XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien   
   From: mr@sandman.net   
      
   In article ,   
    Troels Forchhammer  wrote:   
      
   > > I wonder if these aren't merely examples of what happens when you   
   > > go from print to film.  A reader could maybe hold in his/her mind   
   > > the idea of bookish warriors who do not love the sword for its   
   > > sharpness and only go reluctantly into battle, and at the same   
   > > time have in the back of their mind that a massive army is   
   > > attacking them in their homes in a last ditch effort to utterly   
   > > extinguish their race.  And that this kind of dichotomy might be   
   > > easier to write than to film.   
   >   
   > I honestly don't know.  There are, I think, several things that are   
   > entangled in all this -- some of it also has to do with the changes   
   > made to the characters of Boromir and Faramir: Boromir's pride is not   
   > shown in the negative light that it is in the book   
      
   Oh, I think it is.   
      
   > and Faramir doesn't get to show the example of a strong, courageous   
   > and decisive leader who still loathes to fight and kill.   
      
   Agreed. Faramir, in contrast to Boromir, is a rather minor character   
   in both the book and movies, though.   
      
   > In the book, Faramir largely shows his nobility through dialogue   
   > and actions (his treatment of Frodo and Sam and not only letting   
   > them go, but actually aiding them) which I would think would be   
   > possible to show on film -- though of course it would not be   
   > consistent with what they wanted to portray in the films.   
   > Sometimes it is a small change that turns things upside-down.   
      
   Agreed, the film makers chose to insert a conflict for no obvious   
   reason other than to lead to the confrontation of the Nazgül in   
   Osgiliath. I'm quite sure that such a confrontation would have been   
   possible even if Faramir was the same character as in the book.   
      
   And again, the events in Osgiliath is there for one reason only (as   
   far as I can see it): Pacing. It follows from a long series of rather   
   slow events and is there to pick up the tension again. All movies do   
   this, and if they have an original script, that's not a problem. But   
   when there is an adaption, some times they have to change about things   
   and add things to keep the pacing.   
      
      
      
      
      
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