What would you as a director have done better?

[The Saucepan Man]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Someone mentioned 6 movies of 6 hours. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Er, that was me. And I did so with my tongue firmly in my cheek. My point was that to make the films like most people are suggesting would have required at least that amount of film time. And so the films would never have been made. They needed to be commercial successes in order to recoup the massive budgets required to bring Middle-earth to life.<P>And I'm not sure if I could sit through a 6 hour film, even one based upon a book which I enjoy so much. Watching FotR again last Sunday (the cinema version) brought it home to me again just how long 3 hours is to be sitting watching a film ...<P>Much as I would have loved to have seen many of my favourite parts of the books, in particular the Conspiracy Unmasked at Crickhollow and a proper introduction of Merry and Pippin, I accept that cuts inevitably had to be made.<P>So, there is very little that I would change in the films and the changes that I would make would have more to do with making the story that they tell make more sense than following the books more closely.<P>One major change that I would make (and which would I think take the films closer to the books) relates to Frodo's character. This didn't bother me at first, but the more I watch the films, the more I notice how wimpish film Frodo is. The number of times that he falls over backwards is astounding - heck he even does it after looking into Galadriel's mirror. And his eye rolling is so repetitive in TTT that it becomes plain irritating. “Ah, Frodo’s eyes are rolling up again … the Ring must be pulling on him again …” <P>So, I would make Frodo a stronger character. For example, I would have him putting up more of a fight at Weathertop and not deteriorating quite so quickly after being stabbed by the Morgul blade. However, much as I would like to have seen him confront the Ringwraiths at the Ford of Bruinen, I would on balance keep this the way it was done, since it is important to establish Arwen’s character in these scenes. If Aragorn's treatment of Eowyn is to make any sense and his marriage to Arwen is to have any impact, she has to be established as one of the key characters.<P>The strengthening of Frodo's character would have the added advantage of providing further scope for his deterioration during TTT, so that he would not be such a wreck by the end of the film – something which makes me wonder just how much lower he can go in RotK. The increasing effect of the Ring on Frodo as he nears Mordor is a crucial element to bring out, but it should be done with far more subtlety, rather than simply racking up the eye rolling. <P>That aside, there is really very little that I would change about FotR. <P>As for TTT, there is more that I would want to change based, as I said, on things that just don’t add up for me.<BR><UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>First, I would have Gandalf overthrow Saruman's influence over Theoden through the power of his words, rather than having him perform an exorcism. If Theoden is possessed by Saruman, why does Saruman need Wormtongue? Having it more like it is in the book (perhaps accentuated by the odd effect - like with Bilbo in FotR) makes more sense of Wormtongue's role at Edoras.<P><LI>I would retain the battle with the Warg-riders (provided that the WETA people could have come up with more Warg-like Wargs), since Saruman did employ Warg-riders in battle (at the Battles of the Ford of Isen, for example), and it looks spectacular on film (until you see the Wargs close up, of course ). I would, however, lose Aragorn being dragged over the cliff entirely. Everyone knows Aragorn will survive. He is too much of a central character not to, so it adds little in the way of tension. And it adds nothing to the story, save having him spot Saruman's army - and a well-placed scout could have done that.<P><LI>I would retain all of the scenes with Arwen. As I have already said, she is a key character in the trilogy of films, and rightly so, so she needs to have important scenes in TTT despite (thankfully) not being involved in the action. But Aragorn does not need to fall over a cliff in order for these scenes to be included. They could be incorporated elsewhere. I quite like the fact that audiences are given the impression that when she leaves Rivendell, she is going to the Grey Havens. It works to good dramatic effect, and will do so again when she turns up in RotK bearing Aragorn's banner (as I believe that she will). I would try to make Elrond appear a little less overbearing, although it is difficult, given that (in order for the audience to think that she has left for the Grey Havens) there needs to be a very <I>very</I> good reason why she might conceivably do this despite her love for Aragorn.<P><LI>I would also not have the Ents tricked into attacking Isengard. This, I feel, devalues them as characters. The tension in these scenes could be built up, and Merry and Pippin could have their discussion about the Shire, during an extended Entmoot scene. Also, having the Ents march on Isengard straight from the Entmoot would make more sense than having them all disperse and then reappear again within 30 seconds of Treebeard's call.