Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies, launching in 2001 with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, made the 1950s story a household name. British fantasy pioneer J. R. R. Tolkien released the novel in three parts between 1954 and 1955, laying the foundations of the empire that Jackson built. Certain behind-the-scenes details make this empire even more impressive.
Tolkien's novel revved up the hippie and protest movements in the '60s with themes of environmentalism and community . Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, despite its flaws, captures this brilliantly. And, comparatively, the movies have very few flaws. Only as faithful adaptations could certain critiques be made of the three pictures. Furthermore, The movie said a hundred things in one special scene involving the Hobbit Pippin, played by Billy Boyd.
Pippin's Song, The Edge Of Night, Is One Of Return Of The King's Best Scenes
Edge Of Night Made Return Of The King What It Was
Pippin singing in Gondor is one of the most memorable parts of Return of the King and the wider trilogy. Denethor (John Noble) asks Pippin if he can sing in the book, but he never does. Pippin singing "The Edge of Night" was a genius addition on Jackson's part. Little human moments like this give the trilogy's grand-scale battles meaning and relevance. This scene shows how Jackson considered everything in minute detail. While the Lord of the Rings movie made Faramir (David Wenham) less sympathetic, this scene brought his original heroism flooding back to the foreground while denouncing war and its effects.
The BTS Story Of Pippin's Song In Lord Of The Rings
Edge Of Night Is A Billy Boyd Career Highlight
Billy Boyd described "The Edge of Night" as a "huge highlight" of his career in the extended edition commentary of Return of the King, having composed the melody and sung it himself. This feat of cinema isn't just one of the best moments in fantasy and Hollywood, but perhaps one of the best musical performances ever. Boyd was fully invested in Pippin, taking method acting to a whole other level. He brought himself down to Pippin's level by throwing far more of himself into the song than he had to, embodying his character's vulnerability, devotion, and sacrifice completely.
Faramir's defense of Osgiliath was an unheard swansong to an unheard existence, but Pippin gave it voice.
Jackson's changes to Pippin in Lord of the Rings sapped some reasoning behind Pippin's decisions, but "The Edge of Night" says it all about both Pippin and Faramir. Using modified lyrics from "A Walking Song," sung in the book by the Hobbits on their journey and originally written by Bilbo, Boyd had Pippin make a childlike folk song into a tragic medieval ballad. Pippin had grown up. Faramir's defense of Osgiliath was an unheard swansong to an unheard existence, but Pippin gave it voice in The Return of the King with devastating clarity that only loss of innocence could have brought.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Release Date
- December 17, 2003
- Runtime
- 201 Minutes
- Director
- Peter Jackson
Cast
Elijah Wood
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Peter Jackson
- Prequel(s)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Franchise(s)
- The Lord of the Rings
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