The secret of your beauty
And the mystery of your soul
I've been searching for in everyone I meet
And the times I've been mistaken
It's impossible to say
And the grass is growing
Underneath our feet. - The Moody Blues
The Eight run towards the Golden Wood, though only two I presume know what this blossom holds. Anything would be better than the Black Pit, or to be found on the ground with the orcs on the hunt (which, being Morian orcs, luckily enough don’t come out to play in the sunlight). As the troop enters the forest, the background music isn’t the only thing hinting at otherworldliness. Those leaves that fall slowly by make it seem that some time barrier is being crossed. The imagery is colorized to be sure, as indicated in the Appendices, but it still is great to see. It’s like each frame of the scene is “enhanced” and all colors are new and fresh.
Gimli starts expanding our knowledge of the White Witch of Lorien, and that’s starts out okay, but then we have to have the buffoonery that beings here and seemingly never ends. But before I complain more, I’d like to say that the scene is very detailed, and you see the care by which John Rhys-Davies’ costume was assembled. And remember, most of R-D’s acting is through his eyes, as he wears many uncomfortable prosthetics.
Frodo begins to hear a whispered voice in his head, but as it’s Cate Blanchett, I kind of envy him as the voice in my head is
myron cope – I’d trade any day.
Anyway, Galadriel continually creeps Frodo out with pop-flashes of her eyes and stating that he is carrying great evil into Lothlorien.
Foxy Gimli nearly walks into an arrowhead, and, okay, maybe he wasn’t paying attention. One cliché in movies that I’ve always found annoying is the ‘limited view’ Gotcha! Most people, even when looking straight ahead, still catch movement in the periphery out about 90 degrees (from the nose). So when something just ‘jumps out’ at actors in a movie, it’s not very realistic, as, unless the jumper is well-hidden, you’d see them coming.
Now I’m just sure someone will harp on this, but before you do, let me explain: Assume that these elves are so well hidden that they can catch a bloviating dwarf off his guard. Was this due to the fact that these are Galadhrim on their home turf? A dwarf is that unaware? But what about when Arwen snags Aragorn? AD&D rules have Rangers being surprised 1 in 6 (and if THAT’s not the last word…). And I assume that the elves did not drop from trees nor are capable of superspeed or teleportation. So my question is, in PJ’s Middle Earth, why are the elves so lousy at fighting, as seen in TTT?
We’ll table (or take off the table, for my cousins) this discussion, but just wanted to point it out.
Haldir notes that Gimli breathes loudly, and the arrogance is perfect – so is the quote. We’re next up on a flet, some time later that evening, and the sparing between Haldir and Gimli is good. Gimli is not a clown, yet we assume he says something uncomplimentary. Aragorn, as will be seen later, acts as the referee – our little Ranger is growing up and becoming a leader! Take pictures.
Haldir channels Galadriel for a moment, and we’re getting so redundant that I wonder if next Frodo will be made to walk to Caras Galadhon blindfolded with a sign, hanging from his neck, that reads, “I bring great evil.” This additional scene helped the bareboned theatrical version, but to waste it on repetitious dialogue? I can almost hear PJ saying, “We wanted to make sure that the audience didn’t forget about the evil of the Ring, and you know repetition works well in commercials…”
After Haldir pronounces judgment, he gets the joy of some words from Aragorn, and the conversation that I ‘hear’ is so silly that I’ll spare you. Almost.
“…And I’ve been traveling for days with four midgets, a dwarf, one of your buddies and some guy who hates me, and I need to get away for a while. If I hear, ‘Are we there yet?’ one more time… Come on, dude, have a heart and let me in. Here, here’s five coppers.”
The FotR await their doom, no one happy about their current predicament. Boromir, who again I like more than you-know-who, consoles Frodo over Gandalf’s death. His betrayal later is even darker as here the two sit in the trees of Lothlorien and he seeks to help his brother Frodo. You just have to like this character, as played by Sean Bean, and PJ has made me appreciate Boromir more than I did when reading the books. Sure, he’s a warrior and not in the class of his brother or Aragorn, but he’s a common man who understands simple common things. There’s no air about him – ya, he may boast and brag – but he’s one of us, not some king on a throne or some distant elf-dating one-note.
