I posted this in Elijah's hugs Haven too, but I thought you all might be interested to read it too....

From the Richmond and Twickenham Times this week :-


"Streets transformed for star's new film
By Times reporter


RESIDENTS gathered outside a Brentford pub on Tuesday night to see its ground floor windows being smashed, a huge brawl break out in the street and the Lord of the Rings film star Elijah Wood fall through the doors carrying a blood soaked friend before escaping in a stolen car.

But locals do not need to fear a violent crime wave. The streets around Brentford Football Club's Griffin Park ground on Ealing Road were the scene of filming for "The Yank."

Elijah Wood, AKA Frodo of Lord of the Rings fame, was on set on Monday and Tuesday to shoot scenes for the film, in which he stars alongside Charlie Hunnam. The film by Lexi Alexander is about an American seduced by football hooliganism, and The Griffin public house, on Brook Road South, has been transformed into the "Brigid Abbey" for several of the film's scenes. Further scenes were also shot at Brentford football ground, which is less than 100 metres from the pub.

Landlord Ralph Clifton was pleased to say that the Fuller's pub was returned to it's former glory by the following day. He added that business wasn't affected by the filming: "We put the regulars upstairs in the function room. We must be the only pub in England that's had Elijah Wood serving pints."

Locals were allowed on set to watch, as long as they stood out of range of the strong set lights to avoid casting tell-tale shadows on the floor. Despite the rain, many turned out to watch the actors, some of whom were actual members of the West Ham and Millwall football firms', rehearse the fight scenes ready for the final takes.

Residents were notified of the filming although gaining access to properties proved difficult as police kept cars waiting to avoid being in shot. However, the excitement of watching a Hollywood star in action seemed to quell any grumbles.

The film is scheduled for release in 2005."

What a huge shame that I have to work so hard this week...Richmond is just around the corner from Ealing....

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Originally posted by honeyelf
And my hubby drug me to the first movie. I was expecting lots of swords and sorcery and green suns with little reasoning or "real" emotional experience. Wow, was I wrong!
One of our advantages in the '60's -- We didn't have a preconception of "fantasy". OTOH, it took me awhile to figure out what LotR was -- it would kind of sound historical for awhile, but then it would "swerve" somewhere else... It was even harder to explain it to my friends--there just wasn't a vocabulary for it. I only knew it was the most amazing book I'd ever read, and that it was a lot more real to me than any historical novel had ever been.

That "Sin City" role sounds amazing! I'm imaging a door opening to reveal an evil little grin similar to the Ring-grin, which we glimpse only for a second. When Kevin realizes we are observing him the smile becomes one of complete, blinding innocence, (maybe a little like that first shot in fotr.)
I'd expect "innocent looking" Kevin to be quite a bit better at that than Frodo is (Frolijah,at least--I have the feeling book-Frodo would be a pretty good poker player). I've been screencapping the Forbidden Pool scene, and have been getting a bit of a chuckle out of how bad an actor Frodo is. No wonder Gollum was a mite suspicious :p ! Seems as if that would be a hard thing for an actor to portray believably--kind of like needing to be really agile to convincingly fall down a lot onscreen ;) .


Everything is Illuminated stuff




I saw a Marc Chagall print last night, and thought "Trachimbrod!" I wonder if it was what JFS was visualizing when he wrote those chapters, with all the colors smeared everywhere, and the carts full of butterflies, and carcasses swinging beneath? Wouldn't it be so cool if that was the art direction they came from for Trachimbrod? Am really looking forward to seeing those scenes now!
I have a number of Chagall paintings on my hard drive, but since I haven't read the book yet ( :o yeah, I know, I'm really out of the loop here) I don't know which ones would really fit it. I'll try to get my homework done sometime... but I don't know when... Pesky RL :rolleyes:




End of Everything is Illuminated stuff


from Narya
...I let it go on here for a bit because it originated in a discussion about Elijah and managed to get back to him once in a while...
Well, yeah, we pretty much always start out talking about Elijah... :rolleyes: [See, I'm a good girl, I am ;) . Had written a long paragraph about Chagall but deleted it before I posted. With the art discussion in the Cathedral "open for business" again, I may put something over there later.]


from Lady Wendy
What a huge shame that I have to work so hard this week...Richmond is just around the corner from Ealing....
Gee, don't you feel a bit of *cough, cough* flu *cough, cough, sneeze* coming on? :p


King of the Hill notes:

Just checked our local Fox Network channel and they're running two episodes of King of the Hill back-to-back tonight. So if you turn on the first one and don't "see" Elijah, don't worry. The first episode centers on one of the characters who's a car racing fan. The second episode is the one that centers on Luanne and the protesters. Elijah's listed in the credits for the episode; quite a ways down, because they list all the series regulars first. (BTW, a quick reminder that Brittany Murphy, who voices Luanne, is also Mumbles' "leading lady" in Happy Feet, so this is a chance to see them in their animated human personas.)

-----------------------

I just read the King of the Hill post and turned on Fox TV right away. Is Elijah the short (*snerk*) protester with the glasses? He looks like an even geekier version of what he was in the Faculty. He appears to be using a deeper voice than usual. But then again, I'm not even sure if that's him.

And Elijah is going to out-creep Mickey Rourke? Wow. Rourke is pretty high up on the creep ladder; I'm impressed.

Yep, erendis, that was him :) . I'd know that voice even if they hadn't drawn him to look pretty much like himself. Pretty geeky looking, but that's just our boy (when he's wearing glasses) :) . Someone must have checked out his usual wardrobe, 'cause he was definitely dressed like himself :p . His voice might have been a bit deeper than usual, but IMHO not so much that it made it really "different" from his normal voice.

You must have posted while I was editing my "report" into my last post--but it was written before I read yours. --


King of the Hill report:

Well, it wasn't much, but it was cute :) . The character was drawn to look like Elwood--with glasses and his "signature" untucked shirt (the other two guys with him both wore t-shirts, IIRC, so I'm guessing his was on purpose). Normal length hair, BTW. He was one of three college guys who help Luanne set up her protest--mostly because she's cute. He had the most lines of the three, but none of them were "big parts." The three guys end up getting arrested for throwing eggs at a policeman. Oh, the character was drawn at Elijah's height, too. Funny I didn't even think of that as something to watch for--just seems part of him, I guess :) .

Nothing big, but it was fun to see what he looked like in animation as himself.

hallo ladys!!
just pop in to say,have you seen the new pics from the yank.on the you know what link???
maybe i should warn you if you dont like blood!!
:k :D :eek: :cool:

Hello ladies. Wonderful discussions - where's that not-worthy smilie when you want him? I'm not posting much lately, but lurking, as ever.

Wood, thanks to you and Rikka for posting the lovely pics of Elijah. There is rather a lot of blood in some of those new 'The Yank' pics. But this one is just delightful - and I would say he's totally Elijah there, rather than his character!

Elijah - ah! (http://www.imagemagician.com/images/blossom/Elijah-ah!.jpg)

RE: EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED

I've just finished the book, and won't pretend I understand it completely. To my mind there are still questions left unanswered -or maybe it's just my simple mind missing things. I need to read it again. I agree it would be a real stretch for Elijah if he played both Jonathan and Safran - but considering Safran's age, surely Elijah could only portray him towards the end of the story? It will be interesting to see how it's adapted from book to film, whether it will be very sexually/violently graphic etc - but he has said he would like to take on more 'adult' roles - not sure if I'm quite ready for that!:) But it's a funny, moving, and at times harrowing, work. This could be wonderful for Elijah.

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED; END

Carry on.

Zk-

The other was at the end of Pippen's song: "Awwwww, he made the hobbit cry!" I'm still giggling.

No way! Tears stream from my eyes every time that song ends - it's one of the most moving non-cannon segments of the all 3 movies, imho (along with the lighting of the beacons across the ME/NZ Alps). And you laughed!!!
(Not like I don't chuckle myself at Frodo's 'Now that I'm here...' which Elijah does exquisitely ).

The giggling was because of the person that I went to see RotK with that time (now just *TRY* to diagram that sentence!! ;) ), and because of the Hand Puppet Theater rendition. My friend and I looked at each other at the end of Pippen's song and said, in unision, the "Awwwww..." line. Of course, we both had tears in our eyes.

My goodness you ladies have been busy this weekend! Thanks for the neat pics! As much as I don't like paparazzi, it's fun to keep up with how filming is going.

That really sweet one looking down at the little girl brings to mind PJ's comment that "Elijah feels something and it shows on his face" (or was it "in his eyes"?) That's an example. It looks like it was an unguarded moment.

Re: not-favorite scenes with Sean/Sam - I've got a few with Elijah/Frodo, too. The first one where he pops up on hearing Gandalf's voice - I was unprepared for those eyes - PJ should have eased the audience in gradually to avoid shock ;) . He just struck me as funny-looking. Another is the scene where the Cave Troll skewered him. It just went on too long, and then when he fell over (which was effective), the spear was under his left arm, though he was stabbed on the right. It became an even less favorite scene when I saw the Shelob scene - also too long. I think PJ really did overdo the closeups sometimes.

Another was at the beginning of TTT, before Smeagol, when they're looking toward Mordor, and there's the telescoping shot into a closeup of The Eye. I that expression was over-acted somehow. Compared with the scene at the end of FotR, when Frodo had the ring on and he looked over the top of the wazzis and saw The Eye, TTT shot was just overdone.

OTOH, I really liked the "When? Where" in the Window on the West scene, as well as the explanation of the nine who set out from Rivendell. Frodo's "One, we lost in Moria...", he just looked so sad. ::: sniffle :::

~grumpy :::: slipping on ring to avoid various rotten vegetables thrown by faculty members :::: ;)

I actually agree with those, grumpy. In the Shelob scene with the foam, I found his expression very odd, almost like he was saying, "Gee -- I don't feel very well." And all I could think, both in this scene and the one with the Cave Troll in Moria, was "fall down already." He made some pretty weird noises when the WiKi stabbed him on Weathertop too.

I have one other quibble -- that foppy little fall he does in Gorgoroth when the Eye is on him and Sam. I thought that was just a bit too "stylized". But heck -- if those are my only objections after almost 10 hours of film, I think that's doing pretty well.

Elijah had one for himself, it appears. On the TTT commentary, he says during his delivery of a line for the extended scene in Ithilien, when Faramir's men are holding him, that he had a hard time with it and didn't think he did it well. He was right. It came off sounding very forced.

Ah, but we loves him, my precioussss -- despite any of that, he can still do no wrong in my eyes!

Honey chucks vegetables at Achila, and at the lingering puff of smoke where ZK was only a moment ago.:) ;)

:eek: "Foppy little fall?":eek: :eek:

Humph! I happen to like that moment very much!

However I do have my own slight cringing moments. :D :D The "Roast Chicken!?!" scene came off a bit over the top I thought. Though this might have been due to placement; in fact it took me seeing it at Trilogy Tuesday, right after FoTR to really begin to warm to it.

Oh, and the scene where Frodo snaps at Gollum; "Don't touch me!" Somehow it didn't seem very in character for Frodo. That line in particular. I like the bits preceeding it very much, where Gollum is talking about what the Ring does to It's bearer.

And ZK, I have to give agree that Frodo's first appearance in FoTR was a bit much. First two time I saw it I thought, "computer graphics runneth amok! Nobody's eyes are that big!" One of the reasons it took a third viewing:) for me to begin to "get" Frodo!

Gotta go to work. Have fun!
Honey!

Honey, ZK, and Achila...
That "Foppy Little Fall" scene happens to be one of my favourites too...( among how many thousands ? :D)

In fact, I have requested it to be screencapped at Shadow's Live Journal site, which she has now done...to devestating effect, I may add :eek: :D !!( please PM me for the link, if you want to see it )
I don't know wether it is the lighting in that scene, or what, but his face, even under all the dirt and grime, is quite arresting, and the eyes are extremely blue, even more than normal...the lighting is very dark, stormy and dramatic...very contrasty indeed, and I think this is lighting that just suits his face enormously well...

As for the beginning of FOTR...when he gets to his feet from under the tree, I do believe that someone described this as the Money Shot...
In other words, if the Book-fans were going to love these films at all. then this was the shot that would sell Elijah as Frodo to them, which would, in turn, tell them that this film-adaptation was really going to work because the central character was all right, despite many people having misgivings about Elijah in this role, at the time...and from then on, the rest would be a doddle !! So this particular shot was SO important to get right...and it certainly sold Elijah Wood to me :D :D L:D !!!

Originally posted by Achila
In the Shelob scene with the foam, I found his expression very odd, almost like he was saying, "Gee -- I don't feel very well." And all I could think, both in this scene and the one with the Cave Troll in Moria, was "fall down already." He made some pretty weird noises when the WiKi stabbed him on Weathertop too.
All I remember hearing when the WiKi stabbed him was that scream!! -- which was almost more realistic than I could take. Would have to watch it again, I guess, to remember any other noises--the scream must have overwhelmed them for me.

The "skewering" scene was discussed quite a bit right after the FotR movie came out (as you can imagine), and a few people who'd had something like that happen to them said it was quite realistic. I had an experience like that, but it was when I was pretty little and I don't remember much about it--but I do have a recollection of being conscious for awhile, then not, and waking up as a neighbor carried me home. It's a case of a blow to the chest knocking the wind out of you and you slowly pass out from not being able to breathe--it's not an instantaneous "getting knocked out." PJ could probably have avoided some criticism if he'd made it a different kind of blow so Frodo would have dropped immediately, but the way he did it isn't unrealistic. There was also discussion that it was correct for Frodo to wake up when Aragorn turned him over--that would have let him start breathing again.

Now, I have no idea what someone looks like when they get stung by a giant spider ;) , so I can't say whether that was "realistic" or not. The venom would have to reach the central nervous system, but I have no idea how long that would take. I'm not fond of the foaming and the facial expression, but audience reaction has been good. Everybody jumps and gasps at the moment he gets stung--that's timed marvelously IMHO--and I think it takes them a few moments to recover. Maybe that's why I haven't heard any complaints that it takes too long. After you see it a few times, so the sting doesn't startle you, it's easier to notice the expression.

I have one other quibble -- that foppy little fall he does in Gorgoroth when the Eye is on him and Sam. I thought that was just a bit too "stylized".
OME, yes!! (I'd remove the "just a bit" though :rolleyes: .) I have heard some unfriendly audience reaction to that. Somebody must have liked it, though, or it wouldn't be there. Is there anyone here who really likes it, and can explain why? Edit after reading Lady Wendy's post: I notice you don't say anything about the action itself--the way he falls--and, especially, it being shown in slow motion. That's what bothers me about the shot. Maybe I need to turn my attention to the sky and the lighting... :) .

Also--IIRC, we can blame the "Money Shot" designation on Dom (what a surprise ;) ), during the cast commentary. It's not one of my favorites, although I knew there wasn't any computer magic going on. I think it just added to my fears that Frodo was going to be played too young and innocent. He redeemed himself with 'He's gone, hasn't he?' (I always love that line, because it's so completely British. An American would say, "He's gone, isn't he?" Just thinking about it now, they must give the contraction different meanings. The American version would be, "He is gone, isn't he?" while the British one, I'm guessing would be, 'He has gone, hasn't he?' [Note the cunning use of British and American quotation marks :p .]

Elijah had one for himself, it appears. On the TTT commentary, he says during his delivery of a line for the extended scene in Ithilien, when Faramir's men are holding him, that he had a hard time with it and didn't think he did it well. He was right. It came off sounding very forced.
The one about those who are fighting the Enemy doing well not to hinder him? Yes, I noticed that one, too. It's a straight book canon line, and I think it's a bit too formal for movie-Frodo, especially at a moment when he should be scared out of his wits. Book-Frodo, OTOH, has the ability to switch smoothly from one speaking style to another, depending on whom he's talking to, and he'd be able to "speak Gondorian" to Faramir without having it sound so forced. I'm guessing the only reason the line's in the EE is to give a set-up for Faramir's lines (lifted from Sam's internal dialogue) about the fallen "enemy." Later on, when Frodo's had a bit of a chance to pull himself together, I think the book canon lines about the members of the Fellowship work well. He's purposely speaking formally; it sounds as if it's not the way he's used to talking, but that's perfectly realistic under the circumstances, IMHO.

from zkgrumpy
Another was at the beginning of TTT, before Smeagol, when they're looking toward Mordor, and there's the telescoping shot into a closeup of The Eye. I that expression was over-acted somehow...
I thought Frodo's reaction afterward was perfect--the breathlessness and clutching at the Ring. But the expression with the wide eyes and the wide mouth with clenched teeth seemed, well, like a cliche--almost like something a cartoon character would do so the audience didn't miss the point (which Elijah doesn't need :rolleyes: ). Part of my problem with it may have been that it was such an extreme close-up, showing only a portion of his face--added to the "cartoonish" effect, I think.

But, except for that one moment, I think the event works well. I've said before that it's changed forever the way I think of book-Frodo's statement that he wants to find a way out of the Emyn Muil to get out of the line of sight of the cloud around Barad-dur because "There's an Eye in it." :eek:

But heck -- if those are my only objections after almost 10 hours of film, I think that's doing pretty well.
Well, if we're talking about the entire film, and not just Elijah, I'll throw in Elrond's, "You shall be-e-e... the Fellowship of the Ring!" :rolleyes: , and Gimli's burping... But, yeah, not too bad on the whole :p . We also need to factor in how many times we've seen 'em ;) . IMHO, if we'd seen each movie only once, we'd simply remember them as great movies and the little "blips" of annoyance would fade from memory.

---------------------

Y/H notes -- The blood doesn't bother me in the pics where Elijah's smiling--it's so obviously fake and he seems to be enjoying himself. Not sure how much realism I'll be able to take, though.

I joined the Yanks yahoo group, because you have to join to see any pictures or posts. The pictures lagged behind the fan site, which lags behind the site unlinkable, so I didn't get much from it. I'm not going to unsubscribe just yet--we'll see if things pick up. There are two or three posters in the group who live near the filming and who seem to keep track of exactly where filming is going to take place and when, so for anyone in the vicinity, that might be useful.

---------

And one more thought on King of the Hill -- I didn't make the connection until this morning, and it very likely was coincidental, but I still got a chuckle out of it: When Luanne mentions that she lives with her uncle, Elijah's character says, "Now, this uncle you're talking about, he's a real uncle, right? Not just some older dude who's your boyfriend?" It just struck me as funny, considering the years of debate there's been over what the real relationship between Frodo and Bilbo was. :p (Whether you take the safer route of their actual blood relationship, or go farther afield.)

Sometimes, I like to wander in the wonderful world of LOTR related sites, going from link to link (it takes you to some very odd places sometimes, the LOTR fandom has all sorts of people) and I found this.

I can't link it (it's from a LiveJournal) and...sadly...I don't even know the source but here's an interview with Sean Astin. He talks about Elijah Wood. (sorry if this old news)
I haven't read this before and maybe some of you haven't eiter.
Q: How have you and Elijah Wood (Frodo) developed and sustained the strong bond between you? And has it gotten stronger?
S.A. When you come together with a common purpose, you know you've got to do that and that there is no option. As a professional you know you've got to become friends now. And I think that successful marriages that have worked out over the years have a similar approach. There's no question that it has to work, it just has to work. So when bad things happen, or frustrating things happen or you let each other down, you remember to be forgiving because there is no option. And we keep coming back together because we're meant to. It's our obligation to the studio; it's our obligation to each other, our commitment to the film. There is a quality of mercurial, chemical, majesty about it, but I think you can appreciate that even more so if there is some sort of foundation of honesty about why things happen the way they happen. I think we are all totally committed to being honest with each other. Even if we are pissed off with each other I think we have a genuine level of respect and appreciation for the individuality of each member of our group. Peter Jackson and Fran (Walsh, the producer/screenwriter) deserve a lot of credit for going through the world and finding the right people. Good hires, fielding a good team together. It's not like a sports franchise where every year you get to re-look at it and you have a new crop of people. They made a decision in the early part of May 1999, and that team that they fielded then is still here today and will be during the DVDs next year. So, pretty good judges of character, our Peter and Fran.

Q:But you and Elijah are still good friends.
S.A. Well he was part of the reason I wanted to do the movies. I had been aware of his work. I had known who he was for the past 10 years. We hadn'! t met, but I'd seen almost all of his movies except Flipper. And I don't think he'll forgive me because I made sure I watched it in New Zealand and let everyone know that I watched it in New Zealand and he kept sinking every time I'd bring it up. I'd say, "It's FUNNY, It's funny, FLIPPER!" And he's smoking his cigarettes and drinking his brandy and being adult and mature, and I'm like "Flipper!" But he also go to play The Artful Dodger, he got to play Huck Fin. I just saw The Ice Storm just before I met him. He did those great potato chip commercials with Dan Quayle. I really admired him. He did Forever Young, and North... I knew all his movies. And I knew them because, thought I'm ten years older than him, as a child actor I marveled at the sophistication of his choices and the fact that he was so successful. I was maybe even a little envious because I was older than him and I couldn't go back in time. There was a quality of envy in his maturation process and the way that he approached his craft and you could see it. I wondered "why did the directors want to hire him so much? These world-class filmmakers want to work with him. Why? Is it just looks? No, there's something else that's going on there." And I couldn't figure it out. Part of it was the way his mom raised him; part of it is just who he is as an artist. So when my agent said that it looks like Elijah's going to do the movie, I hadn't read the books but I thought, "I was going to be Elijah's sidekick, I could do that! I could definitely be a great complement to him. I think I'll have a lot of value to bring to him. And it will be fun, and I'll learn from him." I really thought I would learn from him. And from our first meeting to today there has been a genuine love bond, a kind of fraternal thing that we have with each other.

Q: Did you come away from the movie having learned some really important things from Elijah?
S.A. Oh man, everyday. He's unbelievable. He's not perfect, he's still ten years younger than me and there are still life, world things that I would teach him. But he is like a thousand years old in his soul and you get this when you talk to him. And there is real goodness just flowing through him. I learned his stamina. He was 18 years old and I didn't want to believe that because I was 10 years older than him physically it wouldn't be as easy for me. But the universe can be cruel at showing what your own limitations are. But he was so physically malleable and the elasticity of his body and his trust. Yes, I learned a lot from him.
If the person who originally posted this is reading this thread...thanks!
:)
Does anybody know where this interview comes from?

As for the beginning of FOTR...when he gets to his feet from under the tree, I do believe that someone described this as the Money Shot...
In other words, if the Book-fans were going to love these films at all. then this was the shot that would sell Elijah as Frodo to them, which would, in turn, tell them that this film-adaptation was really going to work because the central character was all right, despite many people having misgivings about Elijah in this role, at the time...and from then on, the rest would be a doddle !! So this particular shot was SO important to get right...and it certainly sold Elijah Wood to me
LOL...yep, the money shot sure worked for me too.


Wood: the message board on the TORN site can be found if you click on "discussion" on the left side of the Home page of TORN.

Originally posted by tgshaw

All I remember hearing when the WiKi stabbed him was that scream!! -- which was almost more realistic than I could take. Would have to watch it again, I guess, to remember any other noises--the scream must have overwhelmed them for me.


I'm sorry, tg, I didn't mean precisely when he was stabbed, but all the gasping when he began to pass into the shadow world. Sorry -- I should've been more clear on that. There's one set of...gee...I don't even know what you'd call these noises -- not gasps or moans -- not sure....when Arwen says the line about the five wraiths following them ("Where the other four are, I do not know.") -- that I also find kind of funny. Granted, I don't know what a Morgul blade would feel like if you were stabbed with one, and maybe that's a perfect response :).


Originally posted by tgshaw

PJ could probably have avoided some criticism if he'd made it a different kind of blow so Frodo would have dropped immediately, but the way he did it isn't unrealistic. There was also discussion that it was correct for Frodo to wake up when Aragorn turned him over--that would have let him start breathing again.


Well, perhaps it's that extreme closeup there that is the problem. Some weird facial expressions there again.


Originally posted by tgshaw

The one about those who are fighting the Enemy doing well not to hinder him? Yes, I noticed that one, too.


Yep -- that's the one.



Originally posted by tgshaw

Well, if we're talking about the entire film, and not just Elijah, I'll throw in Elrond's, "You shall be-e-e... the Fellowship of the Ring!" :rolleyes: , and Gimli's burping...


I meant Elijah, but oh, I have a few of *those* to contribute too -- Sam's slomo "Shaaare the loooaadddd....", Frodo's slomo, "Gandaaaaaalllfff???" in the Houses of the Healing -- just about any of Pete's unneeded slomo, in fact (some of it is perfect, tho.), yep -- "You shall be-e-e-e...." -- that one cracks me up every time and is only exacerbated by Pip's "Great -- where are we going?" bit.

All in all, you've gotta admit, that's nothing to write home about:)


Moondancer, you obviously frequent the same boards/sites as I do -- I saw that interview but it didn't have a source as far as I could tell.

Originally posted by tgshaw
Somebody must have liked it, though, or it wouldn't be there. Is there anyone here who really likes it, and can explain why? Edit after reading Lady Wendy's post: I notice you don't say anything about the action itself--the way he falls--and, especially, it being shown in slow motion. That's what bothers me about the shot.

I know I've heard a lot of criticism of the way he falls, but I liked it and it worked for me :D. Behind him, we see Sam throwing himself to the ground to 'hide' from the eye. Sam's is an act of volition - he is choosing to get himself out of the way. Elijah as Frodo turns, as if pulled toward the eye - and then he does that thing with his feet. :p My first thought when I saw it was he's not falling down because he wants to - he's had his feet knocked right out from under him. That's what it looks like to me - as if there is a physical force that reaches out and pulls his feet right out from under him. The rest of the fall reminds me of the fall into the water in the Dead Marshes. He doesn't try to cushion his fall, or put his hands out so his head doesn't strike the ground. Instead, his whole body falls as if his mind is so trapped by the eye itself that he has no knowledge of his physical self. It's the very loss of all physical control that makes it work for me. As for it being in slo-mo, I don't think they could convey the extent to which he isn't consciously controlling his fall if they showed it in real time - or the sense that emotionally / psychically he isn't completely there as he falls.

Tgshaw,
I notice you don't say anything about the action itself--the way he falls--and, especially, it being shown in slow motion. That's what bothers me about the shot. Maybe I need to turn my attention to the sky and the lighting... .

Oh, I simply LOVE the way he manages to fall down with such abandonment..
What Narya has said, just now, sums it up absolutely perfectly for me..it really is a perfect illustration of someone falling when they have had all the willpower knocked out of them, and the floor pulled from under their feet...there is no attempt at stopping himself from falling, and indeed, no attempt to soften the impact, and let's face it, the side of Mt Doom isn't the nicest terrain in Middle-Earth, is it ?...
So how does he DO it, so convincingly ? We've discussed before his talent for running, tripping, falling down, and getting up to run again sequences in other films, but here, he does a different kind of fall...he actually swoons, in other words, he loses consciousness, and therefore control of his fall..and that has to be one of the hardest things to do, as an actor, don't you think ?
Indeed, go and see it capped in all its glory at Shadow's place...it's truly wonderful !!!

As for bits of his acting that I didn't quite get on with...well, Shelob's sting and the foaming at the mouth bit just doesn't do it for me...I think that Peter was a little over-indulgent with the industrial-strength Rabies-foam...just looked a little too soapy to me !! The slow-motion didn't help, as it elongated the scene a little to unnecessarily for me....the ugh-factor was too high here methinks, although I do agree that the audience reaction is constantly wonderful to behold...and the same is true for the cave-troll skewering in the Mines of Moria...too much slo-mo grimacing...in a way, I'd have preferred it if Peter had gone for the sudden shock of seeing Frodo fall to the ground with a hefty spear sticking out of him, and let the camera stay on him on the ground...maybe, I don't know really...I'm no film-maker !!

Originally posted by Narya Celebrian
...My first thought when I saw it was he's not falling down because he wants to - he's had his feet knocked right out from under him. That's what it looks like to me - as if there is a physical force that reaches out and pulls his feet right out from under him. The rest of the fall reminds me of the fall into the water in the Dead Marshes. He doesn't try to cushion his fall, or put his hands out so his head doesn't strike the ground. Instead, his whole body falls as if his mind is so trapped by the eye itself that he has no knowledge of his physical self...
Yes, he's definitely in dead hobbit mode before he hits the ground! And I "get" his turning against his will to face the Eye. But who or what would want to knock his feet out from under him? Wouldn't both the Eye and the Ring (with its movie-given will) want him to stay upright? Or is it Frodo himself--without enough control to drop to the ground as he normally would, but just enough will left to know he has to get down somehow, so he does it the only way he can?

I guess it's kind of ironic that what bothers me about it is that the fall itself looks too "dainty" for what's actually going on--"balletic" is one word I've heard used. You'd think it would be just the opposite, if he has no physical control. But that's probably the slow motion.

When I look at it honestly, I know it's one of those moments that doesn't bother me personally as much as I'm afraid of how it comes across to newbies. One title I've heard for it is the "fairy flop"--I just don't want to go back to "Frodo is a Pansy," if you know what I mean :( .


---------------

A couple of just-passed milestones:

Yesterday was one-month to the DVD release :) .

This thread has gone past 7000 posts :) .

:::: pulling off ring and looking around furtively ::::

So many posts! So little time!!

Lady Wendy responds to tgshaw:
What Narya has said, just now, sums it up absolutely perfectly for me..it really is a perfect illustration of someone falling when they have had all the willpower knocked out of them, and the floor pulled from under their feet...

I thought that moment was exceptionally good. He really did look like that glance from the Eye was like a blow that had the same impact as the spear in Moria. From our viewpoint, he just went *down*. (From his viewpoint, IIRC, the shot was done in at least three separate parts: standing, going down, closeup as his upper body hits the ground). I'd hate to think that PJ had actors throwing themselves down with that amount of force without breaking it up or at least having some padding. I think that his expression is phenomenal - looking into Frodo's eyes and seeing the horror of how little left of him that there was.

The other shots - the one when he first sees The Eye, the one at Ammon Hen, the one that I referred to at the beginning of TTT, and the falling down scene, form a sequence reinforcing Frodo's decreasing strength. Over-acted or not, the sequence of progressively bad reaction makes perfect sense.

but here, he does a different kind of fall...he actually swoons, in other words, he loses consciousness, and therefore control of his fall..and that has to be one of the hardest things to do, as an actor, don't you think ?

The impression I got was that Frodo was in shock when he fell rather than unconscious. Didn't the book say something about falling as if struck mortally?

As for bits of his acting that I didn't quite get on with...well, Shelob's sting and the foaming at the mouth bit just doesn't do it for me...I think that Peter was a little over-indulgent with the industrial-strength Rabies-foam...just looked a little too soapy to me !!

That was a definite ick-factor. The reaction I saw in people was "EWWWWWW!" ;) The things that worked for both that scene and the cave troll scene, despite that they went on too long, was that Frodo couldn't breathe. In the book, he didn't remember being stung - he said "something hit me".

....the ugh-factor was too high here methinks,

We've just seen a fight with an enormous giant spider, seen the hero caught like a fly in a web, and you're quibbling about a little drool? ;) ;)

I'd have preferred it if Peter had gone for the sudden shock of seeing Frodo fall to the ground with a hefty spear sticking out of him,

But the spear didn't stick out of him! I agree with the description of what it's like to get the wind knocked out of a person - he just can't get his breath and then passes out. It just went on a little too long and a little too slowly, IMGLO.



I'm sorry, tg, I didn't mean precisely when he was stabbed, but all the gasping when he began to pass into the shadow world. Sorry -- I should've been more clear on that. There's one set of...gee...I don't even know what you'd call these noises -- not gasps or moans -- not sure....when Arwen says the line about the five wraiths following them ("Where the other four are, I do not know.") -- that I also find kind of funny. Granted, I don't know what a Morgul blade would feel like if you were stabbed with one, and maybe that's a perfect response .

Wasn't sure what to snip there...

The screams when he was stabbed was uncomfortably realistic, and that scene is what began to set the movie apart from any others for me. American movies often don't show the impact of an attack on the attackee (unless it's someone getting shot off a roof and falling with a "AAAAAAAAIIIIYYYYYYY!!!!!" in a western). I think it's a tribute to Tolkein and every other guy who's ever been in battle that PJ and 'Lij portrayed it like that. No tense-jawed choking back of a cry, it was an out-and-out scream.

There's a "Froshadowing" of that scream in The Faculty that I'm sure has been noticed before - after Casey stabs the critter and the little critter-lings worm their way into his face. Talk about ick factor. ;)

The other noises - for whatever reason, PJ chose to show Frodo's fading into the "shadow world" using sound and pictures of Frodo, rather than seeing it through Frodo's eyes like in the book. BookFrodo got so that he could only see the others dimly, even in daylight. Everything looked like shadows to him. PJ portrayed that in the Prancing Pony scene, and other times when Frodo put on the ring, but not after Weathertop. I have a feeling that the sight-and-sound was a short-cut to let the audience know that Frodo was becoming a wraith. It was pretty effective IMGLO - when the wraiths screeched, Frodo responded - he was becoming more and more tuned to them. Yeesh. :::: shudder ::::


The one about those who are fighting the Enemy doing well not to hinder him? Yes, I noticed that one, too. It's a straight book canon line, and I think it's a bit too formal for movie-Frodo, especially at a moment when he should be scared out of his wits.

But he *was* scared out of his wits! I saw that whole speech as a three-foot-six hobbit trying to stand up to a six-foot man as best he could. I saw it as pure bluster.


Later on, when Frodo's had a bit of a chance to pull himself together, I think the book canon lines about the members of the Fellowship work well. He's purposely speaking formally; it sounds as if it's not the way he's used to talking, but that's perfectly realistic under the circumstances, IMHO.

I thought that both times were very much in line with Frodo's upbringing. As bookSam said, Frodo'd had some learning - he was more cultured than Sam, and in a pinch his speech was going to be more formal. I think we just didn't get to hear Frodo say that many words together too often in the movie. bookFrodo talked a lot more.

:::: slipping ring back on :::::

~grumpy
"...Roy, you get up on the roof, and if you get shot, for Pete's sake don't just fall down and die! Put some drama into it and throw yourself screaming from the roof!" -- Far Side cartoon, date unknown

Originally posted by tgshaw
But who or what would want to knock his feet out from under him? Wouldn't both the Eye and the Ring (with its movie-given will) want him to stay upright?

