The Nazgul: do you feel they made them look weak?
 

Hey,<BR>I have seen the movie 2x now, but I still feel they made the Nazgul appear kinda wimpy!<P>I mean, one of them was the WitchKing of Angmar..yet Aragorn beat back 5 of them at the watchtower...whats up? they seem more like stooges.

Actually, I thought that PJ and the rest did an incredible job with the Nazgul. I know I, and the people I went with, were scared ****less by them at several points, and judging by the screams of the small children that were stupidly brought to the showing I was at, we weren't the only ones who were scared. I think that the Ringwraiths were suitably creepy and mysterious (their screeches were bone-chilling), and that they were portrayed in the movie exactly as they were portrayed in the books. Also, Aragorn beat five of them back at Weathertop in the book; did you think they were wimpy then? I loved the way that the Wraiths were adapted from the book to the movie, personally. ^_^

Actually, I am forced to agree with the latter comment on this one. I was one of those younger people who screamed aloud more than once, in reaction to the Nazgul. They visually brought me to a new understanding of the One Ring's power to contol all darkness. Sure, I understood their part in the book, but to actually hear and see them was where the true evil came out. It was quite eyeopening.

I think the Black Riders were one of the few parts from the book that were done exactly like the book. It definitly was thier screaches that got me. And when the Hobbits are hidding and all the bugs are reacting. It sends shivers down my spine.

The Nazgul were terrifying, and are the reason why I will not let my little brother see the movie yet. Anyone catch that line directed at Arwen?-"Give up the halfling, she-elf!" Ooooh, I had an urge to reach for a sword myself!

Have to go with the majority on this thread--I thought the Nazgul were terrifying, the shrieks sent shivers down my spine. I can't imagine a little kid seeing them and not having nightmares. Then again, the cartoon version of Gollum used to scare me, so I'm not much of an authority on what's scary.

As I have said before on another board the Nazgul were <I>not</I> done perfectly. They screeched far to often and sounded more like a flock of vultures than the servants of the nine rings, the Nazgul's element is in silence and terror. Aragorn fighting off five Nazgul isn't believable, especially because the Witch-King isn't afraid of fire.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Vuron:<BR><STRONG>Hey,<BR>I have seen the movie 2x now, but I still feel they made the Nazgul appear kinda wimpy!<P>I mean, one of them was the WitchKing of Angmar..yet Aragorn beat back 5 of them at the watchtower...whats up? they seem more like stooges.</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Visually they looked good. But yes, Vuron the stooges came to mind while they were windmilling around on fire at Weathertop. It looked quite clownish. And at Bree "Duh where's da hobbits? These are just dummies in the bed. Oh well, lets just leave."<P>The problem is the audience wasn't given any details concerning the Nazgul. The fact that they were not all together at Weathertop, and so less powerful. And Aragorn's power is not even hinted at at that point. In Bree, the fact that they are more powerful and terrifying when they have you alone, in the dark, not a well lit inn full of people. That their <B>greatest</B> weapon is fear. Also left out, the fact that they are stronger closer to Mordor and Sauron.

<I>The Nazgul shrieks were in the book,that was mentioned when they were in the Shire. So was the scene from Bree where they went into the hobbits rooms and found the bolsters. They didn't stick around afterwards. And Aragorn did beat them back in the book with fire at Weathertop.</I><BR> <p>[ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: Elrian ]

Not a surprise, but I agree with Beryl and Vuron. The Nazgul did look good, but the way they portrayed them in the movie was week. Every time the Nazgul were close to Frodo, I felt like I was watching one of those Sci-Fi Channel horror films where the "bad guy" could have captured his prey 6 or 7 times already, but for some reason doesn't seem to want to walk fast enough to catch up with him. Again, this point stands whether you've read the books or not-it was just poorly done. I mean c'mon! Who is scared of something that is five feet from the "good guy" (weathertop), knows the ring is on his finger and then takes a stinkin' nap before he does anything to acquire his prize?! The aliens in "Aliens" were better enemies: when they saw what they wanted they wasted no time in trying to get it.<BR> Now, I did say before that the nazgul were weak whether you'd read the LOTR or not, and without suggesting, although I think Beryl is right, that PJ should have given us some background on these guys, consider this: Why couldn't PJ have done what he should have done in many other places in the film. That is, STICK TO THE BOOK! It would not have damaged the rest of the movie at all if the nazgul king had "sprang forward and bore down on Frodo"; nor would it have hurt if in response Frodo "struck at the feet of his enemy". The result would have been a more terrifying, no-nonsense nazgul, along with a more courageous and Took-like Frodo; both of which would have been more enjoyable in film form. This is not one of those things that PJ "just could not have done with his limited resources, and limited time" as so many seem to be commenting. It could simply have been appropriately done, by sticking to the book. He could have handed his actors a copy and said, "Here. Do it like this".<P>Elrian: Who said otherwise?<P>[ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: Rhudladion ]<p>[ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: Rhudladion ]

On topic I thought the Nazgul were well done, but as far as Frodo's inability to stab the Witch King in the foot was because he didn't have the proper sword. He got the elven blade at the Barrow and it would be a bit of a problem trying to explain how this sword was able to injure a Nazgul, even though the name Elendil was better in repelling them, but once again we are dealing with an uneducated public.<BR>And, yes, I know that Aragorn fights them with his sword in the movie, but that was probably more to defend himself from their swords.

The witch-king wasn't injured. The knife just made a cut in his cloak. Frodo's knife remains intact and is broken at the Ford of Bruinen. On Weathertop Frodo repels the Nazgul with the cry "Elbereth Gilthoniel".

