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BlackFox
Half-elven
Jun 11 2014, 8:47am
Post #1 of 13
(2755 views)
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Screencap of the Day: The Faces of Samwise Gamgee
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Sam climbs up to Frodo, who has collapsed on the mountainside, and takes him in his arms.
“Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo?” he asks. “It’ll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they’ll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields, and eating the first of the strawberries with cream.”
Frodo opens his eyes and stares blindly at Sam.
“Do you remember the taste of strawberries?”
“No, Sam,” gasps Frodo for breath. “I can’t recall the taste of food, nor the sound of water, or the touch of grass. I’m naked in the dark. There’s… there’s nothing… no veil between me and the wheel of fire. I can see him with my waking eyes!”
His eyes widen in pain and fear, while Sam’s fill with tears.
“Then let us be rid of it, once and for all!” he cries. “Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you! Come on!”
(http://www.councilofelrond.com/...ng-extended-edition/)
The following four screencaps feature Sam undergo the various emotions present in this scene:
1. How well do you think these screencaps convey what Sam is going through? Would it be possible to construct a narrative by solely drawing on this set of images?
2. If you had to give this series of screencaps a title, then what would you choose?
3. Any additional thoughts or comments?
Fire away! 
“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” - Henry David Thoreau
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Arannir
Valinor
Jun 11 2014, 9:15am
Post #2 of 13
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1.) Hard to judge because the scene is simply to vividly in my mind. However, the emotions come across quite nicely.
2.) It would be something with both "loyalty" and "friendship".
3.) I really was surprised by Sean Astin here - very well done. However, I never quite got why PJ, SA himself and others believed this was particularly Oscar-worthy. It was an important scene and he carried it well, but also with very emotional stuff to work with which is often easier to pull off than the more subtle things. Elijah Wood has - imho - the tougher acting job to do here - and the scenes surrounding this one are imho not just SA's strongest but also Wood's (I probably did not really warm to his Frodo til I saw the scenes between Cirith Ungol and the Sammath Naur where he portrayed the failing anti-hero beautifully).
"I am afraid it is only too likely to be true what you say about the critics and the public. I am dreading the publication for it will be impossible not to mind what is said. I have exposed my heart to be shot at." J.R.R. Tolkien
We all have our hearts and minds one way or another invested in these books and movies. So we all mind and should show the necessary respect.
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Darkstone
Immortal
Jun 11 2014, 1:17pm
Post #3 of 13
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Nice how his eyes are up, bright, and hopeful in the first frame, but downcast, dark, and angry in the last.
Also nice how his tears dry up quickly. It's *hot* on Mount Doom!
Add a well-chosen fifth frame and you'd have a classic Kübler-Ross sequence.
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The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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The Grey Pilgrim
Lorien
Jun 11 2014, 2:21pm
Post #5 of 13
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One of the most moving moments in Cinema: "His Will was set and only death would break it."
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1. How well do you think these screencaps convey what Sam is going through? Would it be possible to construct a narrative by solely drawing on this set of images?
Fantastically. The screencaps take us from despair and a look of "how has it come to this, this is the end" type of mindset in the first picture to a gradual awakening of duty and willful determination in completing the quest as he realizes Frodo's pain and internalizes it to make himself stronger. By the final frame you posted, it is clear to You can see it in his eyes, in the grainy and worn look on his face. I think you could read a number of things just on his facial expressions but I think what would be even more telling would be to see what this reaction is to, the deteriorated state of Frodo and his eyes livid with pain and the sight of the "wheel of fire."
2. If you had to give this series of screencaps a title, then what would you choose?
If I had to go with one short phrase, it would be this from the book "His will was set and only death would break it."
These passages line from the book really seem to drive home the emotion of what Sam is feeling to me and his motivations.
They are not directly correlated with this scene but I think they really give a good perspective of the last leg of Frodo and Sam's journey and are reflective of the deepest thoughts of the characters written in a way that is pure Tolkien. I think this scene translates the ideas of these quotes into cinematic storytelling.
"In that hour of trial it was the love of his master that helped him most to hold firm; but also deep down in him lived still unconquered his plain hobbit-sense: he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command."
- ROTK Page 186. This quote is from the Tower of Critih Ungol Chapter after Sam's brush with the Ring but I think it fits well here, particularly the first line. In Sam's eyes here you can see the undying love towards Frodo and that is what keeps him going.
"To his surprise he felt tired but lighter, and his head seemed clear again. No more debates disturbed his mind. He knew all the arguments of despair and would not listen to them. His will was set, and only death would break it."
- ROTK Page 232. This is attributed to Frodo in the book but I think it is applicable here to Sam as Sam's . I especially love when Phillipa Boyens directly quoted this line in the appendices/making of Return of the King documentaries I forget where but it's there. It is clear this was in mind when PJ, Fran, and Phillipa were writing the scripts this line stuck with them and made its way onto the screen and you can see it in these screencaps.
3. Any additional thoughts or comments?
This scene of Frodo and Sam on the mountain is my favorite in the film after "The Ride of the Rohirrim." This scene captures one of the things I love about the films most. The balance of the epic and the intimate. I really think Both Wood and Astin were great in this scene and especially Sean Astin. He, to me, is at the heart of The Return of the King in his portrayal of Sam and I share the sentiment of Peter Jackson that even though The Return of the King won 11 Oscars, that one win or at least nomination it really missed out on was Supporting Actor for Sean Astin in the role of Samwise Gamgee. He is just fantastic and his performance wrecks me every time. Well the whole film does, really. 
I have this poster on the wall of my bedroom and this moment and the idea of this scene really gets me through a lot of difficult times.
Sorry if this is a really long or a bit of a ramble but this scene is extremely beautiful and close to my heart and I think we all get a little choked up thinking about it. Also, I don't post often on SCOD's but when I do I wanna make it count thank you for a beautiful series of screencaps Blackfox!
(This post was edited by The Grey Pilgrim on Jun 11 2014, 2:24pm)
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Darkstone
Immortal
Jun 11 2014, 2:43pm
Post #6 of 13
(2502 views)
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That does round out the Kübler-Ross model.
BTW, I also note Sam is pretty much brown colored, the color of the earth, stable, dependable. A color of the rustic and the humble.
It's interesting to note that in Oroduin, when Frodo finally claims the ring, the lighting makes his skin look like metallic gold. That is, Frodo has left the building. Only the ring is left.
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The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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Meneldor
Valinor
Jun 11 2014, 4:03pm
Post #8 of 13
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Maybe I'll type something later.
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Just got a little something in my eye right now.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.
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Meneldor
Valinor
Jun 11 2014, 6:31pm
Post #10 of 13
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They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Jun 12 2014, 1:19am
Post #11 of 13
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This could easily have been a corny scene
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It's so very common, the hero struggling for one last gasp against impossible odds, now cue the inspirational music and play "O Fortuna!". Which makes it a tribute to the movie that it was fresh and believable. It makes you want to jump onto Mt Doom yourself and help shoulder the burden. This is where all decent people are supposed to band together and do what's right (or cheer in the audience and try not to spill your popcorn on the person next to you, who seemed to have a recent brush with onions).
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Darkstone
Immortal
Jun 12 2014, 1:16pm
Post #13 of 13
(2513 views)
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...I always figured it was the THX sound system stirring up dust in the theater.
******************************************
The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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