The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - The most poignant, powerful moments of the film. (Spoilers)

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when the eastlanders came on the elephant things and then you think "hold on, they may not win afterall!!" then they end up laying the smack down on the eastlanders.

I have a lot of those. *Faramir's "If I should return, think better of me, father." And then Denethor answering, "That will depend on the manner of your return."*"Go home, Sam."*Gandalf taking to Pippin about death and what comes after it.*The look on Theoden's face when he saw that the Witch King was heading straight for him, and he realized that he was going to die.*Theoden's death scene.*Sam saying to Frodo: "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you."*Frodo's line that was straight from the book: "I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things."*Aragorn bowing to the hobbits after his coronation.*The Grey Havens.*The look on Gandalf's face when he realized that Frodo had succeeded, as well as when they all thought the explosion had killed Frodo.*The charge of the Rohirrim. What courage!*Pippin singing to Denethor while Faramir rides to his death.*Frodo's speech about not being able to go back to his life the way it was before the quest.*Aragorn's speech before the gates of Moria.I know there's a lot more, but I can't seem to recall them at this time.

After seeing ROTK for the 3rd time I think one of the most powerful if not the most powerful moments in the entire movie is when Sam says "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you!" and then lifts Frodo to his shoulders!Gosh if I don't want to cheer at the part even as I have tears streaming down my face!

My top 3 scenes are. 1. Entrance of the Rohirrim. Love the horns and the speech.2. "For Frodo" at Black Gate by Aragorn. Just the look in his eyes when he says it is great.3. When Gandalf rides out to save Faramir and his soldiers from the Nazgul after fleeing Osgiliath.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>After seeing ROTK for the 3rd time I think one of the most powerful if not the most powerful moments in the entire movie is when Sam says "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you!" and then lifts Frodo to his shoulders! Gosh if I don't want to cheer at the part even as I have tears streaming down my face!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I totally agree. Sam crying is almost what makes me cry. Even his slight sobs following Gandalf's fall are heart-wrenching. And though I've only seen RotK once (I'll try to change that soon!!), just the music that is played when Sam is comforting Frodo still brings tears to my eyes. They darn well better give the Oscars to LotR by the truck-load!!

The most poignant part in the book was bypassed in favor of Gollum framing Sam with the lembas theft. It was Smeagol's last chance at redemption: (From "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol") <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Gollum looked at them. A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and grey, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away, peering back up towards the pass, shaking his head, as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo's knee--but almost the touch was a caress. For a fleeting moment, could one of the sleepers have seen him, they would have thought they they beheld an old weary hobbit, shrunken by the years that had carried him far beyond his time, beyond friends and kin, and the fields and streams of youth, an old starved pitiable thing.But at that touch Frodo stirred and cried out softly in his sleep, and immediately Sam was wide awake. The first thing he saw was Gollum--"pawing at master,' as he thought."Hey you!" he said roughly. "What are you up to?""Nothing, nothing," said Gollum softly. "Nice Master!""I daresay," said Sam. "But where have you been to--sneaking off and sneaking back, you old villain?"Gollum withdrew himself, and a green glint flickered under his heavy lids. Almost spider-like he looked now, crouched back on his bent limbs, with his protruding eyes. The fleeting moment had passed, beyond recall. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Tolkien said that Smeagol truly had a last chance for salvation, but Sam's suspicion--based upon love and protection for Frodo--ended any hope Smeagol had.

I'm a sucker for people trying not to cry, but not for crying itself. So Sam bursting into tears made me think, "ah, stop yer blubbering and get up the mountain already" (not really, I'm not quite that callous ), but Faramir, Elrond, Merry and Pippin - I was gone. *sniff* Especially Elrond, since he was half smiling. I'm even more of a sucker for weddings than I am for people trying not to cry.

"My friends, you bow to no one."

