True or not, we shouldn’t forget the factor of studio intervention. That’s one of the major reasons why Hollywood is having a writers strike, today, and rightfully so. I hope they get everything they want, so films can be respected as the art they are, like the Lord of the Rings trilogy is.
@@teleportedbreadfor3daysTo be totally fair, writing out of Hollywood hasn't been all that good in years. Rings of power writers wanted the series to "reflect the world we live in today" and they were making A FUCKING FANTACY SERIES, from a book that was written over 50 years ago😅
@@HK23783 And it doesn’t help that Rings of Power aired so conveniently after Christopher Tolkien died. There are things genuinely wrong with the series, but it’s hard to find somebody online who has reasons that are legitimate and not just from them being a white supremacist asswipe. I’m sure things will be different if the strike ends the way it should.
@@teleportedbreadfor3days I have read Silmarillion and ALL Tolkiens books for hundreds of times and this show was pure trash. I'd like to point out that Galadriel was not young at his point, in fact, she is Gil-Galadas AUNT, you know, the freaking high king of elves. And All the Numenorian characters were born OVER THOUSAND YEARS AFTER THE LAST RINGS WERE MADE, NOT BEFORE. 🙈
One of the many great subtle things about these movies: when Gandalf and Pippin are riding at first you hear parts of the Fellowship leitmotif, but the SECOND the pass the river and into the realm of Gondor, Gondors theme starts playing, and it's so seamless. Howard shore, you absolute lad.
It gets more interesting when Minas Tirith is revealed, the Gondor theme is initially inverted showing that something isn't quite right with the city, this is not the same Gondor as the past. But, as they ride through the city, the theme becomes gradually less inverted until it blares through at the top almost like it is awakening. If that is not enough to show you Howard Shore is a genius, I don't know what is.
I think they mentioned something in the commentary, about the poor guy who walks down to work in the morning, only to realize he forgot something at home several levels up.
(Warning:High As All Balls) Bro how the fuck do you make a riding scene so epic. Not much is being told visually story wise at least blatantly. The music is what lends this such a glorious journey. Its like a music video almost, and the tone changes depending what is being shone, as if communicating what is happening in feelings, this was really a complex scene of several messages through auditory sounds alone. Where every step and beat correlates to something and enhances it. Very hard to articulate, but its genius, a thing that makes it genius is Howard Shore and Peter dancing together mentally to be selectively relying on intuition and logic, but mainly letting their intuition to take shape into the scene. Intuition alone could accomplish this, for to calculate it individually is impossible, yet here we are..
“For the fashion of Minas Tirith was such that it was built on seven levels, each delved into the hill, and about each was set a wall, and in each wall was a gate. But the gates were not set in a line: the Great Gate in the City Wall was at the east point of the circuit, but the next faced half south, and the third half north, and so to and fro upwards; so that the paved way that climbed towards the Citadel turned first this way and then that across the face of the hill. And each time that it passed the line of the Great Gate it went through an arched tunnel, piercing a vast pier of rock whose huge out-thrust bulk divided in two all the circles of the City save the first. For partly in the primeval shaping of the hill, partly by the mighty craft and labour of old, there stood up from the rear of the wide court behind the Gate a towering bastion of stone, its edge sharp as a ship-keel facing east. Up it rose, even to the level of the topmost circle, and there was crowned by a battlement; so that those in the Citadel might, like mariners in a mountainous ship, look from its peak sheer down upon the Gate seven hundred feet below. The entrance to the Citadel also looked eastward, but was delved in the heart of the rock; thence a long lamp-lit slope ran up to the seventh gate. Thus men reached at last the High Court, and the place of the Fountain before the feet of the White Tower: tall and shapely, fifty fathoms from its base to the pinnacle, where the banner of the Stewards floated a thousand feet above the plain.” - Description of Minas Tirith from the book. With a picture of Minas Tirith firmly in my mind, I remember when I watched this in theatres in 2003. The whole hall held its collective breath and had its mouth open when Gandalf was climbing the different levels of Minas Tirith and when we see the top shot of the city, there was a cacophony of applause and cheers. Goosebumps to this day. The White City was EXACTLY as I had imagined it. This movie is the definition of epic. Tolkien would’ve approved of this scene.
I remember seeing the trailer for the first film in the cinema. There was a gasp from the audience when the two statues over the river came into shot. Even the trailer looked epic
0:24 when the music shifts and the White City revealed for the first time on screen after being mentioned many times in the last two films. Always gives me goosebumps
Same here. Although I ended up realizing that we actually see part of Minas Tirith in the first film when Gandalf goes to research the Ring and finds Isildur's account.
The bombastic triumphant stunning music building up while revealing Minas Tirith in all its splendour is just one the most beautiful and impressive movie scene ever made, epic!
Osgiliath was the original capital of Gondor until it was left in ruins by the forces of Sauron. It was built under the name of Minas Anor with the intentions of keeping Osgiliath guarded from the west, as Minas Morgul was from the East until it fell into enemy hands. Osgiliath then fell into ruin due to the kin-strife and the great plague and the capital was then Minas Anor renamed Minas Tirith.
