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Avandel
Half-elven
Jul 29 2014, 10:07pm
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Thranduil in BOFA, imagery he evokes, and maybe something for the readers
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Coming up for air re my favorite Thorin *grins* because the other imagery that hit me very hard re BOFA has been Thranduil - being someone who loves imagery, artwork, and the feeling that evokes. And the presentation of Thranduil and the overarching colors - dark against white, a terrible snow king against dark granite - like an elemental force. Seeing Thranduil walk amid the ruins of Dale has been one of the most haunting images for me so far (and notice, interestingly, the statue of a deer he is close to!!!):
because it triggered a memory from a book that seems to be out of print, a children's book, where an image of a dark goddess would either walk, or dance, amid the fallen, and where she would pass, red poppies would grow.
So she was, like Thranduil, darkly beautiful but terrifying. That mental image has just stuck with me. The closest I could find of anything like that in what the image of Thranduil evokes for me are:
 and
this bottom image being a representation of Morrigan. BTW, this has nothing to do w. feminine/masculine, but more the idea of dark beauty, and I couldn't find any dark elf artwork I liked outside the gaming community.
And not, of course, that Thranduil is not upset/disturbed by what he is seeing, because as far as I know, no-one knows re the film what this is about. But for me this is a striking use of costume and color in the film (sure there will be many others.)
And:
Again, shadow against the snow, Thranduil's fall of hair, the deadly twin swords. Driving me crazy so far there isn't a nice PR image of Thranduil with these swords, except for the spectacular PR image released earlier. One day I will be collecting
screen shots like a squirrel shoring up for winter with acorns.
And this BOFA image evokes this one for me:
Darkly haunting and beautiful.
Finally, since we have months to sit around for the movie, for anyone interested Dormouse remembered the name of the book, and like all good geeks I need to go re-find it.
So thanks to Dormouse, Red Moon and Black Mountain by Joy Chant, and there's a nice little essay on it here: http://www.tor.com/...n-and-black-mountain
Re this essay the author comments on critics saying how much of Tolkien go purloined in this. I don't remember, but seems a lot of folks borrow from Tolkien. Or not. I mean the concept of dwarves, elves, etc.
had been around for a long time before Tolkien *shrugs*. Anyway one of my big favorites is Tad William's Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, lots of thinly disguised Tolkien there, I still enjoy it.
Better than some stuff I've tried to read in the Fantasy genre where I literally don't know what is going on.
And of course I hope BOFA has LOTS and LOTS of Thranduil, IMO one of the most compelling and striking characters introduced into Middle Earth. An elven king that seems to have stepped out
of the pages of my books, and for me it's been the first time I've really been interested in the elves - Thranduil and the "less wise, but more dangerous" Mirkwood elves (so of course the WETA books
dealing with the "shadow-hunter" concepts for the Mirkwood elves have been pages I drool over.
Image from Deviant Art
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Bladerunner
Gondor
Jul 30 2014, 12:01am
Post #2 of 68
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Galadriel walking barefoot through the desolation in Dol Guldur....
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...is a nice compliment to Thranduil walking through the desolation in Dale.
That is a powerful combination of back-to-back scenes.
Images of bare feet often evoke playfulness, but on the cold dangerous broken stone of Dol Guldur they evoke frailty and vulnerability, but then I realize, this must be a powerful confident force of nature who can walk barefoot into battle in the enemy's domain.
(This post was edited by Bladerunner on Jul 30 2014, 12:02am)
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Avandel
Half-elven
Jul 30 2014, 12:08am
Post #3 of 68
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Aaah - thought that was a reference to
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Re the WETA books, elves - especially as one as powerful as Galadriel - being inviolate. That only a being like an elf - particularly a high elf - could walk like that, in white, unprotected.
As an elf could walk on snow - it is almost as if Galdriel is an angel.
A thought - perhaps Azog's lack of attire is a kind of mockery of this theme?
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VeArkenstone
Lorien
Jul 31 2014, 11:40pm
Post #4 of 68
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Very interesting stuff. It seems to be a statute of a white female doe.
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I have not read any of books mentioned, but would like to if I can ever get out of UT and finish reading the Sil. Just saw an awesome image of Thranduil surrounded by softly falling snowflakes in TATVIII. It is beautiful and just seems so, I don't know the right word, hmmm, so like him? There is just something about seeing him in the snow that is awesome but I can't quite put my finger on why. Hauntingly beautiful?
Do not get me wrong, I lover the Dwarves, I love Thorin, way before I really knew anything about Thranduil. But, you really can not refer to Thorin as being hauntingly beautiful in the same way as with Thranduil. Hmmmm. More things to ponder!
Please, call me Ve.
