saruman of many colors ?

radiance · 16th August 2002, 09:31 AM

what hapend to that ???

Jurious · 16th August 2002, 05:01 PM

I'd actually forgotten about that until I picked up the book again recently. I guess like most things it was cut out of the film. The book has incredible depth that it would be impossible to translate to the screen, hence why it says 'based on the book by J.R.R.Tolkien'.

I think adding all the colours to Saruman's robes would just lead to more confusion, for we would have to know that he had been Saruman the White in the first place, etc., etc. I think just having him stay as Saruman the White, whilst still betraying Gandalf, his Order and the people of Middle Earth is fine as far as the movie goes. :D

radiance · 22nd August 2002, 10:52 AM

Haaamm, I guess so , still it would have been nice.
On the other hand they do tray to Not use visional affects to show magic ( like the wizard fight) so I guess showing lots of colors would ruing that affect.

Old Soul · 23rd August 2002, 12:10 AM

When I saw the trailer, on TT Gandalf will now be in white.
Perhaps in the movie they will explain why and how 2 wizards can have the same rank.

Hummm let me think about this

nobby.c · 23rd August 2002, 04:54 PM

well in the TT Trailer gandalf is REALLY white, looks like an advert for a washing powder :)
I think Saruman will become decidely off white as TT progresses. I need to watch FOTR again to see if there is any difference in Saruman's appearance other than the bruising. (I'm sure there is)
Thats the thing I loved about FOTR, that they all really looked beat up after a fight, and not just for the scene immediately after the fight and also how they had dirty hands with dirt under their nails etc.
Just Brilliant.

Jurious · 23rd August 2002, 06:35 PM

I must agree, Nobby, that the attention to detail on LotR is amazing!

In TTT, Saruman is removed from the place at head of the Istari Order, isn't he? Without a suitable change of clothes, perhaps he has no choice but to remain 'white' once Gandalf takes over. ;)

**David Vasser** · 24th August 2002, 10:24 AM

Perhaps that is coming. If it is in the book and at all possible to work into the film I think PJ would do it. If it is in the book, he wanted to do it. He just couldn't do all the scenes in the book. It would have taken 10 years!

I miss Tom Bombadil, a very interesting character who lived a very mysterious life. PJ could make a movie about him all by himself.

Still looking forward to seeing the Ents too!

nobby.c · 24th August 2002, 12:15 PM

I am not too sure Tom Bombadil would have worked in the movie. That character defies definition and I suppose is why it is interesting but he would never have fitted into movie imho.
The problem PJ had with the movie is maintaining momentum and those chapters with Bombadil seemed to stop time and allow the Hobbits a well deserved breather, and once again raise the question of whether to continue the journey.
Also the obvious other omission in the movie were the scenes involving singing and dancing e.g in the Prancing Pony when Frodo ends up disappearing. All that dancing and singing which Bombadil did quite a bit would come across as silly to today's audience and people who hadnt read the book.
Admittedly some singing is put back in extended version of DVD but we'll have to wait and see how that is done to avoid making the movie "silly" for regular movie goers.
I remember watching "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" and hearing the people behind me say "...thats stupid, people can't fly".
Surprisingly, even in fantasy suspension of belief is hard amongst some people, when the action on the screen involves "normal" people without capes on.

Anyway I am definately interested in how the Ents turn out and just hope that most of the original TT story stays in as is.

Jurious · 24th August 2002, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Admittedly some singing is put back in extended version of DVD but we'll have to wait and see how that is done to avoid making the movie "silly" for regular movie goers.

Well, considering that this looks to be set in the 'Prancing Pony' scenes, in which they are drinking ale, I don't think 'singing and dancing' would be too hard for movie-goers to beleive - I wouldn't find it silly. Plus, they're Hobbits - very hearty people. :)

nobby.c · 24th August 2002, 07:14 PM

Well the singing may or may not be in Prancing Pony, imdb.com states Strider/Aragorn is singing an elvish tune which wakes up frodo. So it isn't necessarily the hobbits who sing.
The other thing I heard about the extended scenes mainly from Empire magazine, focused on the Shire and Bilbo performing some kind of voice over and perhaps singing ? and some additional scenes of Frodo and co. in Shire.
the other additional scenes in the extended dvd focus around Lothlorien and gift ceremony etc.
I still think some of Tolkien's writing was too flowery and verbose to go straight to celluloid and this included Bombadil, which is a shame because he was an enigma even to the Ents and Elves.

Jurious · 25th August 2002, 02:54 PM

I see your point, Nobby.

I don't mind the singing - it may remind us of another time, when people did sing for their own entertainment, and stuff. However, I do think that you're right about Bombadil - I couldn't get my head around him in the book, and I think that putting him in the movie would have been an incredible challenge - perhaps too difficult. It is probably better off without him.

**Brandon Jones** · 25th August 2002, 10:21 PM

Well it never really addresses in the book that Saruman's colors change in the Order. Although Gandalf does notice in the Fellowship that his robes "shimmer" all hues. I also noticed that in the previews, Gandalf is "bright white" rather than a dingy white like Saruman. I suppose this will probably be the only difference, along with Gandalf's white staff. Saruman's staff will also be broken in TTT, according to the book, and that is the part I most want to see.

radiance · 27th August 2002, 01:10 PM

1.scenes involving singing and dancing e.g in the Prancing Pony when Frodo .. I sow the

nobby.c · 27th August 2002, 01:38 PM

If I remember correctly Frodo lets slip about the ring that galadriel has, thus Identifying her as one of the ring owners in Fellowship of the Ring to Gandalf I think but not sure. Only he could see that she had the ring because he had a ring of power himself.
I guess that they never bothered going there because the opening credits already established who had the rings.
As for the White figure in the woods, the whole thing about that was that the trio thought it was Saruman after them and building up some tension and thus emphasising that Gandalf is now the White instead of the Grey when they are finally confronted by the "stranger".
It would have been a better surprise in the film if they hadn't given it all away in the trailer (only those who had read the book would know :) ) but hey Peter Jackson needs to make sure Gandalf fans who havent read the book come back to the movie theatre

Kikishwa · 27th August 2002, 03:43 PM

Quote:

It would have been a better surprise in the film if they hadn't given it all away in the trailer (only those who had read the book would know ) but hey Peter Jackson needs to make sure Gandalf fans who havent read the book come back to the movie theatre

Do you really think it is possible that anyone who had yet to read the book but who had seen and enjoyed the movie didn't go out and read it? I can't imagine anyone in that position waiting a year to see what happens next when the answer is available in virtually every public library on the planet. :P

Kikishwa