Minas Anor was the original name of Minas Tirith. Osgiliath was never called Minas Anor. The Tower of the Sun and the Tower of the Moon were changed to names meaning "Tower of Guard" and "Tower of Sorcery" respectively.
Bit of backstory for Osgiliath. Osgiliath was set fire to by Castamir the Usurper in the year TA 1437 whilst besieging Eldacar, the fire resulted in the destruction of the Dome of stars built by Elendil the Tall which housed the Osgiliath Stone the greatest of the Palantir capable of communication with every single stone
I just finished watching Rings of Power. I had to come back to this epic piece of art to remind me of what a faithful adaption is. Thanks, Peter Jackson and Howard Shore.
1:09 you can see someone push their friend out of the way, like “watch out”. I love little moments like that, where it’s a real world in the movie, even when you look in the background
0:26 In one of the earlier edits, as Gandalf and Pippin reach the top of this hill, they see Faramir's retreat. So, they go help them fight off the Ringwraiths immediately, before they even enter the city. That scene was moved to later in the movie. But in the later scene, Pippin is still on the horse with Gandalf. ;)
That explain why Gandalf comes from the side to help Faramir, because in the scene priorto this it's shown Gandalf leaving from the city gates (it would have to go straight to Faramir, not the side)
@@bbf2716 It's on the "Return of the King" Director's commentary. Peter Jackson says something like, "if folks are wondering why Gandalf is giving Pippin a ride out to meet the Ringwraiths . . ." The way it was originally shot was, Gandalf and Pippen arrive at the crest of that little hill, they see Gondor for the first time, and see Faramir's retreat and immediately go to help. That all happens before they ever enter Gondor. In a later edit of the film, Jackson decided he wanted to have Faramir's retreat happen later in the movie. The problem was, Pippin was still on the horse with Gandalf . . . the way the scene was originally shot.
@@KneelB4Bacon Pippin's presence on the horse was needed to make Faramir say that he met Frodo a couple of days ago. Sure, they could make it some other way but initial effect of Faramir as the bearer of good news had set a tone between him and Pippin.
I watched this in the movie theater in 2003 and when Gandalf enters the city and ascends to the top my jaw dropped. I KNEW it wasn’t real… but it was so perfectly done I couldn’t believe how real it looked. Still one of my favorite scenes in the trilogy.
The mixture of miniatures, real sets and CGI here has honestly made this scene stand the test of time- even when it doesn’t look “real” per sey, it still looks…good? There’s a painterly quality to it.
It helps that Peter Jackson hired Alan Lee and John Howe, two renowned Tolkien artists whose work has been used on everything from book covers to calendars. The art direction on these movies is unparalleled.
"I do not know what strength is in my blood but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail" (Aragorn's last words to Boromir)
I'll never forget seeing this in theaters. The gasps from the crowd as we first saw Minas Tirith and me as a teenager just in absolute awe of the buildup to the scene after we had just witnessed the reforging of Narsil
0:57 that theme! Its funny how Gandalf visited the city in the beginning of Fellowship as well, but its epic reveal was left rightfully for the last movie
The music in these scene is as spectacular as what you see. The introduction of Minas Tirith is so rich, you can hear the counter melody of Gondor's Decline, speaking the truth of the state of the nation, which gives way to Gondor's Ascension, bombastically accompanying the marvels of this example of the skill of the Numenoreans who built it. Like Pippin, its impossible for the audience to ignore everything we see, despite what we know about Gondor. Then when we reach the summit the music falls away unresolved, as we are about to be introduced one of the symbols of the kingdom's decline, the Stewardship.
Funnily enough, 'Gondor's decline' is, to me, one of the mightiest leitmotifs from all the films, especially when orchestrated as boldly as in this scene and the lighting of the beacons.
Still getting goosebumps while watching this! Back then, in cinema, it was like: wooooooooow, how did they do this? Along with the music, it was just epic. Interestingly, a live monument in France (the "Mont-Saint-Michel") gave the designers the input to realize Minas Tirith. Amazing!
Raaaaad introduction to one of the best sets ever built. The "miniature" used for the wide shots was over 7 meters tall. Howard Shore's score just soars here too, the way it escalates as they climb.
" Have you ever seen it, Aragorn? The White Tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze."
Anyone else feel a small sense of sadness when first seeing the city? I feel a sense of faded glory. Something that was once mightier and now stands a shell of its former self.
You should feel that way about Middle-Earth in general, because that's a major theme in the Legendarium: the world is now but a glimpse of its former glory, its magic waning as time marches, and in due time all things that happened will be lost on to legends and songs, before the legends and songs will become forgotten.
Yeah... This and Ba Sing Se from ATLA are my absolute most favourite cities in any setting, although It's hard to decide between the two... Nah, who am I kidding, Minas Anor wins :D
I always used to picture the guards who started running jsut as Gandalf passed them by were giving chase to him, meaning to apprehend him for reckless riding...
