2 Ringwraiths trying to cut off Frodo

Steve Melisi

New Member
I know there's not a lot of love for the Bakshi Lord of the Rings, but check out this clip from the movie. Cut to 00:45 to see exactly. This is how I always envision the two Ringwraiths who "rode toward Frodo" in the flight to the ford.
 
There's a lot of love for Bakshi here. I love how weird it is, and there are a handful of perfect moments. There's a clip less than 3 seconds long that does a better job than "shall I fetch a box" at demonstrating the Legolas/Gimli friendship - when they are practicing archery in Lothlorien and Gimli hits the target and the jump and hug and it's perfect.
 
Oh.. On topic. Yes, I think you've nailed it. In a perfect world you'd do a vector diagram with position and velocities, and intersect your position with Frodo's. In a world where you don't actually see what's going on right away, you curl in the best you can.
 
I agree, I think the way they depicted it makes sense, with the two bursting out of the trees and then making a wide sweeping turn to catch up with Asfaloth. The other two that almost butt heads when Frodo blows right between them at 1:15 are an intersting change.

I also love the backdrops in this clip! A very interesting artistic style. I haven't seen the full films, but now I really want to. Thanks for sharing!
 
The Bakshi LotR is an experience. So much of it is non-literal, with metaphorical backgrounds and weird choices. I would dearly love to have been able to see his vision for the Mount Doom scenes.
 
I've always had a soft spot for the Bakshi version, even though i was among those who saw it when it first came out and was sadder than sad when it ended after Helm's Deep. It hits a lot of right moments. Still would have loved to see the Sam as drawn here taking on Shelob.
 
I also have a real soft spot for the Bakshi version. I thought their animated depiction of the ringwraiths sniffing around Bree etc really quite creepy, (a little like the terrifying child-catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).

Anyway, I also see the two ringwraiths who charge out straight out at Frodo and Asfaloth as doing something similar to this clip, though maybe a bit more diretly and from a clitle closer to Frodo. If you're chasing someone and you have the numbers it makes some sense to me to set two of your number directly at your quarry. This way you apply pressure directly and more imediately (at least in the mind of the scared, tired, injured individual that you are pursuing) on to them; such pressure can lead to panic or at least bad decisons. Also I don't think the ringwraiths would know the area initmately and so they might not know if there is an alternative route to Rivendell aside from the ford, so sending two of their number straight at Frodo and two towards what is the obvious (but perhaps not the only) escape route makes sense to me.
 
such pressure can lead to panic or at least bad decisons.

That's not a bad bit of insight there - for the ringwraiths, Plan A every time they do anything is probably to try to panic their prey into making bad decisions. They aren't accustomed to folk who shake off their influence and continue to act more-or-less rationally, so they wouldn't necessarily form a pursuit that would be most effective against a quarry that is acting rationally.
 
for the ringwraiths, Plan A every time they do anything is probably to try to panic their prey into making bad decisions.
Yes, I suppose you could characterize "fall down on your face, curl up, and put your arms over your head" as a "bad decision" in a case like that. . . :eek:

Back in The Shire, they were looking for information, though. Is it because a hobbit that's gibbering in panic may not be able to provide any that they turn it all down a few notches there? Or are they actually not capable, in The Shire, of instilling such panic? The Gaffer gave 'em lip. So did Maggot. I've always had the impression that Fatty Bolger escaped panic by a hair's breadth only, or maybe it's fairer to say that he was able to channel his panic into a useful running-away: that's still a lesser level of panic than curling up on the floor. I subscribe to Corey's theory that the power of The Shire is damping them down.

In Bree, Harry was shaking with fear after talking to a Rider. But their relations with Ferny and the Southerner were a bit different: in The Shire, they offered gold, but nobody wanted it from them. I think Ferny had no such qualms!

Later, of course, they get upgrades and Monty Python jokes about their greatest weapons apply.

Ok, enough musing. Bottom line is I like this insight, too. The Ringwraiths aren't stupid, but they've gotten into the habit of intimidation, and optimal battle tactics aren't necessarily a priority to them.
 
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