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Avandel
Half-elven
Aug 1 2014, 12:15am
Post #5 of 68
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You just saw the Thranduil-in-snow image(s) - aren't all of those incredible? I wonder if PJ & co. just conceptualize all this imagery in their head (like the shot of Thorin in the tree in AUJ, the closeup with his
eyes full of fury staring at Azog, his hair like this black curtain) and now Thranduil - this snow-shadow, fey being. It's all gorgeous!
Do not get me wrong, I lover the Dwarves, I love Thorin, way before I really knew anything about Thranduil. But, you really can not refer to Thorin as being hauntingly beautiful in the same way as with Thranduil. Hmmmm. More things to ponder!
Oh, no, it's hard for me to articulate, but think I understand what you mean. And I think that has always been deliberate, in that the dwarves were conceived as people "of the earth" and the elves are magical, fey, connected to nature,
and many seem to be so old and have seen so many ages of the Middle Earth.
This will always be one of my favorite images ever taken of a movie character, and it's a haunting, beautiful image.
Thorin is haunting and beautiful. But it's a different beauty than:
Like some god of winter from my mythology books. Or what it must be like to see a snow leopard, in the wild.
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Lurker in the Mirk
Valinor
Aug 2 2014, 3:20am
Post #6 of 68
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Tis truly the King gracing the screen, no less.
This is horrific circumstance. And yet the King is unmarred by all that he sees. It speaks to his isolationism perhaps, that the world could literally rise and fall about him and yet he could remain unchanged by it all. Probably only as long as he refuse to see. He cannot endure the sameness forever, and to the end the demise of Smaug must be thanked for catalysing his change of heart. But just going to this image, I imagine he might be haunted as well, because this is probably an evocation of the 12 year carnage of the Last Alliance. Doubly hard for him since Oropher fell in the first attack, leaving him to pick up the pieces and not only soldier on, but ultimately make it home with most of the survivors from that first charge and take up the reins.
BTW, this has nothing to do w. feminine/masculine, but more the idea of dark beauty, and I couldn't find any dark elf artwork I liked outside the gaming community. Nice resonance there. It is indeed nothing to do with femininity or masculinity at all. Just the pure concept of it. He is so bright with his pale complexion and hair, and yet there's just this sense of darkness and dangerous fey with Thranduil. Thanks for bringing this up.
I couldn't find the book in the local library listings nor in bookstores though.
Just call me Lurker. Fan of both books and movies; it seems I have severely misnamed myself... for the moment.
Appreciating Thranduil, thread by thread: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII
(Tis true! More appreciation threads for Thranduil exist than ME movies)
 Thrall Wars!: What business do Elves, Dwarves or Men(?) have with drooling thralls, yea, with smartphones in tow, unto the slopes of Erebor? ... oh, yes, the Hobbit's lingering in some shadows, ever ready to swoop to the hairy rescue. Take cover if you dare!
Teh partsies: Prologue (aka the 'tater-mash of whatever came before), Two, Three, Four (new! posted 16 Jul)
"BoFA"= The Battle || "BotFA"/"tBofTA" = The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
=======
 Middle-earth dispatches out of the lurkmirk
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Avandel
Half-elven
Aug 2 2014, 4:45am
Post #7 of 68
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I thought of Oropher, too, seeing that scene!!!
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Frustratingly I haven't been able to get a REALLY good look at LP's face, but with a set like that I imagine you wouldn't even have to act. And usually I like a fair amount of color - the relentlessness of the desaturation in DOS started to get to me tho I understand more after reading C &D - but re BOFA so far I'm struck by the shadow against snow effect - for me it's evoking those cold Nordic lands, the Himalayas - and I'm glad I thought of a snow leopard re Thranduil, it's what he reminds me of in these scenes.
And I also thought, Thranduil would be remembering - his father, and Mordor, and bringing his people back the Greenwood. In all the long years, Thranduil had tried to protect his people, and now some evil rot is so close to the last good green left in the forest....but Thranduil. In LOTR it's said the "Ents will wake up and find that they are strong" but re Thranduil - you don't back a leopard into a corner, protecting his home, and not get clawed. But it will be magnificent - already has been, with those brief teaser shots!
The book memory that got triggered seems to be out of print, tho it may crop up in used bookstores or Amazon? But Dormouse knew the passage I had thought of *bows to Dormouse* - as far as I remember there had been this battle, and there was the darkly beautiful goddess who walked the blood-soaked fields after. So she's dark like death, but also brings life:
For as she moved she sank ankle-deep into the earth, and behind her green welled from the hollows her feet had pressed, welled up and overflowed and spread. . . . the earth brushed by her skirt bore clover, and flowers bloomed where her poppies fell. . .