Absolutely breathtaking. Amazing. Gorgeous. Nothing like this MASTERPIECE. I just finished ruining mine eyes with this "Rings of Power" season 1... All its 10 hours do not compare to 5 seconds of this. Huge thankfulness to Peter Jackson and the team. This is the true Arda and Middle-earth, that "thing" cannot even be considered fanfic.
Remember watching this in a gigantic IMAX theatre and just being terrified, sweaty palms, at the sheer scope and size of this city and legit felt vertigo and a fear of falling. You could literally feel how high they were and the ground shake beneath you once they reached the Stewards level.
Looking at Minas Tirith and you have to think, this city is extremely well designed as a fortress city. Multiple levels of defense, parapets and towers for archers to fire from on every level and more. If it had been fully garrisoned it would have been impregnable.
History proves that no walled city or castle is impregnable. If it cannot be stormed, you simply besiege it and wait for the garrison/citizens to die of starvation. If the country as a whole can raise an army to relieve the siege, then fine: if not, you're cooked.
It's brilliantly designed except for the whole nothing to eat issue. We see the region around it for leagues and leagues - no farms. No forests for game. What are they eating? I do not believe this design of the region around the city can possibly be what Tolkien had in mind.
@@HockeyNationHD Actually in the book the area in front of the city (Pellenor fields) is quite lively. It has farms, villages and, well, fields which are feeding the city itself. I believe in movies Jackson altered this, to amplify the feel of 'loneliness' and hopelessnes - a grand, but decaying citadel, long past its former glory, standing completely alone against the might of darkness
These films are treasures. Howard Shore, like John Williams before him are the maestro and brings so much these films with the magic of his conductors wand! I will never tire of watching these films!!!
0:42 I can't help but imagine that the guards started running after Gandalf just as giddy as the children did hoping to see fireworks similar to the hobbit children in the first movie.
This scene in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is truly one of the greatest memorable movie scenes in history finally marking the end of the whole adventure and reaching their journey's end coming a long ways when Gandalf and Pippin finally made it to Minas Tirith, the white city of Gondor where Aragorn will be crowned king. This is the same location that has been seen previously in The Fellowship of the Ring where Gandalf the Grey has been there before to find some information about the ring and returned to the Shire to relay the news to Frodo.
I think that was so much of what made it feel alive. It was a world that people actually inhabited. I "knew" (online) someone who worked as a master carpenter on the Edoras set in New Zealand. The detailed work was actually there.
Yeah even wide shots of Minas Tirith were miniatures rather than CGI and damn does that effort pay off- those shots look better than any city created digitally in the Hobbit fifteen years later!
There are just so many things about this movie alone that cinematically epic. But this moment, this one moment where you get to see the beauty of Minas Tirith with the epic music in the background, the kind of music that you can hum to is just epic in ways words can't even describe.
Still one of my favorite things about this movie Finally seeing the best set piece in the whole trilogy The attention to detail is astounding and the scale is massive Tolkien would be proud
There are certain points in the score where I just get chills every time I hear it. This was the first time I've noticed that every one of those points is accompanied by a gong hit. Now I'm wondering if I just have a Pavlovian reaction to the sound of a gong.
My headcannon for that scene is that the guards initially trailing Gandalf are shouting things like 'Sir, this is a pedestrian only road!' or 'Sir! You forgot your visitors permit!'
0:31 The first epic shot of Minas Tirith is that of a miniature. The other shots are a combination of the scale miniature and the sets, along with some CGI shots of Gandalf and Pippin arriving in the city. This movie came out 21 years ago and it still looks amazing. Definitely worthy of its eleven oscars.
Look at the angle compared to how Gandalf approaches minas tirith in fellowship, Gandalf deliberately gave pippin a cinematic awe moment “Shadowfax gave us so much time, let us a risk a little better view”
This is the cinematically closest we will ever get to Valinor. In addition to the fact that the White Tree is descendant to Nimloth, which, in turn, descends from Telperion itself.
Gandalf: Sauron is looking for you pippin, i must take you with me for safety. Pippin: Take me where? Gandalf: Closer to mordor. Infact to minas tirith who is about to get attacked by the full might of mordor. But dont worry, they have very big walls... Pippin: (tries to run away but is grabbed by gandalf)....Consider it payback for moria 😂
Minas Tirith is a character in this movie . Given a proper introduction and an arc that follows through the whole movie and eventual triumph. Its so grand you can see why so many people still want live there even though its so close to Mordor.
It's pretty awesome that after Gandalf said they said entered into the realm of Gondor, we see the White City and even in it's aged condition, it's still a mighty sight to behold.
U can splash a billion dollars, and cant get anywhere near this level of epicness. Its shows the good form the legendary
Also no crappy digital CGI.
True or not, we shouldn’t forget the factor of studio intervention. That’s one of the major reasons why Hollywood is having a writers strike, today, and rightfully so. I hope they get everything they want, so films can be respected as the art they are, like the Lord of the Rings trilogy is.
