Smell this, I think it's expired...

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Kath

Smaller creatures can fall larger distances while sustaining less damage than bigger creatures. For example a cat can fall out of a 4th floor window and land without a scratch, whereas a human would break a good many bones. This fall of Frodo's and the fact that the Seat would be higher to him than a Man suits that theory.

What broke the illusion to me was then Aragorn leaping off the same Seat to face the orcs. Using the previous argument it should not have been possible for him to do this with no ill effect, and for it to look as though it was the same distance for him to 'fall' as it was for Frodo.

Really? I will have to check with my physicist friend to be sure, but thought that all objects fall at the same rate. Force = mass x acceleration (or something), and so Frodo would hit the ground with less force than would Aragorn, due to their differing masses, but I think that both would be in for a bit of a jolt.

Have considered testing this out using me and my son, but then figured that it would only land me in the hospital either due to:

• the fall, as I would be the Aragorn-sized control, or

• getting caught by Mrs. alatar, who would not take lightly me indulging in such stupidity...

As long as the world is internally consistent, then I can go along for the ride. As posted elsewhere, inconsistencies like Saruman's fireball took me out of the movie.

In regards to cats, I think that they can 'fall' further due to (1) less mass, (2) instinctively decreasing the rate of descent by cupping their bodies, and (3) having anatomy more suited to such fun. A cat falling on its back will be hurt.

Anyway, on the other hand, ME is a fantasy world, and in a world of magic rings, wizards, incarnate evil, etc, a little fudging of reality can be expected.

Tolkien wrote with a whole world and legend and history in his mind, so that what his characters said fit with their past, present and future. Changing this is just not an option if you want to make the film of the story. If this is done the film becomes a different story with the same elements.

Agreed. 'Seeing' a character 'speak' another character's lines was like experiencing something akin (I assume) to schizophrenia.