For Better or For Worse



For Better or For Worse

By: Grace Cajas

Darkness cloaks the forest. Only the moon and stars shine through. A ranger is cutting Kingsfoil, an herb to ease the pain of his ailing friend. In a blink of an eye, a blade is at his throat. A voice in the darkness, “What’s this? A ranger caught off his guard?”

The voice is that of Arwen, the daughter of the Elven King, Lord Elrond. The ranger, Aragorn, Heir of Isildur and the rightful King of Gondor. This scene is the first of several between the two admirers that appears in the Lord of the Rings films but not the books. For director Peter Jackson, the decisions concerning which scenes to use and which to discard was as difficult as it was necessary. This was the biggest challenge he faced, creating a film that would appeal to Lord of the Rings veterans - the books’ dedicated fans - and rookies alike. Because of this, characters had to be left out or their emphasis altered; scenes had to be added or deleted. “So what?” you may ask. What’s the big deal if the director alters a few things? It’s his creative license. Well, the big deal is, or rather, big question, are these changes for the better or for the worse? Is the movie better overall?

Peter Jackson knew going into the project that he had a responsibility to all those who had “already read the book[s], and . . .directed [their] own version of the story. . . . in [their] mind’s eye” (Cooper). Yet, as he put it:

the language of cinema is different from the language of the written word: it has different needs and sometimes requires a different pace, a different structure. (Sibley)

He realized that the books in their entirety were ultimately unfilmable. Somehow he had to adapt the books to film. Basically, what he and the other writers did was keep the plot “in it’s simplest form” - the story of Frodo carrying the ring, and ultimately destroying it in Mount Doom (Jackson). With this in mind, characters such as Tom Bombadil had to go. Fans of the books had a hard time with this because Tom was a memorable character. Twice he saved the hobbits, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Once when an old willow

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attacked the sleeping hobbits in the Old Forest. And another when the Barrow-wights (Ringwraiths) held them captive. Though he played an important role in the book, the scenes that involved him were left out of the film. And when you think about it, what did old Tom Bombadil add to the greater good of the story? Not much. He didn’t advance the plot; he merely delayed the hobbits’ journey - Hardly keeping you glued to your seat! In order to keep the plot moving and the audience captivated, a few memorable characters and scenes had to be left out.

Aside from dealing with what to add and leave out, Peter Jackson et al. had to take into account the way each character was presented in the film. As remarked by Louis Menand, who wrote the review of Fellowship for the New York Review, there is a kind of “generational difference in perception,” that had to be taken in account:

What I read as a historical novel, [today’s generation reads] as a fantasy adventure. [Their] visual imagination was shaped by a completely different stock of stylistic referents, from Xena Warrior Princess to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and most of all from the virtual reality of computerized games. (Thompson 47)

The technological advances of this generation are reflected in the movies.

This generational and technological gap is most prominent in the fight scenes. In the Fellowship, the wizard fight between Sarumon the White and Gandalf the Grey contains Matrix-like movements. The catalysts for the fight are Gandalf’s comment “Tell me, friend, when did Sarumon the Wise abandon reason for madness” and his refusal to side with Sauron. Resulting in the two using their staves to throw the other against the wall. In one of the blows, Gandalf is twirled similar

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to one in the Matrix, when Morpheus hurls Neo into a corkscrew spin during one of their training sessions. These Matrix and Crouching Tiger-esque movements are a current trend in movies. With the technological advances that allow for these movements to be readily available, it’s become necessary to use them due to audience expectations. But because they are readily available, and are used and copied so often they are almost cliché. Even movie spoofs and satirical television shows like Saturday Night Live and Mad TV use them. Which shows you how “old” the technique is getting. And on top of that, the techniques they use to add suspense are hardly original - all the doors close leaving Gandalf trapped, using a crystal ball (or seeing stone), a room completely draped in black. Totally lacks innovation!

Though the techniques are hardly original, plot wise, this scene is potent because right away it establishes the tension between the two wizards. In the books, the tension is revealed through their demeanor towards each other. At first, Sarumon is inviting, “speaking [] in a soft[] voice,” in order to persuade Gandalf to team with him and gain power. But when Gandalf “stand[s] away from him” and refuses, Sarumon’s countenance changes. He becomes “cold [] and perilous” (Tolkien 252-253). The films, however, don’t have the leisure that the books do; they have time constraints. And because of this, Gandalf and Sarumon’s opposition needed to be identified fairly quickly. So this scene is able to mix plot and time needs in a way that keeps the audience interested, despite the clichés.

