Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after.

Giles ,'Conversations with Dead People'


LotR - The Return of the King: "We named the *dog* 'Strider'".  

Frodo: Please, what does it always mean, this... this "Aragorn"? Elrond: That's his name. Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Aragorn: I like "Strider." Elrond: We named the *dog* "Strider".

A discussion of Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King. If you're a pervy hobbit fancier, this is the place for you.


Jessica - Dec 17, 2003 7:30:49 am PST #37 of 3902
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?

I mean [whitefont] But it's nothing.

Actually, that's a nitpick of mine -- he says "6,000 spears, less than half of what I was expecting." So he was expecting 12,000, at least. So what was with all the "Ten THOUSAND?!?!?! Nobody's got an army THAT big!" talk in TTT?

It's a small thing, but it caught my ear.


§ ita § - Dec 17, 2003 7:33:39 am PST #38 of 3902
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

What's the exact line from TTT? I'd read it as Wormtongue saying that Saruman can't just get an army that big. It's not like he was working from a warlike country's population, or anything. The orcish numbers must be reasonably known and constant.


Jessica - Dec 17, 2003 7:39:55 am PST #39 of 3902
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?

The line was "A force beyond reckoning" and, a bit later, "But my lord, there is no such army." I suppose he could have meant just orcs, but Theoden's reaction seemed to me like it was an unbelieveably big number, period. Which, if he was expecting to get 12,000 even after their losses at Helms Deep, it shouldn't have been.


§ ita § - Dec 17, 2003 7:42:11 am PST #40 of 3902
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Didn't Theoden look out and say "Is this all he's got?" I'm in a daze, so I'm not remembering well.


Jessica - Dec 17, 2003 7:47:03 am PST #41 of 3902
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?

Yes, though I read that line as "They outnumber us, but they're REALLY easily beaten," not "Hey, that's not so many."


DebetEsse - Dec 17, 2003 7:49:57 am PST #42 of 3902
Woe to the fucking wicked.

I'm still wearing the VIP bracelet that got us in and out of the theater for the extendathon. I know I'll have to shower sometime, but it's staying on till then.

Big old cheer-happy crowd. I don't remember all the times. Several during the first 2 movies. In RotK: Eowyn and the Witch King, Legolas and the Oiliphant, I think the Aragorn et al jumping off the ships. Other times, too.

wrt the ghosts I really wish it had been Gimli who tried to attack. Because my mind flashed to PotC. Which I was trying to avoid.

They also laughed a lot. Frequently at Gollum.

What I loved, and didn't realize till I broke out the soundtrack (Track 5, btw breaks me) that the language Gandalf uses abour death is echoed in the song at the end.


Jessica - Dec 17, 2003 7:54:35 am PST #43 of 3902
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?

(Now I feel like I'm over-nitpicking, so I'ma repost the Things I Loved A Lot list from my LJ. These are from my first viewing:)

Everything Pippin-related. Billy Boyd should get a MILLION Oscars for this movie.

Faramir's daddy issues. Major props to PJ for not toning Denethor down.

Eowyn finally kicking some ass! Woot!

Sam saving Frodo from the big scary spider. It was VERY big and VERY scary, and Sam defeated it all by himself because he is the best hobbit ever.

Shelob. If I wake up screaming tonight? Her fault. She really looks like a spider. Like, really. Also, I was impressed at her characterization. When Sam finally jabs her with Sting, you could really feel the "Alas, my beautiful wickedness!" fainting back into her spidery boudoir to lick her wounds thing happening.

Aragorn and the Paths of the Dead. Very nicely done.

Legolas' oliphaunt stunts.

Legolas' outfit at the end. Mrrowr.

The last line is as it should be. (Peter Jackson may live.)


Jessica - Dec 17, 2003 7:57:52 am PST #44 of 3902
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?

And my crypoints:

"Your hands are cold."

Pippin leaving Rohan.

Pippin swearing fealty to Denethor.

Faramir's last conversation with Denethor.

Sam's entrance into Shelob's lair.

Theoden's death.

Pippin throwing Faramir off the pyre.

Everything else that Pippin does.

Sam carrying Frodo up Mount Doom.

Frodo remembering the Shire.

Sam remembering Rosie Cotton dancing.

Eowyn's battle cry.

"I will kill you if you touch him."


Sean K - Dec 17, 2003 8:19:31 am PST #45 of 3902
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty

Loved:

Pippin's dirge. FUCK!!!!

Sam's entrance into Shelob's lair. YES!!!!

Yeah, that thing Eowyn does.


DebetEsse - Dec 17, 2003 8:26:24 am PST #46 of 3902
Woe to the fucking wicked.

Sam and Shelob.

Yes!