What’s often missed is that everyone was puzzled about the goblins running in terror. Legolas having the face of sheer terror when Gandalf tells them of the Balrog also is great foreshadowing since Legolas is old enough to know that his kin fought firsthand these terrible beings.
Yes I love that. He's the only member of the fellowship who understands the threat - and his reaction shot is a nice little signal to the viewer. I also love his look of confusion after Gandalf falls. Legolas is immortal, and does not understand death, especially the death of a Maiar. Incredible attention to detail.
“In the books” it was Aragorn who was aware of a threat in the Mines. He was the one opposed to the idea of going through it. To Gandalf it was the first option.
Not to mention that after the "Run!", we don't actually see the balrog until the bridge, but just a dim light that just grows brighter and brighter to the confrontation.
the scene with Gandalf falling and cutting at the balrog as they fall mile after mile into the abyss is easily on of the most chilling and jaw dropping scenes in anything ever
I've always thought that if I ever get a tattoo (if I were a tattoo person), it would be that image of Gandalf and the Balrog falling all the way down my arm or something. But I doubt a tattoo could even do it justice.
The scene when Gandalf tells them it’s a Balrog they’re facing has a “blink and you’ll miss it” bit. Legolas’ face is pure terror in his brief close-up. He’s the only one among the fellowship (other than Gandalf) who would have heard first-hand tales of what these things were and what they were capable of. A Balrog would have been a campfire story to the rest of the team. Legolas, on the other hand, KNEW how serious shit just got..
I love that. It's one of the subtle little nods to people who have read the books. And for those who haven't, it still works as a hint that something supernatural is upon them. So crazy how one tiny shot can say so much.
That, and he’s always been seen as stoic and unshakable up til this point. Seeing him so filled with fear really helps sell that serious stuff is about to go down!
I have believed for a long time, and still do, that the Bridge of Khazad Dum scene, is the greatest scene in the history of cinema. Like you said, from the moment Gandalf shouts "RUN", we are on a roller coaster. Each character is given a task, even small, to get through the stairs and across the bridge. They are attacked by Orcs from on high, so we get action, Gimli screams "NOT THE BEARD" so we get a laugh, and the several minutes after Gandalf's fall, twenty years later, rarely fails to get me to cry. And we see all the characters on the rocks of Dumril Dale display their emotions. Aragorn is torn and in shock when he sees Gandalf fall, but after he runs up the steps and out the gates, he changes. You are right, when Gandalf says "lead them" he means he is in charge now, and he has to put his sadness aside and focus on the mission at hand, as the king he needs to be.
My feelings exactly. You raise an interesting point about Gandalf's dialogue maybe being even BIGGER than leading the Fellowship on. Maybe by "lead them on" he's referring to the race of men. That might be overanalyzing, but the script is so well-written that I doubt that double meaning would have been lost on the writers. I think this is why the film is SO re-watchable. There's always some new detail to pick up on.
And all of that accompanied by the great score of Howard Shore! I love the change of music from the moment we see Gandalf fall into the dark abyss to when they finally leave the mines for their first daylight after some time, just to realize what great loss they have suffered.
Holy moly.. I've watched this movie i don't know how many times, but somehow i never really realized that Frodo didn't know Gandalf was alive even until he destroyed the ring.. that's impressive indeed.
It's actually amazing how good the fire effects look, even after 20 years. The shot where the Balrog leaps up out of the flames and the camera tilts way up - I usually have to rewind and watch it a couple times just to savour the artistry of it
According to the oral history of the film the original Balrog was meh and was rejected, so the designers pulled an all nighter and we ended up with what was in the film.
this foreshadowing works well with alfred hitchcock's art of suspense: You put a bomb in the trunk of a car, you show it, and then you send it into town. In town, you don't show the bomb, you show people going about their day, but you know there's a bomb, and you're waiting for it to go off. You get everyone involved with the subplot-what everyone in the town is doing. Then the bomb goes off once everyone forgets about it.
This one felt like: There is a bomb under a table at a restaurant. The audience knows it is there and that it will go off, however nobody in the film knows about it… except for one character… and this character spends the entire day trying to avoid going to the restaurant time and again, but events keep pressing him to go… and eventually he is forced to enter the restaurant… and set the bomb off.
You know where that storytelling didn't work for me? In The Last of US, episode 7. I love that episode and recently rewatched it. It's a flashback episode and you already know how it ends. But they still cut away to a zombie slowly twitching awake from the noises the kids are making. Then the episode goes on, kids unaware, then the zombie attacks. It feels cliche.
I love the analysis of Gandalf as the main character in the second act, and your use of the close ups really aids that argument. Kudos! I love it when someone can show me something new or provide a new perspective on these texts that I know and love so much!
As a kid in middle school I remember reading fellowship and being excited that Gandalf was accompanying Frodo. He was a wizard, he was powerful, he was the rest of the fellowship's "divine" protection. When he fell to the Balrog it left a pit in my stomach, and I was actually angry that he was gone. My young brain understood that this was just the beginning of the grand adventure and already the strongest member of the fellowship that was meant to keep Frodo safe was gone. The feeling of safety was now gone from the narrative which only made me invest more of myself in the story and it's characters. If Gandalf could fall, so could anyone else. Tolkien was masterful with his story telling, and Jackson captured it perfectly for the film
It wasn't mentioned in the video and I think this is also a slight foreshadowing. The quote says "any of you", meaning the rest of the fellowship. Gandalf knows he's the only one who can do anything to it and he's straight-up just saying it. This isn't a goblin, troll, or one of the ringwraiths. It's something far greater.
@@theartofstorytelling1, that's always been true in spoken language. My generation -- I was born in 1962 -- grew up speaking a language peppered with iconic lines from movies. The only differences now are that both words and images are involved, and that it's easy to share memes globally and instantly.
@@theartofstorytelling1 , the private language I share with my partner is rich with quotes from and allusions to the broader Tolkien legendarium. For example, "Oh no, I can't believe just made things vastly worse for everyone involved" translates to "Fëanor, NO!!", which I once saw proposed as an alternate title for _The Silmarilion_. 😁
LOTR is a masterpiece of adaptation. In the books, Gandalf does not know what entity is present in Moria. Though he may have guessed its true nature, this is never confirmed until the Fellowship actually sees it. In the movies, it's somewhat more overt, but we have to remember that non-book-readers are the main audience, and they necessarily need more information to work with for the scene to make a similar impact. And even for book readers, the foreshadowing is effective. So, well done, screenwriters!
That's an interesting point. Adapting the books means not only telling the story for newcomers, but also respecting those who have read the book, and have certain expectations. Such a difficult balancing act, and I'm actually amazed and how well they pulled it off, especially with the Balrog and the mine sequence.
6:32 As someone who watched the movies way before reading the books when we first see gandalf actually turn and comfront the balrog on the bridge i had the OMG reaction. It seems like gandalf is extremely outmatched and watching gandalf stand toe to toe with the balrog really cements galndalfs character from a viewing perspective. The confidence in which he speaks his famous line lets you know that really you dont understanding anything 100% gandalf the balrog or the universe that theres something greater happening here and ive always loved that about lord of the rings.
Very interesting. I never realized how focused Act 2 of the movie was on Gandalf and the Balrog. Act 3 seems to have this heavy, hopeless air about it since, like you mentioned, their guide (and unofficial leader) is gone. I just noticed that Act 2 may also be a pivot point for Aragorn's character too. He wasn't shown as much of a leader up to this point in the movie, so after Gandalf entrusted the Fellowship to him, he really steps up from Act 3 all the way to the end of the ROTK. Incredible storytelling.
I agree that Aragorn's character is different in the final act - he seems to bear the burden of leading the Fellowship more. So many subtle little character changes happen after Gandalf's fall.
The way in which they show us the world of the LOTR makes it impossible to forget. Peter Jackson shows us what a beautyfull world exists and what the stakes are.
JRR´s brother actually said in an interview that his brother wouldnt have liked the movies because u can never 100% bring the vision of the author on the screen
I really enjoyed your deconstruction of Gandalf and the Balrog. I also have to agree with you about this confrontation at the Bridge being one of the most compelling scenes in the film - and certainly in the books, as well. As someone familiar with Tolkien's legendarium, it's interesting to note that the deamon inhabiting the Balrog is a Fire Maiar - one of the original lesser spirit entities born before the Valar created Valinor and Middle-earth. The Darklord Morgoth seduced many Fire Maiar to his cause and housed them in the hideous forms of Balrogs, as their reward for aligning with him. In fact, the deamons who would become the Balrogs, had aligned with Melkor even before Sauron joined the with the Shadow. The Balrogs, or Valaraukar - being the Quendi name for these abominations. Morgoth could not create life, he could only mock it. Sauron too was Fire Maiar, but he'd grown too powerful and skilled to become a Balrog, and Morgoth - recognizing a true believer in Sauron's evil and malice - made him his chief lieutenant. The last of the great Maiar to descend into MIddle-earth was Olorin, who would become Gandalf/Mithrondir. In fact, when Gandalf first arrived in Middle-earth at the Grey Havens, Cirdan the Shipwright was revealed to be the ringbearer of Narya - the Elven Ring of Fire." Cirdan gave Narya to Gandalf saying, "You might find this usefull." And so the confrontation between Gandalf and the Balrog suddenly seems to be something of a reckoning 9,000+ years and all Three Ages in the making. I'd like to think that Gandalf would have slain the Balrog regardless of the fact that he bore one of the three Elven Rings. Still, I ain't mad that Gandalf decided to keep Narya close when he fought to the death with the last of the Balrogs to survive the War of the Jewels. One last cool thing to point out. The sword Gandalf wields againt the Balrog would have sent a shock of recognition, confusion, doubt, and fear through the beast now known as Durin's Bane; the Balrog who led the conquest and murder of the dwarves in Khazad-dum. Gandalf carried "Glamdring" the "Foe Hammer." Glamdring was the sword of King Turgon of Gondolin. Turgon was High King of the Noldor and also first-cousins with Galadriel and her brothers. Gondolin, also known as the Hidden Kingdom, was the last of the original Noldor kingdoms in Middle-earth. After the discovery of this beatiful and unspoiled Elven realm, Morgoth sent Balrogs and dragons to pull down the walls and murder every Elf in the city and its vale. The Fall of Gondolin is one of the saddest stories in the history of the elves. So!....Imagine the TERROR swirling inside the Balrog, when the beast realized he was facing one of his own kind: the Maiar/Istari Gandalf wielding Glamdring - the sword of Turgon. Gandlalf didn't just slay the last of Morgoth's Balrogs in Moria. Not only did Gandalf avenge Turgon and the horror of the fall of Gondolin, but he also brought closure to the Dwarves of Khazad-dum by slaying Durin's Bane.