@@teleportedbreadfor3daysTo be totally fair, writing out of Hollywood hasn't been all that good in years. Rings of power writers wanted the series to "reflect the world we live in today" and they were making A FUCKING FANTACY SERIES, from a book that was written over 50 years ago😅
@@HK23783 And it doesn’t help that Rings of Power aired so conveniently after Christopher Tolkien died. There are things genuinely wrong with the series, but it’s hard to find somebody online who has reasons that are legitimate and not just from them being a white supremacist asswipe.
I’m sure things will be different if the strike ends the way it should.
@@teleportedbreadfor3days I have read Silmarillion and ALL Tolkiens books for hundreds of times and this show was pure trash. I'd like to point out that Galadriel was not young at his point, in fact, she is Gil-Galadas AUNT, you know, the freaking high king of elves. And All the Numenorian characters were born OVER THOUSAND YEARS AFTER THE LAST RINGS WERE MADE, NOT BEFORE. 🙈
One of the many great subtle things about these movies: when Gandalf and Pippin are riding at first you hear parts of the Fellowship leitmotif, but the SECOND the pass the river and into the realm of Gondor, Gondors theme starts playing, and it's so seamless. Howard shore, you absolute lad.
Amazing
It gets more interesting when Minas Tirith is revealed, the Gondor theme is initially inverted showing that something isn't quite right with the city, this is not the same Gondor as the past. But, as they ride through the city, the theme becomes gradually less inverted until it blares through at the top almost like it is awakening.
If that is not enough to show you Howard Shore is a genius, I don't know what is.
I swear to God you only notice more and more subtle pieces of genius like this as time goes on. These films have aged like the finest of wines.
Anyone else finding the sound of Shadowfax’s hooves hitting the stone extremely satisfying??
yup asmr for me
Meee
You're not alone.
Sounds like coconuts.
Never noticed it and now I can't not notice them
geting to work in the morning must be a nightmare in that city.
+Kazmark_gl better than dealing with an orc hord
+Daniel rogers not really
I think they mentioned something in the commentary, about the poor guy who walks down to work in the morning, only to realize he forgot something at home several levels up.
Κι εγω θα σε βοηθουσα...........
Leg Day every day
The soundtrack makes 80 percent from the epicity of this scene
so true
Of the epicity
Sorta like how the head is 80% the hype behind any dudes dick. It's the most noticeable part.
"epicity"?? Try "The soundtrack accounts for 80 percent of the epic quality of this scene."
Like from the whole Film too.
Oh my God, only Peter Jackson and Howard Shore can make this riding scene so epic.
And the amazing Blanco (Shadowfax) to ride through that city, with all those people dodging, with no bridle. RIP.
(Warning:High As All Balls)
Bro how the fuck do you make a riding scene so epic. Not much is being told visually story wise at least blatantly. The music is what lends this such a glorious journey. Its like a music video almost, and the tone changes depending what is being shone, as if communicating what is happening in feelings, this was really a complex scene of several messages through auditory sounds alone. Where every step and beat correlates to something and enhances it. Very hard to articulate, but its genius, a thing that makes it genius is Howard Shore and Peter dancing together mentally to be selectively relying on intuition and logic, but mainly letting their intuition to take shape into the scene. Intuition alone could accomplish this, for to calculate it individually is impossible, yet here we are..
YEAH, THE REST, IF NOT ALL THE CAST AND THE WHOLE SET YEAH?
“For the fashion of Minas Tirith was such that it was built on seven levels, each delved into the hill, and about each was set a wall, and in each wall was a gate. But the gates were not set in a line: the Great Gate in the City Wall was at the east point of the circuit, but the next faced half south, and the third half north, and so to and fro upwards; so that the paved way that climbed towards the Citadel turned first this way and then that across the face of the hill. And each time that it passed the line of the Great Gate it went through an arched tunnel, piercing a vast pier of rock whose huge out-thrust bulk divided in two all the circles of the City save the first. For partly in the primeval shaping of the hill, partly by the mighty craft and labour of old, there stood up from the rear of the wide court behind the Gate a towering bastion of stone, its edge sharp as a ship-keel facing east. Up it rose, even to the level of the topmost circle, and there was crowned by a battlement; so that those in the Citadel might, like mariners in a mountainous ship, look from its peak sheer down upon the Gate seven hundred feet below. The entrance to the Citadel also looked eastward, but was delved in the heart of the rock; thence a long lamp-lit slope ran up to the seventh gate. Thus men reached at last the High Court, and the place of the Fountain before the feet of the White Tower: tall and shapely, fifty fathoms from its base to the pinnacle, where the banner of the Stewards floated a thousand feet above the plain.”
- Description of Minas Tirith from the book.
With a picture of Minas Tirith firmly in my mind, I remember when I watched this in theatres in 2003. The whole hall held its collective breath and had its mouth open when Gandalf was climbing the different levels of Minas Tirith and when we see the top shot of the city, there was a cacophony of applause and cheers. Goosebumps to this day. The White City was EXACTLY as I had imagined it. This movie is the definition of epic. Tolkien would’ve approved of this scene.
