[Sir Kohran]

Back at last to the Barrows...I seem to have missed a bit. Anyhow, back to the action:

Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli and Legolas accompany the Rohirrim, or at least Théoden and Éomer, through the Fangorn Forest Traveling Road Show. One must assume that they are riding through trees that previously weren’t there, as I can’t recall the Uruks marching towards Helm’s Deep through a forest. The trees therein are twisted and gnarled; just what one would expect of Fangorn.

I like this opening - we see the horsemen and we slowly realize who they are. A quiet way to reconnect us with the world of the heroes that was developed in The Two Towers.

It's good how the forest seems a bit ominous. It must be the Huorns.

Also, it's very appropriate that the Gondor music theme plays as the title 'The Return Of The King' appears on the screen.

Merry and Pippin are just where we’d left them, amidst the spoils of armies enjoying a bit of flotsam and jetsam. Smoking! Hammer and tongs! What would Ofcom think about that? Anyway, we learn that these two hobbits are back to their Shire selves, laughing and bragging about sloth. They see and then greet their friends with a bit of brag and bravado.

I like this scene - one of the few light moments in the movie before the storm comes. Also, it's good character development - compare these two laughing, silly Hobbits with the two heroes they later become.

A bit disappointed that Theoden didn't get to talk to the Hobbits about pipe-weed, but I guess the focus is on the re-union of the Fellowship.

Gimli’s salivating over salted pork makes one wonder what poor provender was to be had at Helm’s Deep. Cram?

Wasn't there a scene at Helm's Deep in the Extended Edition where Eowyn was told they didn't have much food? If so, the rations would have been rather meagre for everyone - especially when fighting for an entire night.

The party wades the waters of Orthanc while Gandalf is greeted by Treebeard. We learn that Gandalf is young in comparison,

What DOES this 'Young Master Gandalf' line mean? As a Maia, isn't Gandalf older than Treebeard?

Gandalf the weak and worried?

I know...this weakening of Gandalf annoys me worst of all the changes in the whole trilogy. The nervous, uncertain Gandalf we see here really irritates me.


Frankly, I just dislike the whole 'Voice Of Saruman' scene. Not really because it's a bad scene, it's just delivered rather flatly, probably because they tried a bit too hard to make it mesh with the situation in the book, and the book lines don't really jive with the different situation in the movie. This strange mix makes for two many unexplained lines, and some very silly actions (the murder of Grima, etc.)

Still, at least the film-makers made an effort to go by the books...which is more than can be said for other scenes.

Anyway, Saruman starts blathering about festerings only seen by the Eye, and I’m lost. His ramblings are without information, telling me (and hopefully Gandalf) nothing that we don’t already know.

Apparently, the festerings were supposed to refer to Denethor's madness...though I can't understand how the Steward of Gondor is the 'heart' of Middle-Earth.

Saruman professes knowledge of, seemingly, Frodo, and one would think that if Saruman knows about Frodo’s quest, then so does Sauron. Or not.

Note that he only talks about the 'Halfling' - he doesn't seem to know it's Frodo. And anyway, it's correct with the books:

Originally Posted by JRR Tolkien

The Enemy, of course, has long known that the Ring is abroad, and that it is borne by a Hobbit.

So it's perfectly correct that Sauron and Saruman in the films would know vaguely about the quest.

And anyway, in the first film, didn't Saruman order Lurtz to bring back the Halflings?

Gimli, like me, has heard enough and suggests that someone “stick an arrow in his gob.” Gob is an interesting word. Does it mean ‘mouth?’

Yes - it's British slang, and considered rather rude. If I wanted to be rude, I'd shout "Shut yer gob!" I don't know if New Zealanders use it, however.

Finally Saruman has had enough and shoots a fireball from his staff at Gandalf. As I’ve stated previously, what a handy spell to have in hand if, say, a bunch of creatures composed of wood were to show up at your door.

But in the books, the Istari are limited in what they can do - can't they only use power appropriate to their enemy? Compare Gandalf using magic against the Balrog to Gandalf just using his staff and sword against the Orcs. In that case, a fireball wouldn't be allowed against mortals, but the immortal Gandalf is a reasonable target. I guess Saruman still obeyed that rule.

All the same, in mere movie terms, it does seem rather strange.

How anyone sees Grima up there is a mystery.

I don't even want to go into how ridiculous a conversation between the two heights is (though I do like Theoden's mercy towards Grima - it's a shame he never got to repent for his sins).

This makes no sense, as to me there is no reason for Saruman to leave – and if the Ents really wanted to kill the Treeslayer, well, they and the one-stone one-kill hobbits had plenty of chances.

