Alternative adaptations of LoTR and TH

Yes but I wouldnt call it camp myself- disturbing springs to mind though.
Dennis Hopper puts in an amazing performance, one of cinemas great psychotic villian portrayals in my opinion. He's terryfying, pitable, dark, violent, sexually twisted, and unpredicatable. Quite possibly the worst person in cinema history to find yourself locked in a room with.

Warning contains themes of an extremely adult nature.



What I think this shows is how Lynch can create all the darknesss and unplesantness with only the perforamces and the dialogue. The camera does nothing fancy here it just witnesses so the viewer and the main character are having the same helpless impotent experience.
Nor does it require explicitness, the nudity in this scene amounts to some arse cheeks and a flash of early 80's bush. Mild by modern standards yet the scene is sexually explicit in all other ways.
Its the way he uses his camera to make the viewer a part of the experience that I think is the biggest draw for me with Lynch- this makes him a difficult watch understandably as he quite often gives you experiences that are not at all comfortable.
But then I imagine that talent turned to depicting the Black Riders, or the Barrow-wights, or the Dead of Dunharrow, or making you think Sauron is right there in the room when there is nothing there at all, no one shoots nothing like Lynch can!- and I really want to experioence that. Such a shame I never will.


Halfwise the thing with Dune is there is either a truth or a myth about how much Lynch actually shot- by some accounts there is at least 9 hours worth of film- however the only exteded edition was put together for television broadcast and only adds about 20 min s of previously cut footage- and Lynch refused to have anyhing to do with it, having been put off already from working with a big studio on it.
The first problem therefore is what to include. The second is quality- I believe only one version is available in HD. So mixing the two version becomes tricky.

I think you are right that Lynch would have done the best possible job with the dark riders, and he wouldn't have bollixed the Paths of the Dead into something that felt more like Pirates of the Caribbean. The Paths he may have turned into something not quite Tolkien, but it would have been better than the mess Jackson put on the screen.

I felt the EE version of Dune was indeed closer to Herbert in many parts while missing many great set pieces in the original movie. But the cutting was so bad it became unwatchable. Didn't realize there was a HD mismatch or I think splicing the two together would be a very good thing.

I am going to see about tracking down available versions Halfwise- if its possible it would definetly be worth a try. Not to mention a good excuse to watch my Lynch collection again to embue myself with his editing techniques.

The non-Lynch made for TV series is very close to the books, but the special effects are cheesy.

I've seen references to an attempt to make a Dune movie again, but so far nothing firm.

Dune the tv series is like watching old Doctor Who- the contents good but the cheapness of everything keeps reminding you of how cheap it is.

I thought Children of Dune (which actually covers events in Dune Messiah too) however was a much better attempt. I like the look of it, and from a purist persepective it is much better.
It does however lack the sense of seeing events far in the future, a sameness but otherwordliness that Lynch brought to his version. It lacks some of the wonder and grandeur that I got from both Lynch and the books.

I dont think Lynch could begin to convey the enchantment of Middle Earth. Even Cuaron couldnt have done it as well as PJ did. I agree that PJ doesnt do scary or dark very well. The Paths of the Dead was a lost opportunity. I just dont think Lynch would get the tone right, although I do like him, he is always interesting and creative, its far too weird, he's not right for Middle Earth, no way. Maybe Malick could have done something interesting?

Wow, two directors I've never heard of. Shall have to look them up.

terrence Malick made probably one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. The New World. It defies definition.

Colin Farrell, Christian Bale, Christopher Plummer AND David Thewlis?

Oh, and a guy called Yorick. Alas poor.

I dont think Lynch could begin to convey the enchantment of Middle Earth.- Mrs Figg

I can understand why you would say that Mrs Figg- but my defense here is to recommend you watch The Straight Road. (Incidentally this is one of the few things he didnt write the script for, his long term editing ppartner wrote it-proving he can shoot someone elses material without bringing his own 'weirdness' to it- he shoots exactly what is required to convey the story best).
Anyway the Staright Road, a more engaging, beautiful film with heart you will be hard pushed to find.

I hope one day it gets recognition as the masterpiece it is. and that girl is mind bogglingly good. You would think a story about Pocahontas would be a clichè, that it would tread the boringly obvious good native vs bad colonial, going down the PC route, but it doesnt, its like really stepping into another world, its real and yet dreamlike, its heartbreakingly beautiful. oh and Cristian Bale aint bad to look at either.

I've added both recently discussed movies to my DVD list, which is now so long it will take a year to get there, but so it goes.

Petty, is it titled "The Straight Road" over there. It's "The Straight Story" over here. Two different puns on the same name. A wonderful simple movie about people that I feel I know.

No just my bad David! It is story not road- must have had Lost Highway in my head or something (a Lynch film I dont like!)

I remember that film! isnt it about a feud between 2 guys ? & 1 has died ?(or "going?) & the other goes to say"goodbye" basically ?

Yup thats basically it- and they live in different states- but due to ill health the main character isnt allowed to drive- so he takes his lawnmower- based on a true story I believe.
And nothing weird, freaky or sexually unpleasant about it.

yeah, I do remember it, That was a sweet film, Felt so "real" to me. & your right, I think it was based on a true tale.

I saw pochahontas being mentioned, is this still on topic?

Cheekly little norcer.

so driving a lawnmower isnt classed as weird?. I guess not in Forumshire.

Driving lawnmowers are pretty common over here. We own one but I've never used it since we didn't have it yet during the years when mowing was my job.

You should give the film a go Mrs Figg- I think you would enjoy it- its a lovely piece of filmmaking.

Mrs Figg wrote:so driving a lawnmower isnt classed as weird?. I guess not in Forumshire.

It's quite normal here. The "lawn tractor" has been one of the greatest gifts of technology to elderly farmers ever. It gives them mobility and a sense of usefulness that a wheelchair just doesn't!

We have a couple old neighbors who can't walk, but if the hired man props them up on the mower they'll happily mow 5 acres in an afternoon, and then mow it again 3 days later. It's wonderful for them. Sometimes they'll take a break and drive down the road to BS with the neighbors, and it's no surprise to occasionally see a mower parked at the Local Store or the Local Tavern.

Yeah, The Straight Story is a wonderful movie. I need to see it again. It makes me think of my Dad.

I was relistening to the BBC radio version and a thought occurred to me- what rights exactly do the BBC have to the book?And do they still?

The opening of the radio plays (which I actually dont like at all- I always skip it and go straight to the start of the story proper) is taken from scenes in UT- and its not the only example of where the script draws on not just LotR's but Tolkiens surrounding works that had been published to that date.
But I cant seem to find anyting about what rights the BBC had, or what they might still have.

Oh my goodness, really really good question Petty! Never considered that! Will do a bit of googling...

And yes, I also hate the intro. I'm not very keen on their RotK either, but I love their FotR so much I just want to marry it and have its babies.