Top 3 Sceneries from the movies...

[Dúnedain]

I was going through my movie channels here today and Starz is running a "Lord of the Rings Weekend" showing both Fellowship and Two Towers. So during it I saw parts of Fellowship again and it came to the part with the Argonath. When I saw them again, it amazed me as always. In thinking about them, it made me think of the best pieces of scenery throughout the entire trilogy.

For me my 3 favorite sceneries are as follows below, with the reasonings listed as well:

1) Argonath - They show the greatness that the Men of Old achieved. I mean when I read the books I was in amazement through the descriptions, but then seeing them come to life in such a massive way really makes it better. Also the fact that you see the detailing of the stone blocks the higher it goes simply amazes me that they paid attention to the detail that much. Now, that is important, because in showing those blocks on the higher portions of the Argonath, it shows that they took physics into it. I say that, because from that point on it is above the mountainside, below the mountainside is where the Argonath could have been chizelled into the rock, but once out of that rock quarry they would have to add onto them where the separate blocks come in, it's just amazing.

2) Minas Tirith - What more can be said about the White City. I also pictured it to be unbelievably gorgeous and to look as if it were done by the hands of God, but in the movie it is taken a step further. The detail they put into it, and the angles they shot through the aerial views were amazing. The fact that they even built a big piece of mountainside into it and protruding through it was great as well. I thought that was one of the best parts of how they built it. Seeing it as one with the mountain really made it's greatness stand true. The levels of the city were great as well.

3) Meduseld - The specialness of this city is that it was all built, and completely built, whereas the previous two listed above were not. I love how they said they built this for 8 months, filmed on it for two weeks and then tore it all down, amazing! The amount of little detail in the Golden Hall was great. Seeing the various horse motifs in random places we would never see unless you paid attention to the actual detail. If you notice, these motifs are in various places, in the pillars, the floors and the ceilings among other places.

In honorable mention, Minas Morgul in Return of the King. I loved the look they had to it, with the light green color on the exterior, especially when the Witch King came out of it and we see the big beam going up the actual tower. The other one I want to mention is the Grey Havens. I say that, because when I read the books I never pictured the Grey Havens to be as beautiful as they portrayed it in the movies. I always pictured them smaller and less assuming, but to see how wondeful they looked, it made me realize that these ports were more than just a docking area, they were the entranceways to all that was beautiful...

Ultimately, the things I liked the best about these places were the sheer detail that went into them. Most importantly though is that it helped bring the world of Middle Earth to life for me, outside of the story that I have loved for so long...

What do you think, what were your favorites?

[Varda Oiolosseo]

I thought that they were all beautiful...

My favourite would have to be Minas Tirith!!! I thought that it just...well amazing it was so detailed and looked gorgeous.

I also like Rohan, Edoras was beautiful.

They were my favourite 2 i think

[Falagar]

1. Hobbiton was good (they had been planting flowers and other plants there one year or more before they started filming, to make it look as if it had been there forever). Too bad we didn't get to see much of it.

2. Edoras was very nice (not as had imagined it though)

3. Lórien, perhaps.

[Willow Oran]

Personally, I loved the scenery for the Gray Havens. Especially with the pretty sunset lighting they had.

[squinteyedsoutherner]

If I can only pick three, I'd say:

Moria
Minas Tirith
The shire

Much of the scenery was outstanding in all three films.

[Goldberry1]

Hmm, I'd have to say....

The Shire
Fangorn
Edoras

That they actually built Edoras and Meduseld is just amazing! As well as with all the construction of the Shire and everything. Just great... all the scenery, that's definitely one of the highlights of the movies is you get to see these places brought to life.

[Elvengirl]

There were soo many sceneries which I loved, but if I had to pick three, I'd say

Rivendell
Hobbiton
Minas Tirith

These were absolutely beautiful and even better than I had imagined.

[Rosie Gamgee]

I'd go with

1) The Shire. Absolutely perfect in every way.

2) Minas Tirith. This was almost my first choice. Just what I imagined, only a hundred-fold better. Gorgeous!!

3) Moria. From the holly trees to Khazad Dum, it IS Moria.

Honarable mention goes to Edoras, considering all of the hard work that they went through to build it. Meduseld doesn't, IMO, live up to it's description in the books, though.

[Earniel]

For now my favorites are:

The Shire: So green, so peaceful and seemingly more homely that the last Homely House. Or at least in my opinion. The little holes dug out in the hills, the hedges, the grass fields.... *happy sigh* More beautiful than I could have imagined.

