Did anybody listen to Aragorn's speech at the Black gate...

[Charley]

...and instantly think of William Wallace's speech at Sterling?

From what I've heard, this is one of the spots in which Jackson sorta "winged it", and the speech wasn't in the book. Aside from fireballs from the eyes, and lightning from the you-know-where, it touched every little nuance as the Braveheart speech.

Viggo might look decent enough in the armor and with the sword, but he doesn't have the voice for a speech like that. The entire movie, he talks in some kind of nasal mumble.

On the other foot, Gibson's growly, throaty (and admittedly hammed up) Scottish could inspire millions to get a root canal, much less get fired up for a battle.

I went and watched it again this weekend, and I half expected Wallace to gallop out there in face paint and take the megaphone, so to speak.

[ReaperFett]

Yes, yes I did :)

[Darth Viscera]

Yeah, Viggo's voice goes haywire frequently. His speech, if I recall from the movie, was as follows:


Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me.

A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship! But it is not this day.

An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day. This day we fight!

By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you, stand, Men of the West!

The only thing similar to that which occured in the ROTK book was Gandalf saying "Stand, Men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of doom." when Sauron was cast down and the blastwave was coming.

I thought it was a good speech. Not an excellent one, but not a poor one, and definitely exponentially better because it apparently referred to the Dagor Dagorath.

It didn't remind me of the speech in Braveheart, but then I haven't seen that movie recently.

[JediBoricua]

I take Theoden's speech over any of them!

I still get goosebumps when I think of it! DEATH, DEATH!

You can't blame Aragorn though, it's his first speech as king!

[Darth Viscera]

Yeah, Theoden was good at speechifying

[Charley]

Yeah, Theoden did have a pretty rad speech.

[Marcus Telcontar]

I still get goosebumps when I think of it! DEATH, DEATH!

Which was Eomer's words in the book :)

The whole charge of the Rohirrim was one fo the high points of the film.

[Charley]

Originally posted by Marcus Elessar
Which was Eomer's words in the book :)

The whole charge of the Rohirrim was one fo the high points of the film.

That really impressed me. If this movie did anything well, it showed just what you can do with a cavalry charge. Just thrust a full-advance salient into the enemy's flank. I enjoyed that part alot.

[Droo]

I liked Aragorn's speech but the Charge of the Rhorrim onto the Pelennor Fields is perhaps the most awe inspiring and moving moment in a film I've ever seen. I adore that moment:

He sends one of his men off and says: "Forth! And fear no darkness."

Loved that, Bernard Hill's delivery was kingly as he addressed the rest of his men:

"Arise! Arise riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day! A red day! Ere the sun rises!"

The camera pulls back to that amazing shot of all of the Rhohirrim ranks. That great music from Isenguard Unleashed starts playing as they all lower their spears and Theodon rides along the front line, his sword touching each spear. Great touch.

"Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the worlds ending!"

A trio of mustering battle cries, finishing with Merry and Eowyn joining in and then they slowly start forward at the comand of "Forth Eorlingas!"

That's going to be one of my most treasured moments in cinema.

[Charley]

Well I wouldn't go that far, but it was a good scene.

[Jedi Master Carr]

It reminded me of Henry V, and I think that inspired Mel Gibson for Braveheart as well.

[Charley]

Henry V > Braveheart > RotK

St. Crispin's Day speech is pretty rad. Made its way into Tombstone, and inspired Band of Brothers. That, and its from a work of Shakespeare that I like. Win scenario all the way.

[Jedi Master Carr]

That speech in Henry V has inspired a lot of films, I think it is considered the best pre battle speech in literature.

[Sanis Prent]

Augustus Caesar's "Cry Havok, and let slip the dogs of war!" is a contender.

[Droo]

Originally posted by Agent Charley
Well I wouldn't go that far, but it was a good scene.

It depends what you like really. Perhaps I'm biased in that it's the LOTR movies but that's how I'll remember that scene. On a related note, when it comes to Aragorn's speech I think Viggo does the right thing as in he doesn't try to better Theoden's speech while rallying his men. After all, he isn't even King of Gondor by that point and doesn't have much experience in such matters and rightly so, his speech wasn't delivered as powerfully as that by Bernard Hill. So I like how they've not suddenly turned him into the kingly leader that one would expect of someone who had been leading a country for many years.

[ReaperFett]

I liked the scene, but then they charged the giant elephant beasts. Madmen! :)

[Marcus Telcontar]

Madmen!

When the Rohirrim cry "Death! Death! Death take us all!" They basically become bezerkers and step up five gears for kicking butt. It takes signifigance in the book. So yes, that's exactly what they are.

[Arya Ravenwing]

goosebumps

I love Theoden's speech. :D

[ReaperFett]

Originally posted by Marcus Elessar
When the Rohirrim cry "Death! Death! Death take us all!" They basically become bezerkers and step up five gears for kicking butt. It takes signifigance in the book. So yes, that's exactly what they are.
I seeeeee!

..Personally, I would have head for the Orcs, but that's just me :)

[Jedieb]

My favorite pre-battle speech is Bluto's from Animal House:


D-Day: War's over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.
Bluto: What? Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.
Bluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the going gets tough . . . the tough get going. Who's with me? Let's Go! Come on! AAAAEEEEEGGGHHHH!!

Otter: Bluto's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons. But that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.
Bluto: We're just the guys to do it.
I choke up everytime.... I.... see .....it.