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So I downloaded the ROTK trailer (weeeee!) and my friends page has been full of PoA pictures. The pictures, in particular, seem to have caused a lot of angsting in the fandom: people don't like 'em, people don't like that people don't like 'em, people don't like that people don't like that people don't like 'em. I was reading some of links on F_W about the uproar and while I everything everyone was saying was true about people getting all bunged up about photographs and declaring the destruction of the series I sort of thought...isn't that the point of fandom, though? This, to me, is not so much Fandom_Wank as Fandom, period.
I mean, I don't think I've gotten into much of a twist over these things but my main reactions to these spoilers were pretty wanky, regardless.
The Trailer
My main reaction was just ohgodohgod. Could the hobbits be any more wonderful? With Billy crying and Frodo all bulgy-eyed and black-faced? I'm going to die this December, aren't I? Why did I even bother getting more months on lj?
I was little concerned with Sam's line, "You don't see it, do you? He's leading us into a trap!" because I thought, uh-oh, more Sam to the rescue in the wrong way. It's really important that Frodo does understand Gollum and know what he's doing. He knows him better than anyone really. It's a big moment for Sam when he realizes this, that he was wrong in mistaking Mr. Frodo's "kindness for blindness." Frodo's not naive or trusting, he just thinks this is a risk he needs to take.
Also, it's that subtle blurring of class lines that the movie usually handles so well. I like that Sam isn't quite as Golden Retriever-like in his devotion to Frodo, that he's got a bit more dignity. But still there are lines that Sam shouldn't cross. Having him confront Frodo directly about something like this takes away part of his character in canon. It's just very Sam to passive aggressively grumble and worry about Frodo's orders while following them, especially given his class status. Making Frodo and Sam too equal in this regard jeopardizes the quest. Even under the influence of the ring Frodo can trust Sam because he is devoted to him. On his part Sam is able to do what he has to do because he leaves decisions like this up to Frodo and doesn't second guess him. Both Sam and Frodo, in their own way, SUBMIT to a path chosen for them without being sure where it is leading. Their submission is what it's all about. Plus God knows the audience doesn't need MORE reason to probably be thinking Sam should be the one in charge. People have enough trouble understanding Frodo's wisdom as it is.
But I tell myself that trailers often take lines out of context or even add lines that aren't in the movie in order to give the audience clear information they can understand quickly. Sam's line does that because we people now know Gollum's leading them into a trap. So yeah, I had my Frodo-obsessed geek moment but I'm okay.
The Pictures
I'm okay with muggle clothes but yeah, I did look at Hermione and think that was a really bad outfit for her. Yes, they're teenagers but all three of the main characters in HP have costume notes built right in: one wears oversized, ugly hand-me-downs, another wears well-patched hand-me-downs and handmade sweaters and the third specifically does not dress in a trendy way. I can understand it being too much trouble to dress Harry in oversized clothes but costumes in movies do say a lot about a character. It seems a no-brainer that Hermione is conservative and plain. Given that JKR puts Pansy in pink at the Yule ball I'd say she'd agree it's not a color Hermione would wear. I remember watching an interview with EW on the CoS DVD and she did seem to think Hermione used being a girl in ways, imo, the character clearly doesn't. I think allowing her to go further in this direction gets her further away from the character in canon. I shudder to think of how she'll look at the Yule Ball at this rate.
The one picture I didn't like was the Hermione holding tearful Draco against the tree with her wand pic. No, this is not because I think Draco is a sex god or the main character--I'm one of those people who likes canon!Draco. And I know to most people he's a minor character so they don't really care how he's portrayed but he's my favorite so I look out for him. Anyway, it bugs me because:
1. It's not IC. Kid wets his pants at monsters but gets wands pulled on him all the time without wibbling. There's a reason even JKR doesn't write him doing that and c'mon, she loves his cowardly moments.
2. As somebody who writes for kids, and usually for boys, I just automatically know I'd never do that to a boy character. Cringing in front of a girl? While his friends are watching? When there's not much to be afraid of? It's not only immasculating, it's absurd. I'd assume the director of Y tu mama tambien wouldn't do it. ::shrug::
3. I consider myself a feminist, but I find it really tiresome the way girls always have to dominate boys all the time and that's what this feels like to me. Like on TV if a man and a woman have any fictional contest you know she'd going to win, even if it's armwrestling. I'm fine with superhero shows where the women have powers and get to beat people up but this isn't that. Even the bitch-slap scene in canon, which is in itself a bit of a fantasy (I guarantee any girl who slapped the mean boy in eighth grade would not have gotten quite as pleasant a result as Hermione did) doesn't overdo it this much. It bugs me.
Of course, this is only a picture. There are a million ways it could be misleading so I'm not going to pass judgement on everything because of it. These were just my thoughts on presented with it.
Really, when people react (or overreact, most of the time) to spoilers, pictures and rumors they're just taking an opportunity to talk about their obsession and give their own thoughts on it. I've argued with lots of people over, say, Faramir's portrayal in TTT, with me defending PJ's choices. I may disagree with what a lot of Purists say about the book or the movies, but I'd never think to tell them they were being ridiculous to care so much about how Faramir's portrayed because it's the caring that puts them in the fandom to begin with. I like discussing it with them even if we disagree.
