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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Version: Added Scenes 2 - 3 - 4 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 10 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 30 - BONUS SCENE! - 31 - 32 - 33 - 35 - 40 - 41 - 42 - 45 - 47 - 49 - 53 - 56 - 61 - 62 - 63 - 64 - 68
Part 1 <The words "The Two Towers" are on the screen as thee camera pans across the landscape of Emyn Muil, eventually focusing on Frodo and Sam climbing down a cliff on the elven rope.> Sam: (calling down to Frodo) Can you see the bottom? Frodo: (Looking down) No. Don’t look down, Sam. Just keep going! <Sam turns his frightened face back to the cliff. We see the elven rope fastened around a rock at the top of the cliff. Sam slip and looses his footing. He grabs the rope, and as he does so, a small box falls out of one of his pockets. He grabs for it and misses.> Sam: Catch it! Grab it, Mr. Frodo! <Frodo looks up. The box bounces off the cliff. Frodo reaches out and catches it. His foot slip and he slides down the cliff.> Frodo: Waaaggghh! Sam: Mr. Frodo! <Frodo lands on his feet a few feet down from where he fell from. He steadies himself.> Frodo: I think I’ve found the bottom. <Sam hurries down the rope.> Sam: Bogs and rope, and goodness knows what. It’s not natural. None of it. <Frodo examines Sam’s box.> Frodo: What’s in this? Sam: Nothing. Just a bit of seasoning. I though maybe if we was having roast chicken one night or something. Frodo: Roast chicken?! Sam: You never know. Frodo: Sam. My dear Sam. (opens box) Sam: It’s very special, that. It’s the best salt in all the Shire. Frodo: It is special. (looks up and hands box back to Sam) It’ a little bit of home. <Frodo walks over to the rope.> Frodo: We can’t leave this here for someone to follow us down. Sam: Who’s gonna follow us down here, Mr. Frodo? It’s a shame, really. Lady Galadriel gave me that. Real Elvish Rope (slips box back into his pocket) Well, there’s nothing for it. It’s one of my knots. (walks over to rope) Won’t come free in a hurry. (tugs on rope) <Camera zooms in on rope untying, then falling down in a heap at the hobbits’ feet while they stare at it, then at each other.> Frodo: Real elvish rope. <Frodo grins while Sam looks up unbelievingly.>
I was glad to see this in the extended edition, and it was very well done, though I can see why they would cut it out of the normal edition because of time constraints. However, it does a nice job of introducing the elven rope that is seen around Sméagol’s neck in the next scene.
Chapter 3: The Taming of Sméagol** Part added after Sméagol promises to serve "the Master of the Precious." Sméagol: ‘To the gate to the gate to the gate’ master says. Yes! Gollum: No. We won’t go back. Not there. No to him. They can’t make us. Gollum. Gollum. Sméagol: But we swore to serve the master of the precious. Gollum: No. Ashes and dust and thirst the is, and pits, pits, pits… and orcses, thousand of orcses… and always the great eye, watching, watching… *screams* Sam: Hey! Back now! Come back! There, what did I tell you? He’s run off the old . So much for his promises. Smeagol: This way hobbits. Follow me!
Very nice. Introduces his schizophrenic personality earlier. I like it.
Scene added after opening shots of Pippin calling to unconscious Merry. <Ugluk runs. Grishnakh and companions emarge from behind rock.> Grishnak: You’re late. Our master grows impatient. He wants the shire-rats now! Ugluk: I don’t take order from orc-maggots. Saruman will have his prize. We will deliver them. Pippin: Merry! Merry! Wake up! <Orc drinks from bottle.> Pippin: My friend is sick! He needs water! Please. Ugluk: Sick, is he? Give him some medicine boys! <Orcs crowd around and shove bottle in Merry’s mouth.> Pippin: Stop it! Ugluk: Can’t take his draught! Pippin: Leave him alone! Ugluk: Why? You want some? The keep you mouth shut. Pippin: Merry. Merry: Hello, Pip. Pippin: You’re hurt. Merry: I’m fine. It was just an act. Pippin: An act? Merry: See, I fooled you too. Don’t worry about me Pippin.
This scene adds another something from the books, and gives an added dimension to the conflict between Ugluk and Grishnakh. It also demonstrates how Merry is perpetually optimistic.
Chapter 6: The Burning of the West-fold** Scene added after Saruman’s little conference with "Lord Sauron." <Saruman stands at the top of a cave.> Saruman: I want them armed and ready to march within two weeks! Orc: But my lord, there are too many. They cannot all be armed in time. We don’t have the means! Saruman: Build a dam. Block the stream. Work the furnaces night and day. Orc: We don’t have enough fuel to feed the fires. Saruman: The Forest of Fangorn lies on our doorstep. Burn it. Orc: Yes.
