Return of the King

[lyssie]

This is... thoughts, on what they are going to change for RotK. So, again, I do the whole cutthing.


First and foremost, I suspect that the climax of the movie will take place during the battle for Minas Tirith. There will be no 'March on the Black Gate'.

Which is sad, but it fits with how they've pared things down (Hello, where's the confrontation with Saruman?). There's something like four climaxes in the book, anyway. Minas Tirith, the Black Gate, Mount Doom, and the Shire.

Second, no Shire doings. This would drag the movie longer, and I fear it will be cut (with the Bilbo bits in the extended version, it's possible this will also make the RotK X).

Third. Eowyn. Sadly, I fear that she and Aragorn will marry, and Arwen will go with her kin. Faramir will either die, or fall for some cute elf chick.

I suspect death, since he fell for the ring as his brother did.

Since there was no Dunharrow, the Paths of the Dead will probably be behind Helm's Deep. The mustering of Rohan will also be at Helm's Deep, rather than Edoras or Dunharrow.

It's all sad. They should have just done it as 6 movies. ;)

Comments

[anastasiab.livejournal.com]

I don't believe that Eowyn and Aragorn will marry. Cinematically, they simply put too much into the Arwen-Aragorn thing in FOTR. They put too much emphasis on Arwen's character to let her fade into the Grey Havens like it appears from TTT. I suspect that she's going to slip away and join the final battle instead.

Faramir- he fell for the ring, but he let it go. I think that's the difference, and the only reason I'm not angrier about what they did to him. Although it entranced him at first, he eventually let it go. The only other human to be able to do that was Aragorn, and that, at least, is true to the books.

Sadly, I agree about the Shire doings. I don't think we're going to get any Battle Gardens or Sharky's End. :(

Personally, I wonder about the Merry-Theoden and Pippin-Denethor alliances. I don't see how they're going to be able to make those fit, and they are so important to the books.

Isn't it funny how we're looking forward to extended DVD versions of movies that haven't been released yet? I'm doing the same thing. :)

[mitai.livejournal.com]

Gotta say I agree with Duey on this. PJ wouldn't dare change something as, well, sacred as the relationship between Aragorn and Arwen. After all, they rather made it clear that Arwen was or already has given up immortality to be with him, and while Aragorn is torn when he takes back the amulet Arwen gave him in the TT, the mention of it as well as their playing with the conflict is really leading straight to Aragorn remaining loyal to Arwen. Tempted by the Ring, but in the end discards it for his duty - destroying the Ring and staying true to his companions. Tempted by the obscure life of a Ranger, but in the end shedding the cloak and fear to take his true responsibility as King. Tempted by the pretty shiny shield-maiden, but in the end remaining true to his love, Arwen. I dislike the comparison because it makes his love for Arwen seem an obligation, but PJ has only three hours per movie to get the job done.

Plus, in the words of my best friend, "I think he's gorgeous, but his playing around with that other chick really pissed me off! I was like no, you bag of scum! Stay with the elf!" Di has not read the books, and she's not a huge sci-fi or fantasy buff (excluding an unhealthy fixation with Labyrinth) and I think she's a good rep of the female audience of the movies. If it pissed her off, chances are PJ guessed that and won't be stupid enough to rewrite Arwen/Aragorn.

(Besides which, the telepathy of Galadriel further outlined that Elrond has a particular bitterness for men in general, being half-human himself, yet relented because he knew the way he did not wish was best. I think that PJ's trying to stay true to the whole Elrond in turmoil regarding men side. Maybe I just like Elrond too much. =)

It does worry me, though, that so little of Faramir was mentioned. I'm like Duey. Give me the extended version. They really developed Boromir as less of an asshole in the X, I'm sure Faramir got his chance at redemption as well. I just wish they'd discussed how Faramir had discovered his brother was dead, and his standing with his father. It would have helped.

And I agree that it is very unlikely that the Shire will be mentioned at all, as it doesn't appear that Galadriel gave Sam the soil, even in the extended. Which makes me happy - long live the Party Tree! =) But no Ent-draughts, no larger than life hobbits . . . PJ is doing those characters a grave injustice by downplaying their part in shaping the history of men. Now it seems only Sam and Frodo are particularly important, all Merry and Pippen did was speed along the Ents' eventual discovery of the treachery of Isengard.

I'm not sure I agree that the Black Gates will be left out, if only because someone has to be around to save Frodo and Sam from Mt. Doom erupting. They've used the giant eagles once, conceivably PJ could keep that part of the story intact. He'd just have to spend a bunch of time progressing the situation in Gondor. We know there's not going to be too much time with Sam and Frodo. All they really have to do now is show Frodo using the flask to light the caves and the fight with Shelob. Then Sam being tempted, the return of Frodo, and the final scene. Probably 45 minutes all told. That leaves him two hours and fifteen minutes to fool with Gondor, since it's generally agreed that the Shire situation will be handled swiftly if even at all.

There's much that will be cut even from the extended, but frankly, as far as adapting a series of movies from books as complex and in-depth as these, we don't have a lot to complain about. Outstanding casting, beautiful scenery, epic and fantastic battle scenes, stellar acting all around . . . as much a nazi as I am about staying true to the books, I am very satisfied with the way these movies are coming out. I have enjoyed the first two very, very much, and am looking with great anticipation at the last movie.

Shout-out to the shire!

[star-maple.livejournal.com]

Speaking from a cinematic perspective, there's no way they can't touch "the Scouring of the Shire". PJ introduced the concept (and filmed quite a lot, it looks like) in Galadriel's mirror-- he's a good enough storyteller to know he has to go back to that, at least a little bit.

The director's commentary on FotR X was quite excellent, and said enough to ensure that Arwen and Aragorn are hooking up for good. PJ flat out says that Arwen gives up her place in the Grey Havens to Frodo, so where else is she supposed to go?

I've heard that the Ent Brew/tall Merry and Pippin will be in TTT X.

And perhaps the soil will be a gift from another elf later on, rather than Galadriel?

And if PJ doesn't include Merry and Pippin with the humans at least a little bit, it's poor storytelling. There's no reason to introduce the characters if they don't have a payoff. If they don't save somebody's ass in a big way, there should have been a fellowship of Seven.

Sarah