I'm writing this strictly for my own amusement. Given that the films no longer seem to hold any interest for anyone anymore, I fully expect this to remain a one post thread and sink rapidly to the bottom of the page before disappearing into the aether.
I watched the film a few months ago fully intending to post my thoughts on b77, but since that didn't happen I've decided to resurrect it for HoF.
Before I dazzle you all with my conclusions, I'll just get a couple of nitpicks out of the way, shall I?
What they got wrong:
Théoden's exorcism:
Much like the wizard duel, it cheapened the film with a typical hollywood depiction of possession. I think Saruman's hold over Théoden could have been depicted without resorting the obvious. And even though I thought Brad Dourif played an interesting Grima, I still thought it was less Machiavellian and more simplified evil henchman.
Faramir:
In the director's commentary it was said that bookFaramir was so uncomplicated that he was boring; and that the audience would find his lack of temptation for the Ring baffling .... and so, the rationale went, it was necessary for the film to portray him as conflicted and susceptible. The problem with this theory is .... manifold. Faramir does not need a character arc. Faramir is not Boromir, although the film blurs the distinction between the brothers. By softening Boromir and hardening Faramit the moral difference between them becomes moot so that they are almost interchangeable.
<I freely admit to being swept up in the heart-wrenching drama of Boromir's death .... but all the more reason to distinguish between the two.>
There is further discrepancy with PJ's theory of the seductive power of the Ring and why Faramir could not be seen to be oblivious to it .... Merry, Pippen, Sam, Aragorn (all of human stock) are in closer proximity, and for far longer, than Faramir .... and yet they are magically not tempted to seize the Ring?
Helm's Deep:
The battle is too long. About 10 minutes too long.
The action is so frenetic I feel bashed over the head with one frantic scenerio after another until they all blur, merging into one huge, whirling, twirling orc-annihilating orgy....... and then I take umbrage at the obligatory gratuitous shots of the women and children cowering in the caverns. That was supposed to tug at the old heart-strings and make me empathise with them. Well, it didn't. It annoyed me. Where are the bold, brave Rhorric women ready to fight? This is no ordinary war! This is a battle that will decide the fate of an entire culture. They face obliteration ... and the weaker sex (bleh!) huddle under blankets and whimper.Costumes:
Here's my nitpick. It isn't the actual costumes themselves. I have nothing but praise for the wonderful Ngila Dickson .... it is at whomever decided to dress the rank and file Rohirrim in 'generic' peasant' clothing. Is it a Rohan law that only aristocrats are allowed to wear colours? Why oh why must all the Rohan citizenry wear dull, drab shades of brown, black and grey? It's so .... third-rate and so .... typical.
The Voice of Saruman:
It wasn't included. It should have been. In the TE. The ending of the film is very weak. Instead of the resolution to Saruman's story, the film kinda creeps feebly along and splutters out. How anti-climactic following the glorious victory of the Ents over Isengard. What did Robert Frost say? Not with a bang but with a whimper.
What they got right.
The Foundations of Stone:
Visually breathtaking and a perfect way to connect TTT with FotR. Having Frodo dream (hindsight) of the epic battle between two maia enhanced the Silmarillion feel, I think. This is one of, if not the, most stunning opening sequences I have ever seen. Unfortunately it lead me to into impossibly high expectations for the remainder of the film .... which, sadly, were not met.
Elves at Helm's Deep:
Not canon, I know; but nevertheless the concept works within the film's own internal logic. The emotional impact is successful and their sudden, unexpected, arrival is believable and raised an inner cheer from me.
The Nazgûl rising over Osgiliath:
Such an evocative image! So immensely powerful. So iconic that once again I can forgive PJ's silly reasons for the Osgiliath detour.
<IMO, PJ's deviations, inventions, don't work when they conflict with the basic integrity of the story HE is telling. Ie: Arwen dying makes no sense anyway you slice the pie. (sorry V. and Ath
) and the same goes for the diminishment of Gandalf in ROTK.>Éowyn:
The gentling of the frigid ice maiden does work. But I have always identified with Éowyn and recognized my own truths within her emotional predicament .... that of being bound by duty and denied the opportunity to prove her worth in a male world. The one small quibble I have with Tolkien is the haste with which Éowyn embraces domesticity once she falls in love with Faramir. PJ only hints at such a change of heart, of course, but in TTT, I suspect even Tolkien might approve of Éowyn.
Arwen's Fate:
If PJ had filmed nothing else of consequence I would love him for these most sublime images. All of the Long Defeat, the overarching theme of Death and Deathlessness is, for me, contained within these scenes of Arwen mourning.Even although Semprini disagrees.
But you, my daughter, you will linger on in darkness and in doubt. As nightfall in winter that comes without a star. Here you will dwell, bound to your grief, under the fading trees, until all the world is changed and the long years of your life are utterly spent.
<That said, I don't really approve of the way in which Arwen was used to make the film(s) Aragorn-centric. The incessant close-up of Liv's face with silent tears loses its appeal after multiple viewings ... and I wonder if PJ understood that Arwen is not a woman with human frailties, but a 2000 year old elf whose forebears have faced, and come to terms with, their fading and the loss of Middle-earth as their home. Frankly, I would expect an elf to do more than sit prettily, wringing her hands, (metaphorically speaking
) whispering every so often of an elusive hope which she does not appear to find compelling, while the obligatory single tear trickles fetchingly down one pale cheek.>It is difficult (for me) to reconcile the two cinematic styles intertwined here. Often jarringly so. How is it possible .... that the team could conceive of, and execute, a scene as profound as Arwen's Fate ... and also be responsible for dross like. Because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system?
It boggles my mind!
I frequently feel as though I am watching a film within a film. Directed by two different people of very unequal talent.
Ahem.
Yes. Since I orginally came to praise Ceasar, not to bury him ....... TTT is quite often overlooked in any discusion of the films. Even on TORC, both Fellowship and Return generated more reviews than TTT. But no matter.
On my last viewing, after doggedly refusing to skip over the usual offending scenes, I've arrived at the conclusion that TTT is structurally the best of the three. It deviates the most from the book, and it is certainly not the most lyrical; but I do now consider it the most consistent in that the script holds truest to its own internal logic. And so, I also find it a better crafted film with the least amount of discord. The interweaving of story lines actually work quite well, changing between them is smoother and less abrupt than ROTK where I felt like I could never find solid ground for the first hour or so.
The Two Towers will never replace Fellowship as the most loved. But it does deserve a second look.