<Inside Saruman’s Chamber> Dunlander: We will fight for you. Saruman: Swear it. <Dunlander draws his knife, cuts his hand, and squeezes out the blood between his fingers.> Dunlander: We will die for Saruman.
I can understand why they cut the latter part, though it gives a good flavor to the Dunlanders’ culture, but I think maybe they should have left the first part in, since it explains the animosity of the trees and Saruman’s trespasses against them. Both are very good. I like the way these extra scenes flesh out themes already in the movie rather than introduce new ones
Chapter 7: Massacre at the Fords of Isen* <Bodies lie strewn about the ford. A bad of horsemen led by Éomer rides up.> Éomer: Théodred. Find the king’s son! <They scour the battle filed examining the fallen bodies.> Horseman: Mordor will pay for this. Éomer: These orcs are not from Éomer. <Kicks over dead orc, revealing white hand of Saruman> Other horseman: My lord Éomer! Over here! Éomer runs over to body of Théodred. Éomer: He’s alive. <The horseman ride over the plains with Éomer bearing Théodred’s body before him. They arrive at Edoras.>
I like it a lot. Gives good background, and enables us to see more of Théodred, so we will sympathize a bit more when he dies. Also, the orc-kicking gives a hint of Éomer when he comes before Théoden and Gríma.
Chapter 8: The Banishment of Éomer** Gríma: You are banished from the Kingdom of Rohan and all its domains… under penalty of death. Éomer (struggling): You have no authority here. Your orders mean nothing! Gríma: But his order does not come from me. It comes from the king. He signed it this morning. (holds up parchment with scrawling signature) <Éomer is forced away.> Only a few seconds long, but adds further embellishment to Gríma’s control of Théoden. However, I don’t like this scene as much as the others, because it was not from the books, and it doesn’t relate to much else.
Chapter 10: Night camp at Fangorn** Ugluk: Get back, scum! The prisoners go to Saruman, alive and unspoiled. Grishnakh: Alive? Why alive? Do the give good sport? Ugluk: They have something. An elvish weapon. The master wants it for the war. Merry: They think we have the ring. Pippin: SHH! As soon as they find out we don’t we’re dead. Orc: Just a mouthful…a bit of the flank. (also think they may have added a few shots to the ensuing battle between orcs and Rohirrim)
Gives more explanation, like most of the scenes seem to be doing, but I don’t think this was as necessary as the other ones we’ve seen so far. However, it was pretty much form the book, so that’s good.
Chapter 14: The Passage of the Marshes** Sam: I hate this place. It’s too quiet. Hasn’t been sight or sound of a bird for two days. Sméagol: No, no birdses to eat. No crunchable birdses. We are famished! Yes! Famished we are precious! <Gollum reaches down, picks up a big squishy, wiggling worm, looks at it, and tosses it into his mouth, than slurps it down like a piece of spaghetti. Sam looks away disgusted.> Frodo: Here. <Frodo tosses Sméagol a piece of lembas.> Sméagol: What does it eats? Is it tasty? <Sméagol eats lembas, then chokes and spits it out.> Sméagol: It tries to chokes us! We can’t eats hobbits food. We must starve! Sam: Well starve then. And good riddance! Sméagol: Oh cruel hobbit. It does not care if we be hungry. It does not care if we should die. Not lie master. Master cares. Master knows. Yes. Precious. Once it takes hold of us it never lets go. <Sméagol reaches for the ring.> Frodo: Don’t touch me. <Sméagol crawls away.>
An excellent scene. Adds to the tension between Sméagol and Sam, also shows how Frodo sympathizes with Sméagol because of their experiences with the ring.
<After Gimli lowers his axe.> Legolas: They have feeling my friend. The elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak. Gimli: Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings. <After Gandalf reveals himself.> Legolas: Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman. Gandalf: I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been. <After Gandalf accepts his name.> Gandalf: One stage of your journey is over, another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed. Gimli: Edoras? That is no short distance! Aragorn: We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king. Gandalf: Yes. And it will not be easily cured. Gimli: Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this dark, dank, tree-infested… (trees rumble)… I mean charming…quite charming forest. Gandalf: It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts and avalanche in the mountains. Aragorn: in one thing you have not changed, my friend. You still speak in riddles. Gandalf: A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up, and find that they are strong. Gimli: Strong? Oh, that’s good. Gandalf: So stop your fretting Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be. Gimli: This new Gandalf’s more grumpy than the old one.
Very good. Shows how Gandalf has really been behind everything and is planning and knows how everything’s gonna happen.
