Twenty years of HP and LOTR.

[rogueslayer452]

This year marks the 20th anniversaries of the premieres of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movie franchises, and some people have been reminiscing when they got into either one of them.

I remember not getting into Harry Potter (either the books or the movies) until after Sorcerer's Stone came out on VHS. My mom had rented it from the video rental store and had it on one night, I came into the room at a certain point and was so captivated by the story that when we had to pause to go to bed I was disappointed, but learning that it was a book series I wanted to read them. Chamber of Secrets was the first HP film that I saw in theaters, and it's around that point that I started getting into the online fandom. That's kind of how I ended up getting into Harry Potter way back when. I wasn't even aware that it was a book series until that point. As for Lord of the Rings, we went to see Fellowship of the Ring when it was still in theaters and I was captivated by the story as well, also having not read the Tolkien books. I remember being confused when the movie left off and then being told that this is just one of three because it's based off of a trilogy, and we would have to wait until the following year for more. I think we saw Fellowship of the Ring several more times in the theater.

In fact, for these franchises we saw each of the films released several times in the theaters, even going to the midnight premieres for a few of them.

Where were you when these franchises first made their film debuts? Did you see them in theaters? Wait until they were available to rent? Were you not interested until much later, or not at all?

Comments

[violateraindrop]

I watched the first Harry Potter movie with my parents. We rarely all went to a theater together, so that was rather special. It's also the only one we still bought on VHS. Probably the last movie we bought on VHS (Ice Age was the first DVD).

While I was a fan of the books first, it took me a long time to get through the first book and I didn't do it on my first try. My mother really wanted to get me to read though. She read it first. Not to "screen it" but she heard so much about it.

[awakenyourfaith.livejournal.com]

I remember seeing all of the Harry Potter movies in theatres, even one time in England when on vacation.

[tellshannon815.livejournal.com]

I hadn't been going to bother, but my ex persuaded me to go to see the first Harry Potter when we were at university, and I started reading the books after that. Lord of the Rings I also saw at the cinema although I was more interested after the second one.

[haebin.livejournal.com]

I watched the first LotR-Movies out of being curious in the cinema and I was captivated from the first second on. I don't know how often I've watched the movie in the cinemas. Ten times or more? After watching the first movie, I bought the books and I've read everything which includes The Simarillion, too. <3
It was so, so hard to wait for a whole year until we could watch the second and third movie. Bought all the DVD's and the Special Boxes, too. I literally lived this world because I felt really at home in Middle Earth.
And I can't believe that the movie had it's premiere 20 years ago. *___*

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I think it was among the last VHS went bought too, if not that then definitely after Chamber of Secrets for sure, but it was certainly around that particular time we were phasing out VHS and going into DVDs.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I tried reading LOTR but I just couldn't. Tolkien is a fantastic storyteller no doubt about that, but I just cannot get past his writing style, it's too difficult for me to read. (That's my issue with a lot of high fantasy books though, so it's not just his work specifically.) The Hobbit was an easier read, but only just. I'm impressed with anyone who manages to get through them easily, especially The Silmarillion.

And I can't believe that the movie had it's premiere 20 years ago. *___*

I know, it makes me feel so old.....

[haebin.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that I had my problems to read LotR as well. Tolkien's way to write feels so "try", but when you give it a chance (or you don't want to give up like me, lol) you can find a way into the universe.

It took a while to read The Silmarillion. XD And I still wish that it gets a series in the future because I would love to watch everything about Middle Earth. Like the rise of Sauron. God, this would be so cool. *___*

[blakmagjick]

My best friend in high school dragged me to the first Harry Potter movie...I wasn't super impressed with the fact that she wanted me to go see a kids movie (I was too cool in HS for that...now I wouldn't give a shit...lol) and I ended up LOVING IT. I hadn't read any of the books, but very soon after I went and picked up the first 4 that were already out, and read them very quickly.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Aside from the first one, I ended up seeing all of the HP films in the theaters, a couple at midnight releases.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of people often scoffed at HP because it was something aimed more towards kids, which still kind of exists today (although that is more people just being obnoxious assholes because it's "cool" to shit on HP/HP fans due to JKR's downfall, but whatever that's another topic entirely), however I think some were swayed because the story is something that can universally be enjoyed no matter what age.