His voice is magical, but i do think he read this too fast. Perhaps because he wasn't necessarily reading it as if to narrate it audiobook style, but just reading a passage to an interviewer. In proper audio book style, i'd want him to narrate all books ever. You've likely seen, or heard his interviews about the books, i wish we still spoke with such eloquence and depth today, and that fantastic old English accent, made even cooler by recording equipment of the day. The closest we have was Ian McKellen , or Christopher Lee.
@@jackpowell9276The speed here I think is fine. It fits the tempo of the scene, Theoden is acting in haste here, and the Rohirrim follow that speed and fury with the flow of the text.
That and his deep Catholic faith enforcing that dread. Tolkien putting emphasis on that phrase is so powerful. Not to mention that must have mirrored the dread vets like him felt watching the Second World War. I prefer the Jewish faith but without a doubt his Catholicism is what give these stories an intense weight.
“Merry himself felt as if a great weight of horror and doubt had settled on him. His heart beat slowly. Time seemed poised in uncertainty.” Such simple yet immovably tense language. I study the First World War and it’s sometimes cliché to overly refer to the relationship between Tolkien’s writing and the war, however you can so easily apply these lines to someone waiting to go over the top and attack. Feeling those agonising seconds tick by as you wait for the order as you are consumed by dread and doubt. The simplicity of the language is so effective to reflect these moments when the vast scale of it all peels away and all that one has is their own tension and apprehension. Tolkien’s lived experience of this allows him to access what it really feels like in ways few others could.
"There Théoden fell, Thengling mighty, to his golden halls and green pastures in the Northern fields never returning, high lord of the host." May his brilliant actor rest in peace eternal.
“But at that same moment there was a flash, as if lightning had sprung from the earth beneath the City. For a searing second it stood dazzling far off in black and white, its topmost tower like a glittering needle: and then as the darkness closed again there came rolling over the fields a great boom. At that sound the bent shape of the king sprang suddenly erect. Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before: Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! With that he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains. Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first éored roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and the darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.”
Yeah. Theoden is sometimes overlooked. Only twice Tolkien compares any incarnate to Orome (Fingolfin and Theoden). And the fact that he did the same thing as Eorl his ancestor, only with far greater importance and risk and urgency. From the times he is healed by Gandalf, it's just been 2 weeks, and he fought a battle and then rode for 5 days
Rest in Peace Theoden King! You go to your fathers. And even in their mighty company you shall not now be ashamed. Goodbye. You brought wonder and amazement to your roles and the world will not be the same without you.
My father has been a horseman his whole life. Cowboy, horse trainer, steer wrestler, calf roper, you name it he’s done it. In the words of Tolkien, the visuals of Peter Jackson and the music of Howard Shore I see an an old man, bent by age and grief reborn on the back of a horse riding headlong to meet his mortality, untethered by fear or shame. The best death a horse lord could ask for.
"Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old" what a line man! I get emotional everytime I watch this
R.I.P Bernard Hill, Only one man could have played King Theoden. I can't quite explain how powerful this scene is to me. The fact that Theodens army arrive too late and see the city is breached and on fire, they are hopelessly outnumbered and they know they cannot win, if they fall here all that is good in the world will be overcome, everyone they know and love will be killed or enslaved, yet still they choose to ride against the enemy. It's the greatest scene in cinema history and it gives me chills every time. The LOTR movies adaptations are the only book adaptations i have ever seen that are just as good as their source material just in a different way, whoever did the casting for the movies did a fantastic job because i literally cannot imagine any other actor player any other character.
3:37 And there rode Eowyn unknown, with Meriadoc astride her steed before her, and the fury of battle sang in her blood and erupted in the fierce scream of her voice, as her hatred of the Orc and of the host of Mordor overtook her, and the sound of that scream, loud and shrill amd hot with rage, more terrible than the hoofbeats of many horses, or the bite of her steel or the clamour of war itself, caused many Yrch to cast down their arms, and to fall to their knees and to cover their ears in terror and deathly fright, and Eowyn took their heads as she flew past.
