**RotK - Merry (Dominic Monaghan)

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Did you enjoy Merry's scenes and Monaghan's acting?

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Indeed I thought Merry came across very well. Especially his sad scenes. They were very well done and full of emotion.<P>Pretty faultless methinks.

[Enorëiel]

Very well done. Didn't seem to see him too much though. From what was seen - very good, he really pulled through. I especially loved him during the Eowyn/Merry scenes. Those two were quite a pair.

[Shy Hobbit]

I loved him, of course, but he was noticably different in this film. His reaction to being swept up by one of the Rohirrim and the realization of who it was seemed a bit odd. <P>"My lady!! " Hehe.

[burrahobbit]

There was no relationship between Merry and Theoden shown. I'm not sure I liked that.

[Diamond18]

Yes - a shame they left that out. It better be in the EE (I've seen still shots of him bowing before Theoden. It has to be!)<P>I liked what I saw of Merry. But I didn't really get the same feeling of acute helplessness and lonliness, because the Ride of the Rohirrim was edited down. I just about cry when I read those parts of the book. Oh well. I also missed the way he trailed into Minas Tirith, almost forgotten in the drama over Eowyn and Theoden, and Pippin found him wandering alone. (Let's all pause to burst into tears.) The way they did it in the movie was okay, fine, all that, but I just <I>really</I> loved that part of the book. I didn't expect it though, because it takes a lot of time and has to do with the Houses of Healing which they cut out.<P>His part in the slaying of the Witch King, though there, could easily be missed by non-bookers. Oh well. Their loss, not mine.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Ah yes, the scene where a bewildered Merry bumps into Pippin in Minas Tirith is one of my favourite parts of the book.<P>No Houses of Healing, so forget about including that scene! *sob*<P>I also agree about the lack of love for Theoden being a bad thing. Could possibly be amended in the EE.<P>Monaghan though, was excellent.

[Lily Bracegirdle]

Merry was the overlooked hobbit this time. The others all got ample opportunity to shine. I missed his relationship with Theoden and his scene in the Houses of Healing with Aragorn.<P>-Lily

[Finwe]

Even though Merry was more than a little overlooked, I still loved how, at the Black Gate, he and Pippin were the first to charge at the Orc army right after Aragorn. It really tells you something about Hobbit-courage. You can never beat it!!!!

[Sapphire_Flame]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I still loved how, at the Black Gate, he and Pippin were the first to charge at the Orc army right after Aragorn. It really tells you something about Hobbit-courage. You can never beat it!!!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Indeed! <P>I agree that Merry was definitely the overlooked hobbit this time round, so I feel a little sorry for him. But when he was there, he really shone. The farewell scene with Pip was really well acted (almost had me in tears), and Merry running up to the watch-tower to keep an eye on Pip as long as possible was sweet. Monaghan did a brilliant job.<P>Abedithon le,<P>~*~Aranel~*~

[Rose Cotton]

I think that the one thing that I didn't like about this film was that there wasn't enough of Merry. Everytime the film would go back to the Rohirim I would always be looking around the screen and going "Where is MERRY?"<P>When he was there I thought he was brilliant. Hopefully we'll see more of him in the EE.

[MYyyPreciousSS]

Yet again, Merry, the overlooked Hobbit.... Merry is the best hobbit of them all! (ok, well to me he is at least.) I really wish there would have been more of him in the movie. Most of the really touching parts with him in Rotk, were not shown in the film. Yet, I throughly enjoyed all the scenes that did make it. I loved his look when he first got to wear the armor. Then when Frodo is leaving he seems to be crying the hardest; it just breaks my heart to see. You see him with his arm around Pippin, and it's so touching. <BR>One of my favorite lines of his in the film was when he said to Pip, after he asks if they will see each other soon, "I don't know. I don't know whats going to happen." I love the way he says it, and it's so true to what Merry would say. He is still just a hobbit who doesn't know whats going on, yet is shows that he is trying to be brave. Also when him and Pip are the first to run the charge after Aragorn and when the ring is destroyed, and you see him yelling "Frodo!" in truimph, it gives me chills (along with with every battle cry he does.) <BR>I think Dominic is an great actor, very big fan of his. He did a good job with Merry.

[Carlas]

Yes, Merry was definatley over-looked in this movie, but so much was going on in the film. Dominic, I always thought, is an amazing actor! He is very convincing, especially in his crying scenes, he really makes you want to cry with him. It's just sad that he couldn't have a bigger part to really show his talent.

[The Saucepan Man]

Monaghan, like all the Hobbit actors in this film, was exceptional. But I am with those who have pointed out that he is the "overlooked Hobbit" in the film. I love the development of Merry and Pippin in the book, and this was brought out extremely well in the film with Pippin's character. But I would have liked to have seen more of this with Merry. He should have had the opportunity to pledge his service to Theoden, in parallel with Pippin's oath to Denethor. I suspect that this will be in the EE, as it was filmed. I would also like to have seen more made of his involvement in the slaying of the Witch-King. His moment is so brief, it could almost be missed.<P>But he really shone in the scene where Merry and Pippin were parted. His final lines to Pippin here were heartbreaking.

