More notes from #21-22

Sir Ian talks about what he has learned from other actors in the "Face to Face" interview on Ovation (which I highly recommend--great interview). It's not a great deal--he has consciously learned more from directors than from actors. But he does admire Gielgud for his ability to speak difficult prose quickly--and I think he's adopted this. I have to remind myself sometimes, when he says something more quickly than one is expecting a line to be read, that it actually sounds *more* natural that way--it's just that we're used to some types of movies NOT sounding natural. In Moria, his enunciation of "Gimli!" when Gimli runs away from the fellowship into the area of Balin's tomb, not only reminds me of Gielgud in its speed, but he actually looks a bit like Gielgud there. I saw the resemblance a couple of times--must be the beard and nose.

I have to say, after Boromir's death, I start anticipating the trailer... It was nice to see it with friends this time. I noticed us all leaning forward, watching intently, determined to miss not one shot. Then the collective sound of held breath being released, and applause and shouts. Fantastic job, PJ.

For trailer viewing #3, I arrived WAY too early and decided to go watch "Time Machine." Made it through 15 minutes before I got antsy and left, so saw LotR from the boat landing on. Sat in the last floor row, far right end. The screen is HUGE from down there. If I don't get to the IMAX, I'll have to do a viewing from that row, more center, next time--if I can focus.

For viewing #22, I decided to mostly watch Elijah and Ian, not so much critically as just to enjoy their performances. Yeah, hard job, but after that many viewings, you can do yourself some favors. Unfortunately, my pen was acting up, so in addition to my usual "I can't write in the dark" scrawl I have the no-ink problem. I obviously wanted to make some comment about Ian's "there are none who can" line concerning the palantir, but I have no clue what it was...

I remembered to watch Viggo's face in Moria again. It's fine at the beginning of the scene, so it must only have been the fight sequences in Balin's tomb that they filmed after he tried to take out a cheekbone. It really looks bad. I ended up noticing odd things in Moria, like the way Boromir was so close to catching Gandalf's hair on fire with his torch when they're surrounded by the orcs.

Back to my Galadriel fixation. Does she try to separate Frodo from the fellowship? It seems like it to me, although she must have known Sam wouldn't be left behind that easily. She doesn't just warn him about Boromir, or they might leave Boromir behind and proceed with the rest. She has to go on to say that the ring will take them ALL, so that Frodo will feel that he must even abandon Aragorn in order to save him. I really do think that's as much of the motivation as the success of the quest is--he is thinking at *least* as much about sparing the others as he is that they might endanger the quest. IMHO, of course.