[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

*scratches head* I'm learning the importance of thread names...<P>Anyways, while it wasn't my intent to bash Peter's good work, I would say yes, the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon wizard brawl was er.. trendy. Good. Let's rewrite it.<P>I do agree we needed to be shown in a movie the standoff between Saruman and Gandalf.<P>I think what we need is subtle magic, like the scene with the moth (brilliant!): <BR>a physical magic brawl doesn't suit two old men.<P>What we have are two Maia. One - Saruman - is a lore master, and focused on using and recreating the weapons/powers that once were, and he's especially a master of deluding others. The other - Gandalf - tends to coax living creatures and elements into doing what they already are inclined to do.<BR>Gandalf says at one point that he can't burn snow, he has to have something to work with. <P>So now we have two different fighting styles. Ideas?<BR><UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>In the room of the Palantir, one addition: torches placed on each wall.<BR><LI>When the doors bar, Saruman creates an illusion of himself and the room of the Palantir being peaceful, himself a gentle lord. The walls of the room turn to white alabaster, there's a close-up to his face, then the camara pulls away and his throne is outdoors. There's a blue sky, trees, birds chirp. He attempts to convince Gandalf to join the winning side to help this world. <BR><LI>Gandalf pointly asks then why did you bar the doors?<BR><LI>The camara spins, circling Saruman, and the dark walls return.<BR><LI>Saruman picks up (it can't be his ring, can it? would require too much explaining - say an ebony staff) an artifact of the Second Age. <BR>Gandalf, visibly shocked and afraid: "where did you find that? None has been seen since Sauron..." <BR>Saruman, approaching, "It was not found. I created this."<BR>Gandalf, glancing at the Palantir, puts the pedestal between himself and S. "Whence came such knowledge?"<BR><LI>Saruman raises the rod, and the light dims, like light flees before a coming storm. Gandalf is crushed down for seemingly no reason. <BR><LI>Gandalf speaks some words of power, and the torches in the room blaze up, stream high, then form the spokes of a golden flaming dome that separate him from Saruman.<BR><LI>Saruman then strikes downward with the rod (or whatever), and the dome is shattered in shower of sparks, everything goes dark; dim light returns and Gandalf is crushed to the floor. The torches smoke but have gone out. <BR><LI>Close up Saruman's feet, walking up to Gandalf. He casually picks up Gandalf's staff. "I will give you one last chance."<BR><LI>Two softly spoken words from Gandalf come with his answer, and smoke fills the room; the smoking torches are billowing, and Saruman starts choking, can't see, but raises Gandalf's own staff, he opens the doors, Gandalf struggles towards them to escape (his reason for the smoke) but a gale/tornado wind comes through that spins Gandalf around and up -<BR><LI>and then we're back to what's in the movie, G. flying towards the ceiling while S. cries out "then you've chosen the way of Pain!"<BR></UL><P>-Maril