Red Moon and Black Mountain by Joy Chant. It's an exraordinary story, I think, with lots of powerful visual images. It would make a terrific film, if done well. I can't remember the story except there were children, but that image stuck with me - perhaps because the book I had had an image, maybe, or I was frightened and intrigued at the same time.
Now like all good geeks I will have to look out for it!
He is so bright with his pale complexion and hair, and yet there's just this sense of darkness and dangerous fey with Thranduil.
Oh, I have to remember this one - BEAUTIFULLY said. Thank you - bright as a living star, and yet Thranduil is dangerous fey. I LOVE that. For me, how I thank PJ & co. for THIS elf. Never mind all that wafting around in chiffon - give me this living king of ice and forest!!!
If BOFA doesn't have lots of Thranduil I will be truly heartsick.
(This post was edited by Avandel on Aug 2 2014, 4:50am)
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VeArkenstone
Lorien
Aug 2 2014, 5:19pm
Post #8 of 68
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*Waves back to Avandel !* You are right, both Thorin and Thranduil are hauntingly beautiful but in
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different ways. I think they are both "haunted" by their pasts. Thorin has been through quite a bit in his short life, his father and grandfather succumbing to mental illness (and struggling with it himself) , the loss of his home to a fire breathing dragon, and it seems like all creatures of darkness are after his gorgeous behind and trying to kill him. Thranduil, oh my, its hard to imagine how much pain there would be in the lifespan of 4,000 - 6,000 years. It still boggles my mind. I think both Lee Pace and Richard Armitage convey this sense of being "haunted" so well. Without this ability to convey this in subtle ways, as well as not so subtle, the movies would not quite be the same.
I love that seeing the snow leopard in the wild idea. It would get the adrenaline pumping, fascinate you, frighten you, amaze you because of its beauty and awesomeness, all at the same time. Running in to King Thranduil in the forest on a cold snowy day I think would have a similar effect!
I'll be blowing up and printing out two more pics today, that is for certain!
Please, call me Ve.
(This post was edited by VeArkenstone on Aug 2 2014, 5:22pm)
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VeArkenstone
Lorien
Aug 2 2014, 5:31pm
Post #9 of 68
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Like you and Avandel, I also thought of the Oropher and the Battle of the
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Last Alliance when seeing this image and the other scenes he is in in the trailer teaser. He does have that haunted, pensive, deep in thought look in some of those scenes, something very deep is going on inside of his head. I can't wait to find out what they are!
Please, call me Ve.
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VeArkenstone
Lorien
Aug 2 2014, 5:54pm
Post #10 of 68
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The snow pics came out so, so, so great, wow!
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Please, call me Ve.
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Avandel
Half-elven
Aug 2 2014, 6:16pm
Post #11 of 68
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Ve, what a wonderful observation and completely agree!!!
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I think they are both "haunted" by their pasts. Thorin has been through quite a bit in his short life, his father and grandfather succumbing to mental illness (and struggling with it himself) , the loss of his home to a fire breathing dragon, and it seems like all creatures of darkness are after his gorgeous behind and trying to kill him. Thranduil, oh my, its hard to imagine how much pain there would be in the lifespan of 4,000 - 6,000 years. It still boggles my mind. I think both Lee Pace and Richard Armitage convey this sense of being "haunted" so well. Without this ability to convey this in subtle ways, as well as not so subtle, the movies would not quite be the same.
Too true re Thranduil! Because for me, and maybe Tolkien never details any of it? in all the long years, I think there must have been other things Thranduil survived, other wars and fights, dangerous animal attacks, natural disasters - with as much water as runs through the palace, in the early days there must have been floods, and dry periods (again I must thank WETA and the creative vision that has fleshed SO MUCH out with so much respect for history and legend - I LOVE the concepts of the forest and that thought behind it all). The loss of Legolas' mother.
And everything that Thorin has gone through, which I think about a lot, even the tedious stuff he must have had to do as king, boring logistics in the Blue Mountains, working as a blacksmith. Having to carry on while I think of his father going mad and lost, and yet Thorin looks for him, still.
Ah, these actors. I personally can't say the same for LOTR, as there are a fair number I don't see as THE ultimate so & so, except for Sir Ian and Andy Serkus and Orly and a few others. Certainly I could see a different Aragorn w. all due respect to VM.
But the casting for the Hobbit films has been so impeccable - especially re the key characters Thorin, Bilbo, Thranduil. Because of these IMO incredible performances I gotta say as a fellow actor VM really should have dialed his comments down from a few months ago
PS. LOL but too true!
and it seems like all creatures of darkness are after his gorgeous behind and trying to kill him.
LOL I will never comprehend that. No-one is going to tell ME that while Thorin was working some village forge, the village women weren't coming around sneaking looks and bringing him special little treats, in a quiet, humble, way. And the embittered and angry Thorin would never notice, because always his thoughts would be far away. And then the day would come when he was gone *sigh*.
