[Essex]

Originally Posted by alatar

The three come upon a statue of a seated King, and it has been vandalized. Taggers existed even in Middle Earth… Just like in the books, off to the side they find the King’s head crowned once more, both with flowers and the rays of the westering sun. Hope springs eternal at the sight…that is until the clouds come, and the mood falls back down to Middle Earth. Gollum hastens them away as the darkness approaches.

one of my favourite passages in the whole book LOTR. and the film delivers well too. little things seem to grate me most though throughout these movies rather than big changes, and we have one here. It's Frodo who should see the light shine on the fallen king's statue but movie wise we have Sam. Still a lovely scene though. It's like other small changes, Aragorn asking Theoden to ride out, frodo asking Gandalf what friend was in Elvish etc- if only these small changes weren't made. ah well......

By the by, is there a point to Gandalf’s sputtering with his pipe?

one of the commentaries points out that we have an anti smoking bit here to keep the anti smoking parade happy. i remember back in the fotr commentaries that these mused on gandalf just chewing gum or tobacco instead of smoking it!!!!

Pippin in this scene is even thoughtful enough to ask of Frodo and the Quest. Not much hope there, but Gandalf states that it was only a fool’s hope.

beautifull delivered lines here. I remember in the TT dvd extra when they showed this line it left a tear in my eye.

Note that here Minas Tirith, unlike in the magical realm of Rivendell, balconies are made higher than an elven knee.

this is a city of men, not hobbits. We could surmise that Elrond had some hobbit size balconies built in rivendell for visiting hobbits. I mean Bilbo was there 60 years ago, and went back to stay there 17 years ago. You should see how much my house has changed in 15 years I've lived here!! Why can't the elves do a bit of DIY for Bilbo and other hobbits?


re witch king.......

We’re not told why Gandalf, who owned a Balrog, would fear this adversary that was chased away by Aragorn holding a sword and a flaming brand. If the Witch-King were powered up, as some say, then we’re not told much about it and are left to our imaginings/musings as the narration turns to the Witch-King’s lair – Minas Morgul.

as the commentaries tell us - movie wise we have no other real big baddie other than the Witch King. so they had to build him up. And it ties in with Tolkien's view in his Letters that the WK has been given increased 'demonic' powers.

Again I point to LOTR not being just black and white. It is shades of grey. Just because Gandalf beat the Balrog doesn't mean he's gonna beat another adversary (even if it IS weaker)

I mean come on - on paper you Americans should have beaten us Europeans at the Ryder Cup but we absolutely wiped the flor with you!!!!!

PS thanks to your American team for the sporting way you played this time at the Ryder Cup - I've even forgiven Tom Lehman for his antics at Brookline some years ago!!!!!! very gracious in defeat. But you guys have to learn to smile and enjoy yourself when playing golf!!!!!