</UL><P>There are other more minor changes that I would consider making, such as having Eomer at Helm's Deep and introducing Erkenbrand, provided that I could make this work without overburdening the story with additional characters and dialogue. <P>Which brings me to Faramir and Osgiliath. Tricky one this. The story of Frodo and Sam in the film (like the other two stories that develop during the film – those of Merry/Pippin and Aragorn/Legolas/Gimli) has to do more than simply take them from the Emyn Muil to the Vale of Morgul. There has to be a story which builds up the tension leading to a final release. In the other two stories the “finale” is provided by the attacks on Isengard and Helm's Deep respectively. Frodo and Sam need a similar conclusion to their TTT story. <P>Of course, many would say that Shelob should have been in the film for this very purpose. But it seems to me that there was never going to be enough time have the Hobbits and Gollum ascend to the pass of Cirith Ungol, for them to see the Black Army marching from Minas Morgul, and to have their encounter with Shelob. Even if there had been no journey to Osgiliath, the scenes at Henneth Annun would have needed extending, to build up Faramir’s character. To have Shelob tacked onto the end of the film would mean that she would, in my view, have insufficient screen time to do her justice. Also, it makes more sense for the audience to see Sauron’s forces, led by the Witch King, march down from Minas Morgul at the beginning of RotK, since it is the precursor to the Seige of Minas Tirith and the Battle of Pelennor Fields. And I still think that Shelob is going to provide a fantastic curtain raiser for the third film.<P>So, after the Gollum scenes, the Dead Marshes and the Black Gate, how to rack up the tension in Frodo and Sam’s story and provide a “finale” to it? Jackson achieved this (to the overwhelming dismay of most fans of the books) by having Faramir take them captive with the intention of bringing the Ring to his father and marching them to Osgiliath en route to Minas Tirith. And I am hard pressed (without Shelob) to think of any other way of doing it. Since we know from FotR that the Ring must be taken to Mordor and destroyed and that it is folly to attempt to use it against Sauron, Faramir’s attempt to take them to Minas Tirith certainly raises the tension. And, of course, Frodo’s run in with the Nazgul in Osgiliath provides the final drama, and Faramir’s decision to let him go provides the tension release.<P>So, I can live with the march to Osgiliath, although I would have preferred it if Faramir had been portrayed in a better light. For example, he could have treated the Hobbits less harshly, and his reluctance in following his chosen course of action brought out more. I would have included more of his wonderful dialogue with Frodo at Henneth Annun and have him say, referring to the Ring, something like “Not for myself would I take it even were I to find it on a highway. But my father desires it so and I am duty bound to deliver it to him”. The reference to his life being forfeit if he let them go could have been brought out at this point, earlier than it is in the film, so that it is made clearer just what is at stake for him. This would draw more of a contrast between him and his brother too.<P>As for the scene with the Nazgul, I dislike the way that this is done, since it reflects badly on Frodo and provides poor justification for Faramir’s decision to let them go, Sam’s speech notwithstanding. But I do like having the appearance of Nazgul at this point. We have only seen a Nazgul mounted on a winged beast once previously in this film, and they will be important in the final film. So, I think that I would have retained this, but have Frodo surprised by the Nazgul, rather than running to meet it, and then confronting it with Sting in hand rather than trying to put the Ring on (that stronger Frodo again). Then, Faramir and his Men could have arrived and let off a volley of arrows, perhaps even killing the Nazgul’s fell beast (after all, Legolas shot one in the book). The strength of character shown by Frodo would then provide far greater justification for Faramir’s decision to release them. Admittedly, it does not show Faramir the folly of trying to use the Ring against Sauron and his forces, but the earlier scenes could have shown that he already recognised this in his heart. Some suitable dialogue, lifted from his conversation with Frodo in the book could also have reiterated this.<P>This still does not wholly get over the problem of Sauron believing Pippin to have the Ring in RotK, as revealed by the early trailer release, but it makes more sense than actually having a Nazgul see Frodo with Ring in hand in Osgiliath. And having Sauron believe the Ring to be on its way to Minas Tirith either with one Hobbit (Frodo) or another (Pippin) provides ample justification for the attack on Gondor and the ensuing seige of Mina Tirith.<P>*Looks up* Oops, sorry to have banged on at such length, but the views expounded on various threads in this forum have made me think at great length on these points, particularly the question of how to deal with Frodo/Sam/Faramir …<P>… I’ll get my coat now. <P>Edit: One further thought. Having Frodo stand up to the Nazgul in Osgiliath would have gone some way towards making up for taking this away from him at Bruinen. <p>[ September 25, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]