Chapter 16: The Song of the Ent-wives* Treebeard: O rowan mine, I saw you shine, On a summer’s day Upon your head How golden-red The crown you bore aloft Such a beautiful verse. Merry: Is it much further? Treebeard: Bru-ha-hroom. Don’t be hasty. You might call it far perhaps. My home lies deep in the forest near the roots of the mountain. I told Gandalf I would keep you safe, and safe is where I’ll keep you. I believe you’ll enjoy this next one too. It’s one of my own compositions. Right. Beneath the roofs of sleeping leaves And the dreams of trees unfold When woodlands and green and cool And the wind is in the west Come back to me Come back to me And say my land is best Sleep little shirelings. Heed no nightly noise. Sleep ‘till morning light. I have business in the forest. There are many to call, many that must come. A shadow lies of Fangorn. The withering of all woods is drawing near.
Man, this scene takes a long time to get through. Nice, but not that important, and not relating to much else in this movie or the others. Also, one is only able to understand the references to the ent-wives if you know the book. As I hinted before, Treebread tends to be vvvveerrryyyy boooorrriinnnggg bbeeccauuseee hhheeee taakkeess a loonngg tiimmee tooooo saayy annyytthhiinng.
Chapter 17: Heir of the Númenor* <Gandalf is leaning on his staff and looking towards Mordor at night. Aragorn gets up from the fire and goes to talk to him.> Gandalf: The veiling shadow the glowers in the east takes shape. Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad-dúr, his eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumor has reached him. The heir or Númenor still lives. Sauron fears you Aragorn. He fears what you may become. And so he’ll strike hard and fast at the world of men. He will use his puppet Saruman to destroy Rohan. War is coming. Rohan must defend itself, and therein lies our first challenge, for Rohan is weak and ready to fall. The king’s mind is enslaved, it’s an old device of Saruman’s. His hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose. But for all their cunning, we have one advantage. The ring remains hidden. And that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams. And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards Mordor in tha hands of a hobbit. Each day bring sit closer to the fires of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of his quest. Do not regret you decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone. Aragorn: He’s not alone. Sam went with him. Gandalf: Did he? Did he, indeed? Good. Yes, very good.
I wonder if they really need this scene. I mean, it’s a nice story exposition and all that, but they already have that with the Elrond/Galadriel scene. I think one of those is enough.
<Merry wakes up in the forest, then turns to see Pippin drinking out of a large saucer. Merry gets up and walks around.> Merry: Hullo? Treebeard? Where has he gone? Pippin: I had the loveliest dream last night. There was this large barrel, full of pipe-weed. And we smoked all of it. And then you were sick. I’d give anything for a whiff of Old Toby. Merry: Did you hear that? (tree groans) There it is again. Something’s not right here. Not right at all. <Pippin gets up and burps.> Merry: You just said something…treeish. Pippin: No I didn’t. I was just stretching. <Pippin makes a few more burping/treeish sounds.> Merry: You’re taller. Pippin: Who? Merry: You! Pippin: Than what? Merry: Than me! Pippin: I’ve always been taller than you. Merry: Pippin, everyone knows I’m the tall one. You’re the short one. Pippin: Please, Merry. You’re what? Three-foot-six? At the most? Whereas me, I’m pushing three-seven. (grows a bit) Three-eight! (drinks more) Merry: Three-foot-eight. You did something. <Pippin shrugs shoulders. Merry grabs the big bucket and starts downing it.> Pippin: Merry, don’t! Don’t drink it! No! (they struggle) Treebeard said that you shouldn’t have any! Merry: I want some! Pippin: I could well be dangerous! Give it back, Merry! (tree root grabs Merry) What’s happening? Merry: It’s got my leg! Pippin: Merry! <Tree grabs both of them and starts tangling them in its roots.> Someone: Help! <Treebeard walks up.> Treebeard: Away with you! You should not be waking. Eat earth. Dig deep. Drink water. Go to sleep. Away with you. (Merry and Pippin escape) Come, the forest is waking up. It isn’t safe. The trees have grown wild and dangerous. Anger festers in their hearts. Black are their thoughts. Strong is their hate. They will harm you if they can. There are too few of us now. Too few of us Ents left to manage them. Merry: Why are there so few of you when you have lived so long? Are there Ent-children? Treebeard: Bru-ha-hroom. There have been no entings for a terrible long count of years. Merry: Why is that? Treebeard: We lost the Ent-wives. Merry: Oh, I’m sorry. How did they die? Treebeard: Die? No. We lost them, and now we cannot find them. I don’t suppose you’ve seen Ent-wives in the Shire? Merry: Can’t say that I have. You, Pip? Pippin: What do they look like? Treebeard: I don’t remember now.