This lore is so interesting. One thing I'm curious about - for someone such as yourself, who clearly has a deep knowledge of Tolkien's world, do you feel that the film succeeded in conveying that mythology? The Balrog FEELS epic in the film, but do you think audiences really get the picture of what's really happening in this scene? Because what you're describing makes it, in some ways, even more consequential than Sauron and the ring.
Sauron was not a Úmaiar or fire maiar as you call them. He was a maiar if Aulë. One maiar who potentially could have become one of these was Arien who carried thr vessel of the sun. She was originally a fire spirit like the balrogs but she rejected Melkor. Also as far as I know there is no reference to Olorin being the last maiar to descend upon Arda. Tulkas was the last Valar to descend from the timeless halls but I've never read any maiar being specified as the last.
This is almost like postshadowing, given that the Fellowship have just fought a *giant squid.* I imagine a few of them are thinking "yeah, no shit," when Gandalf says that.
One of the all-time great movie scenes. It becomes even more interesting when you read the Silmarillion and you find out that Gandalf and the Balrog are both 'Maiar', and so are essentially the same race of being, albeit taking very different forms.
As well as the foreshadowing, I think the overall impact is also enhanced by the, what would you call it, follow-through. It's a beautiful choice--as soon as Gandalf falls, the world goes almost silent except for the poignant music. Suddenly, you and the characters are experiencing a muted world, all the hectic noise and chaos goes away--they're still running, still being shot at, you can hear the quiet 'snap!' of an arrow hitting stone, Aragorn's muted voice urging everyone on, but it's all distanced. The immediate action has stopped mattering in the face of the terrible loss of Gandalf; everything is different now. Doesn't hurt that the sorrowful music is awesome--thank you once again, Howard Shore.
There is another line of foreshadowing for that scene that I really like. I believe it's a brief scene from the extended cut when the fellowship is approaching Moria and Gandalf pulls Frodo aside to warn him about the ring's growing power. This won't be verbatim necessarily, but Gandalf tells Frodo that there are many powers in this world, some even greater than him, and "...against some, I have not yet been tested"
I'll have to check that out! I know this is heresy, but I'm a bit of a "theatrical cut purist", when it comes to Fellowship, so I've only seen the extended cut around 5 times LOL. One video idea I had was to compare the theatrical and the extended to see what works about each. All in due time haha
Both "Gandalf & Balrog" scenes from the first two movies are peak fantasy to me. I don't think I will ever see anything again on screen, that will come close to them. The execution is near perfection.
Just done rewatching Fellowship (extended again but first time in 4K HDR... WOW!!) and it was great to pay more attention to all that foreshadowing after having checked this video right here like 2 weeks ago. The movie even almost tells us explicitely that we're switching to Gandalf as the "main character" too: as soon as they step out of Rivendell, Frodo shows that he doesn't know the most basic thing (going left or right lol) so Gandalf takes over by stating the direction and then leading in front of the group every step of the way until they're in Moria. His death is sure to be more effective after having had so much of the spotlight in all the second act. Then, Frodo is immediately brought back to the forefront after that sequence, because the *only* agency he had in act 2, the only two things he actively did, kinda caused Gandalf's death: deciding to go through the mines, and solving the riddle to enter them. He can't deny that and we, as an audience, cannot either. It all goes right back to him. To a lesser extent, they do the same thing with Boromir: they put the spotlight on him shortly before his death with a huge character moment, a moment of great weakness (trying to get the ring) (foreshadowed at the council, and later by Galadriel), that is immediately contrasted with the strong will of Aragorn (refusing the ring's temptation), only for the two characters and their moral wishes to reconcile under the same heroic strength at the end of the battle as Boromir is dying. Chef's kiss! What a cinematic achievement! Hasn't aged a day - imo one of the extremely rare 11/10 films.
The entire Moria sequence is my favourite part of the film. It does such an excellent job of steadily ratcheting the tension. And it is scored wonderfully, definitely the part of the soundtrack I go back to the most. And kudos to the filmmakers for turning "they run down some stairs" into such a memorable setpiece.
i know this doesn't relate to your point but i still love how a huge portion of the sound the balrog makes is a cinderblock being dragged along the ground. it just seems correct somehow given that it's not a modulated animal sound and feels more elemental-made flesh (but that just my take).
The depiction of the Balrog could be it's own video haha. It's amazing how good it looks, even after 20 years. You're right, the sound of his growl really sells it. Just another detail that shows how much care was put into these films.
I was thinking about this over the last couple of days after rewatching "The fellowship of the ring". The entire Moria sequence is impeccably crafted. As you've said, even before they go to Moria, Gandalf shows that he's afraid of doing it. He knows what's down there and he does not want to meet it. And then the real tension starts to build. You know something BIG is coming and they slowly increase the feeling of dread until the Balrog makes its entrance. It's a masterclass of film making.
This was a fantastic breakdown done in a great format and your voice is perfect for narrating/talking about this stuff. Thank you for talking about such an amazing sequence of such a behemoth of a film trilogy where it's easy to overlook. I'm excited to seeing more from you.
For me, the conflict is also interesting because it's a subtle confrontation of power made through Gandalf's speech and the Balrog's demonstration. Maybe it's me, but I love this kind of confrontation when it's well done. Another one of my favorites is Ged vs. Cob in The Farthest Shore by Ursula Le Guin. They are two powerful wizards but they fight each other through their words. The first time I read it, I cried.
I like that the writers included Gandalf's speech - servant of the secre fire, Flame of Udun, etc - because even if you haven't read the books, it lets you know that Gandalf is more than just a pointy-hatted wizard. He's a supernatural being. The film does a brilliant job of telling you that without "telling" you. Thanks for watching!
One little detail I personally love about Gandalf's death scene, is the narrative choice to visually see the goblins fire arrows at Aragorn as he leads the fellowship to saftey afterwards. It just gives context to the situation that other films wouldnt have bothered expanded on. It doesnt leave you with the question "well, what about all those 100's of goblins, couldnt they crawl the walls over the broken bridge?" Its followed up with Aragorn's urgency to make for the woods before dark, because he was the only one to see the goblin hoards giving chase. It's a small detail, but the devil is in the details.
That's so interesting, I never made that connection, but you're absolutely right. One thing I learned from listening to the Director's commentary for the films was that Peter, Fran, and Philipa were always thinking about "pushing the story forward". They were always mindful about what was motivating the characters, and this is a great example. I've heard that there is a deleted scene before Lorien where the Fellowship debates whether they can go on without Gandalf. Would be interesting to see what that looked like, and whether it slowed down the momentum.
@@theartofstorytelling1 Thank you. Your video is great btw. That deleted scene would be interesting, because tonely I believe the narrative shift switches to Aragorn as the protagonist after Gandalf's downfall. It would be an interesting addition to see the characters raise the question themselves, and display the first sign of vulnerablity and loss of hope in their quest. Although the film does it expertly, having Aragorn reassert the fellowship to carry on, I'd still be interested in seeing that extra detail.
I'm glad you brought up the comparison with the Obi-Wan v. Anakin fight. I couldn't tell you much about what happened in that sequence, other than there was lava, and by the end Anakin had lost and became maimed. In Fellowship on the other hand, every shot in the Gandalf v. Balrog fight is impactful. Only a few "blows" are struck, and it is much shorter than the star wars battle, yet it makes a much greater and more lasting impression. Longer fight scenes aren't always better.
Also makes you wonder if the Ani-Obi fight might have been more memorable if there was more dramatic build up in that story, similar to how it was done in this sequence. I don't hate RoTS but I felt there were a few missed opportunities for more drama between Anakin and Obiwan
At no point during that fight do you feel like either character is in any danger, it only ends when the production team decided that the epic battle at the end of the film had reached sufficient length, and one of them had heard that having the high ground was advantageous. Never mind that they've both been at different relative heights multiple times throughout the battle.
@@user-zp4ge3yp2o I literally just had someone today say that the obi vs anakin fight doesn't need to be dramatic because you know the outcome already. What's the point of the 3 movies if the climax it is leading to isn't dramatic?
100% agree! Fellowship is my favourite movie! Jackson and co did such a great job with this story. There are a few other foreshadowing examples in Fellowship that I love - Frodo and Sam seeing the departing Elves after they shortly left the Shire "I don't know why, it makes me sad", wow, just wow. And Gandalf blowing a smoke Ship into the smoke ring from Bilbo, depicting the Grey Havens and Into The West, omg.
Yeah! the extended scenes especially, like outside the walls of Moria, Gandalf talking to Frodo about who and what to trust, he mentions that he has not yet been tested against some powers i.e Balrog@@theartofstorytelling1
Awesome video. One of these days I picked up my old copy of LOTR and started reading. I noticed that Gandalf actually WANTS to go through Moria in the books, but he's ultimately outvoted. If I remember correctly, even Gimli is against going there... probably because the dwarves most of all knew something horrible happened there. So, all the more respect to the writers for this bold change! When I read it I couldn't believe it, because what we get in the movies makes a lot of emotional sense story-wise.
Thanks friend! Yeah it's interesting that the book is so different, because in the movie it all just feels so natural for the characters and makes so much sense.
