**RotK - Minas Tirith**
 

What did you think of the scenes in Minas Tirith?

Minas Tirith itself was beautiful. But to go on about the White Tree only to do nothing with it was counterproductive. I didn't like the way Denethor was shoved around by Gandalf either.<P>Loved the catapults, loved the severed heads. Loved the Pyre, though not what they did with it.

Catapult v trebuchet.

I thought it was a very beautiful and well done set, but I sure wouldn't want to live there! It was pretty, but sterile, cramped and uncomfortable looking. I felt a bit sorry for Aragorn and Arwen for having to live there for the rest of their lives. And, as my husband said: "the view sucks!"<P>The landscaping elves will have their work cut out for them. <P>As for the white tree, it did a good job as king's confetti maker a la Excalibur. I'm glad they didn't take the time in the movie for Aragorn to find another. I think we have enough precedent for the king = land idea in movies for people to understand why the tree came into bloom once Aragorn came along.<P>*Loved* the severed heads!<P>Can't understand how they loaded such LARGE chunks of masonry into the trebuchets.<P>-Lily

I thought it was done pretty good as a whole. If I were to criticize it I would say that too much of the upper levels were harmed. In the book it was primarily just the lower level and the second lowest level. Too many bad guys made it into the city itself and the overlook was not supposed to be on the seventh level the precipice they looked off of to the gates below was on either the third or fourth I cant remember which. The same thing with the Rath Dinen it was not supposed to be on the seventh level nor was the beacon.but all in all it was very enjoyable

The shots from on high of Gandalf arriving and riding through the city were stunning.<P>As was the 'hand held' camera shot when the Rohirrim finally arrive on the PF and the city is a mile or so away. Stunning.<P>But Gandalf would surely have been arrested if he had clumped Denethor with his staff.

The scenes in Minas Tirith were nothing short of stunning! I was amazed at the details they put into that model and the set were equally stunning - especially the upper most level of the city!<P>Bravo to the designers for yet again making Minas Tirith into a <I>real</I> and <I>believable</I> place, to say nothing of being beautiful! <p>[ 12:09 PM December 19, 2003: Message edited by: Arathiriel ]

I also agree that the handheld shot of the city about a mile away from the Rohirrim was amazing. It was so incredible! The entire theater was cheering during ALL of the Minas Tirith scenes. Especially when Denethor got that smackdown from Gandalf. It was so hilarious!

I though Minis Tirith was done amazingly well. It wasn't what I had always pictured it as, but I suppose that's the price we have to pay for watching the movie, right? <P>Although it worked beautifully for the movie I thought. And I don't mind having that image stuck in my head every time I read the books from now on.