Now, when you get into people personally insulting the people involved in the movie or (even wankier) talking like we should all just take their word for it that if they made a movie it would be so much better or writing angry letters to the director or starting petitions then yeah, let the smackdown begin. Also it's irritating when someone mistakes their personal interpretation for canon. But if somebody is bothered by Gary Oldman as Sirius and wants to quote canon and explain why they think he's wrong for the character I say, blab away! If the Draco-obsessed are disappointed that he's got less screentime well, that's what they're supposed to do, really. (God knows I love him to have all the screentime he can, even if I can ultimately see why his scenes are cut.) That's part of what's fun about every fandom, even as it drives me crazy. Sometimes you watch something and you can just hear how the different factions of fans are going to react.
It brings me back to the old X-file days. With new episodes coming regularly one of the most amusing things about the fandom was the way people would pounce on a bit of script or a rumor and go off on dramatic rants about how awful it was. The funniest thing was if the episode aired and the thing didn't happen it's not like anybody took back their previous ranting or even said, "Phew, glad Mulder didn't end up watching Scully have sex through a hole in the wall like we thought!" In fact sometimes people seemed to hold on to the anger and resent 1013 for things they never actually did (as if there wasn't enough reason to be angry at them for the stuff they did do--honestly!). I've never been much good at getting emotional about spoilers etc. because I'm just too aware of how little I know. But hey, a 30-second trailer or a still in a magazine is just as good a jumping off point for an obsessive essay on characterization as any, right?
I mean, I don't think I've gotten into much of a twist over these things but my main reactions to these spoilers were pretty wanky, regardless.
The Trailer
My main reaction was just ohgodohgod. Could the hobbits be any more wonderful? With Billy crying and Frodo all bulgy-eyed and black-faced? I'm going to die this December, aren't I? Why did I even bother getting more months on lj?
I was little concerned with Sam's line, "You don't see it, do you? He's leading us into a trap!" because I thought, uh-oh, more Sam to the rescue in the wrong way. It's really important that Frodo does understand Gollum and know what he's doing. He knows him better than anyone really. It's a big moment for Sam when he realizes this, that he was wrong in mistaking Mr. Frodo's "kindness for blindness." Frodo's not naive or trusting, he just thinks this is a risk he needs to take.
Also, it's that subtle blurring of class lines that the movie usually handles so well. I like that Sam isn't quite as Golden Retriever-like in his devotion to Frodo, that he's got a bit more dignity. But still there are lines that Sam shouldn't cross. Having him confront Frodo directly about something like this takes away part of his character in canon. It's just very Sam to passive aggressively grumble and worry about Frodo's orders while following them, especially given his class status. Making Frodo and Sam too equal in this regard jeopardizes the quest. Even under the influence of the ring Frodo can trust Sam because he is devoted to him. On his part Sam is able to do what he has to do because he leaves decisions like this up to Frodo and doesn't second guess him. Both Sam and Frodo, in their own way, SUBMIT to a path chosen for them without being sure where it is leading. Their submission is what it's all about. Plus God knows the audience doesn't need MORE reason to probably be thinking Sam should be the one in charge. People have enough trouble understanding Frodo's wisdom as it is.
But I tell myself that trailers often take lines out of context or even add lines that aren't in the movie in order to give the audience clear information they can understand quickly. Sam's line does that because we people now know Gollum's leading them into a trap. So yeah, I had my Frodo-obsessed geek moment but I'm okay.
The Pictures
I'm okay with muggle clothes but yeah, I did look at Hermione and think that was a really bad outfit for her. Yes, they're teenagers but all three of the main characters in HP have costume notes built right in: one wears oversized, ugly hand-me-downs, another wears well-patched hand-me-downs and handmade sweaters and the third specifically does not dress in a trendy way. I can understand it being too much trouble to dress Harry in oversized clothes but costumes in movies do say a lot about a character. It seems a no-brainer that Hermione is conservative and plain. Given that JKR puts Pansy in pink at the Yule ball I'd say she'd agree it's not a color Hermione would wear. I remember watching an interview with EW on the CoS DVD and she did seem to think Hermione used being a girl in ways, imo, the character clearly doesn't. I think allowing her to go further in this direction gets her further away from the character in canon. I shudder to think of how she'll look at the Yule Ball at this rate.
The one picture I didn't like was the Hermione holding tearful Draco against the tree with her wand pic. No, this is not because I think Draco is a sex god or the main character--I'm one of those people who likes canon!Draco. And I know to most people he's a minor character so they don't really care how he's portrayed but he's my favorite so I look out for him. Anyway, it bugs me because:
1. It's not IC. Kid wets his pants at monsters but gets wands pulled on him all the time without wibbling. There's a reason even JKR doesn't write him doing that and c'mon, she loves his cowardly moments.
