September 26, 2002

Re: Gandalf In Moria
Jimeous

How does a movie show a pivotal scene in a book?

If it were to last the same time as reading, it would be, see Balrog, see Gandalf fall, see a quick cry session, move to next location.

"Fly, you fools, Fly....." would be echoed as Gandalf falls. No time for tension to build or for the scene to make an impact on the viewer.

My book is about the same size as a video cassette, strangely enough, when I push play with it in, nothing happens. I've decided that the book makes an appalling video and subsequently dumped my VCR....

hehehehehe :p

I love the Balrog scene myself, when it raises up and is consumed in fire, how tiny Gandalf appears in comparison. When Frodo screams "NOOoooooo....." it hits me deeply, the pain witnessed after the event, feels too real for even a film.

The scene represents all the reasons why I watch movies in the first place.
As in the book, the moment is the centerpiece of the movie. The book brushes over it if read without feeling. The retelling is short, but the impact is lasting.
The movie layers in danger, those Orcan arrows aren't shown as a display, but as a reason the Fellowship would hesitate. Boromir holds back Frodo, he's well aware of the immediate danger.

By the time the Fellowship would have reached Gandalf it would be too late. Gandalf is not a spring chicken, and even more, Gandalf realises that it would put the Fellowship in danger if they approached.

Gandalf letting go fulfils he words earlier....

"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 to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo besides the will of evil"

Gandalf in the movie, uses his last moments as a decision to not put the Fellowship in a dangerous situation. And to highlight this, we get the first score of "The Prophecy"

Aragorn stares in disbelief and sorrow, its almost as if he is asking himself if he could have done more. Boromir, ever aware of the immediate danger, has to call to him.

All I can say, is that the fellowship weren't the only ones to have tears outside Moria

I often wonder how people view the movie or maybe, just maybe they are trying to squeeze thier book into the VCR :p