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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 25 2015, 10:18pm
Post #1 of 27
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Which was the better-designed beast: the Balrog or Smaug?
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Both the Balrog and Smaug were high notes in creature design for the Middle-earth films. Which design do you think is best?
Is it the Balrog - a unique creature whose description by Tolkien was deliberately lacking in detail? Or is it Smaug - an intelligent creature who had to stand out among decades of dragon depiction in films, books and TV shows?
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arithmancer
Grey Havens
Jan 25 2015, 11:15pm
Post #2 of 27
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I did love the Balrog, but I think creatign Smaug was a much bigger job. We need to see more of him, and he needs to talk. And they succeeded brilliantly in creating a character that is fascinating and amazing to look at.
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Brethil
Half-elven
Jan 26 2015, 12:57am
Post #4 of 27
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You gave us 'tie', but I do think Smaug, because of dialogue, kinda wins...shoot. Now I want to vote 'tie' after all.
Because I remain truly awed by the Balrog; and he has wings, which thrilled me as he matched my mind-pic all those years.
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Meneldor
Valinor
Jan 26 2015, 5:01am
Post #5 of 27
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Possibly the best dragon ever on screen, looking as awesome as Vermithrax Pejorative, and with blood-chilling lines to boot.
To me, the balrog seemed too brutish. After reading Silmarillion multiple times, I had a mental image of them as fiendishly cunning and unspeakably wicked beings, but what I saw onscreen seemed more of a fierce animal.
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Bracegirdle
Valinor
Jan 26 2015, 2:05pm
Post #7 of 27
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(This post was edited by Bracegirdle on Jan 26 2015, 2:06pm)
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RosieLass
Valinor
Jan 26 2015, 6:09pm
Post #9 of 27
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Because they were both awesome!
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Eowyn of Penns Woods
Valinor
Jan 27 2015, 2:00am
Post #10 of 27
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The Smugmeister, Smuggles, Smugglebun....Okay, Benedict Cumberbatch might have a lot to do with it. ;)
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 27 2015, 3:58am
Post #11 of 27
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"Oh Smaug, the calamitous smugglebun."
[In reply to]
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I can just see Bilbo slipping that one in there. 
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Pandallo
Rivendell
Jan 27 2015, 4:47am
Post #12 of 27
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Balrog and Gandalf's moment on the bridge will go down in legend as one of the epic moments in films.
Smaug on the otherhand is the Best dragon ever put to film with a cunning attitude, a powerful presence, a looming threat that is not all-powerful however and can be manipulated. It's these flashes of vulnerability as well as his immense ego and mind which really seals the deal.
It's a tie. Smaug's fame will grow as the years go by and the Balrog will be there side-by-side ever remembered for Gandalf standing against him on the Bridge of Khazad-dum.
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Elizabeth
Half-elven
Jan 27 2015, 5:00am
Post #13 of 27
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The level of detail was amazing, and his character was magnificently portrayed by the mo-cap amd BC.
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swordwhale
Tol Eressea
Feb 3 2015, 7:08pm
Post #14 of 27
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oh Smaug Calamatous Consulting Smuggle
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(shouts, "I am NOT a mudblood!)
The balrog was the height of design at the time, but Smaug takes it a level farther.
Also... Benedictine Cabinetry. Rumblebum Crumplefork. Belicose Yogamat.
yep...
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Lindarielwen
Bree
Feb 3 2015, 8:13pm
Post #15 of 27
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I knew that Smaug was going to be beating the Balrog, but the Balrog is definitely a lot better designed.
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Nuradar
Rohan
Feb 5 2015, 5:43pm
Post #16 of 27
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I know this is the minority opinion, but I answered regarding the design only. Smaug was impressive, and I know they put A LOT of effort into creating him, but for me, the Balrog was actually scarier.
You can't reason with a Balrog, like you can with Smaug. That WHIP is just frightening, and he has wings, meaning he can fly to catch up with you.
My vote is for the Balrog.
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Darkstone
Immortal
Feb 5 2015, 6:03pm
Post #17 of 27
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How could one choose?
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Feb 5 2015, 9:21pm
Post #18 of 27
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Kim
Valinor
Feb 6 2015, 3:10am
Post #20 of 27
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that's only 9 smileys - boy are you in trouble!
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Arannir
Valinor
Feb 6 2015, 12:25pm
Post #22 of 27
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I thought about a tie for a long time before voting but in the end it went to the Balrog.
His scene has gone down in movie history. I doubt any scene with Smaug will achieve that, despite him being a great CGI achievement.
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Dame Ioreth
Tol Eressea
Feb 6 2015, 1:05pm
Post #23 of 27
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I voted tie because I like each for different reasons
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Smaug was stunning from beginning to end. I loved the way he spoke, the way he stumbled around when underground but became fluid once those wings unfurled. I loved the fact that they based him more like a bat with his "arms" as wings rather than the wings being a separate appendage. I loved his character development. He scared me not as much because of size but because of his angry, capricious personality. He was evil but in a way that I couldn't tell which way he would snap. I kept thinking this is what crazy evil is like - you just don't know what to expect.
But the Balrog... wow... In LOTR, I read them as being the embodiment of evil. If you could draw a picture of evil, you would draw a balrog. I became aware, after I saw the movie of the Wings vs. No Wings discussion. When I saw the movie again, I watched for it and what I thought was masterful was how you reeeeeallly couldn't tell.... were they real wings, were they smoke, were they wings that coalesced out of smoke? It fit just about any theory I could come up with. I loved it. And it came out of the darkness, but it was darkness. Darnit - it scared the life out of me.
So yeah - tie.
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Arannir
Valinor
Feb 6 2015, 1:08pm
Post #24 of 27
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Yes, it is really psychopath evil vs. pure evil.
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Meneldor
Valinor
Feb 7 2015, 12:35am
Post #25 of 27
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that's only 9 smileys - boy are you in trouble!
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I voted for "Smog"... :) //
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