Video games, Goblintown and the falling staircases of Moria

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I never felt any genuine dramatic tension in that scene or character interaction that felt real or meant anything to me (as compared to, for instance, the reaction of the Fellowshipi to Gandalf's "death"). The more I watched that scene, the worse I liked it.

[Alatar]

IAWV

I never felt any tension in that moment, and not just because I knew they all survived. It never felt like they were in any real danger, more a thrillride. I will concede that I felt the same about Goblintown, but in Goblintown PJ was deliberately giving us a kids action movie chase sequence, whereas the Moria staircase was meant to feel dangerous and didn't.

[kzer_za]

Well, it's all somewhat subjective. But I think the falling staircase fits the flow of the movie well between the cave troll and Balrog and raises the tension of the Balrog's danger more than if they had gone straight to Khazad-dûm (you see the Balrog getting closer and breaking through behind them). And most of the characters get at least a small moment as they're crossing the stairs.

So I can forgive bad physics, a silly Gimli line, and a gimmicky arrow-tracking shot.

[Dave_LF]

I found the entire post-Balin Moria sequence to be one long adrenaline rush the first three or four times I watched it. Granted I was younger then, but I doubt Goblintown would have achieved the same effect on dave2000.

[yovargas]

I didn't even know the staircase scene was unpopular, hehe. While not a highlight I do always get caught up in the moment. If I had to say why, I'd have to say that it's because the entire Moria sequence is excellently paced with it's ever-rising sense of danger and dread leading up to the amazing climax at the bridge. Even if what's happening on the staircase is whatever, the threat of the Balrog's pursuit feels very present to me in that moment. Plus - the music is awesome.

[Alatar]

Plus - the music is awesome.

Now there we can agree!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Yes, but the music in Goblintown is also awesome, so that cancels out.

[kzer_za]

Isn't it just a variant of the Erebor theme? Besides the Goblin King singing, which is great.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It's that wonderful Goblin-esque chanting. Some of the best music in all of the films

[kzer_za]

I'll keep an ear open for it next time I watch it (I think I'm going to put it at the front of my Netflix DVD queue).

[yovargas]

Yes, this conversation would be a lot more interesting to me if Netflix would hurry up so I can finally give it that fabled 2nd viewing....

[kzer_za]

Oh, well it's on "long wait" right now. I guess there's Redbox.

[Dave_LF]

You can also buy the song ("Brass Buttons") online for 99 cents (well; I can. I don't know how the laws might be different where you are, blah blah blah).

[kzer_za]

Well, I want to watch the movie again (fourth viewing) anyway.

[Alatar]

Note: this and the following 20 posts were moved from the video diary thread - VtF

the pinball dwarf iPad game called Goblintown.

Grrrr.

You have no idea how sick I am of this ridiculous, blatantly inaccurate comparison. If for no other reason, please learn a different tune, this song is boring.

[Passdagas the Brown]

the pinball dwarf iPad game called Goblintown.

Grrrr.

You have no idea how sick I am of this ridiculous, blatantly inaccurate comparison. If for no other reason, please learn a different tune, this song is boring.

Opinions on something so subjective cannot be "inaccurate."

I have played lots of video games in my day, and often pass the time commuting playing various simple games on an iPad or iPhone, and the similarities I mention to PJ's Goblintown are largely thematic.

Goblintown is "gamelike" to me for three main reasons.

1. Consequenceless actions: 200 foot falls, barreling foward into hundreds of goblins, etc, do no harm to our heros. None at all. This reminds me of quite a few games, some of which require hundreds of hits from deadly objects to facilitate death, and some which allow easy resuscitation.

2. Multi-level ethic: The wooden bridges, and the dwarven action spread across them, is very multi-level puzzle-esque. The way Bombur smashes downwards through two levels of bridge, for example, and ends up back with his friends. Like a reverse Mario.

3. Primarily virtual: Nearly everything seems digital and weightless in this scene. Metroid-like.

Sorry if this offends, but its my opinion. And its just as legitimate as yours, as I play (and have played) lots of games.

Consequence-less digitalia, I call it.

[yovargas]

You forgot the endless horde of anonymous, easily disposed bad guys plus the Big Boss finale.

[Lusitano]

Replacing the soundtrack in GT with some yappy, techno synthesizer music from a video game, will do wonders for this.

Its like a match made in heaven.


I would add to Passdagas' reasons, the fake looking, teal and orange studio lighting in that scene. Hardly the dark, cavernous atmosphere of the deep, infernal, goblin caves. And the obviously ,"set like" feel of the place, be it walls, rocks,ladders, etc...

[Alatar]

My apologies. My post was rude. You are entitled to your opinion, however much I dislike it.

I simply find the comparison lazy and inaccurate, even given your examples, which I find unconvincing. But as I say, its is absolutely your right to believe whatever you like, as much as it is my right to think its flatly wrong.

Please carry on and ignore my outburst.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Not being a gamer myself at all, I don't have an opinion one way or the other, and the aspects of the scene that PtB and others complain of don't bother me at all (I actually have developed some fondness for the Goblintown scenes, though I still hate the way the Great Goblin's death plays out). I note for the record, however, that this is a fairly common complaint that I have seen, and that most of the people making it do in fact play videogames. So, while I certainly agree that you are entitled to your own opinion on the subject as much as any else is, the vehemence with which you repeatedly express the opinion that anyone who holds the opposite opinion is "flatly wrong" (or worse, "ridiculous" and "blatantly inaccurate") seems misplaced to me, given how widely held the opinion is among people familiar with videogames.