I want to hook up with Dain and go to war for Thorin!
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Lurker in the Mirk
Valinor
Aug 3 2014, 2:47am
Post #12 of 68
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One thing I believe no one can accuse PJ & co of is the lack of iconic and emblematic imagery. Throughout the LotR series and so far in TH, we've been pampered with imagery that enhances our imagination, or even give life to tired old scenes in our heads. The Halls of the Elvenking for example, exceeded, far exceeded all my imagination. And of course, and I admit I might be biased here, but everything single frame with Thranduil in it is all that and more 
but re BOFA so far I'm struck by the shadow against snow effect - for me it's evoking those cold Nordic lands, the Himalayas - and I'm glad I thought of a snow leopard re Thranduil, it's what he reminds me of in these scenes.
And I also thought, Thranduil would be remembering - his father, and Mordor, and bringing his people back the Greenwood. In all the long years, Thranduil had tried to protect his people, and now some evil rot is so close to the last good green left in the forest....but Thranduil. In LOTR it's said the "Ents will wake up and find that they are strong" but re Thranduil - you don't back a leopard into a corner, protecting his home, and not get clawed. But it will be magnificent - already has been, with those brief teaser shots! Ooh mention of shadow and ice - I'm remembering the fairy-tale of the the Snow Queen, and how the girl sets out on a mission to save the boy from her. In a roundabout way (and I'm not sure if this will even make sense ), Thranduil is sort of like the Snow Queen in his absolute power over his realm. Every subject loves him, I cannot believe they do not revere him after all that history and his achievements in keeping them safe, and in a way they all too are held in thrall by his self-imposed isolation splendour, like the boy who was kissed by the Snow Queen. Of course, quite unlike the Snow Queen who remained as she was, Thranduil will change and come to recognise his role and re-engage with the outside world, and in freeing himself, also free his people. But I don't think he will be any less dangerous or fey for it. And cue the perfect twin sword badassery, the only high-performance food-processor you will ever need.
Frustratingly I haven't been able to get a REALLY good look at LP's face, but with a set like that I imagine you wouldn't even have to act What acting? Thranduil is perfectly portrayed here, as with every other scene we've got
Though I agree we need a shot of his face!
Now like all good geeks I will have to look out for it! Me too! Now I'm intrigued.
Thanks, glad you liked that 
Emphasis mine: we will have W.A.R.! ... or really just whimpers and whines after leaving the cinema.  ... and maybe one or two self-righteous protest petitions.
But I hope, and believe, we will get some Thranduil, more than in the DOS TE at least. I'm just worried about all this obsession with shortening the runtime on PJ's part and what it will do to the character arcs given his penchant for giant war scenes (which I LOVE) but I wants the emo too!
Just call me Lurker. Fan of both books and movies; it seems I have severely misnamed myself... for the moment.
Appreciating Thranduil, thread by thread: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII
(Tis true! More appreciation threads for Thranduil exist than ME movies)
Thrall Wars!: What business do Elves, Dwarves or Men(?) have with drooling thralls, yea, with smartphones in tow, unto the slopes of Erebor? ... oh, yes, the Hobbit's lingering in some shadows, ever ready to swoop to the hairy rescue. Take cover if you dare!
Teh partsies: Prologue (aka the 'tater-mash of whatever came before), Two, Three, Four (new! posted 16 Jul)
"BoFA"= The Battle || "BotFA"/"tBofTA" = The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
=======
Middle-earth dispatches out of the lurkmirk
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Lurker in the Mirk
Valinor
Aug 3 2014, 3:32am
Post #13 of 68
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Probably just the amplification of "if he ever looked south, the memory of it dimmed the light of the sun" but yes, he would be supremely pensive, haunted in his own mind as he haunts us with his haunting beauty.
Just call me Lurker. Fan of both books and movies; it seems I have severely misnamed myself... for the moment.
Appreciating Thranduil, thread by thread: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII
(Tis true! More appreciation threads for Thranduil exist than ME movies)
Thrall Wars!: What business do Elves, Dwarves or Men(?) have with drooling thralls, yea, with smartphones in tow, unto the slopes of Erebor? ... oh, yes, the Hobbit's lingering in some shadows, ever ready to swoop to the hairy rescue. Take cover if you dare!
Teh partsies: Prologue (aka the 'tater-mash of whatever came before), Two, Three, Four (new! posted 16 Jul)
"BoFA"= The Battle || "BotFA"/"tBofTA" = The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
=======
Middle-earth dispatches out of the lurkmirk
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Avandel
Half-elven
Aug 3 2014, 5:53pm
Post #14 of 68
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maybe there's some light re Thranduil-time re what NEEDS to happen
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But I hope, and believe, we will get some Thranduil, more than in the DOS TE at least. I'm just worried about all this obsession with shortening the runtime on PJ's part and what it will do to the character arcs given his penchant for giant war scenes (which I LOVE) but I wants the emo too!