I think another big part was also that throughout the long periods of journey in Moria, the film made us have such an emotional bond with Gandalf (perhaps his kind words to Frodo, and the funny part of him trying to open the door, etc.). When I was a kid watching this for the first time, even though I had no knowledge of the middle earth whatsoever and could barely understood what was going on, my heart was all at Gandalf, and seeing him fell was such a heavy hit on me that I could barely continue watching the rest of the movie.
I have watched many videos on analyzation of LOTR and this is one of the best. Man, the way you structure the explanations - wow! Much respect, thank you for the content🙂🤝
Thanks so much! The channel is brand new and I'm still figuring out a format that works, and what interests people. So that's great feedback. Thanks for stopping by the channel.
THANK YOU! I had an argument with my 9th grade English teacher (1970) about the prologue to R&J being foreshadowing. She said I was wrong because the story was so well known at the time Shakespeare wrote it the end was common knowledge. Therefore, the prologue was not foreshadowing. I argued that the reader's knowledge has nothing to do with whether the text is foreshadowing or not. It either indicates the future or it doesn't.
Your English teacher is quite wrong. Literary devices function regardless of the reader's knowledge of the text. By her logic, one could say that a "plot twist" isn't a plot twist anymore the second time you read a book. You're correct - the text should be analyzed without regard to the reader's knowledge (though I'm sure there are some post-modern philosophers out there who might take up that argument). I'm glad this video was able to clear up a decades old debate lol.
Ha. I had an argument with a college teacher about whether Hamlet’s mother was evil. I argued my point on the test and she gave me a C. I still think I was right.
I love and know these films so well, and yet there is always more depth to be found! As others have already said in the comments, your claim that Gandalf as the main character of the second act is truly insightful. Now I need to rewatch the Fellowship again to find all the moments of foreshadowing! Thanks for the video!
Thanks so much! I agree there's always something new to learn about these films. I normally don't watch "director's commentary" on movies, but I highly recommend it for these films. I learned a lot from listening to them talk about the challenges of writing the script and telling the story. Gave me a whole new appreciation for the challenge they had, and how well they executed.
Also, the Balrog scene is the first (only?) scene where we see the true power of Gandalf. Up until then, he just did fireworks, some telekinese Breakdance with Saruman, made some light with his staff and spoke to a moth. But here he stands, seemingly only by his spoken words the Balrog "cannot pass". He looks like a fragile old man, but yet the Balrog's fire sword simply melts as it hits him. This scene shows us - apart from the foreshadowing - that he is much, much more than we knew previously.
This also covers another, equally important lesson, which is Meaningful Character Sacrifices. Ever since shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones became major successes, for a time, many other shows have come out that try to replicate this by offing their characters at the wrong time or simply making them pointless. In fact, even these two shows miss the mark because there have been character deaths that happened at the wrong time and left people outraged out of feeling cheated or underwhelmed. Gandalf's Fall is iconic because it was a character sacrifice that went beyond his own life. It changed everyone in the story. It broke the fallacy of Frodo and the Hobbits, who believed nothing bad could happen because they had Gandalf (Further alluded to when Pippin says, before the Battle of Minas Tirith ,"But we have the White Wizard. That has to count for something."). It forced Aragorn to step out of the shadows and become the leader he was meant to. I would argue that it was the catalyst for Gimli and Legolas's relationship to blossom, now having a strong, emotional bond. And... more fan theory than anything else... Gandalf's power, with the help of Narya, kept Boromir's dark nature at bay until the fateful encounter at Amon Hen.
I thought this was brilliant! I love this movie and just recently rewatched it, but never appreciated the structure of FOTR until you highlighted it so well in this video. Thanks for making this and sharing your thoughts.
When watching, I always felt that there wasn't one singular main character to the Trilogy. Rather the whole of the Fellowship are the main cast, with emphasis given to Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn. Arguably, because those are the three most important characters. Good video though, I enjoyed it.
@@theartofstorytelling1 Tolkien disliked allegory, but his three main characters definitely conform to Christian-worldview archetypes and tropes. Deliberately so, in fact. Jesus is sometimes called "Priest, Prophet and King". Frodo conforms to the Priest, who goes on the pilgrimage and carries and suffers under the undeserved burden. Gandalf is the Prophet, who gives supernatural received wisdom, and sacrifices himself and is resurrected from death. Aragorn is the King, who descends under the earth, and raises the cursed dead and removes their curse, and whose hands bring healing. "It was said of old in Gondor, that the hands of the King are the hands of a healer, and so should the rightful King be known." None of that is accidental.
@@peteg475 It's funny you bring this up because I've been thinking that my next LOTR video would be about "religious symbolism" in the films. It would be an exploration of how the filmmakers borrow from the iconography of religion. There are a lot of obvious examples. The Balrog is a good one. But also the shot where the Eagles save sam and Frodo - definitely a heaven/hell thing going on in that shot. Any resources you can recommend?
@@theartofstorytelling1 Nothing at the tip of my fingers, The "Priest, Prophet, King" idea came from somewhere in my reading, Tom Shippey's commentaries and books ("Author of the Century")about all things Tolkien are useful. Tolkien's own thoughts about his Catholic faith influencing his fiction is easily found online, I would think. Plenty of interesting stuff on that topic.
02:19 When I saw the biopic of Amy Winehouse I cried at the beginning. I knew the end already, but to see the beginning, knowing what was to come, made it so tragic to me.
Someone pointed this out to me the other day, but what makes this scene and the part in the book even more powerful is this is the LAST time Frodo sees Gandalf until he is in Rivendell AFTER the ring is destoryed. Frodo completes his entire quest thinking his best friend, mentor, and protector is dead. While everyone else (save Sam, of course) gets to complete their journey with Gandalf at their side.
Yeah that's nuts when you think about it. The one that gets me (someone told me this) is that when Gandalf picks them up with the eagles at the end, he has THREE eagles.... one for Smeagol.
He is right, I believe they are in Gondor. The scene in ROTK just looks like Rivendell to me, and I always say it by mistake. In the book and movie, he is in Gondor.
I always thought this line was also foreshadowing: “There are many powers in this world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. And against some I have not yet been tested.” Though it could also include the ring, the nine, Saruman, and Sauron.
There is also a very subtle use of foreshadowing of the fight to come when Gandalf says, “this foe is beyond any of YOU.” It took me a couple of viewings to notice that he didn’t say “beyond any of US.”
Another reason Gandalf confronting the Balrog is so amazing, is he literally tells the Balrog "I have Narya, the elven Ring of Fire" and uses it to shield himself. The Balrog is clearly frustrated that its flame whip can't affect him.
I think one of the most important parts of the final confrontation is Gandalf meeting the Balrog on equal footing, and opening the abyss of time and awe, while we watch on knowing that there is so much more happening than we understand or realize: "I am an agent of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun! _You shall not pass!_ "
For me - having read the books many times - the journey of the fellowship through Moria was the make-or-break part of the whole trilogy. They simply had to get it right. Jackson knocked it out of the park. I even enjoyed the improvement of Pippin knocking all that clanking armour down the well in the tomb of Marzabul.
I had the same feeling - was most excited about the mine sequence. They showed nothing about the mines in the promotional materials, so i was nervous lol. But I guess they were just saving it.
Gandalf's fall is when Frodo realises no-one is going to save him, he's got to do it for himself. It's the moment we all have to go through as young adults, but written LARGE.
True - if I didn't know that Gandalf fall happened from reading the book, I would have been shocked the first time I saw it in theatres. He's the last character you'd expect to die so early in the story. But I think you're right in your explanation why. It does so much for Frodo's arc.
7:22 I also feel like by showing less action, it further highlights that the reel battle is much more than physical. I do much prefer the original lines in the book though, "You cannot pass" just always felt more powerful than "You shall not pass". it is more in line with the power words have in Tolkien's magic system (how ever soft a system it is). Here i have always interpreted the spell/magic Galdalf is willing into reality is passing here is now an impossibility and saying you will not and shall not feel implied in you can't. So i have always felt shall not is loosely him changing from "can not" to "may not". still love that movie scene and thanks for the deep dive (no pun in tended lol).
That's interesting. I've always wondered why they changed that line in the script. They were very careful about all their script decisions, and I wonder what the rationale was.
I heard some conjecture that the balrog actually can't pass Moria's threshold, and that would imply that what gandalf is saying is literal, essentially saying " you can't pass from this place, so give up chasing us or I'll kick your ass" and the writers thought that kinda makes the balrog less dangerous, and will watchers interpret the " cannot pass" in the literal sense? So instead went with "shall" which is gandalf saying I'M not letting you go any further, that could be the reason I mean it was obviously to make things more transparent I feel.
@@garybyrne5841 I feel like that argument breaks down given that the balrog exits via the winding stair, effectively exiting one of Moria's thresholds (though in tolkien fashion it does die right after so you might be onto something though I personally don't agree). I'll grant you most viewers are not book fanatics like myself and that the distinction of "cannot" and "shall not" is lost on most viewers. I just feel it is one of the first instances where you can see movie Gandalf is nurfed compared to book Gandalf (don't get me started on the palantier and the witch king scene from the extended edition. pure sacrilege! #notmygandalf #LoveIanMckellin). genuinely though thank you for your perspective. I'll look into it. maybe some of Tolkien's letters mention it but its been a while.
@@Margoth195 yeah I'm not saying that IS cannon, but I do think it was changed for transparency, which does seem a bit redundant and that viewers should get it. But knowing the very meticulous nature of Jackson and co on every bit of dialogue, I think that was ultimately why it was changed. That's adaptation it's impossible to please everyone, especially something with such amazing depth and scope as lotr. But I like your unwavering love for gandalf!!
I remember when I saw this scene in cinemas for the first time as well. I was spellbound. If you could either resurrect J.R.R Tolkien from the dead, or travel back in time and bring him forward to the present day, and show him Peter Jackson's trilogy, I think there are things he'd approve of and things he'd disapprove of, but the rendition of the Balrog would probably bring manly tears of pride to his eyes.