I always thought it was the impact of being so close to the eye that knocked Frodo off his feet - or knocked his feet out from under him, however you see it. It's not that the eye specifically 'saw' him and directed it's will at him. (If it had seen him, they never would have been able to continue - and it's gaze could not have been drawn away by Aragorn's small army.) Rather, it's a continuation and intensification of Frodo being affected by the eye throughout the movies. He hears it speak in Bree, it rocks him physically in Emyn Muil. When it's gaze falls directly on him within Mordor itself, he is knocked flat by it - like a great wrecking ball had hit him. (A bad analogy, but I can't think of a better one right now.) It's not that the wrecking ball 'knows' what it is hitting, and the guy at the controls of the wrecking ball is swinging it everywhere, questing for the things it senses but can't quite see, so Sauron doesn't realize what he's hit either. But carrying the ring makes Frodo so susceptible to it that the shock wave of it's gaze is enough to knock him over. (Have I used enough bad metaphors now? :D)

IMO, the will of the ring and the knowledge of the Eye of Sauron are not the same in the movie. However they communicate, it is not directly, and not with specifics. In other words, the ring can't tell Sauron exactly where it is, or exactly who's carrying it - if it could, both the books and the movies would be really short. :p They can only sense one another, and draw on some of the other's power.

I do admire Elijah's ability to fall so convincingly in this scene, though. It's remarkably hard to avoid bracing oneself against a fall, even when falling onto mats - the muscles of your body just don't WANT to allow your head to strike the ground, and there is usually a tenseness of the muscles of the neck and arms that shows even when an actor is trying to fall as if unconscious. In Elijah's acting here, I don't see any of this - the looseness of his neck as his head strikes the ground is very convincing.

Yes, congratulations all on the 7.000 posts! This thread is really alive and kicking! :) :)


Concerning Frodo's fall in Mordor in the film, from the first time I saw it I felt convinced that this was PJ's take on the scene in the books "Mt. Doom" where the clouds roll away for a moment and Frodo catches a mere flicker of the Eye, and "at that dreadfull glimpse fell as one stricken mortally. "

That's just what it looks like, to me: As if the searching light of the eye unwittingly knocks him down with a hard push in the back at the same time as pulling the ground from under his feet. He is felled, he doesn't throw himself to the ground or even "just" fall. The Eye doesn't know he's there, although it's rowing and searching, the intelligence behind it is turned elsewhere. But the mere fact of the light turned towards him attracts Frodo against his will.... but in accordance with the Ring's; - and knocks him senseless.

I think it's a fantastic moment of acting, too: How does he fall like that without seeming to... - well, jump, or kick off with his feet? Hopefully at least he did have something soft to cushion the fall despite the finished scene's apparent rocky barenness.

I wouldn't worry about the "pansy" thoughts. They'll be there, from someone, that's the nature of Frodo. Else he wouldn't be *Frodo*, but someone entirely else. It's enough that *we* are able to see and know what's what. :)


I've been looking at the various Hooligans pictures, and although I knew its subject matter I'm somewhat surprised at the sheer number of different violent and bloody fight scenes involving Elijah all beat up and seemingly giving as good as he gets. None of the scenes look in any way over the top or unneccessarily violent though, taking the subject into account, so I'm mainly curious. Although it's hard to judge the impact of the violence from a few stills. I'm also wondering whether it's Elijah's character getting more than his fair share of beatings, being a newcomer on the scene in the film story; - or if Charlie Hunnam's character dons an equal amount of makeup blood and black eyes as the film takes shape.


Also many interesting posts on "Illuminated". Thank you all! :)


Edit:
I simulposted with Narya *and* Grumpy! I should have known I could just keep quiet and somebody would say what I wanted to say, only better. I think we've got quite the same view on this particular fabulous fall of Frodo's. :)

Originally posted by zkgrumpy
...In the book, he didn't remember being stung - he said "something hit me".
In the book, she stung him in the back of his neck, so he probably didn't even know what happened. How much he "saw it coming" in the movie is hard to say. The audience is expecting it every moment and still doesn't see it coming! There are moments during the movies when I wish PJ hadn't cut his teeth on horror movies, but he sure knew how to play that scene to the hilt!

The other noises - for whatever reason, PJ chose to show Frodo's fading into the "shadow world" using sound and pictures of Frodo, rather than seeing it through Frodo's eyes like in the book...
My take is that this was part of the result of changing the modus operandi from a sliver of the blade working toward his heart to a poison. In the movie, Frodo's "out of it" pretty quickly, and it doesn't seem to me that he had a slow fading like he did in the book.

I have a feeling that the sight-and-sound was a short-cut to let the audience know that Frodo was becoming a wraith. It was pretty effective IMGLO - when the wraiths screeched, Frodo responded - he was becoming more and more tuned to them. Yeesh. :::: shudder ::::
Eeeach... yes. It certainly did show the urgency of getting to Rivendell. His response to their calls... And then his looking straight at them at the ford--with almost-dead eyes... :eek: ["Oo! I scared myself!" --Tweety Bird]

Originally posted by Maeglian
Concerning Frodo's fall in Mordor in the film, from the first time I saw it I felt convinced that this was PJ's take on the scene in the books "Mt. Doom" where the clouds roll away for a moment and Frodo catches a mere flicker of the Eye, and "at that dreadfull glimpse fell as one stricken mortally. "


Yes! That's the quote I was thinking of. I think that The Fall was intended to show that line from the book.

But the mere fact of the light turned towards him attracts Frodo against his will.... but in accordance with the Ring's; - and knocks him senseless.


I didn't interpret it as attraction - I guess I see attraction as too positive a concept. That, and the scene on the bridge where he stumbled toward Minas Morgul, seemed to me like a simple inability to resist the pull of the Nazgul and the power of the Ring. The book describes how Frodo felt early on when the Nazgul were around - no great pull; he simply felt that he must take the ring out and put it on. Later, when he was fading after Weathertop, he felt like he was "urgently commanded to halt". I'll have to view it a few dozen times when I get my RotK DVD in LESS THAN A MONTH!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: (*)

I'm sorry that PJ and EW couldn't show some of that struggle - that movieFrodo was so out of it at that point - it was so courageous, especially when bookFrodo got really mad and made it across the ford.

Edit:
I simulposted with Narya *and* Grumpy! I should have known I could just keep quiet and somebody would say what I wanted to say, only better.

Harrrumph. I must say that I disagree most strenuously with this. There's always another shade of interpretation or a different way of looking at something or a cultural difference that sheds additional light on a topic. Nobody has the final word on something, and I'm sure that I'm not the only one who posts in the hope that other people will post too, and even *disagree* with me! :eek: :eek: That's the nature of discussion, and it's the breath of life to me. Besides, you don't think I only want to hear myself talk, do you!?! :p :p

So there. Hah. Harrrumph. :p ;)

:::: grumping back to work :::: ;)

~grumpy
(*) Muuuuuusssssst have the Preciousssssssssss....

Hi, Faculty :) !
Well, I'm back. Had a wonderful holiday and find this place busy as always - over 7000 posts :eek: ! It seems I missed loads of great posts and I do my best to catch up as soon as possible.

San Vitale in Ravenna is a perfect dream for every Elijah worshipper! Not only the Redeemer resembles him, but almost every male person you see on these mosaics - it's unbelievable. Hey, Hollywood! Historic films are in - what about Elwood as Emperor Justinian? He was one of the mightiest rulers of his time (VI century) and he was married to a beautiful and wise woman named Theodora, with a "questionable" past. Great screenplay material, I'd say ;) .

http://img1.photobucket.com/albums/0903/whiteling/justinian.jpg


I cannot contribute to the current discussion but I'd like to comment on a really antique topic (Maeglian, I hope you are still interested)
Originally posted by Maeglian
Once I've started on the translation of Shelob, I'm wondering about her German name too ("Kankra"). It sounds very intimidating and hard and uhm, - cancerous (?), but I'm not sure what it really alludes too. Whiteling, could I possibly ask you for comments on that? :)


Well, yes, your description of the awkward feelings the name "Kankra" evokes is very apt. In modern German it has no special meaning, but it is more than just an onomatopoetic word. Firstly, "Kankra" sounds like "krank" (that means "ill" and "morbid"), secondly it origins in fact from the Greek "karkinos" and the latin "cancer" (German "Krebs"), which became via the Old French term "cancre" ("Krabbe", in English "crab") to "Kanker" or "Schanker" which is a synonym for syphilis. And in the French sailor's jargon "cancrelat" means "Schabe" (English "cockroach"). You see, the name "Kankra" is connected to the nicest things imaginable :p :eek: Now I feel sick...

(((moondancer)))
Thank you for posting the lovely interview bits from Sean Astin.

I can't keep up with everyone here---but I want to be counted as one who loved The Fall . I loved the grace of it in the midst of such brutality. And viewed it as Frodo's bit of resistence--in the midst of his delerium still managing to somehow throw himself out from under the searching eye. He can't protect himself when he falls, but to me I saw it as another last heroic effort of will that penetrates his darkness and allows him to at least throw himself off balance. As at Mt Doom he can scrape up enough strength out of no where to run up the mountain.

Originally posted by Alyon
...As at Mt Doom he can scrape up enough strength out of no where to run up the mountain.
I've heard a couple of grumblings about that, too, but it's straight out of the book--and, IMHO, straight out of real life when someone is so close to the end of a long struggle. I'm sure Tolkien knew that quite well.

---And one of my absolute favorite Frodo moments is immediately after Sam pulls him upright after that fall. The look on his face is so determined it's almost frightening. Just made stronger by how white his skin is (as it's been consistently throughout the movies after he's had a confrontation with the Eye or the Nazgul), and how dirty and physically worn out he is.

-----------------------

Apropos of nothing--I have no idea why, but "Kankra" always sounds to me as if it should be the name of a monster in a Japanese horror movie ("And tonight on Thriller Monster Horror Theater: Kankra Meets Gammera!") :rolleyes: .

Tg Shaw:
I've heard a couple of grumblings about that, too, but it's straight out of the book--and, IMHO, straight out of real life when someone is so close to the end of a long struggle. I'm sure Tolkien knew that quite well.

Ah...but isn't that what Frodo is all about?? (Well, that and a few other things). Endurance Endurance Endurance. And strength of will.

....which is part of why I viewed Frodo's Fall as being something of his own doing. It is one way to illustrate that Frodo still has something left in him to push forward with, and somehow can pull it out of himself to avoid being seen by the Eye, even though it must be pulling at him mercilessly....

hallo!!
i realy dont have anything to say that hasent already been sade!!

but i must say i love the way he dose that fall, i can not understand how he dose it it is just like some one kick away
his legs and he just falls!!!wonderful acting!!!

tg i have to agree with you how wite frodos skin is he realy looks
like he was sick but in away he is! physiclly and in some way fysicly!hard words to write hope i spell them write!!


:D :k

Whiteling, thank you for the comments on "Kankra"! :)
Very interesting, and with even more unpleasant associations than I imagined!

I didn't interpret it as attraction - I guess I see attraction as too positive a concept. That, and the scene on the bridge where he stumbled toward Minas Morgul, seemed to me like a simple inability to resist the pull of the Nazgul and the power of the Ring. I agree. Attraction really wasn't the word I was looking for there, I suppose, or at least only "attraction" like a fire might attract a moth? Although that's not a good comparison either; - What I meant to say was that the Light seems to pull at Frodo, makes him turn towards it, without him being fully conscious just at that moment about what he's doing. The comparison with Frodo stumbling towards Minas Morgul was in my mind too. But he does seem to be pulled towards it there, while at the same time on some level knowing he should be hiding, and so he almost stands captivated and held in the balance between the pull and the urge to hide for a moment, before the graceful fall.

I fully agree about the value of many views and considered opinions too, and polite disagreement and serious discussion of interesting topics. All of it just to the good! :) That's what I come here for. (Plus the nice company and the fun, of course).

godmorning!!
read on scifie that sin city whas beginning filming
last month,but how on earth has Elijah the time with everything
i mean did he film that one before going to london or is he flying
between the sets in lpndon and usa?i am glad he has many prodjects going on but i realy hope he takes good care of him self
its not good to haste around to much but i know he n knows what he is doing. just me worring a bit again!:D :D

i get my pc game return of the king yesterday!!
must say its awsome to see the caracters and at the same time
hear the real actors talking there rolls!!!
And i just love to hear elijahs voice i can listen to him for ever!!:k :k :D :D

Maeglian said:
I fully agree about the value of many views and considered opinions too, and polite disagreement and serious discussion of interesting topics. All of it just to the good! That's what I come here for. (Plus the nice company and the fun, of course).

I concur completely! I was only playing at "harumphing" I hope you all know! :) If anyone feels the need to chuck something at me, could you make it a water balloon? It's awfully hot here!

Wood:
read on scifie that sin city whas beginning filming last month,but how on earth has Elijah the time with everything i mean did he film that one before going to london or is he flying between the sets in lpndon and usa?

Sounds like all the parts in "Sin City" are rather small. I suspect he'll be filming when his part later on, maybe between "The Yank" and "Everything is Illuminated?" He's a busy lad, and that's good for us! :D

And i just love to hear elijahs voice i can listen to him for ever!!

I couldn't agree more. A few weeks ago I ran across a sound file of him doing the AOL thingy: "You've got mail!" I fiddled with my mail program, and now when I get mail Elijah is kind enough to tell me! (How's that on the "Elijah Geek-o-meter?" :D) My family all did a bit of snerking, but they all know that I'm past all repentance where our Lij is concerned!

Moondancer, I have to second Alyon's thanks for the lovely Sean interview!

And Achila, I meant to say "thank you" for the link to his Aunt's page earlier on! If he were my nephew I'd be proud of him, too!

Honey!

Well, wood, I don't know if this helps and it may just be speculation, but I know for sure that Elijah is wrapping up "The Yank" this week and will be done by the end of the weekend. He's supposedly flying back to the States until June 14 when filming for "Everything is Illuminated" is going to being. So, that gives him roughly a month or so (give or take) to film Sin City.

If he indeed is going to play Kevin, it will be a pretty significant part as he is the main villain in one of the story threads.

I still have lots of reading to do before I can comment on the Frodo discussion that is going on at hand, but is anyone else already wondering what role Elijah will take up next? It seems to me that by the end of the summer, he has no new roles lined up and probably in the coming months, he will sign up for new ones. Anyone care to speculate, or do some wishful dreaming?

I fully agree about the value of many views and considered opinions too, and polite disagreement and serious discussion of interesting topics. All of it just to the good!
I really appreciate this thread. It's the only forum I post on...I'm a lurker on a couple of others.
It's fascinating to watch sometimes, fandom. I mean, I have seen a couple of message board wars (not just concerning LOTR related sites). It seems to happen quite often and it makes me appreciate this thread even more.
I can understand why lots of famous people say that they don't really read what's written about them.

I don't have much to contribute, but I've enjoyed the last couple of Frodo posts.
Just this...I've read that Sin City is going to be shot in black and white.
Jessica Alba is in talks to join the motley crew filming in Austin for the Sin City film adaptation. The movie, which is being co-directed by cinematic geniuses Robert (Spy Kids 3D) Rodriguez and Frank (Robocop 3) Miller, will feature a number of stories from the comics, interconnected in a way that sounds sort of Pulp Fictiony.
...
I’m just psyched that I get to see Elijah Wood, who is also in the film, rendered in digital chiaroscuro.
Source: chud.com (article "Alba visits Sin City" by Devin Faraci).


This is a report from an extra:
"A friend of mine worked as an extra on 'Sin City' yesterday, and he had some exciting news.

"They were filming the strip club scene. Apparently, this will be the most faithful adaptation of a comic in history, because their shooting script was xeroxed copies of Sin City. They line up the camera to look like the panel, and they shoot.

"They're filming 'Sin City, That Yellow Bastard' and 'The Big Fat Kill.' The stories will be cut together 'Pulp Fiction' style. An intro starring Josh Hartnett is from 'Booze, Broads, and Bullets.'

"Mickey Rourke as Marv. They used prosthetics to make him true to the comic: square jaw, flat nose, everything.

"Nancy hasn't been cast yet. They used a stand in.

"Frank Miller is on set."
Source: comicbookresources.com

This information doesn't say a lot to me, because I'm not familiar with Frank Miller's work but it might be interesting info for those who do know it.

I can't quite figure out for myself which actor I'm more excited about in that cast (besides Elijah Wood): Johnny Depp, Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke,... Those are all interesting actors. I was sad to see that Mickey Rourke had so much trouble in his life. He worked in a Belgian movie and they were excited to have him in the cast but he was very difficult to work with. Christopher Walken was simply amazing in The Deer Hunter.

I thought I read that Johnny Depp is no longer doing this movie? (More's the pity!)

Originally posted by honeyelf
I thought I read that Johnny Depp is no longer doing this movie? (More's the pity!)
:confused:
I know that Johnny Depp was rumoured to be one of the main characters in the film version of the book "Good Omens" but he's no longer doing that (pity, I adore that book and he would have been perfect).

On the imdb.com site, they still list Johnny Depp for the Sin City movie as Wallace. I don't know how accurate and up-to-date that site is.

Morning all!

Remember our conversation about The Passion? Apparently, these are Elijah's comments, from this week's People magazine:

"I loved The Passion. It transcends films. It's like watching a painting coming to life. At the heart of it is a man taking a risk, putting his career on the line to make an artistic and religious statement."

Not to stir all this up again, but obviously, the violence in it was very secondary to him. Note what he says about Mel.


BTW, speaking of upcoming roles, I guess we've heard nothing further about the "saint movie", huh? But I thought this little tidbit was interesting. According to someone on Oscarwatch, the Franciscans have written to Mel Gibson to ask him to do a movie about the life of St. Francis. Now THAT would be a great role for Elijah! I guess I didn't realize this, but the film "Brother Sun, Sister Moon", that was made about St. Francis in the 70s was directed by Zeffirelli (sp?), who was also mentioned as a possible director for the movie about San Gabriele.

Originally posted by Achila
According to someone on Oscarwatch, the Franciscans have written to Mel Gibson to ask him to do a movie about the life of St. Francis. Now THAT would be a great role for Elijah!
Oh, goodie! Do we get to talk about that again :p ?! It would be a perfect role, and a movie by Mel would probably get more attention than the one that's coming from the theology professor I know.

If I were doing a screenplay on the life of Francis with Elijah in mind (not that I've thought about it :rolleyes: ... oh, no, not a bit... ;) ), I'd concentrate on his early life--which would make a fantastic story--and maybe even end it at the time the community is forming. I doubt if Mel would look at it that way, because you'd lose a lot of events that could be played as very (overly, IMVHO) pious. The stigmata, for one. But Francis did die in his early to mid 40's, so Elijah portraying his entire life wouldn't be too much of a stretch. (But that whole tonsure thing would come up again ;) -- wouldn't have to worry about that if the story focused on his early life.) Would love to see Elijah as Francis in a battle, wearing gorgeous Italian armor... then being completely broken as a prisoner of war... rampant PTSD... stealing from his father... naked in the town square... what's not to love?? :) Oooo... If it's really accurate, he'd also get to do quite a bit of singing :) !!

BTW, Brother Sun Sister Moon was visually beautiful, but not particularly concerned with being historically accurate. IIRC, it also picked up the story after the war, year as a POW, etc. Why waste all that historically accurate angst :confused: ?

Wonder if Mel would have everybody speaking Medieval Italian ;) ?

Maiglien: You're right. I hadn't thought of the image of a moth attracted by a flame. Good analogy. :::: shudder :::: It also gives a sense of how small that hobbit was, and how, by all reasoning based on size, strength and warrior spirit, he should have been swept away in the first encounter with the Nazgul. Scrappy little guy, our Frodo!

Originally posted by tgshaw
[B]I've heard a couple of grumblings about that, too, but it's straight out of the book--and, IMHO, straight out of real life when someone is so close to the end of a long struggle. I'm sure Tolkien knew that quite well.


The book said something about that "nothing could have [rekindled?] the dying embers of his heart..." like an attempt to get the ring. It's physically and psychologically plausible, like the mother who lifts a car off her child, or the two little old ladies who move the grand piano outside during a fire. I believed that moment, just like I believed Frodo's going completely limp when the adrenalin left him after the fight with Sam in Osgiliath.

(do I need to connect the dots explicitly back to the fact that it's The Lad's performance that gives enough substance to the character and the film to allow discussion of this kind? :p :D :p )

~grumpy (pictures) (I need Yank pictures)

zk, there are Yank pictures about..... but someone said the film is about to wrap so get 'em while you can.

Would Mel Gibson really do another religious film? Having started at the top, so to speak, hasn't he kind of shot his wad in this department?

Perhaps Elijah will look for a directing project now, or start that music company. Maybe that's why we aren't hearing of any roles......?

Originally posted by Flourish
zk, there are Yank pictures about..... but someone said the film is about to wrap so get 'em while you can.

My guess is that they have some stuff yet to film in the US, since Lij is supposed to be a Harvard student, and I don't think they've done any of those scenes yet. However, things won't be quite as lax in terms of security here as they have been over there, so who knows if we'll get any pics from the stateside shoot.


Would Mel Gibson really do another religious film? Having started at the top, so to speak, hasn't he kind of shot his wad in this department?


If you recall, Flourish, Mel's was one of the names originally attached to the film about San Gabriele, as a potential director, so who knows what else he might do.


Perhaps Elijah will look for a directing project now, or start that music company. Maybe that's why we aren't hearing of any roles......?

I would think he's gonna be pretty tired after three shoots, one after the other, and may just want to relax for a while. He did say he was going to go to NZ to visit the King Kong set in September (and hopefully get stomped by a foot!). We'll see.


On a wholly different tack, I found a draft script of The Ice Storm today while tooling around on the net, and I found out something interesting about Mikey that I don't think we knew. We've discussed the scene where the boys are playing football and Mikey zones out and misses the pass coming right to him (and tg had a wonderful discussion of this on her site). Apparently there was an addition to the scene where Jim, the boys' father, comes home, that shows Mikey sitting on his bed reading "The Sensual Woman" (LOL) and Sandy is playing with a model plane. Mikey hears the imaginary hum of the engine of that plane, although Sandy doesn't. While playing football, he hears that humming sound again and becomes distracted, focusing in on it (and again, only he can hear it). The last time he hears that humming, it is during his "final scene", and the hum is the electricity in the wire. So the reason we question why he zones out while playing football is because that humming bit from the first scene with the two boys was cut.

tg, I have a copy of the script and will email it to you if you'd like it for your site (or to research!).

Simulposted with Achila -- That's really interesting info about the script. Elijah said that he and Ang Lee worked together a lot on deciding just "who" Mikey was, so I'm not surprised there were changes along the way. From what I've read of other people's opinions about Ang Lee, that would have been very much in his style, too--some people thought that, even in the final product, he used used "symbolic" links like that a bit too much in The Ice Storm... It's been awhile since my one-and-only reading of the novel, but I'm quite sure there's nothing like that in the book. But, then, we get very little of anything about Mikey in the book--which is one reason I think the way that Lee and Elijah "created" him for the movie is fascinating.

Sure--I'd love it if you emailed what you found to me, Achila. I have most of the May updates done, so hope to publish them the first part of next week, and I could add the pertinent pieces and comments to the pages that have the screencaps of the football scene so we can have them "in context." Thanks much! :) :)

---------------------

Guess we'll have to wait and see. How soon we find out about Elijah's projects seems to usually depend on whoever's on the other end of the deal, since he doesn't volunteer a lot. He could very easily be in talks with someone about another project now, without us knowing about it (strange as that may seem ;) ).

With just the projects we know he's signed for now, he'll be shooting 3 movies this year (being the lead in two of them), which I think is even above his average :) . If he does take some time off then, my guess would be music company before directing... ;) just because he's seemed more excited about that.

from zkgrumpy
It also gives a sense of how small that hobbit was, and how, by all reasoning based on size, strength and warrior spirit, he should have been swept away in the first encounter with the Nazgul. Scrappy little guy, our Frodo!
Ah, the wonder of hobbits, and of Frodo in particular :) ! If Boromir had started out from Hobbiton with the Ring, he wouldn't have made it to the Buckleberry Ferry (with or without Farmer Maggot's cart ;) ). It's desire for power that the Ring hooks into, and uses to pull someone in like a dust bunny into a Hoover.

But "connecting the dots," :) it's certainly Elijah's acting that lets us see that quality in movie-Frodo. The scene I think of first is the one where he's deciding to "use" Gollum to show them the way to the Black Gate--the scene Elijah said is Frodo's loss of innocence. Would anyone else have so much reluctance to take advantage of someone like Gollum in order to save Middle-earth? (The reluctance--and then the decision--that we know about only through Frolijah's face.)

Lots of hobbits would have been low on the desire-for-power scale, but it was Frodo who had the "size, strength, and warrior spirit"--in ways other than physical--to go as far as he did without that pull either sucking him in or tearing him apart (which, IMHO, is what it finally does to him). I can't imagine any of the other hobbit characters with that look on his face--the one Frodo has just after Sam pulls him up from "the fall." And I don't think that's only because Elijah's the only one who could have pulled it off--it was there in Frodo first; Elijah just showed it to us. Strength without a desire for power.


---------And a Very Happy Birthday to Azalea, in case she's peeking in :) .

i realy think he should take some holiday, he must need
it after three movies but not to long i hope!!:D

how about the awards with three movies i mean there would be a chance if he playes them well (and why wouldent he
he always does!!) that would be an exaiting year 2005 with
so many movies with THE ONE AND ONLY:D :D and 2006
with the awards or am i counting wrong?am i getting
to fast ahead?
It whas only thougts that come to my mind!!
is there realy something we dont know about his work?:p :rolleyes:
it just must be somthing wrong with the info.on the net.
i bet he has his behind full when the atum comes dont you think
after a well earnd holliday!
i realy hope so what would we do atherwise??:( :(

love wood

oh i forgott happy birthday to those i missed
and godnight
sleep well and sweet dreams about our blue eyed angel!!:k :k :D :D

RL allows me to say just this:

Mondancer, thank you - yet again! - for that great interview with Sean A. Very revealing, and rather courageous of Sean to admit that he'd admired and even envied Elijah for so long (and possibly still does). But other comments are even more interesting: there's the quote about E's thousand-year-old soul again, plus the observation that he has goodness flowing through him. (Hope I get a chance to tell The Hostess about that! Possibly via her charming husband, with whom I've just had post-play-rehearsal dinner ....;)).

Seriously, though, has anyone here ever heard of such things being said about any other celebrity, or is Elijah unique in that respect?

from Maeglian:
I fully agree about the value of many views and considered opinions too, and polite disagreement and serious discussion of interesting topics. All of it just to the good!

Oh yes, me too! This thread is a model of courtesy, tolerance and mutual appreciation as well as good taste, intellect and insight. I still can't quite believe it exists. Or that it even tolerates some of the things I write! ((((faculty))))

I loved The Passion. It transcends films. It's like watching a painting coming to life. At the heart of it is a man taking a risk, putting his career on the line to make an artistic and religious statement.

Achila, thank you for that :k Which wise and fearless person spoke those words? Answers on a postcard, please ....

PS That pic of Elijah being talked to by makeup people on the set of "the Yank" (the one in which he seems to be looking at the ground, cigarette in hand) is possibly the most beautiful I've ever seen.
And it's got some competition!

serena i have to agree with you about the picture
there is only one thing that is wrong with it and thats the cigarett.

Yees to me he is unique and alwayes will be!!!:D :D

but in real life i dont know maybe he is, i havent seen something like that sade to any other actor before!!:cool: :cool:

oh by the way!!godmorning to you all!!!:cool: :cool: :cool:

Originally posted by serena
Seriously, though, has anyone here ever heard of such things being said about any other celebrity, or is Elijah unique in that respect?
Audrey Hepburn perhaps?
I think that she also had "goodness flowing through her". She had a very beautiful smile (plus, her Dutch was great...I loved to listen to her), very friendly eyes and lots and lots of grace.

Here's an article in about 'keepin' it real':
Celebs 'keep it real' in the UK
LOUISA PEARSON

How much does a pint of milk cost? If you can answer this question, don’t feel smug - you’re not getting a gold star. Instead, you have confirmation, if needed, that you are not a celebrity.

The film mag, Empire, pioneered this line of questioning, and it has served as a surprisingly incisive insight into the lives of the rich of famous. Richard E Grant declared the white stuff to be "cow’s mucus" and said he didn’t drink it, let alone buy it. Dan Ackroyd responded with a sharp "85-95 cents".

The question presents the celebrity with an interesting dilemma. Respond correctly and you’ll be judged either "one of the people" or incredibly dull. Profess not to know and the world will assume you live in an ivory tower. True stars don’t give a toss about what the "ordinary people" think, but when celebrities do want to prove that they’re "keeping it real", for some reason they have a strange habit of coming to Britain to do it.

A couple of years ago, I saw the actor Elijah Wood at LA airport. He was wearing streamers, a party hat and was tooting on a toy trumpet. Trying to appear utterly disinterested, I jabbed my other half in the ribs, whispering "it’s Mr Frodo from Lord of the Rings".

Wood was with a gang of skinny, actorly types saying a particularly elaborate goodbye to a friend in the check-in queue. Suppressing the urge to purchase a disposable camera and sell the resulting snaps to the highest bidder, I merely rolled my eyes and wondered about what sort of upbringing had left poor Elijah so desperate for attention. Imagine my surprise to discover this week that Wood has been trying to blend in with the good people of London town.

While filming The Yank, it seems he has shrugged off starry excesses and replaced them with "real life". As the rest of us know, real life in Britain does not always live up to expectations.

Wood is now also in on the joke, having taken the Tube to a filming location in East Finchley, only to experience "points failure" on the line. Just wait until he finds out what leaves can do. The former Hobbit would probably have been better off sticking with the horse and carts of the Shire.

If Wood wants his star status to remain intact, we must hope he doesn’t fall in love with the country and invest in property. There’s something about the UK which manages to dull the sheen on the gloss of every star which takes up residence.
Source: The Scotsman, 29 april 2004, Louise Pearson.
The rest of the article is about Madonna and Kevin Spacey.

Grumpy, there are a couple of new pictures, but a lot of them are on LiveJournals with the specific request not to copy them elsewhere.

The Yank-related news/gossip:
Elijah Wood continues to suffer certain snafus on the set of The Yank, now filming in the U.K. Creative infighting between the powers that be continues to bypass Mr. W. (for now, at least). However, the Hobbit hunkette has been less successful at avoiding rabid fans somehow being tipped off about the soccer flick's filming locales. "It's getting so bad," lamented a Yanker. "We were filming at Fenchurch Street Station in London, and someone had to be specially allocated to keep [Wood's fans] back and out of shot!" On the other Porta Potti-washed hand, those zany types could very well help open the damn movie--ya never know.
Source: TedC- eonline.com

Moondancer,

True stars don’t give a toss about what the "ordinary people" think, but when celebrities do want to prove that they’re "keeping it real", for some reason they have a strange habit of coming to Britain to do it.

I don't quite understand what this journalist is getting at really ? She seems to think that the starry egotistical, above-everyone-else type of behaviour shown by a lot of Hollywood stars, is somehow a good thing !!!
Whereas I, for one, really do think that Elijah's rather endearing habit of continuing to use the Tube like the rest of us, and suffering the resultant snarl-ups, probably without complaint, means that he is in control of his ego, and still inhabiting Planet Earth...unlike some celebs I could mention...

And I for one LOVE him for it ...!!

That bit about him getting stuck on the Tube was reported in the Evening Standard last week, and the journalist there, said something along the lines of
" Oh well...he'd be better sticking to the stretch-limos then !!!"
...and my immediate thought was that anything LESS like Elijah's usual behaviour I couldn't quite imagine !!! Swanning around in a stretch-limo is SOOO not his style...It made me quite annoyed, because it just showed that A) the journo hadn't done any research, and B) he had just assumed that because Elijah's a star, he automatically would use a limo...and this piece by Louise Pearson seems to be just as bad ...

:rolleyes: :mad: :confused:

quoted by Moondancer
Wood was with a gang of skinny, actorly types saying a particularly elaborate goodbye to a friend in the check-in queue. Suppressing the urge to purchase a disposable camera and sell the resulting snaps to the highest bidder, I merely rolled my eyes and wondered about what sort of upbringing had left poor Elijah so desperate for attention. Imagine my surprise to discover this week that Wood has been trying to blend in with the good people of London town.

This is another spot where IMHO the reporter is totally misreading the situation. The reason Elijah could do something like that is because he didn't care what people would think of it--if they happened to see it and noticed that it was him. (There evidently weren't any notices posted: "Appearing today at gate 25" :rolleyes: .)

If a group of friends want to give someone a "particularly elaborate goodbye," I think that's charming. The description of Elijah's streamers, hat, and toy horn, doesn't sound like a star trying to get attention, but like an exhuberant, creative guy in his early 20's showing some friendship. (And who else was in that group of "skinny, actorly types" we wonders ;) .)

If you all want to see pictures of ...
I saw the actor Elijah Wood at LA airport. He was wearing streamers, a party hat and was tooting on a toy trumpet.
nip on over to the site that dare not speak it's name. Very funny!

***
Elijah Wood continues to suffer certain snafus on the set of The Yank...However, the has been less successful at avoiding rabid fans somehow being tipped off about the soccer flick's filming locales. "It's getting so bad," lamented a Yanker. "We were filming at Fenchurch Street Station in London, and someone had to be specially allocated to keep [Wood's fans] back and out of shot!"

'Xplain somthin' to me? How does he ride around on the Tube without causing disruptions? Or was the lad himself the cause of those "points failures?"

And then theres this: Hobbit hunkette :confused: :eek: :eek: HunkETTE? isn't that a little femme? I mean Demi Moore was, possibly, by some standards a "hunkette" when she did GI Jane. No, no! "Hunkette" simply won't do! Maybe Hunkling? Nibble? Diminutive Hunk? Yes! I like that last one best. Please not "Hunkette!"

Honey!

How does one best put this? Um...Ted Casablanca appears to have a big crush on our boy. He has used words like "cute", "adorable" etc etc many times to describe him, so "hunkette", no matter how demeaning and effeminate, is not surprising. Dom seems to particularly delight in teasing the poor fellow, telling him at the Golden Globes that he wishes he could marry Elijah, and so on. And Ted has made insinuations about them and other members of the cast, both on the E! website and in his LA newspaper column. Obviously, he's pretty convinced of something that simply isn't the case...nuf said.

Speaking of Dom, he and Sala and others were with Elijah in those airport pictures. They were farewelling someone named Mark and all carried signs and wore funny hats. Then they conga'd around the airport. (Bunnybugs and I simulposted -- see Exhibit A in her post)


Ooh -- Hunkling and Nibble....love those, honey! That means he's "bite sized"....LOLOLOL

Thought I'd provide a visual aid for the talk about that airport gathering:

http://img3.photobucket.com/albums/v32/bunniebugs/Elijah/airport.jpg

:) ;) :D

One of my shortest posts ever:


LOL !! :D


Thank you, Bunnie, and so nice to "see" you again! :)

Thanks for posting that, Bunny! :D

Do you all remember **link removed** Ruth? She posted this the other day at TORC:

Right, my darlings! Stupendous news! Well, stupendous to moi! Lijah was filming in London, yesterday - Fenchurch Street Station, and a good friend of mine got a friend of HERS, (who I don't know) to go there, and tell HIM that not only did I make it to ROTK, but I was hanging out for Hooligan/Yank. Being Lij, he swore - I'll leave you to guess what word appears between "That's ******* Amazing!". He had tears in his eyes, and AND - wait for it - not only did he remember me from C4 last October, he sent "All MY Love" to me...ME! He Remembered Me! I am astonished, happy, wibbly and VERY contented.