The blurb on the Empire article got me thinking - there's gotta at LEAST be a scene w. Bilbo, Bard and Thranduil interacting - LOL I am looking forward to Thranduil meeting the Hobbit, tho I think this will be very sad as Bilbo will know he is betraying Thorin and it will be hard on Bilbo. Then there's the confrontation scene (and oh, how I am hoping Thorin fires an arrow off, as that scene in my fuzzy book memories always made me laugh - call me evil ).
Then there are the other key scenes *sob* plus gotta be some glorious Thranduil fight scenes AND Thranduil leaving Mirkwood in the first place. So I'm thinking thanks to be a key book character, we are GUARANTEED some good stuff?
I thought of the Snow Queen as well! and some other stories I had read, of Norse Gods, frost gods, frost fairies - all beautiful, but like all the ORIGINAL fairy tales and legends I read, there's no Disney prettying going on - plenty of death, danger, and blood tho. LOL in the old days folks didn't mess around with their folk tales I guess.
Meh on PJ even bringing shortening the film up - why would that even cross his mind? Can't believe the man who said, more or less, that he was going to tell the story his way would worry about film length - but then again, if I have a quibble with PJ, it's with his editing choices.
'Coz the Empire article talks about his editing, but I re-watched DOS last night and I am baffled that anyone could sit in a dark room watching the notorious healing scene drag ON and ON, or that "love" scene, and think that was a good idea!
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VeArkenstone
Lorien
Aug 3 2014, 8:10pm
Post #15 of 68
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Once again, you are so right. Just trying to imagine all of the unspoken things
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that happened in Thorin's and Thranduil's lives on top of the things we know about. The pain would have to add up. Thorin has been through lots and lots of pain, and I think of Thranduil and his immortality and already alive for 4 - 6 thousand years, how could you keep it together? Mind boggling. It will be so interesting to see how all of this plays out on BO5A.
Yes, I wish Viggo had not said that stuff. Things like that (especially on the internet for the whole world to see), usually causes regret (as I have learned the hard way in my own life). You cannot take back your words and saying you are sorry for them usually does not cut it. The old saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never harm me" is sooooo untrue, they harm both the giver of the bad words and the receiver. I'm trying hard to live by one of the golden rules now: If I don't have anything nice to say, do not say anything. I am successful sometimes and sometimes not, heavy sigh. Though I am finding it is just like breaking an old bad habit and replacing with a better one, practice makes perfect.
The casting in these Hobbit movies is just incredible. Lee Pace, Richard Armitage and Martin Freeman, wow! But every single character is perfectly cast for their role. You can not say that about too many movies. I have also been noting the clothing (amazing), WETA special effects (my favorite being the Silvan Elves jumping on tree limbs over the river in the barrell sequence, too cool for words), the music. I just love everything about these Hobbit movies.
It is so true, There is no doubt in my mind that Thorin had women who admired him in these villages. Whereever he went, it probably caused a sensation and because he worked the forge so well and made incredible things so the men liked having him around, and his awesome gorgesness caught the attention of many of the women. And he has a Kingly way about him, even when he was homeless, wondering around from village-to-village, I think there would have been something about him that everyone could sense. At the very beginning of DOS when Thorin is sitting in the Prancing Pony alone before Gandalf joins him, note that the waitress who bring Thorin his dinner is all nice and says "Here you go," smiles, and even lingers for a second when she walks around him like she does not want to leave (I know I wouldn't want to). When Gandalf joins Thorin and orders his dinner from her, she says not a word and hurrys off. Poor Gandalf! But you would probably have to get used to that kind of thing if you are going to be spending any time around Thorin!
Back to work tomorrow, may not be on for a little while but will definately be on and get caught up by the end of the week, hopefully sooner, can't stay away for too long!
Please, call me Ve.
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VeArkenstone
Lorien
Aug 3 2014, 8:19pm
Post #16 of 68
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We have been so spoiled by PJ! DOS is an amazing piece of filmmaking
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in every sense of the word. And I am sure Thranduil will reengage himself with the outside world, everyone in the north will benefit from this.
Please, call me Ve.
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Avandel
Half-elven
Aug 4 2014, 12:22am
Post #17 of 68
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LOL tough being in a cast with RA
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There is no doubt in my mind that Thorin had women who admired him in these villages.
I've thought about that - even in real life 'coz Dean O'Gorman, so handsome and talented in his own right, was making jokes about the RA effect - my words not his, but Mark Hadlow said something about RA having something that made you want to follow him and then DO said to the audience you'd follow him too and the audience cheered.
