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post	LotR: Differences between book and film	2019-02-16 10:00:00 +0200	blog	true

After a long time I have finally bought the books of Lord of the Rings. In this post I intend to show the differences between the book(s) and the movies. Regardless of any shown differences, the movies are and remain my most beloved of all and are a very good adaptation of the books.

To clear up terminology, what we call books is called volumes in Lord of the Rings. The first volume entitled "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" is internally consisting of two books. The same is true for the second and third volumes that correspond with the movies.

That said, let's start with the differences of (for now) the first volume/movie.

Hobbiton to Buckleberry Ferry

It is difficult to clearly outline what is different from the movie as many things are never mentioned in the movie and therefore even mentioning them would require an extensive summary of the book which I cannot do. Nonetheless I will try my very best to give as much details as necessary to understand the background of things.

Book

The time before the party of Bilbo is mentioned with detail. He receives presents from Dale and the Lonely Mountain and dwarves are regular visitors. The Sackville-Bagginses are distant relatives of his and they already bought Bag End in the auction at the end of The Hobbit story line. Ever since they had to give it back, they yearn for owning it again. Bilbo makes Frodo (a cousin) his official heir, which makes S.-B. even more hatred, because they see less of a chance to get Bag End again. At some point Bilbo places the sign "No admittance unless on party business" at the entrance of the estate.

Gandalf arrives in the shire for the feast. The party is held on premises of Bag End. When Bilbo does the speech, he mentions that Frodo not only becomes of age at 33 years but also into inheritance. Everyone is puzzled. Then he puts the ring on disappears. Gandalf added some light effects which make people think that Gandalf let Bilbo disappear. Therefore he is named "disturber of the peace".

After the guests were all home, Gandalf makes sure that Bilbo leaves the envelope with the ring in the house. Frodo is given the ring and asked to keep it secure.

17 years pass in which Gandalf tries to figure out if the ring is actually "the one ring". Eventually he comes back and has a lengthy talk with Frodo and tells him of the task ahead and that Frodo must go to Rivendell. At this meeting the black speech on the ring is also revealed. To make his disappearance seem normal, Frodo plans with the help of his friend Meriadoc to move to Buckland (east of the Brandywine river) and buys a small home there, which is out of eyesight from other buildings. Bag End is sold to the S.-B. Sam was eavesdropping and was conscripted to help Frodo in the endeavour.

Gandalf sets out again and on his return to the shire (some weeks/months before Frodos move) he meets Radagast near Bree, who tells him that Saruman wants to see him. Gandalf now writes a letter and gives it to the innkeeper in Bree who should send it to Frodo.

Finally the day of the move is there and Merry and Pippin help Frodo with moving the chairs and similar things to the new home. Merry is riding ahead. Short before Frodo is set to depart, he sees a black man near the house of Sam. At midnight Frodo goes with Sam and Pippin by foot through the countryside, trying to avoid the streets. They go in a big berth south over the main east-west street and into Took land. Their journey lasts multiple days and on the way they encounter black riders some number of times and meet the elves which travel from the Grey Havens. One night they stay with the elves and Frodo talks about the problems and the black riders with the leader of the elves. The leader promises to send out messengers to alert other elves of the problems.

The supplies of Frodo, Sam and Pippin are running already thin when they finally arrive during late evening at the farm in the east of the shire. Pippin is known by the farmer so they are friendly greeted and have supper and tell parts of their story. The farmer agrees to transport them with his carriage in the dark to the Buckleberry Ferry. There a dark shadow on a pony comes close to them but it is revealed as Merry who was wondering where Frodo was. The farmer said good bye and together they travelled with the ferry over the Brandywine.

Differences

I already left a lot out but the gist of it should be clear. In the movie the seventeen years comprise of one scene where Gandalf journeys to Minas Tirith to read the accounts of Isildur. Also Gandalf is disturber of the peace prior of Bilbo's disappearance. Further the S.-B. are mentioned and Bilbo is wary of them but it is not clear why exactly. All the dwarves and the connection to Laketown (and hence the key location of The Hobbit) are missing. Pippin and Merry are not introduced during the party. The dragon firework however was in the book.

The journey through the shire is implied but Pippin is not part of it and they only see elves in passing. Pippin and Merry are reintroduced running through a farm and afterwards they hide the first time from the black rider. In the following they run to Backleberry Ferry and barely escape. The black riders asking around in Hobbiton and the shire in general is shown, however.

The topic of supplies, eating and the duration of the journey is excessively mentioned in the book but almost never in the movie.

If you solely watch the movie you do not get a sense of the size of the shire, nor of the exact geography of the things.

From Buckleberry Ferry to Bree

How shall I put it, in the movie it is instantaneous. The next scene after the ferry is Bree, heavily implying it is a trouble free journey. In the book a whole part of the journey exists that was completely cut from the movie.

Book

A very short account of the narrative in the book follows.

East of the Brandywine Merry is again riding ahead, since Frodo knows the way and Merry wants to prepare things. After some foot walk they arrive at the new small home of Frodo. There they wash and eat. On the early morning of the next day they want to go on. Frodo is feeling bad, because he wants to say goodbye. But it is revealed that indeed Sam, Pippin and Merry guessed a long time ago the plans of Frodo and conspired to help him.