One thing you neglected to mention is Gandalf's potential symbolic function as a "light guide" to Frodo, and how that is fundamentally changed soon after this scene. Tolkien's books, of course, weren't originally intended to be a trilogy, but perhaps coincidentally, perhaps very much on purpose, the structure in them is similar to that of Dante's "Divine Comedy", a work which Tolkien must surely have been well acquaintanced with. In the Divine Comedy's first two books, the darkest, Dante has a condemned guide, the poet Vergilius in hell, but in the third book, upon entering paradise, his guide instead becomes the angelic Beatrice. Similarly, for the first book of The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf acts as a "light guide", a trustworthy, positive figure. But his "death" means a shift for Frodo into a "dark guide"; ambigious, twisted, sorrowful - Gollum. Gollum and Gandalf might seem extremely dissimilar, and they are, but Gollum DOES actually know a lot of old lore, and especially in the books, this is very apparent. This dark guide is kept for the rest of the story, signifiying the much darker and more ominous turn that Frodo's journey has taken. It's the reverse of the Divine Comedy, that begins in hell and ends in heaven.
I remember my wife asking 'what was the point in regards to the overall story' after watching gandalf just 'die' for the first time, and I asked her to watch the scene again after they leave the mine (and one of my favourite scenes) how everyone is shocked / mary & pippin crying and explained to her when it focused on Frodo that Gandalf's sacrifice changes frodo then and there. Evil is real and powerful, and not even someone as powerful as Gandalf is strong enough to stop it. And in that moment, Frodo truly believes he has to go on to destroy the ring. And alone at that, as he doesn't want anyone else to die and influences his decision to sneak off after Aragorn and him are ambushed by the Urakai. Fuck I love this movie, Fellowship has always been my favourite.
Haha I love that bit where Gandalf stays behind, then comes flying down the stairs, stands up and dusts himself off and basically says "well I tried, let's be off shall we?"
I love how everyone is slightly confused when Gandalf explains what a Balrog is except Legolas who is looks absolutely terrified because while he isn't old enough to have been around in the first age when they were active, he certainly *knows* what they are and lived around those who personally fought and interacted with them.
How the whole scene also related back to Frodo, is that it was HIS decision to go through the mines. He is feeling responsible for Gandalf's fate, because he made the call despite knowing that Gandalf was apprehensive about it.
Yeah making it Frodo's decision is a top-tier writing move. You could just isolate this whole part of the movie and watch it as a single story, and it all works.
Yes! One of the reasons why I always felt FOTR is the best of the three. There's a lot of great action in TT & ROTK, but there's nothing like this masterfully sustained, 45 minutes-long building of tension and foreshadowing. So much to learn from. Peter Jackson at his peak.
That's true - I guess that was the challenge of the second and third films - the fellowship isn't all together, so the narrative has to be split up, and it's harder to structure the drama in this way.
Let’s also remember that Fran, Filippa, and Peter all had one super weapon when writing these movies: Tolkien’s books. I think what they three did was legendary, but like Tom Brady, they also had the greatest coach of all time. One GOAT needs another.
I really adore a few details about how this sequence is built up within the film that weren't really touched on in this short video, but tie in to everything you touched on. First, Gandalf is set up a lot as a main character in the first act so it's not jarring when the second act focuses on him. Gandalf is established as someone with great knowledge on ancient evils, and the first act follows him taking action to do something about the ring... so when the Balrog steals his attention from that, we know it's serious. Second, Frodo makes the choice that condemns Gandalf to his fate, which is why it works as Frodo's character growth, because this is Frodo's burden and it was his choice, so he knows he'll be forced into this situation again and again if he continues to travel with the Fellowship. This is the point of the whole movie: the Fellowship can't endure, Frodo must go alone. The bridge is the moment the movie hits with its full force, all the characters we've come to love must separate or they will be in mortal danger. They all wind up in mortal danger anyway, and the only way to hope to save them or honor their loss is for Frodo to complete his task. And third, Legolas gets a lot of flack as a character for not saying a whole lot, but he doesn't really need to in order to have an impact. His gentle elvish nature really hits hard in this second act. He doesn't really understand the nature of men's pride in the council scene, so his misconduct with revealing Aragorn establishes an enduring naivete about him that makes him great for this movie in specific. So when you see him looking with sheer terror at the Balrog's appearance it lands a deep emotional impact that this graceful elf is seized with a primal fear. And even better than that, after they exit the mines, Legolas is looking around with this expression of confusion and realization on his face that doesn't really hit unless you come to understand what it is... that he's taking in the unbearable grief of mortality and it's really hitting him for the first time what it means for a mortal to die. I can't not let out a quiet sob when I see it with the full movie, it genuinely hurts me so deeply. It's the image of innocence disappearing and it does the emotional work of communicating what Frodo is feeling on a much fuller and deeper level that drives his decision to finally depart by himself, after Galadriel offers him clarity. The Bridge of Khazad-dum is an incredible sequence. I consider it the the greatest film moment of all time, as eye-wateringly terrifying as the T-Rex smashing through the glass of the jeep to get at the kids and as heart string rending as Rose realizing that Jack is frozen. I'm not callous enough a human being to resist having a visceral ape brain reaction to it.
This is so true, and I especially like your point about Frodo being the one who chooses to go through the mines. I think the writers understood that Frodo, as the main character of the whole story, needs to have agency in the story. In some sense, his decision leads to Gandalf's death, and that definitely plugs into his decision to go alone at the end. It all ties together beautifully. Well spotted!
I also think that Saruman's "where then would you go" signals that he is intentionally trying to scare them on Caradras so they go into Moria. He isn't trying to kill them per se, since that would unnecessarily complicate getting the Ring. He wants them to make it to Moria.
I don't think the weight of the scene is hugely let alone wholly dependent on the build-up. There is an implicit weight to the imagery, confrontation and words. Like even the contrast between Gandalf's size and the Balrog, and yet the implicit power of Gandalf (but the remaining visual and implicit force of the Balrog). One shouldn't be reductive to one "theoretical approach" and exclude obvious things.
What’s often missed is that everyone was puzzled about the goblins running in terror. Legolas having the face of sheer terror when Gandalf tells them of the Balrog also is great foreshadowing since Legolas is old enough to know that his kin fought firsthand these terrible beings.
Yes I love that. He's the only member of the fellowship who understands the threat - and his reaction shot is a nice little signal to the viewer. I also love his look of confusion after Gandalf falls. Legolas is immortal, and does not understand death, especially the death of a Maiar. Incredible attention to detail.
I believe that is the first, and perhaps only moment that we see Legolas display fear.
I love that Legolas bit
“In the books” it was Aragorn who was aware of a threat in the Mines. He was the one opposed to the idea of going through it. To Gandalf it was the first option.
So well said and on something that has been covered by hundreds, a fresh take. Thank you the refreshing angles
Not to mention that after the "Run!", we don't actually see the balrog until the bridge, but just a dim light that just grows brighter and brighter to the confrontation.
Good point Crono!
the scene with Gandalf falling and cutting at the balrog as they fall mile after mile into the abyss is easily on of the most chilling and jaw dropping scenes in anything ever
I was in literal shock when I saw that opening scene. One of the boldest filmmaking decisions ever.
They fell 10,000 feet, according to the writers and calculations by fans. The roots of the world, indeed.
@@squamish4244 I love that fans did this calculation lol
@@squamish4244That is about how deep cave systems go in real life. 2 miles.
I've always thought that if I ever get a tattoo (if I were a tattoo person), it would be that image of Gandalf and the Balrog falling all the way down my arm or something. But I doubt a tattoo could even do it justice.
"Foreshadow and Flame". The most effective foreshadowing.
I'm glad somebody appreciates this pun lol
@@theartofstorytelling1 It earned you a Like and a Sub, good sir!
The scene when Gandalf tells them it’s a Balrog they’re facing has a “blink and you’ll miss it” bit. Legolas’ face is pure terror in his brief close-up. He’s the only one among the fellowship (other than Gandalf) who would have heard first-hand tales of what these things were and what they were capable of. A Balrog would have been a campfire story to the rest of the team. Legolas, on the other hand, KNEW how serious shit just got..
I love that. It's one of the subtle little nods to people who have read the books. And for those who haven't, it still works as a hint that something supernatural is upon them. So crazy how one tiny shot can say so much.
That, and he’s always been seen as stoic and unshakable up til this point. Seeing him so filled with fear really helps sell that serious stuff is about to go down!
I have believed for a long time, and still do, that the Bridge of Khazad Dum scene, is the greatest scene in the history of cinema. Like you said, from the moment Gandalf shouts "RUN", we are on a roller coaster. Each character is given a task, even small, to get through the stairs and across the bridge. They are attacked by Orcs from on high, so we get action, Gimli screams "NOT THE BEARD" so we get a laugh, and the several minutes after Gandalf's fall, twenty years later, rarely fails to get me to cry. And we see all the characters on the rocks of Dumril Dale display their emotions. Aragorn is torn and in shock when he sees Gandalf fall, but after he runs up the steps and out the gates, he changes. You are right, when Gandalf says "lead them" he means he is in charge now, and he has to put his sadness aside and focus on the mission at hand, as the king he needs to be.
My feelings exactly. You raise an interesting point about Gandalf's dialogue maybe being even BIGGER than leading the Fellowship on. Maybe by "lead them on" he's referring to the race of men. That might be overanalyzing, but the script is so well-written that I doubt that double meaning would have been lost on the writers. I think this is why the film is SO re-watchable. There's always some new detail to pick up on.
Don’t forget, it’s Boromir who asks for a little time for everyone to grieve, not Aragorn.
And all of that accompanied by the great score of Howard Shore! I love the change of music from the moment we see Gandalf fall into the dark abyss to when they finally leave the mines for their first daylight after some time, just to realize what great loss they have suffered.
@@styx9193 The music is unreal. I actually saw the score performed live by an orchestra. Full choirs and all. I literally wept lol.
@@theartofstorytelling1 I have no doubt about that!