Me too. It was the first time we could see minas tirith in its whole magnificence.
respect for using the word ''cacaphony''
I really don’t think that you saw this at the movies
I remember seeing the trailer for the first film in the cinema. There was a gasp from the audience when the two statues over the river came into shot. Even the trailer looked epic
in that year, i still 1 year old :(
This movie definitely earned its 11 academy awards. An epic ending to an epic trilogy.
0:24 when the music shifts and the White City revealed for the first time on screen after being mentioned many times in the last two films. Always gives me goosebumps
Same here. Although I ended up realizing that we actually see part of Minas Tirith in the first film when Gandalf goes to research the Ring and finds Isildur's account.
@@AngelusBrady That was more of a teaser. This is where we get to see Minas Tirith in full glory.
The second film in the extended edition Minas Tirith is seen when Faramir and his Ranger party take Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath.
Minas Tirith had already been revealed in FOTR when Gandalf goes there to investigate about the Ring.
@@Will.Flavell I'm pretty sure it can be seen in theatrical as well
The bombastic triumphant stunning music building up while revealing Minas Tirith in all its splendour is just one the most beautiful and impressive movie scene ever made, epic!
i wish a game was made that allowed for free roam in minas tirith.
I'm literally building one in Unity as we speak! using this as reference
Kevin B thats awesome. id be highly interested in playing it
for me, Medieval2totalwar+third age3.2+mos 1.62+Reunited Kingdom.
You can do it playing some Mount and Blade mods, I don’t remember their name but you surely find them on Mod DB
LOTRO is a good one to explore Minas Tirith. You'll need to be of higher level first though.
Still one of the most epic city designs I’ve seen in fantasy to this day.
It could be better
@@princemichael4708 They should've gotten you on board to help them out then.
Lmaoooo
@@Anduril1974 You're comment made my day😅
No the most epic
My goodness, when they come riding over the hill and then *boom* Minas Tirith comes into view (sigh) absolutely breathtaking...
Osgiliath was the original capital of Gondor until it was left in ruins by the forces of Sauron. It was built under the name of Minas Anor with the intentions of keeping Osgiliath guarded from the west, as Minas Morgul was from the East until it fell into enemy hands. Osgiliath then fell into ruin due to the kin-strife and the great plague and the capital was then Minas Anor renamed Minas Tirith.
Minas Anor*
Minas Anor, tower of the Setting Sun and Minas Ithil, tower of the Rising Moon.
Minas Anor was the original name of Minas Tirith. Osgiliath was never called Minas Anor. The Tower of the Sun and the Tower of the Moon were changed to names meaning "Tower of Guard" and "Tower of Sorcery" respectively.
And "coincidentally" the two sons of Elendil were Isildur ("Isil"/"Ithil" = Moon) and Anarion ("Anar"/"Anor" = Sun) :)
Bit of backstory for Osgiliath. Osgiliath was set fire to by Castamir the Usurper in the year TA 1437 whilst besieging Eldacar, the fire resulted in the destruction of the Dome of stars built by Elendil the Tall which housed the Osgiliath Stone the greatest of the Palantir capable of communication with every single stone
I just finished watching Rings of Power.
I had to come back to this epic piece of art to remind me of what a faithful adaption is. Thanks, Peter Jackson and Howard Shore.
spot on, my friend.
Cry me a River
@@Aidendel u mad, coomer?
@@Aidendel lol no one's crying. Most of us would've bet our life's savings into the fact that Rings of Power was gonna suck
This is my childhood movie
Remember everyone. This, is what epicness feels like
1:09 you can see someone push their friend out of the way, like “watch out”. I love little moments like that, where it’s a real world in the movie, even when you look in the background
The music really is absolutely epic and incredible, isn’t it? Good lord.
Yeah: I suspect they used magic to raise Richard Wagner from the dead.
@@DieFlabbergast Howard Shore is actually a necromancer who summoned Wagner's spirit.
0:26 In one of the earlier edits, as Gandalf and Pippin reach the top of this hill, they see Faramir's retreat. So, they go help them fight off the Ringwraiths immediately, before they even enter the city. That scene was moved to later in the movie. But in the later scene, Pippin is still on the horse with Gandalf. ;)
That explain why Gandalf comes from the side to help Faramir, because in the scene priorto this it's shown Gandalf leaving from the city gates (it would have to go straight to Faramir, not the side)
Great trivia
Where did you learn it?
@@bbf2716 It's on the "Return of the King" Director's commentary. Peter Jackson says something like, "if folks are wondering why Gandalf is giving Pippin a ride out to meet the Ringwraiths . . ."
The way it was originally shot was, Gandalf and Pippen arrive at the crest of that little hill, they see Gondor for the first time, and see Faramir's retreat and immediately go to help. That all happens before they ever enter Gondor.
