Always wondered why the bridge was so slim until I read the books - it was the last line of defence so that any enemy would have to come single file! Pretty cool!
@@abhinavsumesh2549 Obviously, things like "pulleys" and "rope" was not used, and similarly, things like "scaffolding" was not used. Instead, each brick as it was lain was a brick which cost the life of one worker, as he would fall to his death to lay it.
"On the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth, until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside" has to be one of the most badass lines ever
0:50 Legolas doesn't say much throughout the first film, however Bloom portrays Legolas' emotions brilliantly without dialogue. This is the face of someone who has just been told the nightmare demons of his childhood bedtime stories is approaching him from right around the corner.
Legolas knew them by sight, he knew that nothing could prevail against it since it was targeting them & Gandalf was already weary. Even Gandalf was limited in his current form despite him emerging victorious at the cost of his life. It was lucky that Gandalf had Narya, I'm not sure if this would have been possible otherwise.
1:15 I have always LOVED the choice to not put in a standard "ROAR" sound effect, just all you hear is flame crackling when it opens it's mouth. It's much more creepier to me and the first time I realized you can get creative with your creature. It also still holds up 20 years later and the design is just amazing
Damn right! It's as if it's not just an evil beast but an incarnation of the dark flame itself. And the fact that it's surrounded in shadows even though it is on fire makes it even more mysterious and intimidating
@@Charles-A Originally it was a Maiar, but it follows Melkor therefore converted it into something horrifying. Their heart are burning like fire but they're were cloak in darkness. This was Balrog.
It’s like facing down a blazing inferno itself. Not a creature but more like a force of nature itself. Like the essence of fire itself just snarled at you.
So often, the film version never lives up to your imagination. The Balrog was PERFECT. I went in to the theater specifically wondering how well they would do with the Balrog. It blew me away. I saw it again with my brother who loved the Balrog scene from the book as much as I did. I watched him as the Balrog approached, and he was grinning ear to ear. We both agree that this is the best screen transition ever for anything cool from a book.
fun fact: if you look at the wings, thanks to the trick of the effects, you think your seeing membranes, but that's not membranes. That's literally pure shadow. Hence why the Balrog cannot fly: it's wings are skeletal, made of shadow and flame.
Saw it in theaters when it released with only having seen and read the hobbit a few times. To this day it’s one of only several moments I will never forget. No clue what was happening, even after they escaped and I loved it
How can it be that 20 years later, the Balrog VFX still looks amazing?? Even the sound design. I mean when it hops up and roars, it really looks like it’s there and you can almost feel the heat wave from its mouth.. how is this possible from a 20 year old movie?? !!!!
Because this trilogy was one of the most cared for and we'll crafted pieces of cinema ever created. They pushed boundaries all while working with what they had to deliver a truly magic product.
Great filmmaking is timeless; not only was the CGI well crafted, but well executed within smart lighting, creative cinematography, and seamless editing between practical and digital FX. Great genre films typically use every trick in the book, which is part of the reason they stand the test of time.
I feel like it’s because even though CGI still wasn’t that good they didn’t go overboard on it like other movies so they had more resources to invest in it when they used it.
I love how Gandalf says "I'm a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor" as a direct threat for the Balrog letting him know that he´s also an Istar and one of the first beings that participated on the Ainur's music
Love that little moment after Gandalf tells it to go back to the shadow where it’s eyes narrow. A hint of a personality that it would be angered by such an insulting declaration. He basically told it to go back to hell and it’s expression just says ‘Alright, you’ll definitely die for that.’
Also love how the Balrog towers over Gandalf and ignites after he first challenges him on the bridge, the same way an animal might try to assert dominance before a fight.
Balrog: *walks onto the bridge, which immediately crumbles beneath his feet, and falls* Tch. Curse you, Gandalf! I will not fall into the abyss alone! You're coming with me! *slings his fire whip and hits Gandalf with it, causing him to fall*
Well, the movies didn't do this very well, but the Balrog is not stupid. Balrogs are equally as intelligent as gandalf and other wizards and Sauron himself. Not all have the same amount of power, but all are intelligent, and i wish we would have seen it here. In the book, the Balrog's counter-spell hits Gandalf so hard it "nearly broke" him.
I've always loved the sound effect that was used for when the Balrog roars - it's so unique, it sounds like what I feel a blast furnace sounds like. Sound design is so excellent on this entire segment
@@joeshar. I remember I watched this scene the first time with my parents (sadly didn't get to watch it in Cinema :s), but they had a great quality surroundsound with subwoofer, and man when this scene came on the entire house was literally shaking during the roar of the Balrog. It wasn't even boosted, there is just so much depth to the sound. Nothing from any other movie has ever come close to this scene.
Apparently in the books they fought for like 10 days straight. Fell to the bottom and worked their way up the mountain fighting on the stairs. Gandalf is a fucking beast.
and knowing what gandalf actually is (which is a Miar in a mortal form) thats really saying something in how powerful the Balrogs are...and this nameless balrog was among the weaker of its kin to.
@@dakotastein9499 There IS no way this was a Lesser Balrog Because such thing didnt exist. I Tolkien last versions about Balrogs, that is=CANNON, he Stated that there were ONLY 5 Balrogs, BEING Gothmog the GREATEST of ALL. The Balrogs belonged tô a special rank of Maiars Callesd VALARAUKR, wich Means Demons If WRATH, Because they were fire spirits of great rage. Durins Bane was unchallanged in Moria for thousands of years, and considering that mortals can KILL Balrogs like Ecthelion did with Gothmog and Glorfindel tô another, ITS really a Bad sign that NOBODY was able to peform.this until Gandalf, a Maiar as strong as SAURON, stepped down. The Balrog IS clearly the GREATEST enemy the Fellowship ever faces in the books alongside Saruman, wich was also as strong as SAURON as a Maiara Spirit (not as a istari). The Nazgul couldnt EVEN match what Frodo and Gandalf Saw from Orthanc to Moria, ONLY a personal Gauntlet with Sauron would bê worse. And i mean It when i say that Gandalf and Saruman were equals to Sauron, Because Thats what Tolkien states somewhere (a book or letters, probably a letters if i can remember well) when he discusses the Wizards. He Says that Manwe decided that they should send 5 Maiars of equal Power to Sauron tô MD, ONLY in case things got só DESPERATE (like he get the Ring back) and their final option were to unleash ALL their Power on him, somerhing they were forbidden to do. The Istari MUST WORK, firstly, as advisors not as nuke weapons. In extreme cases they can use a their Power wich was the case when Gandalf faces the Balrog and when he was going to whoop the ass from Wich King of Angmar. Galadriel EVEN says that "he who had faced the SHADOW and flame should bê FEARED by all, and the Nine should treme before him". This ALL proves How Durins Bane was a big deal for a Balrog.
Love how Gandalf went from "Falling to his death" and "Oh no poor Gandalf", to "kickass wizard who slays fucking balrogs while falling a seemingly endless pit of rocks" in like 20 seconds.
Basically, Gandalf sent the fellowship away so he can get the boss kill and level up faster. Goes back in the two towers with a new job class (from grey to white), new skill set, better pet (shadowfax), new weapon (white staff), and new armor.
Gandalf really fought bro like a souls boss. I love how fearlessly he continuously re-engaged the Balrog midfall. Really showed how committed he was to delivering the hands to the Balrog. Also strange they're the same thing opposite spectrums.
This is my favorite part of this engagement, that despite appearances these two are the same class of being within middle-Earth. Gandalf may have even known this dude personally before time began. They might have been co-workers on the same creation music singing shift. No matter how deep their familiarity beforehand, this fight is a lot deeper than a magical old man versus a big fire monster, and the beef is ON SIGHT. Badass.
I know the word is overused to death but this has to be one of the most epic movie scenes of all time. Two angelic beings fighting each other while falling into the deepest abyss of their earth.
It is absolutely one of the greatest openings of any film and it is also one of the greatest scenes I have scene in a cinema. The massive screen, the thundering effects which then cut to that haunting harmony as we see them fall slowly into the chasm of water... gives me chills.
u need 5 minutes to fall from the troposphere to earth. think about it, and u will see , that they fall here too quick. falling from mount everest would take less than that. Now imagine... gandalf felt at 02:50 till 4:00. this are 1m 10 s in realtime. count yourself . know u should know : s = ½ g t² so 24.000 Meter comes out. now add the air resistence and they are falling may be 8 to 12 km. ( change to miles if u´r american)
Can we just appreciate that the Balrog didnt take this encounter seriously until Gandalf said "I am a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of anor.". And then the Balrog lit up and drew his fucking sword like "ah shit, you ain't fuckin with me, LETS GOOO."
Ya Good Shit... I didn't know that actually... I thought he had said "Yield unto the flam of arnor" (as in Stop which would have made sense). I also didn't know he had one of the rings until a few years ago watching other RUclips channels... Great Citation!