So I think if must be un-fun for actors who may have worked just as hard physically as the leads, but all the attention is on the "leads" tho I think - HOPE - that as BOFA comes closer, we will see more and more appearances of the entire company. And the Valar knows Richard Armitage has paid his dues and if he becomes a worldwide household name he earned every bit of his accolades (just caught a nice Into the Storm Interview and the man is just SO très elegant, so handsome. Killer smile).
Too true for Lee Pace as well.
Alas, too true for real life - me too, gotta go deal with things - will look for 'yah! I too hafta dial down my board time, keep getting sidetracked here 'coz it's fun, but right now I need to clean a fish tank.
PS. Re VM I STILL think there was a whiff of sour grapes there. Since someone else brought it up on another thread - well, I always thought it, but I've always flinched at the ROTK speech and there's RA just reeking majesty - websites, memes spring up overnight after AUJ. *Sniff* folks are folks, so I can imagine VM watching AUJ and how can you NOT compare yourself if you are in the same business, and there's RA with that jaw-dropping, command-an-army voice and seemingly effortless charisma, and then there's the incomparable Bilbo - and Ken Stott - and somehow Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom are back, but not VM.
Not even as an interesting little cameo, even in disguise. I don't like folks being phony and it's funny when the politically correct facade gets dropped, but meh.
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KeenObserver
Lorien
Aug 4 2014, 12:20pm
Post #18 of 68
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Thranduil Appreciation Thread #1,000,000,000?
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Just kidding!
Not like I (or anyone else) would have a problem with that.
The duty of thread creation for the appreciation of King Thrandy belongs to Lurker, anyway.
Though, this hauntingly beautiful thread (absolutely heart warming and soul stirring) has renewed my deep appreciation for these films, its characters, its director, cast, and crew, as well as the original author, timeless literature, stimulating art, and all the rich, complex and "fey" entities that our world has to offer.
A nod of respect and admiration to a few of my favourite posters: Avandel, Lurker, and VeArkenstone.
It is an honour and a privilege to be in the company of such chillingly insightful and wonderfully articulate individuals like yourselves.
P.S. Forgive me for my cheesiness and dramatic tendencies. You guys have now received enough compliments from me.
”The thirst for adventure is the vent which Destiny offers; a war, a crusade, a gold mine, a new country, speak to the imagination and offer…” - Jose Bergamin
(This post was edited by KeenObserver on Aug 4 2014, 12:25pm)
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Lurker in the Mirk
Valinor
Aug 4 2014, 1:14pm
Post #19 of 68
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Can you imagine being a crew member on the day they shot the T&T scene?
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Particularly as that was apparently Thranduil's debut on the set This is going to sound creepy but imagine the things you'd hear as a fly on the ladies' washroom wall that day ... or maybe some general rest area? 
I'm a lurker. Fan of both books and movies; it seems I have severely misnamed myself... for the moment.
Appreciating Thranduil, thread by thread: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII
(Tis true! More appreciation threads for Thranduil exist than ME movies)
Thrall Wars!: What business do Elves, Dwarves or Men(?) have with drooling thralls, yea, with smartphones in tow, unto the slopes of Erebor? ... oh, yes, the Hobbit's lingering in some shadows, ever ready to swoop to the hairy rescue. Take cover if you dare!
Teh partsies: Prologue (aka the 'tater-mash of whatever came before), Two, Three, Four (new! posted 16 Jul)
"BoFA"= The Battle || "BotFA"/"tBofTA" = The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
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Middle-earth dispatches out of the lurkmirk
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Lurker in the Mirk
Valinor
Aug 4 2014, 1:22pm
Post #20 of 68
(2690 views)
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The blurb on the Empire article got me thinking - there's gotta at LEAST be a scene w. Bilbo, Bard and Thranduil interacting - LOL I am looking forward to Thranduil meeting the Hobbit, tho I think this will be very sad as Bilbo will know he is betraying Thorin and it will be hard on Bilbo. Then there's the confrontation scene (and oh, how I am hoping Thorin fires an arrow off, as that scene in my fuzzy book memories always made me laugh - call me evil).
Then there are the other key scenes *sob* plus gotta be some glorious Thranduil fight scenes AND Thranduil leaving Mirkwood in the first place. So I'm thinking thanks to be a key book character, we are GUARANTEED some good stuff?
So with what we know, I'm leaning to Bard being the one receiving Thorin's concern.
I thought of the Snow Queen as well! and some other stories I had read, of Norse Gods, frost gods, frost fairies - all beautiful, but like all the ORIGINAL fairy tales and legends I read, there's no Disney prettying going on - plenty of death, danger, and blood tho. LOL in the old days folks didn't mess around with their folk tales I guess.
