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At what point would you end Return of the king?

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At what point would you end Return of the king?

Old 08-07-03, 11:28 AM
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At what point would you end Return of the king?

Where would you end the film of Return of the King, if you were directing it? Would you keep to the book? Would you end at the mountain?

How do you think it will be done?
Old 08-07-03, 11:38 AM
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Seeing as how the book is the thinnest of the three once yoiu take out all the appendixes, I'd just film the book as written.

Then again, I'm still pissed at the bastardization of The Two Towers.
Old 08-07-03, 11:38 AM
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The Credits.
Old 08-07-03, 11:40 AM
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Gollum bites off Frodo's finger. Titles appear: To Be Concluded...Christmas 2005!
Old 08-07-03, 11:44 AM
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I was wondering if it was even possible to end it like the book since they skipped Sam getting his dirt from Galadriel.

When reading the books, I always feel they should end it before the Hobbits start back to the Shire. But then I read on, and I chide myself because the actual ending is really good.

Anyway, I'll be happy either way, but I think it will end earlier than the book.
Old 08-07-03, 11:51 AM
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From a cinematic perspective, the Scouring of the Shire is an anticlimax that might work well in a literary and mythic sense, but wouldn't translate well to screen. So I agree with Jackson's cutting of the scene.

Other than that, whatever is left in the book that hasn't been contradicted or made irrelevant by the other two films, should go on screen.
Old 08-07-03, 11:52 AM
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My prediction for how ROTK will end (spoiler protected for people who have not yet read the book)

Spoiler:
After the ring is destroyed and Sauron defeated, Aragorn assumes the throne and becomes king, much like in the book. (although they could probably have him assume the throne after the battle of Pellinor Fields and before the march to the Black Gate, in order to keep the coda to the movie as simple as possible). The company from Rivendell arrive for the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen, but unlike in the book, Bilbo is with them. After the wedding, all the hobbits, Elrond, and Galdalf ride north. At the borders of the Shire, Frodo informs Sam that he is going with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the elves to the Grey Havens. The party leaves Sam, Merry & Pippin behind at the entrance to Hobbiton. We may see some hobbits come out to greet them, as we need to see Sam hook up with Rosie. The party rides to the White Tower, boards the ship, and the final shot is the mast of the ship disappearing over the horizon. Fade to black and another cool enya song.
Old 08-07-03, 12:11 PM
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It should end with "Well, I'm back." You can't improve on perfection.
Old 08-07-03, 01:35 PM
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Ring goes back to the manufacturing plant, of course.

Aragorn accepts his promotion.

Travellers ride back home.

Saruman storyline concludes if not already (should have been taken care of by now, but this is how it goes in the book).

Hobbits settle back in The Shire for a bit.

Frodo rides out w/Sam and meets up with Bilbo & party.

Ship sails.

Roll credits as Sam & others not on ship ride home; depending on length of credit roll, enormous opportunity for Jackson to give us lots of New Zealand scenery and Shore's scoring.

Sam comes in, sits, and delivers the closing line of the book to Rosie.

Fade; perhaps from a final shot of Hobbiton at night, with warmly glowing windows.

Final tease:
Spoiler:
Similar to the Vader breaths at the very end of SW1:TPM or the scuttling of a larval alien in Aliens, have Gollum voiceover "my preciousssssss" -- foreshadowing nothing, since he's dead and the Ring is gone and there is no sequel. Just as a tease. Heh.
Old 08-07-03, 01:57 PM
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He returns to Hawaii for another comeback concert.
Old 08-07-03, 02:08 PM
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I think they'll end it with an expanded version of the description of Sam and Rosie and Frodo growing old together to include some stuff on the rest of the Fellowship, intercut with Frodo getting older and more sorrowful, and then the rest of the Grey Havens stuff.

I'm still torn over the Scouring. I can sort of see the point of how it wouldn't fit in a movie, but it's one of my favorite parts of the book.
Old 08-07-03, 03:31 PM
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Originally posted by Jason
My prediction for how ROTK will end (spoiler protected for people who have not yet read the book)

