What's your favorite scene?

"As for myself," said Eomer, "I have little knowledge of these deep matters; but I need it not."
Post Reply
Chief Counsellor of Gondor
Points: 2 090 
Posts: 997
Joined: Fri May 29, 2020 3:09 am
An article popped up today where Peter Jackson answered what his favorite scene in the LOTR trilogy was. Interestingly it was a scene that he didn't write or direct. It's the Gollum/Smeagol "debate" scene in TTT. Jackson said that was all Fran Walsh and Andy Serkis.

Anyway it just got me wondering about my own favorite scenes. Overall I think most of the scenes involving Serkis (both in LOTR and The Hobbit) are solid, but they wouldn't be my favorites.

I think my favorite is one that is actually invented. In the sense that it is a conversation that doesn't happen in the text, but one that plausibly could have occurred, in my opinion. It is Boromir's and Aragorn's somber conversation in Lothlorien, just 2 characters talking and Boromir opening up about Gondor's desperate situation. What was especially good is Boromir describing the White Tower of Ecthelion in the movie is taken from Pippin spotting the tower for the first time when he arrives in Minas Tirith:

Then Pippin cried aloud, for the Tower of Ecthelion, standing high within the topmost wall, shone out against the sky, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, tall and fair and shapely, and its pinnacle glittered as if it were wrought of crystals; and white banners broke and fluttered from the battlements in the morning breeze, and high and far he heard a clear ringing as of silver trumpets. (Return of the King: Minas Tirith)

Personally I think FOTR was the best made of all of them, even though TTT and ROTK contain a lot of visually stunning moments the some of the most emotional scenes, their pacing was always too rushed in my opinion. It's like they wanted to just "go, go, go" all the time and there was very little to no downtime to "digest" anything. Part of that is the medium, but I think even movies need those slower action moments just to give us a respite and time to process/take in the moment. I can't jump from fast action, to the next action sequence and then the next one.

Yes my favorite scene happens to just be 2 characters talking while they grieve for the loss of Gandalf and rest in Lothlorien. And Sean Bean portrays Boromir's restlessness and growing anxiety in Lothlorien that is in the books, but also opens up to Aragorn that, no, Gondor does need help.

So, what are your favorite scenes, from LOTR? The Hobbit? Any of the adaptations?
A Loquacious Loreman.
he/him
Tis the season of Sean Bean prequel shows

Istari Steward
Points: 2 032 
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu May 21, 2020 3:10 pm
I kind of said this much already in my retrospective thread, which apparently will take me as long to write as the movies took to make, but my favorite scene is the party for Bilbo and the moments just preceding it (and following it) between Bilbo and Gandalf. The actors carry some otherwise stilted sounding dialogue, the moments are so human, and the portrayal of the Shire in general rings more true for me than most of the more "epic" stuff, especially to do with Elves and Mordor. I do agree too on the poor pacing of the later movies, and would add some of their supposed slow moments were butchered anyway (like the hobbits meeting what is apparently Old Man Willow in Fangorn).

High Lord of Imladris
Points: 5 208 
Posts: 2755
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2020 7:53 am
I mean basically throw a Theoden speech out there and you've got gold. I think my favourite is the Horse and Rider speech at Helms Deep out of the two major speeches filmed.

After that would be the Pelennor speech he does.



The Hobbit... Not a fan of much there BUT

The look. (YOu know the one) When the doorbell rings just as he's about to tuck into his meal. Mostly because it is so relatable.

ALSO It's not in the books but it's quite a good scene is when Bilbo steps out to defend Thorin when Azog? Is about to have his head cut off. Mostly because it's very much a character growth scene for Bilbo and changes the relationship between the two of them even if it isn't canon it was a good scene and I feel it goes towards the food cheer and song. He is choosing to fight for a friend to defend what I would call would be the cheer and song part of life to him. (even if they aren't a good friend to them)

Chief Counsellor of Gondor
Points: 2 090 
Posts: 997
Joined: Fri May 29, 2020 3:09 am
@KingODuckingham :lol:, yes I've been waiting for you to continue your retrospective movie thread. I considered hijacking it but wasn't going to until I've finished with the LOTR discussion. Too much going on, so you've got a few months yet. :nod:
A Loquacious Loreman.
he/him
Tis the season of Sean Bean prequel shows

Loremaster of the Herd
Points: 1 555 
Posts: 955
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2020 4:18 am
@Fuin Elda I think you're right, incidentally, about the Bilbo-Azog-Thorin bit (if you're talking about the scene at the end of the first Hobbit movie, which is what I'm thinking of). The first movie really did almost have something, although it wasn't without faults of its own. I heard a fairly compelling argument once that part of the problem with the Hobbit movies generally stemmed from the decision to split them up into three, taking the emotional core of what should have been the entire story -- Thorin and Bilbo -- and putting it's resolution at the end of the first movie.

But yeah, every Theoden speech is PLATINUM.
In the deeps of Time, amidst the Innumerable Stars

Apprentice of Gondor
Points: 72 
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:11 pm
While I have many, I'll just share the first one that came to mind after reading your question. Toward the end of Return of the King, when Aragorn delivers his line: "You bow for no one" and then bows instead to the four hobbits. As everyone starts kneeling and all we see rising above the heads of the others are these little hobbits... I cry every time like a sap.

