July 7, 2003

Not That Anyone Really Cares...
Anteru

...but here's the scene I most look forward to (hopefully) seeing in RotK. When Gollum returns to Frodo and Sam on the Stair, after plotting their demise with Shelob, and sees Frodo asleep. He almost changes his mind and starts to become a "weary, tired old hobbit" (certainly not a direct quote), but when Sam awakens and sees him, he falls back from Smeagol to Gollum. As an author myself, I believe that Tolkien's vision for this scene was to allow us to see the true depth of the struggle Gollum is going through. How Frodo's kindness and gentleness brings back memories of his life as a Stoor when such feelings meant something to him. But a harsh word can bring him back to being Ring-obsessed Gollum. Two more things... on the poll, it says "death (or mistaken death)". Where is Eowyn? Even if it's only believed she is dead for thirty seconds onscreen, you know PJ will try to make that scene as heart-wrenching as possible. Merry lying near her battered form, trying to tell Theoden that his niece lies dead next to him. And, without Imrahil (please say that's JUST a rumor), he can stretch out Eowyn's assumed death as long as he wants. Last, I totally agree with Jarrickon Falcon and Tiniowien. Gollum's acceptance speech was disgusting. To see such a deep character reduced to a crude, vulgar creation of sin's fancy is horrible. Mr Tolkien is rolling over in his grave.