The Hunt for Gollum - Fanmade

[Primula Baggins]

They're apparently allowing it because nobody is making any money off if it. Fan films that get watched are free publicity. George Lucas figured this out a long time ago and actively encourages them, with contests and prizes and such. Even Paramount, which is ferociously protective of Star Trek, has allowed and even given a little help to a fan-made Star Trek video.

The key is that no one else is allowed to profit from their property. Then it's OK.

[Pearly Di]

Amazing how tastes differ. I didn't think she was attractive at all, and I thought the sequence with her was terrible.

That's a little harsh, V-Man, to say she wasn't attractive. She had a very Irish look to me, actually ... that very pale skin and dark hair. As I say, she looks nothing like my ideal Arwen (Liv does, in certain scenes) but then finding the ideal woman to play Arwen is, IMO, even trickier than finding the ideal Galadriel ... whom Cate NAILED, IMO, but I remember some harsh reactions to her as well at first. Some fans thought she was 'ugly'.

A cheap take-off on the Jackson Aragorn/Arwen scenes with no relevance to the film and no real connection to what Tolkien wrote.

Well, I'm easily pleased. I'd be a lot more critical if this were a professional feature film, but it's a fan tribute. And a well made one at that, IMO.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Amazing how tastes differ. I didn't think she was attractive at all, and I thought the sequence with her was terrible.

That's a little harsh, V-Man, to say she wasn't attractive. She had a very Irish look to me, actually ... that very pale skin and dark hair. As I say, she looks nothing like my ideal Arwen (Liv does, in certain scenes) but then finding the ideal woman to play Arwen is, IMO, even trickier than finding the ideal Galadriel ... whom Cate NAILED, IMO, but I remember some harsh reactions to her as well at first. Some fans thought she was 'ugly'.

I guess I should have kept my opinion to myself. I certainly didn't think she was 'ugly'. Beyond that, I won't say anymore.

A cheap take-off on the Jackson Aragorn/Arwen scenes with no relevance to the film and no real connection to what Tolkien wrote.

Well, I'm easily pleased. I'd be a lot more critical if this were a professional feature film, but it's a fan tribute. And a well made one at that, IMO.

If it were just made for personal enjoyment, I would agree, but this "fan-film" has been released with a rather remarkable media blitz. Anyone who thinks that they are not trying to profit from it is being deceived. There is more than one way to profit from an endeavor.

In any event, I don't have a lot of appreciate for that kind of "tribute". It seems to me that you are going to go to the trouble of making a film like this (and clearly a lot of work was put into it), you would want to do something that added to what had already been done, rather than just copy it. We've already had the Aragorn is injured flash-back to him in Rivendell with Arwen scene. Why do we need another one?

Another opinion that I probably should have just kept to myself.

[yovargas]

Another opinion that I probably should have just kept to myself.

Stop it. It ain't wrong to disagree with people.
I watched it last night and disliked it quite a bit for several reasons including how much of it felt like lazy copying of what PJ already did. What's the point of that?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Thanks, yov. (Both for the well-deserved trouting, and sharing your own opinion that happens to match my own.)

[Primula Baggins]

Voronwë, the only way I can see them "profiting" from this is if the filmmakers or actors or other participants can use it as a showcase for their work. (I don't know whether they can or should; I haven't seen it yet.) They can't profit from it financially, by charging anyone to see it or selling DVDs, or they would rightfully be sued by the estate.

But I see nothing morally wrong with the showcase idea, or with publicizing the video to draw attention to their work. They're not getting paid in any other way, and it's a lot of work to make any kind of movie.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Yes, that is exactly what I meant by them profiting by it. I don't mean to suggest that there is anything "morally wrong" in that, just that it is incorrect to think that this is a purely selfless endeavor.

Moreover, the fact that they are not charging for the film does not take this out of the realm of copyright law (any more than free file-sharing on the internet is outside of copyright law). But apparently they have permission from Tolkien Enterprises, which has the right to grant such permission, so I don't think that there is anything that the Tolkien Estate can do about it. Otherwise, I doubt they would let it go forward unchallenged.

[Primula Baggins]

I understand now. Thanks.

In addition to his full load of classes and part-time job, my son has been working 24 to 36 hours per weekend on film sets for no pay and no college credit, in order to learn the various jobs and in order to make connections and produce a body of work that will help him get started in his career. He loves it for its own sake, but he would have to be nuts to work that hard with no potential benefit of any kind to himself. It doesn't diminish the value of the work he does that it may benefit him someday, and I can't help but see the people who worked on this (probably also a lot of kids and beginners and dreamers) through the same filter. I didn't mean to sound testy.

[Alatar]

IAWP

[Pearly Di]

IAWP

I'm sorry?

Could you translate, please, Al?

Well, I watched it once, last night, and left them a nice message on their guestbook.

Not quite the same as going to see PJ's films about 15 times each.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

IAWP = "I agree with Prim."

And I certainly don't disagree with Prim. I don't begrudge these folks their opportunity to show what they can do. I just wasn't that impressed with certain aspects of what they did. From a technical standpoint it was quite impressive, given their limited resources. From the standpoint of being creative and fresh and from a storytelling perspective, I personally give them lower marks.

[yovargas]

...and from a storytelling perspective

There was a story?

[ArathornJax]

Ok, I just watched the film right now, and then read this thread. Some points:

1. The film will please most fans of the Jackson films. I think there are more fans of LOTR today than those of us who discovered him in the 1960's or the 1970's (the latter for me) via the books. What scares me is just because someone comes out with something that is comfortable and familiar because it is similar we think in our society that is good, acceptable and support it. I sure hope GDT's The Hobbit is much different because I want something different. It was like watching the new Star Trek. Yes, it is not the original but I felt it was good and refreshing to see some new angles to the franchise come in.

2. I thought it was just ok. For a fan film they did a good job in their filming and special effects. I just didn't see a central theme here that added anything like Voronwë said. Aragorn is a great ranger. Knew that. Aragorn is a great fighter, knew that. Aragorn is in love with Arwen, knew that. Aragorn has a sense of his forefathers, knew that. For me, just not much was offered to develop characters and in a book or film that is one thing that is paramount to me.

3. Wonderful shots of landscape! I always enjoy those.

4. Did the actor who played Aragorn remind anyone of Robert Powell from Jesus of Nazareth? There were moments where I felt that he really did. I then has to ask myself while watching if there was a messianic symbolism that was a choice by those who made them?

On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being high, I would give it a 2 to 2.5