My Favourite Films (just now)

Kinda in the mood for writing down my thoughts about things in the form of palaverous, never-ending lists. In a bit i will certainly get onto the topic of one of the best books i've ever read - Life of Pi, by Yann Martel - but i've just watched The Return of the King extended edition for the second this these hols so i'm gonna talk about that just now!

So! Things that i love about this film:
- "They actually made it!" My brother and i often exclaim this when we talk about Lord of the Rings. We're referring the conspicuous lack of CGI in a film this ambitious. Much of what you see on the screen are models, miniatures, actual sets, real locations and props and costumes accurate enough to be the real thing - all of this hard work gives the film such a genuine feel and look, and they didn't take the wimpy CGI option (*like Star Wars, cough cough*) After watching the DVD extras about Weta Workshop i'm seriously considering doing a masters in modelling/stage/prop making - i wanna be someone who actually makes it too!

- The hunt for christian symbolism in The Lord of The Rings can be overdone but there are definitely moments that stand out by bringing an extra ray of light to my imagination! For example: The idea of the True King taking up his Rightful throne is a theme i'm really inspired by. Saruman spits: "This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned king!" Oh yes he will. I see Denethor as a bit of a Herod figure: he says "I will not bow to this ranger from the north" but Gandalf replies "Authrority is not given to you to deny the return of the King." Woo!

Moving/awe-inspiring moments:
- The hideousness of Gollum's treachery in the scenes where he turns Frodo against Sam, and Sam's awful fear and sadness in losing Frodo's trust.

- The gorgeous father-son moment in Arwen's vision of Aragorn and Eldarion.

- Touching goodbye scene between between Merry and Pippin where Merry's all angry at Pip but it's really because he's worried he won't be able to be there for him when Pippin gets into danger.

- The beacons lighting across the mountains to summon help from Edoras. I'm not sure why but it just stirs something inside me. Perhaps partly to do with the thought of those people sitting up by the beacons even at the top of a mountain, all alone, just waiting for the moment they'll be needed.

- Faramir's devotion to his father and his complete humility before him. Denethor tells him he'd rather faramir died than Boromir, and yet faramir replies "Since you are robbed of Boromir, i will do what i can in his stead." I wonder how many of us would show such humility?

- Pippin singing his haunting song over the juxtaposition of Gondor's beautiful horsemen riding to their doom in Osgiliath with Denethor's ugly eating, the red juice running down his chin reminding us that he has sent those men to their deaths.

- The despair on aragorn's face when he thinks the undead have refused to fight and he sees the Corsair ships approaching - he feels there is no hope left at all. It's almost a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments but it really gets to you when you see it for what it is.

- Although i was gutted that they couldnt extend the Houses of Healing sequence, i do feel that they distilled the essence of Eowyn's time in the HoH well, and the glances between Eowyn and Faramir are really lovely. You gotta read the book, though, for the full account of the relationship of Winnie and Faz, as i like to call them.

- Sam (my favourite character) on the side of Mount Doom: "Come Mr Frodo! I can't carry it for you, but i can carry you!"

Funny moments:
- Peter Jackson, the director, in make-up and costume, as a mercenary on a Corsair ship.
- Merry trying to get his horse to go as the Rohirrim set off from Edoras (his horse won't budge)
- Legolas climbing and dispatching the Mumakil (Oliphaunt)

Film-making excellence:
- Choosing Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn because his voice has the most perfect deep, gravelly quality.
- Shelob the spider. Looks and moves just like a ginormous spider. The stuff of nightmares.