"The book itself sucked - but the Cliffs' Notes were riveting."

[vakkotaur]

Someone finally expressed, very well, what is amiss with J.R.R. Tolkein's writing. I agree as much as I am able. I am not able to agree with all mainly as I have not watched the movies nor gone all that far into the books. Here are the words used: http://www.livejournal.com/users/theferrett/116174.html

Comments

[melskunk.livejournal.com]

Drat, he's right.
Actually, it's no big skin off my back for that, because I always had a lot of problems with Tolkien.
Now, Huckleberry Finn, THERE'S a masterful novel.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Huck Finn is good. It was rather annoying that I almost missed Twain by being stuck with reading Tom Sawyer first. Tom Sawyer is far from most of Twain's writing, I think. What really got me to look at Twain's works was happening across The Mysterious Stranger. Not the commonly published version, but the final version with the character with the unusual name of Number 44, New Series 864 962.

[timmowarner.livejournal.com]

This guy sounds like someone who points out the flaws in a car by pointing out every way that it isn't a truck. Just get a truck and don't worry about the cars.

Some of what he says is true though, but some of what he says is true but is irrelevent to his point. I'm going to do a more detailed account when I have the energy.

That said, I often enjoy a lot of stories and movies until someone decides to wreck everything and get the plot going. Once the plot starts it's like you're on a big linear track to the end of the story. My favourite movies have no tracks to follow, or cover them so well you don't know you're following them.

Also, my favourite movies and stories go on LONG after the climax.

That said, LOTR, the book definitely went on *one* chapter too long. I'm thankful the movie will jettison that entire portion of the book.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

That'd work - if there were trucks to be found in any quantity. He points out that they are few and far between because everyone is busy making copies of the Model N Ford.

I suspect our taste in films differs. While I don't need or want a lot of action right away, I don't want to spend too much time dragging along waiting for something to happen.

[timmowarner.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but it's dumb to hate Tolkien because imitators flooded everything. Blame all the imitators and praise the people you like that did things their own way.

There's a few ways to keep things exciting in films. Just to whip off a few examples, there's Pulp Fiction where there's LOTS happening and it's all over the place so you enjoy lots of little stories that slowly make a big one.

There's 2001 that's one big long story that makes you say "Where's this going?" "I don't know, but it's a nice trip." (Or perhaps some people will say "Where's this going?" "Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...")

And there's My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service where just a bunch of stuff happens that barely goes anywhere but it's all great fun so you never even notice.

And there's all the movies that have just a basic plot, but it's so interesting and has such a good pace that it just drags you happily the entire way.
Lots of movies like that.

And of course, the only thing that really matters is "Did I like it?" when it's over.