This is for all the films or only ROTK? Well From RoTK, ~Sam's Wedding~"Don't go Where I can't follow""For Frodo!" But my all-time one comes from TTT (even though I like ROTK better)For me the most powerful moment of the film (two actually but closely related and at the same part)~When it shows PJ's kids as Rohan kids in the caves at Helm's deep~When it shows two really small boys getting their swords and helmets and stuff to go into battle.[ 1:23 AM January 26, 2004: Message edited by: Armetiel ]

When Sam says "Since I can't help you carry the ring, I will carry you up the mountain" and he lifts Froto up the mountain. (Not sure if those are the eact words)Whan Sam lets Gollum go after his speech of mercy.When Sam comes back home after Grey Havens and says "Well, I'm back."Those just moved me so much!

Oooo so many many moments. Pippin's singing. Aragorn's Black Gate speech. "I can't carry it for you...". "Go Home Sam" Oh yes. But these were by far the moments that I remember vividly after seeing that film a whole ONE time. (for now)Is Samwise a moment? If not then here's a few from him:"Don't go where I can't follow." "Well I'm back." "Not if I stick you first" (It's a cliche and I don't care!) "You don't mean that." Sam v Shelob..and orcs...and anyone else I've missed ("and he saw Samwise the Strong, hero of the Age...") :::frantically waves a flag bearing the emblem of the Samboppers ::::The little sobbing choke in Merry's voice "I don't know what's going to happen." :::turns flag pole upside down to wave the Banner of the Merryboppers and S.A.M. :::More than the song, Pippin's tears at the end of it. "I didn't think it would end like this." Neither did I li'l dude ::::turns Merrybopper flag to reveal a Pippinbopper emblem on its other side ::::At the Crack of Doom, Frodo turns, lowers on the Ring on it chain, walks a few steps away, and smiles. "The Ring is Mine." The Chapter Title "Hope Fails" never had so much meaning to me as it did then. The look on his face when he's hanging off the edge of the crack,and the Ring is calling to him one last time. I almost wanted him to let go and drop, just so he wouldn't be in so much weary pain. The look on Frodo's face, when it looks like the other Ringbeaers are going to leave, and he'll be left behind to continue suffering.::turns flag over to reveal Frodo-psuedo-bopper on other side of Sambopper flag :::Four hobbits, home again. And going unnoticed...for a PUMPKIN! :::twirls flag in true Pervy Hobbit Fancier fashion :::Now for those Odd non-hobbit creatures:Faramir: Since you are robbed of Boromir, I shall do what I can in his stead. :::sniff:::Denethor's first lines: "Perhaps you've come to explain this. Perhaps you've come to tell me why my son is dead.":::Cautiously sets aside Hobbit flag and waves another flag with "Denethor" and "FOR GONDOR" stitched into it. The Emblem of a Faramirbopper is on the other side:::The Ride of the Rohrrim (If by poignant and powerful you mean had me: *Charged up and ready to fight with them,even though I've never ridden a horse. * Had me slouched in my seat grumbling Merry's book line "I won't be left behind. I won't. I won't." when I realized I couldn't. *Ready to run through the screen shouting "Death" at the top of my lungs, willing to fight anyway.It's amazing how the sound of thousands of hoofbeats can inspire battle-madness.Eowyn driving the sword through the Witch King's..umm....skull?:::has no Rohan banners, hugs worn, stuffed imitation of Bill the Pony instead:::Oh so many others, but that's what I remember for now.Note: All flag poles are made from recycled Orc and uruk swords. I don't wanna be squished by trees.

I loved the way Pippin's "alleigance" was undermined. In gives more emphasis on Denethor's character, as well as show how loyal Pippin is to his son, Faramir. Pippin's song juxtaposed with Denethor's meal while the war was going on was so heart wrenching, and his voice added the intensity of the whole thing!I also loved the way Denethor died, which makes me think of what went on in his head as he saw the last thing he saw before he died: his army almost loosing, his city being destroyed. It made me feel sorry for him. I know that I should't say that I liked the way he died, but I thought that in the "glory" in which the way that he died masked the tragedy of his character. Don't you just love irony?