Well, now we know the story of one of those "rabid fans" or at least a "rabid fan by proxy!" But how sweet is this lad that he remembered her, and responded that way? What a lovely unassuming dear sweet.....Nibble! :D

Honey!

PS Oh! ooops! HOw could I forget that site has ...:eek: stuff on it!

I remember reading Ruth's story when she wrote it and posted it -- how absolutely wonderful of Lijah to remember and to be so emotional. From what I've heard, none of the fan encounters he's had during this filming have been anything but lovely. Everyone has been respectful and he's been just as sweet as he always is. That even makes Ted's report more obnoxious than usual.

Guys, before we get too heated over what columnists write about our Lij, let's remember that they have to make a living and will often do so by fabricating stories where none exist. Truth and accuracy just aren't an issue when it comes to selling newspapers. Lij is a celebrity, and so he's fair game. So much for Ms Louisa Pearson (whose article was even dafter than usual and unlikely to be believed by anyone with thought processes). (In a way it's flattering that he's written about at all; it would be less flattering if the gossip columns ignored him.)

As for "hunkette", I [i]think]/i] it just means a small hunk (which Elijah is :)), not an effeminate one (as witness Scottish jokes along the lines of "I'll just have a wee drinkette"). I'm still not all that sure Ted C genuinely thinks Elijah is gay, obvious as it is that he has some kind of crush on our lad (and who can blame him?). Falling for Elijah seems to be an occupational hazard with male gossip columnists (there are other examples that can't be named here ....;))

Originally posted by serena
(In a way it's flattering that he's written about at all; it would be less flattering if the gossip columns ignored him.)
Yep, I'd agree with that. And they're going to try to make their stories as interesting as possible--even if that means making them improbable.

As for "hunkette", I think it just means a small hunk (which Elijah is :)), not an effeminate one (as witness Scottish jokes along the lines of "I'll just have a wee drinkette").
Methinks we have another "cultural divide" here. In the U.S., "-ette" has kind of drifted into meaning the feminine form of a word. Not a formal definition, but it's taken on that connotation. This wasn't always true :) --we used to have "dinettes," but I haven't heard that term for awhile. From the Scottish use, I'd guess that's not true everywhere (unless they have very strange drinks in Scotland ;) ). [Just realized that I have no idea if "Ted C" is American or not :o .]

Bunnie--Thanks for that picture :D ! The funniest thing about it is how serious they look (maybe it's hard to smile while tooting on a toy trumpet :D ). I especially like that "skinny" ;) actorly type on the far left wearing sunglasses.

I just noticed that this event at the airport was "a couple of years ago"--At that point, I think Elijah was still mostly unrecognized in public--IMHO, he'd have been more likely to do something silly like that then than maybe he would now.

I'm trying to get a copy of Frank Miller's comics...it's making me curious.

If Elijah Wood really is going to be Kevin, it's supposed to be a great role and one of the best characters of Sin City.
So, Elijah won't be unnoticed if he's going to portray the creepy Kevin.

I found this in a review of Sin City:
....
Miller also does a great job with the characters. I had been afraid that, given the book's premise, the characters would be as black-and-white as the artwork. But Miller delivers again here. Marv, the protagonist, is a great creation. Sure, he's a "macho pig," as he calls himself, and he's also violent, merciless, and more than a little crazy (speaking about a psychiatrist, he says, "She tried to analyze me once but got too scared"). But underlying it all is a strong sense of loyalty, a great deal of passion, and a devotion to do what's right. I wouldn't say he's a good person--the scene with the hitmen creeped me out, even though by that point he'd already won me over--but despite the corruption and evil in Sin City it's clear that Marv has a strong moral backbone that sustains him through all the punishment he takes.

As well as Miller portrayed Marv, I'd say that an even better character was Kevin, the villain of this tale. He never says a word--but he's creepy as hell: the half-smile, the swift movements, the somewhat stooped shoulders. You know how they say it's always the quiet ones? Well, they don't know what they're talking about until they've seen Kevin. (As a sidenote: it's a relief to see people writing effective but believable villains in a genre that has steadily moved toward crazier and wackier villains than ever before.)
...
:)
Source: scwu.com - 2002, Steven Wu

Judging by that description, it looks like they found a perfect Marv.

from Tgshaw:
In the U.S., "-ette" has kind of drifted into meaning the feminine form of a word.

Yes, Tg, it seems you're right (as ever! :)). Have just looked up "hunkette" in google and found quite a few, er, female connotations. Also found a sort of male definition: ""Hunkette" would be a hunk variation on "babette ... baby: baby-faced teen who appeals to the paternal side of the mature ...." etc. At least there the implication seems to be that the hunkette is young and attractive rather than effeminate ... I hope. The term seems to be used in a variety of ways even in the US. Maybe 'nuff said.

Moondancer, thanks for the lowdown on Kevin. So - another ultracreep? Something to look forward to. But I'm glad Lij is playing one or two non-creeps as well (wouldn't like to see him typecast in that direction!).

Feeling very jolly today. First of all, ESOTSM has FINALLY opened in the UK. Wheeeeeeeeee!! Secondly, it’s almost the weekend. Double wheeeeeeeee! And I’ve just found this on Kevin:

(Note, I have deleted some of the more spoilerific bits in my quote, but they’re still at the site, here: http://www.devermore.net/surbrook/adaptionscomic/sincity/kevin.html)

Don’t know how accurate this is, but I assume it’s a good description of the character in the comic rather than this guy’s RP version of him.

Background/History:
Kevin appears extensively in Sin City. He makes a cameo in at least one other story, but as yet has not appeared as a primary character in any further stories.
Personality/Motivation:
Kevin is a utter and total sociopath. He kills (and eats) women, and has murdered at least 7, leaving their heads mounted on the wall of a cell at the Farm.
As far as I can tell, Kevin is mute, and never says a word. Cardinal Roark says he spoke with the voice of an angel, but I have to wonder at that.
Quote: Kevin is mute and cannot talk.
Powers/Tactics: Kevin's finger nails are long, really long and he uses them as effective claws.
Appearance:
Kevin is of average height with short hair and a bit of stubble. He wears glasses and has a fairly average face. He dresses in a sweater, jeans and, Keds sneakers.

Love the muteness, the nails and the voice of an angel part! EW is so suited to this part – I really hope he’s got it. :)

Edited to add: just found this!
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/film/interviews/story.jsp?story=516503

That was an interesting article, Random -- thanks for posting the link to it. I couldn't help but clip out a bit:

A commanding romantic leading role is still beyond Wood's reach - possibly, given his height, in the most literal sense. But the chances are fair that there will be life for him after Frodo. Meanwhile he retains his shiny, happy, thoroughly impenetrable veneer of optimism. "I don't have a sense of missing Frodo because I feel like that series has come to its natural end for all of us. After four years of being involved with it, and though it was such a brilliant experience, we're ready to move on with our lives. Not continually to be associated with that one thing forever."

I'm beginning to think that Lij is far better off without "commanding romantic leading roles". If he ends up as another William H. Macy or Christopher Walken (or even Kevin Spacey), he will ultimately have the more long-lived career. The expectations that are placed on "leading man types" can kill an actor's creativity, I think, and Elijah just doesn't enjoy playing the game well enough to try to compete for those kinds of roles. But to tell the truth, it annoys me that after all these years of women's lib and civil rights movements and so on, we're still so unsophisticated as to believe that only tall men can be leaders. What shallow, unenlightened rubbish.

Thanks, Random.

That Independent article is a bit weird, isn't it?
Not bad, but not the best sort of article either.
The journalist touches on a lot of subjects without going further and maybe I'm reading too much into this, but at times....I don't really like the tone of it.
"...says naughty little Elijah"
"he seems like a schoolboy all togged up in his Sunday best for his first job interview. Clinging precariously to his chin is the slightly absurd little goatee he sports in the film he's promoting"
:rolleyes:

"Avoiding a party lifestyle, he has somehow managed to keep himself out of the tabloids, and must be one of the best-adjusted ex-child stars in the business. Or possibly he's just in denial. His clear, wide-set, dark blue eyes slip gently out of focus when he's asked about his father"
An actor who wants to keep his private life...*gasp*...PRIVATE. Shock, horror.

A commanding romantic leading role is still beyond Wood's reach - possibly, given his height
Yes and I assume it will be out of his reach for quite some time (if he ever gets to do such roles). But there are plenty of actors who managed to have a great career without a typical romantic leading role and some actors even try to avoid those kind of roles.

Just saw Achila's post while typing this and I agree. :)
I would love to see him do a romantic lead, but only if it's a strong, interesting story.
we're still so unsophisticated as to believe that only tall men can be leaders
Frustrating, isn't it?
The expectations that are placed on "leading man types" can kill an actor's creativity,
One of the biggest examples of that must be Brad Pitt. That actor tries to broaden his horizons, tries to do interesting stuff but the majority of the public only want to see him do certain roles where he gets to be brave, beautiful and heroic.
Not that Brad Pitt has anything to complain about but Johnny Depp - with his looks - could easily have the same sort of career but he managed to pick out a-typical and peculiar roles (or he made the characters a bit different on purpose, like in Pirates of the Carribean). Elijah Wood mentions Johnny Depp as one of his rolemodels, as far as his career path is concerned and ...:)...I think that this is a great choice.

I think that Elijah can not only look to Depp but also Dustin Hoffman as career role models. Of course, Hoffman didn't have his first big movie until he was 29 (The Graduate), but he's another man of less then average height but very stellar talent who's done a wide variety of films in 30-plus years. His romantic-comedy roles all have been more heavily weighted towards the comic than the romance (Graduate, Tootsie), but he's even more known for his non-romantic parts (Midnight Cowboy, Rain Man, even Hook).

As for Ted C(asablanca), if you get the chance, read his article about the Two Towers LA premiere (I'll see if I can dig it up later today)--it was one of the funniest things I've ever read about the LotR fellows. They were completely winding him up about their "closeness", what with Karl Urban coming up behind Orlando when he was talking with Ted and nuzzling his neck. "Ooooh, tongue in my ear!" was Orlando's response. Then, when Ted asked Elijah to finish the sentence, "Hobbits who play together..." EW said, "Make sweet love together!"

The example I can think of, that really burns me, is Tom Cruise. I don't think Tom's particularly tall, is he? and at least IMHO, not especially good looking (and nowhere near as good looking as Elijah), and IMVHO, not anywhere near as good an actor either, and yet he's considered a leading man for who knows what reason. There seems to be NO justice in this world!

As for Johnny Depp, it's so wonderful to see him being heralded after all these years but isn't it sad that it's taken him so long to get here? He's been absolutely wonderful in roles as varied as Ed Wood and Edward Scissorhands, but it took a weirdly effeminate pirate to put him on the map. So strange. But if Elijah had a career like Johnny's, I'd be more than thrilled with that.

Thanks for that link, Random. Sadly, the thing that struck me most while reading it is the rate at which he's knowingly burning up his lungs. :eek: Good lord.

Flourish:
Sadly, the thing that struck me most while reading it is the rate at which he's knowingly burning up his lungs. Good lord. I second that. Oh, Elijah, baby!:(

SIN CITY Thoughts:

The more I read of this role the more promising it looks. This is the sort of role that is usually served up with a liberal sprinkling of Mannerisms, with a capital M. Think Hannibal Lecter's creepy little reptillian "scenting the air" thing. But Anthony Hopkins further fleshed (no pun intended) out that role with his vocal skills as I see it. I mean he just doesn't have a real motile face, does he?* Now Elijah won't have the benefit of his really lovely voice (though he might in one very chilling moment, I suppose) but he does have a most expressive face. With an economical use of Mannerism, he ought to be able to make Hannibal look like HE belongs between two slices of rye with a slathering of mustard!

sniff-sniff-sniff, is that an Oscar I smell? ;)

Besides the obvious potential for gore, I'm thrilled to hear the film will be in black and white. I don't know why, maybe the noir-ish title, but it seems perfect doesn't it?

All in all I intend to remain spoiler free on this one. I want to give our boy the chance to really raise goose bumps. And thinking into the future, not sure this is one of Elijah's movies that I'll be needing a dvd of! :eek:

Honey!

*P.S. On further reflection, I suppose Lecter is about that tight control, and therefore hopkins shouldn't screen his feelings in his eyes, face.

P.P.S. Or am I just way off base, and comparing apples to oranges again?;)

Edited to say:
I agree about the smoking! Oh, Elijah baby! Please quit! Knaw on your toenails to your heart's content, but please stop smoking! We want you around for a long time!

(would a petition help?

"We, the slightly obsessed members of the Faculty, hereby petition, plead, and just out-and-out grovel before you, Elijah Wood, to beg you to please stop smoking. We want you around for a long, long time, sweetie!

Think of this as a loving but stern request from a few of your several million surrogate aunts." ;) ;) )



His (Hoffman's) romantic-comedy roles all have been more heavily weighted towards the comic than the romance (Graduate, Tootsie), but he's even more known for his non-romantic parts (Midnight Cowboy, Rain Man, even Hook).

Did you ever see a movie called "Agatha", that he made with Vanessa Redgrave? (I think Timothy Dalton was in it but I'm not sure)

The movie was a fictionalised (Oh <deity> I'm spelling like a Brit! ;) Next I'll be writing "colour"! :p ) the missing 10 days in Agatha Christie's life when her marriage was breaking up. Redgrave played Christie, and Hoffman played an American reporter staying at the same hotel. He figured out who she was.

It was a neat story, and definitely romantic in a hands-off sort of way. But the - um - I'm going to say the C-word!! CHEMISTRY between the two was great, and Hoffman came across as very romantic. He's certainly handsome enough. If an actor is good, he can play romantic leads quite well. Even Bill Murray could be sexy when he wanted.

Why would Elijah be tall enough to play the creepy side of a love story (ESOTSM) but not to play a hot-and-heavy romantic role? :::: shaking head ::::

So...short people can only play creeps? :::: pulling self up to full height in outrage :::: (*)

(If I hear even a *hint* of that stupid "Short People" song, I'm outta here ! :D ;) )

BTW, I thought the airport pic was adorable. There was probably some pre-agreed-on group thing going on - Dominic and Elijah have absolutely identical expressions! Could anyone read Elijah's sign?

~grumpy
(*) as I'm only 5'2", nobody ever notices when I do that ;)

Originally posted by zkgrumpy
Edited to say:
I agree about the smoking! Oh, Elijah baby! Please quit! Knaw on your toenails to your heart's content....


I volunteer mine, even! LOL

"We, the slightly obsessed members of the Faculty, hereby petition, plead, and just out-and-out grovel before you, Elijah Wood, to beg you to please stop smoking. We want you around for a long, long time, sweetie!

From that weary "I have a smoking problem" admission he makes on the TTT commentary, I get the feeling he's already tried to quit, maybe even several times. Considering that every year, he makes the same New Year's resolution to stop biting his nails, and he's doing it again by mid-January, you can imagine how well quitting smoking went. Funny -- I imagine him as being someone with a lot of will power, and that if he truly wanted to stop, he would. As for being "naughty little Elijah" and smoking where he wasn't supposed to, he did it at the TORn party too -- he was standing onstage with a Heineken's in one hand and the cig in the other.

It was a neat story, and definitely romantic in a hands-off sort of way. But the - um - I'm going to say the C-word!! CHEMISTRY between the two was great, and Hoffman came across as very romantic. He's certainly handsome enough. If an actor is good, he can play romantic leads quite well. Even Bill Murray could be sexy when he wanted.


And let's face it -- we've all seen the sexy, fierce looks Lij can do in some of his photos, that could stop a charging rhino at fifty paces -- this man IS sexy, folks -- why don't they see that???!


Why would Elijah be tall enough to play the creepy side of a love story (ESOTSM) but not to play a hot-and-heavy romantic role? :::: shaking head ::::

So...short people can only play creeps? :::: pulling self up to full height in outrage :::: (*)

(If I hear even a *hint* of that stupid "Short People" song, I'm outta here ! :D ;) )



Yep -- I'm "vertically challenged" as well (5'3")-- Elijah is tall to me. (and btw, Lij wears that ring because he likes it, not because of who gave it to him).

Achila said:this man IS sexy, folks -- why don't they see that???!
OH YEAH! (What's that Dame Edna line? "sex on a stick?" :D)
But could it be all the repeated "publicity" that says:
"he seems like a schoolboy all togged up in his Sunday best for his first job interview. Clinging precariously to his chin is the slightly absurd little goatee he sports in the film he's promoting"
(With publicity like that who needs enemies?)
I mean, I don't think half of 'em can yet see past the "former child actor" stuff!
OTOH, I'm awfully grateful that he isn't going the way of Orlando Bloom.

ZK, I like your petition idea! :D where can I sign! ;)

Honey!

Originally posted by Achila
Funny -- I imagine him as being someone with a lot of will power, and that if he truly wanted to stop, he would.


Oh, he has lots of willpower, certainly (carrying a lead role in a film shooting spanning over several years is not that easy, I assume), but he also seems to have overloads of energy. Both nailbiting and smoking relieve tension and that could be the greatest obstacle for him to stop that nasty habit. Grumpy, I sign your petition any time!


Originally posted by Achila
Yep -- I'm "vertically challenged" as well (5'3")-- Elijah is tall to me.

Same here. I'm 162,5 cm "high" - and hey, the half centimeter is really important for my aplomb :) !

Originally posted by Achila
[B]I volunteer mine, even! LOL

Ick! Ewwwww! ;)

Considering that every year, he makes the same New Year's resolution to stop biting his nails, and he's doing it again by mid-January, you can imagine how well quitting smoking went. Funny -- I imagine him as being someone with a lot of will power, and that if he truly wanted to stop, he would.

:D :D Ah... the willpower thing.

Having been overweight since 1959, I can announce from considerable experience that there is no such thing as willpower. I could diet all I wanted, but sooner or later my metabolism would slow to the point of non-existence, and my mind would set up cravings that make Gollum's Ring addiction look like passing whimsey (...must have the precioussssssss SSSSSSSSSSnnnnnnnickerssssssss bar....).

Yummy as it is, chocolate probably isn't physically addicting. Nicotine is. I suspect he's operating on the same myth that "light" cigarettes have less nicotine. In any case, at 30 a day, he's got a physical dependency on nicotine. Anyone would. It is horribly difficult to quit smoking. One colleague finally did it during a bad bronchial infection, with the help of nicotine patches.

I would imagine that the physical punch of nicotine would be something that, when a person is under stress, he would crave strongly. I'd say that having a 400 million dollar set of movies resting, in a large part, on one's slender shoulders and curly wig could put a little stress on a person. You notice Peter Jackson came out of the experience probably 50-60 lbs heavier, and poor Sean Astin will probably never successfully keep his weight off. :(

Fingernail-biting - sometimes a person has a choice of bad habits, and the trick is to pick the least harmful. Maybe he does like a lot of people - makes a New Year's resolution to stop smoking, stop biting his nails, get his checkbook balanced, keep his room clean, and it all ends with a nap on New Years day afternoon. ;)



And let's face it -- we've all seen the sexy, fierce looks Lij can do in some of his photos, that could stop a charging rhino at fifty paces -- this man IS sexy, folks -- why don't they see that???!

To paraphrase Mr. Gamgee: "They may yet, Mr. Frodo, they may".

~grumpy

I know it's none of my business whether anybody smokes or not, especially someone I don't even know:o , but even if he slept only 4 hours a night he'd have to light up about every 45 minutes when he's awake to get through 30 cigarettes in a day. I just don't know how you get anything else done if you're that busy smoking...... and he's so young.

I guess the tension thing, yeah, maybe.....

My sister reminds me that at the trilogy showing in NY he told everyone not to start smoking, poor guy. I'm starting to feel really sorry for him about this. Will power won't be enough.

I'm just curious about one thing (not bothered particularly whether a person smokes or not, many close to me do and I steal one of their fags very occasionally ;) ) - but I wonder if the actors smoked much whilst filming or on set for LOTR. If they had long breaks between takes, I wonder if they have to alter make-up in case it shows that you've been smoking?

Well, I can personally vouch for just how hard it is to give up smoking up to thirty cigarettes a day...

The One Husband and I used to smoke at least a packet a day each when we first got together, and one day, we vowed to give up, mainly because my doctor flatly refused to prescribe me the Pill any more, past the age of thirty, unless I did...so this became a bit of a priority for me, and if we decided to try for a baby, it would become even more of a priority...
We gave up using the famous Alan Carr Method - he who was somewhat discredited by the fact that his own method didn't actually work for his own sixty-per-day habit, but that's another story !!! - and this involved various sneaky but sensible things to do, like changing your routine drastically, saving up the cash you would have spent on cigarettes...( in our case, enough to take us to Paris for a week, with spending money, a year later !!! )...and putting this money into a jar each, the point being that the first to give in would have to forfeit their saved cash to the other person :eek: :D ...

It still took about a good six months before either of us forgot about the cravings...it's SUCH an invasive habit, in all respects, that only after a year did I, in all honesty, actually forget about smoking..I even used to dream that I was smoking !!!

Here we are ten years later, and I still occasionally think that I wouldn't mind a fag with my drink at a good party, where everyone else is smoking away....although I certainly don't even think about it from one day to the next now...only very occasionally !!
So you see, it was very hard for me, and I'm quite a calm person, not nervous at all...

So, I can certainly sympathise with Elijah, and if he is a very over-wound in the energy department, then he will find it doubly hard.. :(

Wendy, congrats on giving up. They say it's far harder for anyone who started before the age of 20, as Elijah did. Wonder if Alan Carr would work for him? He might need to find something else to channel his nervous energy, though, and the something else might or might not be better ...
Amazingly there's now at least one alternative medic who actually recommends the occasional dose of nicotine as a form of Vitamin B! He doesn't advocate inhaling, though. And Lij says his clove cigs have even more lung-burning stuff and less nicotine than others, dammit.

On another topic - have just found Jonathan Safran Foer's website, complete with pic of the author. OK, so is there a likeness? (she asks, sheepishly)
here (http://www.jonathansafranfoer.com/jonathan.html)
And a link to both JSF and Liev Schreiber reading extracts from the book:
here (http://www.educeth.ch/english/readinglist/foerjs/everything.html)

Edit: just found this rather wonderful extract from a review of ROTK by Ty Burr in The Boston Globe:

There isn't a bad performance anywhere in these films, but Elijah Wood comes out of "The Lord of the Rings" with extra laurels, so wearily and sorrowfully does the actor carry the growing weight of his character's mission. Many are wounded in "The Return of the King" but only Frodo is truly scarred, and only in him are you struck by the cost of what is lost.

Ah - at last a critic with eyes to see! :)

Oh, yes, serena, methinks there *is* a small resemblance, especially on those occasions when Elwood leaves his contacts at home. ;)
But I wonder how tall JSF is?

:)

It is worrisome that EW finds himself needing those dreadful cigarettes. :( Must keep telling myself, "not its business." And kudos to those who can quit! I can certainly sympathize about the addictive qualities of that particular habit, but there are so many positive ways to channel excess energy: food, music, exercise, chipmunk voices, general fidgeting. I am reminded of a remark that Kristin Dunst made about the experience of working with EW and Mark Ruffalo on ESOTSM; she said something like they were always drumming on things and beating each other up. Maybe Michel Gondry didn't allow cigarettes on that set?

I am excited now about Sin City, since there are so many interesting comments about the characters, the storylines, etc. A cannibal who preys on women, huh? Who said EW wasn't fit for romantic roles? :p

I googled for some reviews of the book Sin City (well, technically it's a "graphic novel," but it's a book in my mind), and it sounds like a comic book version of film noir. So, it definitely won't be subtle (of course, it is being directed by Rodriguez, who doesn't do subtle), but it sounds like it'll be fun.

Oh, and as for speculation that EW might actually get some Oscar recognition for this? Dream on--it's a comic book film, directed by someone who has resigned from the Directors' Guild to make the movie, and EW's a former child star not too far removed from his childhood (IOW, he's too young for Oscar nods--if he were female, OTOH...). I'd be happy if this role means that he'll continue getting a wide variety of characters offered to him for many years to come.

Simulposted with Sharpe's Girl--and just have to agree with everything she said. It's really to male actors' benefit, I think, that Hollywood allows them to mature before deciding they're "too old" and shoving them out the door as it does with most female actors.

Originally posted by peaceweaver
...A cannibal who preys on women, huh? Who said EW wasn't fit for romantic roles? :p
Oh, darn.... And I almost made it through all the new posts without LOL :D :D .

Too much great stuff to respond to it all (I'll probably think later of more I wanted to say). But I wanna know where Stephen Sommers is!! Now that Van Helsing's ready to open, isn't it about time for him to fulfill his promise (on the Huck Finn DVD) that if Elijah ever started smoking, he'd beat him with a stick? Not that Elijah needs to get beaten, necessarily, but he needs people around him who are supportive of his quitting, and I'm not sure he has that. Not that I know--but it seems to me the smoking and the nail-biting are things that are more tension-related than excess-energy related. Maybe he needs to "borrow" Barney's bouncing ball? He's been biting his nails since at least Forever Young, started smoking while making The Faculty... And Josh Hartnett's going to be in Sin City, eh?? :mad: Wonder if he's quit?

But I'll agree with those who'd rather have EJW bite his fingernails and toenails--and their toenails ;) zkg, I'm sure they'd be clean--than smoking. IMO aunts are entitled to be concerned about that kind of thing (maybe his real aunt would help?).

OME! :D My imagination just put this discussion together with "Kevin" -- Elijah'll have a hard time biting those nails to the quick! :p -- Maybe having to have fake ones on all the time will make it easier for him to stop biting his real ones--or make it harder for him to hold a cigarette?

------------

On a different topic (except to the extent that smoking stunts your growth ;) ), IMVVVHO Elijah's biggest limitation as far as "romantic leads" isn't his height but how young he looks. And that's changing. Hopefully that kind of role will be added to his "mix"--but even more hopefully he'll pick interesting, challenging ones. As was mentioned with Brad Pitt, "handsome leading men" sometimes have a harder time being taken seriously. Somehow I think Elijah will avoid that trap :) .

-----------------

Wonderful quote from the Boston Globe review--thanks, serena.

I think what's holding EW back from getting the standard "young leading man" romantic roles is not only his youthful features, as tg pointed out, but also the fact that he doesn't have the usual Hollywood Hunk look.

I don't know if any of you saw the screencaps from the talk show where James Marsters, who plays Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was getting his famous bleached blond hair buzzed off (the locks are being sold for charity). After he had his hair about as short as EW did at the TTT premiere, he face looked remarkably like Orlando Bloom's, all angular with the prominent cheeks and jawline. That is the standard look these days, and it's not bad, I'll admit, but it is becoming boring.

The fact the EW has that thick neck, broad face, and amazing eyes that overwhelm the rest of the features mean that dim-bulb casting execs ignore him for the standard roles, but I really think that once he ages a few years, maybe by the time he turns 30, he'll have a career doing all sorts of roles that Josh Hartnett, et al, will only dream of doing (that's if they're even still around in 7 years, of course!).

And in keeping with today's theme -- guess who is NOT in People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People issue??????!!!!!! HMPH! And to add insult to injury, Orli is....

Don't get me wrong. Orli is a sweet boy but.....

I'll say it again. HMPH!

just pop in to say hi!!!!

and o my god have you ladys been busy!!

dont know were to start ?:D

iven if we not going to hear his lovely voice:( sin city is
starting to sound very intresting!!:D

fore his roll as a romantic.i think ,with his looks now big blue eyes,a face that looks like it comes from heaven,sexy,hot
(oh better stop hear:D ;) :rolleyes: ) what will be come of him when he is by his 30 you can only dream:D i bet he will have some
romantic rolls then:k

and then the hard thing, quit smoking!:(
its a very hard thing to do.i have been smoking since i whas 15
i am 38 now,and i smoke nearly a packitch a day!:(
i have been trying to quite but it is hard very hard so a big
golden star to you lady wendy and your husband!!:k :k
and i know its not good fore you body.and i know elijah knows that to so we just have to hope he realy a trying and that he is
going to suceed
:k
we realy want to look at him many years to come(and his body:D )

re smoking: a brief delurk: keep it up Lady Wendy; and think hard about it wood.
My mother died last January from lung cancer after years of smoking and it was a sad and so unfitting death for a loving, highly intelligent and very kind woman. I have never felt so despairing as in that last four hours as she slowly suffocated.

So believe me. It's a very hard addiction to beat (and I don't underestimate it at all), I watched my mother fight it and fail; but the fight is still worth it and if you beat it then you are blessing your friends and children and freeing them from a terrible grief.

I wish you luck and strength

Prim

((((Prim))))
I'm so sorry! I wish you lots of strength in dealing with an incredible loss like that.


I just want to add my support to those wanting to stop. Please do. I'm another witness of the nasty results and it still breaks my heart thinking about it.

My own mother died of smoking-related diseases (heart problems, aggrevated a lot by smoking).
We (family, doctors,...) pleaded, begged her to stop but the addiction was too far gone. The doctors warned her that her problems were life-threatening but she wouldn't stop it. At a certain point, the doctor gave a code red alarm, saying that her body couldn't take it any longer. She said "it's my life, my body, my health, my decision". We replied "yes, it's your life but it's our heart that's breaking while we watch you light up another cigarette". :( She never quit.

I have a friend who smokes and bites her nails. She has stopped biting her nails but she can't stop putting her fingers in her mouth so she now bites the skin around the nails.:rolleyes:
Like most smokers, she's fully aware of the health risks. She says that she does not really care if she shortens her life with this habit. In a very open and honest conversation with her, I gently told her that she might cut off a couple of years from her life but as I have seen someone suffer for years, has she realised that she might be getting herself set-up for a nasty long death?
She swallowed and said no but....in the end, it doesn't really matter. It's not enough that her friends tell her to stop, she has to tell herself to stop and believe it.


Congratulations, lady Wendy :) :)
Do keep trying, Wood.

Not that Elijah needs to get beaten, necessarily, but he needs people around him who are supportive of his quitting, and I'm not sure he has that.
I don't know how accurate this is but I remember reading a small interview with Elijah Wood in which he says that someone in his entourage (his manager???) really urges him to stop smoking.
He also said that his fans sometimes write him letters to ask him to stop but that this isn't going to make him stop.:(

Now, more positive things.
Serena, thanks for the "Everything is Illuminated" link.:)

posted by Achila
guess who is NOT in People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People issue??????!!!!!! HMPH! And to add insult to injury, Orli is....

Don't get me wrong. Orli is a sweet boy but.....
Not really a surprise. Orlando Bloom is more a classic beautiful person (tall, dark and handsome).
I looked up the list and...:mad:... a "beautiful people" list without Keanu Reeves is worthless in my humble opinion. :D
Edit: If I were to put anybody of the LOTR cast in a list like that (besides Elijah), it would be Karl Urban (with his own dark hair, not the Eomer look)

Originally posted by Moondancer
I just want to add my support to those wanting to stop. Please do. I'm another witness of the nasty results and it still breaks my heart thinking about it.


Good morning, all! First, let me acknowledge all of you who wrote, who had either quit or struggled with quitting or lost someone dear from smoking. And congrats to those of you who have quit. (((((FACULTY))))). I hope you know that I surely didn't intend to demean anyone who has tried to quit and hasn't been able to, with my flippant remark about willpower. My mother quit a 2 pack a day habit several years ago, cold turkey, and it surely wasn't easy, but she wanted to desperately. I think that's what makes the difference. If someone doesn't want to quit, they won't, no matter how much other people encourage them. My best friend smokes too, and no matter how much I want her to stop, I know that she knows the consequences, and I won't say anything to her. It's her decision to make.

As with Elijah, it kills me to think of him ruining his health and his beauty this way. It does seem like lately, every picture of him shows him smoking (both in character, in The Yank, and out). And even though -- can't believe I'm gonna say this, but -- he looks dead sexy smoking (ACK!), I wish he'd stop. I've noticed that his teeth are starting to look a little brown. Surely his voice is deeper? And those are only minor effects. sigh.....

Not really a surprise. Orlando Bloom is more a classic beautiful person (tall, dark and handsome).


More classic than Caravaggio-type beauty??? I know what you mean, Moondancer, but still.....


Edit: If I were to put anybody of the LOTR cast in a list like that (besides Elijah), it would be Karl Urban (with his own dark hair, not the Eomer look)

Oh yes, Karl is yummy!


Edit: BTW, just found out that The Yank filming ends today in the UK. So I guess Lij will be home some time next week.

Serena, I just finished listening to Liev Schreiber's reading of the first chapter of Everything is Illuminated.
Liev can't prevent himself from laughing out loud while reading this. Very funny to listen to both because the material is good and because Liev is fun to listen to

Also, I found this on the imdb message board.
It has a bit more information about Kevin in Sin City.
Be warned, it has MAJOR spoilers.
(read it by moving your mouse over it)


**** SPOILER - Kevin, Sin City ****


...Kevin is a innocent-looking deeply religious young man with glasses, an angel's face and a bad habit of eating people, preferingly young women. He shares this hobby with his religious mentor Cardinal Roach, publicly percieved as a virtual saint.

Kevin is a gruesome hand-to-hand-combat machine and silent killer. (POSSIBLE FILM ENDING AHEAD, LAST CHANCE TO STOP READING) However, in the end he kills the wrong girl, and gets Marv (Mickey Rourke) after him. Though Kevin beats him up pretty throughly the first time around with the aid of a very large sledgehammer, Marv returns better prepared. In the end Marv beats him unconscious, cuts off his arms and legs with a chainsaw and lets wild dogs feast on him while still alive. To Marv's great disappointment, Kevin seemingly sits through this with a smile on his lips, and doesn't scream even once. He still dies though, and as far as response to torture goes, Marv has much better luck when he later takes on the old cardinal.

Yes, it's pretty gory stuff, and faithful as Rodriguez intends to be, I find it hard to believe that they will be able to keep it on the same level in the film and get it made. The anti-hero trend only goes so far... However, Elijah Wood could be great in this part, if only they manage to make his fighting convincing (due to the circumstances this film is shot, I assume they won't be able to put the actors through any boot camp training to prepare for the action). Kevin should have an extremly agile, air-borne, sort of ninja-like way of fighting, it will be tough to transfer the impression he makes in the comic to the screen (some thoughtful application of wires perhaps?). God I hope they get this right. Can't wait to see Wood and Rourke fight it out and Rourke initially getting his ass kicked by Frodo. Now there's a sight to behold.

