(no subject)

[serai]

Just popped over to the TORn message boards to see what's going on. I don't post there anymore (got tired of all the bitching), but now and then an interesting thread will come up. Having perused the Movie discussions today, I find myself faced once again with the question that always pesters me over there.

Why would anyone go on and on and obsess endlessly over something they don't like?

I mean, I can see squeeing without limit over something you're into. That's a given. I could go on forever about the things I love. But when it comes to the stuff I dislike, I kinda wanna NOT think about it. I mean, what's the point? Where's the fun in raking something over the coals, and reiterating again and again your feeling of why LOTR was "ruined" or that this or that scene is "awful" or something you hate? Granted, I can rant about our government 'til the cows come home, but when it's something you're free to ignore, why not do so?

Yeesh.

Comments

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Too short to drink bad wine, that's for sure.

I can talk about the things that didn't thrill me, too. But there are some folks over there who don't seem to have a good word for the films at all. Every time they talk about them, it's always negative. Those are the ones that puzzle me. If you hate the film that much, why the hell think about them? Why get into it? Aren't there other things to spend one's energy on? If these people are so defensive about the books, then why not just go over to Reading and talk about the books?

I get the distinct impression that some people go on like this just to piss on someone else's parade. They can't seem to stand seeing others enjoying the films and talking about it, so they feel compelled to throw their sour two cents in.

[serai1.livejournal.com]

What's really amusing to me about these "perfectionists" is the fact that they're not really arguing that the movies aren't like the books. What they're really pissed about is that the movies arent' like their personal mental vision of the books. I've seen some of them piss on PJ's films for not "getting it right" when it's JUST as the book describes, but it's not how THEY saw it. As if it were possibile, or even desirable, for a filmmaker to make the movie that's in YOUR head! That cracks me up. So what about the movie that's in each and every other fan's head?

And you know what? These same pissymouths would be the first to scream bloody murder if they were making an LOTR adaptation and somebody tried to tell them what to do. It's this whole idea that my interpretation is better than anyone else's, so there!! It's so grade school. And it got so damn boring trying to make any of them understand the difference between book and film. There's really no talking to any of them. They just like to piss on things.

I can't imagine not loving these films. Yes, they have faults, but when you look at the whole, what an amazing achievement they are, and factor in what we COULD have gotten - no contest. No way. They're a blessing, and no one's ever going to convince me otherwise.

Don't you wish sometimes that you could pop over to some alternate universe and bring back a version made by, say, Michael Bay, and force these whingers to sit down and watch it? Maybe then they'd stop carping about PJ's work and find some fucking gratitude for once.

[oxer12.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I was very surprised at the level of negativity over there about the ROTK EE. Seems like there was nothing but bitching for the first few days, then some grudging acceptance.

I don't get it either. Especially since it's not like it's a big shocker that a movie can never be exactly like the book. They're two different mediums with differing requirements!

Sheesh...

[serai1.livejournal.com]

That level of negativity has been there every step of the way. Every time a film or a DVD was released, the storm of bitching and pissing and whining and moaning was incredible. Most of it coming about because these people didn't get the exact version of LOTR that was in their heads when they read the book. I actually saw a guy bitching about the fact that Miranda Otto's face is not long and thin, because that's how he saw it when he read the book. Imagine completely dismissing a wonderful performance by a talented actress simply because you don't like the shape of her face! That level of prejudice I just cannot wrap my head around. And it's pretty common over there. People cry ruination over the dumbest things.

[goldberry-b.livejournal.com]

I was at a group showing of ROTK with a crowd of TORN sibs several of whom good naturedly cracked jokes about scenes throughout

what really surprised me was towards the end the same ones who were snarking were sobbing the hardest, tears streaming I tell you!

(not that they were picking the film apart or anything, I"m just more reverant than that LOL!!)

so passions run deep and complex in the fandom, no surprise there.. and its fitting that those of us who appreciate fan fiction also appreciate the almost miraculous films that PJ and company have given us.. I will always be grateful there are scenes that disappointed me a great deal way but I have little interest in talking about that

there are too many scenes that are a gift beyond anything I could imagine.. the ones that didn't quite work for me, I have the book

back to your question...I don't go to movie for that reason Life is too short indeed and I have real problems
.. I don't have time to follow the reading room although I've been known to lurk there... I simply pop into Main from timme to time to keep up with some of the wonderful folks I've met there

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Snarking, heehee! Well, I usually can't resist muttering "Thank you, Captain Obvious" practically any time Legolas opens his mouth. (Poor Orlando! No matter how hard they tried, he still got stuck being a watchdog, mostly.) But there's a difference (to me, at least) between MSTing, which can be done to any film no matter how good, and the kind of mean-spirited ripping I see at TORn. There's a haughtiness about the criticisms there that often admits to no worth for opinions other than their own. I wish there'd been a board for discussion of the films that was positive, and that didn't allow for any bashing of this sort. My enjoyment of the films was often tainted with shock or sadness at how cavalier a lot of those people were towards the feelings of those who see these films as a gift. *sigh* I suppose it was my own fault for continuing to go there...

[fantasy-fan.livejournal.com]

Yep, I've abandoned Movie too. Haven't posted on that board in forever, don't bother to read it. I still enjoy other parts of TORn, but I couldn't stand the bitchiness there.

I mean, if you're going to be bitchy, it ought to be about the government!

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Yah. Every now and then I find some factoid that's interesting, but usually all I have to do is skim the thread titles and I can see it's mostly carping and bitching. I get the feeling that a lot of the positive people aren't posting there anymore - the mix appears to be weighted more towards the negative these days.

Oh well, whatever. I still love the films, and none of the naysayers can change that.