LotR1-FotR-Seq12

[Elladan and Elrohir]

I will repeat what I said in an earlier thread: Lothlorien is the worst part of the three movies. I'm open to argument. That being said, it's not really that bad; the extended edition really makes a huge improvement, and obviously, the final scene, featuring an intense Celeborn, a belly-aching Pippin, and a refreshingly serious look at Gimli, is very well done.

I just don't like the look and feel of Lothlorien. It seems to be far more mysterious and dark than it is beautiful. I do agree with what alatar said about the difficulties of capturing this on film, and maybe the filmmakers went this route on purpose so they wouldn't have to perform the impossible. The music, too -- it's great music, but to me it just doesn't fit the spirit of the book. I guess eerie is the word I'm looking for -- eerie Lorien, eerie music, and a really eerie Galadriel.

The part that doomed this entire sequence for me was the flashing eyes and "Welcome, Frodo of the Shire, one who has seen the Eye!", which was way too spooky for me. I mean, c'mon, Galadriel's undoubtedly the most powerful Elf in Middle-earth, but I don't think she's like this.

Cate Blanchett, of course, is a marvelous actress, extremely well-casted. It's not her fault, even if she did only sign up for the pointy ears.

As we already pointed out on a previous thread, PJ, the master of subtleties, has Galadriel tell Frodo that Boromir will take the Ring. Brilliant work, that. Way to keep up our suspense, Pete. I mean, it does heighten the suspense in one way by letting us in on what's going to happen without telling us HOW it'll happen, but considering that Boromir's struggle with the Ring gets so much screen time, I just don't think it's smart to tell us, "Yep, he loses."

Ah well, this sequence will lead us into the final scenes into the film, which I hold to be a masterpiece of filmmaking. Down Anduin we go, to Amon Hen and Parth Galen, and the doom that awaits us there!