Best moments of Lord of the Rings (spoilers)

Cafe Society
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FOTR:
-when the fellowship comes up over that hill in slow motion with their theme playing full-blast for the first time. AIEE! i love that part SO much!!
-boromir. but especially “they have a cave troll.”
-(EE) merry and pippin dancing on the table in the green dragon
-“buckleberry ferry! follow me!”
-um, just everything that involves haldir. ow OW! lol
-the beginning. the last alliance kicks so much ass. i get goosebumps. especially when elrond is yelling in elvish to the archers. i dunno what it is, but it sounds like “AKALOHAIII!” XD
-so much about gandalf… i really like the part where he’s reading the old book in balin’s tomb… “we cannot get out… they are coming.” EEYI!

and too many more…

TTT:
-like someone else said, the shot of gandalf and the balrog falling into the bowels of the earth where they’re just a flaming speck in the distance. wow.
-the black gate! oh my god, HOW sweet is that!!?
-i love rohan–i love the characters, the mindblowingly incredible setting, and the music. miranda otto is a perfect eowyn.
-the scene between eowyn and wormtongue. shiver he is SOO creepy. and just right on.
-i know this is hotly debated, but i LOVE the elves’ arrival at Helm’s Deep–they’re just too freakin cool! and the lorien theme as a battle march with the drums in the background is just awesome.
-gollum’s debate and gollum at the forbidden pool (XDD!)
-possibly the best scene ever: sam and gollum fighting over the food. (“PO-TA-TOES!”)
-frodo and sam at the end in the boat. lots of tears.

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Favorite movie bit:

When they ended. Damn I had a serious case of theater-seat-backache after sitting there for so long.

Favorite book bit:

Shelob’s Lair

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When they have finally all crossed the falling steps in Moria and the Fellowship theme is played at full ‘volume’.

The balrogs fire breath, in which you can almost feel the heat, and when he stands up to Gandalf and sorta ‘cracks’. Its amazingly realistic

Gimli, Aragon and Legolas killing Urak-hai at Amon Hen

The whole Moria battle scene, and Gandalfs slow reading of the Balin’s book.

TTT: When the man archers accidently looses his arrow. I can’t describe why, its just funny/scary/realistic all at once.

Gollum’s sililoquy

Dead Marshes and Forbidden Pool (did PJ enter into my mind for these scenes :P?!)

All the Legolas bits from Helms Deep and the final ride out.

The intro with Gandalf - gets you involved instantly

I won’t write about RoTK cos i don’t know how to do spoilers!!

I have read the three books three times now, and i still can’t really get too annoyed with PJ et al. as the movies have just been so good and detailed, moving, engrossing etc.
Ok it would have been nice to have the Hourns, or the proper Ents debate, but you’ve got to be realistic both as a fan and as a critic and understand to stick to the total plot would be 4 + hours.
But i still think the movies are no substitue for the the books. Some bits are a little lenghty or not so important, but the beauty of a book is that you can imagine it, be in it, and emmerse yourself in it. Whereas a movie is more, you watching, and you being told when to start and finish, a book is yours!

BTW, i only read LoTR, Hobbit and Silmarrilon after i saw FoTR for the first time, thats how much i liked that i went home, got all the books(that my bro had) and proceded to read them over the next few months.!!

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FOTR: Weathertop. Perfectly horrifying nazgul, and that Wagnerian music (complete with the violins going into a high screeching crescendo) is orgasmic.

The prologue: Sauron smacking the s***t out of a dozen guys at a time with his mace. Scary!

EE: Concerning Hobbits: I’m so glad PJ put this back in! I like this sequence and the aforementioned Green Dragon scene. I can’t get enough of the Shire.

The whole soundtrack of FOTR, which I have on CD and when I listen to it on Mr. Pug’s audiophile stereo, I cannot BELIEVE the rich mosaic of ethnic instruments, voices, and themes. Classical music is alive and well, folks, you just have to look for it on movie soundtracks.

TTT: You’re right, Epigamcracker, that Black Gate was mind-blowing. I can’t wait to see its reappearance in ROTK!

Frodo lying awake, fondling the Ring.

