Favorite scene in LotR (movies and books)

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DArtagnan

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So, how about it?

Movies:

The nine ringwraiths riding out of Mordor.

Why? Because I'm a huge "atmosphere" guy - and I think the music, lighting and way it's shot all combine to perfection for that short moment.

In fact, I tend to favor the smallest moments in films. Another favorite is the very brief shot of a ringwraith on horseback alone and completely still in a very depressing forest area. It perfectly captures the torment of being one of the nine.

Books:

The Shelob sequence. Contrasted with the movie (one of the most disappointing sequences - as it changed from a very powerful psychological sequence to an outright action sequence with bombastic music).

I just love the slow buildup to the encounter, and how Tolkien so wonderfully describes her mindset and her ancient complacency.
 
The ringwraiths and Frodo on Weathertop. The journey through Moria, both for the drama.

On the battleground in Gondor, the scene when Legolas jumps to the back of an oliphant - very elvish. And the oathbreakers attacking whoever they're attacking.

In LOTRO: Anything in the Barrow Downs.

pibbur who
 
Movies: Moria and the Balrog.

Saruman: Moria… You fear to go into those mines. The dwarves delved too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm… shadow and flame.


I don't remember the books too well (should probably read them again at some point), but that particular phrase I did find intriguingly chilly. "They delved too greedily and too deep …"

Gets the imagination going. And it reminds me of Prime Juntas Dwarf Fortress ventures, actually -- or maybe one of the large survival stories that was linked to in that thread. Anyway, long live the Elves.
 
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Slow day at work? ;)

It's hard for me to choose one from the books because there were so many great scenes. I loved the Battle of The Pelennor Fields though. That entire chapter is fantastic, particularly Éowyn's battle with the Witch-king, and the arrival of Aragorn and the emotional effect it had on both sides.

On the contrary, those scenes in the movie were terrible thanks to Peter Jackson's pathetic Disney-like interpretation.


The movies: I liked Bilbo's goodbye birthday party at the beginning of FoTR. It was pretty close to how I imagined it.
 
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Slow day at work? ;)

A little bit ;)

I agree with the birthday party scene being among the best in the movies. Jackson truly captured the hobbit spirit with that initial sequence.

Also, not only did I dislike the Eowyn scenes from the movie - the actress was also TERRIBLY miscast for the role, in my opinion. The whole "I am no man!" delivery was abysmal.
 
A little bit ;)

I agree with the birthday party scene being among the best in the movies. Jackson truly captured the hobbit spirit with that initial sequence.

Also, not only did I dislike the Eowyn scenes from the movie - the actress was also TERRIBLY miscast for the role, in my opinion. The whole "I am no man!" delivery was abysmal.

I still like the Pelennor fields in the move very much, although I agree that ms. Otto wasn't a good choice for Eowyn. I would prefer Ricki Lake … NOT!!! But who would be the perfect Eowyn? Perhaps Sophia Myles, how she lappeared in the "Girl in the Fireplace" episode of dr. who.

I see Eowyn as a very strong woman, not necessarily a beautiful one.

pibbur who actually has a lot to do today (dum-dee-dum).
 
I still like the Pelennor fields in the move very much, although I agree that ms. Otto wasn't a good choice for Eowyn. I would prefer Ricki Lake … NOT!!! But who would be the perfect Eowyn? Perhaps Sophia Myles, how she lappeared in the "Girl in the Fireplace" episode of dr. who.

I see Eowyn as a very strong women, not necessarily a beautyful one.

pibbur

That's a really tough one - because she'd need to be both vulnerable and tough. Both soft and heroic/stoic.

Hmmm….

How about Kate Winslet?

I don't know Sophia Myles... could she be a female warrior?
 
Movie: The Balrog. They did a damn good job on it. I liked all of Moria really.

Books: To many to pick one or three.
 
Standing there for a moment filled with dreads, Frodo became aware that a light was shining; he saw it glowing on Sam's face beside him. Turning towards it, beyong an arch of boughs, the road to Osgiliath running almost as straight as a streched ribbon down, down into the West. There, far away, beyong sad Gondor now overwhelmed in shade, the Sun was sinking, finding at last the hem of the great slow-rolling pall of cloud, and falling into an ominous fire towards the yet unsullied Sea. The brief glow fell upon a sitting figure, still and solemn as the great stone kings of Argonath. The years had gnawed it, and violent hands had maimed it. Its head was gone, and in its place was set in mockery a round rough-brown stone, rudely painted by savage hands in the likeness of a grinning face with one large red eye in the midst of its forehead. Upon its knees and mighty chair, and all about the pedestal, were idle scrawls mixed with the foul symbols that the maggot-folk of Mordor used.

Suddenly, caught by the level beams, Frodo saw the old king's head : it was lying rolled away by the roadside. "Look, Sam !" he cried, startled into speech. "Look ! The king has got a crown again !"

The eyes were hollow and the carven beard was broken, but about the high stern forehead there was a coronal of silver and gold. A trailing plant with flowers like small white stars had bound itself across the brows as in reverence for the fallen king, and in the crevices of his stone hair yellow stonecrop gleamed.

"They cannot conquer for ever !" said Frodo. And then suddenly the brief glimpse was gone. The Sun dipped and vanished, and as if at the shuttering of a lamp, black night fell.

Nothing to add here. To me, this is by far thermost emotional moments of all books - save by the gem of Galadriel held against the Minas Morgul stone guardians - and against Shelob, the last of Ungoliath's children, blinded by the last light of the Two Trees Ungolianth had murdered, the last light of the Two Trees kept into that gemstone like an heir of the light of the Silmarillions which had caught the Last Light themselves. The last child of Ungolianth had to withdraw at the light its mother had murdered.
But people didn't know that yet, whn LOTR was publihed, because The Silmarillion, although kept as an "Legendarium" in Tolkien's mind, was published oly many years later. Only then the full extend of the importance of this gem became visible. Because only then the readers learned about the full story, from the beginning of the ages.
 
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Typed down with my very own keyboard ! ;)

And, by the way, the impact/impression this scene had left on my was so great that I used a similar scene in one of my on stories (one that I'd have to re-write, because it is a non-fantasy fan-fiction story).
 
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Movies: a few great moments such as the Argonath or the Winged Nazgul over the Dead Marshes.

FWIW, I liked Miranda Otto as Eowyn, she had the right mix of vulnerability & toughness in my eyes.

In the books, I loved the early part of the Fellowship of the Ring (Shadow of the Past and the departure from Bag End where you could sense the ominous atmosphere gathering).

In the Two Towers, I enjoyed the whole sequence with the voice of Saruman and Pippin's use of the palantir. You finally saw the relationship between Saruman and Sauron where the former had had delusions of independent power from Mordor, but Sauron was in a different league.

In the Return of the King, crappy deux ex machina it might be but I loved the Eagles coming to the rescue as they had in the Hobbit. Man, I even liked the fact that they sang a little song afterwards with their eagly voices.

"Sing now ye people of the Tower of Anor for the realm of Sauron is ended for ever and the Dark Tower is thrown down."
 
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The Fellowship is my favorite of the movies by far. The whole hobbit intro with the music is just amazing. That flute that plays during those moments is just amazing.

My most favorite quote is Gandalf's talk with Frodo:

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

Such an incredibly empowering thought.
 
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My most favorite quote is Gandalf's talk with Frodo:

I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

Such an incredibly empowering thought.

Yep, I meant to write this earlier. The best from both the book and movie.
 
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Probably the very first scene in the very first movie. With Gandalf's cart riding into the shire while the music plays in the background. It simply exudes peace and calm. And joy.
 
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