After a change of mind (and three gold pieces and a pair of Rivendell-made earplugs
), Haldir leads the eight to Caras Galadhon. Like the walls of Moria, I wasn’t really impressed – it’s just a clump of trees.
As they enter the city you hear the otherworldliness in the chanting voices. It’s definitely not Rivendell, but that wasn’t totally elven, as is this place. PJ may have had a time putting this chapter to film, as how do you film Eden? It’s like portraying a 3D world in 2D – some things just don’t translate. Still…Not that I hated Lothlorien – the EE version is much better than the theatrical – but I got the feeling that we’re going to meet aliens, as in Spielberg.
We meet the Lord and Lady of Light. Does Frodo see them this way, or does everyone? Merry’s face may have answered that question. Cate Blanchett was a good choice for the Queen of the Golden Wood. She’s beautiful - not young, like Arwen appears, though not old. And her voice is deep and just so…I don’t know. Authoritative?
And there’s that guy she’s standing by, whoever he is…
Celeborn, like Elrond, starts rattling off, and he seems a bit mechanical. Whatever – I’m still looking at Galadriel. Did you notice the sparkle in her eyes? It’s noted somewhere that when they filmed Cate, they used a light-thing with a bunch of little white lights attached, unlike when filming any of the other characters. You’ll see, if you look, white sparkles in her eyes, whereas in the other characters you may see only one sparkle. Once someone points it out to you, you can’t but help look for it.
But back to Celeborn. Was that the first question on the theater-goer’s mind? Did the Eight reach Lothlorien in complete secrecy? Whoa - I just can't wait for the answer...
Legolas states that the creature that Gandalf faced down was a 'Balrog of Morgoth'. Cool that.
And like in the book Galadriel probes each of the eight with her eyes. In Gimli I see reflected love; in Boromir fear. The Queen tells them about hope, about the quest hanging in the balance, then starts to send them off for some R&R. As she does this, she has a few special words for Frodo, and we end with a shot of her eyes, which in this shot are not attractive. Back on the ground, we see Legolas doing that elven 'catwalk' walk, and as the scene started, his twin did the same on one of the tree bridges. Didn't like that, as to me the elves aren't being portrayed as otherworldly, but shallow and two dimensional - CG - or something. At least Haldir appeared to be living and breathing.
As the elven choirs sing Gandalf to his rest, Gimli relaxes and Aragorn oddly enough sharpens his sword. That's out of place, as here there is peace and no need to prep for war. And why wouldn't he hand it off to some elf geek that for the last thousand years or so studied sword sharpening? Sam gets his two cents in about Gandalf's fireworks, and that's a little gem.
Why does Aragorn slug Gimli? To this day I haven't been able to figure out why, though surely it makes sense to others.
And now we have Aragorn counseling Boromir on taking some rest. Mr. Swordsharpener, the psychiatrist, is in the office.
Boromir's reveals his heart, and it is touching. This is not some evil man, waiting in the wings for a chance moment to seize the Ring. Here is a soul that stands on an edge, a precipice, and is not sure which way leads back home. Boromir seems to be torn; does he sacrifice his father and the realm of Gondor or reach for the Ring, sacrificing his honor and heart and all the ideals for which he has lived. PJ makes Boromir so much more sympathetic, as does Sean Bean. Reading about his passion is one thing, seeing Boromir struggle in the land between good and evil is another.
There go I.
Aragorn is neither as passionate nor compassionate as the Steward's firstborn. And you see Boromir reaching out to his brother, his liege - not King yet, but that too will come. Show me where dishonor or evil lies in this character? Though he is ailing, sick with the ring’s bite, he still reaches for his brother Aragorn. And think about it - a few minutes ago he was dissing Lord Aragorn in Rivendell. Just goes to show ya what a well-thrown sword can do for a relationship.
Elf feet leave prints in the grass.
Galadriel, walking like a typical elf, shimmers by. Assumedly Frodo is called, and so he follows her. How PJ resisted having Frodo kick the sleeping Pippin is beyond me - oh wait, we’ll save that kind of humor for TTT. Anyway, Frodo catches up with the daughter of Finarfin as she reaches her magic birdbath.
