December 21, 2004

So long Angmar - we hardly knew ya...
Brett C.

Yes, I liked the drinking game too, though it does serve to make the Elves look even vore uppity. A friend of mine who was watching with me groaned and said 'Is there anything Elves can't do?'

Anyway, on to the WitchKing.

If you listen to the commentary, you hear PJ and PB saying they left the scene with the Nazgul and Gandalf out becuase iy was meant to make Angmat look more dangerous, but ultimately fails because he just flies off and leaves Gandalf grovelling there [GROVELLING!!! - $&#%* @#)!@!!!!]

So my fav character was mutilated, and not even to achieve anything.

Thing is, it's perfectly obvious to me why they needed to up Angmar's stocks, and it all comes back to how pulling one little thread in a great tapestry causes it to unravel.

The problem is the fell beast.

In the books Angmat leads the Morgul host and commands the siege from horseback, only going airborne to repell the Rohirrim. Clearly the filmmakers decided it would be more visually dynamic to have hime on the FB right from the get go - you know, that whole movies as a different medium stuff.

But in doing so, they ignore plot points which there is no doubt in my mind Tolkien himself looked at and made decisions about.

Firstly, you can't command a ground based force from the air. Angmar has to ride a regular steed because he needs to call the shots to his commanders and lieutants. Also it allows him to use his 'fear factor' to keep the army pushing forward, no matter its losses.

So now Angmar is in the air all the time, how do we show him leading the battle - the answer PJ chose was to up the part of Gothmog. In the book he has no lines and is mentioned in only one sentence, but now he becomes a more prominent character than Eomer.

Of course the audience has been told via
Gandalf that Angmar is the real leader, so we have the scene where he gives some vague orders to Gothmog - but still, the orc is left to execute all the details. It is his charisma, not the Nazgul's, that the audience sees propelling the assault.

Of course, Angmar does get to do stuff - he and the wriths 'strafe' Minas Tirith to take out the trebuchets [catapults]. But when you think about it, this is just a supporting role in the real attack - the Nazgul cannot take the city. And also, the things that really lok dangerours are not the riders, but the beasts.

So now we are building up to the confrontation with Eowyn, and the writers suddenly realize we've seen Angmar do practically nothing.

So - scene with Gandalf - lets break his staff - yada yada yada.

And then fly off, get killed by a twenty year old girl and a hobbit. Lame.

Okay, so with all that criticism, I should back it up with a solution, right? Right.

You LEAVE the nazgul on his horse. This is actually good cinema, because when you see the fell beast just before Theoden buys it, it is more dramatic.

The nazgul commands from the ground. Now you take a leaf from George Lucas in Empire - how do we make Darth Vader evil and dangerous - have him kill lots of underlings ;)

Orc runs up to where Angmar is giving orders to Gothmog. 'The ram won't get through the gate. The archers are ripping us apart' he gasps.

Angmar grabs the orcs head and twists - snap. 'Coninue the attack,' hisses the Nazgul. Gothmog nods and barks out orders. 'Bring up the wolf's head,' growls Angmar.

[oh, hears a thought too - have Angmar kill Damrod while he's lying wounded, from horseback. Yeah, now he's looking dangerous - ok lets keep going]

Riding over the bodies of the dead to reach the gate, as in the book. The archers see the horseman approaching, but are too fearful to shoot at him.

Breaking the gate - this is where the Nazgul uses his sorcery from the book, "words to rend both heart and stone," shown in the movie with Gandalf's staff [wrongly].

As the gates burst the olg-hai storm in. Gandlaf is leading the defence, as seen, dealing mayhen among the trolls. Once the gate is clear, the Nazgul advances.

When he rides in, a Gondorian soldiers charge forward to repel him - carnage ensues. Angmar takes them apart, killing adozen or in hand to hand before the rest break and run, leaving the WitchKing to face his only real opposition - Gandalf.

As these two face off, attacker and defender alike nearby pause to watch. In the audience the 16 year old Dungeons and Dragons players are wetting themselves with exitement :)

Epic conflict, plenty of CGI and hand to hand. Shadowfax goes at it with the black steed.

But before a resolution - the horns of the Rohirrim. Cut to shot of Theoden facing the city, then back to Minas Tirith. Gandalf smiles grimly, about to press his attack - then Pippin runs in shouting about Faramir. Seizing his chance Angmar disengages while Gandalf is distracted, using his sword to bring down a wall to block pursuit. Gandalf is furious and makes to go after him, but Pippin repeats him message. 'Can't you save Faramir.'

'If I do, others will die, I fear,' agonizes Gandalf, but he hauls Pippin up and rides for the citadel, as the battle rages on in the streets.

Outside, the Rohirrim are mustering. Scene with Theoden.

Angmar rides up to Gothmog, and dismounts. An orc burbles panickedly about the Rohirrim - 'Victory was in reach,' he snivelss.Angmar holds up his hand and makes a sudden fist - the orc cluthces his chest and chokes out blood, then falls, his heart ruptured. 'My arm is long,' declares Angmar, and orders the lines reformed - Gothmog hastens to comply.

'And bring up my steed' growls the WitchKing to an orc nearby. The camera cuts to a distance a little ways off - we can still the see Angmar. In the foreground, two orcs are facing the audience, wrestling with something big on the end of a tether, just off screen. Suddenly one is pulled forward out of shot- sounds of screeching, screaming, and rending. The orcs body is cast back briefly into view, horribly mauled. Angmar strides up and takes the reigns.

That's how you make your baddy look bad. But that's just me. Kudos to you, Professor - you had it right the whole time. Why don't people listen.