....
and something by another poster:
Kevin moves like an animal. True, an agile and graceful animal, but there's something very feral, and yet cheery, about the way he moves and fights
...
The book doesn't show him eating, but you get to meet someone who had to watch him eat a part of her. Kevin only talks to Roark, who claims he has the most beautiful and heavenly voice anyone's ever had, ever. Ever. The one scene you get of Roark and Kevin together, well, uh, Kevin's in no condition to talk.

...
and just another post, which doesn't add much but is fun to read:
Elijah also had quite a bit of fight training for LOTR, plus some for Chain of Fools (he actually has some nice whupass scenes in that.) Aside from his smoking habit, he's a pretty healthy and agile guy. Very quick reflexes, very flexible. I'm sure he could do the fight scenes for this very easily.



**** END SPOILER - Kevin, Sin City ****

Moondancer,
Oh my God..that sounds as about as scary as I thought it would be !! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Achila,
If someone doesn't want to quit, they won't, no matter how much other people encourage them.

..and I think that that is the crux of the matter..and why Elijah said that his legions of fans wanting him to stop won't make it happen...it HAS to be him that wants it above all else...and that's final ! I know that if I hadn't wanted to really give up, no amount of Doctor's warnings or threats would have made a scrap of difference to me or Adam...

The real truth is this...
The ONLY thing that will persuade Elijah to give up the weed will be a very significant girl, ( or guy, if that's the way he is ) that he meets, who will issue him with an ultimatum...me or the cigs...

Nothing else will be quite as effective as that...I promise you !!!

Just experimenting:

http://webplaza.pt.lu/barbara/images/ewletter.jpg

IT WORKED !!! :D

Anyone seen this pic before? Any idea what it signifies, or is it just another of those arcane publicity shots he does from time to time? Looks as if it could be from a music video. (In case it's not too visible - sorry the scan isn't perfect - he has a crumpled letter, written in red ink, in his fingerless-gloved hand that starts: "Dear Elijah, I'm so happy .....")

It's from a German film mag called One, and the caption underneath is a quote from EW saying "I think I'll need a bit more time to take in the fact that I was part of this massive project" (rough translation).

Sorry to change the subject, but I'm so amazed this worked that I couldn't resist posting it. :)

Yep -- just a publicity shot. I think it was part of the shoot with what was probably the weirdest pic of Lij ever taken -- the one with the mouse and the cupcake. Wonder who's idea THAT was?! LOL

Thanks, Achila. It reminded me of the famous mouse and cupcake shot too, although the cupcake one really takes the cake :) for weirdness, as you say.

from Lady Wendy:
The ONLY thing that will persuade Elijah to give up the weed will be a very significant girl, ( or guy, if that's the way he is ) that he meets, who will issue him with an ultimatum...me or the cigs...

Hmm. Since we're on the subject, I wonder if the extremely strange cupcake shot (old as it is) bears some responsibility for giving people the idea Lij might prefer guys? I'm inclined to discount that idea totally, because (a) Elijah (one of the most alarmingly/disarmingly honest people around) has consistently said (and shown) he is straight and (b) so has Ian McKellen, and he should know.

Moondancer, glad you liked Liev's reading of "Illuminated". It sounds almost as funny when read as it looks on the page :D. But I do wonder how they will go about transferring some of it to film - particularly the bit about Alex turning out to be less than huge.

And OMG, the Kevin thing does sound strangely appropriate for Lij.

SPOILER - Kevin, Sin City
"... innocent-looking ... young man with glasses, an angel's face and a bad habit of eating people ...."
:eek:
Not that our boy likes eating people as far as I know - it's rather the other way round, what with him having been on the German cannibal's list of delicious young men .... :eek:
And this:
"Kevin should have an extremly agile, air-borne, sort of ninja-like way of fighting, it will be tough to transfer the impression he makes in the comic to the screen (some thoughtful application of wires perhaps?)".
Perhaps not: Elijah is so incredibly flexible, agile and acrobatic that he could probably do his own stunts without special effects. I'd been hoping he would get a chance to show that on film before the cigs finish him or his arteries off ... :eek:

END OF SPOILER - Kevin, Sin City ****

And as for beauty, frankly I find Orlando ordinary by comparison (with quite a number of people - sorry Orli, but that's the way it is). Right from the start I thought Elijah the most beautiful human being I'd ever seen in my life. OK, there are certain angles and expressions that don't flatter him, but when it's right, as it was throughout LOTR and CoF for instance, he is simply dazzling. It's not just his physical attributes, either, extraordinary as they are; it's the special, magical glow he has. That face conveys something very deep and spiritual.
OK, OK, not to mention sexy ;)
And yes, I agree about Karl Urban! And Sean Bean too, come to that. In a different way :)

Funny you should mention Audrey Hepburn as another celeb with goodness flowing though her, Moondancer. Lij has actually been compared to her in looks too, if I'm not mistaken! :D (Slight exaggeration, I'd say, but they do share innocence and vibrancy as well as beauty and big eyes ... :).)

from serena
Right from the start I thought Elijah the most beautiful human being I'd ever seen in my life.
Exactly. There's just something about him that makes me shake my head and say, "How did that happen?" *amazed*

But I am so glad that Moondancer posted that lovely interview from Sean Astin. Sean himself says, it's got to be more than his looks. And that's it, exactly. That's what got me so hooked. There are plenty of hunky men running around, particularly in the movies -- and soaps, especially! They always have the most adorable cuties. But cuteness/looks alone can't hold my attention. It's the extra bit beyond, the glow, the dazzling quality that Serena mentions (and Sir Ian, and others). There's a goodness and compelling quality to Elijah's beauty. I hope he never loses that, or the self-acceptance from which it seems to flow.

And the roles he's taking, and apparently being considered for, are certainly not standard leading-man handsome-hunk material. (Mute cannibal? Well, maybe Mel Gibson would take that! :D - Man Without a Face, anyone?) I don't think Elijah particularly views himself as "one of the 50 most beautiful people" or wants to be seen that way. I think he'd rather be in the "50 most interesting character actors" list. I wish him well and happy, and that he'll make some movies that are not too weird so that I'll enjoy watching them repeatedly at home! (I'm not too sure how often I'd want to watch a mute cannibal or a football thug, but I will wait upon the movie to make that determination. And continue to grow my Elijah Wood collection, even if I have to hide half of it behind the MASH tapes to avoid the :rolleyes: from the family!)

I don't swoon too much over Lij himself (never mind about Lij + Wig ;)), but that is a really beautiful shot of him. But how did his Eyes get gray?

Nothing much to say, but Elijah went to a West Ham match and here are some new pictures:
Elijah Wood at West Ham v Watford Match (http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source/CFW/imageResults.aspx?s=EventImagesSearchState|1|15|1|50786548|0|0|0|0|&p=7)
:)
Check out the third one (on the right side) in the first row.

Cupcake picture? Cupcake picture? Would someone please point me to the location? (PM me if it's an unlinkable)

I sometimes think The Lad is pulling our collective leg...

I think he also does shots that tell stories. That one - considering what we've been talking about the past day or so, my initial impression was that the note is from a fan and he's looking anxiously out the window, wondering if he's going to be attacked by rampaging hordes of middle-aged women with reading glasses and sensible shoes. ;)

I just noticed, though, that he's apparently outside looking in. :::: sniffle :::: Is he looking in at his lost love? Did he lose his house key? Is that a Dear John letter that he's holding? Why does he look so sad?

Some of his pictures have an intensely personal feel about them. They're almost painful to look at because I feel like I'm seeing a very private moment that nobody's supposed to see. It feels almost voyeuristic.

If it hits me that way, I hope that it hits some thick-headed studio exec the same way and makes him realize that the lad can act. Plus, he looks adult there (relatively) and doesn't look like a hobbit.

That was a wig, was it?

~grumpy (danged kid doesn't know when to come in out of the rain)(Whippersnapper)(He'll catch his death of cold!) (how's that for being a good surrogate aunt?) ;) ;) ;) (My <deity> that boy is handsome!)

More new pics from the West Ham game (plus the previous ones without the watermarks) can be found here:

**link removed** (btw -- this' Annie, who runs elijahfan)


Also, **link removed** has three sets of screen caps from Bumblebee. This film, to me, is Elijah at his most beautiful. Enjoy!

THANK YOU ACHILA!!!
Oh my god!!!:eek: he is very beutiful in this movie
i have in vcr with very bad qualitie so i have never
seen it so clear but the movie is very good!!

i just hope it will come on dvd soon or maybe it already
hade but i cant finde it!?:(

Zk,

I think he also does shots that tell stories. That one - considering what we've been talking about the past day or so, my initial impression was that the note is from a fan and he's looking anxiously out the window, wondering if he's going to be attacked by rampaging hordes of middle-aged women with reading glasses and sensible shoes.

Oh my..I've just fallen off the sofa giggling at that thought....

:D :D :D

I think that that shot IS from the same shoot as the very weird cupcake pic, which I have just PMed you about, you'll be pleased to know !!
As to just exactly what either of them actually signify is an absolute mystery to me...
To my mind, the cupcake pic is a bit ill-advised, as everyone just takes the p*** out of it every time they see it...well, it IS somewhat strange !!
I wouldn't mind betting that he wishes it was never done, if only for the overtly gay imagery in it ( the obvious make-up, the fairy-cake, the mouse in the ear, the teased up hair...I could go on...you should see the sniggering that went on over at Data-lounge over THAT pic...what...Elijah ? gay? never !!!..)

As for the other one, posted above by Serena, I reckon that he's actually inside, looking out, hoping to see the person who has just posted the letter through his door...and yes, I reckon it's a Dear John letter, thus fuelling a thousand fantasies of Lij-comforting, on the part of his teenie fans !!!

:rolleyes: :D

What this shoot was for I can't find out....there doesn't seem to be any information about this anywhere on the Internet that I could find at all...maybe someone here knows where these shots originally appeared ? They are from the mid-late nineties, I should say, judging from how old he looks..around the time of TBFA, or "The Faculty"
Were there more ?

Originally posted by Lady Wendy
I think that that shot IS from the same shoot as the very weird cupcake pic


:D Yes, I have the same impression, Wendy. In the cupcake piccie he reminds me so much of Mulder (X-Files), it's spooky :p !
And what is the meaning of the two candles on the cake? Who of them is celebrating second birthday - he or the mouse? :D

i would very much see that pic cupcake!
could you pm that for me to wendy?

thanks wendy for the link!

but what in heavens name whas that????:eek: :eek:

from Mariole (welcome back! :))
There's a goodness and compelling quality to Elijah's beauty. I hope he never loses that, or the self-acceptance from which it seems to flow.

My thoughts exactly, Mariole!
(Self-acceptance being the hallmark of spiritual advancement and all that - as I think Sean A. has hinted at more than once. Those LOTR boys seem to have one huge dollop of insight between them.)

And continue to grow my Elijah Wood collection, even if I have to hide half of it behind the MASH tapes to avoid the :rolleyes: from the family!

You too?! :D

Most of mine - including some duplicates :eek: - are hidden at the back of a cupboard (closet?) behind a huge pile of photo albums.

And while on the subject of weirdness and Elijah Wood films, here's my weird prediction of the week:
"Flipper" will one day become a Cult Movie.
Don't ask me why; if this thread is still going in ten years ;) I'll explain then!

And continue to grow my Elijah Wood collection, even if I have to hide half of it behind the MASH tapes to avoid the :rolleyes: from the family!
LOL...erm...part of my EJW movies are hiding behind Beatles videos (I thought that he wouldn't mind hiding behind them).

I'm a bit late to post this but I've only just found it on Sanet. :)
(Sean Astin fan site). It's a link to a japanese site. I don't think I have seen the link here yet.
There's a little video you can download - you'll find it on the bottom of page 3.
One of Peter Jackson's daughters announces Elijah (very sweet to watch) and than Elijah comes running up some stairs and gives his little speech.
Check out what Elijah has behind his ear and how Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan respond to that. :D

It's a report by Sakura - it takes place during the Japan premiere of ROTK:
Sakura's report (http://sa9ra.t35.com/japanpremiere/report_e.htm)


posted by serena
And while on the subject of weirdness and Elijah Wood films, here's my weird prediction of the week:
"Flipper" will one day become a Cult Movie.
a Cult Movie? Flipper?
:eek: :D :D

a Cult Movie? Flipper?

I'd put money on Chain of Fools instead! It's obscure, and very funny, with some unforgetable lines.

Re: the cupcake piccie; it really reflects as much on the photographer as our Lij. :p

Honey!

MASH tapes? (((Mariole)))
Beatles videos? (((Moondancer)))

Faculty women have good taste :k :k

Honey,
Re: the cupcake piccie; it really reflects as much on the photographer as our Lij.

Yes...my thoughts exactly!! Half the time, when we see overtly effeminate pictures of Elijah...and the Italian Vogue shoot is the most obvious recent batch, ( how Gay can you look without actually being a rent-boy ? )...then I think that what we're seeing is really the product of the photographer's own imagination, or fantasy, of Elijah Wood, partly, because there's absolutely no denying the sheer prettiness involved here...
What puzzles me, and maybe makes me question the whole "Of course he isn't gay - don't be silly !!" thing, is the fact that however much these pics are the product of the photographer's imagination, surely EJW himself MUST have veto over what actually gets printed in any magazine, even Italian Vogue - he must have agreed to the stylist's decisions and thought processes, as well as the photographer's, as part of the contract ( he was actually advertising the clothes as much as anything else ).....my guess is, that either he IS gay, ( or he wouldn't agree to it,) or he is savvy enough to recognise that he has legions of gay fans who would really appreciate a little food for their fantasies, just like we women do ;) :D...

In view of his comments about women, I would lean to the latter opinion on this one...which brings to my second question :-

Now I don't care what his personal proclivities are ( I'm not here to discuss his sexuality...it's truly none of my business ) and so this is an academic thought process...I'm just curious...who DOES have the right of veto over what pics get printed, bearing in mind just how fast these pics get around the world via the Internet these days ??? He obviously doesn't mind being pictured as some gay male fantasy...as a woman, I cringed at some of the pics in the Vogue magazine - so how does he feel about it really ? How DOES he feel about the cupcake picture, or the Italian Vogue Gayfest ? and how much advice is he given by his agent ? I thought that their job was to get him as much of the right kind of publicity as possible...or maybe this IS viewed as the right kind of publicity, so far as trying to keep as many of his fans happy as possible...and I know that he has many, many gay fans as well as women...
Answers on a postcard please !!
:confused:

I don't really know what you're saying here, Lady Wendy.
Might be one of those cultural differences that occur in an international thread like this one.
Note: I'm not dismissing your opinion, Lady Wendy. Not at all. I just don't really fully understand what you're getting at :)

I remember when Keanu Reeves did a photoshoot for a gay magazine. A lot of people like to gossip about his sexuality but he likes to keep that part of his private life...erm...private. People think what they want to think but he's not going to discuss it in public.
Anyway, after that photoshoot, a lot of people just assumed that he must be gay or at least bi or he wouldn't be doing that sort of photoshoot (and I believe that this was not so long after "My Own Private Idaho"). His reaction was brilliant. He said that they offered him a photoshoot, he liked their ideas and he does not see why he shouldn't pose for them or why that would lead to the conclusion that he's gay. Maybe he is gay, maybe he isn't. What's that got to do with anything?
This sort of attitude gave him a lot of support in the gay community.

I don't mind the effeminate poses of Elijah myself. OK, some of those photos are not that good, like the cupcake one or there's that black and white Italian Vogue picture in which he stands sideways with his white shirt open and he looks a bit ruffled. (he just looked too young for that kind of picture IMO).
But than there are photoshoots like the Angeleno series. Also not a very macho series but ...like that title on the cover...a series that leaves you breathless.

When I look at various photoshoots for magazines, I see different styles. Remember when he had to do a lot of tv interviews for the promotion of ESOTSM. He seemed to adapt his own style to the style and nature of the program. I just think that he does the same for photoshoots. That's why he's such a brilliant actor - because he's a cameleon, willing to step outside his own boundaries to do various things.

I personally thought the pics from the Italian Vogue shoot were utterly gorgeous, and btw, those are not recent -- they're from a couple of years ago. They're beautiful works of art and have very European sensibility (btw -- they've also just done a photo shoot with Viggo, and have dressed him up in all sorts of weird outfits too -- Viggo isn't gay either, despite his penchant for sticking his tongue in his male co-stars' ears!).

One of the things we know about Elijah is that he's extremely secure with who and what he is. He's sensitive, emotional to the point of schmoopy, etc., and obviously does not care if any of us perceive him as gay or he wouldn't do things like climb all over Orli or kiss Dom in public, or would deny gay rumors outright instead of being artfully ambiguous (because "it's not its business"). So I'm sure he would not review a photographer's pictures of himself and reject them because "they look too gay". He has said that he kisses his male friends and can't understand why we, as a society, jump to the gay conclusion simply because we see men express affection with each other. Good question! We don't do that when we see female friends kiss each other.

So what's behind these weird photos? Watch all the recent TV interviews, both here in the States and in Japan. All the kooky dancing and role-playing etc. tells me that he's very game and has no problems making a fool of himself. The Premiere magazine article ("Four hobbits walk into a bar....") made the point that he's a natural comedian and will do anything for a laugh. He thinks it's all good fun, and so do we when we watch it.

I also think that Elijah looks upon those photos as art, and I don't think he'd deny someone their self-expression. Now -- as for that cupcake pic -- can you imagine the photographer saying, "OK, Elijah -- we're going to have you hold up a cupcake and a little white mouse...." ok -- maybe there IS such a thing as being too much of a good sport! LOL


Edited to add: One more thought I just had. If Elijah cared that people thought he was gay, he might have been leery of taking on Frodo, in light of the way that relationship has always been questioned. As "Serena" said on the FOTR commentary, he encouraged Sean to hold Lij's hand in the bed in Rivendell, because people would look for that, despite the fact that they are two "resolutely heterosexual actors". My guess is that Sir Ian would know!

Moondancer,
I don't really know what you're saying here, Lady Wendy.
Well, I guess that what I was trying to fathom out was this ...
If Our Lij wants to keep his private life private, which I personally think you have to try and do, if just to keep yourself sane whilst being famous :D...then why would he do the Italian Vogue shoot, or for that matter, any other photos, that are very obviously gay in their sensibilities, because to my mind, that just makes the overtly sensitive general public speculate like mad...

Don't forget, I'm not speculating as to his sexuality, but rather I'm questioning his motives for agreeing to do shoots like this, that will obviously get people talking about him in a way that he may not want them to...
Actually, I don't object to all the Vogue shots, but I thought that in some of them, he did look far too young to be pictured in a rumpled state of half undress, as if he's about to be tumbled by the photographer himself !!!

I was also observing that a set of photographs really DO reflect on the photographer more than the subject, as Honey said..

I must say that I'm extremely happy with Achila's take on Elijah's attitude, to doing this kind of shoot, as well as his attitude to his own way of displaying his obvious affection for his very good friends that he made whilst doing this film...
Please don't misunderstand me, I love the fact that he is very comfortable with showing affection to other guys, hugging and kissing etc...I would love for him to continue in this vein...
All I meant was that the Vogue shoot, for an upmarket magazine, just smacked of verging on gay porn...just my opinion, you understand, although a few of them were indeed beautiful !!

The Angelino pics were, imo, the perfect photos for Lij...they were absolutely gobsmackingly gorgeous, senstive, beautiful, dealt with his very obvious beauty in a way that appeals to both gay men and us women, and weren't in any way over the top with the make-up or the whacky dressing-up box outfits...( riding-boots and whip, anyone ? :D )

I think that you are right about Elijah being up for anything ...witness the Graham Norton Show...he was one of the few people who have played Graham at his own game and won !!

That probably applies to his thoughts about photoshoots too...there's nothing wrong with being experimental, but
I just wondered wether he regretted any of the shoots he has done in the past ?...That's all...

Originally posted by Lady Wendy
Well, I guess that what I was trying to fathom out was this ...
If Our Lij wants to keep his private life private, which I personally think you have to try and do, if just to keep yourself sane whilst being famous :D...then why would he do the Italian Vogue shoot, or for that matter, any other photos, that are very obviously gay in their sensibilities, because to my mind, that just makes the overtly sensitive general public speculate like mad...

People love to speculate about famous people anyway and the ones who have a clear-cut image often don't last that long. If you want to be famous, you have to have something intriguing about yourself, I think.
Ambiguity is a bonus, in my opinion.

And...so what if some people think that it's too gay?
Plus, I don't really understand why he shouldn't have done the the Italian Vogue shoot and if "overtly sensitive" people see anything "wrong" in that...in my humble opinion, that says more about them than about Elijah Wood.

I don't really make the connection between photoshoots and his private life. I don't think that these photos necessarily have anything to say about who he really is in his real life.
Also, if he has to start worrying about what people would think of him if they see him do this in a movie or see him like that in a photo...that would be quite nuts and he would possibly end up being very insecure indeed.

Like Achila says, those photoshoots are just art.
I quite liked the Italian Vogue shoot except for the picture with the dog and the one with the white open shirt. Not because he's in a state of undress (I mean, they could have gone a lot further...this is quite tame)...I just think that this sort of picture would suit him better when he looks a bit older.

And...remember that Vogue magazine is Italian, plus it's a fashion shoot (on a side note, one of the trousers is from a Belgian designer...:) )
I don't want to use clichés but cultural differences do matter.
In some European cultures, it's quite normal for men to kiss each other on the cheek as a way of saying hello or putting a hand on another man's shoulder or arm whilst talking to him.
In other European cultures, it's just not done and men have to stand at a certain distance from each other.

Originally posted by Lady Wendy
If Our Lij wants to keep his private life private, which I personally think you have to try and do, if just to keep yourself sane whilst being famous :D...then why would he do the Italian Vogue shoot, or for that matter, any other photos, that are very obviously gay in their sensibilities

Maybe he understands that photo shoots have nothing to do with his private life, and are more an expression of the publicity machine or (in the case of some of them) the artistic sensibilities of the photographer. Europeans have a different sensibility than those in the US, and what is seen one way there is seen quite differently in the US. I think that making any speculation about someones sexuality based on photo shoots is to buy into stereotypes that are often just plain wrong. (Besides, no self-respecting gay man that I know would dress up like that cupcake photo :D :p - I suspect that one was an experiment in edginess gone horribly, horribly wrong. :D ;) )

In the past, the members of this thread have agreed that they wanted to discuss primarily Elijah's professional life and work, and avoid discussion, speculation and gossip about his private life. There are certainly other places that do focus primarily on his private life, and given that there are plenty of places to discuss it, and many people appreciate and come to this thread because it doesn't, we need to be sensitive to that and try to keep the conversation on the impact of his professional activities. (The photoshoots were professional activity, obviously, I just want to remind everyone to be sensitive about how far they get extrapolated into personal areas.)

Moondancer,

don't really make the connection between photoshoots and his private life. I don't think that these photos necessarily have anything to say about who he really is in his real life.Also, if he has to start worrying about what people would think of him if they see him do this in a movie or see him like that in a photo...that would be quite nuts and he would be possibly end up being very insecure indeed

Yes, you're very possibly right about that...hadn't quite thought of it that way, I must admit...
I was getting very concerned for his own sensibilities really...maybe I shouldn't be quite so protective of him, he's a grown-up now ( very grown-up indeed, imo :D )

if "overtly sensitive" people see anything "wrong" in that...in my humble opinion, that says more about them than about Elijah Wood.

That's also very true...if only people weren't so good at assuming things about famous people, and if famous actors were shown more often showing affection for each other in a more European way, as you say, maybe the world would be so much less uptight...people's sexuality wouldn't be such a big deal, would it ?

One reason I enjoy seeing Elijah's photo shoots is that he's always playing a character--and they're as varied as they are in his movies. I don't think most people would think of those characters as Elijah himself. When I'm reading a women's fashion magazine, I don't think the poses a model is in show anything about her--she's playing a role. Elijah does the same thing (only better ;) ). Could be that some of us haven't had much cause until now to look at men's fashion shoots, so aren't used to thinking about them that way. I'm glad Elijah enjoys the modeling and still gets to do some of it--IMHO it adds a different dimension to his acting (and maybe has something to do with his penchant for making beautiful screencaps :) ).

--------------

What a segue :p ! Speaking of screencaps... Guess I'm still getting initiated into PowerDVD; if anyone who uses it knows how to fix this problem, could you please let me know :o ?

Yesterday I screencapped (I thought) two scenes and ended up with no pics at all. Somehow the "hot key" function has stopped working (I used to be able to take a cap by clicking the "C" key). I've sent a question to the support folks, but the site says it may take them several days to respond. I can still take caps--I just have to do it completely via mouse, which takes a lot longer than using the hot key when doing frame-by-frame.

Is that a good enough excuse to not have the May updates on my website yet :( ? I have three new TTT scenes ready to publish, but was trying to get these caps from Deep Impact as a special thank-you to my brother who gave me the program (we've laughed together at some of the plot holes in these particular scenes :) ). If I can't get them done soon, I'll publish without them. Will try again tonight. Before I re-watched these scenes yesterday, I kind of felt guilty about doing another Deep Impact page so soon after the other one; it's not exactly The Ice Storm, if you know what I mean :rolleyes: . But I was floored by the Froshadowings I saw! All related to RotK, so I wouldn't have picked them up the last time I watched DI. Quite worth looking at, IMVHO, even with the capped teeth ;) .

I also had a chance to see RotK viewing #12 on Saturday--it's at the second run theaters now. I don't know if I'll make much of an effort to go to many more viewings. The scenes I most want to see on the big screen (the beacon lighting and the charge of the Rohirrim) just don't play as well on the smaller, not-as-good screen at the second-run theater. And the more intimate scenes I'd almost rather see at home, where I can be closer to the screen. After the show was over, I was tempted to do another two-in-a-row, but thought about how my back would feel afterward (the seats aren't as good, either :( ). But I realized, anyway, that I really didn't want to see the entire movie again right away, just parts of it. I want This DVD!! Three weeks from tomorrow :) ! I'm so glad it's coming out earlier than the other two :cool: .

---------------------

I'm reading all the posts about Elijah's upcoming movies with great interest, but just don't have anything to add. Carry on :) .

Originally posted by tgshaw
One reason I enjoy seeing Elijah's photo shoots is that he's always playing a character--and they're as varied as they are in his movies.

Agreed. One thing we should keep in mind is that many stars quite consciously create a "public persona" and are acting even when they're doing interviews or photo shoots. I don't know that Elijah does this, but the fact remains that *everyone* is different in public than they are in private or with their friends. I think one of the reasons Elijah is so emotionally healthy, despite being a "child star", is that he has always had a strong sense of who he *really* is, and he doesn't mistake his image with himself, if you follow. He seems to have a great willingness to "play" with his image without it impacting on his sense of self.

Although I've never been crazy about the cupcake picture, I've always been rather fond of the picture serena posted - much food for speculation, but I don't speculate on Elijah's life but on the persona he may have been playing. I write fiction, and I am often inspired by pictures in magazines or on cards or whatever - and I sometimes "cast" my stories with real people I know or with stars. Has nothing to do with who those people really are - I'm just bouncing off of one aspect of their personality or an image they inspire.

I should think Elijah's aware of that sort of thing - that is what acting is, to some extent, and modeling as well; creating a fantasy. I've seen women drooling and going "guh" over all the pictures you've mentioned, and scolding Elijah and/or his publicist for foisting these images off on helpless females, so clearly they didn't see them as aimed at gays. :p :D

There are half a zillion books out there on the appeal of stars, paticularly rock stars, and nearly all of them mention the fact that many stars consciously cultivate an bit of ambiguity or androgyny to their look - and the older books (I haven't really read any since 1985 or so) always discuss the fact that teenage girls and many women are attracted to these more androgynous types. I am sure these images work for gay men, as well, but historically speaking these male stars are being mobbed by female fans. When male gay fans came up it was usually with female stars like Bette Midler and Judy Garland.

tgshaw,
My mom has had some "control" functions just disappear on her with various programs - some she can re-instate and some she just has to take another approach. Drives her nuts but just seems to be a quirk of her system. Maybe you wore yours out! :D

Sheryl

[delurking]

at the risk of crossing the boundary between EW's private life and professional life

I have a confession to make....:o


On saturday I was out shopping and decided it would be nice to walk to the shops because it was actually sunny (by way of explanation, we are talking London, England here)...so I wandered along, daydreaming, and noticed a large number of vans/caravans/diningroom bus along the way. "not another film in the centre of london!" I grumbled and carried on.

Walking back in a daydream again (it really was a lovely day) I almost bumped into this guy coming around the corner, he walks up some steps into this caravan, and I do a double take because its Elijah Wood!!!

I was so stunned I took a few steps further on and then had to decide if I would go back and talk to him....and I couldn't do it :eek:

I just couldn't make myself go up to him, interrupt his conversation (someone from the film crew I think -guess he's still filming that hooligan film) just to tell him I love his movies, and especially LOTR :(

What I can say though is

1.He is more gorgeous in real life -the photos don't do him justice

2. He looks older (as in mid 20's, a good age)

3. He looks taller (even though he isn't)

4. He was very friendly and down to earth (regular guy springs to mind) to the guy he was talking to

5. Londoners must be mad, or the film Co. must be very good bec there was absolutely nobody hanging around!

(6. he looks good in black, and he has lovely skin)


Needless to say I have been kicking myself since then :o


viola

[lurks again, hanging head in shame]

Viola, don't feel bad. You did the right thing!:) You followed your own instinct and your unwillingness to intrude and it does you credit, imo. To thine own self be true and all that.

When we went to the trilogy screening in New York I couldn't bring myself to rush the stage after the Q&A with the actors either. You would think I'd have lost all judgment by 1 AM and after sitting in the theater for how-many-hours, but I just couldn't do it. My daughter volunteered to run down the aisle to get an autograph for me, and I wouldn't let her do it either.

Don't beat yourself up! It's OK, you did fine.;)

But thanks for the first-hand observations, LOL!:D

This is not envy, because I am not so small as to envy anyone who has had the good fortune to bump into Elijah in person. No, I celebrate your good fortune, and just try to imagine how he can look even better in person, even though I've heard that it's true.

But seriously, I would not have gone back to talk to him, either. Not while he's working. Perhaps the absence of fans is because I had heard he left England already -- perhaps a clever bit of misinformation on the part of the film makers?

I'm so enjoying the discussion about the photo shoots. I tend to be in the "it's just a role" group. I think that Elijah is perfectly willing to accept that the photographer/magazine knows their audience, and if they want frilly/disheveled looks, they'll get frilly/disheveled, and more power to 'em! I have the impression that Elijah doesn't connive at his public image, at least to the degree that many others seem to do. He seems too open and unguarded in his responses. Personally I think it's strong personal boundaries. And I can't forget what Roger Ebert said that one time, either: "That Elijah Wood -- he's smart, isn't he?"

*waves to all the lovely Faculty members * tries to remotely heal Tg's "C" key *

Viola, I am not jealous either. I applaud your self-control, and your timing in being in the right place at the right time.

TG, every once in a while I find that the screencapture in Power DVD gets finicky, so that when I go to open a file in Photoshop to paste the screencap it says I haven't copied anything. (In this case, it tries to open a file whose dimensions I know are wrong for the screencap, so I don't even bother trying to paste it because I know it hasn't captured what I want.) In this case, I find that if I close the file in photoshop, go directly back to PowerDVD and capture again, it will usually work the second time. For whatever reason, sometimes I have to advance the movie one frame and then move it back to the frame I want for it to 'see' it. However, I've never had it fail to capture after I've tried these two things, so I don't know if this will be any help to you at all. ;)

Tg, wish I knew more about the "c" key .... I use Power DVD and I am ashamed to say I didn't even think there might be a shortcut *hits head* so I am no help whatsoever on that score.

Viola, I wouldn't have gone back to speak to Elijah, either. Apart from not wanting to intrude too much I just don't think I would have had the courage, although my hubby might well have done it for me!!!!

I only live about 130 miles from London but have not had the means at present to try to find the sets. My cousin's hubby works on the props for a large film studios on the west side of London and about three weeks ago he was having his lunch and "Frodo" was sitting at the next table!!! *sigh*. :eek: Whether he was working on the same film as Lij I don't know as although I gently probed my cousin via email I haven't heard any more from her since. Don't suppose I will now as he is going home very soon :( :(

This, from The Yank yahoogroup:

Spoke to my mate yesterday who tells me that shooting has finished here now. There's also lots of gossip flying around but I'll wait until the dust settles until I post any of it! It hasn't been a happy few weeks apparently.

When I know what he's talking about, I'll fill you in. Doesn't sound good.

I guess on Saturday at the West Ham game, Lij said he had another week in the UK. Now, whether he's going to spend the rest of this week visiting mates (possibly even Billy?) or has publicity to do for ESOTSM, I don't know. According to some other people on this list, they have a couple of weeks of filming here in the States to finish it off. Don't know if that will be at Harvard or what.

Okay, on a totally different tangent (I seem to do that alot don't I?), I just found this article that I've never seen before. I believe it's from Maclean's magazine... (it's a bit old)

PEOPLE
Keeping it real
Elijah Wood really is as cute as a hobbit. The actor, who played
Frodo Baggins in the 2001 megahit The Lord of the Rings: The
Fellowship of the Ring, has huge eyes that are blue, blue, blue.
His slim, 5-foot-7 frame is clad in a well-worn T-shirt and jeans.
Hobbits don't smoke cigarettes, though. (They prefer pipes.) Nor
would they ever refuse to eat while being interviewed on the basis of it being impolite. In fact, Wood, 21, is so courteous, attentive and sincere it's unsettling. He's not the already-jaded young movie star who is bored by interviews and fame. Wood, a child actor who made the transition into adult films relatively seamless, stares right into your eyes, leans forward in his seat and smiles during every pause. Yikes.

In between gigs and pushing his movie, Try Seventeen -- a
coming-of-age story about a 17-year-old going off to college --
Wood is completely relaxed. He has, however, had to gird his
loins once more for the media and fan frenzy that is whirling
around the second installment of the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy -- The
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers -- that will be released on
Dec. 18. "I live my life in a quote-unquote normal way," says
Wood. "The attention, I let that be its own thing. I do what I want
to do and go where I want to go. I keep it separate."
Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Wood now lives (still with his mom)
in Los Angeles. He started in film at the age of eight with the role
of Video Game Boy #1 in Back to the Future Part II. Now he's
landing lead roles in films such as Edward Burns' Ash
Wednesday. And even though Wood will forever be the face of
the huge Lord of the Rings industry, he isn't worried about being
pigeonholed. "It didn't bother me because it is definitely a
character steeped in fantasy," he says. He was, however,
perfectly cast -- at the end of the interview, with his plate of fries
gone cold, Wood leaps from his chair for a hug. How very hobbity.
By AMY CAMERON


(Well, it's kinda on-topic, what with mentioning how he likes to be private, and the fact that it IS that hard not to melt into a puddle when you're aroud him...)