@Daniel Deering that's one interpretation. "During Gandalf's fight with the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings, he says of himself that he is the wielder of the Flame of Anor. It is nowhere else referred to in the trilogy, so its particular meaning remains unclear. Anor is the Elvish word for the Sun, so literally the flame of Anor would have alluded to the light of the Sun, which had originated in the fiery fruit of Laurelin, one of the Two Trees of Valinor. Thus, Gandalf may have meant the power he gained as a servant (a Maia) of the Lords of the West, in defiance to the corrupted darkness of the Balrog. Alternatively, Gandalf may have been referring to Narya, the Ring of Fire, which he wore and wielded, but it seems unlikely that Gandalf would want to reveal his ownership of a Ring of Power -a matter of utmost secrecy-to one of his greatest enemies. However, considering that the Balrog owed no allegiance to Sauron at that time, Gandalf may have been merely attempting to scare it away. In Tolkien's earliest drafts, forms of this passage were variations on: "I am the master of White Flame. The Red Fire cannot come this way" (and one variation mixes in the idea of Black Shadow, too). These terms seem to be symbolic - white for the powers of good, but red or black for Sauron and his servants. As the text developed, the Red Fire and Black Shadow were lost. The White Flame remained, but developed into the more poetic flame of Anor. On this reading, then, the 'flame of Anor' doesn't refer to a specific thing, but is Gandalf's way of announcing what he stands for, or perhaps his power as a servant of the Valar. "
Seeing this in the theater, the moment at 3:47 where we get the wide shot of them falling with the light from the Balrog's fire slowly illuminating the cave and the choir blasting in full volume was the most epic thing I've ever seen.
I went to see the Extended Editions when they were shown in cinemas for the first time ever (about 1.5 years ago). I had goosebumps on my entire body in all the balrog scenes... Absolute perfection and a unique experience.
One of my fav scenes, it punches you with the scale of middle earth by showing even some giant flame demon fighting a demigod wizard are still ridiculously dwarved by Nature
I can't imagine what it felt like for someone who read the books first, then went to see the film, to hear that first growl and see the red light grow while the orcs all scream and scatter, and know what was about to appear.
Look up some of the older LOTR artwork. It's so cool seeing how different artists interpreted the Balrog and other scenes. We are very fortunate that Peter Jackson based his version of Middle Earth on the works of artists like John Howe and Alan Lee.
It was the single greatest movie experience I ever had. The epicness of the fight and the fall of Gandalf hit so extremely hard in the book, and the movie captured it perfectly.
When gandalf falls and grabs the sword out of the air it's so badass it gives me chills, it's like he knows he's going to die and he's devoting his last breath to slaying the demon once and for all
He didnt really die fighting the Balrog, he was just tired. If Gandal really went 100% he could have dog walked every Balrog, Saruman or even Sauron in 1v1.
Who said the Balrog hates the Fellowship? Maybe it just wanted to welcome them and then It took offense when they tried to run from it, so it pursues them in order to ask them why they were trying to get away and then when Gandalf tell them to cross the bridge, The lonely Balrog appears and shouts at them to wait, Then Gandalf starts running and so this is when the Balrog gets angry because all it wanted was company and Gandalf basically at the beginning called it a foe and it took offense to that so it really just wanted Gandalfs ass for being so prejudiced against a fellow brother Maiar. Lmao I was dying of laughter writing this XD
3:49 is just one of many examples that prove the LOTR trilogy is a piece of art. The fact that they were even made and hold up so well after 20 years is incredible.
Yeah to me that scene is iconic. The aesthetic, the music, the backstory, the significance. When they fell into the lake it extinguished the balrogs flames. According to the lore the balrog tried to evade Gandalf after because it was vulnerable. Gandalf went on the offensive and pursued it for three days. Gandalf is certainly powerful but so is a balrog. Who's to say Gandalf would've defeated the balrog in its flaming form? Really begs the question.
thanks for pointing this scene out, yes the way the light shines into the cavern, the music, the camera following as it approaches the water, every bit of filmmaking technique that is present in this scene was done 100/100 PERFECTLY.
As commanded by Eru Gandalf was sent to middle earth to influence the people and thus he was not allowed to use but a fraction of his true powers. Even in the face of a Balrog he stayed on this path only casting defensive spells to protect himself. Once the Balrog pulls him down into the debts and out of sight he is no longer bound by Eru's orders and unleashes his powers against the demon.
I think originally, Tolkien wrote that Gandalf only played defense until the Balrog insulted his mother. Then Gandalf proceeded to throw down his enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside.
We also see Gandalf utilising fire and lightning in the battle with the Nazgul on weather top. He thinks that there are no witnesses but doesn't know that Aragorn and the four hobbits can see the battle from a day's or so walk away.
1:52 this meeting is actually so fucking epic, when you realize gandalf and balrog are two angels who were present at the creation of everything - and after all this time they are destined to meet here to have one of the most badass standoff.
I always had the theory as Gandalfs falling the sword noise is actually it singing in triumph at recognizing that Balrog ...the chance to vs a long forgotten foe that killed its former wielder...its almost leading the charge point first. That's no ordinary sword and if I'm not mistaken did see combat in the last war eons ago against the dark armys and even balrogs last they summoned them to service before retreating into the darkness. One last chance to prove its quality before forgotten to the ages once more.
I agree, as i just watched it then for the first time in ages. But there are two bigger goosebump moments in the trilogy for me.... the last ride of the rohirrim, and the lighting of the beacons.
Still one of my favorite moments from the trilogy. It's a tiny glimpse into what a First Age movie might be like, with fights like this being a regular thing.
I love that at 3:01 we hear the great elven blade Glamdring, the Foe Hammer, sword of King Turgon, forged in Gondolin in the First Age, ring once more as Gandalf falls to fight Durin's Bane, one of the balrogs of Morgoth. Such am epic sound that gives me chills anytime I watch these movies.
This scene is amazing hands down but the book version always gave me chills. In the book he repeats three times throughout his speech "You cannot pass!" It's the emphasis of "Cannot" like he's literally casting a powerful spell on the bridge. You gotta imagine, there was absolutely positively no way Gandalf was going to let that Balrog escape into the surface and terrorize the world or potentially join Sauron.
@Darth Revan he was really just angry at himself for cramming a dozen krispy kremes in his face and just lashed out because of it. Maia on maia violence
The scene where he’s falling and he grabs the sword with the music in the background. It’s like a heat seeking middle of magic. Gives me chills every time.
I can't IMAGINE just how epic this scene would have played out in theatres when the film had released Damn, the audience must have been left speechless.. Edit: Look at all you sanctimonious fucks just rubbing it in as to how good it really was😭
The Belrog is actually the same race as Gandalf. You can hear the sound of sadness and look of grief on Gandalf as he utters to them what a Belrog is. The Belrog is one of Gandalf's fallen brotheren, but instead of acknowledging that, he told them it was nothing more than a demon, as he if he also had come to accept that the Belrog had become another race altogether and the Maiar spirit within was gone.
if memory serves they were origionally greater fire spirits that morgoth corrupted (as with all things Morgoth could not creat life on his own,so he instead to other children of Eru and twisted them into his own likeness)
@@SanguineusHeart maiar came in different forms ...this included several different spirits derived from nature and the elements... the great eagles for example are actually powerful air Miar and Direct servants of Manwe.
I remember watching this in theaters when I was 12, having never read the books. I remember being on the edge of my seat with anticipation wondering exactly what this "demon of the ancient world" was. Watching the Balrog jumping out of the flames near the bridge was one of my favorite moments in all the movies I've ever watched. One of the few times I've been totally in awe of just how much I'm enjoying what's happening.
My favorite moment/image from these movies is right at the outset, when the Hobbits have to hide off the road and the ringwraith comes galloping after them just overhead, horse hooves oozing with blood or evil goo (whatever it was it was awesome), sniffing after them. So primal and pure terror holding out waiting for it to move on. God, what a great way to just instantly show us how much peril they will be in for their entire journey. Something about those first steps outside the Shire always felt like the heaviest moment to me.
One of the coolest details is that they used the massive, endless pillars to hide the Balrog and only let the glow of his fire come through, thus increasing the fear of the unknown. A nice touch that no matter how many times I watch always send chills for what's to come.
@@eonian5511 I had been watching it for years on mediocre audio. It was not until I edited this scene that I noticed the music and chanting playing as gandalf has his eyes closed. It's Really deep....
Same, there's only 3 of these amazing movies and I would have loved to have seen as much ction as possible. Plus, there's almost no 1v1 fights in this trilogy, and it would have been great to see a fight involving magic.
I watched all these in the theatre with my mom as a kid and to see this at 9 years old, looking back and forth at her with both our jaws on the floor. An unbeatable memory.