This right here, along with Howard Shore’s score, is EXACTLY why these movies should never be remade. There is no one who will ever exist who can do Tolkien’s works more justice than Peter Jackson did. And it’s simply because Jackson looked at the books and instead of doing what modern Hollywood does in changing them to “fit modern audiences”, he understood the sheer perfection that he was reading and just ripped so many scenes word for word straight out of them. I can hear Theoden’s voice from the movie shouting this speech as Tolkien reads it. Bernard Hill did such a good job here and so did Jackson in directing it: seeing the helicopter shot of Theoden leading the charge as Tolkien describes it shows just how much Jackson purely copied the books, and this; along with the actors chosen, the score, Weta designing hundreds of thousands of pieces of real weapons and armor, and everything else that went into making this trilogy just shows how perfect honoring a classic work can be instead of changing it
Like I get it I really love the movies but it's not like they're that faithful to the actual books. There are no elves at Helm's Deep Gandalf doesn't show up with a mirror and writers to save the day a mere fights with Aragorn at the hornburg. Most of the armor used is not accurate because they aren't ever described as wearing plate armor. The movies are absolutely amazing and obviously they can't convey the full detail that the book does it's a lot of things get mashed together. But it is disingenuous to say that the movies are super accurate
@@davidm.corbin4643 you just nitpicked insanely minor details that Jackson used that had absolutely 0 impact on the story told. Come on man. Every single little detail doesn’t need to be EXACTLY ripped from the book. It’s ok if 95% of the movie is direct from the books and like 5% director creativity (if it doesn’t conflict with the story). Which is literally what the whole trilogy is. Who cares that there weren’t elves at helms deep in the book? How does that change anything that happens plot-wise in the movie? It doesn’t. They’re just there for some added flare and it’s fine and makes the battle even more epic… The movies ARE super accurate…you’re literally complaining about the most minor insignificant nitpicks you could possibly find. You’re seriously gonna say that because Tolkien never specifically described plate armor, that means that no one should have plate armor in the movie? Are you kidding? Lol. And Gandalf doesn’t come to helms deep with a mirror…wtf are you on? God forbid Jackson shows some badass cinematography and have the sun at the good guys’ backs when they arrive. That’s called a theme…and it echoes throughout the whole trilogy. Good guys = light and sun, bad guys = darkness and clouds…Tolkien HIMSELF describes how the forces of Mordor can’t move without the cover of darkness IN THE BOOKS. So Jackson is literally just reinforcing this theme in the epic moments like the finale of helms deep… Honestly you just sound like you tried your best to not like the movies at all and the reasons you picked are honestly the most stupid, insignificant details you could’ve possibly picked that have absolutely no bearing on the story whatsoever Lol. Certain things from the books require pure imagination to conceive and wouldn’t translate well onto a movie screen, or would even be impossible to show on a movie screen because of how fantastical they are. For example, I would’ve loved to see Tom Bombadil on screen…but after rereading that section in the book…it would literally be impossible to bring to screen. You literally can’t 1:1 a fantasy book to a movie when a writer such as Tolkien uses words to plant images of beings that are only imaginable and not able to even be performed with camera tricks like Tom and Goldberry. Honoring the work and story by translating everything that can be put to screen, while adding in minor flares of creativity is all Jackson could do and it’s what he did perfectly with the movies. You should stop trying to look for every single insignificant difference from the books that don’t matter to the story at all. My dad did this when Fellowship of the Ring came out. And his brother explained all this to him and he was able to appreciate how well made the following 2 movies were/are because he stopped looking for EVERY single detail from the books… God forbid we give people plate armor just because Tolkien never specifically mentioned it in the book as if he was trying to create a historical military story instead of a fantasy story literally written for his own children…God forbid we have the sun shining behind Gandalf and Eomer, SHOWING (not telling, like every studio does in modern times) the good guys have arrived to save the day…the movies are as accurate to the books as you can possibly ever get and that’s why they’re so good. Yes they can be accurate while still adding things like plate armor into the movie…I honestly can’t even believe you tried to use that as an argument Lol. How does anything that you listed affect the overall plot and story at all? Just re-read your comment and honestly ask yourself this.
@@RaceZeus So you must like the RIngs of Power too? Since changing the details of the book doesn't really matter. As long as the THEME is there. There's a ton of changes that occurred in the movies and it's a fair criticism to say they are not accurate to the book. I'm sorry you've so devoted your life to these movies that you think they're beyond criticism. The Grey Company is left out of the story; Aragorn's kin who play a vital part of the story. Prince Imrahill of Dol Armoth is left out. They leave out the,The Drúedain. Those men of wild country who helped lead the Muster of Rohan around an ambush prepared by Sauron to stop aid coming to Gondor. Leaving out Tom Bombadil is a major pothole because they don't show the hobbits getting the Barrow wight blades, specifically Forge by the men of numenor to fight the witch King. It's what allows Mary to stab the witch-king in his ankle distracting him long enough for Eowin to slay him. The army of the Dead doesn't show up at the Battle of pelennor to save Rohan and Gondors forces. They replaced glorfindel THE GREATEST ELF LORD with Arywin. The LEFT OUT Elronds sons! It's not 95% accurate to the books at all. It's like 60-70%. They're still great movies and I own all three extended edition box sets. But I know they're not 100% accurate to the books. As for the Sun nonsense; the Fighting Urk-hai are not weakend by the Sun. It's literally how they caught the fellowship by being able to run all day in the Sun. Legolas shoots a fell beast on the eastern Shore. It's why the fellowship lands on the western shore near Amon Hen.