Holy moly.. I've watched this movie i don't know how many times, but somehow i never really realized that Frodo didn't know Gandalf was alive even until he destroyed the ring.. that's impressive indeed.
Part of the credit has to go to the special effects people. The Balrog is truly terrifying in every way. Hats off to Peter Jackson's production team.
It's actually amazing how good the fire effects look, even after 20 years. The shot where the Balrog leaps up out of the flames and the camera tilts way up - I usually have to rewind and watch it a couple times just to savour the artistry of it
According to the oral history of the film the original Balrog was meh and was rejected, so the designers pulled an all nighter and we ended up with what was in the film.
@@calumcookson740 Haha didn't know that. Would love to see the "meh" Balrog concept
this foreshadowing works well with alfred hitchcock's art of suspense: You put a bomb in the trunk of a car, you show it, and then you send it into town. In town, you don't show the bomb, you show people going about their day, but you know there's a bomb, and you're waiting for it to go off. You get everyone involved with the subplot-what everyone in the town is doing. Then the bomb goes off once everyone forgets about it.
That's a great example. Hitchcock was the master of suspense for a reason!
This one felt like:
There is a bomb under a table at a restaurant. The audience knows it is there and that it will go off, however nobody in the film knows about it… except for one character… and this character spends the entire day trying to avoid going to the restaurant time and again, but events keep pressing him to go… and eventually he is forced to enter the restaurant… and set the bomb off.
You know where that storytelling didn't work for me? In The Last of US, episode 7. I love that episode and recently rewatched it. It's a flashback episode and you already know how it ends. But they still cut away to a zombie slowly twitching awake from the noises the kids are making. Then the episode goes on, kids unaware, then the zombie attacks. It feels cliche.
@joeybravo6172 Uh...the bomb in the car trunk is TOUCH OF EVIL. That's Welles, not Hitchcock.
Foreshadowing also happens before the Balrog when Gandalf tells Frodo that "some evil he has not yet been tested against."
I love the analysis of Gandalf as the main character in the second act, and your use of the close ups really aids that argument. Kudos! I love it when someone can show me something new or provide a new perspective on these texts that I know and love so much!
Thanks for your kind words, and for stopping by the channel! :)
As a kid in middle school I remember reading fellowship and being excited that Gandalf was accompanying Frodo. He was a wizard, he was powerful, he was the rest of the fellowship's "divine" protection. When he fell to the Balrog it left a pit in my stomach, and I was actually angry that he was gone. My young brain understood that this was just the beginning of the grand adventure and already the strongest member of the fellowship that was meant to keep Frodo safe was gone. The feeling of safety was now gone from the narrative which only made me invest more of myself in the story and it's characters. If Gandalf could fall, so could anyone else.
Tolkien was masterful with his story telling, and Jackson captured it perfectly for the film
Gandalf saying "This foe is beyond any of you”"
It wasn't mentioned in the video and I think this is also a slight foreshadowing. The quote says "any of you", meaning the rest of the fellowship. Gandalf knows he's the only one who can do anything to it and he's straight-up just saying it. This isn't a goblin, troll, or one of the ringwraiths. It's something far greater.
Not only was it one of the most epic scenes it gave birth to one of the greatest memes. Truly a masterpiece.
It's actually funny that how much a movie gets memed is a testament to its cultural impact.
@@theartofstorytelling1, that's always been true in spoken language. My generation -- I was born in 1962 -- grew up speaking a language peppered with iconic lines from movies. The only differences now are that both words and images are involved, and that it's easy to share memes globally and instantly.
@@isomeme I probably quote LOTR at least once a day. Just part of my everyday vernacular now.
@@theartofstorytelling1 , the private language I share with my partner is rich with quotes from and allusions to the broader Tolkien legendarium. For example, "Oh no, I can't believe just made things vastly worse for everyone involved" translates to "Fëanor, NO!!", which I once saw proposed as an alternate title for _The Silmarilion_. 😁
@@theartofstorytelling1 So are you saying that LOTR is your Roman Empire? I wonder if that will turn into a Tiktok trend.
LOTR is a masterpiece of adaptation. In the books, Gandalf does not know what entity is present in Moria. Though he may have guessed its true nature, this is never confirmed until the Fellowship actually sees it. In the movies, it's somewhat more overt, but we have to remember that non-book-readers are the main audience, and they necessarily need more information to work with for the scene to make a similar impact. And even for book readers, the foreshadowing is effective. So, well done, screenwriters!
That's an interesting point. Adapting the books means not only telling the story for newcomers, but also respecting those who have read the book, and have certain expectations. Such a difficult balancing act, and I'm actually amazed and how well they pulled it off, especially with the Balrog and the mine sequence.
6:32 As someone who watched the movies way before reading the books when we first see gandalf actually turn and comfront the balrog on the bridge i had the OMG reaction. It seems like gandalf is extremely outmatched and watching gandalf stand toe to toe with the balrog really cements galndalfs character from a viewing perspective. The confidence in which he speaks his famous line lets you know that really you dont understanding anything 100% gandalf the balrog or the universe that theres something greater happening here and ive always loved that about lord of the rings.
Very interesting. I never realized how focused Act 2 of the movie was on Gandalf and the Balrog. Act 3 seems to have this heavy, hopeless air about it since, like you mentioned, their guide (and unofficial leader) is gone. I just noticed that Act 2 may also be a pivot point for Aragorn's character too. He wasn't shown as much of a leader up to this point in the movie, so after Gandalf entrusted the Fellowship to him, he really steps up from Act 3 all the way to the end of the ROTK. Incredible storytelling.
I agree that Aragorn's character is different in the final act - he seems to bear the burden of leading the Fellowship more. So many subtle little character changes happen after Gandalf's fall.
I think Tolkien himself would be very proud of how they handled The Fellowship of the Ring. By far the best movie of the 3.
Agreed. The trilogy is all amazing of course, but Fellowship has something special about it.
The way in which they show us the world of the LOTR makes it impossible to forget. Peter Jackson shows us what a beautyfull world exists and what the stakes are.
I watched Fellowship like 20 times way back.. It's absolutely the best, the theatrical cut, specifically.
JRR´s brother actually said in an interview that his brother wouldnt have liked the movies because u can never 100% bring the vision of the author on the screen
@@theartofstorytelling1Fellowship is the closest to Tolkien‘s book 💪🏼
I really enjoyed your deconstruction of Gandalf and the Balrog. I also have to agree with you about this confrontation at the Bridge being one of the most compelling scenes in the film - and certainly in the books, as well. As someone familiar with Tolkien's legendarium, it's interesting to note that the deamon inhabiting the Balrog is a Fire Maiar - one of the original lesser spirit entities born before the Valar created Valinor and Middle-earth. The Darklord Morgoth seduced many Fire Maiar to his cause and housed them in the hideous forms of Balrogs, as their reward for aligning with him. In fact, the deamons who would become the Balrogs, had aligned with Melkor even before Sauron joined the with the Shadow. The Balrogs, or Valaraukar - being the Quendi name for these abominations. Morgoth could not create life, he could only mock it. Sauron too was Fire Maiar, but he'd grown too powerful and skilled to become a Balrog, and Morgoth - recognizing a true believer in Sauron's evil and malice - made him his chief lieutenant. The last of the great Maiar to descend into MIddle-earth was Olorin, who would become Gandalf/Mithrondir. In fact, when Gandalf first arrived in Middle-earth at the Grey Havens, Cirdan the Shipwright was revealed to be the ringbearer of Narya - the Elven Ring of Fire." Cirdan gave Narya to Gandalf saying, "You might find this usefull." And so the confrontation between Gandalf and the Balrog suddenly seems to be something of a reckoning 9,000+ years and all Three Ages in the making. I'd like to think that Gandalf would have slain the Balrog regardless of the fact that he bore one of the three Elven Rings. Still, I ain't mad that Gandalf decided to keep Narya close when he fought to the death with the last of the Balrogs to survive the War of the Jewels.
One last cool thing to point out. The sword Gandalf wields againt the Balrog would have sent a shock of recognition, confusion, doubt, and fear through the beast now known as Durin's Bane; the Balrog who led the conquest and murder of the dwarves in Khazad-dum. Gandalf carried "Glamdring" the "Foe Hammer." Glamdring was the sword of King Turgon of Gondolin. Turgon was High King of the Noldor and also first-cousins with Galadriel and her brothers. Gondolin, also known as the Hidden Kingdom, was the last of the original Noldor kingdoms in Middle-earth. After the discovery of this beatiful and unspoiled Elven realm, Morgoth sent Balrogs and dragons to pull down the walls and murder every Elf in the city and its vale. The Fall of Gondolin is one of the saddest stories in the history of the elves. So!....Imagine the TERROR swirling inside the Balrog, when the beast realized he was facing one of his own kind: the Maiar/Istari Gandalf wielding Glamdring - the sword of Turgon. Gandlalf didn't just slay the last of Morgoth's Balrogs in Moria. Not only did Gandalf avenge Turgon and the horror of the fall of Gondolin, but he also brought closure to the Dwarves of Khazad-dum by slaying Durin's Bane.
This lore is so interesting. One thing I'm curious about - for someone such as yourself, who clearly has a deep knowledge of Tolkien's world, do you feel that the film succeeded in conveying that mythology? The Balrog FEELS epic in the film, but do you think audiences really get the picture of what's really happening in this scene? Because what you're describing makes it, in some ways, even more consequential than Sauron and the ring.
Sauron was not a Úmaiar or fire maiar as you call them. He was a maiar if Aulë. One maiar who potentially could have become one of these was Arien who carried thr vessel of the sun. She was originally a fire spirit like the balrogs but she rejected Melkor. Also as far as I know there is no reference to Olorin being the last maiar to descend upon Arda. Tulkas was the last Valar to descend from the timeless halls but I've never read any maiar being specified as the last.
"There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the earth" Gandalf about moria.. even more forshadoing
Omg how did I miss that one lol
I was totally expecting this to be the key piece of foreshadowing mentioned in the video.😮
This is almost like postshadowing, given that the Fellowship have just fought a *giant squid.* I imagine a few of them are thinking "yeah, no shit," when Gandalf says that.