@@tonertonki in the first age, Turgon, an Elven king and its true wielder fought at the battle of Unnumbered tears, and the fall of Gondolin.. 2 battles, 2 balrogs... Sir J.R.R fucking Tolkien man... I know hes no 5 names but anyways...
1:16 this is single-handedly one of my favorite monster sounds to ever exist. This roar is right up there with the seismic charge in my book. When you first hear this thing open its mouth this ancient stoney demon that you don't know how long it has been trapped in the bowels of the earth it sounds like a blast furnace. Like some primeval fire leftover from creation funneling into this bellow.
It is primeval fire leftover from creation. Morgoth seek to control the flame imperishable, but since Eru withheld it, he have to resort to use lesser flames. A mockery, if I were to describe it.
that was to follow the books, Tolkien barely describes the Balrog except for the flames, shadows, and his weapons. The Balrog being this tall with horns and darj wings was an artistical choice from P.jackson and his crew @@death-king1834
@@johnbarrientosiii6586 , in general I agree with you, and I am not a great Marvel fan - but Thor 3 was great in a completely different way. Taika Waititi made a screamingly funny comedy which openly mocked the previous movies. It was a game changer. But it had nevertheless a great story line. And I think that the design of Surtur who was a fire demon from the nordic sagas, was inspired by Peter Jackson´s balrog. But unlike the balrog Surtur was not meant to be overly scary. Thor was certainly not afraid of Surtur and mocked him openly before he stole Surtur´s crown, which looked indeed like a big eyebrow ;)
I remember the first time I saw this in the theater. I was absolutely floored by the shot at 1:13... Completely blew me away. To this day it's one of the most badass shots in movie history.
The sound of the Balrogs roar was hype as shit. The way it sounds like a roaring furnace, combined with the way no flames leave its mouth, but you can see the heat mirage blasting out like the bellows of a great forge.
This scene is one of the most epic memorable scene in cinematic history of all time, it will be watched and rewatched and the awe and thrill will always be there. This is Ian Mckellen ticket to live forever in our memories
What I love about this is that it _implies_ most of the fight rather than showing it. So it will always be more epic than simply a giant CGI fight, because you are lead to simply imagine Gandalf fighting this thing for hours, possibly even days until that epic conclusion on the mountain.
Legolas the only one of the fellowship who has a little bit of knowing what is going on her: Two Maias battle each other with full power! Seeing this alone must have been a huge impact for the Fellowship alone but Legolas knew what was happing here what makes it way more Epic!
At 03:00, the way Glamdring buzzes only seconds prior to action! Despite the fact that the buzzing comes from the air running along it's blade, it sounds like Glamdring knows it's about to engage again the greatest foe it ever encountered, and it is unleashing it's warcry as Gandalf grasps it!
It gets even better when you learn Glamdring was the sword of Turgon, an elven king of the first age, who fought Balrogs twice, at the Battle of Unnumbered Tears and the Fall of Gondolin. The buzzing is like the sword remembering its former master and the great deeds of the first age come to life again
This sword is more badass than the Master Sword And a much more badass name to Compared to master sword GLAMDRING sounds way better and like a real sword
Having learned more about the lore, this just gets more and more impressive. Balrogs are who Melkor called in when he needed saving from Ungoliant. Even one of the mightiest elf lords couldnt kill one without dying in the process (he also got resurrected as his reward for killing it).
Still to this date, this has to be one of the best cinematic shots in history. 2.03 when the camera swoops to the right is just perfection. LOTR was so ahead of its time
You know what always created the most awe in me when I watched this scene? It was the sound effects, and especially the music. Yes, visual effects look amazing, but the sheer potency of the score made me feel fear. I was genuinely enthralled by how grandiose and sinister the music felt, like it was danger itself. Granted, I was around 10, but it stuck with me as one of the most incredible and spectacular scenes in all of cinema perhaps for that reason.
Still literally looks better than almost all CGI used today. CGI today looks like a videogame on ultra settings, but you still never lose that sense of fakeness and imitation. They did such a great job with the tools they had at their exposal.
There's plenty of good CGI today. People just don't know it's CGI because it's done so well, and goes unnoticed, especially environmental stuff. The bad stuff sticks out.
1:55 it’s this shit, when he ignites to show his power... that’s fucking awesome, and the sound design makes it extra intense, especially when you’re watching in a theatre!
He killed the Balrog before he even came back from Mandos and became EVEN more powerful. And the dude does absolutely nothing throughout the books. He just stands there AFK. (actually, Glorfindel's Fae is so big that it's impossible to play stealth with him, so taking him on a mission that requires stealth is a really bad idea)
YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!! Ian McKellen deserved an Oscar for just that sentence! He did not get it, but he will be always remembered for just that scene - and of course much more! He will remain the best Gandalf ever! Besides Viggo Mortensen´s Aragorn he is the real star of the LOTR movies. This was an inspired piece of casting by Peter Jackson.
@@timovangalen1589 , yup, I have heard that Balrogs are very proud creatures, and they are not at all stupid! Even after the part of the bridge it was standing on, crumbled, it noticed that Gandalf had been careless for just a second - at the Balrog used it's whip masterfully! Whenever I watch this scene, I want to shout: "Gandalf, watch out for that whip!!!". But the outcome never changes 😉 I really want to know how first time viewers will react, who have neither read the books nor watched the animated incomplete LOTR movie from 1978. They must think that Gandalf had won that battle against the Balrog - and then comes the whip out of the deep chasm...
I remember watching the second movie for the first time Thinking to myself Oh they are doing a flashback Oh they are going to show what happened to Gandalf Omg the man is fighting a demon while falling mid air How god damn bad ass is that. Now that's how you start a movie.
Best sequence of the entire trilogy. When he's fighting him in free fall and we get the wide angle shot of them falling into a massive chasm--perfection. This far exceeded what I had imagined when I read the books.
1:20 It is even more terryfying, when you realize, Gandalf at this moment saw his own close relative - the Balrog - after several thousands of years and discovered, what has become of it, serving the Morgoth. Imagine, you see your own cousin after like 20 years, to learn, he has become insane psychopatic monster and if you do not act carefuly, you will end up the very same way...
I fully agree. And I am pretty sure, this scene might very well be THE (cinematic) scene displaying the "impossible" and unimaginable powers that exist in the Lord of the Rings universe. Sure Sauron in the beginning was immensely powerful (as he was a Maiar, just like Gandalf and the Balrogs, and at the height of his power at the time, if I recall correctly. And he had the one ring, which amplified them even further), but I doubt he used his full powers, as he only fought mortal men and elves in that battle and therefore might have thought, he did not need to use all of his powers.
Not only that, Gandalf saw a mirror of himself in Durin's Bane albeit very briefly of what he would have become had he joined Morgoth in rebellion against Eru and the Valar
Lord of the Rings has so many unbelievably epic moments. The speeches before and after the battles, the individual efforts of the characters, the 1 on 1 dialogue, and the grand scope of the battles are all breath-taking. I was 10 years old when I saw this scene for the first time in 2001. It did more for me emotionally than any other moment from any other film/show I'd seen at that point. I got chill bumps then watching it and I still do to this day. Even as a kid who didn't understand what Gandalf was meaning when he's on the bridge, it just SOUNDED emotional.
Something special knowing that this was all happening with Gandalf using the king of Gondolin's sword. Turgon. The very sword that survived the events of the Fall of Gondolin. The context behind everything gives this fight a larger meaning knowing that it was Gothmog and his balrogs alongside dragons that would lead the charge to Gondolin's destruction.
When Gandalf picks up Glamdring and it does that sound like a burning metal, I like to think the sword is in rage waiting to avenge her former master and all the elves who died by the balrogs in Gondolin, and Gandalf joins Ecthelion and Glorfindel, the three dudes who went down as absolute beasts
“From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought the Balrog of Morgoth... until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside~”
Hmm ... a Balrog was described as being able to fly by Tolkien himself. "Thus [the dwarves] roused from sleep a thing of terror that, flying from Thangorodrim, had lain hidden at the foundations of the earth since the coming of the Host of the West: a Balrog of Morgoth." I don't presume he flew on a commercial airliner?!
Balrogs didn't really use their wings in flight as in actual locomotion through the air. More like for powered jumps in most adaptations. In this case ''flying'' probably means ''fleeing'' as even in this video Gandalf tells the fellowship to ''fly'' (flee) over the bridge.
@@cerberusrex5275 Exactly, and even then, this Balrog loses that ability as well. If you notice after the impact with the wall that knocks Gandalf out of the Balrog's hand and allows him to grab onto it's horn, the impact from that crash has actually broken one of the Balrog's wings.
Also, you’ll notice that there’s no membrane between the “fingers” of his wings. His wings generate some form of smoke as it describes that their wings are the manifestation of darkness but not necessarily physical. So, they gave it flightless wings that generate a dark smoke for what I assume is the “darkness.”
