August 30, 2003

Theoden’s Exorcism and Eomer’s Banishment
Niphredil

Does anybody else have a problem with the scene where Gandalf drives “Saruman” from Theoden? I have to say that watching the DVD again has reminded me of just how much this annoyed me when I saw it in the cinema. Honestly, when Theoden starts thrashing around on his throne, I’m just waiting for his head to start spinning and the pea soup to come flying out. I know that time is limited in movies but surely there is a better way to let the audience know that this is basically a good guy who has come under the influence of a bad advisor without resorting to some weird “possession”.

Also, I still don’t understand why movie Grima/Theoden didn’t lock Eomer away in a deep dark dungeon somewhere (as they did in the book) but left him to wander the Westfold gathering together a loyal army to come to the rescue at Helm’s Deep? A bit short sighted of the White Wizard don’t you think? OK, I can understand that it might be too complicated to bring in Erkenbrand so Eomer coming to the rescue makes some sort of movie sense, but if you have your number one enemy in Rohan in your clutches, why would you let him go? So he can raise an army to fight against you and help save the day of course! Great for the movie, not so great for us trying to discern some sort of logic to this decision. If someone can enlighten me why banishing Eomer was so much better than locking him up (from movie Saruman’s viewpoint), then please do.

P.S. I hope Arwen’s happy with the fact that a slobbering horse is enough to remind Aragorn of a kiss from her.