Meh on PJ even bringing shortening the film up - why would that even cross his mind? Can't believe the man who said, more or less, that he was going to tell the story his way would worry about film length - but then again, if I have a quibble with PJ, it's with his editing choices.
'Coz the Empire article talks about his editing, but I re-watched DOS last night and I am baffled that anyone could sit in a dark room watching the notorious healing scene drag ON and ON, or that "love" scene, and think that was a good idea! LoL... you know how I feel about those 2 things. I still maintain it's that thing we talked about. Two words - cabin-fever
I'm a lurker. Fan of both books and movies; it seems I have severely misnamed myself... for the moment.
Appreciating Thranduil, thread by thread: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII
(Tis true! More appreciation threads for Thranduil exist than ME movies)
Thrall Wars!: What business do Elves, Dwarves or Men(?) have with drooling thralls, yea, with smartphones in tow, unto the slopes of Erebor? ... oh, yes, the Hobbit's lingering in some shadows, ever ready to swoop to the hairy rescue. Take cover if you dare!
Teh partsies: Prologue (aka the 'tater-mash of whatever came before), Two, Three, Four (new! posted 16 Jul)
"BoFA"= The Battle || "BotFA"/"tBofTA" = The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
=======
Middle-earth dispatches out of the lurkmirk
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Lurker in the Mirk
Valinor
Aug 4 2014, 1:34pm
Post #21 of 68
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Thranduil Appreciation Thread #1,000,000,000? I don't know that everyone on these boards appreciate the Thranduil Appreciation all that much, but you've just made reaching that milestone my life's mission
The duty of thread creation for the appreciation of King Thrandy belongs to Lurker, anyway.
Though, this hauntingly beautiful thread (absolutely heart warming and soul stirring) has renewed my deep appreciation for these films, its characters, its director, cast, and crew, as well as the original author, timeless literature, stimulating art, and all the rich, complex and "fey" entities that our world has to offer. Well-said! This is a great thread by Avandel. And YAY for equal-opportunistic thralldom 
Speaking for myself, it's bloody cool of you to see past the gushy fangirling, jump in and join in the genuine affection and celebration for these characters... who sadly seemed to be championed and appreciated openly almost exclusively by the female fans. I can't believe the seeming dearth of fanboys for the two chiefest of cool dudes in these movies.
I'm a lurker. Fan of both books and movies; it seems I have severely misnamed myself... for the moment.
Appreciating Thranduil, thread by thread: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII
(Tis true! More appreciation threads for Thranduil exist than ME movies)
Thrall Wars!: What business do Elves, Dwarves or Men(?) have with drooling thralls, yea, with smartphones in tow, unto the slopes of Erebor? ... oh, yes, the Hobbit's lingering in some shadows, ever ready to swoop to the hairy rescue. Take cover if you dare!
Teh partsies: Prologue (aka the 'tater-mash of whatever came before), Two, Three, Four (new! posted 16 Jul)
"BoFA"= The Battle || "BotFA"/"tBofTA" = The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
=======
Middle-earth dispatches out of the lurkmirk
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KeenObserver
Lorien
Aug 4 2014, 3:29pm
Post #22 of 68
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Speaking for myself, it's bloody cool of you to see past the gushy fangirling, jump in and join in the genuine affection and celebration for these characters... who sadly seemed to be championed and appreciated openly almost exclusively by the female fans. I can't believe the seeming dearth of fanboys for the two chiefest of cool dudes in these movies. More like creepily observing the gushy fangirling instead of seeing past it.
It seems like the vast majority of dudes focus more on the world or the plot and look at the characters in a superficial manner, while the females of the species innocently vet the players involved.
You guys also tend to delve deep into an individual's inner self and pull out all sorts of characteristics that are then discussed thoroughly.
These awesome characters definitely demand serious attention from both girls and boys.
They've been able to intensely captivate this particular fanboy (me ), at least.
Awww... to quote Sam, I would be most happy to share the load. So how about you do the next one? We probably will get there around this weekend or maybe by mid-next week.
”The thirst for adventure is the vent which Destiny offers; a war, a crusade, a gold mine, a new country, speak to the imagination and offer…” - Jose Bergamin
(This post was edited by KeenObserver on Aug 4 2014, 3:38pm)
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Avandel
Half-elven
Aug 4 2014, 8:14pm
Post #23 of 68
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re *squeeless* masculine appreciation - we wonders, preciousss....
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It seems like the vast majority of dudes focus more on the world or the plot and look at the characters in a superficial manner, while the females of the species innocently vet the players involved.
You guys also tend to delve deep into an individual's inner self and pull out all sorts of characteristics that are then discussed thoroughly.
