January 15, 2004
Day of the Ents
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| The Director Looms: Question and answer session with cast members and director of "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." Left to right, the backs of: Richard Pena (Film Society of Lincoln Center), Bernard Hill, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, Sean Astin. On screen: Peter Jackson. January 10, 2004. Photo by Emily Gertz. |
Last Saturday I went to a screening of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, held in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Highlights of the day were appearances by various cast members to introduce each film, and a Q&A with the actors and director Peter Jackson (via video link from New Zealand) after the final movie.
I enjoyed myself immensely, and it was an interesting cultural experience. The audience was very enthusiastic; a different energy from going to the "regular" movies. Maybe attending a marathon like this is the sf/fantasy fan's equivalent of coming out of the closet.
I spied several instances of commemorative jewelry being worn (Arwen's pendant; the elvish leaf pins; The Ring on The Chain); a woman in a t-shirt saying "Frodo Lives" that looked like an actual 1970s artifact; and, a small group of girls dressed in cloaks and other Ringish garments. I think they were pre- or early teens, and terribly cute.
The audience broke into applause at particularly moving or effects-a-licious moments. Legolas grabbing the bridle and swinging up onto that galloping horse, or free-climbing up the side of an oliphaunt--all right, elf!.
I chatted with a woman who had seen the films nearly 25 times (that's three films seen in varying amounts, not 25 times per film). She explained that the books and movies were so engrossing, she loved the story of the quest, the friendships...I really wanted to understand her pov but couldn't quite draw her out. A college kid told me that he wanted to be part of the biggest cultural experience since Star Wars, which came out before he was born. Ulp! I was 13 when Star Wars opened!
I'm not deeply into Tolkien, but love the intelligence, talent, and skill brought to these movies. Jackson respects the material--not a feeling I get from most current science fiction or fantasy films, which seem more about ripping the ten-dollar bill out of my pocket.
And, it's a relief to have a metaphorical vehicle for thinking about war, peace, loss, ultimate evil and misguided leaders, for a short while, in the cozy darkness.
Posted by Emily at January 15, 2004 12:13 AM