Your opening observations about Sam's speech are exactly why this story resonates across all cultures. It is purely about good versus evil.- something everyone can relate to. That is why the books have been translated into at least 38 languages and maybe as many as 70. I read the books in 1969 as a freshman in college and have read them over 20 more times since then. The films are a masterpiece in that they capture the essence of the story while losing as little of the storyline as possible. When you finish the film, you will have a number of questions. As soon as I see your reaction, I will try to answer them for you from my knowledge of the books. You are doing a great job, not only on this film, but on all the films I have seen you react to. Keep up the excellent work!
The beacons really existed in the UK! They were used to warn against invasion from the sea, for example by the vikings... I live near to the remains of one myself in the middle of england, a place called beacon hill....
Pippin's father is The Thain of the Shire, something between a chieftain and a king. He knows how to behave himself in a courtly manner. No matter what those grumpy old guys say, he genuinely feels the debt he owes Boromir and his family, and acts as he's been taught. His father would be proud of him.
I always loved Gandalf's moments with Pippin, telling him his whole plan was only a fool's hope, leveling with the hobbit who he had always called a fool.
There’s a neat, subtle point in the movie. In the Hall of Denethor, notice there is a white King’s throne atop some steps. But Denethor does not sit there. Even now he sits in a plain chair at the foot of the throne, because he’s not the king. So has been the custom since the last King disappeared 1000 years previously. Tolkien does however mention that over time the Stewards had become proud and ruled as de facto kings - but they kept up the superficial customs.
I love that you mentioned that! They were totally shady, the darker version of Merry and Pippin as they were troublemakers who played nasty pranks all the time. Also they had gotten into fights with each other before so them fighting over the ring was nothing new.
I did something for Michelle that I rarely do. I listened to her entire introduction. I usually fast forward through those to get to the movie, but hers was so interesting and brilliant. that I listened to every word. Great reactions!
Tolkiens books are the most read books after the Bible. They've been translated into numerous languages and the fandom is worldwide. No one thought the LOTR books could be adapted to film successfully but Peter Jackson & crew managed it. Sure they left out a lot and changed some things but Jackson said at one point that they always kept in mind that they would always do their best to show Tolkien's vision and not their own. They kept the feel and emotion of Tolkien's legacy in the movie admirably.
Something to keep in mind about Faramir’s dad Denethor that the movie doesn’t illustrate well is he actually had a palantir, the same kind of orb that Pippin snuck off of Gandalf. Denethor thought he could spy on Sauron to try and get an edge but Sauron caught on immediately and proceeded to bombard Denethor with images of a future where Sauron wins, gaslighting Denethor into believing there’s no hope in fighting. Hence his general dickery
I know you meant that Gandalf knew Sam was important, but I read this as Gandalf knowing that HE was going to play a very important role, I was laughing so hard. like "...and don't you lose him Samwise Gamgee. I know that I said I would help Frodo, & Im the one who sent him on this quest in the first place. But Im like, a wizard, you know? I got a lot of stuff to deal with. I might die fighting a demon & get reborn with like, some kind of sacred, holy task to complete. I gotta play politics, go talk to kings of totally different countries, hell I will probably be riding into battle multiple times. What I'm saying is, Im kind of a big deal. I can't be babysitting hobbits all the time. So you gotta man up, Sam. Don't mess this up for me"
You asked how Denethor could look at the dark cloud coming and act like he does, but that’s a big part of why he acts that way. He’s lost all hope. Denethor is actually a foil for Theoden. Both lost their sons, are facing a seemingly hopeless battle, and feel unworthy of their legendary predecessors. While Denethor loses hope and gives up, Theoden rises to the moment and decides, even if he can’t win, he’ll make the stand anyway.
At 22:10 Denethor says, "The rule of Gondor is mine, and no other's!" The book adds, "unless the king should come again." Gandalf replies, "...But I will say this: the rule of no realm is mine...But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care...For I also am a steward. Did you not know?"