The next day they start each with a pony through the forest east of the shire. This forest is troublesome for them and the trees are blocking their way until they eventually arrive at Old Willow. There Pippin and Merry are taken in by the tree [this type of scene was added to the Extended Version of the second movie and is placed in the Fangorn forest]. Tom Bombadil comes to their aid and together they travel to Tom's home, where Goldberry waited. There they recovered and heard stories. It was revealed that Tom was not influenced by the ring.

After some time they went on but were caught by wights. They barely survived and their ponies went back to Tom. Frodo sang a song that Tom taught them to sing when in peril. Tom came and freed the hobbits. Once more they went to the home of Tom. Afterwards Tom brought them to the street to Bree. There they said goodbye and went to the city gate of Bree.

During this time Gandalf escaped from Saruman, rode with the fastest horse of the Rohans (Shadowfax) to Hobbiton and then back to Bree and arrived there few days before the hobbits. He did not stay there and moved on towards Rivendell.

Bree

The entire presence in Bree is far more detailed than in the movie.

Book

They arrive at the Prancing Pony and get their rooms. There they wash and eat supper. Afterwards everyone but Merry goes to the big room and joined the company there. Pippin told a lot of stories of the shire which got a lot of attention. Also there were Underhills who thought Frodo was a long lost cousin.

Frodo spoke with Strider who warned him of the attention that Pippin got. Then Frodo decided to sing a song to get the attention away from Pippin. But ofter a while he fell and the ring slipped on his finger. The crowd was crazy. Frodo took the ring off again and explained that he was not gone. The other people thought him a magician.

They went back to their rooms with Strider who explained who he was. Then the innkeeper came and remembered that he was given a letter from Gandalf. This letter explained who Strider is and urged Frodo to leave Bag End immediately.

Upon the realization of the imminent danger, they relocated to another room and stuffed something in the beds to irritate the black riders. Merry was still gone. The helper of the innkeeper was told to keep watch for Merry. Later in the night Merry was brought back and was shocked.

Their deception proved important as the black riders went to the hobbit rooms in the inn and when discovering that those were empty, they fled the scene. The ponies of the hobbits moved away as well. On the next morning the innkeeper asked around in town who would be willing to sell a horse. Only one person proved willing and that person was also implicated as working for the dark lord. Nonetheless the hobbits got the horse and used it to pack the supplies and went with Strider out of the town.

Differences

The key points are kept in the movie but overall the book gives much higher fidelity.

From Bree to Weathertop

Strider leads them off-road to the Weathertop, which takes many days and supplies are dwindling. The journey to Weathertop is very much shortened in the movie.

Three days away from Weathertop the company sees lightning on the Weathertop. This is later revealed to be a fight of Gandalf with the riders. Afterwards Gandalf rides fast to Rivendell.

Weathertop

The events of the Weathertop are in effect similar but the exact location somewhat different. It is explained in the book that the black riders cannot see normally. They need their black horses for visual direction. Rather they smell things. As long as Frodo did not have the ring on, he was invisible to the riders without their horses. The other hobbits were not endangered by the riders. Once Frodo took the ring on, they saw him and stabbed him with a morgul blade. Gladly for Frodo they missed, otherwise he would have become one of them.

From Weathertop to Rivendell

The journey to Rivendell was long and perilous. At some point they came across the trolls of The Hobbit and took some weapons from there. Short before the Ford of Bruinen they met Glorfindel who came from Rivendell. Frodo was to ride on the white horse on to Rivendell. When the riders came, Frodo did not want to ride fast away. Glorfindel spoke something to the horse which then gallopped fast towards the Ford and barely came first place ahead of more riders. Once over the Ford, Frodo stopped with his sword high and wanted the riders to stop. The riders stepped into the river and were then flooded away. It is later revealed that the forms on the water (horses) were added by Gandalf.

Differences

In the movie the journey is very much shorter and it is not Glorfindel but Arwen that comes to their aid. Furthermore Arwen is travelling with Frodo to the Ford and the chase to the Ford is made longer than it was in the book. Lastly Arwen seems to cause the flood when in the book it is revealed that Elrond is the reason for it.

Rivendell

Rivendell takes a much longer time than it was in the movie. In fact is is so intensive that I cannot give a clear abstract of the order of things.

Differences of the book to the movie

• prior to the counsel of Elrond, many months pass in which scouts are searching for the black riders
• the council itself is much longer, Gloin is present as well and tells from the Lonely Mountain
• Legolas reports that Gollum fled from imprisonment
• Gandalf tells the full tale of the betrayal of Saruman
• Aragorn has the broken Narzil with him, it is not lying in Rivendell
• the sword is reforged and Anduril, Flame of the West, is given to Aragorn
• many more scenes with Bilbo
• almost no mention of Arwen (connection of Aragorn and Arwen is not mentioned at all and only visible if you know what to look for)

From Rivendell to Moria

The fellowship sets out with the pony. Supplies and the duration of the journey, as well as the specific route are far more detailed in the book. Dark birds are flying over them but not in the least in the way it is depicted in the movie. It is not an attack. At last they come to Caradhras (or Redhorn) and try to take the mountain pass. In the book it is Aragorn who pushes for this route. They are defeated by the snow and the snow is not caused by Saruman in a wizard battle with Gandalf.