The Ringwraiths in the movie looked pretty damn scary to me! Great job PJ. <P>

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Fenrir:<BR><STRONG>The witch-king wasn't injured. The knife just made a cut in his cloak. Frodo's knife remains intact and is broken at the Ford of Bruinen. On Weathertop Frodo repels the Nazgul with the cry "Elbereth Gilthoniel".</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>All those who keep saying something like the above: I never suggested that the witch-king was injured by Frodo, and I never suggested that it was Frodo's weapon that startled the witch-king. I was merely making the point that there was no need to change the scene the way PJ did. He could have left it alone and the movie would have been better for it. Following the books here would have been easy, where-as there were other places in the story I realize he could not have done so.<BR> But the fact that the witch-king was not affected by Frodo's blade is irrelevant to my point. I didn't say that the witch-king had to fall over dead once Frodo had struck. There are 1000 ways they could have had Frodo strike without including the Elbereth deal. We've already seen one of them.

I think I'm with the majority, PJ nailed em. Scary as hell. Got them just right, even down to the way the moved... and the sound... oh god that sound!!! Even now it gives me nightmares. Perfect.

well,<P>sure, they looked cool....sounded cool....but it almost seems like aragorn and arwen could have just taken frodo at their leisure (if he wasn't dying from the blade)..and not had to worry. In other words, they looked and sounded scary..but I didn't see much of a need to "run" from them.<P>You have no idea what their powers are, what they are capable of etc...don't get me wrong, I loved the movie....but the cave troll appeared much more 'dangerous' than those nazgul....they didn't seem like great kings wielding the power of the rings..that is my point.

I came under the impression that the ringwraiths were very powerful and scary. WHen I saw one of the costumes right in from of me at a Lord of the Rings exhibit in Toronto I had chills running down my spine. They seemed very intense to me, almost more so than they seemed in the book. In the book they seemed evil, but not like they did in the movies, they seemed beyond evil, driven by desire that will never let them rest. And in the book they seemed almost more like the orcs, minions of war.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Vuron:<BR><STRONG>...they didn't seem like great kings wielding the power of the rings..that is my point.</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Vuron, again I agree with you: Screams were cool! Looks...cool! But the way they portrayed them in action (too many silly close calls without result, they seemed like idiots a couple of times, etc.) just didn't do it for me. I thought it was a poor showing. I am much more afraid of the Nazgul in the book!<P>Baaaginssssss....

I thought the nazgûl was terrible scary, but that is only in my opinion, though. Last night I saw the beginning of a Stephen King movie, and I didn't dare to finish watching it, so instead I went into my room, played music on my stereo and read about Quenya untill I fell asleep.. back to subject, I'm a person that is easy to scare, and the ringwraiths sure did scare me, especially when they came into the Prancing Pony andwas about to strike those dummies in the beds.. I got terrified, even though I've read the books like a dozens of times.. Oh, well.. just wanted to say that in my humble opionin, the nazgûl was great..

If PJ was determind to replace Frodo with Arwen he should at least have let the Witch-King break her sword.

Even though they were scary they were kinda funny on Weathertop when Aragorn set them on fire.

The One that came across the Hobbits in the Shire kind of reminded me of a velocirapter the way it shot off after that cabbace Merry threw.

It reminded me of that scene in Jurassic Park as well, Elrian. It's an insult to the Ringwraith's intelligence. Khamul was, after all, second-in-command and it says in UT it was him and his friend from Dol Guldor chasing after the hobbits in the Shire.

No, I think that the movie portrayed the Nazgul very well with the music and costumes that were used. They seemed a very frightening image on screen, and my heart definitely beat faster every time I saw them. But, for me I was much more scared by the Nazgul when I read the book, because I could let my imagination make them ten times more frightening.

The Nazgul were first rate. Following Frodo's leap to the ferry, the pursuing Ring Wraith turns and heads for the bridge 20 miles distant. This shot which involved two other Ring Wraiths beyond in the mist already at full gallop is my most vivid memory of them. Coupled with that strange bird(?) sound at the very same moment...classy.<P>On the flip side, I was somewhat surprised by the ease in which they were dispersed by Aragorn. Don't remember the particulars concerning his ability to do this in the book, but there was little explanation given as to his success in the movie.

I thought the Nazgûls were portraited pretty much as I had pictured them from the books.<BR>They are not even close to being as powerful in Bree as they are close to Mordor and their master and I think that was shown in the film, however it could have been explained a bit better so people who hasn't read the books will understand why the Nazgûls will be so much more powerful in the following films.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Gorhâk the Basher:<BR>it could have been explained a bit better so people who hasn't read the books will understand why the Nazgûls will be so much more powerful in the following films.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Well... Maybe they'll explain it in the following films, then?

To me, one who didn't read the books before the movie, caught how powerful and how scary the Nazgul were with the small bit of exposition added to them. PJ won't speak down to his audience and tell them that this is who so and so is and why they are scary, he'll simply integrate it into the story like he has so far. <P>The Nazgul were perfect. I still jump every time they burst out of nowhere, seperate themselves from the darkness of the night, and I still get shivers each time I see them enter. Each of the three times I've seen the movie, the entire audience still jumps and gasps when the Nazgul are on the screen. Love 'em!

I thought they looked suspiciously like the painting "The Scream". They were not misshapen monsters. When he puts on the ring he sees men. Evil, malicious, powerful kings of men enslaved by the rings they bore. I hated their stretched out, goofy looking faces. I know, someone will say wearing the rings for as long as they did made them twisted freaks, but I did'nt think they even came close in the film. Sorry folks. I guess that's opposite of what everyone else thinks.

I'm with you entirely, lomion! That's just what I thought!

I think the part that made them look weak was when Aragorn fought them off after the big nazgul stabbed frodo. He made it look too easy to beat them like that. All the other parts were cool though and they did a good job with the nazgul's "screams"