History does not start when we first become aware of time…
The second movie in PJ's trilogy begins, not with a whimper, but a bang.
We start with a sunrise over the Misty Mountains. PJ leads out with his strengths. Is this Alaska? New Zealand? In a moment or two we know that it’s Middle Earth, but you never think that it’s some CG world. We follow the ridgeline, like some Google Middle Earth tour, then it’s the X-ray vision tour as we see what is happening inside these backbones of stone. Frodo’s voice gives a clue, but is this new or déjà vu? Think that I remember Gandalf saying those words in FotR, but this is TTT.
Suddenly we’re back on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, and we see Gandalf battle the Balrog once again from a slightly different camera angle. But this time, instead of following the Eight, we follow the One. Gandalf once again falls after the smoking Balrog. He first catches up with Glamdring, and that’s when I started thinking that he didn’t fall so much as continue after his foe.
“Retreat, hell, we’re just fighting in a different direction!”**
Gandalf hews at the Balrog, who ever clutches at the Guided Grey Missile. The hole in which they fall is small, limiting the lateral movement of Balrog, which surely is a good thing for Gandalf. Still, the Balrog gets in a shot for the many sword strokes dealt by Gandalf.
Did you see the wings, by the by? Well, that should put
that question to rest, as PJ is obviously the definitive source.
Finally, the entangled foes enter a larger cavern, then find the bottom in the icy lake at the very foundations of the world. I liked the way the flames of the Balrog light the cavern briefly as they fall towards the lake. The distant point of view saddened the scene somewhat, like a guttering candle in the wind, and also gave perspective as to the size of the cavern within which they were falling.
Frodo wakes suddenly from his dream, crying, “Gandalf!” Was Frodo given a vision of Gandalf’s doom, or was it something he ate? And who shot
JR ? Anyway, Sam and Frodo make their way through the Emyn Muil, which is where we left them in FotR. Unlike the Tellyland of the Shire, the opening present day scene of the FotR, in TTT we have a much harsher, less colored landscape to view.
Frodo and Sam descend one of the many obstacle cliffs that they’ve encountered, and luckily Sam acquired a bit of rope from the Galadhrim for the trip. We see the two hobbits clinging to the side of the cliff, aided only by their determination and Galadriel’s shiny rope. We see the the anchored knot, which will be important in a moment. Sam, not having much of his Grandfather’s blood in him, struggles in his downward climb. Frodo encourages him, and they continue. Sam starts to slip, and a small box drops from his pocket and he yells for Frodo to catch it.
Silly Frodo, you have the most important artifact of ME around your neck, and yet you put out a had to catch something of
Sam’s. Note that holding onto such a thin rope, even with two hands and it being made of hithlain, would not be very easy and I *think* that Frodo and Sam aren’t really climbing
. Frodo loses his grip and falls, finding the bottom.
Cute little joke, as it was delivered well.
Frodo is mostly amused when he finds what he risked his life for: salt for roast chicken. Also cute, and we get to see what thoughts run in Sam’s head. He’s not thinking of siege towers or the Eye or the affairs of wizards, but of his stomach. Sure, we have to destroy that Dark Lord’s Ring and all, but we also have to eat along the way.
And PJ’s little salt joke shows why this quest is special, and why Sam and Frodo are in such a forsaken place. Sam’s carrying a little bit of seasoning; Frodo sees a little piece of the Shire.
Note that I was a little disappointed that the box was not adorned with a G rune nor did it contain dirt.
Before continuing, the two hobbits contemplate what to do about the elvish ladder that they’re leaving tied to the cliff. What to do? Not only was the rope a Galadrielian gift, but it also allows them to be followed. Not that there’s any danger of that I presume.
Sam pulls at the thin line and, magically, the knot unties and the rope drops to their feet. Unlike in the book, where we get more of a clue that the rope is magic and Sam’s knot would hold, here we do not have time for Frodo’s derision and skepticism. He simply agrees that it must be the rope and not Sam’s knot.
More traveling brings them a sight of Mount Doom. After discussing Gandalf’s intentions, Frodo has an Eye attack. PJ is reminding us again who the real enemy is, just in case we forgot. If Frodo is wilting thus at this distance, surely by the time he reaches the Black Gate he will be a quivering mass of jelly. Or not.
Sam and Frodo share a bit of lembas, and again we see the camaraderie. Sam’s the optimist and the caretaker of Frodo. As they wait out the rain, Frodo is suddenly aware that something else is out there. They continue and we find that they are lost. Clever, as I think that PJ states that these various wandering scenes were shot on the same patches of rocks, and so, technically, Sam and Frodo
have been there before.
Frodo tells Sam of the pursuit, and they lay a trap.
The first sight of Gollum (I saw the preMovie releases, still…) glowing in the slice of moonlight was great. Here’s thinking that PJ knew that he had to sell the creature
right here right now so that we would continue to believe in Middle Earth. After watching the Appendices (assuming you’d been asleep otherwise) you know that that’s a CG representation of Andy Serkis, but if that’s not Gollum…I don’t know how much better he could be represented. The voice, the musculature, the movements, the hair and of course, the eyes.
Jar-Jar who?
Gollum bickers as he descends upon the sleeping hobbits, and he makes to grab for the Ring. But our hobbits are ready for him, or so they think. Sam and Frodo grab after Gollum but he is more than their match as they try to subdue the creature – it’s like bathing a cat.
The sight of the Ring causes Gollum to fight even harder, and Frodo can all but keep him from claiming the Ring. Watch Gollum’s cheeks puff as he struggles to place his finger within his golden goal. Sam tries to help, out muscling him but is not prepared for such a diabolical thing who has done murder before. Quickly the tables turn and Sam is at Gollum’s mercy, and only Sting at Gollum’s neck saves Sam’s life. I just love the detail that the CG people at Weta gave this creature. The forearm around Sam’s neck could be anyone’s.
The taming of poor Sméagol starts, and the elvish rope burns the wretched thing. Sam doesn’t make Gollum any more comfortable with the dragging, no matter how loose the loop around Gollum’s neck (wasn’t that supposed to be his ankle?). After a short while, Sam will have no more of it. He suggests that they tie Gollum up and leave him, and Gollum pleads for his life. Frodo had more pity – well, maybe he also knows that Gollum is to go with them – and so decides another fate for the creature.
Gollum begins to deal for his life, though his honesty in the bargaining is questioned. The Ring is called in to seal the deal, and seemingly Gollum
and Frodo understand what this really means. Sam, not having born the Ring at this point, doesn’t, and so he doubts. Frodo decided to have Gollum as his guide to Mordor in exchange for his life.
Though Gollum accepts - what choice does he have? - he still have some details to work out, and that’s when we first see the schizophrenia /duality of the creature. The devil’s in the details, as it is always said, but in this case, who’s side is the devil on?
Gollum runs from Sam and Frodo, and we’ll have to wait until we return to this story line to see if the promise that he made, sworn by the Ring, holds yet a little while.
A note about the DVD itself. Did you notice, unlike the FotR DVD, that the scene cursor is a White Hand? Cool that.
**Attributed to Major General Oliver P. Smith.