I finally updated! I'm just posting what I have, no more chances taken! I was holding back last time because I wanted to post a big, long update that took us all the way to Weathertop, but then things went wrong.
The Game Attempts: Part Twenty-Two-Part Twenty: Cut to the pouring rain in the middle of the night as the four hobbits crowd around in the flora at the edge of a road, first looking in both directions to see if the way is clear, and then dashing across the muddy path to the Gate of Bree. This leads to a short humorous moment when Frodo knocks on it. First, the crotchety old Gate Keeper (I’m suddenly tempted to do a Spoony Experiment related joke), first slights open one slot, human height, then a second, at hobbit height. I don’t know why, but I find it funny.
He sees the quartet standing before the Gate and opens it up and inquires what their business in Bree is. Frodo politely declines to answer the question, and the four are allowed in, likely because they’re hobbits and how much damage could they cause. Well, a lot, actually, but would you take them seriously as a threat on sight?
After he shuts the Gate, the camera tilts up from overlooking it to show us Bree from a distance as the hobbits enter. Here, they’re presented with al kinds of terrors: drunks, hoodlums, and most terrifying of all: the director making his cameo as a guy eating a carrot. The tall, dark, and looming figures are perhaps a bit over the top, but it does a good job in signifying that the hobbits have officially left their comfortable lives and stepped into a much bigger world.
This portrayal of Bree greatly contrasts the book in which it was a warm and hearty place of laughter and cheer instead of this dark and dreary burg presented here. Jackson falls into the Mos Eisley Space Port “hive of scum and villainy” that was popularized by George Lucas’s Star Wars. While the change to the peaceful town of Bree is an unfortunate one, it does however have its place in the film. Jackson obviously wanted to keep the tension on, so he instead of changed the tone of Bree to fit that need. Oddly, Tom Ferny and his cronies would have been the perfect Greedos for this, but they’re only hinted at much like in the Bakshi version. Another thing, I also miss the Underhills who basically think Frodo's a long lost cousin of theirs'.
While wondering the streets, the quartet finally spots the Prancing Pony, looking exactly as described by Tolkien. Yeah, I say that a lot. I’m overjoyed to see things look as they did in Tolkien’s books instead of turned in the Bakshi-Sam and the like.
Anyway, the hobbits enter the pub and Inn and Frodo calls for the owner of the establishment, Barliman Butterbur. Before I go further, if you feel like this guy stepped in from another, more cheesy fantasy flick, then you’re not alone. What follows may be the most triumphant example of bit actor overacting, ever. I honestly love watching this guy. Message Board caption sections could fill an entire forum’s worth with screenshots of this guy and what the users of that chatroom would come up with would be brilliant. He needs to get his own show, “Cheers With Butterbur”.
As he greets the hobbits, he excessively nods his head and his vocal patterns shoot from even, but enthusiastic to Brian Blessed levels, like so :
“GOOD EVENING, LITTLE MASTERS. We have. Some. Nice. Hobbit sized. Rooms. Availabllle. ALLLWAYSS happy to cater the little folks, Mr. uh…” All the while he matches the tone with equally over the top facial expressions, hamming it up gloriously.
Of course, Frodo introduces himself as “Underhill”, and tells Butterbur they’re there to see Gandalf.
After a moment of exaggerated thinking, Butterbur suddenly and briefly looks like someone prodded him with a hot poker while he lets out this gem:
“OOOH, YYYESSS. I remember. Elderly chap. Big, gray bear. Pointy hat. Not seen him for six months.” Some ominous music kicks in as Frodo’s face falls at the sound of this news in a good bit of acting from Wood. The four hobbits huddle together as Merry asks “What now”.
Cut to some shots of the hoodlums who infest the Prancing Pony before the camera settles on the hobbits sitting around a table uncomfortably. Then Merry sits down with an enormous mug, “a pint”. Cue a humorous bit with Pippin declaring that he’s getting one then runs with Sam calling after him that he’s already had about half of one by then. A combo of witty writing and the natural comedic timing of all the actors involved have made this a popular bit from this movie.
It’s about at this point that Sam points out Strider sitting in the corner, staring at Frodo. Here, we get our first look at the ranger. Viggo Mortensen’s nonchalant posture and his casual pipe smoking really convey Aragorn’s prowess here. It also brings what a good eye Sam has to light, since I know I would never have noticed Aragorn had I been in the hobbit’s place.
Some faintly ominous music picks up here as Frodo inquires to Butterbur who “that man in the corner” is. With acting much more subdued than before, the large ham tells him that Aragorn is a ranger, a member of a mysterious group of men that “wanders the wilds”, and that he’s only known as “Strider” to the people of Bree.
Then, things get weird. For some reason known only to them, Jackson and co. had this idea about Frodo playing with the Ring in his hands and that causing him to go into some kind of weird trance. Here, Wood’s druggie face rears its addicted head again as Jackson starts using low angle shots, showcasing the patrons of the Prancing Pony sensing the evil and taking an interest in the young hobbit. The shots with the villagers are effective in setting the tone. Unfortunately, Wood’s “that some good shit man” face ruins it.
