Revisiting THE LORD OF THE RINGS this past Christmas, I was struck by an element in FELLOWSHIP that I'd noticed when the film first came out but I'd not thought about until this past viewing (which was further enhanced by the fact that I'd just re-read the book before watching) -- and that element was the addition of "blame" for some of the major set pieces in the story.
For example, in the book, Aragorn takes the hobbits to Weathertop and openly lights a camp fire, stating that despite being hunted by the Nazgul, fire is their friend, as the wraiths fear it. However, in the film, the tension is upped, and the fact that Sam, Merry and Pippin light a fire is what betrays their location and causes Frodo to suffer a wound that leaves him spiritually crippled. In other words, it's the hobbits' fault for lighting a fire.
Later, as the Fellowship is snowblocked, an alternate route must be determined. In the book, Gandalf argues for the Moria road from the beginning despite Aragorn's protests; in the film, he is quite clearly afraid of waking a slumbering Balrog. Book Gandalf is quite pleased when Frodo agrees with the suggestion of Moria; in the film, he lays the decision wholly on Frodo. Frodo's choice to go through Moria terrifies Gandalf, who is pushing the company desperately through a snowstorm that will kill them all before risking a confrontation with the Balrog. In other words, Gandalf's death is Frodo's fault, because Frodo voted Gandalf down.
Finally, in Moria, Jackson, Walsh and Boyens made the decision to take Pippin's incidental encounter with a well (he drops a stone in the book, resulting in some hammer-tapping) and move it to Balin's tomb. Pippin's carelessness with a dwarf skeleton is what signals the goblins to attack, waking the Balrog in the process, and we all know how THAT goes. So in other words, Gandalf's death is Pippin's fault, because Pippin suffers from hobbit ADD.
Okay, so maybe "fault" is a strong word in these instances, but these situations were definitely heightened for the theatrical presentation of the story, and in the process, and element of choice (direct or indirect) and personal accountability was added. It definitely stood out to me.
For example, in the book, Aragorn takes the hobbits to Weathertop and openly lights a camp fire, stating that despite being hunted by the Nazgul, fire is their friend, as the wraiths fear it. However, in the film, the tension is upped, and the fact that Sam, Merry and Pippin light a fire is what betrays their location and causes Frodo to suffer a wound that leaves him spiritually crippled. In other words, it's the hobbits' fault for lighting a fire.
Later, as the Fellowship is snowblocked, an alternate route must be determined. In the book, Gandalf argues for the Moria road from the beginning despite Aragorn's protests; in the film, he is quite clearly afraid of waking a slumbering Balrog. Book Gandalf is quite pleased when Frodo agrees with the suggestion of Moria; in the film, he lays the decision wholly on Frodo. Frodo's choice to go through Moria terrifies Gandalf, who is pushing the company desperately through a snowstorm that will kill them all before risking a confrontation with the Balrog. In other words, Gandalf's death is Frodo's fault, because Frodo voted Gandalf down.
Finally, in Moria, Jackson, Walsh and Boyens made the decision to take Pippin's incidental encounter with a well (he drops a stone in the book, resulting in some hammer-tapping) and move it to Balin's tomb. Pippin's carelessness with a dwarf skeleton is what signals the goblins to attack, waking the Balrog in the process, and we all know how THAT goes. So in other words, Gandalf's death is Pippin's fault, because Pippin suffers from hobbit ADD.
Okay, so maybe "fault" is a strong word in these instances, but these situations were definitely heightened for the theatrical presentation of the story, and in the process, and element of choice (direct or indirect) and personal accountability was added. It definitely stood out to me.
