The Griffin or the Agate

First things first: They blew it. Not Peter Jackson, not the actors, not the effects guys, certainly not Tolkien. I'm talking about New Line Cinema. The Fellowship of the Ring (FotR) is the beginning of an absolute gold mine, a terrific beginning to what will likely be the highest-grossing trilogy in film history. The film is fantastic - more on that in a bit - but at three hours running time, might discourage the casual viewer who enjoyed it from seeing it again. Online producer Laura pointed out to me that Tolkien considered LotR as one big book broken into six parts. Traditionally, LotR is presented as a trilogy, three books. Director Peter Jackson made three films, one to be released in concurrent Decembers, thus keeping a buzz for three years. Instead of three three hour films, I ask, why not release six one-and-a-half hour films, one each six months? Automatically you double your box office, and that number would probably go up with repeat viewings, since it's easier to sit through a 90 minute movie as opposed to a 180 minute one. Just a business thought.
     As for the movie, well, Tolkien always said his book could never be put to film. Early attempts proved him right, but Jackson has now shown the error of that viewpoint. FotR is a triumph, a beautiful thing to behold. Just the scenery is worth the price of admission, as the vast, panoramic landscapes of New Zealand evoke images of Middle Earth. But is being pretty enough?
     One of the problems of LotR is that the protagonist, Frodo Baggins, is not cut from the traditional heroic mold. He's not a man of action, or a great thinker. Hell, he's not particularly pro-active. To many people, he doesn't have the stuff of heroes. He's just along for the ride, the little Hobbit surrounded by the mighty wizard Gandalf and the brave ranger Strider, to name a few of his companions. Why are we supposed to root for him? His only job is to be the Ringbearer.
     This is precisely where Jackson succeeds. The One True Ring, receptacle of the evil lord Sauron's soul and powerful beyond comprehension, is a corruptive influence. It will work its darkness on the wearer no matter how good intentions may be. Jackson is adept at showing the ring's seductive influences, be it on the good-hearted Bilbo Baggins or the well-meaning Boromir. Power corrupts, and the Ringbearer's task is to somehow deliver the ring to its point of origin for destruction without falling under its sway. The film's strongest sequences center around the when the ring is in use - Frodo crosses into a sort of otherworld when he slips it on, and the reaction of Galadriel. Queen of the Elves, is astonishing (actress Cate Blanchette should get in touch with her evil side more often - the look works for her).
     Many Tolkien purists were worried about how loyal the movie would stay to the text. Naturally, there are changes. A love romance is developed, but it's thankfully brief. A few characters are eliminated, but the nip and tucks being done don't detract from the film's flow. This is a wonderful piece of work, with exciting battle scenes and an amazing sense of proportion - how Jackson got the relative heights of the actors correct considering that dwarves and hobbits are short and Gandalf is up around seven feet is astonishing. The casting is well done, though several actors are unrecognizable in their make-up. Of considerable merit are the actors chosen to be elves. All have a fey oddness about their features, and Elrond is a dead-ringer for his predecessor in the animated Hobbit of years ago.
     In my review of Harry Potter I mentioned of how this was a crucial time for the fantasy genre. With the sequels that these two franchises will be providing, fantasy can't help but bathe in the exposure. Converts by the thousands will be ripe for the plucking. Dare I say that fantasy might become - gasp - respectable?   §

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