Gollum’s argument of conscience with himself.

Every single little minute of Helm’s Deep.

[minor hijack] On the FOTR:EE DVD, during the cast commentary, did anyone else think that John Rhys-Davies is a big blowhard? [/end minor hijack]

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My favorite part of TTT (movie) is when they are looking at the pile of orc bodies (burned by Eomer and his men) and Aragorn stares at it, screams in frustration, and falls to his knees. It just sums up the frustration of the whole enterprise, how Aragorn feels responsible for the situation, etc. “Gahhhhh!” is all I’d have to say if I were in that situation.

My favorite part of FOTR (movie) is also probably the waterhorses at the Ford.

My favorite part of FOTR (book) is probably the whole Moria part, maybe it’s because I’m scared of the dark, but it always freaks me out, even before the Balrog.

My favorite part of TTT (book) is Faramir, I [heart] him. And the one small part where Frodo & Sam look at the fallen head of the King statue, and how flowers have grown about the forehead in a crown.

My favorite part of ROTK (book) is when Aragorn and Eomer run into each other at one of the big battles. They “lean on their swords” and have a little chat while the battle rages around them. Love it! And everything to do w/ Eowyn, of course.

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Just curious…is it really 983, or is that a WAG for the sake of exaggeration?

~Ferry

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Ferry! You didn’t count the orcs during the battle scenes?!?!

:slight_smile:

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In FOTR, when Frodo says he’ll take on the quest, and Gandalf’s expression is amazing- I thought you might, but I was REALLY hoping you wouldn’t. Does Gandalf also foresee the quest ending with Frodo’s death, as the elves do?

Ian McKellan is magnificent.

Oh, and for the record- Legolas, Legolas, Legolas! I’m such a girl!

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I second the cool, smirky look Aragorn gives the uruks.

And Gandalf’s reading of the book. “Drums, drums…in the Dee…P”

But when the skeleton falls, and the echoes stop, and then you hear the soft drums…WOOOOOOOOW, a chill runs through me. The reading and the actual drums togehter are irrevocably linked.

But actually, my favorite part is right after they are trapped in Moria.
“Be on your guard.
It is a 4 day journey
to the other side.
Let us hope our passage
goes unnoticed.
There are older
…and fouler
…things than orcs
…in the deep
…places of the world.”

ONLY possible in a movie!

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Err… twas meant to be wild ludicrous hyperbole.

I’m sure that in reality there were only 912 :wink:

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I think this was even better in the movie and is my second-favorite scene–Gandalf hears it and closes his eyes, like he’s thinking “Crap. I really hoped that wouldn’t happen.”

For me the books have been enhanced by the movies and music. I think the strongest moment in FoTR is after Gandalf falls in Khazad-dum–the music changes to a high-pitched aria, the film goes to slow motion and muffled sounds, with Frodo shouting “Gandalf!” Wow.

In TTT, the assault on Isenguard is wonderful and is my favorite scene, with the music rising in crescendo (and again we get a single voice singing–track 17 on the soundtrack), and the action cutting back to Helm’s Deep.

Wow. And don’t get me started about the song “In Dreams” in “The Breaking of the Fellowship” on the FoTR soundtrack…

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FOTR:
When Merry and Pippin are messing with Gandalf’s fireworks. I can see myself in that scene.

The entire “running from the Balrog” sequence at the Bridge of Khazad-Dum. I love how you only see the glow from the Balrog and the drumming of his steps until the very last moment. Built up the tension very nicely. The first time I saw it, I was absolutely terrified when it finally came into view.

Boromir’s death. I hated him through the entire movie (and book), but his death completely redeemed his earlier shadiness.

Tcubed:

Gandalf falling with the Balrog. Just…perfect.

Sam and Frodo meet Gollum. I was almost afraid to see Gollum because the few shadowy scenes of him in FOTR were so creepy, but once I saw him in daylight, he really wasn’t so bad.

Frodo falls into the Dead Marshes. Better than I imagined it.

ENTS! There are ENTS! I love ENTS! I get all fangirly over ENTS! I want an ENT!

(By the way, did any one else notice the willow ent? It reminded me of Old Man Willow in the Tom Bombadil chapters in FOTR.)

