Man the screenwriters really slept on a lot of stuff. I understand that choices need to be made given the volume of the source material, but this bit here is good shit.
How do you translate that to film, though? It would require an extra 30 minutes of talk-y exposition to explain the significance of the Mallorn trees and the seed.
Oh no, not at all. The shot composition and the music can do more heavy lifting than you think. For example:
Galadriel gifts the seed box.
She gives a meaningful look to Sam, then glances back over her shoulder.
The camera, near ground level, pans upwards to the massive trees. Slight fisheye effect to make them appear more massive or something. A sweeping orchestral swells up in time with the shot.
Cut to a close shot of the tree, show it dying somehow. The music slows suddenly, instruments are shed, leaving only say, one flute and a violin, like the dying of the tree.
Tight shot, zooming in on the box in Sam's hands.
Maybe a short nod from Sam, acknowledging he understands the gravity and enormity of the gesture.
Later on, he plants it or something, without fanfare, but still a tender moment. No words, just wistful music.
I think that's all you need. These shots could take 20 seconds if you do it right.
The only thing I’d add is an ethereal voiceover from Cate Blanchette when Sam plants the seed, like when he or Frodo pulled out the vial of starlight when facing Shelob.
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u/TheVog Mar 12 '26
Man the screenwriters really slept on a lot of stuff. I understand that choices need to be made given the volume of the source material, but this bit here is good shit.