@@davidm.corbin4643 where did I ever say that butchering the original work by changing EVERYTHING is acceptable like Rings of Power did? Nowhere. I’m not going to have an argument with someone who’s literally glossing over my points, not fully reading them, or purposefully twisting my words just to have a fight. Let me simplify it for you since you clearly didn’t read what I said. I’ll even capitalize it for you to highlight the parts you can skip to since you clearly just skim what I write. (Don’t call me “angry” for capitalizing like everyone does on the internet…I’m simply capitalizing to emphasize my points that you clearly keep missing) CHANGING MINUTE DETAILS THAT DONT AFFECT THE STORY, SUCH AS THE LIGHTING BACKDROP OF A SCENE OR CHARACTERS USING FUCKING PLATE ARMOR, IS OK AS LONG AS THE DIRECTOR IS HONORING THE STORY AND PLOT BEING TOLD IN THE OTHER 99% OF THE FILM. Peter Jackson did this. Rings of Power is a joke that LITERALLY did the opposite. They changed important STORY AND PLOT elements…and that’s why it sucks. Jackson HONORED the story and plot and threw in some visual flare and you’re just complaining about that for whatever reason. I’m sorry that you can’t grasp this simple concept and that the movie doesn’t look EXACTLY like how you imagined it in your head when you read it as a kid…but that’s a personal problem. It has nothing to do with how well made the movies are. You just have a personal issue with them for whatever reason. Also…I said orcs can’t move by day…I never said Uruk hai…I said using the sun to represent the good guys is the theme…honestly you don’t even read what I type so idk why I’m even bothering with you. You’re just nitpicking.
@@davidm.corbin4643 Everything in the books are not in the movies, but the things that the movies show are very faithful to the books. Somethings are pretty different - Saruman - but these things were not changed for the sake of changing something. And to adress the "sun" nonsense u are talking about. The books have a heavy emphasis on the power of the light vs the dark. When Gandalf rescues Faramir against the scariest beings mordor has to offer, the ringwraiths. He does not throw fireballs or zapps them with lightning - he burns them with light.
Lord, if tolkien got to see the fruits of his labor and love, id pay a limb to see the expression on his face: the beautiful magic that is howard shore, and Peter jackson and EVERYONE that worked on the trilogy. He would be so happy
A great point! I always loved these books, but after I read Beowulf I better appreciate the poetic beauty of the scop-like word choice and meter. And just the general way he told this story overall.
Something I'm interested in is that when he reads Theodén's parts he does so in a very thick accent. He knew a lot about Old English, so I wonder if he was actually pronouncing modern English with Old English phonology as the 'accent' of the character. Especially all those short vowels, such saying "day" as "de" and "shiëld shallé be splinteréd."
I never realised what a wonderfully resonant voice JRR Tolkien had. It's wonderful. This is one of my favourite scenes in both books and films - hearing it read by the writer is beautiful.
I know what people say and Christopher Tolkien wasn’t fans of them but I can’t see Tolkien not loving these films. They portray everything so perfectly hell you can see the look of dismay given by theoden and how he shrugs it off is how I always imagined it it’s perfect.
This scene in particular is one of the reasons why Tolkien would most probably NOT like the films - the movies took one of the most epic passages in fantasy and cut out some of the key elements: 1. Overcoming doubt - with the entire siege shot in daylight, rather than in darkness caused by the thick clouds created by Sauron, the overwhelming gloom and soul-crushing despair of knowing Minas Tirith is about to fall (or may even already have fallen) weighing on Théoden is completely lost. There is no "late is worse than never" moment for Théoden to overcome, and imho, that's a shame. 2. Self-sacrifice for friendship's sake - the main reason I hate Théoden's movie speech with a passion is them replacing his "Ride now! Ride now, ride to Gondor!" battlecry with the semi-suicidal "Death!". It goes contrary to Théoden's whole motivation for being there - he isn't there to die, he's there to fulfill the Oath of Eorl and aid his ally, Gondor, in their hour of need - at the cost of his own life, if necessary. Contracting Théoden's heroic and inspiring battlecry with Éomer's later (after thinking his uncle and sister are dead) despairing moment of madness was one of PJ's greatest mistakes, imho, as it diminishes both characters. 3. Théoden's competence as a leader - movie Théoden is utterly incompetent as a field commander, giving away the element of surprise completely by announcing his arrival with horns, then drawing up in full view of the enemy (who, remember, outnumber him 10 to 1) to give a speech, thereby giving Sauron's forces time to prepare a defensive formation, which causes the death of unnecessary numbers of riders to defensive arrow fire. That, and how it was shot smacked of Braveheart. Eugh. In the book, Théoden uses the cover of darkness (see above) to silently order his éoreds into positions from which they can smash into the unexpecting flanks of the besieging forces, he gives his (far superior) battlecry, and only then, immediately before the charge, the Rohirrim announce their presence by "lifting up their horns in music". This way, Sauron's forces have no idea what is about to hit them and losses are minimized. 4. The victory of light over darkness - again, following from their decision to shoot the whole thing in daylight and dispense with Sauron's gloom, the emotional impact of the light of morning cutting through the darkness of despair is also completely lost. All that, and I'll never forgive PJ for cutting out Théoden blasting Guthláf's horn asunder and the host singing as they slay. So many wasted opportunities in this scene alone, it's tragic.
@@HerrRoehrich fair I only have to disagree with the “late is worse than never moment” or at least the hopelessness if you rewatch it there’s a moment where he looks distraught almost hopeless and then just sort of grunts and begins to give out orders. I don’t think the movies are perfect but I definitely think that PJ did amazing at adapting what he could.