Just for a moment, and pretty silly, but what if the mirror were a hot tub?
Galadriel fills the silver basin with water after asking Frodo if he'd like a looksy. Here she seems a bit alien and scary, like she has the goods on you and is just playing you out a bit for her own fun. After a moment of doubt the mirror begins to show clips from the movies. There's Legolas, signifying what I have no clue. Sam and Pip give a look like they're awaiting Frodo. Then we're back in the Shire - under new management - and someone must have left her curling iron plugged in while out dancing at the Green Dragon. We see hobbits in chains, and Sam is whipped. They are being led to the mill. Grist or gristers, I'm not sure, but it's not good.
But why is Sam there, as if the Ring were recovered, surely Sam wouldn't make it back to the Shire? And if this is a variation of the past, well, short of a wormhole opening up, who cares? But I guess the message is that life could get bad for the hobbits, and we needed to see a hobbit that we know in chains and pain. Except for Pip, who might have elicited cheers.
And now that Eye's back, and it's sucking the chained Ring right out of Frodo's shirt. Frodo seizes the Ring and falls back/is flung back from the mirror. Galadriel states that she also saw the Eye, and Frodo is terrified of the Eye, or more likely Galadriel. And after she lets on that the fate of Middle Earth is on his shoulders, you might think that Frodo is starting to like that Eye thing better than his elvish friends (first Elrond and now Galadriel).
Galadriel drops a clue in, "He will try to take the Ring!" Again, as mentioned in a previous thread, is anyone NOT sure to whom she refers? And though Cate continues that the Ring will destroy the members of the Fellowship, I have my doubts and have stated them on this
thread. No one else even seems interested in the Ring. And here, in the movie, if Pip hasn't made a play for the Ring, no one will.
Finally, Frodo turns the table on Galadriel and offers her the One Ring.
And Galadriel's voice is no longer perfect. Cate adds a verbal shudder as the Queen is tempted. And then she drinks a cup of testosterone and goes She-Hulk. Wow! Well done, and though the evil Galadriel is still attractive (“all will love her…”), her eyes show the demon inside (“and will despair”). Then poof! The vision passes, as does her temptation, and she returns to the elf maid that she once was...well, close enough. She states that she passed the test, remains herself and will fade away.
Frodo is still freaked out. Wise gentle soul Gandalf doesn't want the Ring, Frodo is chased by Farmer Maggot's dogs, black horsemen pursue him, he has a really bad time in Bree, he's stabbed, then has to endure the verbal bludgeoning of Elrond, has to take the Ring again, Frodo is almost frozen, is almost eaten by a garden squid, is stalked by his uncle's nemesis, is attacked by orcs and speared by none other than a cave troll, gets chased by a First Age fire demon, is interrogated by elves then shown by these same new friends that the Shire will be utterly destroyed if Frodo makes any missteps, and when he tries to get off of this train of pain and place the Ring in more competent hands (wasn't that why Galadriel warned him about Boromir, to lower the Ring's selling price?), the elf Queen becomes a scary witch-demon-being.
I'd have stayed in my Bag End bed.
Note that Frodo would have had more success giving Galadriel the Ring if he were to have bent down on one knee and stated that he'd invested "two month's salary" in their relationship. At least that's the way it works in commercials...
But, as stated above, Frodo's feeling a little helpless, and here I can sympathize. Note that he's not whining, just saying that he can't do this alone - but you get the sense that at least he will not stop trying. And that's the difference between hero Frodo and the whining childish Frodo Baggage.
Galadriel shows her Ring to Frodo, and tells him that possession of a Ring makes one alone. Who was that guy she stood near before? Whatever. Then she tells Frodo that it IS all up to him, that if he can't do it, there's no other that can. Frodo should be able to believe this from what he's seen of ME's high and mighty, as they all go to pieces when there’s work to be done. More hero Frodo is demonstrated. He's afraid, but has a duty - a job to do. That's not the Frodo that we saw previously on the way up to Caradhras, or Weathertop, or at the Gate pool. Frodo doubts, but Galadriel reassures him with a line that I don't remember if it's in the books or not. Again, as some other poster noted, Frodo's hand clasps the Ring.
I will do this deed.