As an aside, in both the movies and the books, WHY do the Ents wreak terrible slaughter on Saruman's slaves (people and creatures who didn't really have a choice in what they did), and yet are prepared to let the real cause of all their grief go unharmed?

Grima, discovers that, in the few days that he’s been with Saruman that he’s a lousy roommate, and so decides to ventilate him.

I like Grima's revenge here - though Legolas's response just ruins it all. Also, Grima should have said something more than just "No!".

Legolas, that crusader for justice, takes it upon himself to kill Grima for stabbing Saruman.

Why the heck does this happen? Is Legolas some sort of psycho lusting for killing? Did he not have enough targets at Helm's Deep just one day before? The whole thing just screams 'plot device to get rid of uneeded character'.

Gandalf, seeing the other maia being stabbed (great eyesight that, as Grima is behind Saruman, and even if Saruman stood on the very edge of the tower, you’d still have a hard time understanding what was happening), makes some kind of face that almost seems ‘happy.’

Looking again, he clenches his teeth and frowns. Probably because he's lost a major source for information. Or because this is the last time in the whole trilogy where he gets to take on a major bad guy and have it make any sense. (you should be able to guess which later scene I'm referring to...).

Saruman turns 180 degrees and falls backwards. Spinning as he falls, Saruman lands right on the Spiky Wheel of Much Conjecture (remember those days?).

More stupid PJ indulgences. Hadn't Christopher Lee been impaled enough times in movie history?

And I don't like how the wheel just conveniently appears right where Saruman falls. Did it move there deliberately? Was it also turning against Saruman (awful pun) at the bitter end? ("Et tu, Big Spiky Wheel?")

Gandalf and those on the ground are unconcerned with the passing of the other wizard.

It gets me that they used so many rather throw-away book lines in Saruman's speech, but when some book remarks about Saruman's end could have been very useful, everyone just shrugs at the death of the tyrant who could have taken over the entire West, had things gone his way.

Treebeard, looking very CG, does his best at a one-liner, then continues to ramble about trees returning to Isengard.

Why is Treebeard present at the foot of Orthanc when Gandalf and co. first arrive, and then vanishes for the entire exchange with Saruman, but is then in the exact same place as before once Saruman has died?

He tells King Théoden to get on the horn and let everyone know that Sauron will attack soon, but where? Gondor? Bree? Moria? Where? Where will the heavy hand of Mordor fall?

For book-readers such as us, I guess it's meant to be a way of confirming that the battles in Dale and Lothlorien took place in the movie world too, but like most lines in this chapter it sounds a bit odd.

This, unlike other methods, is the tried and true method of finding the enemy on the march.

Six horses cross the plains on the way back to Edoras, which is no worse for wear.

I like the long shot of Edoras with Eowyn...but why aren't there any guards with the company?

The King toasts the dead and dearly departed. Think that he may have forgotten to mention those well-dressed chaps that seemed to have all perished in the defense of men.

He just says 'those who gave their blood to defend this country' - so I guess that includes Haldir and his force...though I can understand why the Rohirrim don't show much gratitude. After all, what did the Elves do at Helm's Deep, other than providing sword-practise for the Uruks? Not enough to merit a memorial, I shouldn't think...

No time for that, but we do have time for a drinking scene. Back to the game: Gimli becomes more and more the buffoon and it’s over the top stupid as he loses to the Elf, who feels almost no affect from the alcohol.

I agree. It's really frustrating that PJ says he didn't put in stuff from the books because there wasn't room for it, but then he finds time for this unfunny rubbish.

Merry and Pippin rescue us with a song and dance on a tabletop. Pippin comes up short when he looks at Gandalf. Something is afoot, I guess, and soon we’ll learn what that is.

Seems kind of ironic that in the old FOTR Sequences, people were annoyed that Merry and Pippin were foolish and silly. Now, they are the ones rescuing us from even greater foolery and silliness...I feel terribly sorry for poor Gimli.

I was pleased to see the reference to the Green Dragon in there. It's even better when you see the Hobbits there at the end of the film...but they're not singing there. A subtle way of showing their growing up.

If Gandalf doesn’t know the whereabouts or condition of Frodo, does anyone?

I suppose not...aside from Faramir, and who knows how many Rangers that must have overheard him in Osgiliath...and that's not counting the stupid Nazgul incident.

Gandalf feels it in his heart that Frodo is yet uncaught and unconquered. Lucky for Gandalf that Aragorn is there to prop him up.

This is actually okay with me as Gandalf shows a little confidence in saying that Frodo is alive.

Next week we’ll see if Gandalf heart truly measures Frodo’s condition.

I look forward to it...thanks for the great posts, alatar and Essex. They make me think about the films more deeply.