In a later edit of the film, Jackson decided he wanted to have Faramir's retreat happen later in the movie. The problem was, Pippin was still on the horse with Gandalf . . . the way the scene was originally shot.
@@KneelB4Bacon Pippin's presence on the horse was needed to make Faramir say that he met Frodo a couple of days ago. Sure, they could make it some other way but initial effect of Faramir as the bearer of good news had set a tone between him and Pippin.
I watched this in the movie theater in 2003 and when Gandalf enters the city and ascends to the top my jaw dropped. I KNEW it wasn’t real… but it was so perfectly done I couldn’t believe how real it looked. Still one of my favorite scenes in the trilogy.
Man, the details of the scene are amazing. Honestly sets tears to my eyes seeing the beauty and epicness of Minas Tirith
Love how the soldiers at 0:39 start double timing it as soon as Gandalf rides by! "Shit! Gandalf's here! Try to look busy!"
Lol you're right!
I’ve listened to this so many times and I still got chills
I remember so clearly seeing this in the cinema.... We were shaking our heads with astonishment at this astonishing scene.
My God, I will always remember the first time I saw the White City at 0:27. Still gives me shivers. And this music !
and this Gandalf steatment - Minas tirith the CITY OF KINGS
The music at 0:27 is an inversion of the realm of Gondor theme
Minas Tirith was already seen in the 1st part. But I understand what you mean
@@panprstenu-scenyvprodlouze2860 Jo ale neviděli sme ho v plný parádě 🔥
@@twinkthatloveslotrtrilogy7676 To máš pravdu, tam to nevypadalo tak nádherně jako v návratu krále
I always put this music when riding my bicycle in Rome and getting nearer and nearer to St. Peter's. Just majestic.
Rome looks similar to Minas Tirith right?
0:27 damn that drop of the music and drums so elegant and beuitiful
Exactly. 😻👑
Whats the theme sng?
zjapp this is the song 😂Well as far as I know prolly in the soundtrack
Yes!
People who haf saw in 2003 in cinemas probably droped their jaws!
The music gives me chills every time!
This whole scene sends goosebumps, no matter how many times I watch this
The mixture of miniatures, real sets and CGI here has honestly made this scene stand the test of time- even when it doesn’t look “real” per sey, it still looks…good? There’s a painterly quality to it.
rings of power with billions of dollars cant recreate the same story telling
@@DB5652-v3r yeah,and Peter Jackson made this with "just" 94 millions
It helps that Peter Jackson hired Alan Lee and John Howe, two renowned Tolkien artists whose work has been used on everything from book covers to calendars. The art direction on these movies is unparalleled.
It “doesn’t look real” because no city like this exists as a reference for us. It is flawless otherwise.
@@TJSaw Actually, Minas Tirith draws inspiration from Mont-Saint-Michel, located in France.
"I do not know what strength is in my blood but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail" (Aragorn's last words to Boromir)
The way Boromir repeats "OUR people" with a glimmer of hope as he passes :'(
@@AliRazaNour And the mad lad summoned the ghost army with Narsil to avenge Boromir. He held to his word.
Even though it's been over 20 years since this movie was made, this scene still gives me goosebumps.
The fact that Minas Tirith head quarters had a helicopter landing pad shows how advanced Gondor was during that time
Eagle landing pad.
You, sir, have my bow
I almost stood up and applauded in the cinema when this happened. What an incredible scene.
That is very understandable.
I would do it if it were me
It doesn't matter what scene I watch: they all bring joy to me! The best trilogy ever.
Minas Tirith may be the best city in LOTR.. but the music composition for Rohan is without a doubt the best in the trilogy! So majestic and beautiful!
its so sad how rohans music is so epic yet Rohan in the movies looks so underwhelming
The moment you see Minas Tirith from over the hill and that theme song hits. CHILLS!
They were able to make a arriving at a location look/feel epic
They sure were.
This scene is more about the location. This was movie magic bringing the White City to life. Beautiful.
I'll never forget seeing this in theaters. The gasps from the crowd as we first saw Minas Tirith and me as a teenager just in absolute awe of the buildup to the scene after we had just witnessed the reforging of Narsil
I LOVE this sequence. The Gondor theme is magnificent!
For me, one of the epics cities in fiction. I’m so glad I had the chance to watch it in a movie theater 20 years ago.
0:57 that theme! Its funny how Gandalf visited the city in the beginning of Fellowship as well, but its epic reveal was left rightfully for the last movie
The music in these scene is as spectacular as what you see. The introduction of Minas Tirith is so rich, you can hear the counter melody of Gondor's Decline, speaking the truth of the state of the nation, which gives way to Gondor's Ascension, bombastically accompanying the marvels of this example of the skill of the Numenoreans who built it. Like Pippin, its impossible for the audience to ignore everything we see, despite what we know about Gondor. Then when we reach the summit the music falls away unresolved, as we are about to be introduced one of the symbols of the kingdom's decline, the Stewardship.
We also get a muted rendition of the king's theme when Pippin sees the ailing White Tree of Gondor, another symbol of decline.
