Sorry for tearing this out of its context but it justified a split. What 2ndlegion was referring to (please correct me if I'm wrong) was pike tactics as seen in Braveheart and Lord of the Rings, right? I did enjoy the movies but I feel I must read the books some day before being able to say anything sensible about it. When it comes to the tactics used... Sheesh. They were lucky to have magic on their side.
I've read the books, watched the film (the recent one) and listened to the radio version (thank you BBC!). Hobbit similar, but not the film. And yes Roel, I find it hard to believe that the humans had survived so long with such a deficient set of tactics. And their siegecraft! The attacking Orcs did everything right, the defending humans (& elves) did everything wrong. Oh well... :roll:
And their soldiers hired at the same place! Seriously, how are those Gondor infantry the regulars of mankind. Thye can barely hold their spear. I guess one will have to read the books to appreciate them... About the ghost army, my friends said simultaneously after watching the scene: "well, just one would have done the trick!" :lol:
And I am interested that the Men of Rohan, who live & fight on horseback, should use large, circular shields. In practice this is hugely silly, as the horse gets in the way. True 'horse warriors' tend to have kite-shaped shields (like the Normans) or much smaller shields (like the Mongols). Oddly enough people don't like going to the cinema with me much!
Certainly not when theres a war movie going on!! As a side note, do you guys ever have trouble convincing friends (especially girl friends) to go watch a war movie with you? Usually its "Lets go watch a scary movie!" :roll:
I loved the books, but thought the first two films were soul-less, probably won't waste money on the third.
Friends: I usually know who will want to see what and don't bother to ask the others! Girlfriends: never had any.
Its strange how not many people are into WW2 as we are. Or is this phenomena found only in Morocco? :-?
I have read the books and seen the films. The books were better, but I still liked the movies. Tolkien's trilogy are the only novels I have ever seen that included translator's notes and a historical timeline for the events leading up to and following the events portrayed in them!
Friends no (unless it is very obviously unrealistic. My best mate sat through Troy with me, and is unwilling to repeat the experiance) Girlfriend yes.
No, sadly that is universal... Corp: that is indeed a fun part of Tolkien's work; he put a lot of time into it, and it's showing. All his characters and peoples have a history outside and beyond the actual story. I know this because my friends have read the book and won't stop yapping during the movies... Indeed people are esily annoyed by people who know it better than the movie shows. Ricky: my best advice is, give it up.
Well, usually my friends & I enjoy pulling a film to pieces afterwards - all part of the fun. Sadly, with historical films, I get a 'little' annoyed that they never seem to think that accuracy can be as entertaining as complete moonshine. I think this view has cropped up before! I find it very hard to sit back & happily watch people being falsely educated about history. You may scoff at the view that films educate people, but I know some who belive that the story of William Wallace is exactly as shown in Braveheart.
The books are excellent, the best books in the world, ever, peroid. The films are OK, but not a patch on the books. To appreciate the films you must first realise that they will carry little of the excellent style in the books, and more of Wacko Jacko's (Peter Jackson's) stuff. BTW. About The wallso of Gondor, in the book Tolkien describes that the outer walls were made of some sort of polished stone that would do nought but flake small bits off when hit by a shot of any kind. He goes on to say that the inner depths of Minas Tirith were more vulnerable and un-manned. (Proberly due to Gondor's arrogant belief in their outer walls.) It is for that reason that the orcs fire no shots AT the outer wall, only inside where the buildings and people would be easier to kill. For once I have found a topic where I have alot of facts to say. Hooray!
