hmmm...Saruman nixed from theatrical version of ROTK...
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- <i>Haruchai</i>
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hmmm...Saruman nixed from theatrical version of ROTK...
Peter Jackson, director of the upcoming third Lord of the Rings film, The Return of the King, told the Ain't It Cool News Web site that he reluctantly excised Saruman (Christopher Lee) from the last film in the trilogy. "We have decided to save the Saruman sequence for the DVD," Jackson told the site.
Jackson added, "The problem is that the sequence was originally shot for The Two Towers, as it is in the book. Since The Two Towers couldn't sustain a seven-minute 'wrap' after Helm's Deep, we thought it would be a good idea to save it for the beginning of the Return of the King. The trouble is, when we viewed various ROTK cuts over the last few weeks, it feels like the first scenes are wrapping last year's movie, instead of starting the new one. We felt it got ROTK off to an uncertain beginning, since Saruman plays no role in the events of ROTK. ...
"We reluctantly made the decision to save this sequence for the DVD," Jackson said. "The choice was made on the basis that most people will assume that Saruman was vanquished by the Helm's Deep events and Ent attack. We can now crack straight into setting up the narrative tension of ROTK, which features Sauron as the villian." Return of the King opens Dec. 17.
from scifi.com
Jackson added, "The problem is that the sequence was originally shot for The Two Towers, as it is in the book. Since The Two Towers couldn't sustain a seven-minute 'wrap' after Helm's Deep, we thought it would be a good idea to save it for the beginning of the Return of the King. The trouble is, when we viewed various ROTK cuts over the last few weeks, it feels like the first scenes are wrapping last year's movie, instead of starting the new one. We felt it got ROTK off to an uncertain beginning, since Saruman plays no role in the events of ROTK. ...
"We reluctantly made the decision to save this sequence for the DVD," Jackson said. "The choice was made on the basis that most people will assume that Saruman was vanquished by the Helm's Deep events and Ent attack. We can now crack straight into setting up the narrative tension of ROTK, which features Sauron as the villian." Return of the King opens Dec. 17.
from scifi.com
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- Worm of Despite
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Though many will not be pleased, Jackson can do whatever he wants, as far as I'm concerned. From what I've seen of the last two films I completely trust him to make a stellar, beautiful movie this December, The Voice of Saruman or not. All I want to see is Sam carrying Frodo on his back up Mount Doom, honestly. And then I'll try not to cry during that scene.
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This just points to the differences between the mediums...arts...of literature and film. What might work very well in one doesn't necessarily work well in the other...
I agree with Lord Foul. Jackson, for the most part, has handled the difficult transition from literature to film well with these books. Think of all of the stinky movies made from good books (-- and alternately the good movies from from mediocre books like Jaws) -- and the differences between literature and film begin to stand out.
I will stand beside Lord Foul in this and put my trust in Jackson...
I agree with Lord Foul. Jackson, for the most part, has handled the difficult transition from literature to film well with these books. Think of all of the stinky movies made from good books (-- and alternately the good movies from from mediocre books like Jaws) -- and the differences between literature and film begin to stand out.
I will stand beside Lord Foul in this and put my trust in Jackson...
Last edited by duchess of malfi on Wed Nov 12, 2003 4:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Worm of Despite
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*rubs chin speculatively* Everything seems fine, except for one thing:
I wonder how they will handle the palantír in the ROTK movie if they don't show the Saruman sequence at all.
I can just picture it now!
“Lor bless!” exclaimed Gandalf, presenting the palantír before Aragorn. “We received this from a scene that will be on the Extended Edition DVD this November.” And lo! Gandalf turned and looked as if he were peering through a movie screen, his bushy eyebrows sticking out at the audience. "Kids, tell your parents to pre-order now!"
I wonder how they will handle the palantír in the ROTK movie if they don't show the Saruman sequence at all.
I can just picture it now!
“Lor bless!” exclaimed Gandalf, presenting the palantír before Aragorn. “We received this from a scene that will be on the Extended Edition DVD this November.” And lo! Gandalf turned and looked as if he were peering through a movie screen, his bushy eyebrows sticking out at the audience. "Kids, tell your parents to pre-order now!"
Last edited by Worm of Despite on Wed Nov 12, 2003 4:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Furls Fire
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What about The Scourging of the Shire?? Saruman and Wormtongue are both in that part. Has he left that off too??
And I believe in you
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.
~fly fly little wing, fly where only angels sing~
~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~
...for then I could fly away and be at rest. Sweet rest, Mom. We all love and miss you.
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.
~fly fly little wing, fly where only angels sing~
~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~
...for then I could fly away and be at rest. Sweet rest, Mom. We all love and miss you.
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He's forgetting one thing here. Altho, they are seperate books and seperate movies...they are all ONE complete story (LOTR was written as one long book). It's like moving Shelob to ROTK, at this point, it doesn't really matter which movie all these events are in as long as they are there. Leaving this out about Saruman was like leaving out the giving of the gifts in Lorien in the theatrical release of FOTR. Those gifts become very important later on in the story. And for people not having read the books, it would cause confusion for those who did not see the extended DVD version."The problem is that the sequence was originally shot for The Two Towers, as it is in the book. Since The Two Towers couldn't sustain a seven-minute 'wrap' after Helm's Deep, we thought it would be a good idea to save it for the beginning of the Return of the King. The trouble is, when we viewed various ROTK cuts over the last few weeks, it feels like the first scenes are wrapping last year's movie, instead of starting the new one. We felt it got ROTK off to an uncertain beginning, since Saruman plays no role in the events of ROTK. ...
I have no doubt this movie is going to be fantastic, PJ is doing an awesome job. But he shouldn't worry about the Saruman scene wrapping up Two Towers...it's all one story...and needs to be there...somewhere.
And I believe in you
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.
~fly fly little wing, fly where only angels sing~
~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~
...for then I could fly away and be at rest. Sweet rest, Mom. We all love and miss you.
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.
~fly fly little wing, fly where only angels sing~
~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~
...for then I could fly away and be at rest. Sweet rest, Mom. We all love and miss you.
The Scourging is out, yeah. That's been public for a long time.Furls Fire wrote:What about The Scourging of the Shire?? Saruman and Wormtongue are both in that part. Has he left that off too??
Can't help but feel disappointed that Saruman doesn't even get a proper "goodbye" scene. He deserves better than that.
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ohTheo wrote:The Scourging is out, yeah. That's been public for a long time.Furls Fire wrote:What about The Scourging of the Shire?? Saruman and Wormtongue are both in that part. Has he left that off too??
Can't help but feel disappointed that Saruman doesn't even get a proper "goodbye" scene. He deserves better than that.
And I believe in you
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.
~fly fly little wing, fly where only angels sing~
~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~
...for then I could fly away and be at rest. Sweet rest, Mom. We all love and miss you.
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.
~fly fly little wing, fly where only angels sing~
~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~
...for then I could fly away and be at rest. Sweet rest, Mom. We all love and miss you.
- duchess of malfi
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