Mine was the charge of Rohirrim, when Eomer was singing snatches of poetry from the books while hitting their drawn spears with his sword.

Below are Grimkû the Blood-Axe's most memorable moments in no particular except for the order of which they are remembered.* When Deagol gets the ring till when he is murdered. Mainly this is memorable for the anger and hatred it built up in me for cough cough 'GOLLUM'. * Eowyn's 'scream' of passion after King Theoden's speech at the Pelennor Fields.* Aragorn's speech in front of the Black Gate of Mordor.* The emotional parting of Pippin and Merry in Rohan.* Samwise and Frodo approaching and inside Mount Doom. Several quotes such "...but I can carry you" and "...for my old Gaffer".

That was an amazing movie and there are so many of them but here we go:-Frodo and Sam talking on Mt. Doom with all the lava.-"For Frodo."-Pippin's song during the charge to Osgiliath.-"If I return, think better of me."-"This one's for the Shire. And this one's for Frodo. AND THIS ONE'S FOR MY OLD GAFFER!"-"My friends...you bow to no one."-The speeches before the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and before the Black Gate.-"Don't you let go..."-Frodo sending Sam away.[ 10:43 PM January 31, 2004: Message edited by: Firefoot ]

I think the scene that touched me most was the shots of the broken Fellowship after Moria, right after they get out. The hobbits crying really got to me, especially Pippin. Sam's crying in RotK really touched me too. My mom does not understand anything about LotR, and likes to make fun of it. But after she saw RotK, she told me seeing Sam crying made her cry. I think that's a powerful moment for everyone.Pippin's song as Faramir road to his death (almost) sent shivers down my back! Very sad. I downloaded that song a few days later. My last thing is the part where Denethor is on fire, and sees Faramir. 'My son..." he whispers. That made me really believe Denethor didn't hate his son.

I think the part that touched me the most was the "For Frodo" scene. I was sniffling like mad when Aragorn led that brave, brilliantly suicidal charge against the enemy, desperately hoping to buy Frodo some time.

My favorite scene was, actually, I have several:-When Frodo fell over the edge, and Sam saying don't you let go Mr. Frodo, don't you dare let go! -When Frodo and Samwise were on top of the rock, with lava surrounding them. -When Denethor jumped off Minas Tirith. Aflame. -When Aragorn first received Arwen when he was crowned king. She looked so beautiful! - Finally, and my favorite, the Grey Havens. Frodo had to go, and everyone was crying to see him go. The Hobbits, that is. It was so beautiful there. Everyone could hear me crying in the theater. I didn't care. That scene is untouchable. You can't mess with it. Anyone that bad mouths that scene will hear from me! *sob*! my heart is heavy just thinking about it.

Hmm tough one.

*Aragorn - "My friends, you bow to no one"

*Aragorn - "For Frodo"

*Aragorns speech before the Black Gate

* At the black gate when Gimli says "I never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf", Legolas - "What about side by side with a friend?", Gimli - "Aye, I could do that"

*Sam showing up and telling Shelob "Let him go you filth"

*Sam holding Frodo and his, "Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo?...." lines

*Sam saying "Come on Mr. Frodo, I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!"

*Faramirs face when Denethor tells him he wished rather Faramir be dead and Boromir alive

*Faramir saying "If I should return, think better of me father"

*The whole scene when Sam and Frodo are on the rock with all the lava flowing around them at Mt. Doom, so many great lines..."I can see the Shire...." - "If I was ever to marry someone, it would of been her" - But most of all "I'm glad to be with you Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things"

*Frodo telling Sam to go home, his reaction is heart breaking

*The final farewell between the Hobbits when Frodo is leaving

*Everyones reaction when they realize Frodo destroyed the ring, then the horror on their faces when Mt. Doom is collapsing

The most poignant scene for me are the very last moments of the Grey Havens scene as the ship slips out to sea. The music totally captures the moment; so beautiful and simple and sorrowful and quiet and nostalgic and yet hopeful.