The word “flying” in that context could mean “fled from”, meaning that the Balrog ran from the volcanos of Thangorodrim and hid within the Misty Mountains after Morgoth’s defeat, presumably in order to hide from the Valar.
Unotch Gandalf: fly you fools! Did the party grow wings? I think not hehe. Just saying I think along with the rest of the replies that fly is just used as a “to flee”
3:01 I love the humming/whistling sound of Glamdring as it falls. Like a silent scream of righteous fury as the Foe Hammer seeks out the hand of he who will take it into battle.
This moment made me realize what their jobs were: destroy the ring. All other duty’s weren’t useful. Their jobs weren’t to kill Balrogs or orcs or be heroes. Their jobs were to die for one another passing the ring on and on until it reached the fires
![The Hobbit (2014) - Clash of Immortals [4K]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KnD_NkGTEXo/mqdefault.jpg)
Always wondered why the bridge was so slim until I read the books - it was the last line of defence so that any enemy would have to come single file! Pretty cool!
Even more clever when building it on a giant hole that leads to the center of Arda.
@@joseortega3688 I always wondered how can someone build a bridge when there's a huge pit beneath you?
@@abhinavsumesh2549 *MAGIC*
@@abhinavsumesh2549 Obviously, things like "pulleys" and "rope" was not used, and similarly, things like "scaffolding" was not used. Instead, each brick as it was lain was a brick which cost the life of one worker, as he would fall to his death to lay it.
@@abhinavsumesh2549 Very carefully 😅
"On the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth, until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside" has to be one of the most badass lines ever
It would be the peak of my writing if I conjured anything HALF as metal as that line.
Ian McKellen's delivery was also PERFECT. The way he says mountainside with that tone of voice was the cherry on the top.
The other rawest line IMO is: "I may not be able to carry it, but I can carry you!"
"You shall not pass!" is up there too, along with everything else he said
True 😭👏🏽
0:50 Legolas doesn't say much throughout the first film, however Bloom portrays Legolas' emotions brilliantly without dialogue. This is the face of someone who has just been told the nightmare demons of his childhood bedtime stories is approaching him from right around the corner.
he remembers!
I never noticed that he doesn't say much in the first film at all
In the book, he says, "Ai! Ai! A Balrog! A Balrog is come!" And then Gimli realizes that this horror is Durin's Bane.
@@KororaPenguin Yes, Legolas literally shrieks in fear in the books, which lets you know how fucking terrifying a Balrog is to fight.
He looks like he just misjudged a fart
I love how scared shitless Legolas looked. Because he probably grew up hearing stories about Melkor and Sauron, as well as Balrogs.
In the book he dropped his arrow in DESPAIR. Not just fear. He felt utterly hopeless at the sight of it.
@@genghiskhan7662 Which makes perfect sense. Because he would know what it his.
Elf droppings were found in that very cave.
In this case it was better to not know what you were facing.
Legolas knew them by sight, he knew that nothing could prevail against it since it was targeting them & Gandalf was already weary.
Even Gandalf was limited in his current form despite him emerging victorious at the cost of his life.
It was lucky that Gandalf had Narya, I'm not sure if this would have been possible otherwise.
1:15 I have always LOVED the choice to not put in a standard "ROAR" sound effect, just all you hear is flame crackling when it opens it's mouth. It's much more creepier to me and the first time I realized you can get creative with your creature. It also still holds up 20 years later and the design is just amazing
Damn right! It's as if it's not just an evil beast but an incarnation of the dark flame itself. And the fact that it's surrounded in shadows even though it is on fire makes it even more mysterious and intimidating
@@Charles-A Originally it was a Maiar, but it follows Melkor therefore converted it into something horrifying. Their heart are burning like fire but they're were cloak in darkness. This was Balrog.
It’s like facing down a blazing inferno itself. Not a creature but more like a force of nature itself.
Like the essence of fire itself just snarled at you.
@@rustkarl Like witnessing Satan rise out of the fires of hell.
@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- sorta, but I’d say a lesser demon.
So often, the film version never lives up to your imagination. The Balrog was PERFECT. I went in to the theater specifically wondering how well they would do with the Balrog. It blew me away. I saw it again with my brother who loved the Balrog scene from the book as much as I did. I watched him as the Balrog approached, and he was grinning ear to ear. We both agree that this is the best screen transition ever for anything cool from a book.
It's still one of the best designed creatures/monsters in movie history
fun fact: if you look at the wings, thanks to the trick of the effects, you think your seeing membranes, but that's not membranes. That's literally pure shadow. Hence why the Balrog cannot fly: it's wings are skeletal, made of shadow and flame.
Saw it in theaters when it released with only having seen and read the hobbit a few times. To this day it’s one of only several moments I will never forget. No clue what was happening, even after they escaped and I loved it
Agreed!
I also love the Gandalf and Theoden scene. Such a great way to introduce them and would have fit nicely in the books.
How can it be that 20 years later, the Balrog VFX still looks amazing?? Even the sound design. I mean when it hops up and roars, it really looks like it’s there and you can almost feel the heat wave from its mouth.. how is this possible from a 20 year old movie?? !!!!
Because this trilogy was one of the most cared for and we'll crafted pieces of cinema ever created. They pushed boundaries all while working with what they had to deliver a truly magic product.
Dude I still get chills when Gandalf says his epic line.
Great filmmaking is timeless; not only was the CGI well crafted, but well executed within smart lighting, creative cinematography, and seamless editing between practical and digital FX. Great genre films typically use every trick in the book, which is part of the reason they stand the test of time.
The Brilliance of Weta.
I feel like it’s because even though CGI still wasn’t that good they didn’t go overboard on it like other movies so they had more resources to invest in it when they used it.
I love how Gandalf says "I'm a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor" as a direct threat for the Balrog letting him know that he´s also an Istar and one of the first beings that participated on the Ainur's music
Its like the biggest flex really mans really out here saying bitch do you KNOW who I am?
balrog was also one of them
I feel so proud to understand what your comment means LOL
The Balrog also participated in the Music of the Ainur..
@@benjeesilv1596 I'm confused. Isn't Anor the sindarin word for sun? or is that eru's flame?
Love that little moment after Gandalf tells it to go back to the shadow where it’s eyes narrow.
A hint of a personality that it would be angered by such an insulting declaration. He basically told it to go back to hell and it’s expression just says ‘Alright, you’ll definitely die for that.’
and then after Gandalf hits the bridge with his staff, the balrog kinda snorts and raises his nose up like "thats it? thats all you got?"
Also love how the Balrog towers over Gandalf and ignites after he first challenges him on the bridge, the same way an animal might try to assert dominance before a fight.
Balrog: *walks onto the bridge, which immediately crumbles beneath his feet, and falls* Tch. Curse you, Gandalf! I will not fall into the abyss alone! You're coming with me! *slings his fire whip and hits Gandalf with it, causing him to fall*
Well, the movies didn't do this very well, but the Balrog is not stupid. Balrogs are equally as intelligent as gandalf and other wizards and Sauron himself. Not all have the same amount of power, but all are intelligent, and i wish we would have seen it here. In the book, the Balrog's counter-spell hits Gandalf so hard it "nearly broke" him.
@@spiritconsumeralso Balrogs can talk
I've always loved the sound effect that was used for when the Balrog roars - it's so unique, it sounds like what I feel a blast furnace sounds like. Sound design is so excellent on this entire segment
It's a fun scene to play with. I amped that sound big time and used slow-motion at about 40% for that segment.
Yeeess?
In the theatre I felt the heat coming from his mouth
@@joeshar. I remember I watched this scene the first time with my parents (sadly didn't get to watch it in Cinema :s), but they had a great quality surroundsound with subwoofer, and man when this scene came on the entire house was literally shaking during the roar of the Balrog. It wasn't even boosted, there is just so much depth to the sound. Nothing from any other movie has ever come close to this scene.
Fun fact: they made it dragging around a breezeblock and then editing it.
Gandalf > Dumbledore
No contest.
Dumbledore would spell: penis erectus
That's like saying the sky is blue.
@@MarlinAMB bruh hahahahahha
Idk Dumbledore has a far more varied use of his magic. Not even close in that regard cause tolkien hated high magic
Apparently in the books they fought for like 10 days straight. Fell to the bottom and worked their way up the mountain fighting on the stairs. Gandalf is a fucking beast.
and knowing what gandalf actually is (which is a Miar in a mortal form) thats really saying something in how powerful the Balrogs are...and this nameless balrog was among the weaker of its kin to.
They could make a whole book on that fight alone, atleast a short story.
