Gandalf Vs. The Witch King

[Essex]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

This thread apparently never dies!
I think the never ending arguments about who is more powerful, Gandalf or the Witchking, are beside the point.
In the book the moment when they are poised against each other at the gate is full of tension, just because it is not clear to the reader who might be stronger. Gandalf is not without fear (as Pippin notices, in the book), but to show him thrown to the ground and looking helpless and hopeless is so out of character. He should just stand there and not give way. The dramatic moments are obviously never dramatic enough for PJ - he has always the tendency to overdo them, which, for me at least, ruins them. (Same with the Sammath Naur scene)

Guinevere, my head was nodding so much in agreement reading this that it almost fell off. What stopped it was the last sentence in brackets. But that's worthy of ANOTHER thread in itself!!!!! I thought the Sammath Naur scene (though different) worked really well movie wise!

Anyway back to Gandalf / WK - Absolutley - I think you've hit the nail on the head. I have been so vociferous against posters who say Gandalf's DEFINATELY stronger than WK blah blah blah - he may well have been but we DON'T KNOW THIS.

What you state is so true to what I think Tolkien was getting across here. There is SO much tension whilst reading this in the book. To get this scene full of tension (for NON book readers who are in the majority - sorry but that's true - these films were for them just as much as for us - even the EE I would hazard to guess) - PJ added more of a situation in Gandalf looking weaker so that we can see the Rohirrim, and therefore the World of Men, saving the day.

But to show Gandalf thrown to the ground and apparently beat I now admit to not liking - But only because Guinevere states a very good case, not just GANDALF IS FAR BETTER THAN THE WK, or in other words my dad's bigger than yours.

Cheers Gunivere! After just over 1 year I finally concede that by having Gandalf prostrate on the Floor is a bit over the top!