SCOD "My axe... his nervous system."

SirDennisC

SirDennisC

Half-elven
Welcome! We're very near the end of TTT. This image is from the EE (take that Blu-Ray enthusiasts).

Behold, the glorious Legolas:

View attachment
A more glorious image may be viewed here.

Talking Points:

1. Much has been made of this bit between Legolas and Gimli, where Gimli reveals his extensive and contemporary knowledge of anatomy. But really, to be the efficient killers that this pair are, they must have had some insight into life systems. Right?

2. Compare this scene after the Battle for Helms Deep with the scene at the end of the Battle of Pelennor Fields.

3. By now you are used to me fawning over Legolas. It's just that being a lifetime admirer of his, I was thrilled that he was brought to life so convincingly by all concerned. Is this Legolas for you?

4. Legolas or Will Turner; which roll defined Orlando Bloom?

Bonus: Provide a caption for the image (i.e. After a hard day on the battle field Legolas enjoys a bit of air guitar.)
 
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1. But really, to be the efficient killers that this pair are, they must have had some insight into life systems. Right?
Let's say 'yes' and ignore the anacronism because it's a great bit of humour after the hell of battle.

2. Compare this scene after the Battle for Helms Deep with the scene at the end of the Battle of Pelennor Fields.
Er, which Pelennor scene? If you mean Legolas sliding down the Oliphaunt's trunk and Gimli's tempestuous reply, then the Pelennor scene wins for outright laughs. (Or do you mean another scene?)
I admit it: I'm a fan of comedy Gimli, as these films needed light moments during the ongoing trials of the characters.

3. Is this Legolas for you?
Very much so, yes. Not only is he all warrior (and is that a hint of hair-mussing I see?), but he is rather easy on the eye.

4. Legolas or Will Turner; which roll defined Orlando Bloom?
It has to be Legolas, as that is the role in which the world took notice of Orlando.

Caption: Legolas perfects his Magnum look.
 
1. Much has been made of this bit between Legolas and Gimli, where Gimli reveals his extensive and contemporary knowledge of anatomy. But really, to be the efficient killers that this pair are, they must have had some insight into life systems. Right?
who said (something like)...this is a wound, this is a kill? [tongue]
Yes--even though systems/functions of the body are not discussed much--if at all--I do believe these two know the difference between "ouch-that hurt!" and "ack-done for".

2. Compare this scene after the Battle for Helms Deep with the scene at the end of the Battle of Pelennor Fields.
Does Legolas' hair look just a wee bit frizzy here?--musta been the dampness --which was not a factor at Pelennor Fields.

3. By now you are used to me fawning over Legolas. It's just that being a lifetime admirer of his, I was thrilled that he was brought to life so convincingly by all concerned. Is this Legolas for you?
Hmmm--good question--tricksey. For the film-firster in me, Orlando *is* Legolas. But, the book-reader says this is the *cool/ hip* version of Legolas. Fortunately, both me's agree that cool/hip is...acceptable!

4. Legolas or Will Turner; which roll defined Orlando Bloom?
Mmmm...both rolls were pretty sweet and tasty!
(apologies...[tongue] for my silliness)

Bonus: Provide a caption for the image (i.e. After a hard day on the battle field Legolas enjoys a bit of air guitar.)
Bet folks are wondering how I seem to still have all my arrows!
 
Sorry, should have been clearer. The scene just after Aragorn releases the Dead Army: all goes quiet except for the ruffling of banners as we scan the still battlefield, bathed in dust and light. Gandalf bows to Aragorn, Aragorn nods...

Nice catch on Legolas' mussed hair. And why not, he put in some hard fighting. Awesome!
 
nice.

I agree with you on the rolls. Looking back (especially in light of the varied opinion on his acting ability) it's surprising how unlike each other Legolas and Will Turner were (are?) Yet both had that dreamy quality that make you want to be them or be with them.

Thanks Batik!
 