Hail, Theoden King! For now you have gone to the halls of your fathers, but know that you did not go in vain my dear king. Your sacrifice was not in vain for the peoples of middle earth came together and defeated the evils of which you fought so hard against for so long. Rest now for your duty is done. Rest in peace, bernard hill.
It baffles me to think that Tolkien originally thought that this scene was "Bad." I heard he was originally gonna scrap the scene until a friend of his let him burrow his tape recorder and read the scene out loud. He ultimately changed his mind and kept the scene. I may be wrong, but it's just what i heard.
I know it didn't happen and John Ronald Reul Tolklien wrote a tale ,and what a tale, but as a proud son of Northumbria and an Angle ,Saxon with Danish and Norse blood running through my veines,it sort of stirs the blood,unlike Rings of Power which couldn't stir a tea cup
I hope i can have something of myself in this life time that i can read or do perfectly and proudly like Tolkien reads the chapter of his own masterpiece . This is a life well lived.
This may be an unpopular opinion but this passage is why I think Bernard Hill (may he rest in peace) was woefully miscast as Théoden. He was just too young! Théoden was an old man (by Rohan standards), rising for one last glorious charge to honor his oath of friendship to Gondor, knowing it will be his last, instead of retreating to Dunharrow and letting younger men do the fighting. Even Gandalf is surprised at this willing self-sacrifice. And then that old man goes on to be a complete unit in battle, bursting a horn by blowing so hard, outrunning every single younger rider, killing the Haradrim chieftain and his banner-bearer single-handedly, and shrugging off the Witch-King's terror to attempt to rally his men, only to be crushed by his horse in the end. And then, before he dies, he still manages to be a kindly old man regretful he can't talk herb-lore with Merry as he had promised. Hill's Théoden by comparison isn't nearly at the end of his natural lifespan, he's pretty much still of fighting age. I think this diminishes the emotional impact of all the things he does in the films, as that is literally what you'd expect a king in his (late) prime to do. That he doesn't act nearly as wisely as book Théoden doesn't help, but that isn't on Hill, of course.
I wish Tolkien could have recorded an entire unabridged audiobook collection of the trilogy. Hearing him read this is magic.
His voice is magical, but i do think he read this too fast. Perhaps because he wasn't necessarily reading it as if to narrate it audiobook style, but just reading a passage to an interviewer. In proper audio book style, i'd want him to narrate all books ever. You've likely seen, or heard his interviews about the books, i wish we still spoke with such eloquence and depth today, and that fantastic old English accent, made even cooler by recording equipment of the day. The closest we have was Ian McKellen , or Christopher Lee.
@@jackpowell9276The speed here I think is fine. It fits the tempo of the scene, Theoden is acting in haste here, and the Rohirrim follow that speed and fury with the flow of the text.
True, but i can settle with Andy Serkis and still be happy
He wasn't a big fan of technology. Before his first audio recording, he insisted on recording the Lord's Prayer first to ward off demons.
@@jackpowell9276 Nah, it was a perfect pase, now that I read it along with him.
"Too late was worse than never" coming from a veteran of the Somme who watched his friends killed in front of him is just terrible and true.
That and his deep Catholic faith enforcing that dread. Tolkien putting emphasis on that phrase is so powerful. Not to mention that must have mirrored the dread vets like him felt watching the Second World War.
I prefer the Jewish faith but without a doubt his Catholicism is what give these stories an intense weight.
“Merry himself felt as if a great weight of horror and doubt had settled on him. His heart beat slowly. Time seemed poised in uncertainty.”
Such simple yet immovably tense language. I study the First World War and it’s sometimes cliché to overly refer to the relationship between Tolkien’s writing and the war, however you can so easily apply these lines to someone waiting to go over the top and attack. Feeling those agonising seconds tick by as you wait for the order as you are consumed by dread and doubt. The simplicity of the language is so effective to reflect these moments when the vast scale of it all peels away and all that one has is their own tension and apprehension. Tolkien’s lived experience of this allows him to access what it really feels like in ways few others could.
It’s such a fucking great line
Christ. Didn't expect this to tear me up. Never heard him speak before, this is really special
so it's not just me. a lump in my throat each time I listen to this
Nor have I. He has a great reading voice.
Glad to not be alone in this. Tears rolled down on my cheeks before I knew it.
Im not cry, you are cry
“Perhaps Theoden would quail, bow his old head and slink away.” Oh, I think not.
"There Théoden fell, Thengling mighty,
to his golden halls and green pastures
in the Northern fields never returning,
high lord of the host."
May his brilliant actor rest in peace eternal.
What a shame that Tolkein never recorded himself reading all of his books from start to finish. This is absolutely magical.
“But at that same moment there was a flash, as if lightning had sprung from the earth beneath the City. For a searing second it stood dazzling far off in black and white, its topmost tower like a glittering needle: and then as the darkness closed again there came rolling over the fields a great boom.
At that sound the bent shape of the king sprang suddenly erect. Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before: Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! With that he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains. Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first éored roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and the darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.”