@@dakotastein9499 a balrog is a maiar too
@@dakotastein9499 There IS no way this was a Lesser Balrog Because such thing didnt exist. I Tolkien last versions about Balrogs, that is=CANNON, he Stated that there were ONLY 5 Balrogs, BEING Gothmog the GREATEST of ALL.
The Balrogs belonged tô a special rank of Maiars Callesd VALARAUKR, wich Means Demons If WRATH, Because they were fire spirits of great rage.
Durins Bane was unchallanged in Moria for thousands of years, and considering that mortals can KILL Balrogs like Ecthelion did with Gothmog and Glorfindel tô another, ITS really a Bad sign that NOBODY was able to peform.this until Gandalf, a Maiar as strong as SAURON, stepped down.
The Balrog IS clearly the GREATEST enemy the Fellowship ever faces in the books alongside Saruman, wich was also as strong as SAURON as a Maiara Spirit (not as a istari). The Nazgul couldnt EVEN match what Frodo and Gandalf Saw from Orthanc to Moria, ONLY a personal Gauntlet with Sauron would bê worse.
And i mean It when i say that Gandalf and Saruman were equals to Sauron, Because Thats what Tolkien states somewhere (a book or letters, probably a letters if i can remember well) when he discusses the Wizards. He Says that Manwe decided that they should send 5 Maiars of equal Power to Sauron tô MD, ONLY in case things got só DESPERATE (like he get the Ring back) and their final option were to unleash ALL their Power on him, somerhing they were forbidden to do. The Istari MUST WORK, firstly, as advisors not as nuke weapons. In extreme cases they can use a their Power wich was the case when Gandalf faces the Balrog and when he was going to whoop the ass from Wich King of Angmar.
Galadriel EVEN says that "he who had faced the SHADOW and flame should bê FEARED by all, and the Nine should treme before him".
This ALL proves How Durins Bane was a big deal for a Balrog.
@@dakotastein9499balrogs are corrupted maiar
Love how Gandalf went from "Falling to his death" and "Oh no poor Gandalf", to "kickass wizard who slays fucking balrogs while falling a seemingly endless pit of rocks" in like 20 seconds.
"Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside." 😎😎
He accepted his death. Euh, I mean, leveling up.
Basically, Gandalf sent the fellowship away so he can get the boss kill and level up faster.
Goes back in the two towers with a new job class (from grey to white), new skill set, better pet (shadowfax), new weapon (white staff), and new armor.
"I'm not locked in here with you, you're locked in here with me"
@@Snapshot_07 Gandalf is the king of Kill-steal.
He decides to solo the boss to not share the EXP and the loot.
Respect to the camera man who risked his life to film this
One of the eagles with a gopro on its head
DID YOU JUST ASSUME THE CAMERAMAN'S GENDER?! HOW COULD YOU
he even cast fly to get some sweet shots.
Holy crap
Wise words mr house. wise words.
Gandalf really fought bro like a souls boss. I love how fearlessly he continuously re-engaged the Balrog midfall. Really showed how committed he was to delivering the hands to the Balrog. Also strange they're the same thing opposite spectrums.
He is the final boss.
@IgnobleKin he is the final boss in some limited sense of Gandalf's arc but by no means from the perspective of the entire lore or Morgoth himself.
@@IgnobleKin More like an optional hidden superboss with millions of HP.
This is my favorite part of this engagement, that despite appearances these two are the same class of being within middle-Earth. Gandalf may have even known this dude personally before time began. They might have been co-workers on the same creation music singing shift. No matter how deep their familiarity beforehand, this fight is a lot deeper than a magical old man versus a big fire monster, and the beef is ON SIGHT. Badass.
I know the word is overused to death but this has to be one of the most epic movie scenes of all time. Two angelic beings fighting each other while falling into the deepest abyss of their earth.
only one is angelic, the other is a former angelic hence it being a demon.
I agree. Truly epic.
It is absolutely one of the greatest openings of any film and it is also one of the greatest scenes I have scene in a cinema. The massive screen, the thundering effects which then cut to that haunting harmony as we see them fall slowly into the chasm of water... gives me chills.
u need 5 minutes to fall from the troposphere to earth. think about it, and u will see , that they fall here too quick. falling from mount everest would take less than that. Now imagine... gandalf felt at 02:50 till 4:00. this are 1m 10 s in realtime. count yourself . know u should know : s = ½ g t²
so 24.000 Meter comes out. now add the air resistence and they are falling may be 8 to 12 km. ( change to miles if u´r american)
3:47 this. This is amazing
Can we just appreciate that the Balrog didnt take this encounter seriously until Gandalf said "I am a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of anor.". And then the Balrog lit up and drew his fucking sword like "ah shit, you ain't fuckin with me, LETS GOOO."
Ya Good Shit... I didn't know that actually... I thought he had said "Yield unto the flam of arnor" (as in Stop which would have made sense). I also didn't know he had one of the rings until a few years ago watching other RUclips channels...
Great Citation!
@Daniel Deering that's one interpretation.
"During Gandalf's fight with the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings, he says of himself that he is the wielder of the Flame of Anor. It is nowhere else referred to in the trilogy, so its particular meaning remains unclear. Anor is the Elvish word for the Sun, so literally the flame of Anor would have alluded to the light of the Sun, which had originated in the fiery fruit of Laurelin, one of the Two Trees of Valinor. Thus, Gandalf may have meant the power he gained as a servant (a Maia) of the Lords of the West, in defiance to the corrupted darkness of the Balrog.
Alternatively, Gandalf may have been referring to Narya, the Ring of Fire, which he wore and wielded, but it seems unlikely that Gandalf would want to reveal his ownership of a Ring of Power -a matter of utmost secrecy-to one of his greatest enemies. However, considering that the Balrog owed no allegiance to Sauron at that time, Gandalf may have been merely attempting to scare it away.
In Tolkien's earliest drafts, forms of this passage were variations on: "I am the master of White Flame. The Red Fire cannot come this way" (and one variation mixes in the idea of Black Shadow, too). These terms seem to be symbolic - white for the powers of good, but red or black for Sauron and his servants. As the text developed, the Red Fire and Black Shadow were lost. The White Flame remained, but developed into the more poetic flame of Anor. On this reading, then, the 'flame of Anor' doesn't refer to a specific thing, but is Gandalf's way of announcing what he stands for, or perhaps his power as a servant of the Valar. "
I love when Gandalf told it to back to hell (basically) it’s eyes narrow like, ‘alright now it’s personal.’
@@stevesmith1383flame of anor refers to the ring of fire that Gandalf wields, it seems obvious
@@nicksalvatore5717 why would gandalf talk about his ring , especially to his enemy
Seeing this in the theater, the moment at 3:47 where we get the wide shot of them falling with the light from the Balrog's fire slowly illuminating the cave and the choir blasting in full volume was the most epic thing I've ever seen.
I went to see the Extended Editions when they were shown in cinemas for the first time ever (about 1.5 years ago). I had goosebumps on my entire body in all the balrog scenes... Absolute perfection and a unique experience.
I was like "you guys stay here, I'll scout ahead" while pelting away from the far glowing doorway....
It was my first meditation experience, since my mind completely silenced in awe.
One of my fav scenes, it punches you with the scale of middle earth by showing even some giant flame demon fighting a demigod wizard are still ridiculously dwarved by Nature
Exactly 😍
I can't imagine what it felt like for someone who read the books first, then went to see the film, to hear that first growl and see the red light grow while the orcs all scream and scatter, and know what was about to appear.
Look up some of the older LOTR artwork. It's so cool seeing how different artists interpreted the Balrog and other scenes. We are very fortunate that Peter Jackson based his version of Middle Earth on the works of artists like John Howe and Alan Lee.
@@ArtistryofDebauchery you mean the cartoon?
I can tell you, it was exactly as I imagined it as a kid...
It was the single greatest movie experience I ever had. The epicness of the fight and the fall of Gandalf hit so extremely hard in the book, and the movie captured it perfectly.
I grew up reading the books and was 13 when the movies came out. I tell you, it was (is!) one of the best things I've ever seen.
Galdalf just wanted his companions to run away so he could stay and earn all the XP to himself.
And the next time they saw him he was using the rare gear that only drops from the Balrog
@@nunyabusiness4904 😂😂😂 good one!
a great comment
bruh
@@nunyabusiness4904 And wearing shiny outfit +4 to charisma
When gandalf falls and grabs the sword out of the air it's so badass it gives me chills, it's like he knows he's going to die and he's devoting his last breath to slaying the demon once and for all
He didnt really die fighting the Balrog, he was just tired. If Gandal really went 100% he could have dog walked every Balrog, Saruman or even Sauron in 1v1.
@@abhabh6896wrong
10 trillion + Aura, move right there
Everyone's a badass until a walking volcano with a whip who hates you specifically shows up.