There's a little shown part of the lore called a Palantir; it's the glowing bowling ball used by Saroman in the first movie. These are linked to Sauron. They allow him to pass intel on, spy on, recruit, impress etc. Saroman has one of them. The duel that leads to Gandalf being captured has all sorts of intel provided by that Palantir. It shows what Sauron WANTS it to show. Another Palantir is in effect in this movie. Denethor has had one for YEARS. He's been led into the firm belief that HE will be the end of his line, and they will die in disgrace, and the day of that doom shall see the armies of Mordor surround Minas Tirith. So by the time that battle begins, Denethor feels vindicated in his decision to abandon the fight. The only thing stopping that part of Sauron's plan, is that Gandalf was able to take Denthor out of command, and start defending the city. I'm not sure offhand how many Planters exist; offhand I think it's something like 7. Anyhoo, when you rewatch these movies, you'll see the foreboding looks etc around the Palantirs.
One explanation for Denethor's treatment of his son Faramir is that grief can sometimes be so severe that it will be directed as anger or even blame on those closest to you. The death of a child can often destroy a marriage.
Except for the fact that Denethor was already playing out the golden child/scapegoat dynamic with both of his sons, before Boromir left for Rivendell......
Also I'm pretty sure in the books a big reason for his madness is that he has a palintir. (Not sure if that's how you spell it) The same thing that Pippin touched.
Smeagol was a Stoorish Hobbit. They were the only Hobbits to wear shoes. Smeagol after killing Deagol his kinsman the malignancy of the ring turned into the creature called Gollum.
Loved how you opened up the ROTK intro with hopes for Smeagol 😂🤣 If only you knew what would happen 5 minutes later, the movie had it out for you... To be fair though, in the book Frodo never sends Sam away, so that story arc in the film was meant to play with your expectations like that
Don't know if you love a good mystery movie but if you do, you could see a movie from 1987 called " 4 : 50 from Paddington " with Joanne Hickson playing the role of Miss Marple, an elderly lady who can solve mysteries better than the police. Its actually a series of movies made after the novels by Agatha Christie.
I like your perspectives on the themes of the story, yes, it's mainly about hope in the face of terrible things. Hope that everything will turn out alright, that it's worth trying to fight back, even if you don't know if you can win, you have to hope that you will. Aragorn's used the name Estel when he grew up in Rivendel to hide his identity, Estel means hope. He is more or less the embodiment of hope. I'm sure other people have mentioned this, but Tolkien fought in the first world war, in the trenches, so his depictions of war and how it affects people are based on his own experiences and memories. I can't remember if he himself explicitly said it, or if other people saw the clear connections, but the relationship between Frodo and Sam is probably based on how officers in the British army had a personal assistant. Sort of like a servant, but they were also soldiers themselves, so not just a servant. They often had very close bonds since they fought side by side, but also a complicated relationship because they were of different ranks, and usually also socially from different standing. Many if not most officers were higher class, if not nobility, and most of their servants were working class. There is a lot of romanticism attached to how people view WW1, as well as how they see the relationship between the officers and their soldier-servants. Frodo and Sam are more or less in the same position, they are working together in a war, and they are very close, but Frodo is also Sam's employer, Sam is his gardener, so Sam keeps calling him Mister Frodo. Denethor is sitting on the black throne of the steward, the white throne behind him is the king's. 😁 Beacons are the fastest way to send a message, granted, you can only signal one thing, but it gets on the other side of the country very quickly. Much faster (and more reliable) than a single, or a few, riders with a letter. You can get your previously agreed upon message across in a few hours instead of days or weeks.
I always judge reactors to the LOTR on two factors. How much empathy they show to Frodo and Boromir, and whether or not I feel like they could pass one of Professor Tolkien's literature classes. You pass on both measures. You are both kind and intelligent. ❤
Trilogy The Hobbit Extended Edition Of The Adventures Of Bilbo Baggin: (1) An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition (2) The Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition (3) The Battle Five Armie Extended Edition
The Story that Sam and Frodo are in is the Same story Beren and Luthien were in when Morgoth was around. Aowen is among the Most Renowned Women in Tolkien Lore.
Denethor was as bad and as pessimistic as he was because he had a palantir and had been looking into it. Like Saruman he was bewitched and deluded by Sauron. So he wasn’t great, but had been changed.