[Lord of Angmar]

I agree Saucepan. Merry and Theoden's relationship never really took shape at all, which I found sad. In fact, their only real interaction was when Theoden harshly denied Merry a chance to ride with the Rohirrim to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Very sad, but I still enjoyed Merry's character, overlooked though it may have been. Merry was particularly exception without really saying anything when it showed him crying "Frodo!" at the Black Gate and when it showed him along with the other three hobbits at the crowning of Aragorn. His expressions were very good.

[Evisse the Blue]

Overlooked indeed! every single scene in which he could have played a larger part was either erased entirely (pledging to Theoden)or minimized his importance in it (slaying of the Witchking). Gotta wonder whom Dom ****ed off this time! <P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> "My lady!! " Hehe. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I laughed out loud at that - couldn't help it! Fortunately, the audience joined me...

[Lost One]

He is on record as saying he had 12 scenes missing from the theatrical version, so there is plenty of potential for the EE. I have been trying to think what they might be: Theoden, of course, and presumably the Houses of Healing, but what else? Farewell to Treebeard? Parting from Aragorn and the others? En route with the Rohirrim?

[Goldberry]

I was really dissapointed about the lack of Merry/Theoden scenes, but for what was in the movie, Monaghan did an awesome job. I loved the Merry/Pippin scenes and his scene with Eowyn. I thought Dom did a great job in showing how much Merry really wanted to go and fight. Bravo!

[Beanamir of Gondor]

has anyone noticed how many posts there are on Billy Boyd's fan forum versus how many are on Dom's? Merry is the overlooked hobbit, I agree, and also the overlooked actor. There was this magazine article about the four hobbits' actors, and I thought it was terrible how, after they had finished filming LOTR, everybody was working [Elijah on a new cartoon, Billy on 'Master and Commander', Sean on something else, I haven't seen it yet, Orlando on fifty million other things, Sean Bean on 'Don't Say a Word', Viggo on 'Hidalgo'] but nobody offered Dominic a part in any movie, cartoon or no. He said he was a little depressed for a while.<BR>I agree, also, that there was not enough of Merry and Theoden in the movies. Theoden was like 'You're staying here' and Merry's like 'I don't want to' and Theoden's like 'Screw you wanting to, you're too little'.<BR>And they skipped the Houses of Healing. Gaahhh.

[Lyta_Underhill]

I have to agree with most of you here: Merry seemed "excised" from the ROTK theatrical film. I really missed the interactions and friendship between Merry and Theoden, and I think it detracts from both their characters. I really hope at least some of those 12 cut scenes of Dom's make it into the EE! Also, on a tangent, one of Dom's projects currently sounded VERY interesting, and I'd love to see it if I can! <A HREF="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371902/" TARGET=_blank>The Purifiers (2004)</A><BR>Cheers!<BR>Lyta

[Sapphire_Flame]

Thanks for linking to that, Lyta! That sounds very interesting, I'll have to find out more.<P>I think one of Merry's missing scenes might be in the Druadan Forest. I do remember hearing that someone had been cast for Ghan, so I guess that scene may be included in the EV. And that would definitely mean more screen time for Merry. What do you all think?<P>Abedithon le,<P>~*~Aranel~*~

[Beanamir of Gondor]

Whoa nice link to The Purifiers! Had no idea that was coming up.<P>I happened to check Amazon at a hint from Estelyn, and I found an older movie, an Inspector Morse flick, that Dom was in the last half of. <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764010638/qid=1074188969/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-0092899-5624641?v=glance&s=video" TARGET=_blank>Monsieur Renard</A><P>Hope that link works, check it out!

[Beanamir of Gondor]

Wow I wasn't here for two months and I'm still the last one to post on this thread? Wow, it's official--nobody here likes Dom much. For those of you who do, I found a more friendly forum. Try this! Dom Forum Here!

Bye now!

[ninlaith]

What can I say about Dom?? What isn't there to say..he is truly a great guy. Honestly a guy I know met him a few weeks ago at a comic book convention and said that he truly was Merry. Just an all around great and funny as anything guy. I know he probably didn't get to say more than the usual chit chat about the weather and that "Hey you were Merry in LOTR!!" but even if he hadn't talked to him I would still believe what he said. Any interview I've seen with him has been filled with such poise and charisma I can only admire his attitude about everything. And he's a wonderful impressionist. He's so funny when he does that. His portrayl of Merry was breath taking. He totally captured him. I would have loved to have met him myself. Just, I know an audience can tell when an actor puts his heart and soul into a performance and his was truly amazing..for lack of a better word. He is just a person to admire.