Very good scene. Great comedy at the beginning. The Ent Draught ties in with the orc-drink, and the barrel of pipe-weed with flotsam and jetsam. Also the reference to the Ent-wives ties in with the earlier poems, boring though Treebeard makes it sound.
20. The King of the Golden Hall** The only new shot I Could see in this sequence was when Aragorn extended his hand to Gríma to help him up, and Gríma tried to bite him.
<Eight soldiers of Rohan bear the body of Théodred on a stretcher towards the burial mound. King Théoden, Gandalf, Legolas, Aragorn (and presumably Gimli) follow. They carry it through the thongs of silent people.> Éoywn: (sings funeral dirge) <King Théoden looks solemn. The soldiers slide the stretcher into the mound.> Éoywn: (finishes singing) <The door of the mound crashes shut.>
An OK addition. Miranda Otto’s singing is not remarkable, but maybe that’s intentional, and also it was devoid of any musical accompaniment. I don’t see how this scene adds much to the movie though. Kinda boring. King Théoden’s speech in the following scene is much more of a watery-eyes scene.
<Two men try to control Brego with ropes. He rears and plunges. Éoywn looks over at him while tending to another horse. Aragorn also turns, his arms full of saddlestuff. He puts it down and turns to Brego.> Man: That horse is half mad, my lord. There’s nothing you can do. Leave him. Aragorn: (some stuff in Sindarin.) <Aragorn takes the rope out of one of the man’s hands, and gradually comes closer to Brego, calming him. Aragorn removes the ropes from Brego’s bridle, and hands them to the other man.> Éoywn: His name is Brego. (Aragorn glances over at her taking care of a saddle) He was my cousin’s horse. Aragorn: Brego. (some Sindarin stuff) (Your name is kingly.) (more Sindarin stuff) Éoywn: I have heard of the magic of the Elves, but I did not look for it in a Ranger from the North. You speak as one of their own. Aragorn: I was raised in Rivendell, for a time. Turn this fellow free. He’s seen enough of war. (walks away and picks up his saddle stuff again)
This addition does an excellent job of showing both how Éoywn likes Aragorn, and how Aragorn is always thinking of Arwen, and we would gather from his reference to Rivendell. I just wish I could find some place that would tell me what Sindarin he said and what it means. I only know a bit of Quenya.
<Gríma rides through the pits of Isengard to Orthanc. Switch to Saruman turning around in his chamber.> Saruman: Gandalf the White. Gandalf the Fool! Does he seek to humble me with his newfound piety? (Saruman paces his chamber. Gríma enters.> Gríma: There were three who followed the Wizard. An Elf, a Dwarf, and a Man. Saruman: (keeping his back to Gríma) You stink of horse. (turns around to Gríma) The man, was he from Gondor? Gríma: (applying a tissue to hiss bleeding lip) No, from the North. One of the Dunédain Rangers I thought he was. His cloth was poor. And yet he bore a strange ring. Two serpents with emerald eyes. One devouring, the other crowned with golden flowers. <Saruman turns pages of book, finding drawing of the Ring of Barahir> Saruman: The Ring of Barahir. So Gandalf Greyhame thinks he has found Isildúr’s heir. The lost king of Gondor. He is a fool. The line was broken years ago. (Saruman slams to books shut) It matters not. The world of Men shall fall. It will begin at Edoras.
An interesting scene. In one places, they manage to show Saruman’s disgust for Wormtongue, Wormtongue’s fawning on Saruman and Saruman’s feelings of invincibility. A vvery good combination.
<The people of Edoras leave through the main gate.> <King Théoden puts on his gloves.> Théoden: I am ready, Gamling. Bring my horse. (Gamling trudges away) This is not a defeat. (Gamling turns around) We will return. (Gamling bows slightly and leaves) (Théoden to himself) We will return.
A nice short little thing which introduces early on the King’s combination of determination and mistrust in himself.
30. Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit** <Sam and Frodo are thrown to the ground.> Sam: Wait! We’re innocent travelers! Faramir: There are no travelers in this land. Only servants of the Dark Tower. Frodo: We are bound to an errand of secrecy. Those that claim to oppose the enemy would do well not to hinder us. Faramir: The enemy? (rolls over dead guy he shot) His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. I wonder what his name is... where he came from... and if he was really evil at heart... what lies or threats led him on this long march from home... and if he would not rather have stayed there in peace. (turns to Frodo) War will make corpses of us all. Bind their hands.
Beautiful and moving.
