From: fwbrown@bellsouth.net   
      
   On Thu, 01 May 2014 03:45:10 in article    
   Sandman  wrote:   
   > In article <8fb0405a-2b51-49d3-89dc-a1b90d699c03@googlegroups.com>, Mike   
   Scott Rohan wrote:   
   >   
      
      
   >                                                             While the books   
   can   
   > spend page after page on showing the inner thoughts and feelings of a   
   character   
   > while only seconds pass in story-time, movies don't have that privilege.   
   > Everything is real-time, and it is up to the talent of the actor to portray   
   as   
   > much of this as possible in as short time as possible.   
      
   But shouldn't it be the SAME "inner thoughts and feelings" that the actor   
   is trying to portray?  Frequently characters in the films appear to have   
   completely different personalities and motivations than in the books.   
      
   >   
   > Movies, on the other hand, can visually present things quickly that a book   
   > requires a lot of time to do. That's why quick-paced action sequences are so   
   > effective on the screen.   
   >   
   > Remember, you rarely (if ever) read a book that has a long-drawn car chase,   
   > because you can't write interestingly about it, but on the screen it's very   
   easy.   
      
   And I usually find myself yawning through those on-screen car chases (or   
   barrel-and-orc chases down rivers) and thinking, "Enough with the stupid   
   chasing and fighting!  Get back to the story!  Give us some dialogue!"   
      
   >   
   > Many say that the battles in the books are briefly described (or not   
   described   
   > at all) due to Tolkien not wanting to "glorify battle", but I call that   
   hogwash.   
   > I think that Tolkien most certainly could write about battles without   
   glorifying   
   > it. I think the reason is that it's *HARD* to write action sequences.   
      
   I think the battle scenes got all the description they needed, and any   
   more would have been just as tedious in the books as some of them were in   
   the films.  The "Hobbit" films are the worst offenders in this regard.   
   Radagast's chase in the woods, the afore-mentioned barrel trip down   
   the river, the fight between the dwarves and Smaug, and the battle at   
   Lake Town were way overdone and absolutely horrible to sit through,   
   in my opinion.  The battles at Helm's Deep, Isengard and the Pelennor   
   Fields in the LOTR films were much easier to take.   
      
   --   
   F. Wayne Brown    
      
   Þæs ofereode, ðisses swa mæg.  ("That passed away, this also can.")   
      from "Deor," in the Exeter Book (folios 100r-100v)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)