Who said the Balrog hates the Fellowship? Maybe it just wanted to welcome them and then It took offense when they tried to run from it, so it pursues them in order to ask them why they were trying to get away and then when Gandalf tell them to cross the bridge, The lonely Balrog appears and shouts at them to wait, Then Gandalf starts running and so this is when the Balrog gets angry because all it wanted was company and Gandalf basically at the beginning called it a foe and it took offense to that so it really just wanted Gandalfs ass for being so prejudiced against a fellow brother Maiar. Lmao I was dying of laughter writing this XD
And Gandalf was still a badass through and through
@@theofficialphoenixtv5765
Balrog: *Why are you running?!*
@@komaytoprime I think you mean dumbass
@@durinsbane1334 wtf you are alive?
When Gandalf says to run, you know it’s time to fucking GO.
If I was there, and Gandalf said "This foe is beyond any of you" in front of Aragorn, Gimli, Boromir and freaking LEGOLAS, I would wet myself.
@@zyomer6855 😏
*swords are no more use here*
@@zyomer6855
It is cuz Gandalf wanted all the XP points for his upgrade to Gandalf the white
He had no intention of sharing the XP
😂😂😂😂😂😂
When a wizard says run, dont take a second to think about it....RUN!
1:16 i really like how it doesn't just sound like a normal monster roar, it actually sounds like the wrath of hell
3:49 is just one of many examples that prove the LOTR trilogy is a piece of art. The fact that they were even made and hold up so well after 20 years is incredible.
Yeah to me that scene is iconic. The aesthetic, the music, the backstory, the significance. When they fell into the lake it extinguished the balrogs flames. According to the lore the balrog tried to evade Gandalf after because it was vulnerable. Gandalf went on the offensive and pursued it for three days. Gandalf is certainly powerful but so is a balrog. Who's to say Gandalf would've defeated the balrog in its flaming form? Really begs the question.
Yes its maybe my favourite scene from the first movie...which is very hard to pick but yes
Subtle and incredible, something zack Snyder would have slowed down to 2 min 😂
thanks for pointing this scene out, yes the way the light shines into the cavern, the music, the camera following as it approaches the water, every bit of filmmaking technique that is present in this scene was done 100/100 PERFECTLY.
@@Tarnatos14 second movie 👍🏻
As commanded by Eru Gandalf was sent to middle earth to influence the people and thus he was not allowed to use but a fraction of his true powers. Even in the face of a Balrog he stayed on this path only casting defensive spells to protect himself. Once the Balrog pulls him down into the debts and out of sight he is no longer bound by Eru's orders and unleashes his powers against the demon.
I think originally, Tolkien wrote that Gandalf only played defense until the Balrog insulted his mother. Then Gandalf proceeded to throw down his enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside.
@@Moltenrokk thats bs
@@dirkdiggler5581 that might also be a 'yo mama' joke, lighten up.
@@Moltenrokk Balrog: *disses Gandalf's mom in black speech*
Gandalf: I'mma about to end this man's whole career
We also see Gandalf utilising fire and lightning in the battle with the Nazgul on weather top. He thinks that there are no witnesses but doesn't know that Aragorn and the four hobbits can see the battle from a day's or so walk away.
1:52 this meeting is actually so fucking epic, when you realize gandalf and balrog are two angels who were present at the creation of everything - and after all this time they are destined to meet here to have one of the most badass standoff.
3:01 - 3:04 the sword sound is perfect. Such a small detail but it makes a huge impact for me.
These movies are an untouchable masterpiece.
I like to imagine that Glamdring is singing in anticipation of fighting an ancient foe.
I like to think this is where they got the Mjolnir sound inspiration from
I always had the theory as Gandalfs falling the sword noise is actually it singing in triumph at recognizing that Balrog ...the chance to vs a long forgotten foe that killed its former wielder...its almost leading the charge point first.
That's no ordinary sword and if I'm not mistaken did see combat in the last war eons ago against the dark armys and even balrogs last they summoned them to service before retreating into the darkness.
One last chance to prove its quality before forgotten to the ages once more.
It's like Gandalf is fucking diving down head first at 100 mph
My favorite moment as well!
As the music reaches it's pinnacle in a glorious choir!
3:47 No matter how many times I see this, still gives me goosebumps. That slowmo, the choir.... this is beyond epic
I think it only looks like slowmo because of how massive that cavern is, but in reality it's real time
@@AaronStorey Makes sense
I agree, as i just watched it then for the first time in ages. But there are two bigger goosebump moments in the trilogy for me.... the last ride of the rohirrim, and the lighting of the beacons.
one of my favorite cinematic shots. ever. I am a fiend for widescreen shots
my exact thoughts...
Still one of my favorite moments from the trilogy. It's a tiny glimpse into what a First Age movie might be like, with fights like this being a regular thing.
I love that at 3:01 we hear the great elven blade Glamdring, the Foe Hammer, sword of King Turgon, forged in Gondolin in the First Age, ring once more as Gandalf falls to fight Durin's Bane, one of the balrogs of Morgoth. Such am epic sound that gives me chills anytime I watch these movies.
02:59 I first saw this when I was 8. Never have I got such hype from just a sound effect
Hell yeah
Lmfao yes, still gets me almost 20 years later
When I was 7, and I approuve this message.
Yup! I was 12 then, now 30. Still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!!
Glamdring chanting as it falls in the depths of Khazâd-Dum must be one of the most beautiful sound effect in cinema history
This scene is amazing hands down but the book version always gave me chills. In the book he repeats three times throughout his speech "You cannot pass!" It's the emphasis of "Cannot" like he's literally casting a powerful spell on the bridge. You gotta imagine, there was absolutely positively no way Gandalf was going to let that Balrog escape into the surface and terrorize the world or potentially join Sauron.
I hope when I die, whoever defeats me says “I threw him down and smote his ruin upon the mountainside!”
Just seems like a badass way to go
No ones gonna say that they will say "I pushed this midget off the roof and he died"
Rtm00s Look how you massacred my midget.
@@Brock-Lesnar-WWE Why you had to do him like that 😅
If anyone's a midget in that fight, it's Gandalf.
My man acknowledging the fact that he'd like to go out in a Duel. Respect.
In the book, when Gandalf threw the Balrog’s body down upon the mountain, the force of it split the mountain in two.
Darn that would've been a great CGI! I wish we could see it that way and thanks for sharing the info!
@@miasma529 or at least the ledge he landed on should have sheared off the mountain
@Darth Revan he was really just angry at himself for cramming a dozen krispy kremes in his face and just lashed out because of it. Maia on maia violence
Gandalf was so much more powerful in the books.
@@matthewmeadows8965
Because it was stated there that he is a Maia.
The scene where he’s falling and he grabs the sword with the music in the background. It’s like a heat seeking middle of magic. Gives me chills every time.
I can't IMAGINE just how epic this scene would have played out in theatres when the film had released
Damn, the audience must have been left speechless..
Edit: Look at all you sanctimonious fucks just rubbing it in as to how good it really was😭
I saw it twice.. and ya... It Was SICK!! and we're looking at 20 year old effects that still look Great Today...
Saw every single on in theater..... This was epic to say the least.
I saw it when I was 10. The Balrog was both the coolest and scariest thing I had seen up the that point in my life.
only this movie won 7 oscars. sooo.... yes. but great epic movies coming out was normal at that time." matrix, harry poter etc.."
@@Beowulf_93 nowadays we get like 7 good movies a year and that’s it, most are just remakes of other movies or sequels
"This foe is beyond any of you.."
RUUUUNNNNN!!!!
FusRoDah2 - I love the way that he delivers that line.
such a badass he is like well for me dough i can take him easily lol
@@yigitcanozmen9531 Are you going to become bread?
I like how he says 'You" instead of "Us" like he knows he could win, but they can't. XD
The Belrog is actually the same race as Gandalf. You can hear the sound of sadness and look of grief on Gandalf as he utters to them what a Belrog is. The Belrog is one of Gandalf's fallen brotheren, but instead of acknowledging that, he told them it was nothing more than a demon, as he if he also had come to accept that the Belrog had become another race altogether and the Maiar spirit within was gone.
The Balrogs are just like Sauron and Saruman. All of whom were his brothers that fell.
if memory serves they were origionally greater fire spirits that morgoth corrupted (as with all things Morgoth could not creat life on his own,so he instead to other children of Eru and twisted them into his own likeness)
@@dakotastein9499 They were originally maiar. I believe their affinity with fire and shadow came after they were corrupted by Morgoth.
@@SanguineusHeart maiar came in different forms ...this included several different spirits derived from nature and the elements...
the great eagles for example are actually powerful air Miar and Direct servants of Manwe.
It seems that even the Sun in Tolkienverse is actually steered by a "good Balrog" Arien, so take that Heliocentrists lol.
