The End of All Things: Pt. IV ~ “If ever I was to marry someone….”

[mechtild]

RotK Screencaps…. The End of All Things: Part Four ~ “If ever I was to marry someone….”

Screencap #’s 52 - 71After Frodo’s reaction shot to Sam’s, “She had ribbons in her hair,” the camera cuts again to Sam. He tries to gather recover himself, “If ever I was to marry someone,” he begins, but breaks down, declaring through almost bitter tears

Comments

[notabluemaia]

Ah, Mechtild, those pictures hurt so much I can hardly bear to see them. I do not know how EW manages such amazing expressiveness or the utter weariness over which his compassion prevails.

Beautiful caps. Heartbreaking.

Thank you.

(I will be more on lj soon for replies to lovely comments you've made - I enjoy the dialog)

[mechtild]

They are almost beyond belief, aren't they? I just couldn't help myself. I went onto the DVD to find a couple of caps for an illustration idea and they were just too gorgeous and moving. And once I had worked on them, sharpening them, bringing the lighting up, and bringing the colour back to its more natural values, they were just so vivid in every way (in terms of sheer beauty and the emotional power they projected), I just had to do the works.

What a project it's been. But I think it was worth it. In them Frodo is gorgeous, but in a way that is as resplendent, exquisite, and precious as the crown jewels. Better than the crown jewels.

(OK, I just love him.)

[notabluemaia]

Yes, I love him, too, and here I see the Frodo who sacrificed everything, and was capable still of pity for his Sam's grief and loss. Your narration (which I discovered with the other caps after I commented) is lovely, too. Thank you!

Beautiful scene, beautiful hobbits. (though I always wish for Sam's 'hand' speech)

(Interesting that Frodo notes not that he is glad Sam is with him, but that he is with Sam - a nod to the film 'choice' as he hangs between the fiery death with the Ring and life from Sam's outstretched hand)

[mechtild]

Thanks, Notabluemaia, for commenting further.

(Interesting that Frodo notes not that he is glad Sam is with him, but that he is with Sam - a nod to the film 'choice' as he hangs between the fiery death with the Ring and life from Sam's outstretched hand)I read a very compelling post on a messageboard, pointing out how in the end of "The Two Towers," Frodo turned to tell his friend, "I'm glad you're with me, Sam." Sam's been looking out for Frodo, and will continue to do so

[lame_pegasus]

Oh dear, they are marvelous. You know, I had severe problems with the screenplay, because Frodo was so weak - not the hobbit I always imagined, strong, wise and mature. But these scenes at Mount Doom in the ROTK-movie still had me helplessly in tears when I watched them first in London, and ever since. What Elijah Wood managed here is the total blend with his role, as if he gave all he had to portray this being at the verge of disaster... and succeeded, giving him the dignity and strength he was so often missing before.

Thank you. How wonderful to se those pictures again.

[mechtild]

You know, I had severe problems with the screenplay, because Frodo was so weak - not the hobbit I always imagined, strong, wise and mature. (...) What Elijah Wood managed here is the total blend with his role (...) and succeeded, giving him the dignity and strength he was so often missing before.

I cut and pasted the part I most wanted to second. Yes, I would agree. After three films of them making Frodo taking away a lot of book Frodo's acumen, graciousness and maturity, it all came through here ten-fold. I look at these, Mona, and still can't believe a person his age was performing these scenes. I have read Astin's (pathetic) book, and heard in many interviews how Sean Astin felt that the much younger Wood was the wiser, smarter, more mature and more generous of the two of them, as a person. I thought they let it all come through in this scene. Wow.

[taerie]

Okay.. so here I am on a Tuesday morning drowned in tears. My husbands near having me committed as it is. God how I love this little guy.

[mechtild]

God how I love this little guy.

He really is a heartbreaker. Yet we just want to have our hearts broken over and over again. Maybe that's part of his sexual appeal. We want to be done to death, if it's by Frodo, in every possible way of being done to.

[taerie]

I actually didn't have a really big problem with how Frodo behaved in the movie.. Probably because of my long association with the books I felt like they really had to underline in the movie just how evil and awful the ring was.. and what a painful and terrifying ordeal it was for Frodo. I already knew how brave Frodo was so to me, this just made what I was watching that much worse. Now that I have heard, to my amazement people comment on what a wimp he was and "Why is he having such a spaz?" I realize that people didn't get it anyway and so now I do mind that they didn't make Frodo the action hero he was in the book.. A balance could have been struck I think that they didn't. Would it have hurt the story or drama if he had struck at the Witch King on Weathertop like he did in Tolkien's version? He still came off as a major league pacifist. I think they did make the Ring and Sauron very much more obviously terrible in the movie so few could miss the point but I wish they hadn't done it so much at the expense of my favorite

[mechtild]

Ah, Tearie, much ink has been spilled on the de-hero-ification of Frodo in the films. Book fans watching the films, like me, tended to just "fill in" material from the book at they watched. I appreciated the film portrayal as an illumination of the inner life of Frodo, bringing to the viewable outside what had remained hidden in the book portrayal of the emotionally reserved hobbit. But that persons who were not book fans tended to see Frodo very differently was made clear to me over and over again in viewer comments. They'd scratch their heads, wondering why such a wimpy, ineffectual guy, who couldn't keep the damned Ring in his pocket for ten minutes running was given the job instead of, well, anyone, pretty much. To so many viewers, Sam was the "real hero." Not just because he killed Shelob, did the rescue and the "action" stuff. But because all the way through, from the time they got to Bree, Sam was portrayed as the more astute, the more canny, the more assertive by far (always butting in and saying what he thought they

[taerie]

Ha! Your brother has a point. From what we had seen up to then.. (Non book readers.) only an idiot would hand the ring to the little fool. It is a hard bit to swallow. You would expect them to gently request that he sit down and be quiet and refreshments will be served later.

Frodo's angle could only be understood by somebody who already knew him. SAM was improved intellectually a lot. He was a bit of a moron although a sweet and brave and faithful one in the book.

Maybe the lack of understanding of Frodo cost Elijah Wood the oscar? (He was nominated but didn't win right? I don't watch those things.)

[mechtild]

No, unfortunately, neither actor was nominated. I think Sean was nominated for a best supporting actor at either the Globes or the SAG's for RotK, but he didn't win. Maybe he wasn't nominated for those, either, but there was a lot of buz about him being a possible. He really was outstanding in RotK, and Sam's was the sort of role (in that film only) that could attract awards attention. It had a very dramatic arc, all in one film. Frodo's "arc" was just as big and impressive but, for the sake of awards, it unfortunately was stretched throughout all three films. One has to see the whole trilogy to truly appreciate what Wood did with that part.

In fact, only Ian McKellen was nominated for an acting award (for FotR), out of all of the films, and he didn't win, either.

[este_tangletoes]

Wow!

Two treats in one LJ entry, first Mechtild’s beautifully emotional screencaps and then the engrossing discussion that ensues.

Thank you ladies!

[mechtild]

Thanks, Este. Yes, it's been great. Sort of a trip back to the old messageboard. I just answered Pearl's cool post on how readers also can fail to see Frodo's heroism, but only Sam's.