I'm probably reiterating what everybody's said, but oh well.

1) Merry and Pippin's separation. And when Merry runs up, and Aragorn runs after him *tear*
2) The beacons getting lit.
3) 'I can't carry it, but I can carry you!'
4) 'Don't go where I can't follow'
5) When Rohan finally get to the Pelennor Fields.
6) Everything from the coronation onwards.
7) Arwen scenes. (Yes, they even made me cry)
8) Pippin's wee song.
9) Merry and Pippin in Isengard. I loved that chapter.
10) Gandalf talking to Pip about death.

Basically, I cried like hell at the Arwen bit, the Merry and Pippin bit, and then there were neverending floods from the Pelennor to the end.

For me there's one zillion bits like this, but only mention four. These are not my top four, except for the first one. I'll shut up and let you know now:

1) When Faramir says, "Do you wish then that our places had been exchanged, that I had died and Boromir had lived?"

2) At Mount Doom, just after Gollum gets the Ring- the look on Frodo's face is brilliant acting.

3) At the Grey Havens.

4) When Pippin sings for Denethor and Faramir leads his men on a suicide mission.

For me was....
*Sam carrying Frodo

*Aragorns speech at the black gate:

I see in your eyes the same fear that would
take the heart of me. The day may come when
the courage of Men fails; when we forsake
our friends and break all bonds of
fellowship; but it is not this day - an
hour of wolves and shattered shields, when
the Age of Man comes crashing down - but it
is not this day!!! This day we fight! By
all that you hold dear on this good earth -
I bid you stand!

*Legolas and Gimli at the black gate:

Never thought I'd die fighting side by side
with an Elf.

What about side by side with a friend?

GIMLI looks up into the EYES of LEGOLAS, with whom he has
shared so much. The GRUFF DWARF smiles quietly . . . .

Aye - I could do that.

Those are mine.

The parts that made me cry were:
1. Frodo wakes up in his bedroom at Rivendell and is reunited with the other members of the Fellowship, and then Sam walks in.
2. Frodo leaving for Valinor.
3. Merry and Pippin being seperated and...
4. Merry and Pippin finding each other again.
5. Sam carrying Frodo.
6. Sam talking about the Shire and later about Rosie Cotton
7. Theoden dying.
The parts that give me goosebumps are:
1. The Rohirrim's charge at Pelannor.
2. The beacons being lit.
3. The Ring's destruction.
4. Aragorn's speach at the Black gate.
5. Theoden's speech at Pelannor.
6. Faramir's charge while Pippin sings.
Parts that make me want to cheer:
1. Aragorn's coronation.
2. "And that's for my own Gaffer!":)
3. Aragorn's and Arwen's kiss.
4. Sam and Rosie's kiss.

Saw Rotk again, and sort of with different eyes, and had to mentions the scenes that did it for me this time: (in no particular order):
1. I know i said i didn't much care for Aragorn's speech in front of the Black Gate, but I like the bit when he says; 'I bid you stand, men of the west' and there is a clash and clamour of swords being drawn. that is mighty powerful.
2. Arwen's smile after Aragorn kisses her and they hug. The smile just lights up her face, she looks so happy.
3. Eowyn and Faramir looking at each other. Like someone said: 'this is the look of love'
4. The sounding of the horns and the ride of the Rohirrim is one of those scenes that will never grow old.
5. As is Faramir and his men riding to their doom, while Pippin sings his tune.
6. Frodo's naked in the dark speech
7. Sam's fight with Shelob.
8. Sam returning home and the final line finally brings the most welcome tears that had been hanging at the corners of my eyes for a long while.