I remember watching this in theaters when I was 12, having never read the books. I remember being on the edge of my seat with anticipation wondering exactly what this "demon of the ancient world" was. Watching the Balrog jumping out of the flames near the bridge was one of my favorite moments in all the movies I've ever watched. One of the few times I've been totally in awe of just how much I'm enjoying what's happening.
What were your other favourite moments?
My favorite moment/image from these movies is right at the outset, when the Hobbits have to hide off the road and the ringwraith comes galloping after them just overhead, horse hooves oozing with blood or evil goo (whatever it was it was awesome), sniffing after them. So primal and pure terror holding out waiting for it to move on. God, what a great way to just instantly show us how much peril they will be in for their entire journey. Something about those first steps outside the Shire always felt like the heaviest moment to me.
One of the greatest moments of cinematic history. Timeless.
The way Sir Ian delivers the 4 lines at 1:58 gives me chills every time
One of the coolest details is that they used the massive, endless pillars to hide the Balrog and only let the glow of his fire come through, thus increasing the fear of the unknown. A nice touch that no matter how many times I watch always send chills for what's to come.
Ya that's a kickass shot... I extended it about 60% if you watch it in comparison to the original...
@@RAZR_Channel nicely done man, the whole scene with the silence fills you with a sense of foreboding!
@@eonian5511 I had been watching it for years on mediocre audio. It was not until I edited this scene that I noticed the music and chanting playing as gandalf has his eyes closed. It's Really deep....
@@eonian5511 and 3:00 - Sword Catch Like a BOSS... Take That George Lucas... ahhah
@@RAZR_Channel oh yeah, that was so smooth and determined, you know Gandalf is about to make sushi out of the Balrog.
I wish we got to see the entire fight. hell id pay $50 to see a 3hr movie of just gandalf fighting the balrog
Same, there's only 3 of these amazing movies and I would have loved to have seen as much ction as possible. Plus, there's almost no 1v1 fights in this trilogy, and it would have been great to see a fight involving magic.
In my opinion i don't really care about fight scenes in movies, it's just minutes of same sword swinging and stuff like that
@@b0bbuffet I know what you mean, but I'm sure they would have kept this one interesting with spells and stuff
@@b0bbuffet you’re fun at parties
I think the fight lasted several days
I watched all these in the theatre with my mom as a kid and to see this at 9 years old, looking back and forth at her with both our jaws on the floor. An unbeatable memory.
Gandalf to Aragorn: "Swords are no more use here!"
Gandalf to Balrog: *WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!*
Like a Zelda boss
That's not an ordinary sword though. Glamdring Killed Balrogs back in the day.
@@tonertonki in the first age, Turgon, an Elven king and its true wielder fought at the battle of Unnumbered tears, and the fall of Gondolin.. 2 battles, 2 balrogs... Sir J.R.R fucking Tolkien man... I know hes no 5 names but anyways...
And down in the depths of the cave system Gandalf ran across horrors outside the ken of Elf, Human, Dwarf, Hobbit, or Orc--outside even Sauron's ken!
He had to combine magic with his sword to land damage
Maia vs Maia.
Angel vs demon
@@emwjmannen2 More like Angel vs Fallen Angel.
Maia***
@@Marsproject11 Thats exactly what a demon is :)
@@emwjmannen2 Not necessarily, religion has often differentiated the two, though that is depending on the religion to be fair.
1:16 this is single-handedly one of my favorite monster sounds to ever exist. This roar is right up there with the seismic charge in my book. When you first hear this thing open its mouth this ancient stoney demon that you don't know how long it has been trapped in the bowels of the earth it sounds like a blast furnace. Like some primeval fire leftover from creation funneling into this bellow.
I love how its not some terrifyingly loud godzilla screech or bear roar, it just sounds like the core of the earth booting up
It is primeval fire leftover from creation. Morgoth seek to control the flame imperishable, but since Eru withheld it, he have to resort to use lesser flames.
A mockery, if I were to describe it.
It's honestly so incredible how well these effects have aged.
The green screen in some scenes looks odd.
But aside from those sparce moments, 20 years later these movies look way better than many modern ones
Even the sound is fantastic. Glamdring ringing as it cuts through the air while they fall is easily my favourite small bit of sound design in movies
Practical effects in lotr stil look great but cgi now look really bad.
@@Slawnikowic I disagree I think the Balrog still looks pretty good. Probably cause they obscured him in black smoke and shadows.
that was to follow the books, Tolkien barely describes the Balrog except for the flames, shadows, and his weapons. The Balrog being this tall with horns and darj wings was an artistical choice from P.jackson and his crew @@death-king1834
One HELL of a scene!
Balrog is a kind of demonic character you would definitely expect to see in a Marvel film, though Surtur was a lot crazier
Christopher Rodmell don’t compare Marvel to this Cinematic masterpiece
The best scene in all of film actually.
@@christopherrodmell1694 yeah I am the fire demon of the ancient world
@@johnbarrientosiii6586 , in general I agree with you, and I am not a great Marvel fan - but Thor 3 was great in a completely different way. Taika Waititi made a screamingly funny comedy which openly mocked the previous movies. It was a game changer. But it had nevertheless a great story line. And I think that the design of Surtur who was a fire demon from the nordic sagas, was inspired by Peter Jackson´s balrog. But unlike the balrog Surtur was not meant to be overly scary. Thor was certainly not afraid of Surtur and mocked him openly before he stole Surtur´s crown, which looked indeed like a big eyebrow ;)
I LOVED Lotr growing up, I am now 33 and a mega fan. The trilogy aged like fine wine it is truly a masterpiece
I remember the first time I saw this in the theater. I was absolutely floored by the shot at 1:13... Completely blew me away. To this day it's one of the most badass shots in movie history.
The sound of the Balrogs roar was hype as shit. The way it sounds like a roaring furnace, combined with the way no flames leave its mouth, but you can see the heat mirage blasting out like the bellows of a great forge.
@@11jerans EXACTLY. Rocked my world.
Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. I can’t even comprehend what it was like in theaters.
@@11jerans yeah sounds like a jet engine, cool af
@@honesttexan7745 I was 11 when I saw this in theaters and it scared that crap out of me.
This scene is one of the most epic memorable scene in cinematic history of all time, it will be watched and rewatched and the awe and thrill will always be there. This is Ian Mckellen ticket to live forever in our memories
What I love about this is that it _implies_ most of the fight rather than showing it. So it will always be more epic than simply a giant CGI fight, because you are lead to simply imagine Gandalf fighting this thing for hours, possibly even days until that epic conclusion on the mountain.
Legolas the only one of the fellowship who has a little bit of knowing what is going on her: Two Maias battle each other with full power! Seeing this alone must have been a huge impact for the Fellowship alone but Legolas knew what was happing here what makes it way more Epic!
Legolas wasnt aware of Gandalf's nature, he was a weird man for elves and a weird elf for dwarfs. Only Círdan recognised Gandalf as a Maïar
Maiar* is the plural form of Maia
The only thing Legolas know is the story of the Balrogs of old and how his ancient friends fought them.
@@Riri-oj1zs He very likely knew of the story of Fëanor.
@@C-ex
Definitely.
At 03:00, the way Glamdring buzzes only seconds prior to action! Despite the fact that the buzzing comes from the air running along it's blade, it sounds like Glamdring knows it's about to engage again the greatest foe it ever encountered, and it is unleashing it's warcry as Gandalf grasps it!
It gets even better when you learn Glamdring was the sword of Turgon, an elven king of the first age, who fought Balrogs twice, at the Battle of Unnumbered Tears and the Fall of Gondolin. The buzzing is like the sword remembering its former master and the great deeds of the first age come to life again
Beautifully said and the answer I needed😢❤❤
@@mcgeethetree3858 Beautiful😢❤
This sword is more badass than the Master Sword
And a much more badass name to
Compared to master sword
GLAMDRING sounds way better and like a real sword
As if it is roaring “FOR GONDOLIN!!!”
Having learned more about the lore, this just gets more and more impressive. Balrogs are who Melkor called in when he needed saving from Ungoliant. Even one of the mightiest elf lords couldnt kill one without dying in the process (he also got resurrected as his reward for killing it).
God, that shot of the balrgo dropping from the ceiling is still gorgeous
The pinnacle of exceptional movie story telling. ✌️
Not really the climax, there is quite a bit following this.
@@yannatoko9898 It is the climax of Gandalfs part in this film
@@yannatoko9898 it it the climax for Gandalf the Grey
Still to this date, this has to be one of the best cinematic shots in history. 2.03 when the camera swoops to the right is just perfection.
LOTR was so ahead of its time
absolutely love how you can hear Glamdring burn with rage as the camera passes it twice at 02:56. So much thought and love was put into these movies.
You know what always created the most awe in me when I watched this scene? It was the sound effects, and especially the music. Yes, visual effects look amazing, but the sheer potency of the score made me feel fear. I was genuinely enthralled by how grandiose and sinister the music felt, like it was danger itself.
