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Jackson serving up Wizard-on-A-Stick? - Lord of the Rings news - J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

August 08, 2000 at 01:02:53

Here we just said Tolkien purists would be pleased with the Isengard confrontation and Stuff goes and publishes a picture of what appears to be Gandalf impaled on a wheel.

Actually, that could be Saruman and his death may serve as the finale of "The Two Towers". Indications are that the three films have to alter the story enough that each will tell its own full tale and end in a slightly different fashion from the original book. The dramatic necessity of telling a story over three movies cannot override the necessity of providing some sort of closure for each film.

Brad Dourif recently revealed at Dragoncon that his character, Grima Wormtongue, will only appear in the second film. If the picture published by Stuff can be trusted (and some fans are questioning its legitimacy), it may be that the confrontation between Gandalf and Saruman after the Ents have destroyed Isengard may lead to a final wizardly battle.

TheOneRing.Net published a report by the Hutt Hobbit relating how Gandalf and a party including Legolas, Gimli, and at least one Hobbit had been filmed on the same set, apparently on the steps leading up to Orthanc. Although it strikes some people as possible that Gandalf may be impaled on the wheel, there is no dramatic reason to do this. He will be lost in Moria to the Balrog, so far as we know, and return as the White Rider. The White Rider cannot be killed, and his apparent death would not advance the story.

Saruman the White, on the other hand, is the great villain of The Two Towers and probably is the great villain of the second movie in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

If our analysis is correct, the dramatic conflicts in the three films should turn out in this way:

"The Fellowship of the Ring" begins with the Ring itself, which draws the Nazgul to the Shire (because Sauron has learned where to look for the Ring). Boromir is introduced to Frodo at Rivendell and he joins the Fellowship in order to help with the quest as he journeys back to Minas Tirith. He gradually falls under the Ring's spell and betrays Frodo, trying to take the Ring. He is redeemed in a climactic battle with Orcs who seize Merry and Pippin while Frodo and Sam slip away. Boromir gives his life in defense of Merry and Pippin, and Aragorn finds the dying Boromir to hear his confession. The movie probably ends shortly after Boromir expires, perhaps with Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas vowing to set out after the Orcs.

"The Two Towers" will have to switch back and forth between Frodo and Aragorn for the most part. Merry and Pippin will be shown with the Orcs, and later with the Ents in Fangorn. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli will meet Eomer, ride to Fangorn Forest, meet Gandalf, and then ride to Edoras or perhaps the Hornburg. Most of this part of the movie will follow the book and the hints we've heard about Liv Tyler's Arwen bringing Elven help to Rohan. Frodo and Sam will meet Gollum in the wastelands north of Mordor, follow him down into Ithilien, meet Faramir (who has yet to be cast, although some whispers are now suggesting Sean Bean himself will play the role of Faramir), and eventually pass on to Cirith Ungol. The movie will end on two dramatic notes: Gandalf's confrontation with Saruman and Grima on the steps of Isengard, and Frodo and Sam's betrayal by Gollum to Shelob. Gandalf probably gets the last scene as he rides off with Pippin.

"The Return of the King" should pick up the action with Gandalf and Pippin riding to Minas Tirit, but once again the film will have to cut to Sam in Cirith Ungol and Aragorn in Rohan. Will Aragorn take the Paths of the Dead? We cannot say, but he has to somehow save Gondor. He may go all the way to the coast or he may just bring an army through the mountains ahead of the Rohirrim. The Ride of the Rohirrim is almost certainly going to take place much as portrayed in the books. So, Sam rescues Frodo and they make their way to Orodruin, Mount Doom, and Gandalf tries to hold things together in Minas Tirith until the Rohirrim arrive from the north and Aragorn from the south. The battle scenes around Minas Tirith may dominate a good part of the movie, but we can be reasonably sure, from the dual filming that was reported at Mount Ruapehu, that Aragorn and Gandalf lead an army to Mordor aftward.

This is all just guesswork, of course, but as new reports are posted around the Internet a larger picture forms of what the unfolding storyline is. But filming has only just passed the midway mark, so a great deal of the story remains to be done, and we don't know what future revelations are awaiting us.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our writer forgot that David Wenham has been cast as Faramir.