The part that gets me everytime is when the Rohirrim show up and Theoden gives his speech. I love that scene so much. And when Eowyn finds Theoden as he's dying. I also loved when Frodo is reunited witht the Fellowship again. Especially when Sam comes in and they look at each other, brings a tear to my eye. :D

everything u guys have said *waves banner* YAY ROTK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Denethor runs all burned and throws himself, and Gandalf says: And so leaves us Denethor, son of Ecthelion. The Rohirim cry "To Death, to deeeeath!!". Frodo standing in front of the Cracks of Doom and saying "The Ring is mine...".

Ahhh and Pippin's song, and when the Ring is destroyed, of course...

I've only seen the movies once so far, so these are just the parts that made me bawl or laugh or both-
Aragorn's "For Frodo." Oh. my. gosh. That was amazingly powerful.
#1 Bawl like a baby moment, must have the poster, (www.lordoftherings.net shop) is Sam carrying Frodo up Mt. Doom.
tied for #1 Bawled like before (had to stay and cry in the theatre) Sam and Frodo's goodbye. :( crying thinking about it....
When the skeleton falls down the well thingy in Moria. That was a funny moment. And Sam fighting with his pots and pans. (GO SAM!!!!)
Theoden's death scene. Another crying moment.
*Loved* Legolas and Gimli's competition, and when Aragorn had to trow Gimli across the chasm thing. FUNNY.
Pip's song. Another oh. my. gosh. scene. I love him especially in that scene.
Oh course, Gimli and Legolas at the Black Gates. That's a good one.

Those are my top one's probably, but everybody elses too. Y'all already said all the really good ones. *Makes note to self buy all the movies or ask for them as gifts*

Everything during the battle for Minas Tirith from the sounding of the first horn of Rohan to the arrival of Aragorn was super-awesome and brought me right to the brink of tears; Theoden giving his "We're all gonna die, but danged if we're not going to take a good bit of them with us" speech and the Rohirrim responding with savage roars gave me the shivers, and when the gigantic mass of cavalry began flowing like a breaking wave onto the field, I wanted to shout with them.

Definitely "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you" was huge; it affected me as much in the movie as it did in the book.

Pippin's song was a very chilling scene. I thought it was an ingenious way of combining the scene from the book where Pippin sings, which you see, and the suicide mission back to Osgiliath, which in the book you don't see; I have to admit that scene kicked my respect for Peter Jackson as a director back up a couple notches from where it had fallen.

And as long as we're looking at scenes from the other movies too:

Gandalf falling from the bridge in FotR...oh man. Frodo's "No!" combined with the expression on Vigo's face and the really, really cool and mournful music, then the very sincere weeping by all the characters as soon as they're out in Dimrill Dale...all this coming directly after the intense build-up of the characters being chased through Moria by the super-cool-looking Balrog...man. The tears definitely came on that one. I still say FotR was the best of the three movies.

But that doesn't change the fact that Gandalf showing up with the rest of the Rohirrim near the end of TTT was another powerful moment. Gandalf the White atop a rearing Shadowfax and backlit by the dawn...then the Rohirrim coming down like a shining avalanche into that writhing sea of black at the base of the Deeping Wall...that definitely moved me.

My favourite bit is a weird one cos its not really a big moment or anything. Its the bit where the Rohirrim charge and the orcs suddenly realise that they're not actually going to stop. The look on their faces is priceless!
I also love it that when the Rohirrim charge there is no music at all, only the hoofbeats and the sounds of battle. I don't know why but it just makes the whole thing seem suddenly real and its really effective.

