Okay, I know this is prob’ly a severely unfair judgment call to a certain extent, but I can’t help it, and here is why–
…But first, let me clarify some things:
I TOTALLY agree that the artistic and nerd-fulfillment beauty and marvel of the movies is not to be doubted. They are aesthetically gorgeous…and I’m told, painstakingly researched down to the infinitesimal detail, from the original novels. I admit that it earned it’s collection of Oscars, and the books have obviously gained a cult following throughout the universe, that is not to be rivaled in it’s multiple of fiction genres, (few people seem to agree just where it belongs, specifically.)
…That said:
I don’t like them.
…The build up these movies were driven to, before I even had the chance to see the first film, was just a ridiculous level that no one could POSSIBLY deliver. I was told of this EPIC story of fantasy and politics and good versus evil, and Hobbits and Dwarves and Dragons, and I was all, “Okay, I can get behind that prob’ly,” so I went along with it.
…And I totally fell asleep in the movie. I lost track after time “three.”
…Granted, I was on a shitload of Benadryl at the time, with a hell of a head cold…but I swear to you, it was the first (and only recollected) time, I have EVER fallen asleep in a movie theater. IN MY LIFE. And I’ve seen me some SLLLLOOOOOW English period dramas, my friends. (Which I happen to love, but that is beside the point.)
…As hour three (or whatever) FINALLY came to a close, and the lights came up…I remember sitting there and saying, “Are you kidding me? Where is the action? Where’s all that fantasy stuff? They’ve been climbing the same fucking hill for THREE HOURS just now…and I know they’re Hobbit-tiny-people and all…but seriously?!”
“It’s spread out in three installments,” I was told.
“So I have to come back and do this all over again, before we get to the real stuff?!”
“You just don’t understand. You should read the books,” my helpful friend suggested.
…Which I never did. Because I’d already spent THREE HOURS being bored with the story so far, why elongate it? And there was no alternate thing I could blame even, as the picture quality itself was stellar, and the actors buried behind all those elf ears and troll hair were ones I’d loved for ages and had great respect for. CLEARLY the problem wasn’t the film. It was the story.
…Which didn’t help the following Christmas, when my totally obsessed Mother, wanted the super-special-torture-me-DVD set, with 47 hours of extended specials on it (cuz the fucker wasn’t long enough already)…which I felt obligated to purchase her. (Though I informed her that I highly disapproved, on “principle.”)
…She paid me back by insisting on putting it in the player immediately.
It played ALL DAY LONG.
They were STILL climbing that fucking hill as we ate our dinner. And I had slept through MOST of Christmas, because of it.
…And because Peter Jackson is a sadistic, evil human…he managed to practically RUIN every year, since. (Same hill. Same little Hobbit-people. Same constant nodding off.) Because, thanks to the movies’ super stardom…they even play on cable every Thanksgiving…and for a while there, kept spitting out NEW ones, every Christmas, which I was again obligated to purchase for my mother…who insisted then on continuing the ongoing torture.
…And now there’s ANOTHER “trilogy” that is soon to come out…
…And all I wanna know is: “WHY ME?!? WHAT have I done in life to deserve this kind of consistent torture through the rest of my “forevers,” just cuz I’m a good daughter?!”
…And now “M” has entered my life and decided that SHE is gonna be the one to “break” me on this whole new Hobbit movie deal. THERE ARE PEOPLE PLACING BETS ON IT! What the eff, you guys?! I told ‘em I might be dragged…kicking and screaming, to ONE of ‘em…but only cuz one of my boyfriends, (Richard Armitage), is in it. Then she got all proud of herself and decided she’d get me to read the books, TOO.
…And so, naturally, I told her where to “get off.”
…To which SHE countered with the offer of doing it “readers theatre” style. Which totally wasn’t playing fair, like AT ALL.
…And I said, “You mean, with all the voices?”
…And she said, “Yep.”
…Which I sorta was okay with a little.
…But then she and Ma started fighting on FB about who gets to read who ,and all. And I finally had to call the kibosh on it:
“Look, people…I don’t give a #%$# who plays who! I don’t know what the hell any of these people’s names are. ‘Oh! I wanna play Harkle of the land of Isith, from the valley of the Smurfs!!!‘ IT MEANS NOTHING TO ME. But so help me God, if I end up having to play all the Tree and Rock people, I’m gonna be PISSED! BE NICE! Or I won’t play with you anymore. OR read your stupid books!”
…And I stand by this.
~D