Spoiler:
After the ring is destroyed and Sauron defeated, Aragorn assumes the throne and becomes king, much like in the book. (although they could probably have him assume the throne after the battle of Pellinor Fields and before the march to the Black Gate, in order to keep the coda to the movie as simple as possible). The company from Rivendell arrive for the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen, but unlike in the book, Bilbo is with them. After the wedding, all the hobbits, Elrond, and Galdalf ride north. At the borders of the Shire, Frodo informs Sam that he is going with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the elves to the Grey Havens. The party leaves Sam, Merry & Pippin behind at the entrance to Hobbiton. We may see some hobbits come out to greet them, as we need to see Sam hook up with Rosie. The party rides to the White Tower, boards the ship, and the final shot is the mast of the ship disappearing over the horizon. Fade to black and another cool enya song.
I'd vote for that ending. It seems like the easiest and shortest way to get most of the book onto the screen. I too am torn on the scouring of the shire issue. I have a feeling that might be left of the ROTK: EE DVD instead of the theatrical release.
Old 08-07-03, 04:55 PM
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End it like the book except when frodo is on the ship sailing west, he asks gandalf about the history of middle earth. gandalf starts telling him and a movie version of the Simularian starts up and is played through for another few hours.
Old 08-07-03, 04:55 PM
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Originally posted by lisadoris
I'd vote for that ending. It seems like the easiest and shortest way to get most of the book onto the screen. I too am torn on the scouring of the shire issue. I have a feeling that might be left of the ROTK: EE DVD instead of the theatrical release.
Nope. PJ has stated that the scouring will not be included in either version.
Old 08-07-03, 07:23 PM
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Originally posted by DaveNinja
End it like the book except when frodo is on the ship sailing west, he asks gandalf about the history of middle earth. gandalf starts telling him and a movie version of the Simularian starts up and is played through for another few hours.
For consistency's sake, he should ask Galadriel, and since it's the Simarillion, it should continue for another few weeks.
Old 08-07-03, 08:06 PM
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Since my preferred ending the Scouring is out, I hope for the Grey havens and the other Hobbits returning home.
Old 08-07-03, 08:27 PM
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Originally posted by Jason
My prediction for how ROTK will end (spoiler protected for people who have not yet read the book)

Spoiler:
After the ring is destroyed and Sauron defeated, Aragorn assumes the throne and becomes king, much like in the book. (although they could probably have him assume the throne after the battle of Pellinor Fields and before the march to the Black Gate, in order to keep the coda to the movie as simple as possible). The company from Rivendell arrive for the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen, but unlike in the book, Bilbo is with them. After the wedding, all the hobbits, Elrond, and Galdalf ride north. At the borders of the Shire, Frodo informs Sam that he is going with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the elves to the Grey Havens. The party leaves Sam, Merry & Pippin behind at the entrance to Hobbiton. We may see some hobbits come out to greet them, as we need to see Sam hook up with Rosie. The party rides to the White Tower, boards the ship, and the final shot is the mast of the ship disappearing over the horizon. Fade to black and another cool enya song.
Not bad at all. However, I think I would make a couple of minor changes:
Spoiler:
I would have Sam accompany Frodo to the Grey Havens, to make the farewell more emotional. He could watch the ship sail away, return to Hobbiton, hook up there with Rosie, utter his famous line , and then, as the Enya song swells, fade back to the ship (with the Hobbits looking over the bow rail) sailing across a misty sea. The mist slowly rolls back to reveal the distant shores of Valinor. Fade to black.
Old 08-07-03, 09:20 PM
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Originally posted by DaveNinja
Simularian
Old 08-07-03, 09:37 PM
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Just like the book ends: Sam saying "well, I'm home". Perfect.
Old 08-07-03, 10:06 PM
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how bout a giant Monty Python foot....
Old 08-07-03, 11:09 PM
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Originally posted by Hiro11
Just like the book ends: Sam saying "well, I'm home". Perfect.
Actually, the line reads "Well, I'm back." But you're right, it is perfect...
Old 08-08-03, 12:21 AM
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I have heard that were going to end just like thaty began it; with an epilogue telling of the ending of the third age.
Old 08-08-03, 12:36 AM
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I would end it with Frodo, Bilbo, and Gandalf shipping out of Middle Earth. And go ahead and give Sam the "Well, I'm back," line.

THEN -- I would have Galadriel doing a voice-over (similar to the prologue to FOTR) and explaining the fates of all of the characters, with the final line:

"Then Legolas built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down to Anduin and so over sea; and with him, it was said, went Gimli the Dwarf. And when that ship passed an end was come in Middle-Earth of the Fellowship of the Ring."

After which Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore" plays over the end credits.

"The Queen of Light took her bow,
And then she turned to go.
The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom,
And walked the night alone."


And so on...

There won't be a dry eye in the theater.
Old 08-08-03, 01:18 AM
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I'm sure Peter Jackson has given this a LOT of thought.

He hasn't disappointed me yet.
Old 08-08-03, 01:19 AM
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Originally posted by Josh-da-man
I would end it with Frodo, Bilbo, and Gandalf shipping out of Middle Earth. And go ahead and give Sam the "Well, I'm back," line.

THEN -- I would have Galadriel doing a voice-over (similar to the prologue to FOTR) and explaining the fates of all of the characters, with the final line:

"Then Legolas built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down to Anduin and so over sea; and with him, it was said, went Gimli the Dwarf. And when that ship passed an end was come in Middle-Earth of the Fellowship of the Ring."

After which Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore" plays over the end credits.

"The Queen of Light took her bow,
And then she turned to go.
The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom,
And walked the night alone."


And so on...

There won't be a dry eye in the theater.

aw... *sniff*

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