POLL: Best Movie Trilogy Ever

[bloodfiredeath]

And on that note, while I loved the first one, Jackson has alot of making up to do for Two Towers.

What didn't you like about it?

First of all, keep in mind that I bought it this past Tuesday on DVD and all in all, it is an excellent film. However, I do think it is held to a higher standard by myself due to the subject matter, and how dorky some of us are about it.

Now I understand you can't read a movie, you can't watch a book, changes have to be made, fine. Changes that were made in the first movie were essentially not too signifigant and didn't really change the overall story at all. Mostly it was just cool stuff cut out. I had no problem with that really. However, in the Two Towers, there was just alot of stuff that was completely re-written and I just can't justify it no matter how hard I try.

- The death of Haldir just made me mad because a reasonably major character in the history of the elves got whacked. I'm not even mentioning the whole ridiculous idea of the elves coming to Hornburg (I'm sorry... Helm's Deep ), which I begrudgingly let slide even though the Elves of Lorien have no historical link with the Rohirrim.

- Faramir. I had no problem with the actor, he was fine, if not a little Dave Mustaine looking. but what the fuck? Faramir is one of my favorite characters in the book. He is a ranger, somewhat of an outcast from Gondor, and much the opposite of his brother Boromir. When he learns that Frodo has the one ring, he pretty much says, "get it the fuck out of here. that thing is bad." No, he turns out being a pud like his brother in the movie. Bullshit. And the stupid shit with Frodo being taken to Osgilath and holding up the ring to the Nazgul. Hello? End of fucking story at that point. The whole purpose of Frodo's mission is to bring the ring to Mordor in SECRET.

- Finally, the Ents. Not only was them being 'tricked' into attacking Saruman stupid in my book, but I thought that all of them besides Treebeard looked too 'Disney' for my liking.

</nerd>

 

[JayKeeley]

- Faramir. I had no problem with the actor, he was fine, if not a little Dave Mustaine looking. but what the fuck? Faramir is one of my favorite characters in the book. He is a ranger, somewhat of an outcast from Gondor, and much the opposite of his brother Boromir. When he learns that Frodo has the one ring, he pretty much says, "get it the fuck out of here. that thing is bad." No, he turns out being a pud like his brother in the movie. Bullshit. And the stupid shit with Frodo being taken to Osgilath and holding up the ring to the Nazgul. Hello? End of fucking story at that point. The whole purpose of Frodo's mission is to bring the ring to Mordor in SECRET.

Yes I agree 100%, that whole sequence update was disgraceful, but there were too many fine points in the movie that outweighed the bad. It was no "Empire Strikes Back",granted, especially since they moved Shelob into the third movie, but overall it was a worthy sequel for it's presence if anything. Helms Deep, with or without flaws, was spectacular to watch on the big screen with all that surround sound and rumblings....

...I also wish they spent more time on the destruction of Isengard, but the movie would be four hours long at that point. Having said that, the deluxe edition of the DVD - the one I'm going to wait for - has an additional 45 minutes put back in the film with more focus on the Ents battle (apparently). Quite impressive if you consider the 30 minutes they added back into the Fellowship on that deluxe release.

 

[JayKeeley]

If you voted first time around, does your vote still stand?

I went with LotR and I'm thinking about switching to Star Wars.

 

[JayKeeley]

Haha, just looking at who used to post here....absolutely nobody left from the old days.

 

[Dark One]

I went with LotR and I'm thinking about switching to Star Wars.

Both trilogies have major flaw areas, but I think Jedi is the worst movie of the 6 you're mentioning with Empire probably the best.

Rings in a photo finish.

 

[Dark One]

Haha, just looking at who used to post here....absolutely nobody left from the old days.

Perhaps in this thread, but otherwise.... *Ahem*

 

[JayKeeley]

Yeah, I meant the thread, heh. I forgot all about folks like Weapon X and BloodFireDeath.

Both trilogies have major flaw areas, but I think Jedi is the worst movie of the 6 you're mentioning with Empire probably the best.

Yep, that's the exact same logic I used. I think I went with SW only because it's got more of a re-watchable factor. If I was stuck for something to watch, of those 6 I'd always go with Empire. It is a close call though.