Originally posted by bagendbabe
Viola, I wouldn't have gone back to speak to Elijah, either. Apart from not wanting to intrude too much I just don't think I would have had the courage

Thanks guys...I was starting to think that I was truly nuts to let the opportunity go by...but


:o Ermm, I have to fess that I went out for a run (my usual one) and was seriously considering a detour to see if he was still filming in the same street...I already had my excuse handy ("what do you mean I can't go down my usual street?? I always run this way")

sadly didn't get a chance to see if I would actually go through with it as all the vehicles had gone....:(

Can't quite work out why they needed that particular side street, but then, I couldn't either when they filmed in my tiny little street (all of 20 feet long) until I saw it as an outside scene in Jack the Ripper TV movie!

I have to say though (sorry for those who are having trouble with the green man)... that guy is seriously good looking now that he's getting older:D :D

Originally posted by Narya Celebrian
Viola, I am not jealous either. I applaud your self-control, and your timing in being in the right place at the right time.


OK, ladies, if nobody is jealous, then why is everyone typing in BRIGHT GREEN!?!?! :p :p :p

No, Viola dear, I don't think you should hang your head in shame. The Lad will never know about the very classy lady who did *not* turn around and run after him. I think you couldn't have done anything nicer, though I'm sure he would have been charming in any case.

I went over and looked at those pics (Italian Vogue?). There are only a few of them, right? The rumpled one, he looks like he's already been tumbled! :D

They were strange pictures, but they didn't bother me, or impress me either. The ones that really affect me are the two that Viggo took (I'm sure he took more but I've only seen two). I said a couple of days ago that sometimes, with pictures of him, I feel almost like we're seeing a moment that we weren't supposed to. There's a crushing sense of vulnerablility about those pictures that would attract either gender, apparently either straight or gay.

I still think that a whole lot of people on that shoot fell a little bit in love with Elijah Wood.

~grumpy

Viola, that's so nice! :cool: *Imagine* accidentally running into EJW actually ever happening to anyone who posts here..... that's almost too strange to be believed. I would have done exactly the same, though; - I think you did the right thing, not interrupting and just walking on. :) Going back later doesn't change that! :)


Going back some little while here; - my EJW DVDs and tapes are not hidden away, they're standing on the shelves with all the other, non EJW-related DVDs. (Anyone else notice how a general DVD collection can quickly become quite large, even for idle non-collectors, what with bargain buys and christmas and birthday presents and what not?) So the films with EJW on the credit list blend nicely in with all the rest. And it's *mere* coincidence that they are distributed so evenly throughout, blending in with all the other films. Strangely enough, not two of them (except LotR) are stored side by side. :o :o


I've a small confession to make, I suppose: I've got plenty of LotR and Frodo pics stored, but nearly none of EJW. Trying my very best to remain a stoic and steadfast real person non-swooner, I am. Mostly succeeding at it, too. Still, one of the very few pics I *have* got stored, I just couldn't help it;- is that rumpled one from Vogue. After all, that's not a picture of the person per se, but of another "role" of his. So, if that one particularly appeals to gay men, well.... that must mean: I'm a gay man?!? **Scratches head in confusion ** Huh. Now, *that's* a surprise and no mistake....... :D

Maeglian,
that rumpled one from Vogue. After all, that's not a picture of the person per se, but of another "role" of his. So, if that one particularly appeals to gay men, well.... as it turns out: I'm a gay man! Now, *that's* a surprise.......

There...you see...I knew that pic, out of all of that shoot, would be particularly appealing to your average normal gay man...:D There's something about THAT look that gay men just love ! I have quite a few gay friends and colleagues, and I know that this type of pic really does appeal to them , whereas it only appeals to a few women...most women find it a bit too staged really... :D Must be something to do with the vulnerability and the state of undress...

Of course, I know that this is just another role for Elijah, however it was accompanied by a serious interview, translated into Italian..

Originally posted by Lady Wendy
Maeglian,


There...you see...I knew that pic, out of all of that shoot, would be particularly appealing to your average normal gay man...:D There's something about THAT look that gay men just love ! I have quite a few gay friends and colleagues, and I know that this type of pic really does appeal to them , whereas it only appeals to a few women...most women find it a bit too staged really... :D Must be something to do with the vulnerability and the state of undress...

Of course, I know that this is just another role for Elijah, however it was accompanied by a serious interview, translated into Italian..

Well, I don't know about that, but my mother *gasp* finds this pic to be strangely appealing. Apart from being appealing to gay men, perhaps it also elicits strong Mrs. Robinson feelings to some women as well? (But perhaps that has something more to do with the fact that Elijah looks really young and strangely innocent in that picture.)

Well, *that* should teach me to not try for a joke ever again. I'm sincerely sorry, folks. I went back and changed my previous post in a feeble attempt to clarify the joke. Although now it's been so thoroughly quoted......... :o Serves me right. I forgot there are new posters here who don't know me from waaaaay back when.

All the photos that have been discussed, Italian Vogue, Angeleno and -- yes, the CupCake pic -- are fascinating to me. Partly because of their very ambiguity. Also because of the dichotomy represented there. He is at once masculine and delicate, classically beautiful and of-the-moment, innocent and knowing. The Cup Cake pic, with it's obvious make-up and fuzzy little chin, is a visual mixed message; is he a boy, a man, or...? (The first time I saw that pic, I automatically assumed it was aimed at teen-age girls, and half expected it to be from "Tiger Beat" or some such 'teeny-bopper' rag.)

Even other, less controversial pictures are visually puzzling. He speaks of wanting to be seen as older, yet photo shoots are often done of him sprawled on the floor looking very young indeed, and at the same time sexy.

Probably the one photo of him which I find most disturbing is the one in the open leather jacket; the obvious bid to be sex object un-nerves me somehow, and seems inappropriate and ill-advised.

All of which just comprises part of the 'magic' which so fascinates me about the lad.

But that probably says as much about the observer as the observed. :p :rolleyes:

Honey!

Originally posted by honeyelf
But that probably says as much about the observer as the observed. :p :rolleyes:
...and partly, I think, that "normal" ;) people wouldn't observe the whole gamut. I mean, I was crazy enough to stay up extra-late to watch Elijah on Conan and then still get up early enough to see him on the Today Show the next morning, so I saw the two very different personas he had on the two shows. But how many regular TV-watchers are going to do that? The Conan viewers saw one version of him and the Today Show viewers saw a different one (but both him--we've talked about that before). It was very easy for me to figure out which audience I was considered part of :p -- the Conan appearance was not "styled" with me in mind, but the Today Show was (for people who want to say, "Oh, such a nice, intelligent young man" ;) ). Any of the pics that have been connected with LotR movie articles I've loved, which probably says I'm part of the intended audience there (yeah, I kind of even liked that "dead" one with the first Premiere interview ;) ).

In the same way, if it were any other young, American actor, I'd never have seen any of the European photo shoots--and probably none of the American ones, either. I realize I'm not part of the intended audience. So much so that I don't go looking for those pics. The only ones I see are the ones posted here, or occasionally pics that are with movie-related interviews. (I do think the mouse-and-cupcake one is cute, adorable and hysterically funny--which probably means I'm not the intended audience for that one, either ;) :p .)


Viola---Don't beat yourself up! (If you had gone up to him and felt like you were intruding, you'd probably want to beat yourself up for that, too, right? ;) Or am I projecting my own reactions there?) What a gift to have just those couple of moments to experience what doesn't come through on screen :) !

Probably the one photo of him which I find most disturbing is the one in the open leather jacket; the obvious bid to be sex object un-nerves me somehow, and seems inappropriate and ill-advised.
I think I know what picture you're talking about. I wanted to post a link but...I decided to be a good girl *winks at the mods :D *...and decided to check out the rest of the site first and...nope, definitely not a safe link. LOL.
Does anybody have any idea when this picture was taken?
I like that picture actually. :D It certainly didn't make me cringe.
As far as going for the "sexy" look, there are more succesful photoshoots in my opinion...a recent series of pictures - (the series where he sits on a folded mattress, he has short hair in it. Some of the pictures are in black and white, others in colour) works better (according to me, anyway). Maybe it's because his face (and body) has matured quite a lot over the last years.

These photoshoots are fun to watch. He can go from looking like a total geek to posing as the king of cool and a lot of variations in between that.
One of the best loved photoshoots is the Toronto/Adidas series.
Lots and lots of pictures: plain and simple, taken inside a studio. But so many different facial expressions,...some of those pictures speak volumes, just because he smiles a certain way or holds his head a certain way,...

Apparently, Elijah Wood received a good welcome from the West Ham fans:
Frodo the football fanatic
04 May 2004

'Lord of the Rings' star Elijah Wood gave West Ham fans a surprise at the weekend.

He's been filming his new movie 'The Yank' at the club. The film is about an expelled Harvard student who gets into English football.

Elijah got a warm reception when he went on the pitch at half-time to say hello and thanks to the crowd.

He's become a big West Ham fan while filming over here, but when we spoke to him before he admitted he was a bit worried about going on the pitch:

"I'm nervous that people are going to throw things at me! I don't know how happy the West Ham supporters are about an American coming over saying that he's a West Ham fan - I don't know if that goes over too well."

"It's been amazing. I watched a bit of football before I came out here but hadn't really gotten heavily into it."

"But the film has been great in the sense that it's really immersed all of us into the world of football and I've been to a lot of matches since I've been here and I've watched games after work going to the local pub - it's been really good."

"I'm sure I'll take some of that love back with me to the States!"
Source: BBC, radio 1 (website)

Glad everything went well on the pitch and he got a fine reception. Elijah's probably right to be a bit apprehensive about being an American in a movie about a very European sport and how people will perceive this.
I'm curious about how this movie is going to be received...an important European topic, a movie made in the UK and the main character is an American.
In the Guardian, this article was published:
Just when football needed it least, fims revive the spectre of hooligan gangs (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1208692,00.html)
On the plus side, it's good for The Yank that the movie is talked about in the broad press as well as the Tabloids.

Noticed two things. First, it said The Yank would be released in January. With any luck, that means here in the States too (and they hold to this date). Second, "seemingly implausible"....hmph....here we go again.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday, and People's 50 Most Beautiful People issue was in the waiting room. Some of the choices were obvious, and there were mostly women on the list. But of the men, besides Orli was Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Jude Law, and some men I'd never seen before who were nowhere near as beautiful as Elijah. I truthfully have never wanted to tear up a magazine so much in my life. sigh....

I personally adore that bare-chested pic in the leather jacket -- it's one of my absolute favorites. He has such a sexy, fierce look in his eyes. And I think that might've been taken a couple of years ago. More like that -- YES PLEASE! (and yes, you CAN call me Mrs. Robinson -- tee hee!). The "attempt at sexy" I don't especially like, however, is the mesh shirt pics. The one of him taken from the side is nice, but in the one taken from the front (with the shirt flared up to bare his tummy), he looks far too young and vulnerable (again, expression in eyes, mainly) to have posed like that, IMHO, of course.

It's exciting to watch the transformations through all the new pics. Every time I think a particular photo shoot is the very best of him I've ever seen (the Angeleno shoot is still my favorite at this point), another set of pics comes along and changes my mind.

Oooh! Did any UK-ers just see the London evening news on ITV? They had a bit about The Yank and that other hooligan film causing controversy for glamouring violence etc etc. Anyway there was a little clip of The Yank and the man hisself!

The clip was rather nice, a load of lads going for a big bundle and Elijah looking v. fearsome and tearing all about the place. Also a clip from which we already have the stills, from the West Ham game.

And then EW came on defending the film, saying it was about human relationships or something. Very cool.

Look later, UK-ers, it might be on the news somewhere else or at 10 pm!

ooh, I'm all excited now. Was definitely not expecting a sudden burst of EW and Yank goodness on the ordinary telly!

(and all the controversy this fillum gets the better, as far as I'm concerned. :) )

An independent movie and controversy? That often works, doesn't it?

Anyway, I'm just here to post a link to some new pictures of Elijah on the pitch of West Ham.
http://www.rexfeatures.co.uk (http://www.rexfeatures.co.uk/cgi-bin/r2show0?k=elijah+wood&fNewest.x=26&fNewest.y=9)

WERE CAN I FIND ALL THIS PICS
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT???!!!:eek: :(

Hello Faculty!!

The discussion about gay-looking Lij pics reminded me of this:

http://www.ezshots.com/members/shireling/images/shireling-53.jpg

A Japanese photo shoot I believe. Playing the part, definitely, but I'd love to know how the direction was worded. I happen to think this is very, very beautiful, as are 99% of his pics, but I always prefer the natural look, the real Elijah just being himself (or Frodo!).

Went to Collectormania5 over the weekend - I wasn't really bothered about going as I knew Elijah wouldn't be there but my husband surprised me by saying he'd like to go. I'm glad I did, even though I actually felt quite emotional remembering the events of Collectormania4. Saw 'Fellowship' on the big screen again, preceded by a talk by some of the lesser-known actors, made several good purchases and got to talk to the young lady who worked as Elijah's assistant throughout CM4. I'd just ordered a beautiful 'special effects' pic of Lij taken at CM4 (had to order it as they'd sold out!). As I walked away from the stall it suddenly hit me who she was - so I went back & fortunately there was no-one else there so I had a bit of a chat with her. And folks - it is now official - Elijah is "an absolute angel". That was her instant reaction when I asked what he was like to work with. She just couldn't speak highly enough about him - about how sweet and friendly he was. And that was under very trying conditions - three days of constant autograph signing. He was sitting by a plate glass window with the sun streaming right down on him - he must have been so hot - I know for certain I couldn't have done it. But he remained his usual pleasant self to the bitter end.

shireling! What a nice story!
Not to mention, what a nice picture!
:)

((wood)) One of the best places to fine pictures and news about EW is the Always and Forever site: it is also one site that we can link to.

http://always.ejwsites.net/index.htm

Enjoy. :)

And Viola, I'm not envious. No not me. Whatever would make you think so? Of course, you did the right thing not to bother the man while he was working.
Another nice story! From the reports I've seen, the set of the Yank has been a mess of poor security and conflicts among the principals (except for Elwood, of course. ) Hope all that turmoil doesn't negatively affect the finished product, though it is hard to see how it could not.

THANKS FOR THE TIP!! I FOUND SOME GOURGES PIC
OF MR.BEUTIFUL. I WILL KEEP CALLING HIM THAT
BECUSE THAT IS WHAT HE IS!!!

I KNOW HE IS ALSO SEXY,HOT,MASKULIN
BUT FOR ME HE ALWAYS WILL BE BEUTIFUL
OUTSIDE BUT ALSO INSIDE I MEAN HEART AND SOUL
FOR THAT IS THE INPORTEND THING.I KNOW I DONT KNOW HIM
BUT SOMHOW IT FEELS LIKE WE ALL KNOW HIM,THROU ALL
THE DISCUSSIONS IN HERE.AND FORE THAT RESON I ALSO DONT
THINK HE IS GAY.SIMPLY AS SOME ONE SADE HE HAS TOLD
HE IS NOT AND EVEN IF HE WAS I WOULDENT LOVE HIM
LESS!!HE STILL WOULD BE MR.BEUTIFUL FOR ME!!!:D :k

BUT SOME OF THE PICS OF HIM SURE LOOKS BIT OD OR
IS IT JUST ME??

Still on the subject of beauty: the "People" people were clearly looking for variations on the cardboard cutout (the type that fits the media-fed majority view). Some who know no better still see Elijah as looking about 14 - believe it or not, two different guys have said to me over the past year "Elijah Wood? But he's about 13/14, isn't he???" One just thought he looked 13; the other genuinely thought he WAS about 14 when he made LOTR and was amazed when I said he was 18 when shooting began.

So maybe in a few years' time "People" will start to recognise true beauty when they see it - outside and inside, heart and soul, as Wood so rightly says. :)

The really nice thing is that Elijah himself probably doesn't give a **** whether they pick him or not!

(((Shireling))), welcome back, and thanks SO much for that wonderful story (not to mention the pic). It's so good to have Elijah's angelic nature confirmed like that! (Not that WE ever doubted it, but it doesn't hurt to hear it confirmed yet again!)

Edit: VIOLA!!! I'm speechless.

Could you guys help me? Wasn't there an article from a British source within the last couple of weeks that said that Lij could now get up to 6 million pounds per film appearance? The topic was being discussed on The Yank yahoogroup and I KNOW I saw that written somewhere but just can't remember what article it was from -- having a senior moment! Thanks in advance!

Achila, I believe that there was an article some time ago in The Sun about the estimated worth of some of the LOTR stars (Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan)
I tried to find it for you but you have to pay to watch articles in their archives and believe me...it's not worth it.

Judging by the source (one of the worst British tabloids IMO) and the nature of the article, I have my serious doubts on the credibility of this. I think that some bored reporter just made those figures up.

Someone on The Yank group mentioned this one too, but it's not it. This was an article just about Lij, not the whole LOTR gang.

There have been so many articles running around fast and furiously that it's impossible to keep up. I just wondered if anyone remembered it easily and could point me to it. Thanks anyway, Moondancer!

Well, I don't know it this is any help to you at all Achilla, but I do believe that Elijah was offered around $3 million for the lead role in Richie Rich which he declined, forcing the studio to up the price for Macaulay Culkin.

But I think for LotR alone, he received roughly around $15 million plus bonuses and royalties. I read it somewhere though I can't for the life of me, remember where at the moment.

Will go hunting!

Originally posted by hobbityme

I read it somewhere though I can't for the life of me, remember where at the moment.



:::: rubbing eyes ::::

What hobbityme said:

Will go hunting!

What my bleary eyes saw:

Good Will Hunting

Who the heck let Matt Damon in here?!? ;)

I came on a web site that gave actor's salaries. At that point, at least, they didn't have figures for LotR, but they did say that he was paid $500K (USD) for ESOTSM. I haven't looked for a while; no idea about The Yank. I can't even remember where it is! :o

~grumpy

Hehe zkgrumpy, don't worry, just checked, definitely no Matt Damon in here. Think we got room for him?


I came on a web site that gave actor's salaries. At that point, at least, they didn't have figures for LotR, but they did say that he was paid $500K (USD) for ESOTSM. I haven't looked for a while; no idea about The Yank. I can't even remember where it is! :o

[/B]

Holy moly! For a movie with a mere $35 million budget for both production and marketing costs, he certainly got paid alot for the smallish part he had.

But it still is, I guess, to many actors, quite a large paycut. I know he took a huge paycutt for "All I Want" for which he was paid $250,000. And guessing from "The Yank" which only has a budget of $6 million, he took another one. And probably will for "Everything is Illuminated" as well.

But you know, doesn't that say something about him? That he doesn't really do things for the money (although it still is quite a huge amount if I may say so).

A Japanese photo shoot I believe. Playing the part, definitely, but I'd love to know how the direction was worded. I happen to think this is very, very beautiful, as are 99% of his pics, but I always prefer the natural look, the real Elijah just being himself (or Frodo!).

The fans and paparazzi take care of the "real Elijah" pictures. New Line has taken care of the "Elijah as Frodo" pictures. It's up to Elijah to provide the set of pictures that says "I can play any role that you can come up with, folks!". If a really great teen role came along, I wouldn't put it past him to take it, though I suspect he's trying to get away from that look and perception. His pictures, the ones I've seen, anyway, say "I can play straight, I can play Boy Toy, I can play angry young man, I can play sexy adult male, I can play flaming gay, I can play a geek, I can play a three-foot-six-inch guy with big hairy feet..."

I would imagine that part of his agent's job is to put together portfolios of appropriate pictures and other materials to go to producers and casting directors so they can see him in an approximation of the role. Elijah himself did this with his "cheesey Hobbit costume" on video - there were no pictures or clips of him playing a similar character, and he had to show PJ quickly and graphically that he could become Frodo.

Probably the one photo of him which I find most disturbing is the one in the open leather jacket; the obvious bid to be sex object un-nerves me somehow, and seems inappropriate and ill-advised.

Movies seem to be about two things: sex and violence. A successful actor must be able to play either, and convince movie producers/casting directors that he can play either kind of role.

Elijah has done an epic as an adult, and a very violent role now; he'll have clips and pics from those. He hasn't done a really, really sexy role - AIW wasn't, IMNSHGLO. At 5'6", with wide eyes, fair skin, and a youthful appearance, he's going to have to do some convincing that he can be hot, sweaty, and overtly sexy. I see those pics as a necessary exploration of his expressive range.

I think part of the exploration of his range, too, will be roles as a gay man. An increasing number of movies (as well as TV shows) include gay characters, still stereotypically, and I'm sure he won't turn them down because of public perception. Again, I refer back to big hairy feet. ;) He's going to do them, and to do them, he must be convincing to movie makers.

The one of him taken from the side is nice, but in the one taken from the front (with the shirt flared up to bare his tummy), he looks far too young and vulnerable (again, expression in eyes, mainly) to have posed like that, IMHO, of course.

Was it a very young pic or was he trying to portray exactly that look?

These photoshoots are fun to watch. He can go from looking like a total geek to posing as the king of cool and a lot of variations in between that.

Yes! None of those personas that he adopts is Elijah Wood - they're all Elijah Wood playing <insert type of character here>. It's all part of the industry.

It is amazing, though, to see how much he's grown up since the pre-LOTR days. Few pictures anymore could be mistaken for a kid; he seems to look adult now. :::: sniffle :::: he was so cute....

~grumpy (I wonder which pic says "I can play a cannibal?) ;) (and if I never see that faux mohawk again it'll be too soon)

Originally posted by zkgrumpy
Was it a very young pic or was he trying to portray exactly that look?

It was from a few years ago, so no, not so young. My guess is that it was supposed to be sexy, but just wasn't. His facial expression wasn't right, and that's truly what made the other one so spectacular, IMHO.

I'm sure many of you know which pic I was talking about -- the one of Lij in the black mesh shirt, satin pants, full-body, facing the camera and standing in front of a tree. I don't have a copy of it or I'd post it for your delectation...er..um...research. Yes, that's it. Research.:D

Originally posted by Achila
I'm sure many of you know which pic I was talking about -- the one of Lij in the black mesh shirt, satin pants, full-body, facing the camera and standing in front of a tree.
What I remember being "not quite right" about that one is that, IIRC (and it's been awhile, so I might not), the word "tummy" was a bit too appropriate--which made him look very young.

Originally posted by zkgrumpy
Movies seem to be about two things: sex and violence...
...Well, whichever one TTT was about (more violence than sex, I guess :p ), there are three new pages of screencaps from it up at http://www.frodolivesin.us (otherwise known as "click on the www at the bottom of this post :) ). No new FotR pages, but some additional pics on one page. No new non-LotR pages, due to losing the two scenes I thought I'd screencapped :rolleyes: , but the applicable part of the script Achila provided is added to the "Out-of-Touch Football" comments. As usual, the "EJW: Intro and What's New This Month" has links to all the new stuff.

Also two new book-Frodo-related essays on the JRRT side of the site. I'm going to post a mention of them in the "Heart, Mind and Soul of Frodo" thread over in the Green Dragon, so if anyone wants to talk about them, that would be a good place. :)

Grumpy, I quite liked your analysis of the various photo shoots as marketing materials that say, in effect, "I can play anything." For myself, the earlier shoots did not in fact strike me as sexy, but he's certainly growing into that role now, as his face sharpens up. I like both the young and older looks, but I think "older" better supports "sexy."

Thanks for sharing your site updates, Tg! I enjoyed your Froshadow of the month. Hmm, having a little fun with the term "precious" there, eh? :p

I love Mikey's hair in the Ice Storm -- those were my times! Elijah has such gorgeous hair, although I realize the current style is not to grow it out. Pity.

Regarding your Osgiliath caps, I have been always fascinated with the set of pics that you call Frodo's equivalent of a faint into Faramir's arms. Certainly he is relieved that Faramir is letting him go. But to me (especially seeing it in motion), Elijah is also acting out something quite delicate. I can feel his tremendous grief -- Faramir has just offered to give his life for Frodo. Frodo is too compassionate not to be touched by that. So although he is relieved, he is also wounded, almost bewildered (visible to me as he ducks his head) that, despite all his attempts, his quest has just claimed another victim. First Gandalf, then Boromir -- now Boromir's brother will die, and Frodo would give anything to have that not happen -- especially when he so seriously doubts his ability to accomplish the task at all. It's one horror after another for him. This scene just breaks my heart.

(An interesting counterpoint to Frodo's reaction there is Sam's, as enacted by Sean. Sam is irritated and angry, and shoves the guard's hand away with an "it's about time!" gesture. He is not thinking about Faramir's possible fate. Sam is focused on Frodo all the time. But Frodo, as you keep mentioning, has his eye on the larger picture -- which unfortunately leaves him open for even more heartbreak.)

Tg, thanks for the updates...how I enjoy those screencaps with your own thoughts.
I'm very much looking forward to the next month...ROTK.
:)

Grumpy, I very much agree with your explanation about why Elijah seems to be doing these photoshoots.

Now...Remember the Saturn Awards?
The nomination for "Best Actor" were:
Tom Cruise (The Last Samurai) (Warner Bros.)
Johnny Depp (Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl) (Buena Vista)
Albert Finney (Big Fish) (Sony)
Crispin Glover (Willard) (New Line Cinema)
Viggo Mortensen (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King) (New Line Cinema)
Elijah Wood (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King) (New Line Cinema)

And....the winner is...*drum rolls*...Elijah Wood :) :) :)

I just read it on the TORN message board.
Here's a bit from a report from Galadrielrose (title of the thread: small Saturn Awards report)
LOTR won almost eveything it was nominated for, as far as I remember...best picture, best director, best writing, best score, best costume, best special effects, best special edition DVD release, best supporting actor Sean Astin: he was there and he took the awards on behalf of the others too, best actor: ELIJAH!!!!! YEAH!!! As Sean said "It was about damn time!" And he was against some pretty tough competition, including Johnny Depp...Sean made a cute speech about Elijah saying how he was the real spirit of the film and it wasn't Sam as some have said in the past, he says Elijah has been an inspiration, and then he went on about how Elijah gets it, he gets the fans and the whole toy thing, basically called him a geek and then said he is gonna be proud to hand the award personally to Elijah...
when he received his own award, Sean just repeated how amazing the whole experience was and how before he did not get fantasy but now he is fully intoxicated with it...and then he received the award for best Picture of behalf of everybody and went on to thank New Line etc....Sean looked really good and was slightly overdressed for the occasion, with his suit and bowtie, whereas everyone else was more or less casual...
...
There's a bit more but you can read it on the TORN message board.
Small Saturn Awards report (http://www.theonering.net/rumour_mill/rpg/viewer/main/4099E777000BCDBD.html)

Another great quote by Sean Astin! He seems to be a very good friend of Elijah.
"Sean made a cute speech about Elijah saying how he was the real spirit of the film and it wasn't Sam as some have said in the past, he says Elijah has been an inspiration, and then he went on about how Elijah gets it, he gets the fans and the whole toy thing, basically called him a geek and then said he is gonna be proud to hand the award personally to Elijah..."
What a great thing to say.

Moondancer--great news about the Saturn Awards :cool: !! Thanks for posting it. It's nice (but not surprising :) ) to know that the SpecFic community "gets it"--that it's not all about the special effects, which good SpecFic never is. Also very nice (but not surprising :) ) comments from Sean. [Seemed a bit odd until I realized there really should have been a comma after "Elijah": "Sean gave a cute speech about Elijah, saying how he was the real spirit of the film..." :p ]

Originally posted by Mariole
I love Mikey's hair in the Ice Storm -- those were my times! Elijah has such gorgeous hair, although I realize the current style is not to grow it out. Pity.
Oooo... Me, too! :) (I graduated from high school the year the movie's set.) I love his hair in that scene, with it blowing in the wind, and even like it in the scenes where it's more styled. The only style I'm not crazy about is the one with the little "flip" on each side that he wears during the molecule speech--but I sure remember it :p !

Regarding your Osgiliath caps, I have been always fascinated with the set of pics that you call Frodo's equivalent of a faint into Faramir's arms. Certainly he is relieved that Faramir is letting him go. But to me (especially seeing it in motion), Elijah is also acting out something quite delicate. I can feel his tremendous grief -- Faramir has just offered to give his life for Frodo. Frodo is too compassionate not to be touched by that. So although he is relieved, he is also wounded, almost bewildered (visible to me as he ducks his head) that, despite all his attempts, his quest has just claimed another victim. First Gandalf, then Boromir -- now Boromir's brother will die, and Frodo would give anything to have that not happen -- especially when he so seriously doubts his ability to accomplish the task at all. It's one horror after another for him. This scene just breaks my heart.
Thanks for adding those thoughts, Mariole. I also have to think that Frodo can't have recovered from almost killing Sam just before that. I need to rewatch Frodo's "Thank you" to Faramir in the sewers again from this viewpoint--I haven't watched the EE very often.

An interesting counterpoint to Frodo's reaction there is Sam's, as enacted by Sean. Sam is irritated and angry, and shoves the guard's hand away with an "it's about time!" gesture. He is not thinking about Faramir's possible fate.
Sam gets his "quality" line in the EE, but IMHO it sounds a bit out of place after actions like that (although he has an interesting expression the moment after Faramir says, "Then it is forfeit," as if it surprises him and he is focusing on it at that point).

THIS JUST IN:

Elijah has WON BEST ACTOR at the Saturn Awards!!! :D :D :D

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to make it, so Best Supporting Actor Award winner Sean Astin :cool: accepted for him, saying, "It's about damn time!"


I am happy today!

Edited: Alright, just saw Moondancer's post and feels like a complete idiot!

Originally posted by hobbityme
Edited: Alright, just saw Moondancer's post and feels like a complete idiot!


You shouldn't, hobbityme -- never enough good news around! YIPPPPEEEE!!!!

LOL, yep, I agree with Achila....Hobbityme, your enthousiasm is very understandable.
:)

One more snippit from Galadrielrose on the TORN message board (I'm just posting this here because the messages tend to disappear quickly in that forum).
when Sean first went on stage he opened his speech with "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you, Saturn" talking to the award I guess...he thanked his casting director, and his father for talking to PJ about him, he also talked about how many Sci Fi conventions he is doing...then about Elijah again, he said it's about time he'd be recognized for his amazing work , as he was only 18 when he went to NZ to be part of this production and basically was the one to carry the film, he also said how amazing he thinks Elijah is and how much he loves him, leaving the stage he shouted Elijah!
Awww.... :) :D :)

Originally posted by Moondancer
Tg, thanks for the updates...how I enjoy those screencaps with your own thoughts.
I'm very much looking forward to the next month...ROTK.


I'll second that!
Tg, I'm glad in an almost hysterical manner that you put up the "One Expression" term to the glossary :p ! Your (as always) stunning screencap-by-screencap demonstration of Elwood's astonishing subtlety is best proof of the ludicrousness of that "OE" label. Thank you :) !

Moondancer, Hobbityme - great news!! Finally! *lightens sparklers* :) :cool: :)

*grabs one of Whiteling's sparklers and spins around, saying Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!* :D :p :D

Finally! Such good news. Oh, I hope we get a spy report somewhere about Elijah's reaction. These Sean quotes are just so wonderful. Thank you, Moondancer, for pulling the best off the message boards! *bows to you*

from tgshaw
Sam gets his "quality" line in the EE, but IMHO it sounds a bit out of place after actions like that (although he has an interesting expression the moment after Faramir says, "Then it is forfeit," as if it surprises him and he is focusing on it at that point).
Oh, dear. Here is where I'm forced to admit that I have never once thought to look at Sean in that moment. :o I must remember to do that the next viewing (I only ever watch the EE for TTT -- I need those missing scenes too much). *wanders off singing, "I only have eyes for you..."*

*snerkles some more over Elijah's win. Yes! *

Originally posted by Mariole
Oh, dear. Here is where I'm forced to admit that I have never once thought to look at Sean in that moment. :o I must remember to do that the next viewing...
There are a couple of screencaps on the page (http://www.frodolivesin.us/id247.htm)that show it ;) --The first two following the close-up of Faramir, IMHO.

from whiteling
I'm glad in an almost hysterical manner that you put up the "One Expression" term to the glossary!
The glossary entry is a "set up"...just wait til next month. ;) :p


-------Thanks for the continued Saturn coverage :) :cool: , Moondancer.

LOL...Great new sig, tg...:cool:

I hope this information is correct but I've read somewhere that Elijah Wood will be on the Jo Whiley show on the BBC radio (radio 1). The show's on air between 10.00 a.m. and 12.45 (local time)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/jowhiley/
You can usually listen online + I think that they tend to put their interviews on the website so that you can listen to it afterwards.

OME!! -- Ready for some more good news? Not quite as good as the Saturn Awards :cool: , but still... Just saw that Oliver Twist (yep, the right version ;) ) and Paradise are scheduled to be released on region 1 DVD on August 3. I held my breath and checked on Radio Flyer, but no action there yet :rolleyes: . With the cheapest used copy of Child in the Night going for over twice the list price of a new one (if they existed :rolleyes: ), some people are starting to wake up. But Paradise before Radio Flyer? :confused:

Also, I want to know which Faculty member wrote this customer review of Oliver Twist at amazon ;) :) . Very clever to hide behind getting Elijah's name wrong more often than not :D :


Elijah Wood Steals This Film, January 29, 2003
Reviewer: A viewer from San Diego, CA USA

As others have said, if you want a quality retelling of Dickens' "Oliver Twist," then turn to David Lean or the glorious musical version, and not this bland re-hash with possibly the weakest Oliver (not to mention writing and direction) that I have ever seen for this story. There are only two characters that partially redeem it: an earthy, maternal Nancy and an Artful Dodger that, as portrayed by Elijah Woods, may not be what Dickens had in mind, but certainly becomes someone you care about and want to save - much more so than the annoying Oliver, who has two facial expressions (wide-eyed and not wide-eyed), a shrill voice, and an unhealthy obsession with his mother's locket, which stalls the plot at the most unlikely moments. The double irony is that this rather stupid, greedy child (who discovers a conscience quite late) is rescued from the streets to enjoy a life of ease and comfort, while the infinitely more promising Artful Dodger (whose tender response to Oliver's bout of conscience is the most moving two minutes in the film) is carted off to jail - a quip from him being enough to stop this Oliver making any move to save him! It's enough to make you want the REAL film buried here - the one about Woods' Artful Dodger, caught between confused loyalties, sensitive and intelligent in a world merciless to both, protective of both Nancy and Oliver but powerless to help either, trying desperately to seem more callous than he is and to pretend to himself that he has chosen this life.... It's his tragedy that is almost buried in this dull film, but it's hard not to be grateful it was made, if only for those scenes lit from within by Woods' amazing talent. --This text refers to the VHS Tape edition

Hubby's chasing me off the computer, so just one quick thing...