PJ: ‘ello. Congratulations for finding the secret "goodie" on this Two Towers set. It’s the MTV award for 2003 Best Virtual Performance. When we heard this award was going to be presented to Gollum, we decided it was worthy of a special acceptance speech. Now the idea was to have Andy Serkis saying some thank-you. But we had him in New Zealand at the time, doing motion capture for Return of the King, so Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh decided that something far more evil was a good idea, so I hope you enjoy this. <2003 MTV Movie Awards. Cheering Crowd.> Guy: And the best virtual performance is… Ditzy Girl: Okay. Gollum, Lord of the Rings, Two Towers. <Camera zooms in on big TV showing Gollum scenes from TTT. Then Andy comes on.> Andy Serkis: Hi everybody, my name’s Andy Serkis, and I’m delighted to receive this award (holds up golden popcorn) on behalf of everybody who brought Gollum to life. Can’t actually be with you this evening, because we’re completing more shots on Gollum for The Return of the King. I’m actually in the motion-capture studio where we do a lot of Gollum. I’d like to say a big thank-you to all the MTV fans, all the Lord of the Rings fans, and to everybody who worked on Gollum. It was a complete marriage of skills… <Gollum sneaks onscreen.> Gollum: You’re a liar and a thief. (grabs golden popcorn) It’s mine. I won it. It was me! We only won because of me! Smeagol: And me! MTV’s my friend. My friend. Gollum: You don’t have any friends. Nobody likes you. <Smeagol looks troubled. So does Andy.> Smeagol: Dobby likes me! Gollum: Dobby? Dobby’s a f***ing f**! <Andy looked pained.> Andy: That’s enough Gollum. Gollum: Piss off, Serkis, you stupid, fat, f***ing turd! Andy: I’m not fat. Gollum: We’re not gonna thank anyone! No, no! Not you, not MTV, and not those pixel-pushing pin-dicks at Weta Digital! And Peter Jackson, my precious, who do you think you are, you f***ing hack? Shame on you! Shame on you! Go f*** yourself! Smeagol: Not listening. I’m not listening. Gollum: Frankly, nothing can compensate for the long hours and low pay and miserable experience we’ve had making this f***ing movie. And if you think a shitty little tub of gold popcorn is gonna remotely make up for everything we’ve suffered, (Andy is looking very pained and worried) you’re sadly f***ing mistaken! You’re all bastards! MTV sucks! We hate you all! Smeagol: Good night. <Smeagol hops off, Andy shrugs, and then we see Elijah clapping.>
Part Two <Aragorn and Théoden are riding along.> Theodred: I haven’t seen my niece smile in a long time. She was a girl when the brought her father back dead. Cut down by orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief. (eowyn smiles at Aragorn) Then she was left alone, to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man, who should have loved her as a father.
<Éoywn is walking around the camp of the Rohirrim with a steaming pot, a bowl, and a spoon.> Éoywn: Gimli? Gimli: No, I couldn’t. (walks away muttering) I really couldn’t. <Éoywn walks nervously towards Aragorn. He looks up from his sword.> Éoywn: I made some stew. It isn’t much, but it’s hot. (she gives him the bowl and spoon) Aragorn: Thank you. <camera zooms in as he sticks spoon in gross-looking soup, and takes a bite. He has it in his mouth when he hesitates. He looks up, and sees Éoywn still looking at him. He manages to gulp it down. He nods.> Aragorn: It’s good. Éoywn: (excitedly) Really? <Aragorn tries to dump the soup out on the ground as Éoywn walks away, but she turns back, and he stops hurriedly, stilling hot soup all over himself.> Éoywn: My uncle told me a strange thing. He said you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken. Aragorn: King Thedoen has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time. Éoywn: Then you must be at least sixty. (Aragorn shakes head) Seventy? But you cannot be eighty. Aragorn: Eighty-seven. Éoywn: (standing up) Then you are one of the Dunédain. A descendent of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend. Aragorn: There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago. Éoywn: I’m sorry. Please, eat. <Aragorn gulps down some more.>
<Aragorn is walking around Rivendell. He walks past a door. Arwen walks out.> Arwen: (in Sindarin, which I don’t have the time to think of and write down) Is this how you would take your leave? Did you think you could slip away at first light – unnoticed? Aragorn: (S) I will not be coming back. Arwen: (S) You underestimate your skill in battle. You will come back. Aragorn: (S) It is not of death in battle that I speak. Arwen: (S) What is it you speak of? Aragorn (S) You have a chance for another life…away from war…grief…despair. Arwen: (English) Why are you saying this.
Good addition. As Peter Kreeft pointed out, anything that lets us hear more of Liv Tyler speaking elvish is very good indeed.
<Éoywn is carrying a basket of bread.> Éoywn: Where is the rest? Old Man: This is all we could save, milady.<Éoywn looks around at the meager store of POE-TA-TOES, bread, water, etc.> Éoywn: Take it to the caves. Guard: Make way for the king.
