LOTR: The Two Towers Discussion

The middle film, THE TWO TOWERS of the LOTR trilogy bridges FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING and RETURN OF THE KING. The film introduces us to the realm of Rohan, the plight of Gondor, and the plunges Frodo and Sam into the care of the ring-crazed Gollum. We are introduced to new cast characters Faramir, Grima Wormtongue, Eomir, King Theoden, and the fair Eowyn.

The battle of Helms Deep brings this film to a crashing climax.

What are your thoughts about Peter Jackson's THE TWO TOWERS? Did it live up to the book? What were your favorite moments? What could've been improved?

Come in here to discuss this thrilling second chapter of Tolkien's classic trilogy as it was brought to the big screen.

 

My favorite part of TTT the book is the Shelob sequence, so of course I was disapointed that that was moved to ROTK. But Treebeard is always good, as are Merry and Pippin being... well, themselves. I do think it was fitting that Treebeard got a lot of Bombadil lines. The one thing that stuck out to me, though, was the Faramir business, with him bringing Sam and Frodo to Osgiliath. Bad idea, IMO. I thought that was mostly recitified by the EE, though-- I could understand it. And Lothlorien... call me crazy, but I thought Galadriel was a little too ethereal. Or, perhaps, trying too hard to be ethereal.

On the whole, though, despite the fact that I'm being picky, I rather like it. Great Wormtongue... great Gollum sequences... wonderful piece of work

 

My initial reaction to this film, upon seeing it in the cinema, was one of hate. I thought it was pretty bad. The EE clarifies the story and makes it work, but I can remember coming out of the cinema thinking that TTT just couldn't cope with the compression employed for the theatrical cut.

 

I thought it was pretty good. My favorite part was the Battle of Helm's Deep. Although there's one thing I hate about LOTR. I hate when the camera has everything go in slow motion. I think they over do it with that in both TTT and Return of the King.

 

I came in after loving what Jackson did to Fellowship only to be severely disappointed and even angered by the hack job he visited on The Two Towers. The cuts are one thing, I understand there has to be some editing and translation from page to screen. But Jackson's additions, especially the totally pointless scenes of Aragorn falling off a cliff so that he can have flash backs of Liv Tyler only to dust himself off and return back to the film with no change in dynamics or character, were completely useless IMO.

After that I found it hard to like RotK, and that's too bad because I wanted to love these films as much as I'd cherished the novels.

 

I'm one of those "never read the books" people. The only exposure I had to the story was seeing the animated films 1 time when I was a kid. I think I'm lucky, by not knowing (or really remembering) what happens in the stories, I LOVED the films. That being said, I can understand why people get angry at PJ for changes he made, however, not having the budget to make 8 hour epics out of each films, I know why he had to make the changes.

The scenes w/ Arwyn and Aragon, IMO are somewhat useless. After watching the EE's of the films there were a few moments that were cut out, that to me, solidified their love. The fact that Aragon thought Arwyn was dead, which caused him to fight like a man w/o purpose, was important to the overall story and explaining that very pained look in his eyes when he challenges and confronts Sauron's army in ROTK.

Without those few moments that are in the EE's but not in the films, the random scenes w/ them rambling about love or whatever, just never sold their relationship to me. The EE corrected that for me though

That all being said, I LOVE TTT. I love Eomir and Faramir. I think they're fantastic additions to the cast, even though I would've preferred to see more of Eomir (and no, not just because he's hot ) The scene in TTT EE w/ Faramir recalling his father belittling him about wanting to goto Rivendale and his sending Boromir in his place was heart-breaking and made his line "then my life is forfeit" that much more powerful.

Overall, I love TTT film, but the TTT EE is one of the best films I've seen. There's a lot of depth in the scenes that were cut from the film that just make it heartwrenching to watch.

 

You should really consider watching the Extended Editions. They are significantly better than the theatrical versions and IMHO the DEFINITVE LOTR Films.

 

I like the EEs better, but I know Jackson thinks the Theatricle release is the best. Which is why they are called "Extended Editions" rather than "Directors Cut". The one in the theatres was the "Directors Cut".

Anyways, I think TTT is by far the weakest of the trilogy. My friends were all HUGE LotR fans when we saw it, and for weeks before they just hyped up the Battle of Helms Deep as the best battle EVAR!!! But I was really really dissapointed once I saw it. The movie kind of slugged along, but that's the danger in the middle part of a trilogy. Especially when the good guys... well... win! It seems like, "Oh, well that's the end right? Oh wait... there's a bigger better battle coming. What's the point of this one again?"