I saw ROTK last night 1st time. Itwas a hreat bit of film making. I saw so many things that seem to paralell what happens when one goes through something as grim as war . How Frodo comes to realize that he can't stay in the shire. How Sam settles down with Rosey . Bilbo goes along with the elves into the west .
The willingness of Sam & Frodo to go to the end of all things . Now I might not have cried over this movie but it as with FOR & TTT is something that is truely epic in scale and yes one does feel for the heroes of them all. :)

I don't know why, but the lines that stick in my head the most from the ROTK are when Sam and Frodo are collasped right before Sam picks him up to carry him up the mountain. When Sam asks Frodo if he can remember their old life, then Frodo goes off on how he is "naked in the dark" and then he says "I can see it, with my waking eyes..." that was deep. The panic, the words...he's describing the very torture of the ring. Very powerful.

the end of TTT when Sam has the monolouge about great tales...."im going alone""ofcourse you are and im going with you!" the last march of the ents.......i dont care if its not in the book but the arrival of the elves at helm's deep.... aragorn's speech ....... theoden's song at helm's deep (where is the horse and the rider).......gandalf falling into abyss, boromir dieing............at sad and great times

Big personal summation

Since I did not exactly think about trilogy favorite movies (perhaps I should start a new thread about that? Then again, the title of this thread does not specifically mention RotK...), I suppose I should list mine.

By powerful and poignant, I mean moments in the movie(s) that just push a nameless wave of emotion on me. Sometimes, that wave tries to get me to cry. Once or twice, it has succeeded. But actually, the memory of these moments, along with the accompanying appreciation for the courage that is displayed, pushes those feelings on me even when doing mundane activities like mowing! Okay, well, enough analysis.

It was so cool to see the Elves and their deadly precision and accuracy, and I loved to see their battle scenes and action, but this did not effect me profoundly, for two reasons. First, because it was only the first of the movie, and second, the Elves were almost emotionless, or appearing thus, in battle.

Gandalf and Saruman’s battle. It’s like, the adrenaline in your body is surging like YOU want to deliver a blow to Saruman! Still, I didn’t exactly get chills there either.

Aragorn flying out of the shadows and attacking the Nazgûl viciously. That was probably where the first chills of FotR (and thus, the entire trilogy) came on. That’s a point where you can just marvel at the courage, even if it IS just an actor.

Somehow, Sam’s plea “What are you DOING?! Those wraiths are still out there!” coupled with Aragorn’s look was pretty cool.

Gandalf’s stand on the bridge, of course — and his fall, with accompanying reactions from the Fellowship. (Sam in particular...just his one sniff when Aragorn goes “on your feet, Sam” just kinda hits you right here)

Somehow the remembrance of the extended Farewell to Lórien scene strikes me that way, but not viewing itself. It’s more of the cerebral idea of nearly angelic beings ministering to the Fellowship, and easing their cares and worries as best they can.

The battle of Amon Hen is not only really cool, but also the underlying emotions make it amazing. Aragorn’s self-sacrificing smile at the Uruks as he accepts their challenge, as it were, almost as if saying “come and GET me, I have nothing to lose. Merry saying “Run Frodo — go!”, then distracting the Uruk-hai. Gimli and Legolas mowing through their enemies. Boromir’s valiant stand, with accompanying facial expressions from Boromir, Merry, and Pippin. Aragorn tackling Lurtz, following battle. Somehow, Boromir’s death scene failed to affect me profoundly until maybe my eighth viewing?

Frodo’s remembrance of Gandalf’s words (the words themselves did not hit me that way when he spoke them, interestingly enough) by the shores of Parth Galen, and his accompanying resolution. Sam trailing Frodo, and his wonderful determination to get to his Master, even if it killed him — and his explanation to Frodo. (“I made a promise Mr. Frodo — a PROMSIE: ‘Don’t you lose him, Samwise Gamgee.’ And I don’t mean to...*sniff* I don’t mean to.” Of course, this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense as Sam tries to make his way back down the Winding Stair...you wanna hop in front of him and say “DON’T YOU LOSE HIM, SAMWISE GAMGEE!” and shake your finger in his poor, weary face)

Moving on to The Two Towers, I still say that, second to the Horns of Rohan, the most amazing scene was Gandalf and his death-plunge fighting the balrog. AB-SOL-UTELY incredible. Major chills on that one.