The world needs more like King Theoden.
This is based on Jan III Sobieski relieving the siege of Vienna so there was at least one like Theoden.
wut you mean, we got biden!!!!!!!
“Imagine a king who fights his own battles. Wouldn’t that be a sight?”
@@bobtony6036 he has hairy legs
Yeah.
Theoden is sometimes overlooked. Only twice Tolkien compares any incarnate to Orome (Fingolfin and Theoden).
And the fact that he did the same thing as Eorl his ancestor, only with far greater importance and risk and urgency. From the times he is healed by Gandalf, it's just been 2 weeks, and he fought a battle and then rode for 5 days
Just heard the actor who played Theoden, Bernard Hill passed away. I came back to hear this and honor him.
Me too
Rest in Peace Theoden King! You go to your fathers. And even in their mighty company you shall not now be ashamed. Goodbye. You brought wonder and amazement to your roles and the world will not be the same without you.
My father has been a horseman his whole life. Cowboy, horse trainer, steer wrestler, calf roper, you name it he’s done it. In the words of Tolkien, the visuals of Peter Jackson and the music of Howard Shore I see an an old man, bent by age and grief reborn on the back of a horse riding headlong to meet his mortality, untethered by fear or shame. The best death a horse lord could ask for.
"Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old" what a line man! I get emotional everytime I watch this
Tha speech always brings tears to my eyes
The world needs more Tolkien.
writers like Tolkien come along once in a generation at best. I doubt we will ever see another 'Tolkien' in our life time
R.I.P Bernard Hill, Only one man could have played King Theoden. I can't quite explain how powerful this scene is to me. The fact that Theodens army arrive too late and see the city is breached and on fire, they are hopelessly outnumbered and they know they cannot win, if they fall here all that is good in the world will be overcome, everyone they know and love will be killed or enslaved, yet still they choose to ride against the enemy. It's the greatest scene in cinema history and it gives me chills every time. The LOTR movies adaptations are the only book adaptations i have ever seen that are just as good as their source material just in a different way, whoever did the casting for the movies did a fantastic job because i literally cannot imagine any other actor player any other character.
3:37 And there rode Eowyn unknown, with Meriadoc astride her steed before her, and the fury of battle sang in her blood and erupted in the fierce scream of her voice, as her hatred of the Orc and of the host of Mordor overtook her, and the sound of that scream, loud and shrill amd hot with rage, more terrible than the hoofbeats of many horses, or the bite of her steel or the clamour of war itself, caused many Yrch to cast down their arms, and to fall to their knees and to cover their ears in terror and deathly fright, and Eowyn took their heads as she flew past.
Is this part in the books? I dont remember it
Its epic
@@curtisleitch4328 I don't think it is. I might have come up with that myself, I don't remember....
@@Robert_Douglass hahah well You should write some fantasy! Or maybe you already do?
@curtisleitch4328 No, you don't find out Eowyn is there until later.
The professor wrote these words for you. He knew there would come a night when you would need to hear them.
Go forth and fear no darkness.
Arise Arise!
"Then suddenly Merry felt it at last, beyond doubt: a change."
I bid you, stand! Men of the West!
What beautiful, beautiful language. Every single word plays its part and adds to the enormity and power of this scene.
This right here, along with Howard Shore’s score, is EXACTLY why these movies should never be remade. There is no one who will ever exist who can do Tolkien’s works more justice than Peter Jackson did. And it’s simply because Jackson looked at the books and instead of doing what modern Hollywood does in changing them to “fit modern audiences”, he understood the sheer perfection that he was reading and just ripped so many scenes word for word straight out of them. I can hear Theoden’s voice from the movie shouting this speech as Tolkien reads it. Bernard Hill did such a good job here and so did Jackson in directing it: seeing the helicopter shot of Theoden leading the charge as Tolkien describes it shows just how much Jackson purely copied the books, and this; along with the actors chosen, the score, Weta designing hundreds of thousands of pieces of real weapons and armor, and everything else that went into making this trilogy just shows how perfect honoring a classic work can be instead of changing it
Like I get it I really love the movies but it's not like they're that faithful to the actual books. There are no elves at Helm's Deep Gandalf doesn't show up with a mirror and writers to save the day a mere fights with Aragorn at the hornburg. Most of the armor used is not accurate because they aren't ever described as wearing plate armor. The movies are absolutely amazing and obviously they can't convey the full detail that the book does it's a lot of things get mashed together. But it is disingenuous to say that the movies are super accurate
@@davidm.corbin4643 you just nitpicked insanely minor details that Jackson used that had absolutely 0 impact on the story told. Come on man. Every single little detail doesn’t need to be EXACTLY ripped from the book. It’s ok if 95% of the movie is direct from the books and like 5% director creativity (if it doesn’t conflict with the story). Which is literally what the whole trilogy is. Who cares that there weren’t elves at helms deep in the book? How does that change anything that happens plot-wise in the movie? It doesn’t. They’re just there for some added flare and it’s fine and makes the battle even more epic…
The movies ARE super accurate…you’re literally complaining about the most minor insignificant nitpicks you could possibly find. You’re seriously gonna say that because Tolkien never specifically described plate armor, that means that no one should have plate armor in the movie? Are you kidding? Lol.
