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Where are the Two Towers?

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Old 01-01-03, 11:08 PM
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Where are the Two Towers?

Where are the Two Towers? Is the title of the movie misleading?Are they even shown during the movie? Can anyone explain to me about this?
Old 01-01-03, 11:10 PM
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One tower is in Vacaville, CA. The other is in Burley, ID.
Old 01-01-03, 11:19 PM
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Originally posted by Groucho
One tower is in Vacaville, CA. The other is in Burley, ID.
Old 01-01-03, 11:36 PM
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Saruman's tower, Orthanc, is in Isengard (the big circular area surrounding the tower). This is the one we see the most throughout FoTR and TTT. It is the one where Saruman stays, and where we see him looking into the palantir (the "seeing stone"). This is also the place Gandalf rides to and is imprisoned in FoTR.

The second tower, Barad-dur, is Sauron's tower, and is located in Mordor. It is the one with the giant eye at its highest point. We actually see very little of Barad-dur, but it is the most important of the two, as it is the fortress of the Dark Lord himself.

The title of the movie, The Two Towers, is significant (and appropriate) because it represents the two forces attempting to overthrow the world of men, and overshadow Middle-Earth.
Old 01-01-03, 11:53 PM
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thanks for the clarification. I was kinda confused about this myself...
Old 01-01-03, 11:55 PM
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Actually, the second tower is not Barad-dur. Barad-dur is Sauron's Fortress which lies in the heart of Mordor. The second tower from the book's title refers to the tower of Minas Morgul which lies on the eastern edge of the hills surrounding Mordor. Minas Morgul is where Frodo and Sam will attempt to pass into Mordor after deciding not to enter through the Black Gate.

In the book version of Two Towers you read the complete story of what happens at both Orthanc and Minas Morgul, but probably for time constraints the actual tale of Minas Morgul wasn't in the film.
Old 01-02-03, 12:11 AM
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Originally posted by agilliland
Actually, the second tower is not Barad-dur. Barad-dur is Sauron's Fortress which lies in the heart of Mordor. The second tower from the book's title refers to the tower of Minas Morgul which lies on the eastern edge of the hills surrounding Mordor. Minas Morgul is where Frodo and Sam will attempt to pass into Mordor after deciding not to enter through the Black Gate.

In the book version of Two Towers you read the complete story of what happens at both Orthanc and Minas Morgul, but probably for time constraints the actual tale of Minas Morgul wasn't in the film.
ACTUALLY, I don't believe it has ever been 100% determined which towers "The Two Towers" is referring to, as far as the books are concerned. Even some of the most dedicated Tolkien fanatics are still uncertain. However, the filmmakers have taken it upon themselves to make a judgement on the matter, and have told the audience that the two towers are indeed Orthanc and Barad-dur. I can't remember exactly where it is stated - it might have been at some point in the film, or in the trailers, but at some point it is clearly pointed out.
Old 01-02-03, 01:22 AM
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Originally posted by caiman
ACTUALLY, I don't believe it has ever been 100% determined which towers "The Two Towers" is referring to, as far as the books are concerned. Even some of the most dedicated Tolkien fanatics are still uncertain. However, the filmmakers have taken it upon themselves to make a judgement on the matter, and have told the audience that the two towers are indeed Orthanc and Barad-dur. I can't remember exactly where it is stated - it might have been at some point in the film, or in the trailers, but at some point it is clearly pointed out.
Actually caiman, you are 100% correct
in fact not only are most Tolkien fanatics uncertain, Tolkien himself was uncertain, and didn't really like the title to begin with.
words of Tolkien:
From a letter to Rayner Unwin 22 January 1954
I am not at all happy about the title 'the Two Towers'. It must if there is any real reference in it to Vol II refer to Orthanc and the Tower of Cirith Ungol. But since there is so much made of the basic opposition of the Dark Tower and Minas Tirith, that seems very misleading.
Old 01-02-03, 04:06 AM
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Man, you guys are good!
Old 01-02-03, 10:59 AM
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Originally posted by berserker37
Man, you guys are good!

Either that or these questions are really lacking. really come on, did you guys sleep during the movie? their was TWO towers in the movie and were shown. where did you think gollum lead frodo and sam to?
Old 01-02-03, 02:31 PM
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Yes, Jackson et. al. have decided that "The Two Towers" refers to Orthanc and Barad-dur. It's in the teaser trailer:

Galadriel: The fate of the world will soon be decided... The dominion of evil grows even stronger... There is a union now between the two towers, Barad-dur, fortress of the Dark Lord Sauron, and Orthanc, stronghold of the wizard Saruman.
Old 01-02-03, 02:51 PM
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OK now my head hurts... maybe I should go watch some cartoons or a Jim Carry movie to let my small mind recover.
Old 01-02-03, 07:26 PM
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Right here...

Old 01-02-03, 07:33 PM
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Old 01-02-03, 07:34 PM
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Old 01-02-03, 11:17 PM
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(joke in bad taste #127,362,768)

The Two Towers were in New York City. Obviously, now they are not.

By the way, in an introduction written by Simon Tolkien in some published editions of the LOTR, the "two towers" referred to in the book are actually Orthanc and Minas Morgul. Strange, but true.

Last edited by Mr. Cornell; 01-02-03 at 11:20 PM.
Old 01-13-03, 08:41 AM
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Peter Jackson explains the title in the opening seconds of the TTT 10 minute preview on the 2-disc FOTR DVD.

The two towers are Christopher Lee's and the eyeball-fireball's.



Tolkien is a butthead for making Saruman and Sauron so similar-sounding. Confuses the hell out of us non-readers in the theater!

Last edited by GuessWho; 01-13-03 at 10:35 AM.
Old 01-13-03, 08:46 AM
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Originally posted by GuessWho
Peter Jackson explains the title in the opening seconds of the TTT 10 minute preview on the 2-disc FOTR DVD.

The two towers are Christopher Lee's and the eyeball-fireball's.

Tolkien as a butthead for making Saruman and Sauron so similar-sounding. Confuses the hell out of us non-readers in the theater!
Blasphemy! (Like you care.)
Old 01-13-03, 08:52 AM
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Originally posted by GuessWho
Tolkien as a butthead for making Saruman and Sauron so similar-sounding. Confuses the hell out of us non-readers in the theater!
It's confusing in the books as well. One big rule of writing is to avoid having characters with similar names...and this is certainly a big gaffe.

Bakshi tried to get around this in his film by renaming "Saruman" "Aruman". But he screwed up and sometimes he's called one and sometimes he's called the other...making it even more confusing than it was before.

Speaking of character confusion, an OT funny story: I was re-reading "Fellowship" the other night, and my 17-month-old daughter came up, pointed to the picture of Gandalf on the cover and said "Ho ho ho!"
Old 01-13-03, 01:39 PM
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Originally posted by Groucho

my 17-month-old daughter came up, pointed to the picture of Gandalf on the cover and said "Ho ho ho!"
You're sure she wasn't pointing at your wife?
Old 01-13-03, 09:14 PM
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Originally posted by GuessWho
Peter Jackson explains the title in the opening seconds of the TTT 10 minute preview on the 2-disc FOTR DVD.

The two towers are Christopher Lee's and the eyeball-fireball's.
I think he said that because those are the two towers named in the movie. If he starts naming places like minas morgul he'd confuse people that haven't read the book.

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