I’ve just listened to the screenwriters’ reasons for changing the plot of TT. My first thoughts:<P>- Peter Jackson had the best reason behind leaving Shelob out because of the time line. I always though he would come up with this excuse!<P>- Phillipa Boyens has the most smug look on her face throughout the ‘book to script’ interviews. I haven’t a clue why.<P>- It seems that Boyens and Fran were the main force behind the script itself. All the time I’ve been dissing Jackson for the changes, and it’s probably not his fault!<P>- Boyen’s point (I paraphrase) <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>We couldn’t show both scenes at the end of the movie - i.e. helm’s deep and shelob’s lair. it wouldn’t work on film <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> So what are they going to leave out on ROTK then? The battle at the black gate or Frodo at the cracks of doom??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!<P>- Boyen’s first excuse for the faramir plot change was that Frodo and Sam had to journey to SOMEWHERE in the TT film once they decided to remove the shelob scene. So I understand their point of going to Osgiliath now. I would have almost accepted the change but then realised that this was not the main reason behind the faramir plot change which Boyen states next:<P>- She points out that to show the ring as all powerful, and then let faramir state his immortal lines <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> I would not take this thing, if it lay by the highway. Not were Minas Tirith falling in ruin and I alone could save her, so, using the weapon of the Dark Lord for her good and my glory <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> would ‘kill’ the movie. Why? Why can’t we show that at least ONE man has the sense that Gandalf and Elrond have? Why would it kill the movie? Ridiculous response from Boyens. She has not noticed that Faramir says this line BEFORE he realises Isildur’s Bane is the One Ring. After this, he is tempted, yes, <B>but keeps to his vow</B> that he would not touch it.<P>- They do not mention why they had the Frodo / nazgul scene. I’ve yet to listen to the commentary so maybe they say something about it there.<P>- Having old man willow in fangorn was a stroke of genius<P>- They mentioned nothing about changing Theoden’s character. Again, they might mention this on the commentary<P>- Boyens also mentioned that they changed a LOT in the fellowship and this has been accepted. Yes, I agree a lot MORE was changed in the fellowship, but not really a massive PLOT change.<P>- Faramir’s scenes DO work better in the extended edition now we see the denethor scene. BUT THIS IS NOT THE POINT. The plot was changed, but the denethor scene only makes it clearer why, not an excuse for the plot change.
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