RotK speculations (SPOILERS)

[Michael Tree]

Re: Re: RotK speculations (SPOILERS)

One of my fears, though, is that to save time they will adjust the timing of the battles so that the climax at Mt. Doom occurs at the same time as the Battle of the Pelenor fields, rather than at the next battle in front of the gates. It gets all the high-tension events together (perfect for the movie), but doesn't allow the breif break where the Mouth of Sauron hands over Frodo's armor, and everyone thinks he's dead. Then again, supposedly the Mouth of Saun is in the film, so this scene might happen -- I just hope they edit the scenes so that those who haven't read the books think Frodo is well and truly dead/captured, before they cut back to Frodo/Sam.

I would be very surprised if PJ didn't end the film with the battle of pelleanor fields simultanous with the destruction of the ring. The way it is in the books simply wouldn't work well cinematically.

However, there's no reason why the Mouth of Sauron has to appear at the gates. He could just as easily speak in front of Minas Tirith, bearing Frodo's possessions.

 

[Bhaal]

There's a fairly big emphasis in the books as the last battle at the gates being a "statue of liberty play"/"Quarterback Sneak". It was supposed to focus all of Sauron's attention to give the hobbits the home stretch. Having it happen with the battle of pelleanor fields would ruin the effect, and I'd imagine PJ wants to include the same feeling of that last battle. Besides, it gives Gandalf some really choice lines: "No, he will not laugh.". I bet pelleanor will be approximately at the right time chronologically, and inbetween it and the grand finale they'll cover some book concepts that the movie will otherwise gloss over, and do some of the healing house bit.

I'm confident that however it's done, it'll be done well. My biggest hope (and lack of confidence) that is the trailers don't spoil any suprises for the last movie like TTT trailers did (gandalf). There aren't as many I suppose, but including scenes in the trailer of people who are made to be believed as dead in the movie really ruins it for those who haven't read the books.

 

[Assenpfeffer]

Besides, it gives Gandalf some really choice lines: "No, he will not laugh."

Alas, my favorite line from that encounter is from the Mouth of Sauron, and looks unlikely to be used in the movie:

"Dwarf-coat, elf-cloak, blade of the downfallen West..."

 

[Thanatos]

Here's a couple of tidbits to chew on regarding the end of RotK:

August 8, 2002... TheOneRing. net broke the news that Lawrence Makoare, who played the Uruk-hai Lurtz in The Fellowship of the Ring, will be seen in The Return of the King playing the Witchking of Angmar, Lord of the Dark Riders (Nazgúl). Makoare revealed the news during his time spent at last weekend's San Diego Comic Convention. [First appeared at TheOneRing.net.] (edited in because copy missed this)

December 3, 2002... While speaking to The Mail newspaper in Britain about the upcoming release of The Two Towers, director Peter Jackson also spoke about the final installment in the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. Jackson does confirm that we will see Sauron in full, citing that he needed to give Tolkien's legendary villain (who is never seen "on-camera" in the books) more of a screen presense in the film adaptation. "You can't reduce him to being a big guy striding around in black armour, but he cannot be limited to a flaming eye, either," Jackson elaborated.

Also touched upon was Jackson's enthusiam for the battle sequences to be seen in Return of the King, which he believes are the biggest and most elaborate of the entire trilogy (yes, even surpassing The Two Towers battle at Helm's Deep); the introduction of Boromir's father, Denethor, the steward of Gondor and the introduction of the Mouth of Sauron; and the final scene of the movie (which takes place in the Grey Havens), and which turned out to be Jackson's favorite scene of the entire trilogy: "To me, it's a culmination of the entire story. It represents what it is to give and what it is to lose. That scene is probably the most powerful part of the entire film."

I'm willing to bet the movie ends in a similiar fashion to the animated cartoon.

Blatently stolen from:

http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/lordoftherings3.html

 

[Zappo]

'But Gollum, dancing like a mad thing, held aloft the ring, a finger still thrust within its circle. It shone now as if verily it was wrought of living fire. "Precious, precious, precious!" Gollum cired. "My Precious! O my Precious!" And with that, even as his eyes were lifted up to gloat on his prize, he stepped too far, toppled, wavered for a moment on the brink, and then with a shriek he fell. Out of the depths came his last wail Precious, and he was gone.'

Every time I read that bit, I just can't help imagining what the Ring is thinking as it falls. Lots of swearing, I bet. "Gollum, you freaking deformed hobbit, you stinking son of a monkey and a rubber duck, you idiot, I was this damn close, I hate you!, I soooo hate youuuuuu!!!"

 

[KenM]

I still want to know how they filmed the fight with the invisible Frodo and CGI Gollum.

 

[Wormwood]

Looks like we may finally see the Smeagol/Deagol flashback after all (something I felt was sorely missed in TTT)

From Cinescape :

CINESCAPE spoke with Andy Serkis in December about his role as Gollum in THE TWO TOWERS, and the actor addressed a scene that didn't make it into the film. His character Gollum was originally 'a creature very much like a hobbit', 'one of the riverfolk,' but was warped by the evil nature of the One Ring into the creature seen in the film.

Serkis says, "If I didn't know it was going to be in the third [film] I would be upset. You actually see me onscreen, which was going to be in this film, transforming into Gollum once he kills Deagol. You see this whole kind of descent into madness. You see him physically becoming more and more decrepit. [The] last stage is becoming the CG Gollum. Peter and Fran told me that wasn't going to be in this film. They thought it would play much better into the next one."