Funnily enough, 'Gondor's decline' is, to me, one of the mightiest leitmotifs from all the films, especially when orchestrated as boldly as in this scene and the lighting of the beacons.
Two words : majestic, superb. What a beauty of a city !
0:30 epic wallpaper
Xdd
that actually is my wallpaper...
Ikr
I got a big poster in my living room when u walk in with that exact image
legends
Howard Shore absolutely cemented hinself as the goat composer with these films
Remember watching this in theaters shit was so epic.
I remember when as a kid I would play this exact scene on the VHS 10 times in a row, loved the music
Miss that tech. Ima get back on it sokn
Thank you so much Howard shore. His scores are absolutely perfect
The scene when you see Minas Tirth with the score is perfect.
Minas Tirith looks like a masterpiece of a city
The music matches the scene like a hand fits a glove. A masterpiece
Good lord, the shots from scenes like this is EVERYTHING GoT was missing.
Among...multiple other things.
Still getting goosebumps while watching this! Back then, in cinema, it was like: wooooooooow, how did they do this? Along with the music, it was just epic.
Interestingly, a live monument in France (the "Mont-Saint-Michel") gave the designers the input to realize Minas Tirith. Amazing!
These movies make every little insignificant thing look EPIC AF 😂
The most epic score ever put on film. Kudos to Howard Shore for the amazing music.
Raaaaad introduction to one of the best sets ever built. The "miniature" used for the wide shots was over 7 meters tall. Howard Shore's score just soars here too, the way it escalates as they climb.
" Have you ever seen it, Aragorn? The White Tower of Ecthelion,
glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in
the morning breeze."
Peter Jackson and howard shore 🙏🙏🙏thanks for everything👆 legends
Anyone else feel a small sense of sadness when first seeing the city? I feel a sense of faded glory. Something that was once mightier and now stands a shell of its former self.
You should feel that way about Middle-Earth in general, because that's a major theme in the Legendarium: the world is now but a glimpse of its former glory, its magic waning as time marches, and in due time all things that happened will be lost on to legends and songs, before the legends and songs will become forgotten.
The most beautiful city in the multiverse....
tomurg City of Kings indeed.
I bet it would've looked even more beautiful during the kingdom's glory days.
Dol Amroth also but I don't know if it can be consider a city
Yeah... This and Ba Sing Se from ATLA are my absolute most favourite cities in any setting, although It's hard to decide between the two...
Nah, who am I kidding, Minas Anor wins :D
@@fede98k54 yes. Ba Sing Se!
The moment reached Minas Tirith... Goosebumps ~~
Goosebumps in 3. 2. 1.
I always used to picture the guards who started running jsut as Gandalf passed them by were giving chase to him, meaning to apprehend him for reckless riding...
STOP! You violated the law. Pay the court a fine or serve your sentence. Your stolen goods are now forfeit.
Andrew Wise Then pay with your blood!
You have committed crimes against Gondor and her people. What say you in your defence?
No, they want fireworks.
juiuffophiguo They knew who Gandalf is. They were actually glad he was here, especially considering how powerful he is.
Still watching in 2022 and I am still jaw dropped at how epic and beautiful this is. 😍 🥺😢
Absolutely breathtaking. Amazing. Gorgeous. Nothing like this MASTERPIECE. I just finished ruining mine eyes with this "Rings of Power" season 1... All its 10 hours do not compare to 5 seconds of this. Huge thankfulness to Peter Jackson and the team. This is the true Arda and Middle-earth, that "thing" cannot even be considered fanfic.
You know what's cool, from what I have found out, Minas Tirith was not CGI. It was a really big Miniature setup.
Remember watching this in a gigantic IMAX theatre and just being terrified, sweaty palms, at the sheer scope and size of this city and legit felt vertigo and a fear of falling. You could literally feel how high they were and the ground shake beneath you once they reached the Stewards level.
I love how Pippin and Gandalf show at minas tirth and Gandalf say minas tirth the city of kings such a great line
Looking at Minas Tirith and you have to think, this city is extremely well designed as a fortress city. Multiple levels of defense, parapets and towers for archers to fire from on every level and more. If it had been fully garrisoned it would have been impregnable.
History proves that no walled city or castle is impregnable. If it cannot be stormed, you simply besiege it and wait for the garrison/citizens to die of starvation. If the country as a whole can raise an army to relieve the siege, then fine: if not, you're cooked.
@@DieFlabbergast Not really, it's just that castles had sources of food outside rather than inside, but you do have a point.
It's brilliantly designed except for the whole nothing to eat issue. We see the region around it for leagues and leagues - no farms. No forests for game. What are they eating? I do not believe this design of the region around the city can possibly be what Tolkien had in mind.
@@HockeyNationHD very fair point, however I'm simply more interested in the actual defenses, not how they'd sustain a defense.
@@HockeyNationHD Actually in the book the area in front of the city (Pellenor fields) is quite lively. It has farms, villages and, well, fields which are feeding the city itself. I believe in movies Jackson altered this, to amplify the feel of 'loneliness' and hopelessnes - a grand, but decaying citadel, long past its former glory, standing completely alone against the might of darkness
These films are treasures.