You know there is great danger, when the guy who told off Elrond tells you to run
One of the all-time great movie scenes. It becomes even more interesting when you read the Silmarillion and you find out that Gandalf and the Balrog are both 'Maiar', and so are essentially the same race of being, albeit taking very different forms.
Exactly. It feels like Peter Jackson knew this and made the audience ‘feel’ this without having to say it.
As well as the foreshadowing, I think the overall impact is also enhanced by the, what would you call it, follow-through. It's a beautiful choice--as soon as Gandalf falls, the world goes almost silent except for the poignant music. Suddenly, you and the characters are experiencing a muted world, all the hectic noise and chaos goes away--they're still running, still being shot at, you can hear the quiet 'snap!' of an arrow hitting stone, Aragorn's muted voice urging everyone on, but it's all distanced. The immediate action has stopped mattering in the face of the terrible loss of Gandalf; everything is different now. Doesn't hurt that the sorrowful music is awesome--thank you once again, Howard Shore.
I had the pleasure of seeing the soundtrack performed by a live orchestra, and when they did this song, people were audibly sobbing lol
The key for foreshadowing this climax is Sir Ian used his acting skills to portray the wizard for the duration of the film.
Some little known lore: he actually pretended to be the person he was portraying in the film, which was pretty novel at the time.
There is another line of foreshadowing for that scene that I really like. I believe it's a brief scene from the extended cut when the fellowship is approaching Moria and Gandalf pulls Frodo aside to warn him about the ring's growing power. This won't be verbatim necessarily, but Gandalf tells Frodo that there are many powers in this world, some even greater than him, and "...against some, I have not yet been tested"
I'll have to check that out! I know this is heresy, but I'm a bit of a "theatrical cut purist", when it comes to Fellowship, so I've only seen the extended cut around 5 times LOL. One video idea I had was to compare the theatrical and the extended to see what works about each. All in due time haha
Theatrical cut purist?
Tell me, friend. When did @theartofstorytelling1 abandon reason for MADNESS?!?
@@ericbycer5490 Congrats, you just won the trophy for the best RUclips comment I've ever read. This almost made me spit water on my laptop.
And right after, the scene where they mourn him is so tearjerking together with that music.
I'm literally crying just reading this comment
Both "Gandalf & Balrog" scenes from the first two movies are peak fantasy to me. I don't think I will ever see anything again on screen, that will come close to them. The execution is near perfection.
all the way throw Moria is the peak of fantasy , the best Dungeons and Dragons experience on screen of all time :)
Just done rewatching Fellowship (extended again but first time in 4K HDR... WOW!!) and it was great to pay more attention to all that foreshadowing after having checked this video right here like 2 weeks ago. The movie even almost tells us explicitely that we're switching to Gandalf as the "main character" too: as soon as they step out of Rivendell, Frodo shows that he doesn't know the most basic thing (going left or right lol) so Gandalf takes over by stating the direction and then leading in front of the group every step of the way until they're in Moria. His death is sure to be more effective after having had so much of the spotlight in all the second act. Then, Frodo is immediately brought back to the forefront after that sequence, because the *only* agency he had in act 2, the only two things he actively did, kinda caused Gandalf's death: deciding to go through the mines, and solving the riddle to enter them. He can't deny that and we, as an audience, cannot either. It all goes right back to him.
To a lesser extent, they do the same thing with Boromir: they put the spotlight on him shortly before his death with a huge character moment, a moment of great weakness (trying to get the ring) (foreshadowed at the council, and later by Galadriel), that is immediately contrasted with the strong will of Aragorn (refusing the ring's temptation), only for the two characters and their moral wishes to reconcile under the same heroic strength at the end of the battle as Boromir is dying. Chef's kiss!
What a cinematic achievement! Hasn't aged a day - imo one of the extremely rare 11/10 films.
The entire Moria sequence is my favourite part of the film. It does such an excellent job of steadily ratcheting the tension. And it is scored wonderfully, definitely the part of the soundtrack I go back to the most. And kudos to the filmmakers for turning "they run down some stairs" into such a memorable setpiece.
i know this doesn't relate to your point but i still love how a huge portion of the sound the balrog makes is a cinderblock being dragged along the ground. it just seems correct somehow given that it's not a modulated animal sound and feels more elemental-made flesh (but that just my take).
The depiction of the Balrog could be it's own video haha. It's amazing how good it looks, even after 20 years. You're right, the sound of his growl really sells it. Just another detail that shows how much care was put into these films.
@@theartofstorytelling1 I know right! great job on the video yourself by the way. Elen sila lumen omentielvo! well met fellow Tolkienite!
I was thinking about this over the last couple of days after rewatching "The fellowship of the ring". The entire Moria sequence is impeccably crafted. As you've said, even before they go to Moria, Gandalf shows that he's afraid of doing it. He knows what's down there and he does not want to meet it. And then the real tension starts to build. You know something BIG is coming and they slowly increase the feeling of dread until the Balrog makes its entrance. It's a masterclass of film making.
I’ve seen the film like 15 times but I hadn’t noticed half of these foreshadowing moments. Thanks for showing me these!! Gonna rewatch asap
I bet you noticed them on a subconscious level :)
This was a fantastic breakdown done in a great format and your voice is perfect for narrating/talking about this stuff.
Thank you for talking about such an amazing sequence of such a behemoth of a film trilogy where it's easy to overlook.
I'm excited to seeing more from you.
Thanks for the nice comment! I'm stoked to do more vids, and I even have a couple more LOTR video ideas coming up soon.
For me, the conflict is also interesting because it's a subtle confrontation of power made through Gandalf's speech and the Balrog's demonstration. Maybe it's me, but I love this kind of confrontation when it's well done. Another one of my favorites is Ged vs. Cob in The Farthest Shore by Ursula Le Guin. They are two powerful wizards but they fight each other through their words. The first time I read it, I cried.
I like that the writers included Gandalf's speech - servant of the secre fire, Flame of Udun, etc - because even if you haven't read the books, it lets you know that Gandalf is more than just a pointy-hatted wizard. He's a supernatural being. The film does a brilliant job of telling you that without "telling" you. Thanks for watching!
One little detail I personally love about Gandalf's death scene, is the narrative choice to visually see the goblins fire arrows at Aragorn as he leads the fellowship to saftey afterwards. It just gives context to the situation that other films wouldnt have bothered expanded on. It doesnt leave you with the question "well, what about all those 100's of goblins, couldnt they crawl the walls over the broken bridge?" Its followed up with Aragorn's urgency to make for the woods before dark, because he was the only one to see the goblin hoards giving chase. It's a small detail, but the devil is in the details.
That's so interesting, I never made that connection, but you're absolutely right. One thing I learned from listening to the Director's commentary for the films was that Peter, Fran, and Philipa were always thinking about "pushing the story forward". They were always mindful about what was motivating the characters, and this is a great example. I've heard that there is a deleted scene before Lorien where the Fellowship debates whether they can go on without Gandalf. Would be interesting to see what that looked like, and whether it slowed down the momentum.
@@theartofstorytelling1 Thank you. Your video is great btw. That deleted scene would be interesting, because tonely I believe the narrative shift switches to Aragorn as the protagonist after Gandalf's downfall. It would be an interesting addition to see the characters raise the question themselves, and display the first sign of vulnerablity and loss of hope in their quest. Although the film does it expertly, having Aragorn reassert the fellowship to carry on, I'd still be interested in seeing that extra detail.
Excellent analysis, but I have always thought the greatest fight scene in cinema is when Eowyn defeats the Witch King.
I'm glad you brought up the comparison with the Obi-Wan v. Anakin fight. I couldn't tell you much about what happened in that sequence, other than there was lava, and by the end Anakin had lost and became maimed. In Fellowship on the other hand, every shot in the Gandalf v. Balrog fight is impactful. Only a few "blows" are struck, and it is much shorter than the star wars battle, yet it makes a much greater and more lasting impression. Longer fight scenes aren't always better.
Also makes you wonder if the Ani-Obi fight might have been more memorable if there was more dramatic build up in that story, similar to how it was done in this sequence. I don't hate RoTS but I felt there were a few missed opportunities for more drama between Anakin and Obiwan
At no point during that fight do you feel like either character is in any danger, it only ends when the production team decided that the epic battle at the end of the film had reached sufficient length, and one of them had heard that having the high ground was advantageous. Never mind that they've both been at different relative heights multiple times throughout the battle.
@@theartofstorytelling1 substance over style
@@user-zp4ge3yp2o I literally just had someone today say that the obi vs anakin fight doesn't need to be dramatic because you know the outcome already. What's the point of the 3 movies if the climax it is leading to isn't dramatic?
YOU SHALL NOT PASS up the opportunity to watch this excellent video 👍
Downvotes will not avail you!
This is a really good analysis! Good content, good editing, good storytelling, well made
Thanks for the encouragement! The channel is brand new so it's very much appreciated.
I love a good carcass foreshadow. Subbed!.
100% agree! Fellowship is my favourite movie! Jackson and co did such a great job with this story. There are a few other foreshadowing examples in Fellowship that I love - Frodo and Sam seeing the departing Elves after they shortly left the Shire "I don't know why, it makes me sad", wow, just wow. And Gandalf blowing a smoke Ship into the smoke ring from Bilbo, depicting the Grey Havens and Into The West, omg.
The elves departing is one I never considered. Also, the ship of smoke! Never made that connection. Man these films have so much crazy detail.
Yeah! the extended scenes especially, like outside the walls of Moria, Gandalf talking to Frodo about who and what to trust, he mentions that he has not yet been tested against some powers i.e Balrog@@theartofstorytelling1
Awesome video. One of these days I picked up my old copy of LOTR and started reading. I noticed that Gandalf actually WANTS to go through Moria in the books, but he's ultimately outvoted. If I remember correctly, even Gimli is against going there... probably because the dwarves most of all knew something horrible happened there. So, all the more respect to the writers for this bold change! When I read it I couldn't believe it, because what we get in the movies makes a lot of emotional sense story-wise.