At 49:00, Tolkien wrote in an age before smoking was considered a health hazard, and he was very fond of his pipeweed. Tobacco was an integral part of Tolkien's story, and were he writing LOTR today, I expect he would have gotten religion by now. Peter Jackson & Co. have had fun with suggesting that the hobbits' pipeweed was somehow related to cannabis (something that would have appalled Tolkien!), but at this point, I think they were feeling a bit guilty, so they have thrown in a little anti-smoking message here.
King of Rohan “why should we ride to the aid of people who did not come to ours?” Well, you never asked Gondor for help so… Denathor: “Rohan has betrayed me” again my guy, you did not call for help. A call was placed despite you ordering no such thing, but you can’t whine about it.
The Ideas that there were folks in those (these) tales and they had so many chances of turning back, only they didn't. But these days they always DO turn back, maybe THATS why we don't have lasting stories anymore.
Sam should have kept what he saw and heard out of Sméagol/Gollum to himself, not even said anything to Frodo. I know he was angry, and physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted, but he never should have played his hand until he saw it would work in his and Frodo’s favor down the line.
how dumb can someone be? Gondor wasn´t a "kingdom" since 3000 years. How "lawful" would be a descendant of the last pharaoh to rule Egypt tomorrow? I hate the American way of "thinking" that rules are just for other people and the American "hero" has the "right" to break every law for "saving the goodness"? Let´s ask the world where is te real evil of this planet..... and the reacter is the first who begs for mervy instead of "kill them all"!
Your comment misses the mark. J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of Lord of the Rings, was British, not Egyptian nor American. What’s more the monarchy ruling structure of Gondor is clearly maintained in the story by the stewards over those centuries. Although you’re correct about this reactor and her comment “kill them all”. She has so many hate filled comments in these reactions she sounds more like an orc & puts a lie to the “christian” she claims to be in her earlier reaction to The Fellowship of the Ring.
@@billythehutI jzst wanted to explain the time span of Gomdor without a king. When the reacter askes if Aragorn was Isiidur´s son or the grand son it seemed to be necessary.
The movies are like a very good burger with homefries and a shake. The books are like a fillet mignon with sauteed mushrooms, a loaded baked potato with buttery rolls fresh from the oven, served with a fine wine. The language is savory. That's why book readers have problems answering questions about the movies. Yes, there's beef, and a bun, and potatoes but few 1:1 comparisons. The nuances are lost. I suspect you would really enjoy the books. Start with The Hobbit, the trilogy and The Silmarillian. The latter is History as told by the Elves. If you find it challenging, and it can be because of all the names, here are some UA-cam channels that I've found reliable. Tolkien Untangled, TheGirlNextGondor and The Red Book. They break down much of the Silmarillian for you as well as the rest of Tolkien's Legendarium. Continuing the analogy, it's like an endless soup, salad and dessert bar that you can nibble to your heart's content. Have fun!🧓💖
![The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring Part 1 Extended Edition Reaction [REUPLOAD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Wg_O_CoXQfQ/mqdefault.jpg)
✨full length and uncut reactions to all lord of the rings movies are up over on patreon!
link:www.patreon.com/MichelleNeedsaHobby
Your opening observations about Sam's speech are exactly why this story resonates across all cultures. It is purely about good versus evil.- something everyone can relate to. That is why the books have been translated into at least 38 languages and maybe as many as 70. I read the books in 1969 as a freshman in college and have read them over 20 more times since then. The films are a masterpiece in that they capture the essence of the story while losing as little of the storyline as possible. When you finish the film, you will have a number of questions. As soon as I see your reaction, I will try to answer them for you from my knowledge of the books. You are doing a great job, not only on this film, but on all the films I have seen you react to. Keep up the excellent work!
The beacons really existed in the UK! They were used to warn against invasion from the sea, for example by the vikings... I live near to the remains of one myself in the middle of england, a place called beacon hill....
Pippin's father is The Thain of the Shire, something between a chieftain and a king. He knows how to behave himself in a courtly manner. No matter what those grumpy old guys say, he genuinely feels the debt he owes Boromir and his family, and acts as he's been taught. His father would be proud of him.
I always loved Gandalf's moments with Pippin, telling him his whole plan was only a fool's hope, leveling with the hobbit who he had always called a fool.
