[Essex]

back after a break from the Downs

Originally Posted by alatar

Gollum goes fishing the old fashioned way, like some kind of emaciated hairless bear.

For me, this is some of the best CGI in the trilogy. It looks so life like it's almost off putting!!! it's so good I get drawn into actually how good it really is, which sounds silly really.....

Anyway, while Gollum fishes Frodo upbraids Sam for calling poor Sméagol names. Sam, not too put out, explains to his friend that Gollum is wicked, and will always remain so. Frodo, the enabler, is sure that he can fix Sméagol, and if he can do that, he knows that he too can come back from the dark road of the Ring. Sam protests, then is bitten by the Ringbearer. Frodo too is becoming quite the addict.

Exactly. EW superbly acts this scene out, moving from passionate to angry back to sorrowful back to anger again. He really is becoming an adict and this scene shows it very well.

A side note: did you notice the structures in the background? There’s not much significant to them, but I assume they are present to remind us that we’re near civilization (or at least one that existed long ago) and/or tread a path used by others.

I think PJ said somewhere that he wanted to show parts of Middle-earth had an ancient history even before the events of LOTR.

Another great scene, maybe the best, by Andy Serkis. ....Switching camera angles was genius, as it seems that Gollum and Sméagol stand facing each other, discussing ‘their’ relationship.

I love the way the camera first pans round slowly the first time to show us the Smeagol and Gollum view, before just jumping from one 'character' to the other immeadiatley. Only just picked this up on my umpteenth viewing.

The look on Frodo's face is amazing (esp. his eyes) when smeagol delivers the coneys. It really shows how the Ring is taking him over. He is exhausted, with his eyes glazed over, and he probably doesn't know where he is at this point.

While the two begin to discuss taters, fish and everything else that shows the two as completely different, Frodo hears something that just ain’t right, like a bird call from a large two-legged bird with thumbs.

The fish and chip scene here is almost direct from the book, and is therefore marvelous

Those are some big creatures. Sam wishes for a camera, as Ted, Rosy and the Gaffer aren’t going to believe what he’s now seeing. More birds, and Gollum slinks away, obviously having ornithophobia.

do you see the look on Sam's face as he looks at Frodo after seing the elephants? Pure joy - it's an almost childlike smile he has on his face, and takes years off him.

Just then, the evil men are ambushed, in a crossfire of the hidden bowmen of Ithilien.

something about this scene took my breath away - the sudden, fleeting appearence of men in cloaks and hoods, working with quiet, deadly effeciency. It just looks SO GOOD.

I like the idea also of giving Sam's thoughts to Faramir. I agree with other posters here that the EE does show us Faramir in a better light, and closer to book Faramir than the theatrical cut.