Thanks friend! Yeah it's interesting that the book is so different, because in the movie it all just feels so natural for the characters and makes so much sense.
I think another big part was also that throughout the long periods of journey in Moria, the film made us have such an emotional bond with Gandalf (perhaps his kind words to Frodo, and the funny part of him trying to open the door, etc.).
When I was a kid watching this for the first time, even though I had no knowledge of the middle earth whatsoever and could barely understood what was going on, my heart was all at Gandalf, and seeing him fell was such a heavy hit on me that I could barely continue watching the rest of the movie.
I have watched many videos on analyzation of LOTR and this is one of the best. Man, the way you structure the explanations - wow! Much respect, thank you for the content🙂🤝
Thanks so much! The channel is brand new and I'm still figuring out a format that works, and what interests people. So that's great feedback. Thanks for stopping by the channel.
Nice start, man. Subscribed.
Thanks, friend! I appreciate your support.
THANK YOU! I had an argument with my 9th grade English teacher (1970) about the prologue to R&J being foreshadowing. She said I was wrong because the story was so well known at the time Shakespeare wrote it the end was common knowledge. Therefore, the prologue was not foreshadowing. I argued that the reader's knowledge has nothing to do with whether the text is foreshadowing or not. It either indicates the future or it doesn't.
Your English teacher is quite wrong. Literary devices function regardless of the reader's knowledge of the text. By her logic, one could say that a "plot twist" isn't a plot twist anymore the second time you read a book. You're correct - the text should be analyzed without regard to the reader's knowledge (though I'm sure there are some post-modern philosophers out there who might take up that argument). I'm glad this video was able to clear up a decades old debate lol.
Ha. I had an argument with a college teacher about whether Hamlet’s mother was evil. I argued my point on the test and she gave me a C. I still think I was right.
I love and know these films so well, and yet there is always more depth to be found! As others have already said in the comments, your claim that Gandalf as the main character of the second act is truly insightful. Now I need to rewatch the Fellowship again to find all the moments of foreshadowing! Thanks for the video!
Thanks so much! I agree there's always something new to learn about these films. I normally don't watch "director's commentary" on movies, but I highly recommend it for these films. I learned a lot from listening to them talk about the challenges of writing the script and telling the story. Gave me a whole new appreciation for the challenge they had, and how well they executed.
Also, the Balrog scene is the first (only?) scene where we see the true power of Gandalf.
Up until then, he just did fireworks, some telekinese Breakdance with Saruman, made some light with his staff and spoke to a moth.
But here he stands, seemingly only by his spoken words the Balrog "cannot pass". He looks like a fragile old man, but yet the Balrog's fire sword simply melts as it hits him.
This scene shows us - apart from the foreshadowing - that he is much, much more than we knew previously.
Haha breakdancing. I'll never unsee that now
This also covers another, equally important lesson, which is Meaningful Character Sacrifices.
Ever since shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones became major successes, for a time, many other shows have come out that try to replicate this by offing their characters at the wrong time or simply making them pointless. In fact, even these two shows miss the mark because there have been character deaths that happened at the wrong time and left people outraged out of feeling cheated or underwhelmed.
Gandalf's Fall is iconic because it was a character sacrifice that went beyond his own life. It changed everyone in the story. It broke the fallacy of Frodo and the Hobbits, who believed nothing bad could happen because they had Gandalf (Further alluded to when Pippin says, before the Battle of Minas Tirith ,"But we have the White Wizard. That has to count for something."). It forced Aragorn to step out of the shadows and become the leader he was meant to. I would argue that it was the catalyst for Gimli and Legolas's relationship to blossom, now having a strong, emotional bond. And... more fan theory than anything else... Gandalf's power, with the help of Narya, kept Boromir's dark nature at bay until the fateful encounter at Amon Hen.
I agree on all points, and I'd never considered the thing about Gimli and Legolas's relationship, but that makes perfect sense. Thanks for watching!
Only 870 subs. Great content. Keep it up and more subs will come for sure!
Thanks for your kind words!
That was a very good analysis! Definitely subbed!
I thought this was brilliant! I love this movie and just recently rewatched it, but never appreciated the structure of FOTR until you highlighted it so well in this video. Thanks for making this and sharing your thoughts.
Thanks for your kind comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
what a gem. im glad i can witness your channel grow in the future. Your content is top tier.
Very grateful for your kind comment. Thanks for watching.
When watching, I always felt that there wasn't one singular main character to the Trilogy. Rather the whole of the Fellowship are the main cast, with emphasis given to Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn. Arguably, because those are the three most important characters.
Good video though, I enjoyed it.
It's true - they all kind of share the role of protagonist. Aragorn featured most prominently on the poster for ROTK, for example.
@@theartofstorytelling1 Tolkien disliked allegory, but his three main characters definitely conform to Christian-worldview archetypes and tropes. Deliberately so, in fact. Jesus is sometimes called "Priest, Prophet and King". Frodo conforms to the Priest, who goes on the pilgrimage and carries and suffers under the undeserved burden. Gandalf is the Prophet, who gives supernatural received wisdom, and sacrifices himself and is resurrected from death. Aragorn is the King, who descends under the earth, and raises the cursed dead and removes their curse, and whose hands bring healing. "It was said of old in Gondor, that the hands of the King are the hands of a healer, and so should the rightful King be known." None of that is accidental.
@@peteg475 It's funny you bring this up because I've been thinking that my next LOTR video would be about "religious symbolism" in the films. It would be an exploration of how the filmmakers borrow from the iconography of religion. There are a lot of obvious examples. The Balrog is a good one. But also the shot where the Eagles save sam and Frodo - definitely a heaven/hell thing going on in that shot. Any resources you can recommend?
@@theartofstorytelling1 Nothing at the tip of my fingers, The "Priest, Prophet, King" idea came from somewhere in my reading, Tom Shippey's commentaries and books ("Author of the Century")about all things Tolkien are useful. Tolkien's own thoughts about his Catholic faith influencing his fiction is easily found online, I would think. Plenty of interesting stuff on that topic.
@@peteg475 Excellent, thanks for the tip.
02:19 When I saw the biopic of Amy Winehouse I cried at the beginning. I knew the end already, but to see the beginning, knowing what was to come, made it so tragic to me.
Someone pointed this out to me the other day, but what makes this scene and the part in the book even more powerful is this is the LAST time Frodo sees Gandalf until he is in Rivendell AFTER the ring is destoryed. Frodo completes his entire quest thinking his best friend, mentor, and protector is dead. While everyone else (save Sam, of course) gets to complete their journey with Gandalf at their side.
Yeah that's nuts when you think about it. The one that gets me (someone told me this) is that when Gandalf picks them up with the eagles at the end, he has THREE eagles.... one for Smeagol.
They're not in Rivendell when he sees Gandalf again.
@@BeeWhistler Oh really? I always thought they were. Where are they?
He is right, I believe they are in Gondor. The scene in ROTK just looks like Rivendell to me, and I always say it by mistake. In the book and movie, he is in Gondor.
Great content! Can’t wait to watch more of it!
Thanks so much! More videos coming soon.
Loved this. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for saying so!
Well, i dont know how but i got this channel in my recommendations but im happy about it. Good video. Sub.
I don't pretend to understand the dark magic of the RUclips algorithm. But thanks for the sub!
Your channel is quality mate. I'm glad I've found it.
Thanks for stopping by! I'm still figuring it out, and grateful for any feedback.
"Foreshadow & Flame" LOL, that was brilliant.
I knew I had to put it in the video before someone in the comment section said it
I always thought this line was also foreshadowing: “There are many powers in this world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. And against some I have not yet been tested.”
Though it could also include the ring, the nine, Saruman, and Sauron.
Your videos are very well made! I'm excited for what you'll bring next :D
Thanks so much, the encouragement means a lot :)
There is also a very subtle use of foreshadowing of the fight to come when Gandalf says, “this foe is beyond any of YOU.” It took me a couple of viewings to notice that he didn’t say “beyond any of US.”
Lol yeah I always thought it was funny that Gandalf kinda flexes on them like that haha
These films are simply perfection. While there’s a lot more that can be said, that’s all that needs to be said.
@1:25 "when the balrog defeats Gandalf" ... thems fightin' words in some parts of the Shire my friend!
Lol I guess I should't say that within earshot of the Green Dragon
Excellent analysis!
Another reason Gandalf confronting the Balrog is so amazing, is he literally tells the Balrog "I have Narya, the elven Ring of Fire" and uses it to shield himself. The Balrog is clearly frustrated that its flame whip can't affect him.
I think one of the most important parts of the final confrontation is Gandalf meeting the Balrog on equal footing, and opening the abyss of time and awe, while we watch on knowing that there is so much more happening than we understand or realize:
"I am an agent of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun!
_You shall not pass!_ "
Thank you so much for this ONE!
You're most welcome! Thanks for watching
For me - having read the books many times - the journey of the fellowship through Moria was the make-or-break part of the whole trilogy. They simply had to get it right. Jackson knocked it out of the park. I even enjoyed the improvement of Pippin knocking all that clanking armour down the well in the tomb of Marzabul.
I had the same feeling - was most excited about the mine sequence. They showed nothing about the mines in the promotional materials, so i was nervous lol. But I guess they were just saving it.
Hey, I noticed this ia your first video. I just want to say - you're good at this. Keep it up.
Yes, it is my first video! Thanks so much, it's really helpful to hear words of encouragement from viewers. Motivates me to do more!
This was very interesting and insightful to watch. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Gandalf's fall is when Frodo realises no-one is going to save him, he's got to do it for himself. It's the moment we all have to go through as young adults, but written LARGE.
True - if I didn't know that Gandalf fall happened from reading the book, I would have been shocked the first time I saw it in theatres. He's the last character you'd expect to die so early in the story. But I think you're right in your explanation why. It does so much for Frodo's arc.
