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[bubosquared]

Second viewing, slightly more coherent notes and commentary.

Was it just me, or did Sméagol's voice change from normal voice to Gollum voice the moment he saw the ring?

Theory: the main difference between Frodo and Gollum, the reason why Gollum was consumed by the ring (excellent sequence, incidentally, and Andy Sorkins desreves an Oscar for that) while Frodo wasn't quite, not really until the end, is Sam. Gollum was isolated from everyone and everything, whereas Frodo had his friends, he had Sam to remind him he wasn't alone, to keep him grounded in reality even just a little bit.

"Oh, I'm not hungry. Leastways, not for lembas bread." "Sam ..." That small exchange just spoke volumes to me. Sam sacrificing himself for Frodo, and Frodo just looks right through him and chides him for it.

Ang and I were talking about Merry and Pippin being kind of spoiled little rich boys, and then in "Welcome to Isengard" scene, Merry tells Pippin "Only you've never done an honest day's work in your life," and hee! Validation! I love that scene in general, too. Gimli's "You young rascals," and then Pippin just grins, and Aragorn smiles and Gandalf's all "Hobbits!" and awwww!

When Pippin takes the Palantir from underwater, was anyone else reminded of the scene where Déagol takes the Ring from the river?

I rather like the fact that there are women in the feast in the Hall of Methuseld, cheering and celebrating with the men, as equals, really. Also: Aragorn, stop gazing longfully at other women! Seriously. Stop giving Éowyn false hope. But lord, how much do I love Merry and Pippin's drinking song? And Pippin looks so cute with his shirt all untucked! And I had an Aragorn/Gandalf moment. DAMN YOU, PETER JACKSON!

Sam is really sexy when he's beating up Gollum. Mmm, violence.

Aaaand elf!Confucius is back! Yeah, so I get slightly irritated when Legolas spouts Random Elf Wisdom. Tuesday, I actually muttered "Cram it, Confucius" under my breath. The people next to me found this very amusing.

In re: Billy Boyd: How is this man over 30?!? Seriously, how? He so looks like the baby Pippin's supposed to be!

Since ruby_fruit pointed it out to me, I looked closely when Legolas manhandles helps Aragorn after he's held the Palantir, and um. My notes say Legolas, where do your elf hands stray? and that's all I'm saying about it.

Was slightly irked by petty!Théoden and his "What do we owe Gondor?" Your fucking allegiance, for one thing, dammit!

God, the scene where Merry and Pippin say goodbye, and Merry's crying and Pippin's crying out for him, it breaks my heart into a thousand little pieces. And then Merry runs up the tower and I just lose it. SOB!

(Side note: while running up the tower, Merry pushes a guard out of the way, and Aragorn runs after him and also pushes the guard out of the way, and that poor harangued guard, man. *pets him*)

Okay, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one bothered by this, but elves should not have a stubble! Hobbits, perhaps, but not elves! No! Shave, people! Yes, Hugo Weaving, I'm looking at you here!

The reforging of Narsil is incredibly cool. Elven smiths! Ooooh! And for some reason, Arwen saying the rhyme seriously hits me where I live. I cannot resist whispering the last line along with her, but thenthat's always been my favourite quote from the books. It's just so hopeful. The crownless again shall be King. Sigh.

Pippin offering Denethor his allegiance is a wonderful scene. He's a spoilt little rich boy ("They won't expect me to actually fight, would they?") but he's a spoilt little rich boy with a sense of honour and duty, and he feels like he owes something to Denethor because Boromir died while saving him and Merry. And Gandalf bopping him with his staff was a nice touch, it keeps the scene from being too loaded with pathos.

Another similarity I'm probably imagining: Pippin climbing up to the beacon while Frodo and Sam climb the winding stairs. And speaking of the lighting of the beacons, that is a wonderful, hopeful, amazing scene. Just gorgeous. (Although Aragorn then goes and spoils it by running off like a git and behaving in a very un-kingly manner.)

Random observations: I love how Gandalf still has his leaf brooch, but prettied up to fit his new white outfit. Also, Gondorian guards are pretty! Actually, Gondorians are pretty in general, I noticed. Mmm.

I didn't like how Éomer and Éowyn didn't seem to have much of a sibling relationship in this movie. *frown*

When Aragorn uncovers Éowyn's sword, he does this little smirk thing that amused me a lot for some reason.

The first time Pippin and Faramir see each other ... God, another heartbreaking moment, especially when Pippin looks away, as if Faramir looks too much like Boromir for him to bear. Aw!

