Minor thought on Gandalf:
Jan. 7th, 2004 04:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
butterflyI've been rewatching Fellowship (Extended) and thinking about Gandalf.
People complained that Gandalf wasn't as warm in Two Towers as he was in Fellowship or Return, and to me, it comes down to one thing - Hobbits. Hobbits are what Gandalf is protecting (he's very glad that the outside world takes no notice of them - he wants them to remain as they are - unspoiled by the world he travels in - in a way, The Shire is his safe haven, too, it's his home away from home (Valinor, yes?).) and what he seems to allow himself to care about emotionally. He'll show a warmth and humor with Frodo and Pippin and Bilbo that he just doesn't seem to feel towards the Bigger Folk.
He fits himself into where he is - for the Elves he is wise, for the Humans a great leader. With the Hobbits, he's allowed to just be a person in a way we don't see elsewhere. He lets them see the softer side of himself because that's what they need from him. So it's no surprise that he's more distant in Two Towers - he's Hobbit-less. When Pippin and Merry come back onto the scene, he grumps at them, but it's a familiar, caring grump - it's a Gandalf the Grey grumpiness ("Hobbits."). Then, he's allowed to spend serious one-on-one time with Pippin and we really see the Gandalf of Fellowship - Bilbo and Frodo's friend.
The same kind of shot that's used when we look into Shelob's cave is also used when Frodo looks down the road and knows that the Black Rider is coming. Both happen when Frodo's heading into something bad and he knows it, though in both cases, he has no clue how bad it'll get.
And wow, Sam looks so different. I hadn't realized just how much the hobbits change, appearance-wise. All of them look so young in the beginning. They look so young.
People complained that Gandalf wasn't as warm in Two Towers as he was in Fellowship or Return, and to me, it comes down to one thing - Hobbits. Hobbits are what Gandalf is protecting (he's very glad that the outside world takes no notice of them - he wants them to remain as they are - unspoiled by the world he travels in - in a way, The Shire is his safe haven, too, it's his home away from home (Valinor, yes?).) and what he seems to allow himself to care about emotionally. He'll show a warmth and humor with Frodo and Pippin and Bilbo that he just doesn't seem to feel towards the Bigger Folk.
He fits himself into where he is - for the Elves he is wise, for the Humans a great leader. With the Hobbits, he's allowed to just be a person in a way we don't see elsewhere. He lets them see the softer side of himself because that's what they need from him. So it's no surprise that he's more distant in Two Towers - he's Hobbit-less. When Pippin and Merry come back onto the scene, he grumps at them, but it's a familiar, caring grump - it's a Gandalf the Grey grumpiness ("Hobbits."). Then, he's allowed to spend serious one-on-one time with Pippin and we really see the Gandalf of Fellowship - Bilbo and Frodo's friend.
The same kind of shot that's used when we look into Shelob's cave is also used when Frodo looks down the road and knows that the Black Rider is coming. Both happen when Frodo's heading into something bad and he knows it, though in both cases, he has no clue how bad it'll get.
And wow, Sam looks so different. I hadn't realized just how much the hobbits change, appearance-wise. All of them look so young in the beginning. They look so young.
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-01-07 04:47 pm (UTC)Well there's that. I think the "innocence" factor can't be overlooked. To the Hobbits he's mostly the old wizard with the fireworks. They're very provincial and really aren't interested in him *being* anything. It's kind of like when you get really famous, and then you go someplace where nobody knows who you are, or if they do, don't really care about that anyway.
Everywhere else, he's this figure of huge geopolitical import - Olorin, or Mithrandir, or Gandalf Stormcrow. He's either reviled or sought out as Someone Of Great Importance. With the Hobbits, he's just Gandalf.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-01-07 04:50 pm (UTC)Or, you know, what you just said.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-01-07 11:17 pm (UTC)Now I want to watch FOTR (yet) again. I swear, I'm going to wear out my DVD player at this rate...
(Been catching up on posts, btw, and am loving all of your LOTR thoughts.)
(no subject)
Date: 2004-01-08 05:34 pm (UTC)It's such a great movie.
(Thank you.)