Towers - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lord of Angmar · 07-20-2003, 09:51 AM

In regards, to that Tolkien quote, I always found the title of the Two Towers very misleading. Tolkien said that this title was pushed for by his publisher, who said that it would leave people with any number of ideas about which two towers he was talking about - Cirith Ungol and Orthanc? Orthanc and Barad-dur Minas Tirith and Barad-dur? - etc. I noticed in a movie trailer that they said something along the lines of 'an alliance is growing between Orthanc, fortress of the wizard Saurman, and Barad-dur, stronghold of the Dark Lord Sauron.' This is misleading in two ways. First of all, I don't believe that the Two Towers was meant to mean Orthanc and Barad-dur, since Sauron plays a minimal part in the Two Towers (at least with regards to the storyline of Saruman). Secondly, there really was no formal "alliance" between Orthanc and Barad-dur. In the book, it was made clear that Saruman was being subversive and unloyal to Sauron, but that is never established in the movie. Sorry to go off the topic of the thread (and for that matter, off the topic that I originally started). [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

07-20-2003, 09:51 AM	#7
Lord of Angmar Tyrannus Incorporalis Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: the North Posts: 833	In regards, to that Tolkien quote, I always found the title of the Two Towers very misleading. Tolkien said that this title was pushed for by his publisher, who said that it would leave people with any number of ideas about which two towers he was talking about - Cirith Ungol and Orthanc? Orthanc and Barad-dur Minas Tirith and Barad-dur? - etc. I noticed in a movie trailer that they said something along the lines of 'an alliance is growing between Orthanc, fortress of the wizard Saurman, and Barad-dur, stronghold of the Dark Lord Sauron.' This is misleading in two ways. First of all, I don't believe that the Two Towers was meant to mean Orthanc and Barad-dur, since Sauron plays a minimal part in the Two Towers (at least with regards to the storyline of Saruman). Secondly, there really was no formal "alliance" between Orthanc and Barad-dur. In the book, it was made clear that Saruman was being subversive and unloyal to Sauron, but that is never established in the movie. Sorry to go off the topic of the thread (and for that matter, off the topic that I originally started). [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] __________________ ...where the instrument of intelligence is added to brute power and evil will, mankind is powerless in its own defence.