Microphones in Middle-earth...the BBC Lord of the Rings

[davem]

Transcript: http://www.tolkienradio.com/ringgoessouth.html

I love this episode. We begin in the peace & security of Rvendell & end in the darkness & horror of Moria. Along the way we pass through Hollin, suffer the attack of Wargs, struggle through the snows of Caradhras & face the long dark of Moria.

Again, so much of the power of the drama comes from the use of Tolkien's own words, both via narration & dialogue. I particularly liked the gathering of the Fellowship scene . We get the sense that Elrond is facing a truly painful decision (though as with the book we aren't told why, exactly, he feels the need to choose nine companions, rather than 5, 10, or a nice round dozen!). The scene between Frodo & Bilbo, and particularly Frodo's awkward expression of gratitude to Bilbo for everything he has done for him (clearly extending right back to his adopting him after his parents' deaths) is quite beautiful. You get the sense that he's never actually said thankyou before - well, not in words (typically English - as is Bilbo's response - telling him not to mention it), but he knows this may be the last time they get the chance to say it.

One thing I liked was the way Gandalf's determination to get the Company into Moria was constantly played up - he is clearly steering them that way, & grabbing every opportunity to get the idea into the forefront of their minds. He wants them all to go through the Mines - as if he is aware that his destiny lies that way.

Another thing: Gimli. A person rather than comic relief. He is full of old lore & the wisdom of his folk. He chants the Song of Durin - & Sam is enthralled. In fact, what I love about this adaptation is that all the characters are given the chance to reveal their characters (often via little scenes or asides & comments). Sam's little comments to Bill are nice & really bring home how much he cares about him. His grief over the death of Balin, & the state to which Moria has come is subtly done but quite heartbreaking.

Anyway, as this is by way of an introduction to our discussion of the episode I'll keep it short. The only other thing I wanted to mention was the Balrog confrontation. David Collings was amazing - the sheer terror in his cry as the Balrog appeared was heart-stopping, & communicates to the audience a whole hidden history. Even a listener who does not know what a Balrog is (we are given no explanation of what it is, & no description of what it looks like), knows that this is the ultimate manifestation of destructive evil & sheer horror - the actors' voices convey that perfectly.

So, off we go....

[ArathornJax]

Well I listen to this section and started the next one today on the drive home. My son has confirmed Influenza Type A so I don't have a lot of time right now (want to make sure he is ok, and he is watching the Extended Two Towers so I can sit with him through that) and the post I had spent 10 minutes putting together became lost as my MacBook Pro lost connection with my wireless adapter (I need to buy a new wireless adapter to work with the one in the MacBook Pro). So I'll post on this section tomorrow.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I've seen that someone posted on this thread on the 'alternate universe' version of the forum - I can't get there, so hopefully this will be seen and read. It is difficult to get a coherent discussion together, so it might be wise to wait until this glitch is fixed.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

I've seen that someone posted on this thread on the 'alternate universe' version of the forum - I can't get there, so hopefully this will be seen and read. It is difficult to get a coherent discussion together, so it might be wise to wait until this glitch is fixed.

try http://barrowdowns.com/

[ArathornJax]

Hello, I feel like the Def Leopard song "Foolin" at least this part:

"I realized that . . .
Is anybody out there, anybody there
Does anybody wonder, anybody care
Oh, I just gotta know
If youre really there and you really care"

So this is a test to see if this post sticks . . .

I'm probably not going to post on this until I know the posts are sticking. I noticed that Brian's new post has been deleted as well.

[ArathornJax]

Ok, several observations. First, the staff:

"Gandalf held his staff aloft, and from its tip there came a faint radiance which just showed the ground before his feet. They started on their way. By the pale light, they caught glimpses of stairs and arches and of passages and tunnels, sloping up, or running steeply down, or opening blankly dark on either side."

The key word here is tip. I guess you could say that a tip is the top, like the tip of a mountain, but the word also means the end of an extremity so it could mean the bottom. Much like the tip of an old spinning top. So it does provide a new way of looking at this, something I had not considered. Perhaps Gandalf can radiate light from the top, from the whole staff or from the bottom.

A close listening also gave me further evidence in a discussion I am in on the Balrog. It is evident that Gandalf (as Tolkien stated in one of his letters) knew there was a Balrog in Moria (and Legolas was the only other party member who could recognized it). I know someone who is arguing that the Balrog controled the weather on Caradhras and thus wanted to fight Gandalf. I argue that it was Sauron, based on info from Tolkien and the text itself (his arm has grown long) that closed the pass to force them through Moria. I also do not believe that the Balrog was in league with Sauron, though the Balrog was used by Sauron (see Appendix A under Durin's Folk) for his purposes (destroying the Kingdom of Khazad-dum, confronting Gandalf etc) and to further them. I think this also shows that as we'll get to in the next disc that Celeborn knew what was in Moria as well.

I would welcome thoughts on this as well. I always imagine that there were chasms in the chamber where the orcs had light fires and the trolls were bringing stones to bridge those chasms so the orcs could attack. Then the Balrog appears and the trolls and orcs fall back giving way to this demon. Then the orcs waited to follow the fellowship because of daylight and because they had to repair the bridge that was broken even if in a hastly way. However, could trolls be bringing a piece of stone (from lets say a fallen pillar) that is long enough to make a second bridge over the chasm?

Finally, I think it is at this point that Frodo realizes or begins to, that he is alone. He has lost Gandalf and from this point to the falls, he knows in his heart what he has to do; move to Mordor on his own. I also think this is why it is replayed on the next disc (along with the sense of loss).

[Brian Sibley]

..I'm BACK!