Paying homage to other movies
 

I just read in another thread that Peter Jackson paid homage to Back to the Future and The Birds in scenes in FOTR and TTT. Spot any others? <P>I would say the scene in FOTR where Frodo is about to leave in the boat and he saves Sam from drowning is a direct reference to Jane Campion's The Piano.

The "birds" reference is obvious, but where is the homage to "Back to the Future"?<P>Couple of things that reminded me of other films in TTT. I don't know if they were diliberate or not.<P>When Gandalf, Aragron, Legolas and Gimli ride into Edoras, there is a shot where Eowyn sees them from afar. It immediately struck me as "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". I half expected that whistling music too.<P>When Frodo, Sam and Gollum are looking over the crest onto the Black Gate we see Southron's marching in. I don't know if it was the composition of the shot or the uniforms or both, but I flashed to "The Wizard of Oz" where they are looking at the entrance to the Wicked Witch's castle. I kept waiting for "oh-eeee-oh-ee-ohhhh-oh".<P>I guess it's just me. <P>H.C.

The ref. to Back to the Future is apparently in the infamous shield surfing scene.

Ahh...<P>I know a specific homage in Fellowship was during Bilbo's party speech. When he is calling out the names of the various clans and says, "... and Proudfoots", there comes the reply, "Proudfeet!" from the reclining, smoking hobbit. That shot is a specific homage to the animated LoTR. PJ copied the composition exactly.<P>H.C.

Great call, HC. I knew I had seen it somewhere before. It is quite nice that Jackson paid homage to the Bakshi film, since the sequel never saw the light of day.

I think the Back to the Future homage was Legolas slinding down the stairs at Helm's Deep on a shield. It was like he was on a hoverboard or skateboard. The music that is playing while he does that seemed to have a Back to the Future connection as well.<P>The Wizard of Oz like scene by the Black Gate jumped out at me also.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Great call, HC. I knew I had seen it somewhere before. It is quite nice that Jackson paid homage to the Bakshi film, since the sequel never saw the light of day. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I would love to take credit for spotting this all by my lonesome, but PJ himself talks about it during the commentary in the special edition.<P>H.C.

It might just be me, but ...<P>Theoden (pre-Gandalf Exorcism) reminds me of the old man with the green top hat (Sergeant Pepper?) in "Yellow Submarine" - with all those "old man" type grunts<P>... and Frodo's "They're here" in Osgiliath is surely staright out of "Poltergeist" - why did he say "they" when we only see one of them<P>... and talking of the Exorcist, perhaps they should have had Theoden's head spinning round complete with projectile pea soup in the scene with Gandalf.

& having Theodén masturbating with a crucifix too, perhaps?

<B>Nazgûl vs Poltergeist</B><P>Good call, Saucy, that phrase really jumped out at me the first time I heard it. I haven't even seen Poltergeist, but I recognised the phrase. I think that such an overt/obvious reference as that is a bit on the ridiculous side, especially as you point out there is only one Nazgûl. "They" <I>might</I> be the Ringwraith and his mount, but I think it's pretty obvious that it was a homage. <P>Low-key ones like Back to the Future (was it that low-key?) are one thing, but maybe PJ should worry about making the movie stand up on its own without having stupid little gadgets like that. Waste of time he could have better spent on the script.

I saw a tiny glimpse of another movie homage, but I couldn't put my finger on it, exactly. But I had <I>The Good The Bad and The Ugly</I> in mind as well...

Oh, and the orcs marching into Helm's deep with their sheilds propped up that way reminded me of <B>The Gladiator</B>.

I saw it again today, and I didn't catch the Back to the Future theme... it sounded just like a faster-tempo<BR>version of the 'heroic theme' from FotR (the "duh, duh, duh-duh, duhhh" when the Fellowship <BR>has just left Rivendell and is going over the hill and the camera focuses on each of them). I like the Exorcist<BR>part, very cool and creepy.

Maybe it was just us, but when Sam gave that earnest, emotional speech at the end of the Two Towers, my kids and I were all whispering under our breaths "Rudy...Rudy...Rudy."

Well there is the one Elf at Helm's Deep that does a <I>Star Wars</I> type yell as he falls off of the wall.<BR>Also, the part where Saruman and Wormtongue are out on the ledge is very <I>Star Wars</I>-esk as well.

Actually, Saruman viewing his troops reminded me of "Be Prepared" in the Lion King, with Scar and his hyenas.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> the part where Saruman and Wormtongue are out on the ledge is very Star Wars-esk as well. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>How so? I don't get it!

When Frodo fell into the Black Marsh and those dead elves were swirling around him in the water I had a flashback to the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was expecting Frodo's head to melt!<P>Why was that scene made? It seemed gratuitous.<P>-Lily

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> the part where Saruman and Wormtongue are out on the ledge is very Star Wars-esk as well. <BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>How so? I don't get it! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>There are a couple different places in the different Star Wars movies where you could apply that. My first thought was when Obi-Wan and the Kaminoans are overlooking the Clones. But it would more be associated in the end of Ep. II when Palpetine is overlooking his new army. A little more evil and forboding. <P><BR>*Laial*

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>But it would more be associated in the end of Ep. II when Palpetine is overlooking his new army. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>That's the part I was thinking of.<BR>It also helps that Christopher Lee was also in that movie

Actually, that scene with Saruman reviewing his troops reminded me of a certain Austrian corporal, famous for his supercharged oratory. The orcs were in seemingly perfect order, chanting and stepping in time, while Saruman harangued them: "A new power is rising!" Not that I minded the comparison, though. I thought it was very appropriate.

The scene in FoTR, where the hobbits hide from the black rider under the tree root is taken right out from the animated LoTR...

Are you sure that it isn't just related to this image from John Howe, who just happened to be one of the production designers for the films? <p>[ January 22, 2003: Message edited by: Ultimatejoe ]