Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Movie Spy Reports and Spoilers thread)

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[Sam Cree]

"the result of fighting evil may be the irreperable loss of what we value"

I sort of think that the result of fighting evil is that they saved what they valued (if you mean the Shire), though it's true that Frodo actually did not get to enjoy it for long.

"when a drama reaches its climax it is important to finish the story and get everybody off stage as quickly as possible"

You're probably right, but I surely will miss that chapter. It would be refreshing to see heroes in a contemporary film beating up on a socialist type government.

[HairOfTheDog]

You are confusing Overtaxed, the mad scientist... with Carton253, who is the acting/director type!

I know, they are both Tooks... hard to tell apart sometimes ;~D

[maquiladora]

I know that it might not make sence now, but when we see the finished product in 6 or 7 months time, I'm sure we'll all agree that whatever Peter is doing, it's a good thing.

[maquiladora]

That sounds exactly like what Peter would say.

You've nailed it.

I'm a little saddened that we won't see the Scouring, it was one of the best parts of the book, but I do realise that this is an adaptation to film, and thus changes have to be made to make the feature 'work' in a cinematic context rather than a written context. The Scouring just wouldn't 'work' with the vast, vast majority of audiences and it would also steal the thunder of the high-drama when the Ring is finally destroyed.

I'm confident that RotK will be great. The 3 screenwriters have been drafting and redrafted the script for nigh on 8 years now. I'm pretty sure they've worked out a good way of dealing with the ending, in fact, I'm almost certain.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I know, they are both Tooks... hard to tell apart sometimes ;~D

And they keep sneaking the '00' posts in the 'Hobbit Hole'.

[HairOfTheDog]

But I managed to get the last one. And I am at the office today so I am at a disadvantage with all the distractions. They are losing their edge.

[Ladysmith]

Hey there, all you hobbits. I'm just your everyday lurker who really enjoys all the posts about LotR, as well as the humor. Sometimes you're all a riot!

Hope you all don't mind but I'm so compelled to comment on "The Scouring of the Shire." I think it's too bad it won't be included in the movie. Like some others here, it's one of my favorite parts in the book because of one section that just stands out so much (to me anyway.)

It's when it occurs to Pippin they made need to fight to get rid of the ruffians in the Shire. Frodo is surprised and says, "...nobody is to be killed at all, if it can be helped. Keep your tempers and hold your hands to the last possible moment!" And Merry, the carefree hobbit-turned-knight, replies:

"But if there are many of these ruffians it will certainly mean fighting. You won't rescue Lotho, or the Shire, just by being shocked and sad, my dear Frodo."

He continues about what he thinks they need to do right away:

"Raise the Shire! Now! Wake all our people! They hate all this, you can see: all of them except perhaps one or two rascals, and a few fools that want to be important, but don't at all understand what is really going on. But Shire-folk have been so comfortable so long they don't know what to do. They just want a match, though, and they'll go up in fire..."

Frankly, after 9-11, I think many people would have appreciated "The Scouring..." in the movie. All those carefree hobbits from the beginning of the movie mustering together at the end of the movie, fighting as one to regain their freedom in their beloved Shire. It's so clear in my mind's eye. But I still trust PJ to end the Trilogy well.

P.S. Please put me on the ping list!! :o)

[Penny1]

Hobbits Sighted In Wellywood Another cast sighting mention from TORn:

5/23/02, 10:10 am EST - Xoanon

SC writes: A couple of my friends were at a service station in central Wellington on Friday night and as they were making their purchases who walks in but Dominic Monaghan (Merry) and Billy Boyd (Pippin)! The only mental note my friends made was that Dom and Billy were on foot, and appeared to be quite short - kind of like hobbits in the flesh!

Sooo.....not only are Frodo and Sam shooting new footage or reshooting old, but so are the other hobbits. And I think John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) was spotted the other day as well. Sounds like the filming is including most, if not all, of the fellowship. How exciting!

[HairOfTheDog]

Kinda makes you wonder what they "forgot" to do the first time! - Need more wild speculation!

Ladysmith, I have put you on the ping list.... as soon as Penny or maq can find some meaty rumors we can run with, I will ping the group!

