January 21, 2003

Hama, Theodred & Gamling
Razors

Justin A. mentioned the fact that Hama dies in the Warg battle in the movie, instead of at Helm's Deep as he does in book. Just a couple of quick thoughts on that... One thing that always bothered me in the book was that Theoden seemed more upst about the loss of Hama (a mere door-warden) than about the loss of Theodred (his only son). The movie rectified this nicely, and the scene with Theoden at his son's grave was a nice little tear-jerker.

I think the reason for having Hama get munched by the warg (rather than another nameless soldier) was that we'd already met him in an earlier scene and it made it a bit more personal (and I might be mistaken, but wasn't that Hama's orphaned son who Aragorn gives a pep-talk to before the battle?). However...

Did you notice how Gamling's role was elevated to "right-hand man" of the king, thus filling Eomer's shoes? Wouldn't it have been slightly truer to the book to have Hama fulfilling this role instead, and leave Gamling as the bit-part he originally was?

Just a thought...