Moondancer,
Would you be willing to drop off the Sean Saturn reports to the Goonies? I bet some Goonies will be as delighted with what Sean had to say as we are - and I did a quick scan and I don't think anyone's reported that Sean won there yet anyhow.

Man, I hope that was coherent. Eldest son spent the entire paragraph trying to ask me questions about lightning impacts. *sigh* Gots to go, though.

Sheryl

Alright, in celebration of Elijah's Saturn win....

Oh what the heck! Win or no, these new pics deserve to be posted:

http://www.elijahfan.com/gallery/gal/Magazines/Misc_Photoshoot_3/photoshoot-3-019.jpg

http://www.elijahfan.com/gallery/gal/Magazines/Misc_Photoshoot_3/photoshoot-3-018.jpg

Short update on the BBC radio 1 interview.

Elijah will be on the show after 12h00 - local time (GMT)
(that's 13h00 in Brussels :) )


PS Wow...great pictures, hobbityme

Edit: Just found out when ESOTSM is going to be in the theaters in Belgium....the 3rd of November! :eek: *sigh*...that's cruel, making us wait so long. :(

FINALLY!!!CONGRATS ELIJAH!!!!

HE SO DESERVES THAT ONE!!:k :k
OH ,AND SEAN TOO,LOVELY SPEACH, HE REALY MUST LOVE HIM
(like a brother i mean)

my god what a pic of him in leather realy nice!!!:D

Hi, dear ladies!
I'm just for a moment (busy in RL :() - to say that I finally got my chance to see ESOTSM.

SPOILERS FOR ESOTSM


Must say that I love the movie itself, while I was disappointed a bit that they had changed the final, making some kind of happy-end thing. ;( In the screen-play the final of the story was much stronger (IMHO).

About EW in ESOTSM. This is a good done work for the fellow. If he wanted to make a definite " antifrodo" thing he succeded, too. But, ohhh, why his role is SO small? :( Yeah, I knew, that in the script Patrick's role was small, but in the movie it became even smaller... IMHO, they (director and screen writer) didn't exploit all the poccibilities of Patrick's storyline and EW acting abilities to the hilt. While I should admit it is very important for the plot.

Anyway, I like ESOTSM and will purchase it on DVD in future, because I definetely need to see it again! This is a very intellectual movie and I had to be very intent at my first viewing and to listen very carefully just to get the sense of the story itself (although I read the script before watching!). So I had no enough time to get the nuances of acting, aspecially in supporting roles.

You know, at the very end of the movie, when we return to the present (I mean the repeating scene when Joel is waiting for Clem in the car near her house and Patrick comes there) I really estimated those changing expressions on Patrick's face from the very beginning of the movie - expressions of shock, fear, pain and despair when he sees Joel at Clem's doors again - and realises that his game is lost and he will loose her.

END SPOILERS FOR ESOTSM

I also got to see ESoTSM this week. ( Why on earth is it released so much later for you, Moondancer? What a pain to have to wait so long. :( )




Spoilers for ESoTSM
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I really enjoyed the film and agree with Rikka, there should have been more Patrick in it. And even in the small bits there were, sometimes you couldnt see his face anyway! Aaargh. What a waste of facial expression screen capping potential. ;)

But the film was really enjoyable, despite the lack of enough EW.
I found myself thinking about the scenes long after the film and trying to unravel the timelines in my head. It will definately bear much scrutiny when out on DVD .

I didnt think Patrick came across as "creepy" as I was expecting. But I did feel sorry for the character. Especially when he was quoting Joels lines to Clementine on the frozen Charles and it wasnt having the desired effect!

I didnt think Mark Ruffalo was as brilliant as some reviews I've read said he was.

I read a recent online piece about Tom Wilkinson (sp?) which said he starred in it along with two other "inexperienced" actors; Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst. :confused: :mad:
I wish people would get their facts straight!

I enjoyed all the performances in the film; I prefer Jim Carrey in his more restrained roles like this and Kate Winslet was good too.
"
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End Spoilers

Re; Saturn Awards. So glad Elijah finally got some recognition for his role as Frodo. I bet he'll be pleased, even though he probably wont say much about it.

Why on earth is it released so much later for you, Moondancer?
Isn't it ridiculous? I have no clue what could take them so long.
November 3rd...I might as well go straight to the DVD. When is that released?

So...the spoilers for that movie are much appreciated. I hear it's best to view the movie with a minimum amount of information.
Edit: I mean "the spoiler warnings" of course...:rolleyes:

Originally posted by quicksilver
I read a recent online piece about Tom Wilkinson (sp?) which said he starred in it along with two other "inexperienced" actors; Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst.


That makes no sense, quicksilver, considering that he worked with Elijah in Chain of Fools. Was this an article in English? I'm wondering if perhaps he said that they were young, which was mistakenly translated to inexperienced.

Achila- no- it was the journalist who said that, not Tom Wilkinson.
Thats why I was annoyed.

Full piece to be found here; http://www.hendontimes.co.uk/features/newsfeatures/display.var.486518.0.how_wilkinson_made_it_big_in_hollywood.php

To be fair, the article does say 'more inexperienced'. :)

Looking in vain for the EW/Jo Whiley interview online, I did find this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/jowhiley/interviews/


So maybe it will be up there at some point.

Well, speaking of the BBC interview... for all unfortunate ones without access like me, here it is:

***link removed***

Elijah, is, as always, his usual charming, polite and intelligent self.


Enjoy!

Firstly, there's another update on brimson's site about The Yank and he talks a bit about the troubles on set and the media attention the hooligan movies are getting:
http://www.brimson.net/

Secondly, an interview with one of the actors of The Yank (he talks about Elijah):
Keeper of the Ring
BY EMMA BREAR AND CHARLES HESLETT

HE may be a star of the epic, Lord of the Rings, but Elijah Wood doesn't shine between the goalposts.

That's according to West Yorkshire actor Michael Thompson, who is playing a football hooligan alongside the diminutive star in the new film, The Yank.
The 34-year-old ex-labourer, from Keighley, began his acting career with small TV parts in Holby City, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks.
Now he is rubbing shoulders with Hollywood's up-and-coming actors, including Wood, in the film directed by Oscar nominee Lexi Alexander.
Thompson says: "Elijah is just a regular geezer. He queues for lunch with the rest of us.
"And he even joins in with the kick-abouts we have in between takes.
But it seems Frodo isn't up to the standards of Leeds United goalkeeperPaul Robinson: "When he was in goal he was rubbish, but he never complained when he had to get the ball.
"Elijah is really down to earth, but he smokes too much and I told him so!"

Bruised
The American-funded film is being shot around the East End of London and sees Elijah Wood take on a new role in which he becomes battered and bruised.
The film tells the story of a young American (Wood) who is expelled from Harvard and sent to live with his sister in England.
But he becomes obsessed with the football hooligans who follow West Ham United.
The screenplay was co-written by controversial British author Dougie Brimson, along with Lexi Alexander and Josh Shelov.
Michael Thompson, who is also studying a BTEC course in the performing arts at Keighley College, is one of a group of ten actors around Elijah Wood, including Charlie Hunnam (Cold Mountain) and Ross McCall (Band of Brothers).
Filming began in March and is expected to last nine weeks.
The Yank is expected to be released early 2005.

Thirdly, the radio 1 interview was short but good.
Certainly for Elijah.
First of all, he received a signed autograph from John Peel. That's a dj who has a radio show Elijah loves to listen to. I mean, he sounded totally in awe of John Peel's radio show.
Than, during the interview, the management of radio 1 seriously asked Elijah if he wanted to stand in for John Peel (one day or so) when the dj is on holiday. I guess, that this is another dream that gets fulfilled...in an earlier interview, he mentionned that he would like to do a radio show, preferably for radio 1 because of the great music they play.
And...if that was not enough...Jo Whiley mentionned that Elijah walked out of the studio with his arms full of CD's they gave him.
...:) ...
I guess they like him.
Edit: just saw hobbityme's post...:)

Yay! Just heard the interview. :D

Will try not to gush too much about Elijah's sexy swoonful noirish tar-coated voice* and the cute way he sighed and said 'wicked' in an English accent and how amazingly impressed Jo Whiley (herself a pretty cool individual, I think) sounded at all the Ipod and music geekiness stuff.

Alas, I am afraid that he is getting far too cool for me (*tries to remember last non-LOTR CD bought. Fails entirely*).

Ace interview, however. This John Peel thing sounds fab. And the idea of Elijah being a big fan of Peel (the latter being somewhat of an institution in the UK) fills me with glee.


* But will the penguin be as sexy?!?

Hobbityme, where did you get those photos? I'd love to send a link to a few online friends who would just drool over them.

Originally posted by Sharpe's Girl
Hobbityme, where did you get those photos? I'd love to send a link to a few online friends who would just drool over them.

No Problem!!!

**link removed**


And for your viewing pleasure as well:

http://always.ejwfiles.net/images2/Elijahrelaxed.jpg

Don't like the little ciggie in his hand but it's still a gorgeous pic.

Hobbityme, insent to your PM!

I see that the links to the interview on radio 1 were removed (no links to livejournals allowed, I think).

But, the good old BBC has the interview up on its (quite brilliant) site...that link is OK, isn't it?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/jowhiley/interviews/elijah_wood_may04.shtml

There are 2 pictures also...is that the famous One Jacket?

Last post of the day...promise! :rolleyes: :D

oops, double

Hobbityme, those pictures are beautiful! And plenty sexy! (Is it saying too much to admit his little bare foot is adorable? Yeah, probably.)

Pardon me whilst I rudely quote myself:Probably the one photo of him which I find most disturbing is the one in the open leather jacket; the obvious bid to be sex object un-nerves me somehow, and seems inappropriate and ill-advised.
I guess what I dislike about it really is the lack of ....context. I mean, I have no problem looking at screen-caps of wet Sandy, which were plainly playing on Elijah's appeal. Pics of Barney in the shower, or on the table with his jammy top open do not wig me out. Screen caps of Frodo not quite nekkid enough in the Tower of Cirith Ungol don't make me blush and click away. But that picture of ELIJAH with a bare chest just...Hmmm, well honestly I'm not sure why I object to it so, because truth be told I love the "Dirty" pictures, you know the ones? Where he's covered in dirt, lying on the cracked earth of some desert, and he's pretty well nekkid in those. :o :eek: Alright, enough about that.

I can't wait to hear the BBC Jo Whiely interview! Thanks for the links, ya all!

Honey!

Trying to catch up (RL again) :rolleyes:
from quicksilver:
.... a recent online piece about Tom Wilkinson (sp?) which said he starred in it along with two other "inexperienced" actors; Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst.

Guys, having read the article I'm sure the journalist was being ironic when he called Elijah and Kirsten inexperienced (as "inexperienced" as Tom W. himself). He meant the opposite (he did, after all, remind readers that they'd starred in LOTR and Spiderman respectively!). It's actually a compliment to them that he should assume readers know perfectly well how experienced they are. :D

Wonderful pics, Hobbityme ... thanks! :k

And Moondancer - wonderful news about the Saturn Awards! Thank you! :k

The American-funded film is being shot around the East End of London and sees Elijah Wood take on a new role in which he becomes battered and bruised.
As opposed to LOTR, where his character remains relatively pristine. :rolleyes: I do sometimes wonder about the people writing these things! (No opinion on whether the Wilkinson article was being serious or not. I never know how to read these things.)

There's something in what you say regarding context, Honeyelf. The suspension of disbelief essential for any story to work is a jaunt into fantasy (I'd say the same holds true for photo shoots). If we identify with the character, we feel close to him, and that brings up all sorts of emotions. Whereas if no emotional context exists, it's kind of, eh, so what? (as most models strike me).

Two stars to Michael Thompson for ragging Lij about smoking. Maybe someday he'll want to stop. Loved the Oliver review -- I so agree with it!

Tg, it's a tribute to my tunnel vision that I never noticed Sam's expression even after you posted the stills. What can I say? I know what I like, and it's apparently Frodo. :o (((Sam)))

Originally posted by Mariole
As opposed to LOTR, where his character remains relatively pristine. :rolleyes:
Mariole--I'm not sure if a LOL is quite appropriate (considering Frodo's bruising and battering :( and mudcaking and...), but I'll join you in a :rolleyes: and a sigh for some of "the people who write these things."

Brings to mind what one of the LotR actors (don't remember which one :o ) said about their visit to the Star Wars set in Australia during a break in their own shooting. He said they not only felt like the new kids on the block, but noticed how clean everything and everybody was. Then they left the fantasy and went back to the real world of Middle-earth with all of its dirt and mud.

(No opinion on whether the Wilkinson article was being serious or not. I never know how to read these things.)
Ditto. So much so that I read the article, wrote a post much like serena's, went back and read it again, then deleted the post because I just wasn't sure (I'd thought it said "other inexperienced actors" then realized it was "more inexperienced actors" which confused me :confused: .)

Thought I'd just drop by and add these little tidbits:

1) Elijah's character for "The Yank" is named Matt. (which is really weird for me because that's the name of my boyfriend)

2) There are some wonderful new pics of Elijah on BEI (in a blue shirt) so run there now!!!

3) Also on that site are some new The Yank pics which are a bit spoilery and bloody.


:D

I'm just back from collecting my first LOTR autograph--Howard Shore's! I attended his lecture at the Tribeca Film Festival this afternoon and it was just a wonderful treat to hear him talk about the film, and about Peter and Fran, and about the creative process in general and his particular task for these wonderful films in particular.

He mentioned (again) the camaraderie of everyone on the set and I must say it's hard, even for the cynic in me, not to believe in it. He also said that during the recording sessions PJ "directed" him just like he would, say, Sir Ian as Gandalf or Elijah as Frodo (just to keep this post sort of OT :o ).

My sister sent a complete report of the day to TORn (as "Runner") that I hope they'll post so you can read more about it--if you're interested--than I can really post here. I think the thing that touched me most, and which is SORT of on topic, is Shore's saying, several times, that he has a deep feeling of emptiness now that there are no more LOTR films to come.:(

I know the feeling.

Originally posted by hobbityme
Thought I'd just drop by and add these little tidbits:

1) Elijah's character for "The Yank" is named Matt. (which is really weird for me because that's the name of my boyfriend)

Thanks, hobbityme -- I've been wondering that! So he's been a Sean (2x), a Mikey/Michael (4x (!)), Leo, Sandy, etc., not to mention Frodo, and will be Kevin and Jonathan. Don't those somewhat common names (not including Frodo, of course) make his own name all the more exotic and lovely?

2) There are some wonderful new pics of Elijah on BEI (in a blue shirt) so run there now!!!

BTW, don't know if anyone else realized this, but those were taken when Lij hosted Saturday Night Live (and one of those was made to look like it was being projected up onto a brick wall during the opening credits). Very nice shots. Annie has them up on elijahfan as well, and I think when I checked BEI, some of them had little red 'x's so if they're still there, Annie's site is the place to go next.

Elijah is apparently back in LA now. There was some controversy over whether he was or wasn't out with Dom at a club last night, but it does appear that he's home and the rest of the Yank shoot will take place in CA. Someone also said that Charlie Hunnam came back with him, so maybe Charlie's character (Pete) is someone he meets at Harvard (and hence, Charlie is in these scenes too). I also heard that he (Charlie) was taking a month's holiday here in the US.

TGReady for some more good news? Not quite as good as the Saturn Awards , but still... Just saw that Oliver Twist (yep, the right version ) and Paradise are scheduled to be released on region 1 DVD on August 3.
Oh, COOL! I'll definitley be on the look out for a copy of "Oliver." Will be passing on "Paradise" however. Not even the magic that is 10 year old Elijah can get me to watch Don Johnson and Melanie Griffiths again!:rolleyes: And, really, I didn't think the directing was quite believable. I remember the "goodby" scene at the end of the movie, and thinking kids don't really behave that way. Hmmm.

Loved the Jo Whitely interview. Elijah seems to have fallen in love with British usage of the English languange! Did you catch all the "quites" and "lads?" Adorable! :) On this he and I 'quite' agree; the Brits just have a way with the language that is wonderful!

Honey!

Originally posted by honeyelf
And, really, I didn't think the directing was quite believable. I remember the "goodby" scene at the end of the movie, and thinking kids don't really behave that way. Hmmm.


Yep, that was my feeling, too. I dare say that 10 years old children have other priorities than behaving like an old married couple :p !

Hobbityme, thanks for the info on the blue-shirt-pictures :) . He looks so indescribable gorgeous... *sigh*

Perhaps this is old news but I found a picture of Green Ghost (the artist who is responsible for the wonderful picture "A little rest") and want to share it with you. Another great work of art IMHO. *double sigh*

http://img1.photobucket.com/albums/0903/whiteling/imglad_kleiner.jpg

Thanks Whiteling :)
I find the colour a bit odd but the expression on Sam and Frodo's faces is very good.

I can't wait for the ROTK DVD. The last time I saw ROTK was in ...december...too long ago. I really need to see it again.

Anyway, there's a report on the Saturn Awards show on the Ain't It Cool News site.
Here's the bit about Sean Astin's speech:
Sean Astin accepted his award for Best Supporting Actor, the only member of the LORD OF THE RINGS team who was able to show up. He also accepted Elijah Wood’s Best Actor award since Elijah is in England finishing up work on his soccer hooligan drama THE YANK. Both speeches he gave were articulate and heartfelt, and his love for Elijah came through loud and clear. “He gets this... all of this. He was the first one to open my eyes to this entire world of imagination. I have forgotten at certain points in my life just how powerful the imagination can be, but LORD OF THE RINGS reminded me of it, and Elijah more than anyone.” During Sean’s second speech, my buddy Jack turned to me and whispered, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Governor Sean Astin.” He’s certainly got the poise and emotional accessibility of the best politicians, and he knows how to work a room, no doubt about it.


PS: Happy Mother's Day to all The Faculty Mothers...I hope you're getting a lot of TLC from your loved ones.:)

Originally posted by Moondancer
[B]Thanks Whiteling :)
I find the colour a bit odd but the expression on Sam and Frodo's faces is very good. ::: sob ::: Yes, it's beautiful. Entirely shades of red except for those blue, blue eyes. And I said I'd never get suckered again by a pair of blue eyes... :::: sigh ::::

What Achila queried:
Don't those somewhat common names (not including Frodo, of course) make his own name all the more exotic and lovely? :o What my squinting eyeballs saw:

- um - er- :::: ahem :::: :::: sheepishly going off to hunt for glasses :::: :D

Re: Governor of CA: Didn't Andy Serkis introduce Sean that way at the SAG awards? :)

That was a sweet comment about Elijah teaching Sean about imagination, but acting seems to be a great deal of imagination anyway. I suspect that Sean's acting skills, though surely genetic, are a lot more overtly structured, and while not more disciplined, more - um - anal? ;D It's easy, though, to lose touch with that ability to be in other worlds - surely a basis of Elijah's "becoming" his characters.

They have another common bond - I suspect that both lads grew up very quickly very early - Sean because of his mom's illness; Elijah as breadwinner.

Did anyone else see the things on - um - can't remember which channel - Bravo? E? A&E? about child stars? It was heartbreaking. Patty Duke, first runner-up in the exploited-child-actor pageant (Shirley Temple being the all-time winner), was there, of course - no mention of Sean, though. I kept waiting for Elijah to be mentioned, but he actually wasn't a "child star" but a "child actor".

There was supposed to be a 20/20 segment about them but there was a thing about political wives instead.

:::: going off to squint at pictures ::::

~grumpyandcan'tseetolookformyglassesuntilIfindthem

That was a sweet comment about Elijah teaching Sean about imagination, but acting seems to be a great deal of imagination anyway.
In that first Saturn write-up at TORN, wasn't there a remark from Sean specifically about Elijah "getting" the fans? IIRC, Elijah said that being a Star Wars and gaming geek long before he made the LotR movies helped him know what it was like on the other side of the autograph table, you might say, and he's probably more comfortable at cons than a lot of the other actors. IMHO, being in the geekdom of any imaginary world takes a level of imagination beyond that of the ordinary reader/viewer/player. If you can't somehow experience the "reality" of the world you're exploring, it would be awfully hard to stick with it long enough to truly become a geek :) . I could certainly see how the ability to have that level of imagination would be a great help in becoming a character.

I kept waiting for Elijah to be mentioned, but he actually wasn't a "child star" but a "child actor".
Oh, very nicely put. :) :)

There was supposed to be a 20/20 segment about them but there was a thing about political wives instead.
Thanks for saying that--makes me feel less guilty about forgetting to watch it Friday night, after someone said Sean was supposed to be on. :rolleyes:

Ladies,

Been a lazy lurker for a bit :p but I have been fully appreciating all the wonderful posts and great article and editorial and pictorial finds. Belated thanks, my dear Faculty members! And now the message board has changed on me ... I think I should take that as a sign to stop being lazy and start piping up my appreciation sooner rather than later. ;) Still a little bit late, but a big special thank you very much, tg, for the May update at frodolivesin.us. :k And a WooHoo! about the Saturn Awards! :D

I do have something significant to contribute to the Faculty annals. A documentary on Hollywood Horror Movies played on Discovery Channel yesterday, and surprise, surprise, there was a short piece on our namesake movie! Since I wasn't expecting it ('The Faculty', alas, was never a definitive example of horror after all), I wasn't ready to record anything, can't even remember the title of the documentary, but I can report that they made special mention of how they got Elijah's face to erupt in erm, stuff. Well, that's as non-spoilery as I can get. We get a brief making-of shot of Elijah screaming and qualling for the camera as stuff creep and crawl, then the shot was done, and Elijah stops his screaming and breaks into the sweetest charming grin you could have from someone who's face has just ... well. You know. ;)

((((Viola)))) You lucky, lucky girl you. Nah. I ain't jealous either. Just testing out our new colour plate on this here new-lookin' board. :D

And Flourish, another LOTR celebrity event for you? Peter Jackson on large screen, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, and now Howard Shore. Right, you I am definitely jealous of. Why're all these LOTR folk going to New York, huh? Huh? :p :D

Hey guys -- look at this lovely new board we got!

In that first Saturn write-up at TORN, wasn't there a remark from Sean specifically about Elijah "getting" the fans? IIRC, Elijah said that being a Star Wars and gaming geek long before he made the LotR movies helped him know what it was like on the other side of the autograph table, you might say, and he's probably more comfortable at cons than a lot of the other actors.


He still has some reservations about the Trekkers, however!



Thanks for saying that--makes me feel less guilty about forgetting to watch it Friday night, after someone said Sean was supposed to be on. :rolleyes:


According to the site which shall remain nameless, Sean's bit with Patty will be shown later this month.

Don't those somewhat common names (not including Frodo, of course) make his own name all the more exotic and lovely?
I'm sure Monday morning plus an unintended overdose of my meds ;) led to the following reflection: When Happy Feet comes out, Elijah and Dustin Hoffman will have both played characters named "Mumbles."

Someone also said that Charlie Hunnam came back with him, so maybe Charlie's character (Pete) is someone he meets at Harvard (and hence, Charlie is in these scenes too). I also heard that he (Charlie) was taking a month's holiday here in the US.
This is purely an honorary aunt thought :) : Elijah said that before LotR he didn't make close friends because at the end of a shoot (which was never long enough to really get to know anyone) everyone would move on to other things. So LotR gave him an opportunity to make permanent friendships that have carried on past the filming. Wouldn't it be nice if he learned some skills during that process that will help him continue friendships--not with everyone he works with, but with those he finds a special connection to? If so, that makes me all the more grateful to PJ for being so careful about casting actors he thought would "play well with others." :)

Oh my Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. No avatars?? :p

Anyway I am just here to say Hi and welcome back Ainon!!! It's about time!!

(and I'm almost to 100 posts so I'm mainly just taking up space til I get there--it is just not chic to be here for so many months and yet so ... under 100)

(oh--and thanks for the reports on the Saturn Awards. Party party).

Oh--a subject a little on the old side, but at the theater where I saw ESOTSM there was a poster magazine foldout thing with--unfolded there was a big poster of Jim Cary and Kate Winslet laying on the ice--and Jim Cary was on the cover when it was folded up--but there was an inset pic of Elijah "EXCLUSIVE MINI POSTER of ELIJAH WOOD!). So inside there was a pic of elijah as patrick--and signed as patrick. Maybe you already talked about this. But again...they certainly knew to use Elijah to promote the movie.

EDIT: Okay, now I see the Avatars. They didn't show up for me when I first logged onto the new and improved board.....

Ooh ... nice new format. Easier to post. Well, so far, anyway ;) :eek:

Am miles behind as usual - RL again! Sorry. Tg wrote this a page or so back:
I read the article, wrote a post much like serena's, went back and read it again, then deleted the post because I just wasn't sure

Have likewise read it again, Tg, and can see why you and Mariole weren't sure. Nor am I on third and fourth reading! Maybe he meant "two more inexperienced actors" in addition to Scarlett Johansson, whom he'd just mentioned - all three being young actors who had earned fortunes before they were 25?? NONE of those three is even slightly inexperienced - Scarlett certainly has been acting most of her life, like Elijah. If that's what the guy meant, he should have written "young" instead of "inexperienced". Duh. :rolleyes:

And Flourish, another LOTR celebrity event for you?

It's funny, Ainon, but as my sister and I, pens at the ready, joined the little crowd mobbing the podium where Howard Shore was sitting, I actually said to her, "I could never do this if the actors were here--I'm much more afraid of them than I am of Howard Shore!" :p

I knew there was something else I meant to mention about the lecture. It was a very ordinary-looking crowd, but there was one lady there with a big Frodo doll wrapped around her head. I don't suppose she's anyone we know?

When Happy Feet comes out, Elijah and Dustin Hoffman will have both played characters named "Mumbles."
Reminds me - I don't know if there's another "six degrees of Elijah Wood" link, but on Sat. night I caught part of a scary Johnny Depp movie about Mary Kelly & Jack the Ripper. I sat there and said "BILBO! How COULD you! I know the Ring messed you up but GEEEEEEEEZ!!" ;D So JD and Ian Holm were in the same movie, and Our Lad was in LotR with IH.

This is purely an honorary aunt thought :) : Elijah said that before LotR he didn't make close friends because at the end of a shoot (which was never long enough to really get to know anyone) everyone would move on to other things. :::: sniffling while handing tgshaw an honorary pair of sensible shoes and reading glasses :::: Poor baby. :(

So LotR gave him an opportunity to make permanent friendships that have carried on past the filming. Wouldn't it be nice if he learned some skills during that process that will help him continue friendships--not with everyone he works with, but with those he finds a special connection to? If so, that makes me all the more grateful to PJ for being so careful about casting actors he thought would "play well with others." :)

LotR was unusual because it was the same people together for so many months. The Lad had time to overcome that old pattern (I'm sure it wasn't very hard). We over-glamorize actors's lives - I have a feeling that it's often a lot of tedium and boredom and isolation - listen to JRD on the cast commentary on the movies. :( I'd never gotten such a strong realization of this than at the SAG red-carpet thing - I had the feeling that the women's feet hurt and everybody wanted to get home, get a good long bath, and tuck the kids in. Even Elijah has referred to "pasting the fake smile on".

~grumpy (I hate mondays)(even the cats were grumpy this morning)(Bilbo had a lobotomy at the end)

Well, I know a few ladies with big Frodo dolls, but not any that reside in New York.

Today I finally found out which cast member called Elijah an "old soul." I shoulda known: David Wenham. :D They had a big interview with Darling David in Starlog and he says how impressed he was was with both Sean and Elijah. The scans of the interview are at TORN and he talks about Sean and Elijah on this page. (http://www.theonering.net/scrapbook/group/1403/view/12998)

Today I finally found out which cast member called Elijah an "old soul." I shoulda known: David Wenham. :D ]

I was going to say that Andy Serkis also said it in his book Gollum: How We Made Movie Magic, but I looked it up and I didn't find that exactly,

but he did say

"I shared the journey on April 10 with Elijah, and we spent some time starting to get to know each other.......I have been a huge fan of Elijah's work, particularly in The Ice Storm, and was so excited to be working with him. He has an incredible depth and understanding of life that completely belies his years, and I was to find out on set that his energy, focus and consummate professionalism really gave power to all around him. He just was Frodo...."

Nice words, I can't get enough of them :) .

...So inside there was a pic of elijah as patrick--and signed as patrick.
Wasn't there a question about a picture of Patrick that looked as if it had been folded or crumpled up? Either in the movie or in promo stuff? Was the "mini-poster" the same? [You can tell I remember nothing at all about it :rolleyes: , but, see, I'm giving you an opportunity to get to #99 ;) .] ---- Edit: Oops! Simulposted! Now you can use it for #100 :) .

(Bilbo had a lobotomy at the end)
As Jack the Ripper, or as Bilbo :p ? Movie-Bilbo is a lot more "out of it" at the end of the story than book-Bilbo is (reverse character arc, maybe ;) ?).

Wasn't there a question about a picture of Patrick that looked as if it had been folded or crumpled up? Either in the movie or in promo stuff? Was the "mini-poster" the same? [You can tell I remember nothing at all about it :rolleyes: , but, see, I'm giving you an opportunity to get to #99 ;) .] ---- Edit: Oops! Simulposted! Now you can use it for #100 :) .

Thank you Thank you TG, for giving me the opening.

The fold up magazine poster emm...thing...is called HYENA and it is the April 2004 edition. It's like a poster folded up. So one side is a movie poster, and the other side reads out like a book if you leave the poster folded. Yeah like, that explanation is really clear!! That means it's like a book with 4 pages--all ads except the Mini-poster of EW. And the poster is Patrick sitting on steps (I presume) with a backpack next to him looking solemnly off to the side. The sig is XOXO Love, Patrick. There is a gold frame around the pic.

100 posts. Good for me. ;)

ONE HUNDRED POSTS! YAY, ALYON!!!

Reminds me - I don't know if there's another "six degrees of Elijah Wood" link, but on Sat. night I caught part of a scary Johnny Depp movie about Mary Kelly & Jack the Ripper. I sat there and said "BILBO! How COULD you! I know the Ring messed you up but GEEEEEEEEZ!!" ;D So JD and Ian Holm were in the same movie, and Our Lad was in LotR with IH.

I saw that movie too, ZK. Ian Holm can do SCARRRRRY! Makes me wonder why they thought the computer graphics were needful in the Mithril shirt scene. :eek: Oh, well. I'm just grateful they didn't feel Lij needed computer enhancement at the Cracks of Doom! :eek: :eek:

Hypothetical question: If you wished to show an un-convinced/un-initiated type an EW movie which would you choose? I mean besides any of the LoTR films. And why would you choose it?

And since I'm asking dumb questions: Was discussing child actors with work mates the other day, specifically how many of them fade away, and never make the transition to 'actor.' I could only think of a few who have 'made it:' Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowell (who voiced Sam, didn't he?) There was another but it's escaped me just now. So the question is this: when can we say our lad has 'made it?' I think he has already. Think of another actor, adult OR child, who has worked steadily for the past 15 years. Not only has he done it, but straight through his adolescent years when "cuteness" or lack thereof has ended many an "child star's" career. Does the aforementioned Ms. Johansen fall into the successful category as well as or Lij?

Just thinkin'
Honey!

Hypothetical question: If you wished to show an un-convinced/un-initiated type an EW movie which would you choose? I mean besides any of the LoTR films. And why would you choose it?



Well, I would choose "The War" to show a younger Elijah, and probably "The Ice Storm" for an older Elijah. But in the coming years, we'll have some more to choose from, particularly "Everything is Illuminated", which I have really high hopes for!



And since I'm asking dumb questions: Was discussing child actors with work mates the other day, specifically how many of them fade away, and never make the transition to 'actor.' I could only think of a few who have 'made it:' Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowell (who voiced Sam, didn't he?) There was another but it's escaped me just now. So the question is this: when can we say our lad has 'made it?' I think he has already. Think of another actor, adult OR child, who has worked steadily for the past 15 years. Not only has he done it, but straight through his adolescent years when "cuteness" or lack thereof has ended many an "child star's" career. Does the aforementioned Ms. Johansen fall into the successful category as well as or Lij?



Actually, there are quite a few I can name off the top of my head:
Kirsten Dunst
Thora Birch
Anna Paquin
Scarlett Johansson (as you mentioned)
Drew Barrymore (although it was a rough road)
Natalie Portman
Jodie Foster

I listed the truly popular ones... but as you can see from my list, most of them are female. I think it is harder for male child actors to really break through because they do have that awkward puberty phase where their voice changes and they just look funny. I think Elijah's transition so far has been fairly smooth and I think that for him, there's only up, up and up. I do think he's "made it" specifically with LotR. I mean, come on, he's pratically immortalized now! But I really expect him to grow a lot over the coming years, and really show the world what he's made of. And as a biased fan, I can truthfully say in VERY objectively that I really, truly believe that he will get an Oscar one day.

Hypothetical question: If you wished to show an un-convinced/un-initiated type an EW movie which would you choose? I mean besides any of the LoTR films. And why would you choose it?
I would choose between The Ice Storm and The War and if I had to pick between those two, it would be The War.
A lot depends, of course, on the sort of movies that person usually likes to see.
I think that Ice Storm is an acquired taste, really, in the sense that it's not a typical Hollywood movie. It has an original angle. Not everybody likes it (although I love it and it would be the next movie I would show that un-initiated person). Elijah's acting in it is fantastic but that movie has a collection of great actors and his role isn't that big either. The Ice Storm worked because of lots of reasons: good story, fantastic actors, great director,...
For me, the Ice Storm has some unforgetable Elijah moments but Elijah shines every time you get to see him in The War (although that girl who played his twin sister wasn't bad either).

Was discussing child actors with work mates the other day, specifically how many of them fade away, and never make the transition to 'actor.' I could only think of a few who have 'made it:' Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowell
Jodie Foster perhaps?
Although I think that it's different. The role that made her famous was a controversial one and not a typical 'cute role for a cute little actress'. She didn't have to overcome that typical 'awww...isn't she a cute little girl' stage.

Congratulations on your 100th post, Alyon! You're off the scale! :D What does that mean? Try hovering your cursor over the green box next to your number of posts ... anyone getting something else popping up?