[HairOfTheDog]

Spoiler alert!

Ain't it Cool news...Harry has seen the new TWO TOWERS trailer

Hey folks, Harry here... I'm not going to go into great detail here simply because there really is nothing new here. Basically this is a re-edit of footage you've already seen in the extended trailer that was tagged onto the end of FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. In all the trailer ran right around a minute twenty seconds. I wasn't looking at my watch, but it seemed to end before it was started. But isn't that always the case with any footage seen from LORD OF THE RINGS?

There is one shot that most of you have never seen, that has Legolas at the battle of Helm's Deep sliding down a set of stairs on the back of a shield firing arrows at oncoming hordes of Orc and Uruk Hai. If memory serves, this footage was in the Cannes Reel.

The trailer is made up only of characters that were introduced to us in the first film, shows the key scenes of Gollum crawling down towards Frodo and Sam, Aragorn and Legolas standing in the lightning at Helm's Deep with those establishing shots of the massive evil arm encamped outside their walls and the trailer ends with the introduction of Gandalf the White as he first appears before Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas. No Treebeard, no Eomer, no Theoden, no Wormtongue, no Arwen or Eowyn, no Faramir.

And strangely, neither of the Two Towers are actually shown in the teaser if memory serves... rather odd thing to leave out, I would think.

The trailer is narrated by Cate Blanchett's Galadriel, but I didn't have my notes with me when I saw the trailer. Where did I see it? Parts Unknown. Let's just say, I haven't been in Austin all the time. Muhahahahahahaaaaa, sneaky cheeky bastard that I am. I love my New Line spies in Bangkok!!!! Just kidding... or am I?

Ultimately I couldn't help but be disappointed by the lack of new imagery. Sure many people haven't seen the TWO TOWERS footage that was shown at Cannes last year, many didn't return to FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING to see the extended TWO TOWERS trailer, so for many this will most likely be their first chance to see footage from TWO TOWERS beyond the glimpses on ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT or other such programs. Frankly though, I feel with each new step, they should be bringing us mainly new imagery. Making us hunger for more and more. Personally I just want the movie out now. It's the film I wish to be seeing this Memorial Day.

END_________________

Hmmm... not the usual raving salivating reports I have come to expect from AICN... Whaddaya think? Will you be disappointed if the new trailer is not much more than the preview we have already seen? - And whaddaya think of Legolas surfing? - sound cool? or will it be a good cheezy spot to take a potty break in the film?

[ksen]

I would like on this ping list please. As for the Scouring scene, don't forget that there is always the director's cut DVD. Maybe he'll manage to get it in there. Here's hoping anyway.

-Kevin

[HairOfTheDog]

Consider yourself "on the list!"

[Wordsmith]

ooh, put me on the list too! Keep nasty taters, but give us tasty spoilers!!

[HairOfTheDog]

Will do - And I assume you no longer need that link? You are: "on the list!"

[Penny1]

My first reaction is, Good for PJ! What I mean by that is, with this being his first "public" TTT trailer he is making good on his comments and promises about the preview that was attached to the end of FOTR. Namely, that that long trailer, made explicitly for the fans who had supported the movie, would be something extra special. A "thank you" to the fans for their enthusiastic attendance at the theaters.

I think this sounds like a pretty good teaser-trailer for the film, and something very much in line with what is expected from a teaser 7 months out.

As for Leggie playing "surfer-boy," I'm waiting till I've seen it to decide. It sounds really cheesy to me, but you can't really tell unless you actually see how it looks....

[HairOfTheDog]

RE: Surfin elf: Yes, we'll see... like I said the the other thread, it isn't really cheesier than the Aragorn driving the falling ruin sequence in Moria. Maybe PJ throws a gratuitous tribute to Indiana Jones into all his movies :~D

[Wordsmith]

Thank you, yes I found it!

[maquiladora]

Oh no! The infamous Legolas-surfing thing is TRUE!

DOH! I thought PJ had cut this cut out? Eeeek...

[maquiladora]

Elves at Helm's Deep!

[HairOfTheDog]

Spy photo! (see above!)

Great pic Maq! - Look how rich the costumes and colors are! Where did you find it?