Gandalf’s return just barely struck me as emotionally powerful. I thought Legolas’s words in the EE kind of spoiled it, a little. It’s basically a “sorry about that, Chief”, not very necessary.

Gandalf’s healing of Théoden, with the powerful spiritual struggle that was taking place at the time.

I still get chills when I see the banner of Rohan, the white horse on a green field, fluttering in the breeze as the Rohirrim dash off to confront the warg-riders.

The two young Rohan children from an outlying village having to part with their mother, and then their reuniting with their mother. That never fails, just that touching scene where they reunite in Helm’s Deep.

I know I’m skipping a chunk of the movie, but I don’t believe there were any really impressive moments therein until Helm’s Deep, when mere family members, non-experienced carpenters, farmers, and farriers, and young men are forced to part from their crying wives and children to try and defend the Hornburg.

The battle itself was very cool, but did not particularly hit me with waves of sadness, or bitter happiness, even the death of Haldir.

Gandalf’s arrival was THE moment of the movie. I like the way that Eorling put it: a shining avalanche. For moments like that, I like to quote Merry. “That was good.” (To which hopefully a LotR-fan nearby will reply “let’s get another one!”)

Return of the King took a little while to heat up, but I can’t list all the moments because there were like a dozen of moments that were previously defined only as the feeling you got when Gandalf led the Rohirrim down the ravine. That, and we’ve already listed most of them. I just thought to point out that a moment I hadn’t even remembered very well to list until I finally got to see it on DVD was the beginning of The End of All Things, when that choir is singing low in the background as Sam arrives with Frodo at the road, and says “Look, Mr. Frodo, a door.” And no, it wasn’t a duh line, because Frodo couldn’t see it! He told him that to inform him, and to give him hope. It was like, the end was suddenly in sight.

When Gamling tells the king they cannot defeat the forces of Mordor, and Théoden says “no, we cannot,” then thrusts his chin out and says with determination “but we will meet them in battle nonetheless” is a quiet moment that evokes one of those waves of emotion. My dad even remarked that Bernard Hill is a very wonderful and powerful actor, just the way he holds his jaw and speaks so firmly. Of course, he made this remark in the middle of the movie, ha ha...

The horns never cease to evoke the most powerful wave of emotion in me. I still want to know where you can buy horns like that. And somehow, PJ put that moment in so that while I’ve seen it three times, it’s still just the least bit unexpected. And then when they charged, and, like Kath said, “the orcs suddenly realize that they're not actually going to stop. The look on their faces is priceless!” Also, one Rohan soldier in particular really epitomizes the attitude of the entire army. He’s the guy that they show right before the two armies clash, and he’s riding his horse like the dickens, rage on his face, like he simply CAN NOT wait to plunge into the line of orcs to that he can avenge his people! It’s just a miscellaneous soldier, but it’s so symbolic of the entire people.

And of course, all of the very common moments from before that are mentioned. The Grey Havens never fails to hit me hard, especially when all three of the hobbits are crying. And yet, it’s rather symbolic itself. Frodo is not sad, and the hobbits are not sad for him, they’re sad for themselves at the realization that they won’t see him again. It really does give one a taste of what heaven can be like for those who believe.

All of these emotions and feelings actually leave an after-feeling, whether happy or sad. It’s the feeling that this is just a story, it’s just something on the screen, or on a page, even though it looks so REAL. One cannot actually participate in it, and yet most of the feelings that one experiences in the movie are ones of longing to participate, to do SOMETHING to intervene. And the very knowledge that you cannot, nor will you ever, be able to participate in anything remotely similar is in and of itself quite sad. As a fellow Barrow-Downer said once, it’s “painful beauty”.

All of this most likely gives Peter Jackson the good feeling that he did something right to make almost all of us feel that way. And it would seem that even the most stringent movie critic, or LotR hater might find it hard not to swallow hard while watching Sam struggle up the hill.

