Incomplete list of great things the PJ LOTR films added that weren’t in the books
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD– feel free to add on!
- “I made a promise Mr Frodo— a promise! Don’t you leave him Samwise Gamgee. And I don’t mean to. I don’t mean to.”
- In general all the scenes where there’s no words/dialogue, and the music and visuals and actor’s performances are allowed to carry the story instead….something that’s impossible to do in a book. The standout moment for me is the moment after the ring is destroyed, Bard-Dur collapses, and it’s portrayed as.relief beyond words.
- THE SOUNDTRACK IN GENERAL
- The scene in mount doom that’s like “don’t you let go. Don’t let go.”
- The hobbits returning home to find everything the same, and being heartbroken because they’ve changed so much.. I’m not saying it’s better than the book’s plotline where they returned home to find the Scouring of the Shire™, but it’s impactful in a completely different way
- The scene where Eowyn hears Theoden’s last words, instead of Merry hearing them like he did in the books. Again, not necessarily “better,” but impactful in a different way
- “my brother, my captain….. my king.”
- Flm!Boromir in general. He’s a drastically different character than he was in the books, and YMMV on which version you like better, but I’m so glad film!Boromir is here
- “No parent should have to bury their child.”
- Arwen’s expanded role in general, and the way they we actually got to see her make her choice to stay in Middle Earth
- That subplot in the Two Towers where Aragorn tames a wild unruly horse, basically becoming the protagonist of a Horse Girl Movie
- THE PACING!!!!!!!!!!!!
- The way they moved around a lot of the dialogue to places that made it hit differently. .Like in the books Gandalf says the line “many that live deserve death– and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?” when he’s still in the Shire with Frodo. But in the films, he says it in Moria instead, in his last conversation with Frodo before his own death.
cracks knuckles
My time has come.
- Legolas’ miniature character arc of growing to understand death. Gandalf dies? Just pure shock. He looks like he got punched. Boromir dies? He’s just so. Sad and confused. Like a little kid who doesn’t know what dying is but he knows it’s bad. They think the Hobbits are dead? Legolas bows his head and murmurs a farewell in Elvish, but he still doesn’t seem to comprehend. He thinks Aragorn is dead? He practically shuts down because now he gets it. Battle of the Black Gate, when it looks like Aragorn is about to die? That is the only moment besides Moria when we see Legolas is genuinely afraid.
- “Never thought I’d die fighting side by side with an Elf.” “What about side by side with a friend?” “…Aye. I could do that.”
- Éomer finding Éowyn after the battle instead of in the middle of it and letting out that gut-wrenching scream.
- “They have a Cave-Troll.”
- Basically the entire fight sequence in Balin’s tomb, which was much shorter in the book.
- That EPIC charge down the mountain at Helm’s Deep. Looks like a freaking Renaissance painting.
- Boromir training the Hobbits to fight. It’s just so pure and wholesome.
- Actually that whole scene because it’s the one moment—before the crebain show up—that we get to see the Fellowship just being friends without some immediate crisis.
- Sam getting to say a proper goodbye to Bill the Pony because I have FEELINGS about that pony, okay?!
- Arwen and Aragorn having an essentially telepathic connection. Idk if it’s better than the books, but honestly it’s a good way to expand her character without changing it completely—which is what they were gonna do originally by having her show up at Helm’s Deep to fight.
- The Elves showing up at Helm’s Deep. I don’t like that literally none of them survived, but that moment when Haldir said they came to honor the old allegiance of Men and Elves? That is some Good Content.
The Jackson movies are a very different beast to the novels and, in the context of a legendarium it’s entirely appropriate to make minor tweaks to suit the medium