The only moment I really liked movie!Denethor is when Pippin is stumbling over his oath of allegiance. He's kinda sweet there, if somewhat condescending. And then he totally ruins it, and Pippin's image of him, I imagine, by making Faramir nearly cry. And then he makes Pippin cry, after the singing which is still too beautiful for words, and I just want to kick him.

Still having issues with the Stairs scenes. My notes on this consist of GET OFF THE FUCKING LEDGE! I really really cannot deal with heights.

Heh. I don't know what this: THANK YOU, CAPTAIN OBVIOUS! was about, but I'm pretty sure it had to do with Legolas. Ahem. I like Legolas, I do, but he doesn't seem to do much in this movie other than look cool in battle and stand around a lot. Well, and grope Aragorn, but that's a given. (Ah, right, it was about his "The horses are restless" line.)

Another "OMG HOBBIT!" moment was Merry saying "All my friends have gone to battle." He's just so alone without Pippin, without anyone else, and he doesn't want to be left behind and I don't blame Éowyn for picking him up, because I'd have done so, too. And the way Merry says "My lady?" always seems a bit pervy to me, as if, had he been sitting behind her on the horse, he'd have taken advantage to cop a feel. (And got a shield to the head for his trouble, most likely.)

Aragorn at the Paths of the Dead kicks major ass. Hail to the King, baby!

Random observation re: Denethor's claim that "My line has ended," surely Boromir at least has a couple of bastards running around?

I like how Pippin's still wearing the elven cloack even with his Gondorian uniform (which looks gorgeous on him, incidentally.)

Meanwhlie, up at Cirith Ugnol, Frodo's yelling for Sméagol, and then, in a tiny, lost voice, "... Sam." See Melle. See Melle cry. Sigh.

My notes claim that Elwood's teeth gap = oddly sexy, which we will not examine further.

When the Rohirrim are preparing for battle, Éowyn wraps her arm around Merry for support, and he graps her hand, and it's all so cute I might die. But then Théoden makes his big speech, and according to my notes I then signed up for the Rohirrim army. Seriously, make me watch that scene, put me on a horse and hand me a sword, and I will ride unto certain death. The screams of "Death!" and Éowyn and even Merry joining in just sent shivers down my back, and then the Rohirrim, like a tidal wave, just sweep away the orcs, and I don't think I breathed during that entire scene.

(Although, in my notes I described that last bit as Rohirrim make orcs go SPLAT, which is perhaps more descriptive, but lacks a certain something.)

After Legolas does his elephant-surfing-trick, he does this thing with his head that's something between a nod and a twist, at Gimli, like he's saying "Now are you impressed?" Gimli, of course, is not. Aw!

When Aragorn gives his own little motivational speech, and he calls the men of Gondorand Rohan his brothers, I was reminded of Boromir's dying words. Actually, my notes say: OMG, Boromir shout-out! Heh. In that scene, I liked how Merry and Pippin were the first to charge after Aragorn, before even Legolas and Gimli.

I cannot adequately express how much I love Peter Jackson for using so many of the book's exact lines especially near the end. Pippin's "The Eagles are coming!" is one of those moments where I just felt incredibly connected to this whole world.

And it becomes clear that the Ring's been destroyed, and Merry's crying because he thinks Frodo's dead, and I really wish I knew of more stories where it's more explored that Merry and Frodo are cousins, and probably quite close, almost like brothers.

Hobbits must not be restless sleepers. Seriously, if I'd have slept on a rock in the middle of lava like that, I'd be melted!Melle within the hour. Then again, I'd never have got there in the first place, as I would've taken a tumble off that ledge on the Winding Stairs at night.

You know how I mentioned Legolas' wandering hands earlier? The Hobbits aren't much better in the Houses of Healing scene. Just sayin'.

I totally adore Elrond the Proud Papa in the coronation scene. So sweet!

I think it was ruby_fruit with whom I was discussing the Sam and Rosie thing in the Green Dragon scene near the end, andbut whoever it was was so right that he just kissed her and didn't bother with words, because Pippin's all "Woa" about it, and he'd not do that over a proposal.

"Well, I'm back." And I'm broken. Thanks, Sam.

God, I blather a lot about this movie.

Comments

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

and I LOVE your thing about Merry and Pippin as spoiled rich boys, because they so are,

They really are, and Pippin a bit more than Merry, I think. Or maybe it's just that Merry's quicker to lose that spoilt-rich-boy -ness, and Pippin, partially because he's younger, partially because Merry's protecting him and shielding him, I think, holds onto that a bit longer.

can i have your babies

Mmmmm, babies. Particularily good in a wine sauce, I hear.