Now that I've seen all three films, and gotten used to the idea that movie-Frodo is not the same as book-Frodo, the lines that haunt me most are the lines in FotR that foreshadowed how difficult this would all be for movie-Frodo.

At Bag-End, fearful but resigned: "What must I do?"

At Rivendell: "I'm not like you, Bilbo."

In Lorien: "Then I know what I must do. It's just... I'm afraid to do it."

'********

In RotK, when Frodo finishes Sam's water, and Sam admits there'll be no journey home, and helps Frodo up, and the two march towards Mount Doom, resigned to a certain end.

I think I'll just do ROTK because if I went into FOTR and TTT, I'd be here all day.

I am not the type of person to cry during movies. However, LOTR is the exception to that rule. I cried pretty much all though ROTK. It's been a while since I saw it last because, while I have it on tape, I am being a sissy and not watching it because I feel like the power of the movie is reduced when watching it in my living room. Anyway... Poignant and Powerful, what a great way to describe LOTR.

*When Frodo tells Sam to "go home". My friends don't understand why my heart breaks every time I see that. After the first time, you know what happens, right?... But there's just something about Sam's own tears that really is heartbreaking.

*Those pre-battle speeches Aragorn and Theoden give, before the Black Gate and Pelennor Fields, respectively. It's really powerful because they know that it's probably going to turn out to be ultimately hopeless, but they're willing to give it all they've got anyway.

*When Minas Tirith is under siege and Gandalf and Pippin are sitting, and Gandalf is kind of prepearing Pippin for death or something like that, and just describing death. There was something about the combination of Gandalf's words, Pip's reaction, and the quiet music that really hit me... chills.

*When Sam says, "I don't think there will be a return journey, Mr. Frodo". I want to jump into the movie and grab Sam and demand, "Where is your hope? You can't give up on it now!" It's really heartbreaking to hear Sam giving up that indomitable hope.

*When Frodo and Sam are struggling their way up Mt. Doom and Frodo falls down so Sam goes over and sits with him and talks to him about summer in the Shire, and then carries him up the mountain with that awesome music going... Wow. I don't think I've ever seen that scene without the blur of tears distoritng it.

*When Faramir is going out to retake Osgiliath. I don't think that one really needs too much explanation.

*When Frodo and Sam are on that big boulder and talking about the end of all things and Sam says that line about Rosie... WAAAAAAAAAAAAH! (You can probably tell by now that I just love Sam. He is single-handedly responsible for more tears on my part than anyone else, if I take the whole trilogy of movies into account)

*The end. Again, I don't think this needs any further comment on my part.

There's definitely even more out there that I'm forgetting... Now I need to go get my chocolate... That's more than enough sad moments for me right now...

I only skimmed through the posts so I didn't read everybody's...mine might be the same as someone elses...

But I definetly started bawling when Pippin starts singing the song...and of course the battle at the gates of Mordor, when I hear "For Frodo!" ::bawl:: and when they realize the ring has been destroyed and the look on the hobbit's faces when the mountain goes down...::sniffle::

I haven't been able to watch the last of the movie yet. Saw it in the theatre and have only watched the movie ONCE since it came out on DVD...didn't make it past the gates on that one. I did make come back into the room for the ending credits...the music and the pictures...::cry::
(I also still can't watch when Haldir gets "you know what" in TTT. He SO wasn't supposed to be there! But that's another story ;) Grrrr)

People wonder why the heck I'm crying because it has a happy ending!!! But it's just such a powerful story and is so beautiful...

Nilaraniel
(don't bother telling me I'm crazy, I already know)

Well three moments made me cry in this spectacular trilogy.
First one was during the Fellowship, when Boromir passed away.
The second one was when our Beloved Theoden died.
Third is when Gandalf , Bilbo, and Frodo departed into the West.