And something that really struck me for the first time on seventh viewing was just how close Gondor is to Mordor, how it does form a fragile buffer-zone against its advance. It's in that scene (one of my very favorite) right at the beginning, just after the Black Riders have burst out of Minas Morgul, and Gandalf reigns up his horse, watching the dark thunderclouds over Mordor. Then he spurs the horse on for Gondor, which you then see in the forground, with Mordor in the background.
That about Boromir struck my at about the fourth or fifth viewing. It is the second time that the orc-arrows (thick as table-legs) bring him to his knees. As he gasps for breath, he looks up and sees Merry and Pippin. As usual, Jackson is not heavy-handed about it, but you see the back of one of their heads at the left edge of the screen. Looking at their eyes, Boromir again heaves himself to his feet and dispatches more orcs, before the last arrow brings him down for the last time.
Ack, tearing up at work. Very moving scene. Wonderful movie.
Dan
I can't wait till the Two Towers. I just can't wait.