Howard Shore, like John Williams before him are the maestro and brings so much these films with the magic of his conductors wand!
I will never tire of watching these films!!!
The pacing felt excellent in this movie, filling them with all those epicness
I always get chills hearing the phrase "city of kings". Imagine how much history that city have
Imagine living in Gondor. Having to see Mordor everyday and keeping the enemy at bay for the rest of middle earth.
0:42
I can't help but imagine that the guards started running after Gandalf just as giddy as the children did hoping to see fireworks similar to the hobbit children in the first movie.
Oh yeah, nice comparison.
The Tower of the Setting Sun, City of Anárion
Spihk Heartbust!? Analyze & Discuss the reason why an animated List from google includes Electric Screwdriver!
This scene in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is truly one of the greatest memorable movie scenes in history finally marking the end of the whole adventure and reaching their journey's end coming a long ways when Gandalf and Pippin finally made it to Minas Tirith, the white city of Gondor where Aragorn will be crowned king. This is the same location that has been seen previously in The Fellowship of the Ring where Gandalf the Grey has been there before to find some information about the ring and returned to the Shire to relay the news to Frodo.
To think very little CGI was used in this move.
I think that was so much of what made it feel alive. It was a world that people actually inhabited. I "knew" (online) someone who worked as a master carpenter on the Edoras set in New Zealand. The detailed work was actually there.
Yeah even wide shots of Minas Tirith were miniatures rather than CGI and damn does that effort pay off- those shots look better than any city created digitally in the Hobbit fifteen years later!
There was a lot of CGI still, it just was more polished and implemented with intelligence
CGI looks fake because it is.
Most of these are miniatures and real outdoor locations.
And it’s shot on film.
@@becki8000 You do know that a majority of the cities in the Hobbit trilogy were actually sets right?
There are just so many things about this movie alone that cinematically epic. But this moment, this one moment where you get to see the beauty of Minas Tirith with the epic music in the background, the kind of music that you can hum to is just epic in ways words can't even describe.
Que ciudad tan majestuosa, ciudad de reyes. Al ver nuevamente la escena, se siente tal cual como la vi la primera vez en el cine ...asombrado
I love the design of this city how it's stacked on top of itself.
Even in their sporadically short amounts of screen-time, all of these locations look majestic.
I saw it yesterday live in concert, incredible epic
Still one of my favorite things about this movie
Finally seeing the best set piece in the whole trilogy
The attention to detail is astounding and the scale is massive
Tolkien would be proud
There are certain points in the score where I just get chills every time I hear it. This was the first time I've noticed that every one of those points is accompanied by a gong hit. Now I'm wondering if I just have a Pavlovian reaction to the sound of a gong.
0:40 those guard when they see gandalf started running like "we are working we swear we're not slacking off"
Best movie ever
Awe Pippin fell asleep on Gandalf’s shoulder during the horse ride. 😍
My headcannon for that scene is that the guards initially trailing Gandalf are shouting things like 'Sir, this is a pedestrian only road!' or 'Sir! You forgot your visitors permit!'
"It's a three day ride to Minas Tirith, two of those days are getting to the top"
Gosh the stamina of that horse.... Shadowfax doesn't play around.
0:31
The first epic shot of Minas Tirith is that of a miniature. The other shots are a combination of the scale miniature and the sets, along with some CGI shots of Gandalf and Pippin arriving in the city. This movie came out 21 years ago and it still looks amazing. Definitely worthy of its eleven oscars.
Look at the angle compared to how Gandalf approaches minas tirith in fellowship, Gandalf deliberately gave pippin a cinematic awe moment
“Shadowfax gave us so much time, let us a risk a little better view”
This is the cinematically closest we will ever get to Valinor. In addition to the fact that the White Tree is descendant to Nimloth, which, in turn, descends from Telperion itself.
Gandalf: Sauron is looking for you pippin, i must take you with me for safety.
Pippin: Take me where?
Gandalf: Closer to mordor. Infact to minas tirith who is about to get attacked by the full might of mordor. But dont worry, they have very big walls...
Pippin: (tries to run away but is grabbed by gandalf)....Consider it payback for moria 😂
Minas Tirith is a character in this movie . Given a proper introduction and an arc that follows through the whole movie and eventual triumph. Its so grand you can see why so many people still want live there even though its so close to Mordor.
It's pretty awesome that after Gandalf said they said entered into the realm of Gondor, we see the White City and even in it's aged condition, it's still a mighty sight to behold.
Yeah, it's a beautiful place.
It has more then 3 thousands years on it's back so yeah
これを永遠に繰り返して見ていた時期があった、あとは狼煙のシーン…。どちらのシーンも曲も大好きだ！！！
"Show us the meaning of haste." - Gandalf The White
Saw this again in theaters this year and without an Earth shaking sound system and a cinema screen, nothing compares.