2. As somebody who writes for kids, and usually for boys, I just automatically know I'd never do that to a boy character. Cringing in front of a girl? While his friends are watching? When there's not much to be afraid of? It's not only immasculating, it's absurd. I'd assume the director of Y tu mama tambien wouldn't do it. ::shrug::
3. I consider myself a feminist, but I find it really tiresome the way girls always have to dominate boys all the time and that's what this feels like to me. Like on TV if a man and a woman have any fictional contest you know she'd going to win, even if it's armwrestling. I'm fine with superhero shows where the women have powers and get to beat people up but this isn't that. Even the bitch-slap scene in canon, which is in itself a bit of a fantasy (I guarantee any girl who slapped the mean boy in eighth grade would not have gotten quite as pleasant a result as Hermione did) doesn't overdo it this much. It bugs me.
Of course, this is only a picture. There are a million ways it could be misleading so I'm not going to pass judgement on everything because of it. These were just my thoughts on presented with it.
Really, when people react (or overreact, most of the time) to spoilers, pictures and rumors they're just taking an opportunity to talk about their obsession and give their own thoughts on it. I've argued with lots of people over, say, Faramir's portrayal in TTT, with me defending PJ's choices. I may disagree with what a lot of Purists say about the book or the movies, but I'd never think to tell them they were being ridiculous to care so much about how Faramir's portrayed because it's the caring that puts them in the fandom to begin with. I like discussing it with them even if we disagree.
Now, when you get into people personally insulting the people involved in the movie or (even wankier) talking like we should all just take their word for it that if they made a movie it would be so much better or writing angry letters to the director or starting petitions then yeah, let the smackdown begin. Also it's irritating when someone mistakes their personal interpretation for canon. But if somebody is bothered by Gary Oldman as Sirius and wants to quote canon and explain why they think he's wrong for the character I say, blab away! If the Draco-obsessed are disappointed that he's got less screentime well, that's what they're supposed to do, really. (God knows I love him to have all the screentime he can, even if I can ultimately see why his scenes are cut.) That's part of what's fun about every fandom, even as it drives me crazy. Sometimes you watch something and you can just hear how the different factions of fans are going to react.
It brings me back to the old X-file days. With new episodes coming regularly one of the most amusing things about the fandom was the way people would pounce on a bit of script or a rumor and go off on dramatic rants about how awful it was. The funniest thing was if the episode aired and the thing didn't happen it's not like anybody took back their previous ranting or even said, "Phew, glad Mulder didn't end up watching Scully have sex through a hole in the wall like we thought!" In fact sometimes people seemed to hold on to the anger and resent 1013 for things they never actually did (as if there wasn't enough reason to be angry at them for the stuff they did do--honestly!). I've never been much good at getting emotional about spoilers etc. because I'm just too aware of how little I know. But hey, a 30-second trailer or a still in a magazine is just as good a jumping off point for an obsessive essay on characterization as any, right?
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Sweet Christ, I hope not. I'm here because I love Tolkien/HP/X-Men/LXG/whatever, not because I want to hang around with a bunch of shrieking drama queens. To my mind people blowing shit completely out of proportion like that is incredibly detrimental to the whole experience, and is the reason I'm not really involved in any fandom at all anymore.
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But basically I agree that I'm here because I actually like the source material and want to talk about it, which is why I don't have much to do with the people who are always claiming that X is a bastard who destroyed "my" series or whatever. But it's always seemed to me one of those things you just can't get away from in fandom. Like with obsession comes these antics.
Though to be fair when I picture these kinds of people I'm probably imagining the ones who are focused and can get obsessive but are still basically there out of love. I may like to think the most tiresome people who are always dramatically declaring things ruined and walking out are just sort of their as a puppet show on the side.
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Re: Pictures
Also, in the book, she slap Draco before pulling a wand on him, so he may be reacting to that. Though I agree with you on all of that.
Of course, when I look at that picture, I'm mostly just hoping that they keep his hair that way.
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Re: Pictures
*screams*
Gods, please, no gel. Not this time.
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Re: Pictures
I will gladly take Hermione in Bizarro clothes if it means gel-free Draco.
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Re: Pictures
I have no idea if that is spelled correctly, but it's what they call it on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy--where you make your hair fetchingly touseled.
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I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure that these two lines come at different times, in different scenes. Trailers often mix things up, show them out of sequence, etc. In TTT trailer, we heard Sam saying "It's the Ring; it's taken hold of you" while Frodo was falling face down into the swamp...yet in the movie, these two things happened separately.
Worry not.
(I thought the trailer was awesome, for 90 seconds. Frodo crawling up that cliff...omigod...)
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and
I wasn't so worried about this one, not as much as I was by the 'you have to fight it, Mr Frodo' scene. The tone of Sam's voice is panicky, desperate, very frightened. And look at Frodo's face - he seems to be the (relatively) calm one this time. (my memory of this could be a bit dodgy, though, I need to download it at home and look at it again.
I have also seen the PoA pictures, and had a similar response to yours about the Draco/Hermione one. Not right, not right.
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I have also seen the PoA pictures, and had a similar response to yours about the Draco/Hermione one. Not right, not right.
Yay, I'm not crazy. It's just...yeah, that's wrong.
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