Film first Tolkien Fans

I am curious to know if anyone here was introduced to Tolkien via the LotR movies, then read the book and found them underwhelming, or just plain slow and boring, and are almost sorry they bothered reading them at all?

Orwell wrote:I am curious to know if anyone here was introduced to Tolkien via the LotR movies, then read the book and found them underwhelming, or just plain slow and boring, and are almost sorry they bothered reading them at all?

I have very vague memories of a teacher reading The Hobbit to us in primary school, but I'm not completely sure if that predated the movies or not, either way I wasn't really aware of Tolkien or LOTR until I watched the films, I can still remember the feeling awe/excitement I felt watching FOTR for the first time aged 10 back in 2002, and I watched the films repeatedly for years afterwards, I didn't read the trilogy until 2007 (aged 15) I do remember being rather surprised by the differences to the movies, annoyed that I struggled to picture my own frodo, Aragorn etc and I did struggle with some of the archaic language and slower pacing at first...but by and large I felt an even larger sense of awe and wonder reading the book for the first time (I even loved the Tom Bombadil and Council of Elrond chapters, both of which seem to be stumbling points for new readers), the films may have been jaw-dropping fantasy blockbusters (I'd argue they still are) but the book fired my imagination and sucked me into a story like never before, at the time I felt the details/imagery of each medium complemented each other, but in the years since the films came out, I have soured on them a little.

It's ironic, the films made me get interested enough to become a fan of the books, then the books themselves turn me into a purist of sorts.

I don't think the LOTR films are massively faithful adaptations (though they are probably about as faithful as to be expected under the circumstances) but they remain hugely enjoyable, very impressive films in their own right, and they lead me to the book I now consider one of my favourites.

LOTR was always my favourite book, but the films made me a bigger fan of the books in a way because it visually brought them to life as it were. Now middle Earth has its own soundtrack which runs through my head as I read. When I read of Aragorn its Viggo in my imagination, when I read of Minas Tirith that music, those images, swim through my head. and I love it.

The only time it fails badly is during the Paths of the Dead. That bit is way way off mark.

Just starting this post and posing the question I posed, has made me think about the lens I always view the LotR films through. It is interesting to wonder how I would have looked at the films if I had not known the books. I suspect, even as an older gentlehobbit, I would have been blown away. The depth of the movies as fantasy would stack up very well against anything else I have seen.

Sitting thinking about it now, I can think of many memorable scenes. I wonder if some of the stuff I really really don't like - Denethor's characterisation still makes me feel sick inside for instance - would probably not have seemed as bad if not for my lens, if I'm honest.

I've also said I liked the switch of Arwen for Glorfindel - just not how it was done. Arwen's weepy tears when Frodo lies in her arms on the river bank just seems out of character, even as she is depicted otherwise in the movies, and it doesn't help that she only knew him for about three frames of the movie. Without knowing the book, and even then,  I liked all of her scenes other than that. I still feel the weepy one would have jarred though. That scene with: "if it's a dream then it's a very good dream" really pleases me. I like that she was made more part of the present story.

Good to see you love the movies Malick, but now love the books. It's an experience I have no way of experiencing, of course, but it's good that you appreciate the Prof so much.

I'm still curious if anyone still has had a reaction germane to my question at the top of this thread though?

You need to rustle up Norc and Eldo, though I think both have written about this in some detail before.

I thought Eldo had read the book first???


(((If you say Eldo has written in detail about it, great detail even, I'd not be at all surprised, Halfy! )))

Oh yeah, Eldo, if you already have, don't repost. No cheating. What are your thoughts now, not back in the past sometime, and that's even if your thoughts haven't changed!

I was a video game firster, but I read the book before seeing the movies. I adored it right off the bat though so I don't think I can really answer your question.

Was the video game true to the books though?

Nah, it was based on the movies.

I did try playing the book-based FOTR game once, but I got killed by a swarm of giant bees while trying to deliver the deed to Bag End to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, and at that point decided the game was not for me.

The movie-based Two Towers and RotK games were the most kickass LotR games ever created I was introduced to Tolkien through The Hobbit, and I believe I did begin reading FotR at some point, but I didn't pick it up again until I'd seen the first movie in the theatre. So I guess I watched FotR first, then read the books before the other two movies were out. Loved both books and films

Surely there must be someone out there who didn't like the books ---- or maybe they're too scarrit to admit it!

I promise to be nice.

I know of at least one person who adored the movies but couldn't make it through the books. I think you have too small a sample here.

Well, tell this person to join up and tell me what he/she thinks. I think it's an interesting talking point, especially as I posed the question.

(What do they teach these physics people at schools nowadays? )

Eldorion wrote:Nah, it was based on the movies.

I did try playing the book-based FOTR game once, but I got killed by a swarm of giant bees while trying to deliver the deed to Bag End to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, and at that point decided the game was not for me.

Are you sure it wasn't hornets? Some youtuber just poked my nest!