June 03, 2008
Gratuitous Tolkien Geekery Posting
Last evening the eldest Llama-ette and I, along with Frodo, first met Strider at the Prancing Pony in Bree.
Whenever I read to the gels, I try to put as much, well, character into the characters as I can. I usually do this by imagining an actor or some other public figure and modelling my speech and inflection on them. Hunting around for a good model for Strider, I wasn't for an instant going to go anywhere near whats-his-name from the LOTR movies, because - apart from what you might think of Peter Jackson's "treatment" of the story - I thought him so horribly miscast for what Tolkien really had in mind. Instead, I went for someone more along the lines of Ciarán Hinds:
Also, I tried to throw in a touch of John Hurt. Why? Because he voiced Aragorn in that animated version of LOTR that Ralph Bakshi did back in the 70's. And as many problems as that movie had, I recall that he did a pretty good job.
(BTW, the Llama-ette thought my rendition of Butterbur was quite amusing, too.)
UPDATE: Per a suggestion in teh comments I'm still chuckling about -
"Tatersh? Wots tatersh, precioush?"
Posted by Robert at June 3, 2008 08:58 AM | TrackBackI think a podcast of your readings is in order.
Posted by: tee bee at June 3, 2008 10:48 AMhear, hear!
Posted by: the gripping hand at June 3, 2008 11:35 AMI'd just do all the characters in a Sean Connery voice. Gandalf? Sean Connery. Aragorn? Sean Connery. Gollum? Sean Connery.
Connery can play anything. He's the British John Wayne -- every character is played exactly the same. But somehow it works. You'd go see the movie and say "Wasn't Connery great as Gollum?"
Gene Hackman works the same way. Every character is Hackman. And therefore, he can play any character.
Posted by: The Abbot at June 3, 2008 12:45 PMMmm...Ciaran Hinds.
But yeah - we definitely need a podcast.
Posted by: beth at June 3, 2008 01:08 PMOkay, the vision of Sean Connery as Gollum gave me my first keyboard coffee saturation event in some time.
As for the podcast, I happen to be seriously clogged with gunk at the moment, and as a result my voice is lower than normal. You'd all have a real treat, I tell ya.
Posted by: Robbo the LB at June 3, 2008 01:32 PMI still think Steve Buscemi would have been a pretty decent gollum. He certainly looks like him.
"Taters? What the f--- are taters? Like I really need some taters right now? How about a goddamn sirloin steak, fer crissakes? F---in' precious. Bitch."
Posted by: Gary at June 3, 2008 07:24 PMChristopher Walken. Now that's a Gollum.
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Posted by: haeuwpe at June 5, 2008 12:51 PM
Image courtesy of the lovely and talented 