Elijah movie I'd recommend for the uninitiated: 'Adventures of Huck Finn'. ;) It's too charming to resist. It's got all the heart you could want. Win 'em with Huck, and the rest is easy-peasy. Who'd deny this face? :)

http://img4.photobucket.com/albums/0603/ainon/Huckleberry%20Finn%20Page/ac3dd137.jpg




We've got the actresses ... let's see, a list of former male kid actors who made it (just off the top of my head):

Sean Astin :)
Leonardo DiCaprio
Ethan Hawke
Tobey Maguire
Christian Bale
Henry Thomas
River Phoenix :(
Joaquin Phoenix (and he had to outgrow the name Leaf! :p)
Kurt Russell
Dean Stockwell - whom I first knew as Al in 'Quantum Leap', and got the shock of my life to discover he'd been a child actor way back in the 40s! I think he's still working?

Christian Bale will probably be elevated to superstar status with Batman. I think Kurt Russell and Jodie Foster were Disney actors too, weren't they, contracted to do Wonderful World of Disney movies? I'm pretty sure Russell was, at least - have a stray surreal memory of realising that the kid I was watching on that Magical World of Disney rerun would grow up to become that guy in 'The Thing'. But back on topic ... well, Huck Finn was a Disney movie, so right, Elijah's done his bit for children's entertainment too. :D

Which film I'd recommend; - the Ice Storm, without a doubt.

It was the first film of EJW's I decided to see after having had my eyes opened for his acting with FotR - and I am very happy that was the one. Fantastic acting on his part, thoughtprovoking and very challenging and disturbing story, good actors in all the other roles, interesting use of symbolism throughout....

Depends on the type of person you are recommending films to, though. I can see not all people might like the Ice Storm and would go for something else.

My second choice would be Chain of Fools. Again, good ensemble and loads of one-of-a-kind characters, storyline that keeps you entertained and guessing, terrific EJW in the scenes he's in, that blackest of black humour that just plain works for me. But again, not everybody's cup of tea.....

And anyway one probably ought to recommend films where EJW has a more significant role, though - but in many of those he's either a small kid (although stellar at acting, even then) or the films have less interesting and quite smarmy story lines, I think. Like Forever Young, or Deep Impact, neither of which appeal to me at all. So in that case I'd definitely have chosen to recommend either "The War" or "Bumblebee". Both of which have very good acting from EJW and emotional, moving and interesting (though sometimes not completely believable) storylines.

Honey and Zk,
Reminds me - I don't know if there's another "six degrees of Elijah Wood" link, but on Sat. night I caught part of a scary Johnny Depp movie about Mary Kelly & Jack the Ripper. I sat there and said "BILBO! How COULD you! I know the Ring messed you up but GEEEEEEEEZ!!"

How's this for strange,...I, too, was watching that very movie, "From Hell" over here in England,and on Saturday night too !!...We watched it on DVD though, and I too was shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, at Bilbo's, sorry, Ian Holm's shenanigins... ( didn't think much of the movie really...Jack the Ripper was never caught, as you know, but this movie didn't really put forward any new theories about him ) Did like JD though, even though his Cockney accent was DIABOLICAL :D :D :D....I am so looking forward to Elijah and Johnny Depp appearing in a movie together...I think I may just combust from hyperventilation !!!

As for which EJW movie I would recommend to another non-fan to watch...maybe The War for me too, and I, too loved "The Ice-storm", as much for its other characters as for EJW's marvellous angsty withdrawn-teenager acting !!

*( A little OT ) A friend on another board has just written a marvellous treatise, ( there's no other word for it really,) on Frodo/ Sam slash fiction...if anyone would like to read it, PM me, and I will send it to you ....

EW movies: I too adore "Huck Finn", even if it did distort/misrepresent/adulterate Mark Twain. Elijah's acting in it is phenomenal for someone of any age, let alone a 10-year-old - particularly considering the demands made on him in terms of the huge range of emotions, the accents (fake or not!) and the sheer weight of that character role. I remember years ago (before I'd really registered who Elijah was) seeing the scene where Huck dresses as a girl and finding it charming and hysterically funny, simply because of Elijah's acting. He was adorable as The Artful Dodger (despite all the shortcomings of that movie as described by the Amazon reviewer). He was simply gorgeous in "Bumblebee" (despite the, er, awkward kiss scene). And I do like "Forever Young" - yes, the story is a bit silly, but Elijah is totally convincing in it and his rapport with Mel comes across beautifully.

from erendis:
Today I finally found out which cast member called Elijah an "old soul." I shoulda known: David Wenham

Yep, and the lovely David has in fact said so more than once - sadly I can't find his other quote right now, but it's similar. Thanks for the link, erendis! Gives me a good (any old one will do ;)) excuse to quote it in full:

from David Wenham in Starlog:
Elijah and Sean were a huge joy to work with. …. Elijah, at that point, was only 19 or 20 years old, but he didn’t come across as that young. He’s extremely intelligent, creative and inspiring. And in terms of performance, what you saw from him is quite rare. You just look into his eyes and there’s always something going on. There’s an old soul there.

But David's far from the only one, of course. Alyon quoted Andy Serkis's book. Andy also said this in SFX Magazine (Shireling found it ages ago, but it's worth repeating :)):

Elijah is just an incredible guy. Have you spoken to him? He’s phenomenally wise for his years. He's like an old soul really. It’s amazing, considering the kind of image of him when we started this – he must have been 18, 19. But he’s always had this kind of wise soul. I think we made a very close connection. We really got on very, very well.

And then there's Sean A., who seems to refer constantly to Elijah's old soul. Here's just one quote from a TV soundbite a couple of years back:
Elijah Wood is a thousand-year-old soul in a 20-year-old body.

:cool: :cool: :cool:

Ooooh, first post on the new board! Thanks, Moggy!

(had a moment of despair last weekend when I couldn't access the site. :( Am v. glad to *see* you all again! :)

(((alyon))) Congrats on a milestone! :)

Which non-LoTR movie would I recommend? I guess maybe Chain of Fools. too. But I have a soft spot in my heart for Try Seventeen AND for The Faculty.

Let's not forget Avalon! EW was, what, 9 when he did that film? An amazing job in a very good film.

Jodie Foster perhaps?
Although I think that it's different. The role that made her famous was a controversial one and not a typical 'cute role for a cute little actress'. She didn't have to overcome that typical 'awww...isn't she a cute little girl' stage.
Thinking about how Elijah might fit into this... I have to say that the role that made him famous was Frodo--not a childhood role at all. His slow, fairly steady progress upward to that point seems abnormally normal in Hollywood. Can't remember who the celebrity was who talked about their "overnight success" that took 20 years, but I think Elijah would fit that idea. IMHO, the fact that he really wasn't a "famous child star" has been a help in his making it through to adult roles. Rather than having to overcome an identity as a child actor, a lot of people had to be reminded of his childhood roles when they thought he "came out of nowhere" in LotR (true for me with Avalon--I remembered his character over the years, but totally forgot it was him until I started actively looking for his movies). Much of that, of course, is because of his ability to disappear into a character. Interesting that even to those who were upset about his casting as Frodo, he usually wasn't "Elijah Wood" but "that guy from Deep Impact" or "that kid from Flipper."

Also helping is--as we've talked about before--although Elijah was certainly a cute little kid, he wasn't "little kid cute" but had features that also are good-looking on an adult (which sometimes aren't the same features that are cute on a little kid). I don't know if that was one reason he tended to have parts in movies aimed at adults, or if that type of casting was a specific choice by his mother and/or himself. But it probably helped him grow in his acting, as well as keeping hiim from being categorized as a "child star." If he would have followed Huck Finn with a couple of similar roles, that might have been very different.

IMHO, the most interesting thing about Jodie Foster's career is that she's been able to get into directing while still being an actor--will have to see if Elijah parallels that.
---------
Kind of funny that as I'm writing about child actors, Neil Patrick Harris was just mentioned on TV. He's one of those "What are they doing now?" types--played Doogie Howser, M.D., if anyone remembers that... He's now in a Tony-nominated play on Broadway, and is getting great reviews on his acting (as Lee Harvey Oswald :eek: )! So seems he's doing quite well :) . I did watch his TV program some, and he's another one who impressed me as actually being an actor.

-------------

On what non-LotR movie to recommend, my short list would be The Ice Storm, The War, and Huck Finn, and which I'd pick would depend on the person. Having said that, the one time I've had the chance to do this, I gave the guy Chain of Fools, because I knew he liked that kind of movie (backed up by the fact that he later saw ESOTSM on opening weekend without my even bringing it up :) ). So, guess it depends a lot on what the person connects with.

Moondancer:Jodie Foster perhaps?

Yes! Thank you! She was the other one, but didn't she have a few akward years even? I seem to remember a period in the early eighties (when our Lij was a meer zygote!) when the phrase "Jodie Foster Movie" was accompanied by a smirk. Fortunatley she was smart enough to go off to Yale (?) and make use of her 'down-time' only to come back with a vengence and show 'em all.

Thank you all for your thoughts on which movie you'd share. I'm torn between Avalon and Chain of Fools at the moment.

TG, That Flipper Kid? I was one of those people! :( :rolleyes: I suppose the phrase "Elijah Wood Movie" had a different meaning for while there for me too. And for lots of people still, who just don't get Frodo and therefore can't see how talented EW really is.

honey!

For everyone who's read Everything is Illuminated

*may contain spoilers*

What do you guys think of Jonathan's character? I know Elijah is listed as the lead (and thus logically, Jonathan is the main character), but to me, it seems like Alex is more of the main character in this book. As much as I love Jason Schwartzman (who's rumoured to play him), I hope he doesn't overshadow Elijah because Alex seems to be a more "actorly" character. Thoughts on this?

But I also know there was an open casting call in the UK for the role of Alex and Grandfather so could it be that Jason is playing Safran??? Please no, I really REALLY want Elijah to play that part as well.

I don't know if that was one reason he tended to have parts in movies aimed at adults, or if that type of casting was a specific choice by his mother and/or himself. But it probably helped him grow in his acting, as well as keeping hiim from being categorized as a "child star."
I've been a fan since I went to see Forever Young, the Mel Gibson movie and instead of looking just into his blue eyes, I found myself also focussing on the kid's big blue eyes and wondering who he is.
So, I remember a couple of interviews from back then (like the CNN report I talked about in my very first post here - the Macauley Culking/Richie Rich story).
Anyway, there was this report on showbiz news on CNN (sadly, I can't see that anymore...I miss the great interviews with actors, directors,...I don't miss the stupid, fake, plastic presenters though)... I can't quite remember when exactly...it must have had something to do with the controversy around Macauley Culkin (and especially his dad) because they talked about the sad downfall of Mac as a result of the greedy behaviour of his parents and as a contrast, they talked about Elijah Wood and the way his parents (mother) guided him.
They talked about the fact that his parents did not treat him differently because he happens to be famous and he was in a business that could possible make him (and them) rich: he had to do chores around the house like any other kid, he had an allowance (and most of his earned money went to a bank account, locked until he reached a certain age...18?).
They also talked about his film choices. Instead of going for the safe way: predictable kid movie after kid movie...his mother and Elijah chose a variety of movies and roles, mostly playing a kid in a movie aimed at the adult/grown-up market.
Also, they stressed that his mother did not put any pressures on him. It had to be fun for Elijah and if he decided to stop...even if he was making good money back than...she would support him in his decision. Also, she made sure that he didn't do too many movies, to make sure that it would still feel like fun and he would be able to do other things besides acting.
So...to keep it short :D...I think it was a specific choice.

Neil Patrick Harris was just mentioned on TV. He's one of those "What are they doing now?" types--played Doogie Howser, M.D., if anyone remembers that... He's now in a Tony-nominated play on Broadway, and is getting great reviews on his acting (as Lee Harvey Oswald :eek: )! So seems he's doing quite well :) .
Erm...I liked Doogie Howser M.D.... :rolleyes: . Good to hear that the actor is doing well. :)

posted by honeyelf
She was the other one, but didn't she have a few akward years even? I seem to remember a period in the early eighties (when our Lij was a meer zygote!) when the phrase "Jodie Foster Movie" was accompanied by a smirk. Fortunatley she was smart enough to go off to Yale (?) and make use of her 'down-time' only to come back with a vengence and show 'em all
Well, I just looked up her filmography and I don't know too many movies from her early years. It sure did take her some time to find her place in Hollywood but I'm glad she did.


**** minor spoilers Everything is Illuminated ***


posted by hobbityme
What do you guys think of Jonathan's character? I know Elijah is listed as the lead (and thus logically, Jonathan is the main character), but to me, it seems like Alex is more of the main character in this book.
I think it's a co-lead, actually. It all depends on how the movie script is written of course, but indeed...the book features Alex more.

You could also include both Ron and Clint Howard as child stars who grew up on screen--Ron of course started out at the age of three, continued acting through his mid-twenties, and then switched to directing full time. His little brother Clint got his break through his brother (his first appearance was a bit part on one episode of the Andy Griffith Show, and then he got the lead in Gentle Ben), but has now settled into character roles, not just in his brother's films but also on various TV shows (just saw him in a rerun of an ep of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and other films.

I think that the fact that EW wasn't in any big successes before LotR helped him to avoid the "child star" label, even though he was highly regarded as the go-to child actor if a movie needed a kid who could really act as opposed to make cute with the camera. The closest he got to a really successful "kids film" was probably The Good Son, but Culkin got all the press for his against-type role.

BTW, Neil Patrick Harris's role in Assassins (the Stephen Sondheim musical that's getting all the praise on Broadway, now that it's finally made it there--it was originally supposed to open back in 1991, and then again in 2001, but got preempted by first Desert Storm, and then 9/11) is a dual role; he plays both the Balladeer (the narrator) and then Oswald at the end. He has a beautiful singing voice, as heard in the concert version of Sweeney Todd that airs occasionally on PBS here in the States. I do recommend listening to the cast recording of Assassins, either the original workshop version from 1990 with Victor Garber or the new Broadway version, because it's an excellent play with some very thought-provoking ideas about the American psyche.

Hey all, dropping by REAL quick to post this. I found it on the Oscarwatch forum and don't really know the truth of it but here it is anyway:

From SFGate

The Daily Dish

Lord of the Rings star, Elijah Wood, 23, was seen with Gilmore Girls startlet Alexis Bledel, also 23, at L.A.'s notorious Viper Room. The couple were seen enjoying drinks together and an insider claims that they were being more than friendly, even sharing a kiss before leaving together early in the morning.

Just a quick post before I go out (to the movies :) )

Doesn't some Faculty member have a sig with "seen on a bumper sticker: "God blessed us when He created Elijah Wood. If you're not a fan, you won't understand"

I don't know if anybody here is at all interested in buying it, but you can on ebay.
link to bumper sticker on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14029&item=2243801970&rd=1)

Hobbityme, judging by all the Czech articles along the lines of "Frodo comes to Prague" or "Elijah Wood to film at Barrandov Studio" (starting 14 June), I think it really must be happening - i.e. "Everything is Illuminated" with Elijah as Jonathan. Even the head of said studio has been widely quoted on the subject (I'd post a link if I thought anyone was interested in Czech websites!) . Incidentally, EW seems to have as many fans there as anywhere else: there are several LOTR (Pán Prstenu) websites and girls who call themselves Frodinka Pytlíková (Mrs Baggins, Czech version - I kid you not!). Some articles refer to Elijah as "one of the top celebrities of the current film industry" or "the Hollywood idol/heartthrob Elijah Wood" and so on. What with that and being heard and talked about (briefly) on BBC Radio 4, our boy really does seem to have arrived. Somewhere, anyway :D

Well, all right then, here's one of the best Czech LOTR websites, just for fun:
here (http://www.fantasyplanet.cz/lotr/index.asp)

Hobbityme, judging by all the Czech articles along the lines of "Frodo comes to Prague" or "Elijah Wood to film at Barrandov Studio" (starting 14 June), I think it really must be happening - i.e. "Everything is Illuminated" with Elijah as Jonathan. Even the head of said studio has been widely quoted on the subject (I'd post a link if I thought anyone was interested in Czech websites!) . Incidentally, EW seems to have as many fans there as anywhere else: there are several LOTR (Pán Prstenu) websites and girls who call themselves Frodinka Pytlíková (Mrs Baggins, Czech version - I kid you not!). Some articles refer to Elijah as "one of the top celebrities of the current film industry" or "the Hollywood idol/heartthrob Elijah Wood" and so on. What with that and being heard and talked about (briefly) on BBC Radio 4, our boy really does seem to have arrived. Somewhere, anyway :D

Well, all right then, here's one of the best Czech LOTR websites, just for fun:
here (http://www.fantasyplanet.cz/lotr/index.asp)


Well, that's good to hear! There's never enough love for our boy. I know that Elijah is playing Jonathan, but there's a rumour going around that he's playing dual roles, of both Jonathan and Jonathan's grandfather Safran, back in the day. I just don't understand why they place him as lead because in the novel, even though Jonathan is referred to as the "hero", Alex seems to come across as more of the protagonist than Jonathan does... unless Liev Schreiber changed this somewhat in the screenplay.

My point, I guess, is that Alex is more "Hollywood" interesting as a character than Jonathan, and it would really suck if Elijah is "seemingly" shadowed once more because of the more internal characters he plays. It would really suck because I had more than I could handle with the reviews of RotK and I would certainly not want to have that repeat all over again, seeing as critics and audiences seem to appreciate showy roles more.

And regarding the Czech sites, do post! I would love to see them...

Everything is Illuminated Spoilers

Hobbityme:What do you guys think of Jonathan's character? I know Elijah is listed as the lead (and thus logically, Jonathan is the main character), but to me, it seems like Alex is more of the main character in this book. As much as I love Jason Schwartzman (who's rumoured to play him), I hope he doesn't overshadow Elijah because Alex seems to be a more "actorly" character. Thoughts on this?

Moondancer:I think it's a co-lead, actually. It all depends on how the movie script is written of course, but indeed...the book features Alex more.

Sensing an opening honeyelf dashes forth to claim her acustomed place, WAY OUT ON A LIMB! As usual! :rolleyes:

Actually I'd suggest that Alex is the main character. He is the one who takes a voyage of self-discovery I think. Really Jonathan has a pretty good feeling for where his journey is going to end up; in fact we find it out very early on that they never found Augustine. But Alex is the one who reveals himself gradually through the book. In fact, (clinging tightly to my little branch now) I'd suggest that the younger Alex is deeply in denial at the beginning of the book, perhaps even more so than his grandfather. Re-read Alex's 26 January letter to Jonathan, and see if he hasn't come to understand something profound about who he is. I'd say it was almost subtextual, but given Jonathan's novel-within-a-novel, and it's central theme, I'd say it's very important to the story.

All of which is OK for Elijah. I think it's great that he's willing to take interesting roles in which he is sort of riding shot-gun. It only goes to his versatility in the long run.

Honey!

All of which is OK for Elijah. I think it's great that he's willing to take interesting roles in which he is sort of riding shot-gun. It only goes to his versatility in the long run.

Honey!

Well, that is, if he's not playing Safran. I don't know, I guess I get a little sensitive when it comes to Elijah's acting potentially getting overlooked again because of the type of character he plays.

However, re-reading the book this afternoon, I find that Jonathan actually has some issues himself, namely his need to find Augustine and his relationship with his grandmother. There are long passages in the novel where he's telling Alex about his grandmother and you can see there's something quite touching there. I think that perhaps Liev changed it or at least, emphasized Jonathan's journey a little because Elijah's character is described to be the lead role.

But I think if they are going to add in the Trachimbrod scenes, Elijah will be narrating as Jonathan does write them. Reading them again, I think that those passages do say a lot about Jonathan himself.

hi ladyes!!
my first post on the new board!!!
very interesting discussion on the best movie with elijah.
my best movie is bumbelbee and second one is the ice storm
and thirde is fauculty irealy think it is a good movie he bagans
as the geek and andsup as the hero!! :rolleyes:

fore the new pics on the yank i realy think its gone bee a good
movie but very bloody :o
but i think elijah realy is gone play out heare!! :)

of to work have a very nice day!!!! :) :)

*** about Everything is Illuminated ***


However, re-reading the book this afternoon, I find that Jonathan actually has some issues himself, namely his need to find Augustine and his relationship with his grandmother. There are long passages in the novel where he's telling Alex about his grandmother and you can see there's something quite touching there. I think that perhaps Liev changed it or at least, emphasized Jonathan's journey a little because Elijah's character is described to be the lead role.

But I think if they are going to add in the Trachimbrod scenes, Elijah will be narrating as Jonathan does write them. Reading them again, I think that those passages do say a lot about Jonathan himself.

In the book, Alex is the main character, Jonathan is "riding shot-gun".
But, the movie is always presented as Jonathan in the male lead. I don't know whether that's just a misunderstanding by fans, press or whether Liev aims to shoot the movie more from Jonathan's angle, which would not be odd (it's after all an American movie and it would be more traditional to view the story through the eyes of the American Jonathan)

The whole Trachimbrod scenes are indeed interesting. How are they going to incorporate them, because that series is indeed written by Jonathan? Are they going to show it as some sort of flashback, narrated by Jonathan (if only in the beginning of each Trachimbrod section just to help orientate the viewer) or are they going to show it as a second story-line (and not as much a flashback story within the main story if you know what I mean)?

Anyway, I assume that it's not the easiest book to film. It has a lot of challenges for a first time director but maybe, because it's Liev's first film behind the camera's, it's more easy for him to step away from the traditional angle and to have new and fresh ideas on how to film it all.

Has anything been said about how involved the book's author is/plans to be with the movie? Could that make a difference in how Jonathan's role is shown, since he's somewhat based on the author? No answers, just questions. :confused:

--BTW, this will be the second time (that I know of) that Elijah will have been in a writer's "semi-autobiographical" role. But in the first one--Avalon--the writer was also the director. I've always felt that was one reason Elijah's character was so true to the way a child that age would think and reason. I'm sure Barry Levinson remembered some of those emotions very well.

I would choose The War over The Ice Storm. Trout me if you wish, but to be honest, his acting in the Ice Storm gave me that same deer-in-the-headlights reaction that so many had for FotR. Ice Storm is good fodder for screencapping fun among etablished fans, but risky if you want to convince a first timer. Mikey wasn't a major character anyway. Whereas in The War, Eijah pulls off Industrial Angst without Oscar Acting, which is enough to convince anybody. I was hooked by "Did it cost too much?! :("

Backing up a bit to grab this one...
Doesn't some Faculty member have a sig with "seen on a bumper sticker: "God blessed us when He created Elijah Wood. If you're not a fan, you won't understand"
There was someone--honey, maybe :confused: ?--who had a similar bumper sticker blurb in her sig. I can remember the quote because it was a take-off on Ben Franklin's "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy," with, natch, "Elijah Wood" substituted for "Beer" :D . Then the "If you're not a fan..." part was added. (Although I rather think most hobbits would prefer Ben's version :p .)

Trouble with trying to sell a bumper sticker on ebay, it seems to me, is that it's so easy and cheap to have one printed up these days with any saying you want. Now, if it had great graphics (or a photo ;) )...

erendis-- :) :) :) for "Industrial Angst without Oscar Acting."

Finally finished reading "Everything Is Illuminated" last night--first half of that book took me forever (I'm talking weeks) to read, but I sped through the second half in less than three hours. Definitely looking forward to seeing what Schreiber, EW, et al will do with it. I think that Schreiber might just eliminate most of the Yankel/Brod stuff, and concentrate on Safran and the modern-day troika of Grandfather, Alex, and Jonathan (oh, and Sammy Davis Junior Junior, which I can't say without thinking about the old Robin Williams routine which included a character of the same name).

It would be great if EW did play Safran in the flashback, and he can definitely still get away with playing late teens. I'd love to see if they show him after the war where he's only gotten a few years older chronologically, but looks much older due to his experiences.

TG:There was someone--honey, maybe ?--who had a similar bumper sticker blurb in her sig.

Yup, that was me! Sorry, Moondancer, I forgot to say so in my last post. I think actually putting that bumpersticker on my car might be the straw that would break the camels back where it comes to my husband's tolerance of my little "hobby!" :rolleyes:

Honey!

from erendis:
Eijah pulls off Industrial Angst without Oscar Acting

How's that for a banner headline? Love it!! :D

Also have to confess I too would recommend "The War" over "The Ice Storm" in terms of Elijah mileage and even quality, but of course the latter is a superb movie and, if we are to believe what we read, bears some of the responsibility for the birth of Frolijah, so it has to be up there with the best of them. And I adore Chain of Fools too - EW is hilariously wonderful as Mikey. Am still hoping I'll like his role in ESOTSM ... can't believe it hasn't reached here yet ....

from Hobbityme:
I know that Elijah is playing Jonathan, but there's a rumour going around that he's playing dual roles, of both Jonathan and Jonathan's grandfather Safran, back in the day.

Yes, thanks for the reminder - I'd forgotten that :). I so hope Elijah plays both roles - it would make sense as well as giving him a lot more acting scope. Managing the various perspectives and time zones will be fascinating - writing the screenplay must have been quite a challenge. But I do wonder who is really going to play Alex - Jason Schwartzman or an as yet unknown Ukrainian? The notice on the Ukrainian site - dated March 24 - mentions three potential roles for Ukrainian speakers: Alex, his grandfather and Lista. It's getting a bit close to the apparent starting date (June 14) to be choosing them all ... Elijah is still the only actor listed on most sites, and they have only a month to go. I hope nothing has fallen through! The Barrandov Studio website doesn't mention the film, even though it's been all over the Czech media.
Talking of which, I've just discovered that filming will apparently be from June 14 to August 15 - but whether that's all in Prague or partly in the Ukraine or elsewhere I don't know ... yet.

Here's a nice Czech article, Hobbityme:

here (http://zpravy.idnes.cz/filmvideo.asp?r=filmvideo&c=A040420_200914_filmvideo_lf)

I would choose The War over The Ice Storm. Trout me if you wish, but to be honest, his acting in the Ice Storm gave me that same deer-in-the-headlights reaction that so many had for FotR. Ice Storm is good fodder for screencapping fun among etablished fans, but risky if you want to convince a first timer. Mikey wasn't a major character anyway. Whereas in The War, Eijah pulls off Industrial Angst without Oscar Acting, which is enough to convince anybody. I was hooked by "Did it cost too much?! :("

I'm with erendis on this. 'The Ice Storm' is a very fine film, but for showcasing Elijah's talent ...? 'The War' does that better. He is SO good in that. Stu is such a feisty little bugger! - I love him.

I loved 'Eternal Sunshine' - what a great little film! (Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are the best I've ever seen them - playing against type marvellously well). But the film's not so great for showcasing our lovely Lij. :(

Let's hope his next film post-LOTR gives him a better and meatier part. :cool:

I am dying to see feisty again.

More feisty Lij is what the world needs. :D :)

More feisty Lij is what the world needs. :D :)

I think The Yank will have plenty of Fiesty Lij... :eek:

I agree that The War is a good showcase for Lij but I must admit a soft spot for The Faculty. :o :D
Wish I could get Chain of Fools. It sounds like one I'd enjoy. :)

I have Huck Finn and Flipper ( :eek: ) still unviewed in my video collection, to my shame. Perhaps I'll watch them in the Summer school holidays with the children.
I watched The Ice Storm only once and really disliked it for the story, not so much for Elijah's acting.

From an aural perspective, now might be a good time to move to U.K. and rent a flat and buy a radio. ;)


From TORn

Elijah Wood To Dj At Britain's Top Radio Station

Music-loving Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood is being lined up to host his own radio show in Britain. The Hollywood actor, 23, has been asked by pop flagship station BBC Radio One to stand in for veteran DJ John Peel when he goes on vacation later this year. [More (http://www.teenhollywood.com/d.asp?r=67823&cat=1055)]


:cool:

The question about movies showcasing EW's acting was initially about which movie would convince a doubter of Elijah's talent, wasn't it?

If that's the question, I'd have to say: it hasn't been made yet. That is, if said doubter was unconvinced by RotK.

My criteria for this: the movie has to be good enough that I wouldn't cringe while watching it with my husband, and Elijah's part has to be big enough and varied enough for a non-obsessive to notice it.

Now, I haven't seen "Chain of Fools" or "The Bumblebee Flies Anyway" (neither available in my local video store, and I'm not going to buy a movie on video or DVD just to watch Elijah). I also haven't seen "Paradise," "Avalon," "Radio Flyer," "Flipper," "Black and White," and I think some others. (Of those, I'm supposed to watch "Flipper" because of that bet I lost with Mariole, and I'd watch "Avalon" if it were in my local video store.) But of the other ones I've seen:

The Ice Storm
Pluses: Fantastic director, though if I'm going to watch an Ang Lee movie I'd rather watch "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Good acting.

Minuses: Mikey is a fairly small part, and is a weird enough character that you don't get a sense of Elijah's range. Fails the "major role" test.

The War
Pluses: Good acting from Elijah, with a lot of varied emotions, plus a very different character from Frodo. Great body-language acting.

Minuses: Kevin Costner. Plot becomes annoyingly moralistic from time to time -- this one fails the "cringe factor" test.

Huck Finn
Pluses: Major role, seriously cute young!Elijah, good acting for such a young actor.

Minuses: Disney kid's movie. Fails "cringe test" for watching with my husband. Might work for someone watching the movie with kids, but I don't normally look for good acting in Disney live action movies.

The Faculty
Pluses: major role, entertaining if you are already a fan.

Minuses: Genre is generally cringe-inducing. Again, not a type of movie that you usually watch for the great acting.

Deep Impact
Pluses: The tsunami is pretty cool.

Minuses: Elijah's role is part of the worst-developed storyline in the whole movie. Disaster movies tend to have some pretty lame, clichéd character stories, and Elijah's role is part of the worst one in this movie. Sorry.

Forever Young
Pluses: Major role. Two pairs of blue-blue-blue eyes. Jamie Lee Curtis.

Minuses: A few really cheesy acting moments from Elijah (the screaming at the "dead" body coming to life just didn't convince me), cheesy story. Fails the "cringe test."

The Good Son
Pluses: Major role

Minuses: Macauley Culkin. Story makes me cringe.

Oliver Twist
Pluses: Elijah makes a cute Artful Dodger.

Minuses: Disney made-for-TV movie. The kid who plays Oliver is lame. Cringeworthy unless you are renting it for a child.

All I Want
Pluses: Elijah in an almost-adult role. Lead role.

Minuses: Not the world's greatest romantic comedy. Not a good movie to show to someone who is somewhat disturbed by your infatuation with Frodo (if said person is suspicious about why you like EW so much).

Eternal Sunshine (saved for last so I can put the spoiler space around it)

Spoilers:















Pluses: Interesting concept. Interesting ideas about memory. One of only two non-LotR EW movies I was not embarrassed to see with my husband.

Minuses: Small role, much of it without the face visible. Plus most appearances are near the beginning of the movie, when the audience is still working out exactly what is going on -- paying attention to the plot takes enough mental energy that it's hard to notice the acting of a supporting character. Also, Patrick isn't very fleshed-out -- the character is only meant to show a few things, and like Mikey in The Ice Storm, he's a weird, hard-to-relate-to character.















End of Eternal Sunshine spoilers.

So anyway. I hope "The Yank" and "Everything is Illuminated" will be better, but the rumors about problems between the writer and director of "The Yank" don't give me much hope for it. We'll see about "Everything is Illuminated."

Mel

The Faculty moving en masse to the UK? Sounds like fun! :D

But it might just be easier to tune in to EW through the wondrous BBC website. See this (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/news/entertainment/040512_elijah.shtml)
(don't think that's been posted before). Watch that space ....

As a fan of John Peel in all his guises, I think this is exceptionally cool news :cool: Thanks to all who've told us about it!

I remember that not too long after FotR opened, Elijah said the best part about being a "celebrity" was getting to meet some of his favorite musicians. If it's also letting him have some good DJ gigs (which he seems to really love doing), that's great! :)

--------------

On The Ice Storm vs. The War, IMHO they "showcase" Elijah's acting in very different ways--maybe why there are different opinions on which is better. Back in the "old days" when I first ranked Elijah's movies on my website from 1-16 (yep--only 16 :p ), I had a hard time deciding which one to put in first place and which one to put second ("old days" = pre-FotR ;) ).

Stu is probably Elijah's most outwardly emotional character to date, so The War gives him the opportunity to use some sides of his acting that we haven't seen too often. It's amazing that he manages to play such an emotional character without ever going over the top.

OTOH, Mikey is a unique character (trying to remain a good copy editor here and avoid saying "absolutely unique" or "most unique" :p ). There's so little about Mikey in the book that I have to say Ang Lee and Elijah--working together--created him out of whole cloth, and they came up with someone I've never seen duplicated. And someone who would have been terribly difficult to play--all hail to Ang Lee for realizing what Elijah was capable of, and pushing him to do it.

IMVHO, Elijah pulls off a tougher acting job in The Ice Storm than he does in The War, but his acting ability is probably more evident to most people in The War: he carries the story, has more screentime, shows emotions people can relate to enough that they realize what a fine line Elijah's walking between too little and too much to make them exactly right. But I'm glad it was The Ice Storm Fran Walsh had seen rather than The War; anyone who can show us the "inner Mikey" should be able to show us the "inner Frodo." I'm not sure I could say that about Stu--his "inner" and "outer" selves are so naturally in tune that I don't think the role would have made that part of Elijah's gift so evident.

The question about movies showcasing EW's acting was initially about which movie would convince a doubter of Elijah's talent, wasn't it?

If that's the question, I'd have to say: it hasn't been made yet. That is, if said doubter was unconvinced by RotK.
I absolutely have to agree with that!! I forget sometimes that most of my "convincing" efforts took place in a completely different era. If someone wasn't impressed by Elijah's acting in RotK... well, I wouldn't know what to offer. If someone won't see the LotR movies because they think Elijah's a lousy actor, that's a different story. I have great hopes for Everything Is Illuminated, but I don't expect even that to top RotK.

(BTW, I'd nominate Avalon for anyone, and Chain of Fools for people who like dark comedy, as movies that are worth seeing for much more than Elijah :) .)

...Wish I could get Chain of Fools. It sounds like one I'd enjoy.
I just checked http://www.yesasia.com and they're "temporarily out of stock." I have no idea how temporary "temporarily" is--Let's hope they've just run out because so many people have wanted to buy it ;) .

Sometimes I think people must get tired of my mentioning yesasia.com :o , but they really don't give me a kick-back ;) . They're a little less necessary now that Flipper's out on region 1 DVD and Oliver Twist is on the way, but they're still the only ones I know of who've got Chain of Fools and The Witness--both on VCD. (More broken record :o : VCDs aren't limited by region--should be able to be played on just about any DVD player.)

