Lord of the Rings

[Amazing Mumford]

It seems to me at that point in the story all three of the key players had failed: Frodo and Gollum to keep from being overpowered by the Ring, and Sam to prevent Frodo from succumbing. I don't think there were any noble intentions involved when Gollum fell, but it was an accident that was fated to happen

You're right. That is probably what Tolkien intended. I actually never thought of it that way. Of course, I tend to skim over the endings of books--even classics like LOTR--so that's how I ended up with my own version...lol

One thing I've noticed in a lot of reviews I've read by fans of the book has been great disappointment over the omission of the Faramir and Eowyn romance angle. I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only one who never liked that angle much in the first place. Aragorn and Arwen never thrilled me either, but it always seemed to me that Faramir and Eowyn were just settling for each other, or more to the point, she was settling for him and making that clear so that he wound up feeling like a loser

You are not alone in disliking the Eowyn-Faramir romance. Eowyn was clearly in love with Aragorn (especially in the movie) so it seemed kind of random and unnecessarily thrown together when she fell in love with Faramir. I also agree that it makes Faramir's character seem less important--like he's only good enough for Aragorn's "leftovers." Besides, those romance scenes would have dragged down the pace of the movie a lot.

To be honest, they did a fantastic job of adapting ROTK. There aren't any scenes I'd have added and they left out my least favorites from the book. I'm especially glad they left out the "Scouring of the Shire" at the end as that seemed awfully anti-climatic in the book.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

Yeah, I didn't miss the Scouring of the Shire much; leaving it out makes for a much more completely peaceful ending. It's nicer to think that the Shire itself has remained uncorrupted. Still, it has an important place in the book and winds up all right in spite of its underlying sadness.
Erin

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

My brother has to do this big project for school where he has to put together a box with a particular theme. He's completely obsessed with LOTR right now - that makes two of us - and is finally making the hobbit hole I begged him to make me a couple years ago. For his project - but he tells me I can have it after he gets it back! It's this huge wire-and-clay deal that he's been working on for pretty much the past 24 hours solid. He was up until 5:30 working on it before he finally crashed. It's quite large, and he's using a bowl to work around until it takes shape. He's individually forming every blade of grass and bit of moss... it's incredible. I'll hafta see if I can put a picture up when he's done. I think he oughtta shoot ol' PJ a letter and see if he can get in on the design team for "The Hobbit"...
Erin

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

To be honest, they did a fantastic job of adapting ROTK.

I agree. Most of the changes they did make were extremely true to the characters and fleshed them out. Some of the dialogue, I thought, was incredible; all three trilogies are so quotable, and half the quotable quotes aren't from Tolkien but you'd never know it. They do such a marvelous job of being true to his style. And I think that the scene with Faramir's charge ought to get some sort of special recognition. That is one of the most haunting scenes I have ever seen and heard in a movie.
Erin

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Perhaps someone knows what species the dragons the wraiths ride are?

Read the actual name of these in Cinefx today...Fell Beasts.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

You are not alone in disliking the Eowyn-Faramir romance. Eowyn was clearly in love with Aragorn (especially in the movie) so it seemed kind of random and unnecessarily thrown together when she fell in love with Faramir. I also agree that it makes Faramir's character seem less important--like he's only good enough for Aragorn's "leftovers." Besides, those romance scenes would have dragged down the pace of the movie a lot.

I believe the Eowyn/Faramir romance angle will be expanded in next fall's Extended Edition DVD, as will Saruman's demise, Sauron's fear of Aragorn and the reason Arwen was dying.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

I believe the Eowyn/Faramir romance angle will be expanded in next fall's Extended Edition DVD, as will Saruman's demise, Sauron's fear of Aragorn and the reason Arwen was dying.

Saruman's death will definitely be in it; Jackson came right out and said so after all the fan outcry over its being left out. I imagine Eowyn and Faramir will get some romance time in as well; I can take or leave that. I'm having troubled deciding what I would want to fill up an hour with...
Erin

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Eowyn and Faramir's romance was definately shot; they sort of just ended up together at the coronation without any explanation so it would be nice to have a little backstory on the relationship.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

Yeah, though their appearance together is so minimal you might not even think anything of it if you hadn't read the book. I suppose it is a pretty major subplot to leave out, and I certainly won't complain if it ends up in the extended edition, it just happens to be a subplot I never liked much. But then I was never too into the Aragorn-Arwen romance either...
Erin

 

[Amazing Mumford]

I believe the Eowyn/Faramir romance angle will be expanded in next fall's Extended Edition DVD, as will Saruman's demise, Sauron's fear of Aragorn and the reason Arwen was dying.

So, will the extended edition have the entire scouring of the Shire sequence or just an abbreviated version with Saruman's death? As I said before, I've never enjoyed that part of the book but it makes sense to show what happens to Saruman--especially if one takes in all three films collectively. I'll have to check that out next fall though.