During this sequence, we hear the voice of the Ring calling Frodo, drawing him in, but this is interrupted by Pippin’s loud voice shouting, “Baggins?”, as he drunkenly spills the beans on Frodo. Another problem I have with this adaptation is why oh why did they make Pippin rock stupid? Admittedly, he was getting a bit too loose-lipped in the book, but he was stopped before he said too much, and he certainly didn’t loudly announce that Frodo was a Baggins to the whole pub.
Anyway, Frodo springs up from his seat and runs to Pippin to shut him up. He grabs his idiot cousin but ends up slipping on the boot of one of the men at the bar and falls flat on his back. Here, we get a cool effect as the Ring deliberately sabotages Frodo by slipping onto his finger after he accidentally lets it fly into the air upon impact.
Thus he disappears in front of the entire Prancing Pony, and the extras give a well-acted gasp in shock. Frodo, meanwhile, is now in the shadow realm, which is much as it is described in the original book. You can see the regular world under all the black fog-like effects. Frodo looks around wearing an expression that’s a mix of amazement and fright all in one.
Then he hears a noise behind him and sees The Eye of Sauron. It utters with a terrifying voice: “I see you. There is no life in the void. Only death.” This is intercut with the Ringwraiths sensing the Ring being used and making a beeline for Bree.
Frodo scoots away from the Eye until he’s under a table and takes the Ring off. The world returns to normal. He looks around and breathes a sigh of relief at this.
He’s then suddenly grabbed by Aragorn, who chides him on his carelessness and drags him upstairs. Unlike the Bakshi-Strider, he’s really coming off the rugged, badass ranger here. He shoves Frodo into the Inn room and puts out the lights… In any other movie, that might sound dirty. Obvious juvenile humor aside, he begins questioning Frodo about any “trinkets” he carries. Frodo unconvincingly says he’s able to disappear into thin without help. Thankfully, that was supposed to sound stupid.
Aragorn reacts with the appropriate incredulousness as he snarks about his own ability to remain unseen as a ranger, but the ability to just vanish is something different entirely. Frodo finally just asks what the man wants and who he is to which Aragorn answers by asking if Frodo is afraid. The Baggins of course says yes to but he gets a “not enough” as a retort before Sam, Merry, and Pippin burst into the room.
I love this bit. Sam’s front and center with his arms raised like a boxer while Merry and Pippin are hanging back holding a chair and a candle stand. Sam shouts without a hint of fear, “Release him, or I’ll have you, Longshanks!” Now there’s the Sam we all know and love!
Aragorn commends Sam on his courage, but warns the group that the wraiths are coming. So, how does this handling of the hobbits’ first meeting with Aragorn hold up? Well, for the life of me, I don’t why Jackson and co. also left out the letter, I’d have to check the creators’ commentary for the appropriate scene, but the gist was that they were still trying to keep the tension on enough that the hobbits just didn’t have any other choice than to trust Aragorn, that and he supposed to be ambiguous as to where his alliance laid at this point (that they were selling glass drinking mugs with Aragornës image at McDonald’s at the time and that TV Guide had an issue featuring an exclusive interview with Viggo Mortensen out earlier 2001 both kind of spoiled which side he’s on for the uninitiated, though. Heh, I still own the mug and even dug up that issue of TV Guide to double check my sources. Wow, Becker was still on the air).
We cut back to the Gate Keeper, perhaps taking time off of tormenting The Spoony One, as he hears a horse snort just outside the gate. He opens the little viewing slop and his eyes go wide with terror just as the Wraiths knock it over on him and then ride their horses over him. Relax, though, I’m sure this happens at least once a week. He’ll be fine.
The wraiths (there are four of them, by the way, and this is the only time there is ever an even number of them together in the entire movie. Seriously, count them next time you watch.) gather in the square just outside the Prancing Pony and enter the establishment. As they walk, they basically move as if they were gliding across the ground with predatory prowess, instead of walking. This shows the true inhumanity of these abominations. As they make their way through the main room of the Inn, we see a very much awake Butterbur hiding behind the front bar silently weeping and visibly praying for them not to notice. The actor does an excellent job in showing the poor Innkeeper’s sheer terror and his presence in this scene brings up an interesting implication. The entire town probably knows the wraiths are here, but they’re all just hiding in their homes.
Now, Bree, as well as many other places, all had problems or dealings with the wraiths beforehand as you find out once we reach the Council of Elrond, and this is a good way of showing it. Butterbur fearfully hiding out of sight gives more the idea that wraiths might have been this little burg more than just a little trouble, though. This, however, takes it a step further and suggests we might have seen several fresh graves had we seen more of the town during the daylight.
The wraiths enter the room the hobbits had bought for themselves and each steps next to a bed and stabs the forms that look like little hobbit bodies. This is intercut with shots of Samwise sleeping and then reacting when the wraiths begin stabbing the pillows. But then Jackson finally cuts the tension with a butter knife and shows the hobbits all spooning on one bed and the wraiths discover four empty beds and then take the woods, likely thinking their quarry has moved on.
Frodo asks Aragorn what the wraiths are and Aragorn explains their backstory. Mortensen’s dark and quiet line delivery adds to the nightmare fuel incarnate that these things already are, and I am finally past this part of the story! Yeeeeeah!
:^.^:
To be continued…