High Lord of Imladris
Points: 5 208 
Posts: 2755
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2020 7:53 am
@ArwenElessar That's honestly also a great scene 100% It's one of my favourite Aragorn big speech lines, possibly because it's short and powerful (a whole one sentence lol). The other speeches he has (the not this day speech) just feel like he's trying to pull a Theoden speech and not doing as good.

Chief Counsellor of Gondor
Points: 2 090 
Posts: 997
Joined: Fri May 29, 2020 3:09 am
Hello @ArwenElessar, welcome to the Plaza. :smile: I recently watched all of them last weekend, and I think that scene Aragorn's "You bow to no one," is my favorite from Return of the King. Definitely a close contender for my favorite in all of them, but I have a strong Sean Bean-Boromir bias. :lol:
A Loquacious Loreman.
he/him
Tis the season of Sean Bean prequel shows

Guardian of Imladris
Points: 273 
Posts: 91
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2020 6:00 pm
A) Favorite scenes from Fellowship of the Ring:
1. Gandalfs suprise fireworks for the hobbit children while on the wagon with Frodo. Makes me get teary-eyed every single time.
2. The skirmish at Amon Hen. Just pure awesomeness ^^

B) Favorite scenes from The Two Towers:
1. The elves arrive at Helm's Deep. Not in the books but also too epic.
2. The skirmish with the Wargriders.

C) Favorite scenes from The Return of the King:
1. Oviously the charge attack by the Rohirrim
2. Gimli trying to blow away the ghosts like smoke as Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn walk along the paths of the dead
"Mae govannen mellon nin."

Craftsman of Gondor
Points: 135 
Posts: 84
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2021 1:14 pm
From Fellowship of the Ring: The whole Prancing Pony sequence, especially with Pippen's legendary "It Comes in Pints? I'm getting one!" Of course he already had a half, and he starts drunk-talking. Also, the image of Strider smoking his pipe in the shadows was perfect book imagery to me!

From The Two Towers: The whole Battle of Helms Deep sequence from the arrival of the Uruk Hai to Theoden's charge.

From Return of the King: The Ride of the Rohirrim was the highlight for me.

There are a few honourable mentions for each, but these top my list.
Annalist, Physician, & Historian
of The Black Company of the Dúnedain,
The Free Company of Arnor

New Soul
Points: 1 790 
Posts: 2058
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:24 am
LOTR EE: Farewell from Lotlorien, beautiful sequence, about five minutes long.
Just call me Aiks or Aikári. Notify is off.
Find me stuff in Gondolin.
And let us embark to Valinor!

Istari Sage
Points: 1 954 
Posts: 940
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2022 5:02 pm
The whole opening shire sequence is great. The fireworks that come off the back and the children giggling is an excellent touch. The knocking on the door and the “no well wishers or distant relations” line is great. It really sets up the whole movie nicely.

As has been said a bunch already I liked most of the Theoden speeches. The one before Pelennor being my personal favorite. I also agree @Aikári Salmarinian ahout the farewell EE seen. Lorien was really beautiful altogether, very ethereal.

New Soul
Points: 1 790 
Posts: 2058
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:24 am
Romeran: Yes, it has that sense indeed. Watched it often for sphere writing.
Just call me Aiks or Aikári. Notify is off.
Find me stuff in Gondolin.
And let us embark to Valinor!

Master Torturer
Points: 2 588 
Posts: 3018
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 11:22 am
I have so many, but what moved me the most is when Boromir dies :(
I am with Boromir88 in that FotR is my favourite of all three, with TTT being my least favourite. Now I know that the elves didnt come to Helms Deep, but good god they made that look frigging awesome nontheless.

Guardian of the Golden Wood
Points: 2 793 
Posts: 1910
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 7:54 pm
I watched those movies so many times back in the day and the scene that still stays with me above all others is the horn blowing and charge of the Rohirrim.

I used to like the Shire scenes a lot but after working out the architecture of Bag-end from the first page of The Hobbit I saw that Jackson's Bag-end is all wrong.

Perhaps my favourite over everything that came out of the movies, though, is Gollum's MTV acceptance speech.
Eat earth. Dig deep. Drink water.

Guardian of the Golden Wood
Points: 2 793 
Posts: 1910
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 7:54 pm
Romeran wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:59 am The whole opening shire sequence is great. The fireworks that come off the back and the children giggling is an excellent touch.
By the way, did anyone else spot that one of the little hobbit girls listening to Bilbo's story here reappears as one of the onlookers in Gondor when Faramir first returns?
Eat earth. Dig deep. Drink water.

New Soul
Points: 1 790 
Posts: 2058
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:24 am
Chrys: Yeah I have. And I saw more people return in onlooker roles. But where exact I have forgotten. I haven't seen the movies and appendices in quite some time.
Just call me Aiks or Aikári. Notify is off.
Find me stuff in Gondolin.
And let us embark to Valinor!

Post Reply