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Major battle inside Minas Tirith? - Lord of the Rings news - J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

November 13, 2000 at 14:02:05

Holmes has posted a 6-minute interview with Peter Jackson where he makes a startling revelation.

Although Jackson is at great pains to alleviate fan concerns, emphasizing that fewer changes or compromises have been required in the three-film story than would have been made in the original two-film story, he mentioned there would be a battle in the streets of Minas Tirith.

In the literary story there is no battle inside the city itself. Gandalf confronts the Lord of the Nazgul at the gate to the city, but then the Rohirrim arrive and swarm across the Pelennor Fields. All of the city's defenders then charge out to support the cavalry charge.

So, what gives? Why move the battle inside the city? Perhaps it will heighten the dramatic impact of the story. Perhaps mounting costs have forced some small compromises, or perhaps it was just technically easier to film a climactic battle scene inside the city than outside. So far, the charge of the Rohirrim across a plain has been filmed, so it would appear that the Battle of Pelennor Fields will unfold at least partially as told in the book.

If nothing else, we got to see more of the Minas Tirith set than ever before. It looks cool.