December 7, 2003

Second Thoughts And...more Spoilers
Bob Praz

Well, now that you guys have all responded, I'm having second thoughts on the REF (Romance of/between Eowyn and Faramir) being cut out (by the way, I’ll be using that acronym from now on, because I’m tired of referring to it the long way). Pip brought up the best argument, I believe, which is that if we don't know what happens to Eowyn, the audience may continue to believe she still loves Aragorn, even though he marries Arwen. I had not thought of that. So now I hope that PJ has perhaps made some reference, hint, or sign that Eowyn falls in love with Faramir at the Houses of Healing, likely showing it before the battle at the Morannon, and that he'll at least show it in the EE DVD. Although I still can't say this change from the book will be a big deal for me. I've heard that we do see Faramir and Eowyn together at Aragorn's wedding, but I'm not sure whether that means PJ actually shows us, or hints, that they're in love, or if they're merely standing side-by-side in a friendly manner.
Yet, like Imlar told me a few days ago, PJ might be able to pull off the REF with just a few shots or one short scene that wouldn’t take up too much time and which could be hopefully inserted in the ROTK EE. It could be a little dialogue between them in the gardens, ending in both of them looking at each other in a way that gives the message to the audience that they may fall in love, or that at least Eowyn is beginning to take in interest in someone other than Aragorn. Other than that, we wouldn’t need much else, except perhaps merely a few shots of them together later on. No second wedding. Anyhow, I guess I’m open to options at the moment.

Now, I've read a review that apparently confirms most of the spoilers that I spoke of in one of my articles (the ones that were posted on warofthering.net some time ago). Some still seem quite absurd, but since I really don't know their context in the movie, I can’t judge them. Some of you may already have read or seen confirmations of those spoilers in other reviews, but since I’m avoiding spoilerific reviews this year, I wouldn’t know.
Ok, so first one is about Sam. Apparently, Gollum goes as far as to frame Sam of stealing lembas, and warns Frodo that sam will ask to carry the Ring (which he apparently does soon after). Frodo DOES ask Sam to go home, and Sam, who is helpless to prove Gollum wrong, reluctantly turns back down the stairs, while Frodo, who can’t see through Gollum’s deceit, goes off and faces Shelob alone. Then, of course, Sam comes back. Although this sounds like a very odd change, apparently it worked well, and the effect was an added drama and suspense in the storyline and relationships between the two hobbits and Gollum. Now that I look back, actually, I realize that every time we’ve seen Frodo in Shelob’s Lair, either in the trailer or in pictures, he is alone, so that’s another confirmation for that. I guess Frodo will face Shelob and be poisoned, like in the book, and then, before she drags him away, Sam will show up and defeat her. But I wonder if he will confront Gollum at any point, and I certainly hope so.
Second, it seems Denethor is far more arrogant and crazy in the movie than he is in the book. As we already knew, he refuses to light the Beacons of Gondor for some reason, and Gandalf gets Pippin to climb to the first beacon and light it.
Pippin also does more, which includes riding with Gandalf upon the Pelennor while the wizard uses his staff to defeat the Nazgul that are attacking Faramir and his retreating men. When they arrive in Minas Tirith, Faramir tells Gandalf he has seen other hobbits in Ithilien, and from what I hear Denethor doesn’t hear anything about it. Those two things I don’t understand, but once again, it doesn’t help that I haven’t seen the whole movie.
Then, of course, Denethor sends Faramir on a suicide mission to reclaim Osgiliath (perhaps under pretense to see if he could do what Boromir was able to do in the flashback of the TTT EE). Finally, when the army of Mordor arrives at Minas Tirith, Denethor tells the soldiers to abandon their posts, and Gandalf...um...opposes him. Alright...I read that Gandalf beats him with his staff, but I think the reviewer might have been exaggerating in his fury. I hope so anyways, because without further explanation I can’t make sense of it.

Anyhow, thought you should know, if you didn’t know already. I’m both worried and eager to see how this all plays out in ROTK. I could probably delve into all the recent reviews and reports to find some answers, but since I promised myself I wouldn’t spoil too much of the movie before I see it, I am afraid I shall patiently await its release in theatres. In the meantime, let the debates and speculations rise up like the tide of the sea.

PS: I just recently found out that the guy some people thought was Imrahil, Prince of Amroth, is actually Faramir leading his “suicidal” attack to reclaim Osgiliath. I’m speaking of course of the gondorian captain, wearing a cool helmet, whom we see towards the end of the official trailer (as well as in other previews) leading a front of gondorian cavalry charging on the Pelennor fields. If you already knew this, then I guess I’m late on the subject. Anyhow, I guess there’s no hope now of seeing the knights of Dol Amroth in the movie.