Frodo: If something has happened to Boromir, we would have you tell us. Faramir: His horn washed up upon the riverbank, about six days past. It was cloven in two. But more than this, I know it in my heart. He was my brother. <Frodo looks scared. Flashback/Dream of Faramir wading in Anduin. He sees a boat. He wades towards it. As it glides silently past, he sees his dead brother Boromir. As the boat slides past, Faramir disappears.>
Explains how Faramir knew of Boromir’s death, and leads very nicely into the next scene.
<Faramir is brooding in his cave. He holds the cloven horn of Boromir. He has a flashback.> Crowd of Gondorian Soldiers: Boromir! Boromir! <Boromir plants the flag of Gondor on the wall, and draws his sword.> Boromir: This city, was once the jewel of our kingdom. A place of light, and beauty, and music. (raising sword) And so it shall be once more! (crowd cheers) Let the armies of Mordor know this. Never again will the land of my people fall into enemy hands. (crowd cheers) The city of Osgiliath has been reclaimed for Gondor! Crowd: For Gondor! Boromir: For Gondor! Crowd: For Gondor! Boromir: For Gondor! Crowd: For Gondor! <Faramir pushes through the crowd to fins his brother. They embrace.> Faramir: Good speech. Nice and Short. Boromir: Leaves more time for drinking! (they laugh) (to other soldiers) Break out the ale! These men are thirsty! <Crowd Cheers. Boromir finishes drawing two goblets of ale from the tap. He hands one to Faramir.> Boromir: Remember today, little brother. Today, life is good. <They click goblets and quaff their ale. Faramir looks away, somewhat anxiously. Boromir laughs.> Boromir: What? Faramir: He’s here. Denethor: (To soldiers) good job, men. Boromir: Oh, one moment of peace, can he not give us that? Denethor: Where is he? Where is Gondor’s finest? Where is my first-born? Boromir: (putting on a fake smile) Father! Denethor: Ha-Hah! (they embrace) They say you vanquished the enemy almost single-handedly! Boromir: They exaggerate. The victory belongs to Faramir also. (Faramir walks over.) Denethor: But for Faramir, the city would still be standing. For you were entrusted to protect it. Is it not so? Faramir: I would have done, but our numbers were too few. Denethor: Oh, too few. You let the enemy walk in and take it on a whim. (he walks towards Faramir) Always you cast a poor reflection on me. Faramir: That is not my intent. Boromir: (disgusted) You give him no credit, and yet he tries to do your will. <Boromir walk into a neighboring room. Denethor follows.> Boromir: He loves you, father. Denethor: Do not trouble me with Faramir, I know his uses, and they are few. We have more urgent things to speak of. Elrond of Rivendell has called a meeting. He will not say why, but I have guessed its purpose. It is rumor that the weapon of the enemy has been found. Boromir: The One Ring. Isildúr's Bane. Denethor: It has fallen into the hands of the elves. Everyone will try to claim it: Men, Dwarves, Wizards. We cannot let that happen. This thing must come to Gondor. Boromir: (doubtfully) Gondor. Denethor: It’s dangerous, I know. Ever the ring will seek to corrupt the hearts of lesser men, but you, you are strong, and our need is great. It is our blood which is being spilled, our people who are dying. Sauron is biding his time. He’s massing fresh armies. He will return. And when he does, we will be powerless to stop him. You must go. Bring me back this mighty gift. Boromir: No, my place is here with my people, not in Rivendell. Denethor: Would you deny your own father? Faramir: If there is need to go to Rivendell, send me in his stead. Denethor: You? Oh, I see. A chance for Faramir, Captain of Gondor, to show his quality. I think not. I trust this mission only to your brother, the one who will not fail me. <Cut to Boromir looking up at the flag of Gondor, with the White Tree. The seven stars are absent. From his horse, he looks down to his brother.> Boromir: Remember today, little brother. <He rides away. Cut back to Faramir brooding in the cave.>
This is probably the most important added scene, because it explains WHY Faramir started to take the hobbits to Gondor, and it completely changes our view of him, from some idiot who wants the rings for himself, to a son who is ridiculed, and who is only trying to earn to good graces of his father.
<Two of the Gondorian soldiers are trying to restrain Gollum. One of them kicks him into a corner. Then he drags him back, picks him up, and holds him while the other punches Gollum.> Faramir: That’s enough! <The soldiers throws Gollum into the corner.> Faramir: Where are you leading them?
I guess this shows a bit more of what Gollum suffered and why he thought his master had betrayed him.
