LOTR:ROTK

Just watched it two nights ago. On a pirated DVD – I know, I know, it's bad... but it's LORD OF THE RINGS!! How could I resist? :p It’s AWESOME!! Although sad too, in many ways. Probably because I was watching a damn good movie reach its conclusion. And another because even though I was hoping for it to end, I now wish I could’ve prolonged the journey.

I am in awe of JRR Tolkien. My gosh. He is amazing to have written such a massive story. I mean, I have read fantasy authors who have spun stories and created a world of their own that is, most importantly, believable. But Tolkien brings it to a different level. Where other authors concentrate only on those characters that matter and are vital to the story, Tolkien takes it another step. He talks about the history of, not only those who matter, but also those who don’t. In a way, he makes these people exist. They have histories, they have ancestors, they have everything that normal people have.

I have tried reading the trilogy and I confess that it drags somewhat so it takes some time for me to finish a book (this from me, who proudly finished HP5 in one night). I much prefer the movie because it’s more fast-paced. Still, I have to admire Tolkien’s drive to write such an in-depth book. And imagine that, his book was written sometime in the 1940s-50s (?), yet millions still read it and can actually relate to it.

It’s interesting to note that he wrote the book as a symbolism of the fact that he was against industrialization. Sauron, the Ring, and his minions represented industrialization and how it was destroying all that was good in the world. In the story, Frodo and company won; in real life, they lost. Which IS better, industrialized lives or the simplicity of life that hobbits so preferred? Don’t we all wish that to rid the world of evils, all one had to do is throw some relic down a volcano? While modernization brings about so much comforts that I personally can’t live without (cellular phones come to mind…), a simple life definitely has appeal.

Which reminds me of “The Matrix” (altho medyo malayo)… which is it, exactly? Do we need machines or do machines need us? Because we create machines… yet we rely on machines to go about our everyday lives. Can you imagine what the world would be like without computers? Internet (walang friendster! Aaaah!  joke :p)? TVs? Can we even survive? I remember a quote from “The Simpsons” from Krusty the Clown: “Can you imagine a world without television? I think the survivors would envy the dead.” And ain’t that the truth.

One of these days, I’m going to do an LOTR marathon… and The Matrix, on another day :p should be interesting.