Perhaps - 'coz if I HAD to generalize, I like guys as a whole group - I mean if I HAD to generalize, at times my female friends will spend a good 3 hours DISCUSSING e.g. hen party LOL, while refreshingly my guy friends after overhearing the angst will just rap out "just pick something and FIX the *bleep* thing" and sigh and go get a wrench and hammer - refreshing simplicity.
But we wonders, precious, that the average U.S. male doesn't "see with the third eye" just as much as any average female would. Culturally it may be expressed differently, with a more clench-jaw 'tude, but I'm sure it's THERE. So RA has said that he welled up watching the AUJ eagles scene, feeling the concept of flight - and soaring - how cool is that? An actor who's shot at people on film and has thousands of women tracking what he is wearing, and can look beyond the very scene he had filmed and FEEL it. Don't think you could BE a good actor without being able to feel very deeply, and SEE deeply.
So I think our average "suck it up male" feels things just as much as any girl does, and the APPRECIATION is there. Look at these guys who (and I'd call this loving re the attention to detail) who worked up Thorin's chain maille:
http://learn-something-new.blogspot.com/...finished-thorin.html
All these cosplayers, leatherworkers, writers, and the ARTISTS - even Tolkien - they're GUYS. And not necessarily guys who sail in alternative directions, so to speak.
Guy work here - why does any male craftsman or artist get inspired, unless what they are seeing evokes a FEELING? Why spend hours crafting and carving the perfect bird, say, in Beorn's house, the way the WETA guys did, unless you can FEEL the spirit of the figure you are making?
So KeenObserver, you keep on appreciating, coz I for one blew off the looks I get when I drool on about my Orcrist replica and I am am sure I will get more looks when and if I get the $$$ to get a Thranduil replica sword .
So it cuts both ways (bad pun). Because I think you are in good company, the guys who SEE, like all the best artists, writers, directors, craftsmen, journalists, gem cutters, architects, and yes, even swordsmiths and blacksmiths. IMO the best fanboys and fangirls are shamans of a kind, able to see the whole of a thing, and beyond a thing.
BTW, since you said you are getting back into fantasy lit, you might try The Emperor's Blades which I am dying for the next one, while we are all waiting for BOFA. Not Tolkien of course but I thought
a fresh approach and a pretty good book:
http://www.amazon.com/...TF8&sr=&qid=
And since the is an art thread, well, these may or may not be guys or not, but speaking of inspirational, the artists and photo sw folks are already busy - of course! just from one trailer:
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VeArkenstone
Lorien
Aug 4 2014, 9:06pm
Post #24 of 68
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The entire cast is incredible. RA as Thorin, well, the book is mainly about
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Thorin and Bilbo, although all of the Dwarves are there and share in the entire adventure. As actors though, I love Dean O'Gorman! And Ken Stott! In the EE of AUJ, all of the actors have their roles extended and the EE version flows much better and you get more of a feel for the other actors and their roles. I hope this happens in DOS EE, and I hope the same thing happens in BO5A. Sorry if I seemed to be saying that RA was the most important actor in these Hobbit movies. They all have an important part. But, RA is Thorin, and he is heir to the Throne of Erebor and he is leader of the company. I have been thinking that Martin Freeman as Bilbo has been underappreciated. He is adorable, but not the classically handsome type. I really have not noticed many threads about him. I wonder if this makes him feel badly, or if he is o.k. with it. He is working quite a bit and maybe has not much time to think about such trivial things. I have the feeling though that they are all so professional in what they are doing, and just feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of this whole thing. I don't get the feel that their egos are getting in the way (except maybe for VM).
The book Thorin is actually much older than Balin. What drew me to him was that at Bilbo's house the night of the Unexpected Party, after dinner, the Dwarves sang and sang. Bilbo was in bed but listened to them. Then Thorin just happened to have his harp and began playing. Thorin's harp playing was so incredibly beautiful that Bilbo wept and wept, it got inside of you. Then, Thorin leaves Bilbo a note the next morning in the most beautiful handwriting! No one writes like that anymore. I was drawn to him for these things first, then finding out what a brave warrior he was and all that just added to my fasination with him.
Sometimes I do get carried away with RA's portrayal of Thorin, I know this! And sometimes I do get carried away with LP's portrayal of Thranduil, I know this! Please bear with me as the excitement builds toward DOS EE and for the Grand Finale! I shall try to control myself, but can make no guarantees.
Please, call me Ve.
(This post was edited by VeArkenstone on Aug 4 2014, 9:19pm)
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VeArkenstone
Lorien
Aug 4 2014, 9:25pm
Post #25 of 68
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Lurker, this is a beautiful little piece of poetry. Makes me feel a little pensive!
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Please, call me Ve.
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