Talking Points:

1. Much has been made of this bit between Legolas and Gimli, where Gimli reveals his extensive and contemporary knowledge of anatomy. But really, to be the efficient killers that this pair are, they must have had some insight into life systems. Right?

“There’s no one as arrogant as a young man who has discovered an old truth.”

Kids today are convinced that Egyptians, Greeks, Incans, and Aztecs were so stupid that the pyramids can only be explained by aliens coming down and building them. Needless to say, kids a few hundred years from now will say about the same thing, how 20th century man was so stupid he couldn’t have landed on the moon. (Then again, there’s people today who say that!)

Anyway, the Egyptians, Greeks, and knew quite a bit about the nervous system. Hippocrates wrote of the involuntary spasms of the nervous system caused by sciatica. The Roman Galen in the 2nd century AD conducted experiments of nerve ligation, inducing spasms in monkeys. His studies of the nervous system were so accurate they were used as medical textbooks up until the 20th century. His theories about the cranial and peripheral nervous systems are accepted even today.

And yes, freshly killed bodies on the battlefield can indeed spasm by being poked, and, spookily, sometimes for no discernable reason at all.

“Extensive and contemporary knowledge of anatomy” my Aunt Bernice!

Kids today. I bet they even think sex hadn’t been invented back then! Or at least no sex except for the missionary position.

(And don’t tell me that in 20,000 years of human history there hasn’t been even just one soldier who thought of surfing down a hill on his own shield.)

Arrogant pups!


2. Compare this scene after the Battle for Helms Deep with the scene at the end of the Battle of Pelennor Fields.

This was a victory. Pelennor Fields was a pyrrhic victory. (And no, "A pyrrhic victory" is *not* a contemporary term! Look it up youngsters!!)


3. By now you are used to me fawning over Legolas. But being a lifetime admirer of his, I was thrilled that he was brought to life so convincingly by all concerned. Is this Legolas for you?

He’s better than all the other Elves, except Arwen and maybe Extended Edition Galadriel. If he had only broke down and cried in grief, or threw back his head and laughed, or at least tra-la-lallied to show he wasn’t a Vulcan. Elves aren’t Vulcans! Nor Goths for that matter! Crazy kids today and their weird clothes!


4. Legolas or Will Turner; which roll defined Orlando Bloom?

Legolas. Will Turner was just too colorless, but then any character would be next to Jack Sparrow. Now he's megacool! .Even though he's a character from over a couple of centuries ago.

(And I bet there's kids going "Ah, they didn't have cannons and guns and ships back then! Plot hole! Plot hole!)


Bonus: Provide a caption for the image (i.e. After a hard day on the battle field Legolas enjoys a bit of air guitar.)

“I know what you're thinking — ‘Did he fire 2000 arrows or only 1999?’ Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But, being as this is a bow of the Galadhrim, the most powerful bow in Middle-earth and can shoot an arrow through 2 fully armored Uruk-hai like a toothpick through a marshmallow, you've got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?”

(Heh, heh. "Punk." You tell 'em Harry!)
 
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that much of the debate is caged in the notion that Middle-earth belongs to a time past from our own. Personnally I believe it is quite possible that Gimli, and people of Middle-earth, would know what a nervous system is, what it does, and what it is called. He may even have tasted one or two.

Great caption!
 
My main query about this scene is: what in the world was the rationale behind increasing each of their scores by a single orc apiece? I mean, I know it's nitpicking, but when you're looking at 41/42 versus 42/43, that's so close that it just demands that I ask why.
 
I know it's nitpicking, but when you're looking at 41/42 versus 42/43, that's so close that it just demands that I ask why.
Click to expand...

'Forty-two, Master Legolas!' he cried. 'Alas! My axe is notched: the forty-second had an iron collar on his neck. How is it with you?

'You have passed my score by one,' answered Legolas.

(LotR Book 3, Chapter 8, The Road to Isengard)​
 
I can't think that Tolkien would understand why they changed the numbers by such a small degree any more than I.