And Gandalf doesn’t come to helms deep with a mirror…wtf are you on? God forbid Jackson shows some badass cinematography and have the sun at the good guys’ backs when they arrive. That’s called a theme…and it echoes throughout the whole trilogy. Good guys = light and sun, bad guys = darkness and clouds…Tolkien HIMSELF describes how the forces of Mordor can’t move without the cover of darkness IN THE BOOKS. So Jackson is literally just reinforcing this theme in the epic moments like the finale of helms deep…
Honestly you just sound like you tried your best to not like the movies at all and the reasons you picked are honestly the most stupid, insignificant details you could’ve possibly picked that have absolutely no bearing on the story whatsoever Lol.
Certain things from the books require pure imagination to conceive and wouldn’t translate well onto a movie screen, or would even be impossible to show on a movie screen because of how fantastical they are.
For example, I would’ve loved to see Tom Bombadil on screen…but after rereading that section in the book…it would literally be impossible to bring to screen. You literally can’t 1:1 a fantasy book to a movie when a writer such as Tolkien uses words to plant images of beings that are only imaginable and not able to even be performed with camera tricks like Tom and Goldberry. Honoring the work and story by translating everything that can be put to screen, while adding in minor flares of creativity is all Jackson could do and it’s what he did perfectly with the movies.
You should stop trying to look for every single insignificant difference from the books that don’t matter to the story at all. My dad did this when Fellowship of the Ring came out. And his brother explained all this to him and he was able to appreciate how well made the following 2 movies were/are because he stopped looking for EVERY single detail from the books…
God forbid we give people plate armor just because Tolkien never specifically mentioned it in the book as if he was trying to create a historical military story instead of a fantasy story literally written for his own children…God forbid we have the sun shining behind Gandalf and Eomer, SHOWING (not telling, like every studio does in modern times) the good guys have arrived to save the day…the movies are as accurate to the books as you can possibly ever get and that’s why they’re so good. Yes they can be accurate while still adding things like plate armor into the movie…I honestly can’t even believe you tried to use that as an argument Lol.
How does anything that you listed affect the overall plot and story at all? Just re-read your comment and honestly ask yourself this.
@@RaceZeus So you must like the RIngs of Power too? Since changing the details of the book doesn't really matter. As long as the THEME is there. There's a ton of changes that occurred in the movies and it's a fair criticism to say they are not accurate to the book. I'm sorry you've so devoted your life to these movies that you think they're beyond criticism.
The Grey Company is left out of the story; Aragorn's kin who play a vital part of the story. Prince Imrahill of Dol Armoth is left out. They leave out the,The Drúedain. Those men of wild country who helped lead the Muster of Rohan around an ambush prepared by Sauron to stop aid coming to Gondor.
Leaving out Tom Bombadil is a major pothole because they don't show the hobbits getting the Barrow wight blades, specifically Forge by the men of numenor to fight the witch King. It's what allows Mary to stab the witch-king in his ankle distracting him long enough for Eowin to slay him. The army of the Dead doesn't show up at the Battle of pelennor to save Rohan and Gondors forces. They replaced glorfindel THE GREATEST ELF LORD with Arywin. The LEFT OUT Elronds sons!
It's not 95% accurate to the books at all. It's like 60-70%. They're still great movies and I own all three extended edition box sets.
But I know they're not 100% accurate to the books.
As for the Sun nonsense; the Fighting Urk-hai are not weakend by the Sun. It's literally how they caught the fellowship by being able to run all day in the Sun.
Legolas shoots a fell beast on the eastern Shore. It's why the fellowship lands on the western shore near Amon Hen.
@@davidm.corbin4643 where did I ever say that butchering the original work by changing EVERYTHING is acceptable like Rings of Power did? Nowhere. I’m not going to have an argument with someone who’s literally glossing over my points, not fully reading them, or purposefully twisting my words just to have a fight.
Let me simplify it for you since you clearly didn’t read what I said. I’ll even capitalize it for you to highlight the parts you can skip to since you clearly just skim what I write.
(Don’t call me “angry” for capitalizing like everyone does on the internet…I’m simply capitalizing to emphasize my points that you clearly keep missing)
CHANGING MINUTE DETAILS THAT DONT AFFECT THE STORY, SUCH AS THE LIGHTING BACKDROP OF A SCENE OR CHARACTERS USING FUCKING PLATE ARMOR, IS OK AS LONG AS THE DIRECTOR IS HONORING THE STORY AND PLOT BEING TOLD IN THE OTHER 99% OF THE FILM.
Peter Jackson did this. Rings of Power is a joke that LITERALLY did the opposite. They changed important STORY AND PLOT elements…and that’s why it sucks. Jackson HONORED the story and plot and threw in some visual flare and you’re just complaining about that for whatever reason.