Michelle, you've seen the last two movies - now you better strap in for the greatest ride of your life!
Hope you brought tissues...
There’s a neat, subtle point in the movie. In the Hall of Denethor, notice there is a white King’s throne atop some steps. But Denethor does not sit there. Even now he sits in a plain chair at the foot of the throne, because he’s not the king. So has been the custom since the last King disappeared 1000 years previously. Tolkien does however mention that over time the Stewards had become proud and ruled as de facto kings - but they kept up the superficial customs.
Yep. Denethor is pretty dope in the book too, very wise and intuitive but unfortunately corrupted by the palantir
Fun Fact: The music to Pippin's song was written by the actor, Billy Boyd, himself. It's in the Dorian mode.
Smeagol and Deagol were cousins. They were already slightly shady so the Ring got to them right away.
I love that you mentioned that! They were totally shady, the darker version of Merry and Pippin as they were troublemakers who played nasty pranks all the time. Also they had gotten into fights with each other before so them fighting over the ring was nothing new.
I did something for Michelle that I rarely do. I listened to her entire introduction. I usually fast forward through those to get to the movie, but hers was so interesting and brilliant. that I listened to every word. Great reactions!
'We gotta handle Smeagol's ass.' We do not, in fact, gotta handle Smeagol's ass. o_O
Tolkiens books are the most read books after the Bible. They've been translated into numerous languages and the fandom is worldwide. No one thought the LOTR books could be adapted to film successfully but Peter Jackson & crew managed it. Sure they left out a lot and changed some things but Jackson said at one point that they always kept in mind that they would always do their best to show Tolkien's vision and not their own.
They kept the feel and emotion of Tolkien's legacy in the movie admirably.
Something to keep in mind about Faramir’s dad Denethor that the movie doesn’t illustrate well is he actually had a palantir, the same kind of orb that Pippin snuck off of Gandalf. Denethor thought he could spy on Sauron to try and get an edge but Sauron caught on immediately and proceeded to bombard Denethor with images of a future where Sauron wins, gaslighting Denethor into believing there’s no hope in fighting. Hence his general dickery
That's why in the first movie gandalf made Sam promise to be by frodos side... he knew he had a big part to play as the ring corrupted frodo
I know you meant that Gandalf knew Sam was important, but I read this as Gandalf knowing that HE was going to play a very important role, I was laughing so hard. like
"...and don't you lose him Samwise Gamgee. I know that I said I would help Frodo, & Im the one who sent him on this quest in the first place. But Im like, a wizard, you know? I got a lot of stuff to deal with. I might die fighting a demon & get reborn with like, some kind of sacred, holy task to complete. I gotta play politics, go talk to kings of totally different countries, hell I will probably be riding into battle multiple times. What I'm saying is, Im kind of a big deal. I can't be babysitting hobbits all the time. So you gotta man up, Sam. Don't mess this up for me"
Sam is the MVP.
You asked how Denethor could look at the dark cloud coming and act like he does, but that’s a big part of why he acts that way. He’s lost all hope. Denethor is actually a foil for Theoden. Both lost their sons, are facing a seemingly hopeless battle, and feel unworthy of their legendary predecessors. While Denethor loses hope and gives up, Theoden rises to the moment and decides, even if he can’t win, he’ll make the stand anyway.
At 22:10 Denethor says, "The rule of Gondor is mine, and no other's!" The book adds, "unless the king should come again." Gandalf replies, "...But I will say this: the rule of no realm is mine...But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care...For I also am a steward. Did you not know?"
I always felt so bad for those poor saps that had mountain top beacon duty.
And those poor mountain top saps couldn't even light a fire to stay warm.