7:22 I also feel like by showing less action, it further highlights that the reel battle is much more than physical. I do much prefer the original lines in the book though, "You cannot pass" just always felt more powerful than "You shall not pass". it is more in line with the power words have in Tolkien's magic system (how ever soft a system it is). Here i have always interpreted the spell/magic Galdalf is willing into reality is passing here is now an impossibility and saying you will not and shall not feel implied in you can't. So i have always felt shall not is loosely him changing from "can not" to "may not". still love that movie scene and thanks for the deep dive (no pun in tended lol).
That's interesting. I've always wondered why they changed that line in the script. They were very careful about all their script decisions, and I wonder what the rationale was.
I heard some conjecture that the balrog actually can't pass Moria's threshold, and that would imply that what gandalf is saying is literal, essentially saying " you can't pass from this place, so give up chasing us or I'll kick your ass" and the writers thought that kinda makes the balrog less dangerous, and will watchers interpret the " cannot pass" in the literal sense? So instead went with "shall" which is gandalf saying I'M not letting you go any further, that could be the reason I mean it was obviously to make things more transparent I feel.
@@garybyrne5841 That actually makes so much sense. I'll bet that's what it is!
@@garybyrne5841 I feel like that argument breaks down given that the balrog exits via the winding stair, effectively exiting one of Moria's thresholds (though in tolkien fashion it does die right after so you might be onto something though I personally don't agree). I'll grant you most viewers are not book fanatics like myself and that the distinction of "cannot" and "shall not" is lost on most viewers. I just feel it is one of the first instances where you can see movie Gandalf is nurfed compared to book Gandalf (don't get me started on the palantier and the witch king scene from the extended edition. pure sacrilege! #notmygandalf #LoveIanMckellin). genuinely though thank you for your perspective. I'll look into it. maybe some of Tolkien's letters mention it but its been a while.
@@Margoth195 yeah I'm not saying that IS cannon, but I do think it was changed for transparency, which does seem a bit redundant and that viewers should get it. But knowing the very meticulous nature of Jackson and co on every bit of dialogue, I think that was ultimately why it was changed. That's adaptation it's impossible to please everyone, especially something with such amazing depth and scope as lotr. But I like your unwavering love for gandalf!!
I love your analysis, great job
I remember when I saw this scene in cinemas for the first time as well. I was spellbound. If you could either resurrect J.R.R Tolkien from the dead, or travel back in time and bring him forward to the present day, and show him Peter Jackson's trilogy, I think there are things he'd approve of and things he'd disapprove of, but the rendition of the Balrog would probably bring manly tears of pride to his eyes.
One thing you neglected to mention is Gandalf's potential symbolic function as a "light guide" to Frodo, and how that is fundamentally changed soon after this scene.
Tolkien's books, of course, weren't originally intended to be a trilogy, but perhaps coincidentally, perhaps very much on purpose, the structure in them is similar to that of Dante's "Divine Comedy", a work which Tolkien must surely have been well acquaintanced with. In the Divine Comedy's first two books, the darkest, Dante has a condemned guide, the poet Vergilius in hell, but in the third book, upon entering paradise, his guide instead becomes the angelic Beatrice.
Similarly, for the first book of The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf acts as a "light guide", a trustworthy, positive figure. But his "death" means a shift for Frodo into a "dark guide"; ambigious, twisted, sorrowful - Gollum. Gollum and Gandalf might seem extremely dissimilar, and they are, but Gollum DOES actually know a lot of old lore, and especially in the books, this is very apparent. This dark guide is kept for the rest of the story, signifiying the much darker and more ominous turn that Frodo's journey has taken.
It's the reverse of the Divine Comedy, that begins in hell and ends in heaven.
I never heard those terms. Very interesting insight, thanks for sharing.
In the books, Gandalf doesn't know that a Balrog is even in the mines. The characters don't find out until it finally appears.
Crazy. Just goes to show how much the filmmakers changed things for the adaptation.
I remember my wife asking 'what was the point in regards to the overall story' after watching gandalf just 'die' for the first time, and I asked her to watch the scene again after they leave the mine (and one of my favourite scenes) how everyone is shocked / mary & pippin crying and explained to her when it focused on Frodo that Gandalf's sacrifice changes frodo then and there. Evil is real and powerful, and not even someone as powerful as Gandalf is strong enough to stop it. And in that moment, Frodo truly believes he has to go on to destroy the ring. And alone at that, as he doesn't want anyone else to die and influences his decision to sneak off after Aragorn and him are ambushed by the Urakai. Fuck I love this movie, Fellowship has always been my favourite.
Really makes you appreciate the work they did to set up Gandalf's power too. The fact that HE could be defeated just makes it all the more impactful.
Love the extra battle in the book with the door and the lock spell.
Haha I love that bit where Gandalf stays behind, then comes flying down the stairs, stands up and dusts himself off and basically says "well I tried, let's be off shall we?"
Loved your analysis. Great post :)
Thanks for watching :)
When i had my bris they removed my foreshadowing....
I'll be here all week. Remember to tip your waitress!
I love how everyone is slightly confused when Gandalf explains what a Balrog is except Legolas who is looks absolutely terrified because while he isn't old enough to have been around in the first age when they were active, he certainly *knows* what they are and lived around those who personally fought and interacted with them.
AMAZING VIDEO! GREAT JOB!
THANK YOU
Old cinema: foreshadows
New cinema: rationalises backwards
How the whole scene also related back to Frodo, is that it was HIS decision to go through the mines. He is feeling responsible for Gandalf's fate, because he made the call despite knowing that Gandalf was apprehensive about it.
Yeah making it Frodo's decision is a top-tier writing move. You could just isolate this whole part of the movie and watch it as a single story, and it all works.
Loved this video, got my sub! Keep it up
I'm grateful for the support, so thank you!
Yes! One of the reasons why I always felt FOTR is the best of the three. There's a lot of great action in TT & ROTK, but there's nothing like this masterfully sustained, 45 minutes-long building of tension and foreshadowing. So much to learn from. Peter Jackson at his peak.
That's true - I guess that was the challenge of the second and third films - the fellowship isn't all together, so the narrative has to be split up, and it's harder to structure the drama in this way.
Fantastic video
Da art of storytellin'
Very interesting analysis of this epic scene of my favorite film from my favorite book :)
Curious to see more from you, sub added 👍
Thanks for the sub, more vids coming up soon!
Let’s also remember that Fran, Filippa, and Peter all had one super weapon when writing these movies: Tolkien’s books. I think what they three did was legendary, but like Tom Brady, they also had the greatest coach of all time. One GOAT needs another.
Truly a GOATed collaboration
I really adore a few details about how this sequence is built up within the film that weren't really touched on in this short video, but tie in to everything you touched on.
First, Gandalf is set up a lot as a main character in the first act so it's not jarring when the second act focuses on him. Gandalf is established as someone with great knowledge on ancient evils, and the first act follows him taking action to do something about the ring... so when the Balrog steals his attention from that, we know it's serious.
Second, Frodo makes the choice that condemns Gandalf to his fate, which is why it works as Frodo's character growth, because this is Frodo's burden and it was his choice, so he knows he'll be forced into this situation again and again if he continues to travel with the Fellowship. This is the point of the whole movie: the Fellowship can't endure, Frodo must go alone. The bridge is the moment the movie hits with its full force, all the characters we've come to love must separate or they will be in mortal danger. They all wind up in mortal danger anyway, and the only way to hope to save them or honor their loss is for Frodo to complete his task.
And third, Legolas gets a lot of flack as a character for not saying a whole lot, but he doesn't really need to in order to have an impact. His gentle elvish nature really hits hard in this second act. He doesn't really understand the nature of men's pride in the council scene, so his misconduct with revealing Aragorn establishes an enduring naivete about him that makes him great for this movie in specific. So when you see him looking with sheer terror at the Balrog's appearance it lands a deep emotional impact that this graceful elf is seized with a primal fear. And even better than that, after they exit the mines, Legolas is looking around with this expression of confusion and realization on his face that doesn't really hit unless you come to understand what it is... that he's taking in the unbearable grief of mortality and it's really hitting him for the first time what it means for a mortal to die. I can't not let out a quiet sob when I see it with the full movie, it genuinely hurts me so deeply. It's the image of innocence disappearing and it does the emotional work of communicating what Frodo is feeling on a much fuller and deeper level that drives his decision to finally depart by himself, after Galadriel offers him clarity.
The Bridge of Khazad-dum is an incredible sequence. I consider it the the greatest film moment of all time, as eye-wateringly terrifying as the T-Rex smashing through the glass of the jeep to get at the kids and as heart string rending as Rose realizing that Jack is frozen. I'm not callous enough a human being to resist having a visceral ape brain reaction to it.
This is so true, and I especially like your point about Frodo being the one who chooses to go through the mines. I think the writers understood that Frodo, as the main character of the whole story, needs to have agency in the story. In some sense, his decision leads to Gandalf's death, and that definitely plugs into his decision to go alone at the end. It all ties together beautifully. Well spotted!
I also think that Saruman's "where then would you go" signals that he is intentionally trying to scare them on Caradras so they go into Moria. He isn't trying to kill them per se, since that would unnecessarily complicate getting the Ring. He wants them to make it to Moria.
100%
I don't think the weight of the scene is hugely let alone wholly dependent on the build-up. There is an implicit weight to the imagery, confrontation and words. Like even the contrast between Gandalf's size and the Balrog, and yet the implicit power of Gandalf (but the remaining visual and implicit force of the Balrog). One shouldn't be reductive to one "theoretical approach" and exclude obvious things.
It's true, there's a lot to talk about with this scene that makes it great - much more than I covered here.
Amazing. Would love to see you tackle "Training Day" and "Sicario"!
It’s a masterclass in how to make someone not pass
For me it’s also knowing that there is a lot of lore behind this confrontation: two ancient beings of power going head to head
Hey this is great commentary!
Thanks! Great to hear people enjoyed it.