Simplifying the whole siege of Minas Tirith battle in the movie

[Veefy]

Having just re-read ROTK I was thinking that is is inevitable that the events in the book are simplified for the movie so the adaptation makes sense to the viewer. One pivotal event in the book is when the ships from the south arrive with what are first believed to be Corsairs of Umbar (reinforcements of Sauron) but then turn out to be Aragorn and reinforcements he has brought (Knights of Dol Amroth included).

As far as I have heard last the Paths of the Dead are in? and there was a photo I saw that supposedly was the guardian sitting outside the paths of the dead. It was only a costume or figure sitting in the background of an interview in the costume workshop or similar and was not labelled or commented on.

So I'm thinking if Paths of the Dead are in and Aragorn picks up his army of oathbreakers what is he going to be shown to do with them? In the book we only hear Gimli and Legolas talk about the Battle of Pelagir and how the oathbreakers help won the day and then they were granted peace.

Now showing the battle that took place at Pelagir would be possible BUT I have the feeling that it won't take place for reasons that it would take too much time to do it justice (at least 25-30 minutes I guess) and that it would be introducing yet another location that takes us away from the main action which is Minas Tirith. There is plenty enough that has to be shown for the adaptation to work at all alone enough in Minas Tirith and I am really hoping that there will be time for the Pippin and Beregrond relationship to be shown or at least conveyed as well as the Eowyn/Faramir relationship to be at least hinted at if not shown. Then again that might be a standalone plot point explored in a scene for the extended dvd...

So if Pelagir is out then it would make sense for the army of oathbreakers to turn up to Minas Tirith do some fighting or just simply break the siege through their sheer numbers and plain unnaturalness.

So if this happens then the main battle at Minas Tirith will have two main climaxes. First the Riders of Rohan turn up just when the WitchKing is at the main gate and all looks lost, and then presumably Eowyn and Merry battle him very soon after the battle is joined (perhaps 5 minutes after the riders arrive in cinema time). There would be perhaps 20 minutes of the film devoted to the Theden dying, Eowyn/Merry/Witchking battle and Eomer finding out that Eowyn is in the battle and being hurt. I can imagine in my mind a scene where Eomer is kneeling besides Eowyn in grief thinking that he has lost Theoden and his sister and then quickly being drawn away to rejoin the battle. In fact this is essentially how it happens in the book and could be done like this in the movie. I doubt there will be enough time for a "mistakenly think that Eowyn is dead and then find out from someone else that she isn't" scene. Especially as Prince Imrahil hasn't been cast as far as I aware.

So then perhaps 5-7 minutes or so later when the batte is again turning against Gondor then Aragorn and the Oathbreakers turn up and the day is won.

Anyway I would be keen to hear what people think of this theory. I for one always wondered what the army of oathbreakers looked like and I dearly hope to see them in action. It would almost make up for never seeing a barrow-wight in the first movie.

[Bess the Bard]

I commented on the possible use of the Oathbreakers in another thread on the Empire magazine article. The article mentioned there would be 3 major battles portrayed in ROTK.

Pelannor Fields and the Battle at the Black Gate would be two of them. I thought maybe the third would be actually showing the battle at Umbar and the taking of the ships? I think the Making of the Movie Trilogy mentions that a sea battle was actually filmed. The Paths of the Dead are obviously in, so why gather the undead army if you're not going to show them in action?

Of course, 3 big battles in this movie, basically 1 an hour, might exhaust the audience. Maybe the magazine article is wrong. I would not have a problem with using the Oathbreakers at Minas Tirith as you suggest--the time spent on the Paths of the Dead would be justified by the Oathbreakers use in a major battle. Also picture how they might arrive--the ships that are spotted are not only those belonging to the Corsairs but then it's realized they are manned by ghosts! Real heartstopper there--then the banner Arwen made is unfurled and we see it is really Aragorn come to the rescue.

Come to think of it, that's one reason Tolkien probably did not write about the battle at Umbar in real time--so we have that moment of drama when the pirate ships arrive and it seems like all hope is lost. Maybe PJ won't want to waste a built-in dramatic moment.

[Faramir]

And we know that the 3rd battle isn't the Battle of Bywater. But, you never know.

[Ithielnor]

I'm afraid the 'scouring of the shire' is out so that is not likely to be it :( to bad, I should have liked to see that. I think the idea of bringing the oathbreakers to pelannor fields would be likely enough exept what is the third battle then? the battle at the ford of Osgiliath? more food for thought.

[Faramir]

Maybe they're considreing the Siege of Gondor and The Battle of the Pelennor Fields on the next day to be 2 separate battles?

[Veefy]

That is cool if the sea battle is really in the can so to speak. Is there a set report somewhere on it - surely if Helms Deep took 3+ months (???) of night shooting than the sea battle would take at least 1 month to shoot? Did the crew ever go on location on the coast somewhere in New Zealand. It would be important to see if they really mean Sea or more correctly river in the Making of Book - are there any pictures to go with that quote?