Yep, I always wondered, "who did they piss off, to get saddled with THAT duty??" 👀
There's a little shown part of the lore called a Palantir; it's the glowing bowling ball used by Saroman in the first movie. These are linked to Sauron. They allow him to pass intel on, spy on, recruit, impress etc. Saroman has one of them. The duel that leads to Gandalf being captured has all sorts of intel provided by that Palantir. It shows what Sauron WANTS it to show. Another Palantir is in effect in this movie. Denethor has had one for YEARS. He's been led into the firm belief that HE will be the end of his line, and they will die in disgrace, and the day of that doom shall see the armies of Mordor surround Minas Tirith. So by the time that battle begins, Denethor feels vindicated in his decision to abandon the fight. The only thing stopping that part of Sauron's plan, is that Gandalf was able to take Denthor out of command, and start defending the city. I'm not sure offhand how many Planters exist; offhand I think it's something like 7. Anyhoo, when you rewatch these movies, you'll see the foreboding looks etc around the Palantirs.
Loved the intro. Sam's speech always gets me, too 🧡
One explanation for Denethor's treatment of his son Faramir is that grief can sometimes be so severe that it will be directed as anger or even blame on those closest to you. The death of a child can often destroy a marriage.
Except for the fact that Denethor was already playing out the golden child/scapegoat dynamic with both of his sons, before Boromir left for Rivendell......
Also I'm pretty sure in the books a big reason for his madness is that he has a palintir. (Not sure if that's how you spell it) The same thing that Pippin touched.
Smeagol was a Stoorish Hobbit. They were the only Hobbits to wear shoes. Smeagol after killing Deagol his kinsman the malignancy of the ring turned into the creature called Gollum.
"Much must be risked in war"
"Yeah, but now wasted!"
That response was so perfect I wish Faramir said it 😄
Billy Boyd (Pippin) did his own singing in this movie.
Loved how you opened up the ROTK intro with hopes for Smeagol 😂🤣 If only you knew what would happen 5 minutes later, the movie had it out for you...
To be fair though, in the book Frodo never sends Sam away, so that story arc in the film was meant to play with your expectations like that
Don't know if you love a good mystery movie but if you do, you could see a movie from 1987 called " 4 : 50 from Paddington " with Joanne Hickson playing the role of Miss Marple, an elderly lady who can solve mysteries better than the police. Its actually a series of movies made after the novels by Agatha Christie.
I like your perspectives on the themes of the story, yes, it's mainly about hope in the face of terrible things. Hope that everything will turn out alright, that it's worth trying to fight back, even if you don't know if you can win, you have to hope that you will. Aragorn's used the name Estel when he grew up in Rivendel to hide his identity, Estel means hope. He is more or less the embodiment of hope.
I'm sure other people have mentioned this, but Tolkien fought in the first world war, in the trenches, so his depictions of war and how it affects people are based on his own experiences and memories. I can't remember if he himself explicitly said it, or if other people saw the clear connections, but the relationship between Frodo and Sam is probably based on how officers in the British army had a personal assistant. Sort of like a servant, but they were also soldiers themselves, so not just a servant. They often had very close bonds since they fought side by side, but also a complicated relationship because they were of different ranks, and usually also socially from different standing. Many if not most officers were higher class, if not nobility, and most of their servants were working class. There is a lot of romanticism attached to how people view WW1, as well as how they see the relationship between the officers and their soldier-servants. Frodo and Sam are more or less in the same position, they are working together in a war, and they are very close, but Frodo is also Sam's employer, Sam is his gardener, so Sam keeps calling him Mister Frodo.
Denethor is sitting on the black throne of the steward, the white throne behind him is the king's. 😁
Beacons are the fastest way to send a message, granted, you can only signal one thing, but it gets on the other side of the country very quickly. Much faster (and more reliable) than a single, or a few, riders with a letter. You can get your previously agreed upon message across in a few hours instead of days or weeks.
Yep you right, Sam is my favorite too^^
You're fast becoming my favorite reactor. This channel deserves way more attention. Your opening comments about Sam's speech were awesome!
I always judge reactors to the LOTR on two factors. How much empathy they show to Frodo and Boromir, and whether or not I feel like they could pass one of Professor Tolkien's literature classes. You pass on both measures. You are both kind and intelligent. ❤
Trilogy The Hobbit Extended Edition Of The Adventures Of Bilbo Baggin:
(1) An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition
(2) The Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition
(3) The Battle Five Armie Extended Edition
Michelle your intro shows how you are a wonderful grounded woman.❤
Awesome reaction of my favorite The Lord Of The Rings movie!!!!!!!😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Hey! Hope you wont cut Theoden's speech on the next part :)
The Story that Sam and Frodo are in is the Same story Beren and Luthien were in when Morgoth was around. Aowen is among the Most Renowned Women in Tolkien Lore.
