Great 'cast again this week. I think Aragorn seemed to be running from his destiny was more that he feared that he had inherited a greater weakness to the power of the One Ring from Isildur. But only in the movies. IIRC from the books he knew his destiny to be King of Gondor from a young age and as a Ranger he traveled all over Middle Earth to gain experience. He also served in the armies of King Thengel of Rohan (King Théoden’s father), and Steward Ecthelion II of Gondor (father of Denethor) under the name Thorongil.
Faramir was robbed.
Yeah, I can handle Legolas sheild-surfing, or there being elves at Helms Deep. Talk to the hand fanboi.
But Faramir being turned into a weakling was beyond the pale. That’s not who he was. And more importantly, it added nothing to the story. Oh, the ring is powerful yadda yadda. We get that. Gandalf gets that. AND FARAMIR GETS THAT. Got it? Good.
Also, wasn’t expecting Shelob in this one wilst attending with my Anarchophobic GF. But that was going to happen sooner or later.
Also, Gryper’s new sig is epic. He should post all of them in the avatar archive.
Bohemian Lord of the Rings, how come that musical isn’t on broadway yet?
I’ll post the one’s I’ve already used in there and post the next one(s) as I use them. 
It’s weird flipping gender every now and then…MOOBS…now I have moobs. 
RE: Dollhouse
I recently finished watching season 1 for the first time and I loved it! But TBH I think his original concept was more important, more relevant. The past decade has a seen an enormous resurgence in human trafficking and sexual slavery. Couple that with some important questions about the nature of free will, loss of identity in the face of invasive, isolating technologies and you have a show that speaks to some very dangerous (and frankly terrifying) developments in our progression. Even though it was modified from its original parameters I think we will see just how timely this show really is in a few years when these things become concerns for Joe Public.
RE:Hulu
I dont think the networks are as oblivious as you made them sound. Hulu provides an opportunity to appease fans by making shows available to them when they want it. Add to that the fact that they dont have to pay residuals because its not being ‘broadcast’? Fans are satisfied, networks are satisfied and content creators get boned. I dont think this came about by accident.
also, Hulu is a way better deal than DVR for the network. Networks can’t make any money off DVR, but they can make money off Hulu.
In the scene where Gandalf (and the rest of the fellowship in the golden hall) is trying to convince Theodin to take the fight to Saruman, he (meaning Gandalf, if I recall correctly) mentions that 2000 Rohirrim are to the north and they will join the fight if Theodin reaches out to them. Theodin responds that they have likely already left the lands of Rohan.
Actually that’s not what I said at all. To clairfy I was talking to/about PC pirates. Those folks who plan to steal the game then steal-share the game to all their friends and not pay the creators for the experience.
PC and LAN versions of the software are great options for folks with limited net access and as I said in the cast I think both should be available. However, anyone who has been pirating the PC versions for years and planned to pirate MW2 that cries fowl when the game creators push back should really think about what they are protesting against.
No one (including me) is saying than legit game play should curbed in anyway. I find it sad and frustrating that legit users become collateral damage in an anti-piracy war but as I said in the cast, if your only bitch about no LAN support is because you can’t steal it (and some folks unbelievably take that stance) - I have no pity for you…pony up like everyone else. Those are the people who frustrate me.
That might be what you meant, but it differs significantly with what I heard. The cast seemed to suggest that cheating and piracy and “game experience” were the only reasons for LAN play.
Maybe something got left on the editing floor?
BTW: I’m open to the possibility that I’m just crazy, am I the only one who heard the message that “there’s no good reason for LAN-play”?
Hmmmm, just to check I went back and listened to it again as well. Often times I can misremember what I said vs. what I meant to say. But in this case I address pirates and pirates only and even say that if your only complaint is that you can’t steal it you aren’t arguing for the right reason. So really I think we are actually in agreement here.
You bring up a great point. I completely understand why Jackson did what he did. He wanted to show an uninitiated audience that men are tempted by the ring etc. But Faramir was stronger, better, etc and he eventually resists when he sees the rings power demonstrated. Jackson and the other writers also said that having Faramir deny the ring via a “conversation in a cave” would have killed the momentum of the story and not made sense to the viewer. Film is a different medium than print, and I can’t totally disagree with them,
but…
The point of Faramirs character is that he is NEVER tempted by the ring because he IS a better man than the rest. He represents the hope for mankind as they go forward into the future. That they aren’t just all easily duped cr*pbags. So the way I see it is that there are two Faramirs. The original Tolkein version, and the Jackson version. Personally, I think the Tolkein version is more inspiring.
d
Yay Cliffs Notes!