When back down, they are attacked by wargs which pushes them towards Moria, rather than the Gap of Rohan. After a long journey they find the door. Gandalf takes quite some time until he finds out that the riddle is meant literal, the door to Moria opens. The company has to leave the pony behind. After the water was disturbed, an octopus-like being comes out of it and pushes them into Moria and then barrs the doors from the outside, so that they cannot push the door open again from the inside (which they could have done otherwise).

Differences

The movie makes the journey on the one hand shorter and more dramatic. Also it adds scene where Boromir picks up the ring from Frodo, which has no resemblance in the book. Furthermore Saruman is mentioned far more often and is a crucial plot device in the movie.

Through Moria

The journey through Moria is longer and more detailed in the book. At the junction with the three pathways (depicted in movie) there is an additional guard room where they make rest for the night. In that guard room is an old well and there Pippin throws a stone inside which runs deep down. Gandalf's remark is the same as in the movie.

Gandalf leads the company at length to the room with Balin's last stand. Here he reads the accounts which are written in various languages. The company hears drums in the background. They are attacked and Frodo is hit. The company escapes through the second door which leads them down and Gandalf creates a magical barrier but is throne back. It is not revealed from what or whom. The fellowship is moving towards the bridge of Khazadûm. The Balrog is coming for them and Gandalf makes a stand and is thrown down. His last words are "Fly you fools". After some further rooms the remaining fellowship makes for the main entrance of Moria, kills the guards there and after a short momento stop for Gimli, they make haste for the forest of Lorien.

Lorien

The overall journey through Lorien is way more detailed. An orc company is following them out of Moria. In Lorien they make rest for the night and try to climb the trees. The elves in the trees say the famous line that they could hear them from a mile away. Legolas negotiates with the elves and the company can stay on the flots for the night.

Afterwards they are led to the central part of the forest, at some point they blindfolded to ensure the exact way is unknown to them.

In the city they meet high up in the trees Galadriel and Celeborn. The dialogue is more detailed. The company gets a pavillon to sleep in. Overall they stay many weeks in Lorien where time seems to be different. The key scene of the mirror involves Sam as well and more visions are mentioned.

From Lorien to Rauros (big falls of Anduin)

Lastly the fellowship is departing from Lorien and brought to the harbour. There they get Lambas bread, their cloaks and the boats as well as rope for Sam. With them they travel in direction of Anduin, The Great. Before leaving the forest, a large ship of Galadriel and Celeborn is towed to them and they eat on the grass next to the river. There they get the presents.

• Aragorn: a sheath for Anduril and the jewel that Aragorn received in the movie in Rivendell from Arwen
• Boromir: golden belt
• Legolas: a bow
• Gimli: three hairs of Galadriel
• Sam: a box with earth of Galadriel's orchard and a silver nut from a mallorn tree
• Frodo: the light of Earendil
• Pippin/Merry: silver belt

Afterwards they journey for a long time through various regions along the Anduin. One night they encounter Gollum but after Frodo draws Sting, Gollum disappears and is not seen again, though he continues to follow them. At some point they come to the rapids of Sarn Gebir and they transport the boats to the other end of the rapids. Then they journey on to the falls of Rauros. At the beach they make camp for the night and finally have to decide whether to go to Minas Tirith as Boromir was headed or to Mordor. Frodo asks for time to think about it and walks away. Some time later Boromir meets him and the scene from the movie plays. Frodo takes the ring on and runs to the top of the hill. In a stone chair he sits down and walks in all four directions of the sky. In the east he sees the ever watchful eye and manages to take the ring of mere seconds before Sauron would have known his exact location.

Frodo made a decision to leave everyone alone and move to Mordor without saying goodbye. He slips the ring back on trying to come to the beach without anyone noticing.

Meanwhile Sam asks where Frodo remains. Boromir reappears and it is revealed that Boromir threatened Frodo. Aragorn tries to keep order but fails. Pippin and Merry are running to the wood calling for Frodo. Legolas and Gimli, being already friends, move together to search for Frodo. Aragorn asks Boromir to at least protect Pippin and Merry. Aragorn is going with Sam. But Sam cannot keep the pace of Aragorn and falls back. He thinks that Frodo needs a boot to get to the other side and runs back to the beach. There he discovers that Frodo is in one of the boats. Sam is running into the water and is saved by Frodo, who still has the ring on. Frodo takes the ring off, gets Sam aboard and rows back to the shore.

Sam takes his things and makes hole into the other boats and sets off with Frodo to the other shore, where they hide the boat and move on.

Differences

The journey is shorter and the first movie concludes with a battle of the Urukhai, where Boromir dies. This part is not even in the first book and only hinted at in the second (which I will feature later). The scene with Boromir and the almost drowning of Sam is, however, depicted close to the book.

To be continued

Once I finish the second volume, I shall continue the journey of describing the differences.