Dramatic effects were also used to appeal to the audience by “heighten[ing] suspense and dread in a [horror and thriller-esque fashion]” (Thompson 53). In The Fellowship of the Ring, our first encounter with Arwen is the scene mentioned before, where she places a blade to Aragorn’s throat. Because the audience has not yet been introduced to her character, this is initially seen as a threat (Thompson 53). This use of character delay is very effective. Though it never occurs in the book, this scene keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats watching intently for Aragorn’s reaction. The entire time questions are racing through the viewers’ minds: “Who does the voice belong to? Whose side is she on? Will there be a fight?” But if you dig a little deeper, this scene also introduces you to the intimate relationship between the two. After this introduction, Arwen and Aragorn discuss in Elvish who should take Frodo the rest of the way to Rivendell. In this conversation, Aragorn shows sincere concern for her safety, when he says, “The road is to too dangerous,” even though he knows that she is the faster rider and she

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must go. The way he looks at her and how he says it shows this deep connection between the two than what is first observed. In retrospect at the previous scene, when she has the blade to his throat, you notice a hint of teasing in her voice. Like in a game of hide-and-seek, “I found you.” The layer of teasing and sweetness adds to the scene a sense of tenderness in the midst of urgency. This scene between the two does a great job in adding suspense to the film and depth to the characters, which helps in advancing the plot and engaging the audience.

Aside from using techniques and styles that today’s generation is familiar with, the films also grab a hold of the viewers’ emotions. One such scene is the introduction of Treebeard, the tree herder of Fangorn Forest in the Two Towers. In that scene, Merry and Pippin (friends of Frodo’s) had just escaped from the Uruk-hai (Sarumon’s Orcs) and find themselves face to face with Treebeard, who believes them to be little Orcs. Menacingly, Treebeard grabs and squeezes the hobbits. However, upon meeting the hobbits, in the book, Treebeard explains to them:

if I had seen you, before I heard your voices - I liked them: nice little voices; they reminded me of something I cannot remember - if I had seen you before I heard you, I should have just trodden on you, taking you for little Orcs, and found out my mistake afterwards. (Tolkien 453)

The movie gives you the impression that Treebeard is dangerous; however, in the book

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Treebeard was much gentler and accepting of Merry and Pippin. As the movie continues, Treebeard carries the hobbits deeper into the forest speaking fiercely and angrily about what Orcs have done to the forest, while the hobbits desperately try to explain they aren’t Orcs. Empathetic to the hobbits, you want to halt Treebeard in his tracks and yell, “Don’t you understand? They’re Hobbits! They mean no harm! They’re a part of the Fellowship fighting to rid the world of Sauron and Orcs.” The frustration towards Treebeard and the desire to resolve the misunderstanding keeps the audience watching. They also feel a sense of dread and foreboding when Treebeard plans to take Merry and Pippin to the “white wizard,” whom they, and the audience, are led to believe is Sarumon. The feeling of “Oh my gosh! What’s going to happen next to these poor, little Hobbits?" draws the viewers into the film, by tapping into the viewers’ compassion for the hobbits.

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Furthermore, the identity of the “white wizard” is not revealed until he confronts Aragorn, Legolas (an Elf), and Gimli (a Dwarf). In a surprising twist, well to some, the “white wizard” turns out to be Gandalf. By using misdirection and delayed emergence of character, the filmmakers aim to keep the audience on their toes and succeed in doing so.

One of the main purposes of making a good film is appealing to one’s audience. There is no denying that Lord of the Rings is male dominated story. So obviously, the story appeals to guys - there’s fighting, an arduous journey, male bonding. There are few female characters in the books and they have very minor roles. To not isolate the women population, Peter Jackson had to strengthen the role of women in the films. The three main female characters are Galadriel, Arwen, and Éowyn. These three women, as portrayed in the films, represent three sides of women - powerful, feminine, and strong. When we first meet Galadriel, the Elven Queen, she has a

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presence that demands respect, but in a gentle way. And she has great power because of she has great wisdom. In the extended version of Fellowship, there’s a scene in which she speaks to each of the travelers in their mind. She sees right through their individual façades and fears. She is the essence of power. Arwen has this

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essence of feminism. Out of the three, Éowyn, the shield maiden of Rohan, has the greatest presence in the books, but even then, the bulk of it is in Return of the King. Éowyn has to stay strong for her people,

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essence of strength. By using stereotypes of what makes a powerful, feminine, and strong woman, the film is able to engage and relate to the women in the audience.

The Lord of the Rings films, also, use comedy and romance, most of which are not in the books, as foils to the tensions of the raging war. These foils are mainly created by the interaction between Merry and Pippin or Aragorn and Arwen. Right off the bat, it is established that Merry and

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hundred and eleventy birthday celebration, the two ignite a large dragon firework that swoops down and nearly attacks the guests before exploding and raining down sparkles in the night sky. Amidst war and peril, the two lighten the mood with their innocence. Take for instance the Council of Elrond. The two insist that they should be a part of the Fellowship, as seen in Merry’s blunt statement, “you need men of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest” which is soon followed by him asking, “so where are we going?” You can’t help but laugh! Mixing the council’s grave decision with humor makes the movie easier to digest. Rather than moving from one serious scene to another, the dashes of humor relieves the intensity of the journey. This same thing is also done with Aragorn and Arwen, but for a slightly different reason. The scenes