<People are moving into the caves.> Soldier: Move Back! Move back to the caves! Soldier: Come on! Move quickly now! Aragorn: We’ll place the reserves along the wall. They can support the arches from above the gate. Legolas: Aragorn, you must rest. You’re no use to us half-alive. Éoywn: Aragorn! (she runs up) I’m to be sent with the women into the caves. Aragorn: That is an honorable change. Éoywn: To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that? Aragorn: My lady, a time may come for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in their last defense? Éoywn: Let me stand at your side. Aragorn: It is not in my power to command it. (begins to walk away) Éoywn: You do not command the others to stay! (Aragorn turns back) They fight beside you because they will not be parted from you! Because they love you. <Aragorn come up to her, looks at her, looks down, and looks into her eyes.> Éoywn: I’m sorry (runs away.) <Aragorn looks around.> <Cut to people in the caves. Éoywn bundles up her hair behind her head and moves off to help.
Another addition from the book. This shows more how much Éoywn loves Aragorn, and how he does not return that love.
47. "Don’t Be Hasty, Master Meriadoc!"* <Camera flies over forest and zooms in on the Ent-moot. The Ents are groaning away. Pippin is asleep. He wakes with a start.> Merry: It’s been going on for hours. Pippin: (getting up )They must have decided something by now. Treebeard: (turning around to them) Decided? No. We only just finished saying, "Good Morning." Merry: But it’s nighttime already. You can’t take forever. Treebeard: Don’t be hasty. Merry: We’re running out of time! <Treebeard turns back to the council.>
This was a good addition to the Merry/Pippin/Treebeard storyline. It was short enough that you didn’t start to hate Treebeard for his super slow talk, yet it definitely strengthened the impression of the Ents as being super slow.
49. The Battle of the Hornburg** They must have just added some little shots in the middle of the battle. I think some of them were of the bottoms of the ladders being set in the ground. Also, some of the elves being killed. I think the shot of Gimli axing an Uruk-hai...ummm... in the place where it really hurts is also new.
53. The Retreat to the Hornburg** < There is a fierce battle between the men and the Uruk-hai at the gate.> <Aragorn fights the Uruk-hai after he fell with the ladder. He runs up a back door> <A huge Uruk-hai grabs Gimli and Aragorn before Aragorn knocks him out.>
More action? Always a good thing!
56. The Last March of the Ents** <Pippin turns around and looks behind Treebeard.> Pippin: Look, the trees! They’re moving! <Fangorn forest is moving away> Merry: Where are they going? Treebeard: They have business with the orcs.
61. Fangorn Comes to Helm’s Deep* Shot of Uruk-hai fleeing away from Helm’s Deep. Then a shot of them running towards the forest. Gandalf, Legolas, Aragorn, King Théoden, Éomer, and Co. ride up from behind camera. Éomer: Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees! Shot of Éomer looking at the forest. Then Aragorn calms his horse. The Uruk-hai run madly into the forest by the hundreds and thousands. The good guys sit and watch. Gandalf lowers his staff. The last of the Uruk-hai dissapear into the forest. Ominous music swells. The trees start to sway, then thrash about madly. Screams come from the forest. Legolas looks amazed. Cut to Aragorn walking up the steps of Helm’s Deep, being greeted by Eowyn. She breaks into a smile and they hug.
I really like this, because it was just too unrealistic that Éomer and Gandalf, even with their two thousand horsemen, could easily defeat at least five thousand orcs that were left. However, with a few trees, one can easily understand them. And of course, it’s closer to the books, so that’s great. (Note: Aragorn should make sure Arwen doesn’t see that last shot.)
Shot of men piling up bodies. Legolas is walking holding his bow of the Noldorim from Galadriel. He turns, and runs a caressing hand along his bow. Legolas: Final count, forty-two. Gimli: Forty two? Oh. That’s not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling. (Legolas does not look amused) I my self am sitting pretty of forty-thrrree. Legolas draws his bow, aims, and fires with his lightning quick actions. His arrow almost hits Gimli’s hand, which is quickly jerked away from between his legs, where Legolas’ arrow just lodged itself in the body of the Uruk-hai Gimli was sitting on. Gimli takes his pipe out of his mouth. Legolas: Forty-three. Gimli: He was already dead. Legolas: He was twitching. Gimli: He was twitching because he’s got my axe embedded in his nervous system! Gimli shakes his axe, which causes the orc to twitch.
I love it, I love it, I love it! This may very well be my absolute favorite added scene. It’s short, but it’s just great. Gimli’s inimitable accent and Legolas’ princely demeanor combine to make one of the funniest scene I’ve yet seen in these movies. Even better than "Don’t tell the elf." I loved Legolas’ drawing his bow, because in the split-second you have before he shoots, my mind was going crazy, thinking, "What? He can’t kill Gimli, maybe he’s going to scare him? He’s so cool. I hope he shows that stumpy dwarf his business. And sure enough, he did.