And Legolas truly needed to have pointed out that great ladder full of Uruks that he felled; that I think would have doubled his count at the very least!
 
I see what you're asking now. Both book and movie start with the number 42, but then they go in opposite directions...

I'm sure Tolkien was just giving a nod to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with his 42 (we all know that that fell through a time warp at one point, right?). And Jackson follows Tolkien's lead, but then writes the scene as one of continuing rivalry, instead of the polite recognition by Legolas in the book that he's been beaten.

[cool]

As for the numbers being so small, I agree that it doesn't make much sense in light of what we've just been watching in the movie. I think this little vignette is one of those early ones where they were trying to reference the book (not to mention, in this case, the Book) as much as possible. They realized later that it didn't work, so put it only into the EE where at least most viewers would get the book reference.
 
I've been catching up on the making of the LOTR videos TORn has been posting -- in one of the most recent ones, Orlando talks about how a lot of his role involved just showing him observing things and "sensing something" - it's really funny to hear him talk about it.

All in all, I think he made a mighty fine Legolas -- since he doesn't have a lot of lines, I guess they were looking for someone who could say a lot with just his presence in a scene, and Orlando's physique, and the way he carries himself, certainly gets my attention!

I think it's tricky, too, to convey that elves aren't just humans with pointed ears, but an entirely different and kind-of-mystical race....and I do feel that they pulled this off with Legolas especially; there's always a little bit of that sense of "differentness" about him -- sometimes, it's just a sort of fleeting under the surface smile, other times he's ultra cool and clean when everyone else is freaking out and grimy, and then of course there's all those times he's "sensing" something(!.)

Every once in the while in the books Tolkien has Legolas make an observation, or has one of the other characters observe something about him, that reminds us of this. I liked the way they found a visual way to do this, in the films, through Orlando.

Well, those are my Legolas musings -- see what you started?? [:)]
 
read my reply [tongue]. SirD is tired indeed if he didn't catch it the first go round!
Glad you made it to Barliman's for the Marathon. [:)]
 
along with Strider, he is a character that has not been far from my thoughts since ever I met (read) him. (Even more so since Bloom's portrayal (role).) Ah, many is the time I have stood beside those two in battle, in my mind.

As Darkstone points out, perhaps he could have more often been softer or more relaxed but I see that as a frame count thing more than a fault Bloom had any control over. I think we are expected to feel his more natural (less "vulcanized") side through Gimli's manner of being inside their ever deepening friendship.

Happy to be of service Weaver!
 
1. Much has been made of this bit between Legolas and Gimli, where Gimli reveals his extensive and contemporary knowledge of anatomy. But really, to be the efficient killers that this pair are, they must have had some insight into life systems. Right?

of course, I mean, elves have been defending their borders against intruders for ages since the rise of Sauron and beyond. Dwarves have a respect for life but not for the evil of the world that destroyed their kingdoms (including Balin's Kingdom). Therefore, although neither race likes the other due to many quarrels and fights (including in the Hobbit) there is a common life system and respect for both races have 'destroy evil' in common.

2. Compare this scene after the Battle for Helms Deep with the scene at the end of the Battle of Pelennor Fields.

Like a prequel of a larger battle...


3. By now you are used to me fawning over Legolas. It's just that being a lifetime admirer of his, I was thrilled that he was brought to life so convincingly by all concerned. Is this Legolas for you?

Orlando is Legolas for me.

4. Legolas or Will Turner; which roll defined Orlando Bloom?

Legolas of course

-e-
 
we could have them all speaking Common Speech / Westron with English subtitles [tongue]

I'd say Legolas defined Orlando, if only because that role came first.
Would he have even been in Pirates if he hadn't been in LotR?

caption: Oh shoot, I lost count. How many orcs did I kill again? I need a convincing number to tell Gimli.
 
to hear John Rys-Davies say 43 in his Gimli accent *shrugs*

or the answer that I often give to such questions: they wanted to make us wonder why
 
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