For those of you that have seen The Two Towers, what do you make of that theme that is played on the Norwegian violin? It’s a haunting theme that just stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard it on the soundtrack. It’s played when Eowyn is standing on the porch of Meduseld, just as she sees The Three Hunters and Gandalf riding up and the flag breaks loose and flutters away.
What do you think? Is it playable on the whistle? Has anyone tried it?
I love it.
K
Sorry Kim,
I just saw the film (2nd time) on Saturday, but I didn’t even notice this music - maybe it happened while I was asleep, I did drift off for about half an hour in between battle scenes. Guess I’ll have to wait for the DVD.
All the plot adjustments that bothered me the first time round bothered me again, plus a few more bits I let pass the first time. Eowyn’s kinda easy on the eye though.
I’ve got that “extra plot bit to get Arwen back from the Grey Havens when she doesn’t really go in the first place but Peter Jackson writes better Tolkein than Tolkein and it’ll pad out the third film” feeling.
I also figured out why Faramir dragged Frodo, Sam and Smeagol all the way to Osgiliath. Having built the expensive set, they figured they’d have to use it for something…
Kim, I didn’t pay too much attention to the fiddle theme in TTT, but I did notice it. I remember thinking it was nice for once not to use the usual “haunting celtic whistle theme” kind of music.
Martin, I (too) find the plot changes bothersome. I’m afraid they may reflect the fact that Peter Jackson has lost faith in filming the story “as it is” - as you say “he writes better Tolkien than Tolkien”.
I’ve been discussing the Osgiliath scene with fellow LOTR fans, and we all (cynically) agree that the scene was probably included to show off, not only the set but also the flying nazgûl special effects. Plot-wise, we just can’t think of a good reason to change the plot in that way.
Jens
On 2003-01-13 07:21, Martin Milner wrote:
I just saw the film (2nd time) on Saturday, but I didn’t even notice this music -
On 2003-01-13 09:00, Jens_Hoppe wrote:
Kim, I didn’t pay too much attention to the fiddle theme in TTT,
Well, thanks guys for all your help!
K
Always glad to be of service 
Hi Kim. I’m with you. I thought the Rohan theme was by far the best musical thing in the new movie! Overall, I thought the first one used music much better.
I don’t see any reason why the theme couldn’t be played on whistle. However, I think it’s partly the somewhat raw tone of the fiddle that gave it that rough beauty.
Go for it!
Heather M.
I think you’d hit a snag with the first notes which are in fact the same note, four or five times. If you can get an effect like that from your whistle, the rest should be easy, except that I can’t recall much more to the tune than that. I really liked it, too.
I am with those who don’t understand the changes Peter Jackson made, really unnecessary ones. I have a theory only for the one with Frodo, which irritated the heck out of me. All the same, I guess he thought it would be a better way to keep Frodo and Sam busy and in the story without letting them get too quickly to Minas Morgul. I suppose the spider thing would have been too much of a cliffhanger, maybe he wanted to end it in a state of semi-resolution. I’m not sure about the empowered Smeagol, either, but I thought that did at least blend fairly well. I’m more annoyed at all the attitude changes. Aragorn is angst-ridden about his lineage as king instead of being a patient incognito monarch, Theoden suddenly thinks he can’t count on anyone for help, Elrond suddenly has issues with Eowyn’s choice of men (if that was in the books, it’s news to me), Frodo has gone from being doggedly determined and weary (with occasional, delightfully creepy moments) to being a borderline psychopath… actually, I enjoyed that. Well, good old Sam is all he should be. Alright, I enjoyed the movie but I, too, don’t understand. Why did Theoden have to be possessed by Saruman? Why did Aragorn have to fall in the river? Why did Eowyn beat a path to the Grey Havens? Didn’t she have the choice to live a mortal life, instead of staying young while her husband aged? That was how I understood it.
It’s sad. I really tried not to pick at the changes but in this second film, there are so many that don’t make sense. I understood leaving out Bombadil, barrow-wights, Frodo’s barroom song, Merry’s walk, etc. But having the entire population of Edoras head for Helm’s Deep? That’s a stumper.
Wait, my mistake, it’s the first 3 notes the same, then up one, then the first note again. Still out of my league.
I’m totally impervious to the LOtR thing, which will probably make me as much of an outcast here as I am in my own home, but if someone indicates what the notes in question in the tune are, I might be able to suggest something.