Who was the better character in the films?

[Lirael]

In regards to the film...

While I fancied Legolas, I would have to say Pipin.

He was very humerous to watch and had a good number of comical lines, all of them well acted. His clear naivity to the world made him seem rather rediculous, yet brave at the same time. I'll never forget the classic:
"You will be known as the Fellowship of the Ring!"
Pippin: "Great!...Where are we going?!"

Mind you, Aragorn was rather sexy... Naaah. Many people say that but he doesn't catch my eye. I can't deny that he's good looking, though.

 

[Majimaune]

Yes Pippin played a perfect hobbit by not knowing anything about the outside world of the "big folk"

 

[Gothic_Angelica]

can I pick more than one?

Gandalf is the best so far, then aragorn, boromir, legolas, samwise, meriadoc, perigrin, Gimli and then Frodo (in that order too)

I just love the things Gandalf says in the film and in the books

 

[Majimaune]

I agree that Elijah Wood is a bad actor, he was only 17 when they started filming though (one year older then me)

 

[Firefly]

I agree that Elijah Wood is a bad actor, he was only 17 when they started filming though (one year older then me)

Little cruel don't you think, I felt he played a good part as Frodo.

 

[Mary Hoffman]

The subject seems to have changed from who was the best member of the Fellowship.

In the films I loved Aragorn (though Viggo Mortenson was not my idea of the Aragorn of the books at all and nor would the utterly delicious Stuart Townsend have been either) and Legolas, even though I had never seen him as a blond and Orklando has been such a disappointment since. Pippin and Merry drove me ABSOLUTELY mad. i agree with whoever it was who posted up all though changes Jackson had made and said it was a shame he had played up their "humour" at the expense of their courage etc. He made me want to slap them.

But having said that, one of the most moving sequences in the films was Pippin singing (the actor wriote the soing) his lament while Denethor ate his grisly meal and Farmair rode to near death at Osgiliath (also an invented scene). So you see they could have been more as in the book without any loss.

My favourite non-Fellowship characters were Elrond (go Hugo Weaving - love the hairstyle and ears), Faramir (what a shame you get the two brothers scene only on the extended DVD) and Theoden (always known now as Theoden King in our household - how Tolkien loved those inversions!). I mean after the salvation by Gandalf and i loved the Forth Eorlingas! spoeech and Death! Death! Death! even if not in the books. Oh and Eowyn was wonderful.

The ones I hated most were Arwen (good joke about the horselips though) and Galadriel (Viggo had a VERY rude name for Cate Blanchett during filming apparently, which is how we refer to her now - think of a four letter word preceded by Her and followed by "-liness"). Frodo was quite annoying because of lack of variety.

have I gone too off topic? I think these films inspire strong emotions. I wish Peterr Jackson would turn my books into films!

Mary

 

[paranoid marvin]

Personally I thought that of all the Fellowship , Tolkein would have considered Pippin and Merry's roles to have been the closest to his vision
Gandalf describes them as hobbits who "will sit on the edge of ruin and discuss the pleasures of the table, or the small doings of their fathers....to the ninth degree"

Jackson concentrating on their lighter side , only helps to emphasise the sorrow they must endure later in the novel. To show them as anything other than comical characters would , in my opinion , have been a mistake

 

[Majimaune]

But having said that, one of the most moving sequences in the films was Pippin singing (the actor wriote the soing) his lament while Denethor ate his grisly meal and Farmair rode to near death at Osgiliath (also an invented scene). So you see they could have been more as in the book without any loss.

That is one of my favourite scenes in the whole trilogy. I just love the song and everything that is happening.

My favourite non-Fellowship characters were Elrond (go Hugo Weaving - love the hairstyle and ears), Faramir (what a shame you get the two brothers scene only on the extended DVD)

I wasn't much for Elrond, every time Weaving comes on screen when I'm watching it I just go "Mister Anderson" and that just ruins it for me. Faramir (David Wenham, great Aussie) it undoubtedly one of the best in the films, also one of my favourites in the books. If that brother scene had been in the unextended edition then the movie would have been so much better because that is also one of my favourite scenes in the trilogy.

 

[fingy773]

i voted for pippen because he was the coolest and funnyest

 

[Majimaune]

Aye thats the right way to go.

 

[doc123]

....i like King Theoden in the movie....the scene on the wall with Aragorn....he was basically giving Aragorn a lessen on moral in battle....he said something to the effect of --what would you have me say to them? in that he knows the risks but has to say noone has breached the walls.....his job is to "pump them up" for battle...he as King is in charge of the battlefield and his troops morale...and then behind closed doors in another scene he questions himself "do you trust your King" and his knight says something to the effect of we will die for you.

 

[Majimaune]

Welcome to Chrons Doc123. Hope you stick around a while.

Mmmm Theoden is quite good in those scenes around Helms Deep. Don't like him many other places myself though.

 

[fingy773]

if faramir was there i would have voted 4 him

 

[Pyan]

Faramir wasn't a member of the Fellowship, fingy - but you could vote for the last option, and explain why......

 

[fingy773]

i never saw that 1 any way i alreardy voted 4 pippin

 

[Majimaune]

Ah Pippin is the best of the Fellowship. The comic relief.

 

[HanaBi]

After some thought I opted for Boromir.

Admittedly, when I saw FOTR on first release I thought Boromir was a cad of the highest order. But put into context of TTT & ROTK, when the Boromir character is fleshed out in greater detail, coupled with the pressures of an over-bearing father, a seemingly weak brother (Faramir), along with the high expectations of the people & army of Gondor, we can now understand why Boromir did what he did in the first film.

He was a good honest solider, trying to do his best for everyone (Faramir, the people of Gondor, Denethor and of course the Fellowship).

But as Elrond said to Gandalf: "Men are weak!" And so was Boromir in his desire for the Ring and suffered the consequences but died with honour and a as a true soldier

 

[ice.monkey]

I'm another vote for Gandalf. Throughout the trilogy of films there was only one moment when McKellan acted him in a way that I thought was slightly out of character. The rest of the time he did a brilliant portrayal and his character was closest to that in the book.

Aragorn came in a close second after Gandalf.

Legolas was turned into some weird, superstitious (a red dawn, blood has been spilt this night! wtf?), super-hero.

Gimli was fine in the first but then was turned into a clown.

Frodo was okay but had a couple of terrible lines and a couple of dodgily acted moments.

The rest were on a par.

 

[Majimaune]

Legolas was turned into some weird, superstitious (a red dawn, blood has been spilt this night! wtf?), super-hero.

Read the books. Even though I don't think it is exactly what is said and I don't think it is said by him, something along those lines are there.

 

[devilsgrin]

tolkein does try hard to make legolas' elvishness come through in his manner and words. I think Peter Jackson simply enhanced the more subtle approach Tolkein took to make it clearer that Legolas and elves in general aren't simply fey men with pointy ears, but insightful beings of hidden but great power.