I’m loving the interviews with the Tolkien Professor.
Great points. I wasn’t as willing to defend Theodin as I was Elrond, but I think you’re right. Saruman’s influence haunted him to the end. That’s what makes the scene with Eowyn so powerful. “I’m going to save you.” “You already have.”
Exactly. Sean was on Aragorn about not claiming the crown sooner but he back peddled a little (or was it Chuck?) with the quote “Those who seek power the most deserve it the least.” Denethor is a good example of that and Aragorn is the antithesis.
That’s not back-peddling, that’s analysis.
His lack of desire for the throne could indeed show him a good candidate, at least in Douglas Adams’ eyes. But desire and action are separate issues. Frodo really, really doesn’t want to bear the ring. But he does. If he’d avoided the task, that would’ve in some ways shown his capability of it, but wouldn’t have served the heroic purpose. I still think Aragorn may have waited almost too long to accept his destiny.
Minor tangent: If sunlight is a major deterrent for Orcs, if Sauron ever turns his eye to Cleveland, they’ll overrun the city in hours, day or night.
Ha ha. Touche’.
I wouldn’t equate bearing the ring with wearing the crown. Aragorn’s heroism was shown in the fellowship and with helping Frodo.
Tolkien was full of quotes like “There is no victory without suffering.” and “To arrive at morning one must walk through the shadows”.
What I took from the movie was that Faramir was at war with himself. He is intelligent and compassionate (and because of this a great leader), loyal to a fault, and uninterested in the ring for himself. His only desire is to take the ring to Gondor, not to use its power for himself. His loyalty to and desire to please his father is his weakness. A weakness that he overcomes when he realizes that whatever he ‘owes’ his father, pales in comparison to the destruction wrought by the ring. If even his brother, who he accounts a ‘better’ man than himself, could succumb to the rings influence then there is little hope that anyone could wield it. Im not sure which version I would prefer to be honest, but there is a powerful message in the film’s portrayal of him, and not all that far from Tolkien tbh.
Excellent point. I agree with your more nuanced reading of Jackson’s interpretation of Faramir and that makes me forgive PJ a little more. But I still feel that Tolkein’s Faramir recognized the ring as pure evil and made a conscious choice to not take it, for any reason. He doesn’t have to overcome a desire to wield the ring - or give it to someone else to wield - because he is able to resist it based on the strength of his convictions from the get-go. And further, to assist Frodo in completing his mission to destroy it.
Maybe we’re splitting hairs, but I still think the distinction has value.
d
I don’t really have a problem with Faramir in the movies per se, but I think his portrayal is part of a bigger issue that I have with the movies at times. It seems like Jackson & crew felt like they needed to insert more and more dramatic elements into the story than were already there. Most of these don’t serve to further the story line as much as just generating tension in the audience. Faramir’s a good example. I don’t know if it was Jackson’s point to portray all men except Aragorn as fallen and corruptable or if he was just trying to squeeze in as many obstacles for the ring bearers as he could.
It’s the same reason Aragorn goes over the cliff to his appearant death. Or the reason we’re tricked into thinking Arwen left Middle Earth.
I just think the story in the books had enough cliff hanging, tension inducing scenes without the extra drama that Jackson put in. All said though, I really love the movies.
Can someone please explain to me how a slimy knee-biter like Wormtongue managed to gain employment in the King’s court, much less become his adviser?
I mean come on! Just the name alone should have sent up red flags… And why is it that ‘evil’ people suddenly develop a distaste for personal hygiene? That should be another ‘give away’ right there, when Aragorn became King his first order should have been. “If you see anyone in my castle with greasy hair, BO and bad teeth. KICK THEM OUT OF MY KINGDOM, they are evil minions, and probably have lice too.”
Even Darth Maul suffered from this affliction, remember those teeth? EEeeeewww… Don’t the Sith have a Dental Plan? (Palpatine care?)