Granted, I was around 10, but it stuck with me as one of the most incredible and spectacular scenes in all of cinema perhaps for that reason.
@Jonathan Birch Unfortunately I'm too young to have seen this in theaters (Gen Z), but I have no doubt it was an amazing experience.
Chills, chills all over. This scene and these movies are incredible.
Still literally looks better than almost all CGI used today. CGI today looks like a videogame on ultra settings, but you still never lose that sense of fakeness and imitation. They did such a great job with the tools they had at their exposal.
Of course i still look handsome. I'll always look handsome
There's plenty of good CGI today. People just don't know it's CGI because it's done so well, and goes unnoticed, especially environmental stuff. The bad stuff sticks out.
1:55 it’s this shit, when he ignites to show his power... that’s fucking awesome, and the sound design makes it extra intense, especially when you’re watching in a theatre!
Flexing
Legolas: “Remind me again why we left Glorfindel the balrog slayer at home?”
He killed the Balrog before he even came back from Mandos and became EVEN more powerful. And the dude does absolutely nothing throughout the books. He just stands there AFK. (actually, Glorfindel's Fae is so big that it's impossible to play stealth with him, so taking him on a mission that requires stealth is a really bad idea)
I’ve seen this movie more times than I can count and this scene still gives me chills
YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!! Ian McKellen deserved an Oscar for just that sentence! He did not get it, but he will be always remembered for just that scene - and of course much more! He will remain the best Gandalf ever! Besides Viggo Mortensen´s Aragorn he is the real star of the LOTR movies. This was an inspired piece of casting by Peter Jackson.
Prof Horace Slughorn defeated him in the oscars lol
@@karlojabevicente5139 , this is ridiculous! What a shame! Gandalf is clearly a much better wizard 😉
Love the way the Balrog snorts contemptuously in response to Gandalf's spell before stepping onto the bridge
@@timovangalen1589 , yup, I have heard that Balrogs are very proud creatures, and they are not at all stupid! Even after the part of the bridge it was standing on, crumbled, it noticed that Gandalf had been careless for just a second - at the Balrog used it's whip masterfully! Whenever I watch this scene, I want to shout: "Gandalf, watch out for that whip!!!". But the outcome never changes 😉
I really want to know how first time viewers will react, who have neither read the books nor watched the animated incomplete LOTR movie from 1978. They must think that Gandalf had won that battle against the Balrog - and then comes the whip out of the deep chasm...
The CGI of this scene holds up even today, incredible
Ya... they took their time with this truly Epic scene... but then the entire film industry got watered down with cheap MCU fast food CGI...
When Gandalf catches his sword in mid air he looks so bad ass, remember this scene from my childhood always
The sword making that hum adds to the badassery
I remember watching the second movie for the first time
Thinking to myself
Oh they are doing a flashback
Oh they are going to show what happened to Gandalf
Omg the man is fighting a demon while falling mid air
How god damn bad ass is that.
Now that's how you start a movie.
Best sequence of the entire trilogy. When he's fighting him in free fall and we get the wide angle shot of them falling into a massive chasm--perfection. This far exceeded what I had imagined when I read the books.
Man, this has stood the test of time. It's one of my favorite cinematic scenes ever.
1:20 It is even more terryfying, when you realize, Gandalf at this moment saw his own close relative - the Balrog - after several thousands of years and discovered, what has become of it, serving the Morgoth. Imagine, you see your own cousin after like 20 years, to learn, he has become insane psychopatic monster and if you do not act carefuly, you will end up the very same way...
I fully agree. And I am pretty sure, this scene might very well be THE (cinematic) scene displaying the "impossible" and unimaginable powers that exist in the Lord of the Rings universe. Sure Sauron in the beginning was immensely powerful (as he was a Maiar, just like Gandalf and the Balrogs, and at the height of his power at the time, if I recall correctly. And he had the one ring, which amplified them even further), but I doubt he used his full powers, as he only fought mortal men and elves in that battle and therefore might have thought, he did not need to use all of his powers.
Not only that, Gandalf saw a mirror of himself in Durin's Bane albeit very briefly of what he would have become had he joined Morgoth in rebellion against Eru and the Valar
0:39 How my dad used to sound at 5am in the morning clearing his throat.
That's how I've sounded for the past five years... after me and my ex-wife had our daughter.
This is literally the most badass scene i have ever seen
These special effects are still incredible 20 years later.
Timeless movies.
This will forever be the most badass thing I’ve ever seen
The music is so intense when he's falling with the Balrog! It gives me chills every time.
Lord of the Rings has so many unbelievably epic moments. The speeches before and after the battles, the individual efforts of the characters, the 1 on 1 dialogue, and the grand scope of the battles are all breath-taking. I was 10 years old when I saw this scene for the first time in 2001. It did more for me emotionally than any other moment from any other film/show I'd seen at that point. I got chill bumps then watching it and I still do to this day. Even as a kid who didn't understand what Gandalf was meaning when he's on the bridge, it just SOUNDED emotional.
Something special knowing that this was all happening with Gandalf using the king of Gondolin's sword. Turgon.
The very sword that survived the events of the Fall of Gondolin. The context behind everything gives this fight a larger meaning knowing that it was Gothmog and his balrogs alongside dragons that would lead the charge to Gondolin's destruction.
This was revenge. >:)
When Gandalf picks up Glamdring and it does that sound like a burning metal, I like to think the sword is in rage waiting to avenge her former master and all the elves who died by the balrogs in Gondolin, and Gandalf joins Ecthelion and Glorfindel, the three dudes who went down as absolute beasts
Was that explained in the books? I don't remember it
“From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought the Balrog of Morgoth... until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside~”
While we others cried because we thought Gandalf was dead, we had no idea he was quite alive fighting the Balrog.
For 10 days straight
1:55 When balrog flexed showing off his badassness. Still gives me chills.
LOTR epic scenes: Let's make a masterpiece, with great visuals and music.
Today's "epic" scenes: Haha big explosion go boom boom
The look on Legolas’s face because he knows exactly what Gandalf is talking about
My fav line.
“YOU SHALL NOT PASS!”
LOTR was made 2 decades ago yet the special effects remain amazing. This franchise is pure cinematic magic
1:55 was one of my favorite parts, just the way he shows himself to prove his height and power
2:50 almost 20 years still unmatched
Gandalf: "Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smoked his *ASS* upon the mountainside."
Dude, definitely lit up some pipeweed with those evil embers shortly after.
the sound when he catches his sword mid fall sends chills down my spine. I love this scene so much!
1:01 scariest part.
Imagine being there and seeing that but without gandalf there
That Balrog roar tho!!!
Thanks
It really sound like the raging flames
Every time a new Rings of Power episode airs I dont watch it and just come back here to watch this instead
Hmm ... a Balrog was described as being able to fly by Tolkien himself.
"Thus [the dwarves] roused from sleep a thing of terror that, flying from Thangorodrim, had lain hidden at the foundations of the earth since the coming of the Host of the West: a Balrog of Morgoth."
I don't presume he flew on a commercial airliner?!
Balrogs didn't really use their wings in flight as in actual locomotion through the air. More like for powered jumps in most adaptations. In this case ''flying'' probably means ''fleeing'' as even in this video Gandalf tells the fellowship to ''fly'' (flee) over the bridge.
@@cerberusrex5275 Exactly, and even then, this Balrog loses that ability as well. If you notice after the impact with the wall that knocks Gandalf out of the Balrog's hand and allows him to grab onto it's horn, the impact from that crash has actually broken one of the Balrog's wings.
Also, you’ll notice that there’s no membrane between the “fingers” of his wings. His wings generate some form of smoke as it describes that their wings are the manifestation of darkness but not necessarily physical. So, they gave it flightless wings that generate a dark smoke for what I assume is the “darkness.”
The word “flying” in that context could mean “fled from”, meaning that the Balrog ran from the volcanos of Thangorodrim and hid within the Misty Mountains after Morgoth’s defeat, presumably in order to hide from the Valar.
Unotch Gandalf: fly you fools!
Did the party grow wings? I think not hehe. Just saying I think along with the rest of the replies that fly is just used as a “to flee”
That moment where Gandalf grabs hold of the Balrog's horn like "nah bitch I ain't going nowhere" is just so fkn metal.
3:01
I love the humming/whistling sound of Glamdring as it falls. Like a silent scream of righteous fury as the Foe Hammer seeks out the hand of he who will take it into battle.
Best opening to a sequel movie ever, you cannot change my mind
I remember watching this in a theater. It was incredible.
This moment made me realize what their jobs were: destroy the ring. All other duty’s weren’t useful. Their jobs weren’t to kill Balrogs or orcs or be heroes. Their jobs were to die for one another passing the ring on and on until it reached the fires