Monday, May 3, 2010

The Lord Of The Rings The Two Towers Translated Well Into A Movie

By Jenifer Greer

If you are looking at the book The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers and are feeling a little overwhelmed by how thick it is, you are not alone. Many people who have read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of The Rings have found that some portions are hard to get through. However, as it links together the first and third books, it is important for you to read since it answers many questions and provides information you need to make the third book, The Return of the King, make sense.

You will find that the book tends to be a study in contrasts. There are some portions that are filled with action, suspense and intrigue. There are also sections which focus more on the environment that the characters are traveling through and which tend to be a bit slower paced.

It is for this reason that the movie version, released in 2002 and directed by Peter Jackson, was excellent. Although there have been some criticisms about some of the plot choices that were made in the movie, on the whole it is an excellent film. Like the first movie, Jackson uses a combination of sets, special effects and make-up in order to recreate key locations such as King Theoden's hall in Rohan.

The two towers mentioned in the title refer to the tower of Saruman, a corrupt wizard who has fallen under Sauron's sway, and the tower of Sauron itself in Mordor. Saruman is busy creating warriors that will be used to crush the remaining forces who are still putting up a fight against Sauron. Saruman is creating fearsome creatures known as Uruk-hai that are stronger, tougher and more brutal than anything that has come before.

Throughout the movie, you are introduced to some of the other characters which do not form the Fellowship but which are no less important. They include Theoden of Rohan, a human king who is fighting to keep his people safe. You meet the Ents, giant tree-like creatures who can walk and talk and who are truly fearsome when angered.

You also begin to learn more about some of the motivations which affect the characters. Boromir, who is killed in the first movie, is from Gondor, a land on the border of Mordor and under constant siege from the forces of darkness. The movie delves into the motivations of the people of Gondor. We are introduced to Faramir, younger brother of Boromir who is desperate to prove himself to his father who serves as Steward of that country.

Although there were some criticisms surrounding the way Peter Jackson treated the storyline, for the most part this movie has been praised. There are so many memorable moments (such as the unforgettable Battle of Helm's Deep) that you are set up to go into the third part of the story with a much better understanding of Middle Earth as a whole.

Both the movie and the book have an important role to play in the overall trilogy. Peter Jackson's version keeps the viewer riveted and the visual scenes of travelling keep the interest level up more than the book tends to do.

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