As far as I know, they don't have Chain of Fools on VHS (although as I type that, I realize I've never really checked :o ). But for anyone who doesn't have a DVD player and/or drive--maybe you know someone who does who also likes dark comedy? You could give them a treat--introduce them to a great movie they wouldn't have seen otherwise :) .

posted by mel headstrong
The question about movies showcasing EW's acting was initially about which movie would convince a doubter of Elijah's talent, wasn't it?

If that's the question, I'd have to say: it hasn't been made yet. That is, if said doubter was unconvinced by RotK.
I don't know about this. I mean, there are people who just don't like the Fantasy/Sci Fi/...genres.
My sister, for example, does not like those genres and I know that I'm never going to convince her of Elijah's acting talents by showing her ROTK.
She does not like epics either and of Russell Crowe's movies, she has only seen The Gladiator (on video). A week ago, I gave her my copy of 'A Beautiful Mind" and she said to me that she does not like him at all and she does not think he's a good actor. :eek:
Afterwards, she said that Russell Crowe was fantastic in it..."he really is a very good actor, isn't he? I was amazed by him and so was my husband.". :)
See? All it took was the right movie to convince her.

Anyway, on the TORN site, somebody posted a link to a fantastic interview with Elijah Wood (and at the end also with Sean Astin).
I can't link to the interview directly (not a safe link) but just take a look on the TORN message board and you'll find it.


It's a report, written by Marea. I'll give you a couple of snippits:
When it was Astin and Wood’s turn to come down to my end of the line, Elijah Wood catches sight of the (mostly female) group of reporters who happened to be standing beside me, and cheerfully calls out “Oh good… the ladies are all at THIS end!”

(And this offhand and playful remark formed a thought bubble in my mind, and inside it was a question… a question that needed answering...)

That is because Elijah’s remark had reminded me some things I recently heard from certain mainline journalists and critics, people who had been characterizing the “Lord of the Rings” movies as being short on the sort of subject matter which would appeal to adult women. And as an adult woman who was also a “Lord of the Rings” fan who had in the past three years met many other female “Lord of the Rings” fans from all over the world, those comments had seemed particularly inaccurate and had severely irritated me.

So, while Elijah Wood was occupied in standing calmly and smilingly posing for pictures a few feet away from me, a voice rang out, rather impulsively (I thought), shouting out a question on JUST that topic at the actor. The Voice asked, “Mr. Wood, would you care to comment on certain statements recently made in the press that “Lord of the Rings” offers little that appeals to women?”

And it takes only a few shocked seconds for me to realize that the voice… is MINE!

And even though I was immediately shushed (politely) by organizers calling out again for order and quiet, it was not before Elijah Wood managed to call out a brief answer in my general direction (which basically summed up to a declaration that if his experience was any indicator, there were pletny of women all over the world who clearly were as passionate about “Lord of the Rings” as any man). So…with even such a short response from him, I felt myself somewhat vindicated and was grateful for even this morsel of an answer from him when I had expected nothing.

...much to her surprise, later, Elijah comes up and stands very close to her and it seems that he's willing to talk about that subject with her.

Another snippit:
Elijah Wood: (re: the alleged lack of feminine appeal in LOTR) It’s just amazing. I’ve heard this kind of thing before, and in fact it was a concern for some people when we were releasing these movies, that there would not be enough of a female interest. But the majority of the fans that I have met from those groups that have made these kinds of pilgrimages to New Zealand as well as to various other places… well, they have been largely female, which I think is extraordinary.

Marea: I have myself just recently come back from a “Lord of the Rings” convention in Toronto where at least two-thirds of the people attending were female… in fact one of the vendors, one featuring mostly war gaming miniatures, decided that this was the reason why their sales at the event were lower than average….

Elijah Wood (nodding): Well… there you go. At some point there seems to have been this weird shift and it almost seems that there are now more female “Lord of the Rings” fans than male fans of these movies out there.

Marea: And it also seems as though certain critics and members of the press might need to update their data… because they may be still referencing out-of-date information from the old, techno-oriented sci fi days…

Elijah Wood: That’s exactly right. And I think also that our popular culture tends to underestimate women and fail to realize how they too could be interested in fantasy. I mean, I have met a lot of women who have told me they have read “The Silmarillion” at least a couple of times!

There's more but you'll find it on the west-of-the-moon website.
If you can't find it, PM me and I'll give you the link.
:)

Glad to hear both the reporter and Elijah say what they said there, but I wanted to add a point or two from an old codger's perspective:

Quoted by Moondancer: "...because they may be still referencing out-of-date information from the old, techno-oriented sci fi days…"
I kinda had to laugh about the "old, techno-oriented sci fi days"--and wonder if this reporter is quite young, if she's new to specfic, or if she [i]is actually referring to the old techno-oriented sci fi days, in the 1940s-1950s, before LotR made people realize fantasy was out there? Or is she perhaps referring to the fact that the LotR films have been the first fantasy movies to actually be taken seriously?

Techno-oriented sci-fi is alive and well--just pick up a copy of Analog some time. And some women like it. Some women even write it. But it ain't fantasy! Fantasy's "male" stereotyping, at which most people who know the genre would just shake their heads, would be more related to the "sword and sorcery" stuff: Conan the Barbarian, any book that's been made into a movie The Rock has been in... that sort of thing. And, which seems kind of strange, to the gaming "scene" that finds its origin mostly in LotR. A lot of women also like role-playing games. But I think if you're talking about sci-fi, fantasy, impossible-to-categorize specfic, or even RPGs, what tends to draw the interest of women is believable characters they can relate to--whether those characters happen to be male or female. IMHO, that's why LotR has always had a strong female following (even though we didn't all "clutch teddy bears" :rolleyes: ).

Thanks for that, Moondancer -- I'll have to go look for the rest of that interview -- sounds like a good one. I simulposted with tg and after reading her response, I wanted to say that neither Elijah nor any of these reporters have taken into consideration WHY there are so many more women in the fandom now than ever before (although whether that's true or not is open to debate -- did anyone ever do a survey of the number of M vs. F book readers to see what the ratio was before the films?). They sure seem oblivious to the fact that the movie is simply packed with eye candy -- every one of the guys is beautiful, some exquisitely so (hi Lij! :D ) and the NZ scenery ain't bad either! Of course, it's not *just* the more shallow motivations that draw us in droves to these movies -- they are fierce, lovely, multi-layered and have important things to say.

Writing this just brought up a question -- I wonder if there are more male purists -- i.e., Tolkienistas that have severe problems with PJ's adaptations -- than female, or vice versa? Seems to me that the ones I've run up against have tended to be male and are much more likely to hold up the book as inviolate. Not trying to start up a M/F war here, but just wonderin'.

Anyway, just popped in to tell you guys that I pre-ordered Paradise and Oliver Twist from www.deepdiscountdvd.com and their prices were pretty good --Paradise was under $10 and OT was around $13. Don't know why it was more -- maybe cuz it's Disney?

(Man, this' a nice looking new board but I'm noticing that I don't always get email notification when there are new messages -- anyone else? It also doesn't seem to recognize and immediately log me in...hmmm.....)

Mel, would you settle for The War + Fast-forward button? That's the only way I got through it myself. And Elijah's best acting comes about 2/3 the way through anyway, when they focus more on him than on Costner.

I don't know about this. I mean, there are people who just don't like the Fantasy/Sci Fi/...genres.
That's true -- and whether any of Elijah's other movies would work to convince a doubter probably depends on the doubter's taste in movies. But there are people who like Fantasy/Sci Fi movies who didn't appreciate Elijah's acting in LotR. My husband, for instance, liked the movies, though he like FotR best. But he very much did not like Frodo. If he weren't a great guy otherwise, that might be grounds for divorce... In the book, his favorite character is Gandalf. After seeing FotR a few times, he asked me who my favorite character in the movies was -- he was shocked when I said it was still Frodo, like in the books. He's never been a particularly big fan of Frodo in the books, but he really disliked him in the movies. So much so that he wants to skip the same scenes that I want to play over and over on the DVD. I didn't entirely come to terms with FotR Frodo until the boat scene, and I like him better after seeing RotK, but hubby just doesn't like him. At all.

Mel, would you settle for The War + Fast-forward button?
I'd still like to show a doubter an entire movie, a movie that he would like for itself. Fast-forward works if your goal is to watch Elijah act, but if you've got someone who has decided he doesn't like Elijah's acting? I don't think it would be that successful.

"The War" might work for someone who 1) has a very high tolerance for allegory and 2) has pretty dove-ish political tendencies. Otherwise, the Message (even without Costner on screen) is quite heavy-handed.

I think the best way to convince somebody that Elijah can act would be to show him both "The War" and "The Ice Storm." The characters are very different, but Elijah does not appear to be acting in either case. It was that combination that convinced me that he would do as Frodo -- but I wanted to be convinced. I liked most of the pre-FotR publicity stills (especially that early movie poster with Frodo holding the Ring out in his hand... that was just a stunning image).

But again, you've got to get the doubter to sit through two Elijah Wood movies to make your point, and it may be difficult to get the doubter to sit through one movie. (I pretty much had to trick hubby into seeing Eternal Sunshine -- at one point early in the movie, he poked me and said, "Now I know why you wanted to see this movie." Fortunately I could answer, "But it's supposed to be a good movie too. And you liked Being John Malkovich...")

Mel

Well, in other news, looks like "Everything is Illuminated" is definitely going to happen. From Liev's site:

Hello all,
Happy to see you up and running again. I have been in Prague for abut a month now prepping Everything is Illuminated. We begin shooting in a litlle less than a month so things are slightly hectic on my end. Prague is beautiful and I had a great time scouting Kiev and Odessa (Ukraine), strangely familiar. I still have not been able to locate my grandfather's town which as far as my mother knows is called Tomaspiel(?). Anyway I must go screen a documentary for the crew called "Hiding and Seeking". In many ways this film is representative of the kind of heart and simplicity that I would love our film to have. Hope you are all well. See you at Manchurian...
Liev


-------

As for convincing hard Elijah doubters, my mom was one, until I showed her Radio Flyer and seriously, I could literally see her heart melting as the movie progressed. And now, well, let's just say that she just a little bit short of becoming a swooner.

Thanks for that, Hobbityme.
Could you kindly post the link to Liev's site (assuming it's an OK one ....??)? I can't find that quote anywhere (even on the site that I think is Liev's). And since I may still visit Prague in the near future, whether Elijah is likely to be there is of some marginal interest ;) :eek:

EDIT: News of "Everything Is Illuminated" has finally appeared on the Barrandov Studio site here (http://www.barrandov.cz) (Choose the English version [if you so wish!], then News (Zprávy), then Shooting Now (Co se práve natácí).
But they've managed to spell Elijah's name without the j :rolleyes:

Polanski's "Oliver Twist" looks more than interesting too! :)

Incidentally, Rikka, if you're reading this, Alex and Grandfather appear to be from Odessa/Odesa, which is of course not that small ............ (re fax machines a while back ...) :o

EDIT: News of "Everything Is Illuminated" has finally appeared on the Barrandov Studio site here (http://www.barrandov.cz) (Choose the English version [if you so wish!], then News (Zprávy), then Shooting Now (Co se práve natácí).

Polanski's "Oliver Twist" looks more than interesting too! :)

Isn't that (i.e., the filming of Oliver Twist, of all things) a funny coincidence?! Maybe if they're all there at the same time, Lij could get to know Ben Kingsley -- now THAT'S someone I'd like to see him co-star with!

Edit: Whew! I held my breath when I posted this one. Is there any way to check the length of a message here?

That's true -- and whether any of Elijah's other movies would work to convince a doubter probably depends on the doubter's taste in movies. But there are people who like Fantasy/Sci Fi movies who didn't appreciate Elijah's acting in LotR.
Well, this isn't connected with Elijah's acting in particular, but it's very much connected with the way Tolkien wrote LotR and the way PJ adapted it--that is, not as fantasy but as "feigned history" (JRRT's term for it). If someone goes to any of the LotR movies wanting to see what they'd see in a normal "fantasy" movie, they're going to be very disappointed. (And, not to get on the same soapbox too often here :o , but someone can like fantasy and hate sci-fi, or vice versa. They're very different from each other.) IMVVHO, whether someone likes fantasy could have very little to do with whether they like LotR.

But I certainly agree with the main point there--that the movies someone will enjoy depend very much on the person. I started my mother out on Forever Young because she wanted to see something nonviolent with Mel Gibson in it. I'd never give her Chain of Fools which, OTOH, I almost gleefully handed over to my co-worker who loves dark, surreal comedies. And I've realized I have to be happy that they both think Elijah's a "good actor"--they're not going to admire him and follow his work the way I do.

-------------

Cultural history of LotR--The following might make a great thesis if I had any evidence for any of it ;) . But, hey, it makes sense to me :p :
...did anyone ever do a survey of the number of M vs. F book readers to see what the ratio was before the films?...
Not that I know of, and it's too late now :( . I wasn't on any message boards until the movies were being planned, but back in the ink and paper days, IIRC there was a pretty even match of men and women who'd write articles, letters to the editors, etc., in the Tolkien-related magazines I saw. The only way I can say I "recall" that, is that I don't remember ever being surprised to see anything written by one or the other sex, or even surprised that a male or female might make a particular statement, or noticing a preponderance of either sex in listings of speakers at cons (which I could never afford to go to, so I can't speak to attendance percentages). Even the artwork was pretty well divided. I had favorite artists of both sexes. I was one of the disappointed ones when Mythlore decided a few years ago that it wanted to look more "scholarly" and stopped printing artwork :( . My favorite picture of Frodo is still a pencil drawing from a Mythlore "regular" (a woman).

One thing that could be done, I guess, is compare the number of female to male readers to whom Tolkien replied in his published letters. Just readers--you'd have to skip his publishers, for example, or you'd be overloading the male contingent. (I believe it was a woman who wrote the letter saying Frodo should have been hung as a traitor.)

But most of the Tolkienites I knew before message-board days--as well as the ones Tolkien would have been replying to--were "first generation" readers like me, and I think the dynamic changed somewhat later on. When we discovered LotR, there was some fantasy around but not enough to produce a declared fantasy genre (for adults). LotR was a good book--not a good "fantasy."

I think most people would agree that it was LotR that led the way in turning fantasy into a genre, since it showed it could be marketable. Then the old sword and sorcery bits, which had been around for awhile, got connected with the "high" fantasy of Tolkien (and Tolclones) because they both got thrown into the same category--and S&S carried some of that male stereotyping along with it (although lately there have been some great "send-ups" of that subgenre from the female side :D ). IMHO, the gaming scene added to the male stereotype, especially when computer-related games came along.

When I first got on the message boards, the ones I found were populated mostly by teenagers, and I have to say I was really surprised to hear from a number of the girls that they were ridiculed for reading LotR, because it was a "boys' book." I'd never thought of it that way, and neither had anyone I knew. My guess is that it became something of a self-fulfilling designation. That is, a lot of girls didn't read it because it was a "boys' book"--so it became even more of a boys' book.

So maybe the "eye candy" or whatever else it is that's drawing women to the movies, is just rectifying a misunderstanding that never should have happened, and things are getting back to the way they always should have been :) .

Writing this just brought up a question -- I wonder if there are more male purists -- i.e., Tolkienistas that have severe problems with PJ's adaptations -- than female, or vice versa? Seems to me that the ones I've run up against have tended to be male and are much more likely to hold up the book as inviolate. Not trying to start up a M/F war here, but just wonderin'.
Y'know, just as a generalization, I think there are more men who like to argue about things like that than there are women. If you look at the extremely rational female posters here :) , most might be initially upset at some things in the movies, maybe never come to like certain things (AATF will irk me til my dying day), but attempt to find ways to reason them out--if only so that they can enjoy the movies more.

I've also seen this type of thinking among women in the email discussion group I belong to (lurk in :rolleyes: ). I can think of a lone female exception. But it's the men in the group who've pushed me into lurkdom (I seldom even read the posts anymore), because they're so negative about nearly everything. Even though one of the men keeps saying he likes the movies, you'd never know it from anything else he says. If you say something positive about the movies, you might as well hand him your head--and there are others who are even worse.

I dunno, maybe it's a form of "brainy machoism"? "I know more about [whatever] than you do, so that makes me higher than you--if I can shoot down one of your ideas, so much the better." These are mostly "first generation" readers, so they've been steeped in Tolkien for well over 30 years (but so have I, and most of the women in the group). But even among younger readers on the message boards, it seems to be the males who get most caught up in "knowing everything" that can be known as a fact--stuff I would tend to call "trivia"--rather than seeing how those facts affect the characters or the story as a whole. (They're also the ones who can have a hard time coping when they read a little more and find out that not all the "facts" are exactly clear.)

I think basically everyone in the email group (including myself) would say they hold the book "inviolate," in that it's the best record we have of the historical events. But if I compare the LotR movies with other movies based on "real historical events," I'd say PJ's versions stick closer to the facts than most "historical dramas" do :eek: .

(Man, this' a nice looking new board but I'm noticing that I don't always get email notification when there are new messages -- anyone else? It also doesn't seem to recognize and immediately log me in...hmmm.....)
Have you "re-told" it to remember you?

Hey, "Cringe factor" is a *very* good description of the reason why I chose to recommend the films I mentioned (Ice Storm, Chain of Fools). Both films I could sit down to watch with *anybody* without being embarassed about the content for whatever reason. And I think, if those I watched the films with were told up-front to watch out specifically for Elijah's acting, they'd definitely notice something special there, too. :)


Still no info. on when ESOTSM is going to show up over here. I would guess sometime in the autumn. :mad:


That’s exactly right. And I think also that our popular culture tends to underestimate women and fail to realize how they too could be interested in fantasy. I mean, I have met a lot of women who have told me they have read “The Silmarillion” at least a couple of times! For some reason this made me smile quite fondly. In fact, to my certain knowledge, Elijah's met women who've not only read the Silmarillion more than once, but who are pretty well versed in all the intricate details of HOME. :)

Anyway, reading your comments about fandom and gender, tg, I started wondering about combination of LotR/film/actor fandom. While I would guess it's been throroughly documented that there's in fact quite an even gender base in Tolkien fandom, there seems to me to be an overwhelming majority of women in the part of fandom that encompasses both LotR, specific LotR characters and their actor alter egos. But admittedly I've a very small sample to base the conclusion on. So is this a fact? Are there a majority of female fans in the combined book&film section of Tolkien fandom?

i have alwayes loved frodo in the books becuse to me he is the true
hero.he has to sacryfice so much he hade to leave his beloved
shire and dear friends sam fore ex.and see him come to life on the big screen
the way elijah potrayed him i just love it!! i love elijah as an actor!!(not only as an actor ;) :rolleyes: )
and i have to confes that i dont think i would have seen this movies
so many times if not elijah would have been in it!! :)
so fore the eye-candy thing fore sure it is mr.beautiful :D :rolleyes: :)
(the sexy little thing :D :p)

somehow i feel like i repeting my self am i? :(
if so hope you tell me and sorry!!!

and fore the other movie discussions i havent seen the war but after reading
what you have to say about it i realy most try to find a copy of it!!!!

For some reason this made me smile quite fondly. In fact, to my certain knowledge, Elijah's met women who've not only read the Silmarillion more than once, but who are pretty well versed in all the intricate details of HOME. :)
:) Makes me wonder if the dear boy's ever really going to understand what's hit him. :p

But admittedly I've a very small sample to base the conclusion on. So is this a fact? Are there a majority of female fans in the combined book&film section of Tolkien fandom?
Are you asking me :eek: ? I don't have a very big sample, either--I don't get around much outside of KD, and it's a rather unusual site and also fairly small. My time with the teenagers was before I found some folks closer to my own age, and long before the movies came out. I'm serially monogamous when it comes to message boards--strictly because of time limitations ;) --and haven't been anywhere except Imladris/CoE and then KD since before FotR was released; maybe someone who posts, or even lurks, at a larger site would have an idea?

My one thought would be that I have seen threads and posts by male Liv-Arwen fans and Miranda-Eowyn fans, but the pickings are a bit slim in LotR for any fans of female characters/actors. With the book, I don't think the gender of the characters makes as much difference in how the reader feels about them (JMHO).

Judging by media coverage, I'd say Orlando Bloom, bless 'im, has become an entire fandom industry all by himself :p --and you can't really call his followers "Legolasses" anymore because a lot of them have become full-out Orlando fans rather than just Legolas fans. So, if you added them up, they'd probably tip the scales toward female fandom without any help from Faculty members, Haremites, Goonies, Playgroup members, Faramites, DSG/NSG worshippers, or fans of the Smirking Sons of Gondor or assorted Rohirrim (did I forget anyone?) :) :) .

Well, I guess the question is for anyone with an opinion. :)

I had started writing some follow-up to my previous post, but was uncertain of whether to include it, because it could so easily play directly into stereotypes that I'm certainly not comfortable with, namely: If there are more female fans (and again, I'm talking book&film fans) is that *really* just because most of the actors are (good-looking) men? Can't people just as well appreciate and admire good acting from someone their own gender? And anyway, wouldn't the fact that the films manage to re-paint the large complex fascinating canvas that is Tolkien's LotR so well, mean that you could be a film fan without being focused on the acting of all or any specific actors at all? Do male fans perhaps focus more on the total film experience, the faithfulness to canon (or not), and the monumental scenes and "special effects", rather than the acting? (The male LotR fans I know would seem to indicate this is the case, being *very* focused on the battle sequences...) Well, answers to any of this would only be speculations from my side. I feel like I'm threading on *very* thin ice here, so I'll quietly tip-toe off. :)

Edit:
Oh, btw; - I just noticed on the official film site: August 27 is the premiere date for ESOTSM over here.

If there are more female fans (and again, I'm talking book&film fans) is that *really* just because most of the actors are (good-looking) men? Can't we just as well appreciate and admire good acting from someone our own gender?
Well, speaking just for myself, I've rented plenty of movies simply because Cate Blanchett is in them. I've rarely been disappointed. (And my local video store carries a lot of her movies.) I think I could probably have pretty long discussions about her movies, though Cate-fan threads seem to fall into the void out of lack of interest after a while. Not that people don't watch her movies, but they just don't get as obsessed about her.

I think TORN was more male-dominated, though I've pretty much stuck to its front page ever since I found Imladris. (The front page seems to express all sorts of excitement about stuff I'm not really interested in, like orc figurines and computer games, and seems to roll its eyes a bit at the female-dominated actor fandom.) TORC was, too, though I haven't checked it for a long time.

I've traveled a bit more than tg (mostly surfing livejournal stuff), but again, outside Imladris/CoE, the places I frequent tend to be pretty female-dominated. On CoE and KD, and in LJ, it seemed as though female purism often focussed mostly on how the characters and their relationships with one another were portrayed. (As an example, the response to the Frodo-sending-Sam-away scene riled a lot of women up. Most of the people who were upset by the "downsizing of Frodo" also seemed to be women.) At CoE, there were both male and female purists who griped about what I considered picky details (like what The Purist (male) referred to, tongue-in-cheek, as "Meri-bleeping-adoc and the Sword of bleeping Numenor"). But I've seen crossover both directions.

I haven't seen many men who can keep up the level of character obsession that my female fandom friends have, though.

Edit: Obviously I need to watch "Chain of Fools" at some point. I'm not going to yesasia to buy it, though... I'll wait until it gets released over here. (Maybe it will, someday...)

Mel

...Or do male fans perhaps focus more on the total film experience, the faithfulness to canon, and the monumental scenes and "special effects", rather than the acting? (The male LotR fans I know would seem to indicate this is the case, being very focused on the battle sequences...)
This is also just speculation, pure generalization, and doesn't even touch the nature/nurture question. But in my experience with the book, and my limited experience with the movies, I think women do tend to focus more on the characters than men do. And I think that goes far beyond LotR. Don't we tend to think of a "chick flick" as one that's more character driven, while a movie for "guys" would focus more on the external plot (as opposed to what's happening within the characters) and the action? As I said--complete generalizations; there are women who like the battle scenes best and men who like well-developed characters. But I do think there's a tendency for women to focus more on the characters and the acting.

----Simulposted with Mel, but I think what she said is kind of along the same line: that women are focusing more on the characters/relationships, so that would be the area they'd get most upset about. And, yeah, I've run across a couple of guys who aren't satisfied with, "Well, if you don't tell the audience the WiKi can be wounded only by a Numenorean blade..." :p

Reading Mel's husband's reaction to EW's Frodo I'm more thankful than ever for my hubby's response. :p I would probably chose a "see, he can act!" film according to what the person I was showing it to appreciated. But if they'd already seen LOTR I would tend to not choose Ice Storm, because it's such a similar performance. I'd go with The War or Chain of Fools maybe - not a Costner fan and not a peacenik either but still liked War. I expect movies like that to hit you over the head and so that aspect didn't really bother me.

So is this a fact? Are there a majority of female fans in the combined book&film section of Tolkien fandom?

When I was active in s&f fandom in the late seventies and early eighties it was pretty well accepted that guys dominated book fandom while females dominated media fandom. I think it was sexism on the part of the fans as much as anything - it's not so obvious in terms of casual fans, but if you get to the people who're seriously into it, the book ones were guys and the media (TV and movie) ones were ladies. This does *not* mean that women were less likely to read the classic sf - some female friends started out in book fandom, got tired of feeling as if no one took their opinion seriously, and shifted over to the media clubs.

This is more the "hard science" end of things, which I think was more established earlier. I know there were serious fantasy fans, but they tended to be into one particular author rather than the genre as a whole - the Tolkien fans, the Narnia fans, etc. I mean, when I first got involved nearly everyone in the s-f groups had a "working knowledge" of Tolkien, Narnia, and a few others, but there weren't any clubs that held meetings - people who were seriously into it would write in to various newsletters or whatever, and the newsletters were usually based on that one author or one specific "subcreation".

There was a lot of resentment about the fantasy that got popular in the early eighties - articles by s-f fans and authors on how the fandom/genre was being "ruined" and things. And nobody ever pointed this out, but a lot of the authors they were griping about were women, who were pulling women into fandom. Anne McCaffrey got some grief, but she's the only one I remember being mentioned specifically back then. Mercedes Lackey writes the kind of stuff they were screaming about, but so does David Eddings. Now there are a slug of very popular female fantasy writers, which is a big change from the seventies. The only female fantasy writer I can remember from then is Patricia A. McKillip, who I adore but she doesn't have the fan base of a lot of them.

I don't know if the "sorta self-chosen sexual segregation" is still the case, but best I can tell it seems to be. For instance, most media fanfic authors are still women, unless an extraordinary number of males are pretending. ;) Can't say as to Internet groups based on hard s-f - don't even know who the current hard s-f authors might be! I know a lot of the Harry Potter book fans are female, and that, while Harry has male fans, most of the fanfic is by females. So in terms of the area I'm most familiar with (fanfic) things haven't changed much, but beyond that I dunno. Maybe after the kids get older we'll get active in some kind of local fandom again and I'll know more. :p

Sheryl

I can't contribute much to the discussion of gender disparaties in fandoms, as LoTR is the first fandom I have been obsessed...er concerned with! I have had other "crushes," for want of a better term. I'll still see almost anything with Peter O'Toole in it. (Troy, here I come!) And Sean Connery is worth watching do just about anything (except talk about his own RL notions of women :eek: ). But I will say this, I have watched just about all those movies on tg's site (what are there, 26?) that Elwood has been involved in, and am not sorry about any of them. Well, except for the Animated movie that shall not be named! ;)

On another front, I stopped by the IMDB today, and they have taken Jason Schwartzman's name off the cast list. This may be a mixed blessing, as it means that EW has to carry the movie himself. But it gives me hope that Elijah will play the grandfather as well as Jonathan.

As I said before, when I first read the LOTR, I had no idea of the legendary status of Tolkien's work.
A couple of years later, I saw my brother-in-law read it and I innocently told him that I'd read it also and loved it a lot.
He was amazed by that. He said that I was the first woman he knows who admits loving the book. All the fans he knew were male. I asked him why it should be such a surprise to see that a woman can love this story and he told me that the structure of the story is more typically male. It's got a complicated, vertical storyline - with a story, within a story, within a story,...
He thought that woman prefered a horizontal storyline.
:confused: :rolleyes:
I told him that, in my opinion, this is nonsense.
He also said that the story is loved by analytical people,...like engineers,...

His wife, my sister, added that it's no surprise to her to see that I loved the book, because I'm an analytical person and some of the others things that I like are also more a male thing; like Sci Fi, comic books, watching sports,...
When I was a kid, I liked to watch tv series like Starsky and Hutch, Night Rider (I loved that car, did not care for the actor very much...David Hasselhof), Alias Smith and Jones, Chips, the A-team,...and those were seen as tv series, aimed at boys.

In real life, most of the Tolkien fans I know are male so, I'm not surprised to see that NewLine,...were not sure of how this trilogy would be perceived by women.

But, when I took my LOTR book/movie fandom online and went in search for virtual friends...
I was very glad to see that lots of woman are passionate about the book/movie and not every woman loves the movie just because of the male beauty in the film, although that's a very nice bonus. When I see women talk on some message board about the nature of Frodo's sacrifice and Sam's loyalty, Faramir's relationship with his father and his brother,...it's more than just admiring how beautiful Frodo is or how fine Legolas looks with that bow.

Although, the male beauty does play a strong role in the popularity of the movies.
How popular would this movie be if Frodo, Aragorn, Faramir, Eomer, Legolas,...were average looking men?
But still, seeing beautiful men on the screen is not enough to explain the passion some women have for the movies (and the books).

For me, it's a combination of factors:
- I love that Tolkien used his own rich knowledge (language, mythology, history,...) and his imagination and invites you to use your own imagination to take a trip to another world.
- I love the fact that, at first sight, it's just a fairy tale, but when you look closer it's actually a complicated story . I love the fact that Tolkien didn't underestimate his readers. The story works on various levels (if you want to keep it simple it works. If you want to explore the various levels in the book, it works)
- I love the various interesting characters and the relationships with emotional depth.
- Seeing many very handsome actors in the films doesn't hurt either.
- ...and so many other little or grand things that make Tolkien's work (book and movies) fantastic for me.

Well, hello again, everyone! :) Long time no post! I have been popping in and out every now and again, but have in no way kept up to date. I am enjoying all the discussion that I have read so far, but have lots more to read before I can comment even semi-coherently. Sorry for the long absence. Hope to be a bit more regular in the days to come.

Blessings!
cp

P.S. Hey! Where'd all the purple go? Hehe! Looks good!
:D

Cool new smilies, too! I especially like this one: :eek:

My favorite picture of Frodo is still a pencil drawing from a Mythlore "regular" (a woman).


Awww, Tg, could you possibly post that drawing? I'm very interested in Frodo-related art, of any kind, so it'd be really :cool: !


He thought that woman prefered a horizontal storyline.
I told him that, in my opinion, this is nonsense.
He also said that the story is loved by analytical people,...like engineers

Moondancer, LOL. It seems we are a bunch of vertical thinking engineers then :p ! I liked your list of combinated factors that makes LOTR so irresistible for us (women, but the male LOTR fans I know personally would certainly agree).
Seriously, I'm so happy to know so many women (for example you all, :) ) who give their opinion with brain and heart, so I can't complain.


Serena, belated thanks for the Czech sites :) Wow, you know this language? It looks just unpronounceable ....:eek: ;)

And welcome back, CandyGirl :)

Hi, CandyGirl :) !

I'm thinking about the previous posts, but don't have time to really come up with anything to add--So for now I'll just give some quick comments on whiteling's post.

Awww, Tg, could you possibly post that drawing? I'm very interested in Frodo-related art, of any kind, so it'd be really :cool: !
I've been saying for a long time that I have to learn to scan, but just haven't done it yet :o . When I do, that drawing and another Frodo pic that I've mentioned before (from a book jacket) will be my first projects.

I liked your list of combinated factors that makes LOTR so irresistible for us (women, but the male LOTR fans I know personally would certainly agree).
Ditto :)

Serena, belated thanks for the Czech sites :) Wow, you know this language? It looks just unpronounceable ....:eek: ;)
:D :D I lived in a mostly-Czech small town for awhile, and a lot of the older people were still first generation (had come to America in the 1910's or so). I learned what a few words meant and how to pronounce names, but had never seen the language written--had just heard it. Then at the Christmas Eve prayer service, sheets were passed out with Christmas carols in Czech. While looking over the sheet, I asked the older lady sitting next to me how to pronounce one of the words, and she sweetly said, "Why, just the way it looks." :D :D To her, sure!

from Whiteling:
Wow, you know this language? It looks just unpronounceable ....

Erm, no, I wouldn't actually claim to know it! I'm supposed to be continuing to learn it, which is why I'm thinking of visiting Prague again .. er .. quite soon :). I do understand quite a bit - particularly written Czech. The main difficulty is not really the pronunciation or even the fiendish grammar, but remembering the vocabulary, most of which bears no relation to any other language I know (though much of it is similar to Russian and other Slavonic languages, so Rikka will probably understand a lot of it).

To get back OT, wonder if Elijah will learn any Czech while he's there??? :D There's a famous sentence with no vowels in it: strč prst skrz krk, meaning "stick your finger down your throat" or something like that - useful if you need to throw up, I suppose :eek: Hope our Lij doesn't need that one too often ...

from tgshaw:
I asked the older lady sitting next to me how to pronounce one of the words, and she sweetly said, "Why, just the way it looks."

Well, believe it or not she did have a kind of point - if you know how the individual letters are pronounced, the rest is easy (!) Unlike English or French, Czech is completely consistent in its pronunciation - no exceptions to the rules. It's only the letters with "hačeks" or hačky - hey, I can write them in HTML after all! - that cause any problems. The ř is the hardest - not even all Czechs can pronounce that one.

Oops - must rush ... more later ....

I've been saying for a long time that I have to learn to scan, but just haven't done it yet :o . When I do, that drawing and another Frodo pic that I've mentioned before (from a book jacket) will be my first projects.


Thanks, Tg! I'm looking forward to it :) !



(...)Then at the Christmas Eve prayer service, sheets were passed out with Christmas carols in Czech. While looking over the sheet, I asked the older lady sitting next to me how to pronounce one of the words, and she sweetly said, "Why, just the way it looks." :D :D To her, sure!

ROTFLMAO :D (ditto for the vowel-less sentence in Serena's simulpost :eek: :D )

QUOTE: <i>And welcome back, CandyGirl</i>

Thank you, Whiteling! :) Great to be back!

QUOTE: <i>Hi, CandyGirl !</i>

Hello, yourself! :)

Speaking of LOTR (Frodo) related art/pencil drawings...erm...*is shy now!*...I have a few. You can see them here:

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpsings4him2002/album?.dir=/2f83&.src=ph

if you're interested. Just a little hobby of mine. Most of the ones in this album are LOTR (heavily Frodo-centric), but a few are not. Enjoy! Hopefully, I managed to do the linky-dinky thingy right.

Blessings!

cp