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between them add realism to the films. It shows that these men, elves, and dwarves had lives before this journey. They had hopes and dreams. For Aragorn, These hopes and dreams are embodied in Arwen. Several times throughout the journey, he relies on her for help and guidance. In one

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Helm’s Deep. He daydreams of Arwen. During this daydream he reveals, his doubts and fears. Arwen tells him to trust himself, to trust their bond, because it is in that bond that Aragorn keeps his hopes. Each character has their own history, which isn’t revealed in the films. But if not the rest, in least we get a sense of Arwen and Aragorn’s history, which makes the films more real,

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more relatable. However, not all the scenes that are intended to lighten the mood are effective. In one particular fight scene, Aragorn falls into a stream and floats down shore. All the while his unconscious thoughts turn to Arwen, who by saying a prayer and kissing him, brings him back to reality. This scene adds nothing to the plot. All it really does is add another obstacle. For now, Aragorn must make it back to Helm’s Deep in time to aid the falling nation. While most of the scenes that intend to ease the tension of the movie are effective and well placed, there are a few that don’t make sense.

Though the movies do a decent job of creating the history of the movies through scenery and costumes, they fail to delve into the history of the characters. In this failure the audience loses the intimacy between the characters that is known in the books. In the films, Merry and Pippin are portrayed as mere tag-a-longs on Sam and Frodo’s journey to Rivendell. Exactly why did they follow Frodo all the way to Bree? This goes unanswered in the films but not the book as seen in a conversation between the hobbits:

Pippin: After all, you [Frodo] must remember that we [Merry, Pippin, and Sam] know you well, and are often with you. We can usually guess what you’re thinking . . .You are not going to escape so easily!

Frodo: But I must go. It cannot be helped dear friends.

Pippin: You must go - and therefore we must too. Merry and I are coming with you. Sam is an excellent fellow, and would jump down a dragon’s throat to save you . . .but you will need more than one companion in your dangerous adventure. (Tolkien 101-102)

Not only does the book reveal that Merry and Pippin are Frodo’s cousins, which isn’t shown in the passage above, they are his near and dearest friends. The closeness

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between the four is lost in the films. Instead, the emphasis is on the bond shared between Frodo and Sam. Another bond that is lost, is the friendship that develops between Gimli and Legolas. Though you do see snip-its of it here and there, such as the scene in Two Towers where they play a game of who can hit the most Orcs during the battle at Helm’s Deep. But during the fight there is a scene in the book showing Legolas’ concern for Gimli when he loses sight of Gimli, which does not appear in the film: “I do not grudge you the game [the Orc game], so glad am I to see you on your legs!” (Tolkien 530) Which brings me to another point. Why were they playing that game? The film also leaves that unanswered. The reason, as answered in the quote, is a friendly game between friends. The movie doesn’t really portray this, but the elves and the dwarves don’t have the best history. In fact, the two races dislike each other. Knowing this, the friendship formed between Legolas and Gimli is a big deal! The friendship between them shows that both characters grew in their understanding of the other race. The journey brought them together. This is barely touched on in the films. The lack of history between characters in the films leaves the viewers with questions that go unanswered and leaves out information that the audience needs for a richer understanding of the character’s actions.

Despite the few odd and out of place scenes, and the lack of history, the films are effective in portraying Tolkien’s trilogy. It’s obvious that the filmmakers spent hours upon hours reading and rereading the books to make sure that the films reflect them. Overall the films “remain[] true to Tolkien’s themes of corruptive influences” (Chappell), love, and the power of each individual to do good or evil. Even in the added scenes, these underlying themes can be found. Jackson et al. did a beautiful job in blending additions, alterations and deletions that were needed to enhance the plot and to engage the audience while maintaining the essence of Tolkien's story. So were these changes for the better or the worse? Definitely, the better!

Works Cited

Chappell, Crissa-Jean. "Movie Review:

Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring." Images Journal. 15 Oct. 2003.

Cooper, Phil. "Mastering Middle Earth:

Fellowship of the Ring." Bright Lights Film Journal. January 2002. 15 Oct. 2003.

Jackson, Peter. “Director’s Commentary.” Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Special Edition DVD. New Line Home Entertainment, 2001.

Sibley, Brian. The Lord of the Rings:

Official Movie Guide. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.

Thompson, Kristen. "Fantasy, Franchises,

and Frodo Baggins: The Lord of the Rings and Modern Hollywood." The Velvet Light Trap: A Critical Journal of Film and Television. (2003). 12 September 2003.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1987.

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great tenderness and sweetness which is illustrated in the scene when Frodo is unconcious and she says, “what grace has given me, let it pass to him” and a tear falls. She is the

as in Two Towers

-- her uncle’s rule is failing, her (the heir to the throne) is banished, she has to lead the people to Helm’s Deep while the men fight the Orcs. She is the

Pippin are the pranksters of the Hobbits. In Fellowship during Bilbo’s, Frodo’s uncle, one

particular scene in Two Towers, Aragorn marches to

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