It's handled better in the books, but I also read it in an omnibus, so TTT just seemed like it was part of a long story. But a movie should be able to stand on its own, not have to lean on the others to support itself. If someone watched TTT by itself, it would be... meh. Cool, but pointless.

And that sums up my thoughts on TTT, cool... but pointless.

 

I can see where the revisions to Boromir's character is coming from (they didn't want every character to be so one-dimensional), but I have to agree with the criticism that he was made too weak morally. It takes quite a while for him to finally concede that the Ring will not help him and that Frodo and Sam must keep going on. In the book, he's much friendlier with them. Otherwise, I love the rest of the movie (including Sam's moving monologue at the end).

 

Well I have FotR in EE, and it looks like Best Buy is selling them for only $19.99 this week...

 

Don't you mean Faramir?

 

I really think TTT is a flat movie. It has some good action, but to go from the greatness of Fellowship to the moody TTT is jarring. Gollum is great, but he becomes the focus of the entire film. And Treebeard puts me to sleep. ROTK is much better.

 

He twisted TTTs plot into ROTK (they're the same story now) because he thought the book was unsatisfying. Jokes on since that is how the middle film of a trilogy is supposed to be (empire strikes back). It's very well made and you could probably still fix it in editing today. It is not okay to have two glorious climaxes in a row, TTT should have wrapped up FOTR and set up ROTK with a dark shifting plot that leaves the hereos in peril (how was in the book), just like how the second act of a single film operates.

 

^But it's pointed out that the Shelob sequence does take part during ROTK, so he really didn't change anything. ROTK would have had it's Frodo/Sam/Gollum sequences cut shorter if Shelob were in part II. In part III, they'd be already at Mount Doom while the Rohan City battle hadn't even occured yet.

 

No, it happens in The Two Towers. The two stories don't have to match up exactly, that is why they are intercut. When it happens chronologically is irrelevant, where is happens in the story is what matters. It's actually better if we see less of Frodo and Sam in ROTK since other then Mount Doom, the story is about Aragorn (hence the title). It makes Mount Doom more effective and powerful since we haven't seen them for a little awhile. It's much better then having the same damn movie twice in a row.

 

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Stupid brothers. Well, they made Faramir too Boromir-like.

 

Well, it can't all be like the books. That would be too predictible and wouldn't be as popular with the mainstream audience.

 

That's the thing though, if that were to happen our emotional attachment to their journey would've been significantly lowered because we haven't seen them for a long time. It would've seemed as if Frodo & Sam's journey were just tacked on to ROTK. By keeping a bulk of Frodo and Sam's journey in ROTK, it helps keep the audience invested in their struggles and their journey. Destroying the Ring is the primary arc of the entire LOTR series...it can't take the backseat to Aragorn's quest, The Battle of Minas Tirith, etc. which is how it would have appeared ON FILM had Jackson followed the book exactly.

 

My favorite scenes

-Gandalf and Eomir, show up with the Riders of Rohan at Dawn, and with the rising sun, charge
at the Urukai.

-San and Frodo's talk about heros at the end

-Gimli and Legolas keeping count of the slain at Helms Deep

-The last march of the Ents

-The White Wizard appears to Aragon, Legolas and Gimli

-Gollums introduction

-any time the Rohan music is played


When i first saw this movie, i was a little disappointed, mainly because i had such high expectations, and the film took the most liberty in its adaptation from the book. I think i was to busy comparign it to the book in my head. I liked it, but wasnt thrilled.
Now, when i watch it i love it, and agree, any LOTR fan, should see the EE of all three films, as they add so much more depth and cool stuff to the story.

Also, anyone who even remotely likes these movies and has not read the books, my advice is to read them!!

 

i loved the music in this one

 

When I first saw TTT, I walked out disappointed, but it's actually becoming my favorite. It's just beautiful. I mean this took the best of Fellowship and the best of ROTK and blending into a working middle chapter. Sure they cut out a good bit of the book but the film works.

 

What I didn't like about it was it focused less on the Fellowship and more on Rohan and what Saurman was doing. The Ring just wasn't the main focus anymore, and that really hurt the storyline.

 

Well yes because, the people of Rohan playa big part in ROTK, also nothing other than talking to Gollum really happens in the Ring storyline, I mean we know they won't reach Mount Doom in TTT so it's just basically them going along on their journey which gets a little boring.