Also, where once I thought Return of the King was the best installment, I actually think it's Fellowship now. The moment where the Fellowship is formed at Rivendell through to the end of that movie is probably the best 90 minutes of all 3 LotR films.

 

[Dark One]

The moment where the Fellowship is formed at Rivendell through to the end of that movie is probably the best 90 minutes of all 3 LotR films.

Tough call, you may be right about that, though the Battle of Pelennor Fields gives it a serious run for it's money.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

Starwars and LOTR, but god damn... DIE HARD is fucking incredible too!

 

[JayKeeley]

You know, for pure directing expertise, and not relying on CGI, the battle on the river banks at the end of Fellowship is a work of genius. Peter Jackson had cameras on all sorts of overheard cables etc, it's just a fascinating segment of 'hand to hand' combat, right through to Boromir's death.

Also, something Jackson got right, and what so many other directors get wrong is knowing how far to keep the camera from the action. Too far and it looks too choreographed, and too near and it's a messy haze. (see: fight scenes in Gladiator or The Bourne Supremacy, way way too close to see what's what).

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

one thing I dont like about Boromir is that he had like 30 orcs around him in the book and it wasnt like that for the movie. he is such a massive badass that they kinda turned into a pansy in the movies.

 

[Dark One]

You know, The Godfather Trilogy absolutely warrants consideration on a whole different level. Part III was of course the weak link (though still enjoyable), while Parts I and II are near cinematic perfection, with off the charts acting, direction and dialogue.

I'd throw it right in the mix with SW and LotR.

 

[Sadguru]

LotR, no contest.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Antonioni's trilogy is the best of all times, but i'll play by the rules and choose LOTR, considering the fact that it's the one i've seen more times than all the others.

 

[Evil?]

As great as LoTR is, Star Wars hold a special place in this heart of mine. For the simple reason that I have loved those movies my entire life, SW gets the vote.

 

[Dark One]

As great as LoTR is, Star Wars hold a special place in this heart of mine. For the simple reason that I have loved those movies my entire life, SW gets the vote.

I know just what you mean, my strongest arguments for placing the original SW trilogy at the top of the mountain are this and of course Empire.

Jason

 

[dill_the_devil]

I didn't vote last time out, so now the thread's been resurrected, I'm going for The Godfather. Personally, I think Godfather III stands up as an equally important part of the trilogy, showing Michael Corleone's gradual struggle back to some sort of humanity after the absolute nadir of his moral descent at the end of Godfather II.

Star Wars, while it does hold a special place in my heart, is hamstrung by wooden performances, clunky pacing and shitty dialogue (nope, I haven't got the original trilogy mistake with eps I, II and III - every Star Wars film had the same problems, even The Empire Strikes Back - tell me after a while of that awkward switching back-and-forth between Luke on Dagobah and Han on Bespin you didn't wish they'd just stick with the Cloud City sequences, 'cause after Luke cuts the Darth Luke thing's head off, the Dagobah sequences get a bit dull).

LoTR is a fantastic trilogy also, but for sheer excellence in just about every possible department (Michael Corleone's character development thoughout the series is masterful, the technical aspects and the scale of the production are untouchable, the attention to detail and symbolism - just everything, really), Godfather ftw.

Also, the homo-erotic subtext between Frodo and Samwise in LoTR gets on my tits.

 

[JayKeeley]

See, I think Godfather III is redundant compared to the first two. If it was an equal, this trilogy would be the greatest by far.

By the way, that sequence in The Godfather 1 where Michael has to move his father to a different hospital room when he discovers there's going to be hit...well, that's one of the most beautiful movie segments ever put to film. Yes, there are several, and many just in this movie, but for me, that particular scene is glorious, down to the use of lights, shadows, and that hazy shade of orange.

 

[dill_the_devil]

Totally agree with you there - the cinematography in the first two parts in particular is utterly gorgeous.

By the way, did you know that, in the scene where several members of the Corleone family are carrying Don Vito upstairs to his bedroom after he returns from hospital, Marlon Brando had hidden loads of rocks inside his clothes, making himself really heavy and hard to carry for the actors?

What a joker.

 

[JayKeeley]

haha, plus he was a fat bastard to begin with.

What about that scene in Apocalypse Now when Martin Sheen starts wigging out in his room, only to have a heart attack...but he insisted that the camera crew keep filming.