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Movie moments:

FOTR: as mentioned before, the look on Gandalf’s face when Frodo sees the inscription on the ring becoming visible. Ian McKellan was hosed by the Oscars.

Ford of Bruinen. Would rather have seen it shot as in the book, though, with Frodo defiant–“you shall have neither the Ring nor me.”

“What about second breakfast? Elevenses? …”

TTT: the arrival of the elves at Helm’s Deep. The slack-jawed expression on the Rohan soldier as they march past him. Just one shot–the elves turning their heads in perfect unison…so damn cool.

The Easterlings marching up to the Black Gate.

“I’m his gardner”.

The horn of Helm Hammerhand.

Legolas getting on the horse.

All time, favorite, book moment: Grond. Witch-king. Gandalf. Gates of Gondor. Ride of the Rohirrim…just thinking about how it could/will look on the screen gives me chills.
Gandalf’s wink when he gets to keep his staff when entering the Golden Hall at Edoras.

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And let’s not forget Treebeard’s moment of Pure Ent Fury when he saw what Saruman did to the southern edge of the forest. Being Saruman then would not be a good thing.

The best scene of all, though, is the Ents cleaning up Isengard. Do not meddle in the domain of Ents for they will f# your s# up once they get hold of you.

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The scene with the Riders of Rohan charging down the hill at Helm’s Deep–the morning sun breaking behind them and Gandalf in the lead–was the most stunning and glorious moment I’ve ever seen in a movie.

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Sam: Athelas, ah, it’s a weed!

(Commentary: Sean Astin: I’ll bet it’s a weed…

                  Elijah Wood: Mm-hm)
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Gah! I was going to say that. There’s Gandalf, who’s just been mocked and told to “die now and curse in vain.” He sits like a stone on Shadowfax’s back, and just then, incongruously, a cock crows, and in answer: “Horns, horns, horns… Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.” Dang, there go the short hairs even as I type.

And then the Witch-King’s come-uppance a few pages later. “Thou fool! No living man may harm me!”, to which Dernhelm spoiler replies “But no living man am I!” and her helm falls off to reveal a distinctly unmasculine hairstyle.[/spoiler] You can almost hear the WK muttering: “Bugger!”

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Yeah, I think the scouring is pretty important, showing how the characters have “grown up” and how they’re going to take care of their world once the elves and wizards are gone. I understand Jackson’s decision not to put it in, but I wish Sam had received the soil in the movie (EE), instead of the rope. It means that in the movie version, the scouring isn’t really possible, not just untold. Oh well…

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“…stupid prophecy loopholes…”

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FotR Book: When Frodo finds Bilbo in the House of Fire(?) in Rivendell.

FotR Film: When the Nazgul march into The Prancing Pony and Butterbur is hiding with a look of absolute dread on his face. Death of Boromir.

FotR EE: When Gandalf utters the ring poem in the tongue of Mordor at the Council of Elrond.

TTT Book: Possible RotK film spoiler When Sam bids Frodo’s body farewell and takes up the ring not out of the lure of the ring, but in his love for Frodo and the need to complete the quest. The entire Jetsam and Flotsam chapter with the reuniting of friends and a barrel of pipeweed.

TTT Film: The charge down the hill at the end is so incredibly perfect it is hard to put into words. When Wormtongue tells Saruman he would need an army of thousands to wipe out the race of men and Saruman leads him onto the balcony where the entire army of Isengard awaits. Wormtongue sheds a single tear and you can see three distinct emotional changes(IMHO): Awe at Saruman accomplishing such a task, fear at what will happen next, and despair that he realizes that he helped consign the race of men to what surely is to be their doom. It is at that moment that Wormtongue realizes that even as Saruman’s apprentice, learning the honeyed speech of his master, he is revealed at last to be the most enslaved puppet in Saruman’s empire of lies and treachery.

RotK Book. The entire chapters of The Scouring of the Shire and The Grey Havens. I hope hope HOPE beyond all reason that although Jackson is taking out the Scouring he will do proper justice to the Grey Havens. If he does it right there won’t be a dry eye in the house.