Opens with shot behind Merry and Pippin, who are wading in waist-deep waters while looking at Saruman on Orthanc, who is surveying his captors, the Ents, and his wrecked city. Merry: He doesn’t look too happy, does he? Zoom in on Saruman and Grima. Pippin: Not too happy at all, Merry. Merry: Still, I suppose the view would be quite nice from up there. Switch to frontal view of hobbits, with apples and stuff bobbing about them. Pippin: Oh, yes. It’s a quality establishment. I hear the staff are very good. Merry uses his hand to measure Pippin’s and his relative height, and find that he is again taller. Pippin: What are you doing? Merry pretends to have been doing something with his hair. Merry: Nothing. The world’s back to normal, that’s all. Pippin. No it isn’t. I’m starving. Merry: Good luck trying to find something decent to eat ‘round here. (Grabs at a wire something and finds a few sticks in it.) Probably only dead rats and moldy bread. Pippin glances to his side and see the apples. He grabs one. He examines it, then looks up into the sky. A big grin spread across his face. He turns around, and he and Pippin start grabbing apples, which form a trail leading them back towards the store room. Pippin grabs a big floating chicken, then places it in a basket full of apples. They both wade through the door. Merry has acquired a bottle of wine. They glance up. The camera pans back to reveal a wealth of food. Merry: Saruman’s storeroom. They spot barrels marked "Southfarthing." Pippin: I don’t believe it. Merry: It can’t be. They open it. Pippin: It is. Merry: Longbottom leaf. (he sniffs) The finest pipe-weed in the southfarthing. Pippin: It’s perfect. One barrel each. Wait. Do you think we should share it with Treebeard? Merry: Share it? No. No. (picks up a leaf) Dead plant and all that. Don’t think he’d understand. Could be a distant relative. Pippin: Oh, I get it. (touches side of his nose) Don’t be hasty. Merry whips out his pipe. Merry: Exactly. (makes tree noise) The hobbits laugh loudly. Treebeard comes to investigate the commotion. He spies smoke coming out of the door, and peers down to see the hobbits.
Another great scene. Longer than the last, this again is almost straight out of the books, like most of these added scenes seem to be. It’s marvelous. Comedy right from the beginning, it starts with the hobbits tongue-in-cheek comments on Saruman’s situation, followed by a reference to the Ent Draft, then the insatiable hunger of hobbits, the apple recalling the "second-breakfast" scene from the first movie, which leads to the reverential treatment of the pipe-weed, and then the rationalization of their selfishness, and concludes with Treebeard’s innocent puzzling over these little "shirelings." It’s so loaded with all sorts of different jokes, tying in so many themes, which is another thing I like about all these added scenes. They just seem to tie up all the loose ends. Most of them don’t introduce much new, but expand upon themes already introduces, like the previous scene did upon the competition between Gimli and Legolas.
Gondorian men are sloshing about the flooded ruins of Osgiliath. Frodo, Sam, and Gollum follow Faramir to the sewer. Faramir: This is the old sewer. Runs right under to river through to the edge of the city. You’ll find cover in the woods there. Sam: Captain Faramir, you have shown you quality sir. The very highest. Faramir: the shire must truly be a great realm, Master Gamgee, where gardeners are held in high honor. What road will you take once you reach the woods. Frodo: Gollum says there’s a path near Minas Morgul that climbs up into the mountains. Gollum slinks. Faramir: Cirith Ungol? (grabs Gollum, pins him with one hand against a pillar) Is that it’s name? Gollum: No. No! Yes! Faramir: Frodo, they say a dark terror dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul. You cannot go that way. Gollum: It is the only way. Master says we must go to Mordor, so we must try. Frodo: I must. Faramir throws down Gollum. Faramir: Go, Frodo. Go with the goodwill of all men. Frodo: Thank you. Frodo and Sam walk into the sewers. Gollum starts to follow them, but Faramir grabs him again and pins him against a wall this time. Faramir: May death find you quickly, if you bring them to harm. Faramir throws Gollum down the sewer passage. Gollum looks back treacherously. Gollum crawls along the passage, obviously injured by Faramir. Sam: Come on, keep up. (turns back and looks kindly towards Gollum) Mr. Frodo didn’t mean for them ranger to hurt you. You know that, don’t you? He was trying to save you, see? Gollum: Save me? Sam: So there’s no hard feelings. Forgive and forget. Gollum: (somewhat obviously faking) No, no hard feelings. Gollum. Gollum. Yes, master. Nice Hobbits. Sam: That’s very decent of you. Very decent, indeed, Gollum.
A great addition. Shows Faramir’s true character, Gollum’s wretchedness, and Sam’s overly-late kindness.
You expect me to type this up? Get real! (maybe if I get my name in there next year, though)
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