Thursday, December 28, 2006

Fantasy's shame


I'm a big fan of fantasy. I love it so much that my thesis was on Harry Potter. I was heartbroken when New Line stated that Peter Jackson wouldn't direct The Hobbit. Then in the summer I saw the trailer for fantasy's newest addition: Eragon.

I didn't go to the premier because I had no one to go with. Couple of weeks later I was at the movies with friends watching the creative work of young Christopher Paoloni.

As soon as the movie starts, you realize you're reliving things from Star Wars, Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and so on. The story never comes to an actual climax because it is too fast paced. The scenes jump from one important event to another. Names lack creativity.

The acting was terrible. Not even the young Harry Potter stars were as bad as Edward Speelers. They were 13 at the time and he's 17. The actors that gave life to the Pevensive siblings in Narnia seemed more prepared and it was also their first movie.

I stumbled upon a wonderful website that has a deeper comparison from the original book to other fabulous fantasy pieces of art. Some I have included below.

Honestly, the movie isn't a big deal.


Similarities to Lucas (Star Wars)
Plot:
-The concept that a “good” character turns “evil” (Morzan/Anakin) after a great loss (dragon/Amidala (or, alternatively, Anakin’s mother)
-The concept of a mother (Selena/Amidala) having two children (Murtagh & Eragon/Leia & Luke) who are separated and meet later under difficult circumstances.
-The concept that a poor farm boy (Eragon/Luke) has a greater heritage than he realizes (Morzan/Anakin)
-The concept that a poor farm boy (Eragon/Luke) lives with a close relative (Uncle Garrow/Uncle Owen) because of his mother’s premature death
-The concept that, just before capture, a princess (Arya/Leia) sends something (Dragon Egg/R2D2) far away to protect something (Saphira/recording).
-The concept that a poor farm boy (Eragon/Luke) picks up said something while doing regular work (hunting/trading)
-The idea that a poor farm boy loses his uncle (Uncle Garrow/Uncle Owen) to the hands of "the Empire"
-The passing on of a weapon (Zar’roc/lightsaber) from father to son (Morzan & Eragon/Anakin & Luke) through another source (Brom/Obi Wan Kenobi)
-The concept of a wise old man who is among the last of a declining resistance (Brom/Obi Wan Kenobi) teaching the descendant of a once-friend-now-rival (Morzan/Anakin)
-The concept of a group of "good" rebels bent on destroying "the Empire"
-The concept of an initial battle (Battle of Farthen Dur/Battle of the Death Star) which is ultimately won
-The concept of a new teacher (Oromis/Yoda) who takes the place of the old one (Brom/Obi Wan) under certain circumstances and present also lessons of philosophy
-Father/Son Revelations

Similarities to Tolkien(The Lord of the Rings and general Middle-earth)
Names:
-Eragon (Aragorn)
-Arya (Arwen)
-Elessari (Elessar)
-Valinor (Valinor)
-Beor (Beorn)
-The Lonely Mountain (The Lonely Mountain)
-Melian (Melian)
-Morgothal (Morgoth)
-Isenstar (Isengard)
-Imiladris (Imladris)
-Hadarac Desert (Harad Desert)
-Mithrim (mithril)
-Eridor (Eriador)
-Angrenost (Angrenost)
-Furnost (Fornost)
-The Grey Folk (The Grey Folk)


Setting/Back Story:
-The concept that Elves are very beautiful, tall, and have hyper-keen senses, and extraordinary voices
-The idea that Elves are closely linked with nature; houses in trees
-The details of the Dwarfish religion
-The idea that Dwarves and Elves feud
-The concept that Elves came from “over the sea”
-The concept of Elvish immortality, except in cases of heart break and mortal wounds
-The concept of Elf-Human relationships (and the length to which one must go to achieve it)
-The concept that Dwarves are a rough, gruff, rock-loving race with great skill in gem and stone crafting
-The concept that elves do not sleep, but merely dream
-The map that is practically a replica

Plot:
-Love interest between Man (Eragon/Aragorn) and Elf (Arya/Arwen) and the great lengths required to fulfil it

I'm still waiting for July 7,2007

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