We're back to Orthanc for some orc biology. Saruman talks up his creation, stating that HIS orcs are better than that other guy's orcs. The
elvish stock information is a bit confusing, and this to0 was discussed elsewhere. If elves do not come from mud, then why do orcs? Saruman doesn't provide much information, but I don't hear anything stating that the Dark Powers created a new race, but perverted one already in existence. You can breed a really mean dog, but you still need to get the puppies in the usual way. Why did PJ want these orcs to be mud-born? Does it make their deaths more palatable to the audience, especially in light of Gandalf's words of wisdom in Moria?
Anyway, we get to see what happens when you give Uruks a can of paint and no brushes. "You were supposed to whitewash the walls, you idiots!" The smaller orcs prepare their larger brothers for war. One appendix states that the Uruk armor was to be somewhat light, for speed, and protective of the front of the creatures only, as they would not retreat and would always face their enemies. Saruman sends his small army off with some rousing words, and some special instructions for Lurtz. “Bring me some hobbits, unspoiled, and a side of fries and a large Pepsi.” They run off in search of the Eight Walkers. And as they have farther to travel, it actually makes sense, in the movie, that they leave their HQ before the Fellowship leaves the Golden Wood.
Back at the Naith, the Fellowship receive gifts from their elven hosts. All eight get the stylish and functional cloaks – which thankfully get used at least once. There’s the very cute joke about lembas, and I actually laughed at the hobbits’ chutzpah.
As the troop prepares to travel down the Anduin, they and we get an update on the present situation. Orcs to the left, orcs to the rights, some coming up from behind and more fun down river. Luckily, with most of ME’s dark forces arrayed against him, Aragorn gets an official “I visited Lothlorien” commemorative blade that will tip the scales back in his favor.
Finally, after enough words, the Fellowship casts off and starts their journey downriver in three small but exceptional canoes. Legolas remembers his gift, a new Galadhrim bow. Just the perfect present for our deadshot orc assassin. Much - and maybe to much – will be made of his newfound toy. Merry and Pippin get daggers – used, but maybe we’re to assume something there – and we know that Merry’s will play a big part later in RotK. And hopefully Pip finds not only his courage but a clue as well. Sam receives some hithlain rope, then shows poor manners by asking another boon. Was Sam cute in asking for a dagger? He’s a farm boy, not a warrior, and so it didn’t work well for me.
The scene between Gimli and Galadriel is excellent. Why PJ demotes Gimli to a clown’s role later is beyond me, as here is the serious thoughtful side of Gimli that I enjoy. We have to wait a moment to find the end of that beauty and beast tale.
Aragorn already received his gift in Arwen, and so no green glass for him. Grammy Galadriel (did I get that right?) has some words for her future grandson-in-law. Aragorn wishes that Arwen left ME, as, being a guy, knows that that plays well with the family. We’ll note that later we never see Aragorn leading Arwen off to the Havens at the start of the Fourth Age. But anyway, Galadriel lets Aragorn know that he will either become King or crash and burn – not that that’s too prophetic, as Aragorn can only wed Arwen if he is King, and so what other options are there?
Frodo gets the starglass. As this was omitted from the theatrical version, PJ bet heavily that most people would see the extended movie versions. Otherwise, parts of TTT and RotK make no sense.
Oops! I meant to say
even more parts of TTT make no sense.
Frodo gets a kiss and a direct quote from the text. And I like that now, in this scene, that Galadriel is more ‘human’ and not alien. She’s still beautiful and all that, but more in our world.
And finally, we get to hear of the love between two very alien creatures – Galadriel and Gimli. PJ nailed this perfectly, and I only wish that, now and again, Gimli (and even the other characters) could have a moment of serious reflection and expression of something more that just hack-attack-action. When John Rhys-Davies says, “She gave me three.” I could just cheer. This scene is worth the price of the extended DVD version as we get to see Gimli as more than just a short rough axe man, but also his amazement at/pondering of Galadriel’s excessive gift, his feelings and a warming between he and Legolas, who for once isn’t announcing that evil approaches or is shooting something with arrows.
Truly a gem.
But the river moves on, out of the Gore and down south. The Fellowship’s road is clear before them, to follow where the river leads.
At least for now.