[Essex]

Originally Posted by alatar

Later, as the Fourth Age began, Gandalf, sitting with Frodo in Minas Tirith, remarked, “Sure, I fought a Balrog while falling into the Abyss, and atop Zirakzigil I threw down my enemy, and though life left me I came back and was clothed again in flesh, but that was nothing compared to getting that beacon lit under Denethor’s nose.”

We have to have the beacon's lit at this stage if we are to see the stirring, beautiful scenes across the mountains that follow. Bookwise we know they are already lit, but movie wise we couldn't just jump to Minas Tirith and show the beacons being lit without our main characters there to explain what was happening.

Denethor, looking out from the bat cave (or is it belfry?) sneers at the fires in the distance.

This really bugged me until I now believe he was scowling at the fact that Theoden has asked for HIS aid!!! Because he's on a lower level, so can't see the beacon of minas tirith being lit - but hears the guy shout that the beacon of amon din had been lit (and therefore thinks the beacons have been lit the other way....) - that's MY twisted logic anyway.......

Legolas points out that war may be coming to them. Nice to know that Minas Tirith is but one place Sauron is attacking, though it may have been better shown using a map or Galadriel.

finally listening to the commentary for the scriptwriters I gnashed my teeth - they actually thought of showing the fights in lorien and the Mountain - absolutely GUTTED!!! I would have LOVED to have seen this. (Proves the scriptwriters DO know their LOTR......)

The soldiers make to ride off, and a very CG-looking Merry and horse try to go along as well - note that Merry and the horse are real, but the scene looks to be spliced in,

listening to the commentary the horse was real, they just had a jockey riding it and spliced merry in I believe.

Then it happens. Gandalf ignites the Staff of Light. Angels sing. A beam of light shoots towards the darkness and the winged shadows. They now retreat, and Gandalf hastens back to the city with the remaining soldiers.

I love the shot of Minas Tirith as the camera pans round to follow gandalf and the retreat.

Denethor is still not happy. This time he’s upset with Faramir’s decision regarding One Ring and One witless halfing. Though I don’t like this Denethor (what’s not to like about the book version ) but at least John Noble does the lines well. The line, “Unless at the uttermost end of need,” has more power here than in the text, as you really know what the Steward means. Great delivery.

one of the best delivered lines in the whole trilogy for me. John Noble acts most of the cast off the stage!!!!