I’m sorry that you can’t grasp this simple concept and that the movie doesn’t look EXACTLY like how you imagined it in your head when you read it as a kid…but that’s a personal problem. It has nothing to do with how well made the movies are. You just have a personal issue with them for whatever reason.
Also…I said orcs can’t move by day…I never said Uruk hai…I said using the sun to represent the good guys is the theme…honestly you don’t even read what I type so idk why I’m even bothering with you. You’re just nitpicking.
@@davidm.corbin4643 Everything in the books are not in the movies, but the things that the movies show are very faithful to the books.
Somethings are pretty different - Saruman - but these things were not changed for the sake of changing something.
And to adress the "sun" nonsense u are talking about. The books have a heavy emphasis on the power of the light vs the dark.
When Gandalf rescues Faramir against the scariest beings mordor has to offer, the ringwraiths. He does not throw fireballs or zapps them with lightning - he burns them with light.
Came here today to honor Bernard Hill. A true embodiment of Tolkien's Théoden. May he join his fathers.
Lord, if tolkien got to see the fruits of his labor and love, id pay a limb to see the expression on his face: the beautiful magic that is howard shore, and Peter jackson and EVERYONE that worked on the trilogy. He would be so happy
Watch this again when you've read Tolkien's translation of Beowulf -- this is him slipping into full Old English epic poetry mode
A great point! I always loved these books, but after I read Beowulf I better appreciate the poetic beauty of the scop-like word choice and meter. And just the general way he told this story overall.
I don't care what arragorns tax policy would be like
A question GRR Martin pondered.
The answer is simple. Fair.
Not too little, not too much.
Applied Justly. Because he was a good king.
@@infidelheretic923 And that is all we need to know.
The correct response is "how did the Lannisters prevent hyperinflation from their gold mines?"
Also a reminder that GRRM is incapable of imagining a world without taxes
@@MarvinT0606 I doubt they were producing modern mining levels of gold. With that, a normal inflationary rate is good for the economy.
Something I'm interested in is that when he reads Theodén's parts he does so in a very thick accent. He knew a lot about Old English, so I wonder if he was actually pronouncing modern English with Old English phonology as the 'accent' of the character. Especially all those short vowels, such saying "day" as "de" and "shiëld shallé be splinteréd."
I wish Tolkien had been able to do this for all of his books!
Theirs something special hearing Tolkien read this! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Hail the victorious dead!
Hail!!
I never realised what a wonderfully resonant voice JRR Tolkien had. It's wonderful. This is one of my favourite scenes in both books and films - hearing it read by the writer is beautiful.
If I ever need a good emotional release, I listen to this.
Rest easy, King of Rohan😢
Anyone else love how Tolkien says "boom"?
The Lord of the Rings is the single greatest tale ever told by our species!
I know what people say and Christopher Tolkien wasn’t fans of them but I can’t see Tolkien not loving these films. They portray everything so perfectly hell you can see the look of dismay given by theoden and how he shrugs it off is how I always imagined it it’s perfect.
This scene in particular is one of the reasons why Tolkien would most probably NOT like the films - the movies took one of the most epic passages in fantasy and cut out some of the key elements:
1. Overcoming doubt - with the entire siege shot in daylight, rather than in darkness caused by the thick clouds created by Sauron, the overwhelming gloom and soul-crushing despair of knowing Minas Tirith is about to fall (or may even already have fallen) weighing on Théoden is completely lost. There is no "late is worse than never" moment for Théoden to overcome, and imho, that's a shame.
2. Self-sacrifice for friendship's sake - the main reason I hate Théoden's movie speech with a passion is them replacing his "Ride now! Ride now, ride to Gondor!" battlecry with the semi-suicidal "Death!". It goes contrary to Théoden's whole motivation for being there - he isn't there to die, he's there to fulfill the Oath of Eorl and aid his ally, Gondor, in their hour of need - at the cost of his own life, if necessary. Contracting Théoden's heroic and inspiring battlecry with Éomer's later (after thinking his uncle and sister are dead) despairing moment of madness was one of PJ's greatest mistakes, imho, as it diminishes both characters.
3. Théoden's competence as a leader - movie Théoden is utterly incompetent as a field commander, giving away the element of surprise completely by announcing his arrival with horns, then drawing up in full view of the enemy (who, remember, outnumber him 10 to 1) to give a speech, thereby giving Sauron's forces time to prepare a defensive formation, which causes the death of unnecessary numbers of riders to defensive arrow fire. That, and how it was shot smacked of Braveheart. Eugh.
In the book, Théoden uses the cover of darkness (see above) to silently order his éoreds into positions from which they can smash into the unexpecting flanks of the besieging forces, he gives his (far superior) battlecry, and only then, immediately before the charge, the Rohirrim announce their presence by "lifting up their horns in music". This way, Sauron's forces have no idea what is about to hit them and losses are minimized.
4. The victory of light over darkness - again, following from their decision to shoot the whole thing in daylight and dispense with Sauron's gloom, the emotional impact of the light of morning cutting through the darkness of despair is also completely lost.
All that, and I'll never forgive PJ for cutting out Théoden blasting Guthláf's horn asunder and the host singing as they slay. So many wasted opportunities in this scene alone, it's tragic.
