Rivendell on the back of Liv Tyler's horse, but instead rode Glorfindel's.

I'm not criticising the cuts and changes. There's no way you can do a 1:1 ratio of book to film and not have it last longer than a Charlie Sheen herpes inflammation. It's just been interesting to read the books and compare events.

And then bitch about the changes in the movie.

Yeah, now that I know what he changed, I'm scratching my head about some things. Like, why did my boy Pete have Aragorn bump into Frodo immediately proceeding the breaking of the Fellowship? In the book, Aragorn doesn't meet with Frodo, but instead has to infer (from tracks on the beach and a missing boat) that the two hobbits head out on their own. Much more satisfying. Cinematically, I'm not sure why Pete changed that. I guess it was more dramatic to have Aragorn cover Frodo's escape against the sudden incursion of orcs; that was a badass scene when he yells at Frodo to run, holds his sword flat to his face, and then turns to meet a rush or orcs. My guess is Pete thought it would take too much time to have Aragorn do some ranger detective work. He's probably right.

Pete also dramatized the death of Boromir. The exchange between Aragorn and Boromir in the movie was good. So good, I thought it was dialogue straight from the book. Nope. In the book, Boromir comes clean about trying to take the Ring from Frodo, and though he urges Aragorn to travel to Minas Tirith and save it, he makes no mention of viewing Aragorn as his king. I actually prefer the scene in the movie over that of the book, even if Pete took some creative license with it.

I'm done with Fellowship of the Ring and am just starting The Two Towers. I'll post more thoughts as I continue my visit with an old friend.