Denethor was as bad and as pessimistic as he was because he had a palantir and had been looking into it. Like Saruman he was bewitched and deluded by Sauron. So he wasn’t great, but had been changed.
At 49:00, Tolkien wrote in an age before smoking was considered a health hazard, and he was very fond of his pipeweed. Tobacco was an integral part of Tolkien's story, and were he writing LOTR today, I expect he would have gotten religion by now. Peter Jackson & Co. have had fun with suggesting that the hobbits' pipeweed was somehow related to cannabis (something that would have appalled Tolkien!), but at this point, I think they were feeling a bit guilty, so they have thrown in a little anti-smoking message here.
King of Rohan “why should we ride to the aid of people who did not come to ours?” Well, you never asked Gondor for help so…
Denathor: “Rohan has betrayed me” again my guy, you did not call for help. A call was placed despite you ordering no such thing, but you can’t whine about it.
2:40 Amen!
If it's any consolation, Michelle, Frodo did not send Sam away in the book - nor do I believe he ever would have 🥰
True dat
Perfect! Just in time for my Friday evening. Happy weekend!
Ok. Who else thought that when Aragorn was trying to deal with the Undead King, he
didn't stand a "ghost of a chance"??? C'mon. Be honest. LOL
46:35 LMAOOOOOOO
Here we gooooo!!!
GOLLUM is the worst, yes, SMEAGOL is the best. do not, CALL GOLLUM SMEAGOL or vise versa. they are two polar opposites.
The Ideas that there were folks in those (these) tales and they had so many chances of turning back, only they didn't. But these days they always DO turn back, maybe THATS why we don't have lasting stories anymore.
You sound like Denethor.
It's pronounced SOW - ron.
To me Sam and Gandalf is the true hero
Sam should have kept what he saw and heard out of Sméagol/Gollum to himself, not even said anything to Frodo. I know he was angry, and physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted, but he never should have played his hand until he saw it would work in his and Frodo’s favor down the line.
If Sam was a strategic thinker, he wouldn't be Sam.
@@llanitedave okay, that’s so true.
how dumb can someone be?
Gondor wasn´t a "kingdom" since 3000 years. How "lawful" would be a descendant of the last pharaoh to rule Egypt tomorrow?
I hate the American way of "thinking" that rules are just for other people and the American "hero" has the "right" to break every law for "saving the goodness"?
Let´s ask the world where is te real evil of this planet..... and the reacter is the first who begs for mervy instead of "kill them all"!
Your comment misses the mark. J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of Lord of the Rings, was British, not Egyptian nor American. What’s more the monarchy ruling structure of Gondor is clearly maintained in the story by the stewards over those centuries. Although you’re correct about this reactor and her comment “kill them all”. She has so many hate filled comments in these reactions she sounds more like an orc & puts a lie to the “christian” she claims to be in her earlier reaction to The Fellowship of the Ring.
@@billythehutI jzst wanted to explain the time span of Gomdor without a king.
When the reacter askes if Aragorn was Isiidur´s son or the grand son it seemed to be necessary.
The movies are like a very good burger with homefries and a shake. The books are like a fillet mignon with sauteed mushrooms, a loaded baked potato with buttery rolls fresh from the oven, served with a fine wine. The language is savory.
That's why book readers have problems answering questions about the movies. Yes, there's beef, and a bun, and potatoes but few 1:1 comparisons. The nuances are lost.
I suspect you would really enjoy the books. Start with The Hobbit, the trilogy and The Silmarillian. The latter is History as told by the Elves. If you find it challenging, and it can be because of all the names, here are some UA-cam channels that I've found reliable. Tolkien Untangled, TheGirlNextGondor and The Red Book. They break down much of the Silmarillian for you as well as the rest of Tolkien's Legendarium. Continuing the analogy, it's like an endless soup, salad and dessert bar that you can nibble to your heart's content. Have fun!🧓💖
Um... You mean "with PO-TA-TOS"