# LoTR: Two Towers - unacceptable moments **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 7, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151 "2003-10-07T21:19:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/1 "2003-10-07T21:19:05Z")
Okay, I know there’s alot of love for these movies around the SDMB, but I have to point out some laziness I noticed the third time I watched it: 1. In the battle scene (I can’t recall the location) with the Uruk’Hai battling the elves and men at night at the wall, someone eats it and let’s out a **STOCK SOUND EFFECT** scream. **UNACCEPTABLE!** This was one of two stock sounds used in the film that really stood out to me and made me wince. I forget right now where the other one was… 2. In the same scene, inside the walls the villagers are hiding and a group of children sits with some elderly adults. One of them is that adorable child from the FotR (the scene where Bilbo is telling the story about the trolls to the jumpy kids) with a wig on, I swear! **THEY RE-USED AN EXTRA! UNACCEPTABLE!** It’s little things like these that depreciate movies for me. Any movie with a foundation like LotR MUST produce it’s own resources. Anything less is lazy! ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/2 "2003-10-07T21:28:59Z")
Very funny. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/3 "2003-10-07T21:29:03Z")
That reused extra is Peter Jackson’s son. ---
**Author:** ![Sanscour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Sanscour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sanscour)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/4 "2003-10-07T21:38:28Z")
> [@](#): > > **someone eats it and let’s out a STOCK SOUND EFFECT scream. UNACCEPTABLE!** I agree. I remember hearing that and thinking, “Holy shit, they still USE that??” I remember that sound effect from Return of the Jedi. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/5 "2003-10-07T21:51:30Z")
That sound effect is the [Wilhelm Scream](http://www.hollywoodlostandfound.net/wilhelm.html) and is an inside joke amongst sound effects people. ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/6 "2003-10-07T22:09:02Z")
Huge Tolkien fan here. There’s another moment/aspect that I find totally unacceptable: During the Helm’s Deep battle, we see units of pole-arm or pike armed infantry successfully attacking fortified walls. Pikes are useless, too big and clumsy, while attaching a siege. You want you soldiers to have large shields, for the arrows, and short or medium sords they can carry sheathed whild climbing ladders and draw at the top. The one situation where pole arms excell are in having infantry fight infantry, or especially cavalry. And what do we see? The cavalry charge at the end totally wiping out the infantry units… Granted the cavalry totally flanked the evil army, and you can’t turn those pikes around right quick, but at some point some of these evil soldiers NCOs would have gotten their at together… It just burns me to no end that such a carefully researched and detailed film made such an obvious blunder… ---
**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/7 "2003-10-07T22:11:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Terminus Est \* > \*\*That sound effect is the [Wilhelm Scream](http://www.hollywoodlostandfound.net/wilhelm.html) and is an inside joke amongst sound effects people. \*\* This is the kind of informative post I desire. I never knew this, and now I understand. It _doesn’t_ excuse the use of it in a dramatic movie though. But what are my words, other than one consumer’s opinion… Using Peter Jackson’s child twice in the movie for two different extras is an insult to the viewer’s desire to see an AIRTIGHT story. But once again, it’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/8 "2003-10-07T22:13:52Z")
Heh, then I better not tell you about a certain short, pudgy bearded extra who shows up in FOTR, and _twice_ in TTT. 🙂 All movies constantly re-use extras, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Tremmie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Tremmie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tremmie)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/9 "2003-10-07T22:15:26Z")
Maybe you missed this part but when Gandalf and Eomer charge at the orcs (who where holding pikes which should’ve decimated the cavalry) Gandalf does something that blinds the orcs and they drop their pikes and turn to flee. It might just had been the dawn that blinded the orcs, but the point the remains that they charged into panicked fleeing orcs, not an organized army holding their pikes ready. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/10 "2003-10-07T22:25:38Z")
It isn’t just the dawn. Gandalf shines, just as he did when Aragorn & co. came upon him in the forest. ---
**Author:** ![lilbtagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@lilbtagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilbtagna)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/11 "2003-10-07T22:45:16Z")
Actually, I think Peter Jackson’s son _and_ daughter are used as extras in the movie. They’re both hobbit children listening to Bilbo tell his story in FOTR and they’re both in the cave in TTT. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/12 "2003-10-07T23:02:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by criminalcatalog \* > \*\*Using Peter Jackson’s child twice in the movie for two different extras is an insult to the viewer’s desire to see an AIRTIGHT story. But once again, it’s just me. \*\* Tongue firmly in cheek, attempting to match the tone of the OP here… _ahem_ And they used yet **ANOTHER** extra twice! The drunk guy who towers over the Hobbits in the street as they first arrived in Bree (you hear him belch), and a nameless warrior on the wall at Helm’s Deep! **SAME GUY!** I mean, do they really expect us to believe that this same person, who gets all of about four seconds of screen time combined in the two films, is in both places? COME ON! **UNACCEPTABLE!!** 'Course, the extra is actually Peter Jackson himself… but still! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/13 "2003-10-08T00:45:42Z")
I mean, what, are we supposed to believe this is some sort of MAGIC xylophone? I sure hope someone lost their job over that… ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/14 "2003-10-08T01:31:47Z")
Those Dunlanders didn’t look very Dunlendish, either. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/15 "2003-10-08T02:55:20Z")
Frodo showed the ring to a Ringwraith. Not unacceptable, unforgivabale. Boo, you fuck! Boo! ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/16 "2003-10-08T03:08:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pravnik \* > \*\*Frodo showed the ring to a Ringwraith. > > Not unacceptable, unforgivabale. > > Boo, you fuck! Boo! \*\* 1. Frodo had the ring out to put it on, not to show it to the ringwraith. 2. Ringwraiths can’t see. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/17 "2003-10-08T03:14:00Z")
Thank you, **arisu**. ---
**Author:** ![Cholo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/18 "2003-10-08T03:35:35Z")
I’ll venture in here. There’s one bit of dialog that always stuck out as odd to me. There’s a scene where Merry and Pippen are being threatened during their capture. The orcs are complaining that they have nothing to eat but nasty stuff. One of the orcs turns to the Shire-folk and states they would be pretty tasty. The Uruk’Hai leader kindly explains that this would be unacceptable and somehow one of the orcs gets killed in the ensuing fight. Here’s what gets me: The Uruk’Hai shouts _“Looks like meat is back on the menu, boy!”_ First off…is this in the book? I can’t imagine it is. What menu have the Uruk’Hai’s ever ordered from? I mean…menus??? When did that historically even come about? And the term “boys” too just doesn’t fit either. It’s used as a term of camaraderie which seems SO out of place. What did Jackson do? Ask those actors to improvise their lines? Does this bother anybody else? I can hardly watch this scene without wincing. ---
**Author:** ![Cholo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/19 "2003-10-08T03:37:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cholo \* > **The Uruk’Hai shouts _"Looks like meat is back on the menu, boy!"_** Of course I meant to say _"boys_ ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151/20 "2003-10-08T05:21:57Z")
Yeah! And that time that Elrond spoke Elvish in the **future-perfect** case rather than the more correct **present-sorta-valar** case. I am sooo pissed. What were they thinking?!? Bastards!!! 😃 To be fair, a few changes in film 2 bothered me a bit. But parsing “meat on the menu” seems excessive. But maybe that’s just me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-two-towers-unacceptable-moments/206151.md?page=2)