@@HerrRoehrich fair I only have to disagree with the “late is worse than never moment” or at least the hopelessness if you rewatch it there’s a moment where he looks distraught almost hopeless and then just sort of grunts and begins to give out orders. I don’t think the movies are perfect but I definitely think that PJ did amazing at adapting what he could.
@@HerrRoehrich whine whine whine get a job nerd
His writing was brilliant. The description made me understand and appreciate this moment even more wow
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You can do it!
o7
I love the detail of the flash and then the "great boom" seconds after. The man had seen explosions from a distance.
Global buff of 300% on all stats at that moment.
Absolutely wonderful!
Chills, every time
Hail, Theoden King! For now you have gone to the halls of your fathers, but know that you did not go in vain my dear king. Your sacrifice was not in vain for the peoples of middle earth came together and defeated the evils of which you fought so hard against for so long. Rest now for your duty is done. Rest in peace, bernard hill.
dude this is amazing, goosebumps and raised hairs.
bless that man.. thank you!
Now that Is good writing! It seems like perhaps Tolkien is a better writer than modern people.
Best video ever. I cry every time.
This video is heavily underrated
Dude I swear there was another version of this on RUclips but I cannot find it to save my life
same i cant find it
It was here but was taken down: ruclips.net/video/LWxnHuVEwUg/видео.html
Please do it again and you are allowed to clip tolkien.
i love the extra edits you have done. 9/10 total i just found something
What an incredible gift it is to have this.
Goosebumps on goosebumps, damn I can’t believe this is the first I’m hearing of Tolkien reading this passage
Great video!!! Greetings from Brasil.
This video pushed me over the edge. I'd been wanting to read LOTR for some time but I saw this and went out and bought the set with The Hobbit.
bro this is the most underrated thing ive ever seen
For Boromir - who saved the fellowship
BUT THEODEN Can Not be Over Taken !
Exactly. He is the leader
"Fey he seemed or the battle fury of his father's ran like new fire in his veins..."
I cry every time I read this…
It baffles me to think that Tolkien originally thought that this scene was "Bad." I heard he was originally gonna scrap the scene until a friend of his let him burrow his tape recorder and read the scene out loud. He ultimately changed his mind and kept the scene. I may be wrong, but it's just what i heard.
Absolute goosebumps
Holy fuck the goose bumps
Magical
Bravo!
Yes. i like this .
Thank you
I know it didn't happen and John Ronald Reul Tolklien wrote a tale ,and what a tale, but as a proud son of Northumbria and an Angle ,Saxon with Danish and Norse blood running through my veines,it sort of stirs the blood,unlike Rings of Power which couldn't stir a tea cup
I hope i can have something of myself in this life time that i can read or do perfectly and proudly like Tolkien reads the chapter of his own masterpiece .
This is a life well lived.
MAGICCCC
I wonder what his classroom lectures were like
If we could show him one scene from this movie, this would be it.
"Winged hussars arrived"
The best.
This may be an unpopular opinion but this passage is why I think Bernard Hill (may he rest in peace) was woefully miscast as Théoden. He was just too young!
Théoden was an old man (by Rohan standards), rising for one last glorious charge to honor his oath of friendship to Gondor, knowing it will be his last, instead of retreating to Dunharrow and letting younger men do the fighting. Even Gandalf is surprised at this willing self-sacrifice. And then that old man goes on to be a complete unit in battle, bursting a horn by blowing so hard, outrunning every single younger rider, killing the Haradrim chieftain and his banner-bearer single-handedly, and shrugging off the Witch-King's terror to attempt to rally his men, only to be crushed by his horse in the end. And then, before he dies, he still manages to be a kindly old man regretful he can't talk herb-lore with Merry as he had promised.
Hill's Théoden by comparison isn't nearly at the end of his natural lifespan, he's pretty much still of fighting age. I think this diminishes the emotional impact of all the things he does in the films, as that is literally what you'd expect a king in his (late) prime to do. That he doesn't act nearly as wisely as book Théoden doesn't help, but that isn't on Hill, of course.
Oh that I could write that well!!
No force on middle earth, before or since, could’ve broken that charge.
This would literally be like Jesus narrating the Bible.
Jesus f*ing Christ... No words.
God Tolkien misses nothing. I wish I could write like him.
Peter jackson done it good
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Spoken correctly the English language encompasses all things
The version without the music is better.
I dont want to be a dick but you are allowed to clip tolkien to fit the scenes
I can't hear him with the music in the background. Is there a version somewhere without the music?
ruclips.net/video/G6jhKEqtLxM/видео.html
I found this one ruclips.net/video/G6jhKEqtLxM/видео.html
Cronin Tunnel
and then Amazon try their shit compared to this...
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The Rohirrim.
Judeo-Christian Vikings without the Judeos or the Christians, and horses instead of longboats.
More like Saxons. Look at Eomer's Helm and the Sutton Hoo Helm.
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Best just listened to without the crap film
Honestly, this scene was better in the movie.
They not really comparable. Both are amazing.
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