Helm's Deep:The narrow winding stone corridors filled with people, the statue of Helm Hammerhand overlooking the plain... well what can I say? It impressed me a lot. Though Edoras was a darn close second. I love the Celtic horse motif around the place and I simply adore the Rohirrim flag.

Moria:The great halls of Dwarrowdelft. Who could not be impressed when Gandalf lit those cathedral-like hallways with their eloquently carved pillars? It was breathtaking.

I didn't particularly like Minas Tirith, too grey and stony.

[Tuor of Gondolin]

Originally posted by Earniel
I didn't particularly like Minas Tirith, too grey and stony.
_____________________________
Apparently book Legolas felt the same:

'They need more gardens,' said Legolas. 'The houses are dead, and there is too little here that grows and is glad. If Aragorn comes into his own, the people of the Wood shall bring him birds that sing and trees that do not die.'

_________________________________
I agree that the Shire was used too little, yet another reason for having the Scouring in, you could feature first a trashed Shire and then one remade (and with a new Party Tree).
So,
1---Kazaddum
2---The Shire
3---The Pillars of the Argonauth (I actually thought it wouldn't be shown in FOTR, but it was brilliantly done, down to seeing the scale of the monumental architecture with the boats gliding by the statues feet.

Hmm. I just noticed all three are in FOTR, which I still think, even with its faults, was the best of the three movies.

[The Gaffer]

I agree that FOTR is the best movie. Still to see TTT & ROTK EEs tho...

I'd vote for:
1) Dwarrowdelf
2) Meduseld
3) Isengard

I think because they added most to my vision of from the book without contradicting it (if you follow me..)

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Tuor of Gondolin
Apparently book Legolas felt the same:

Elven minds think alike.

[Bregalad]

I have to say, the one set I was most dissapointed in was Lothlorien. It was just so blue.

I love the Shire, I love the house at Bag End. Beautiful, pastoral, and very hobbit-like as I picture it.

Love Rivendale. Seems a good mix of mytstic and familiar, in tune with the half-elven.

Love Minas Tirith, took my breath away!

[Diamond]

1. Minas Tirith. It took my breath away when Gandalf and Pippin came riding over the hill. What else is there to say about it besides, "Wow"?

2. I liked the Shire, when Sam and Frodo were first tromping around and then ran into Merry and Pippin. With all that corn, it sort of reminded me of Iowa. (And in the good way, too.)

3. Rivendell, I suppose.

Liz

[Jedi X]

hmm. i'm going to go with-

grey havens. the sunset, the ship, the sea, the music- it all was so beautiful. i though "now that is how i would like to check out"

lorien? well, remember when frodo was running from shelob and he falls on his face, then *poof* he's in lorien. the white birches slanted toward the sun, the green of the emerald grass, the flowers- and then there was that sweet, sweet elf with the white dress and that lovely face and that smile. oh boy.

okay. i've changed this one to the mountain scene where they're lighting the signal beacons, and that cool music is playing. that was awesome. i guess its more than one setting- but they are all connected by the beacons, so i'm using them as one.

by the way, what a crappy post that would be, on the tops of those snow covered mountains. "okay, helmskjald; next week you got beacon duty on the top of that mountain"

"oh man, i had beacon duty last month"

[LeniFreak]

1.) Minas Tirith: absolutely perfect in every way. A little too stony for most tastes, perhaps, but that was what I was expecting.

2.) Fangorn: I thought Fangorn Forest was done very well. You could always tell very much when you were at the outskirts of the forest and when you were deep into it (which was, mind you, rather important). It was also just very kind of green and peaceful--it gave off an air of having slept for a very long time, and it was only when the Ents left that they completely woke up...

3.) Rivendell: VERY VERY VERY well done. The last sunny day before the storm set in, and surroundings that fit.

Personally, I loved the scenery for the Gray Havens. Especially with the pretty sunset lighting they had.

I liked the Grey Havens scenery, because it was beautiful, but it was...almost too beautiful. Because you only saw it after everything had happened, I guess I expected it to carry more of a feeling of melancholy. But it was just there, and beautiful, and stone, like it had seemingly always been, and it kind of took away from the effect a bit.

[Scondren]

1) Minas Tirith: Gandalf's ride through the city was awesome, and really gave the viewer a feel to the majesty of the city.

2) Gray Havens: When I read the books, I thought of a wall...a gate...and thats it. I never imagined what the inside looked like, so when we see it in the movie, its simply amazing.

3) Rivendell: It was just cool.

[Finrod Felagund]

For actual Location shots:

1. Meduseld - without a doubt one of the best locations I've ever seen in a film, perfect
2. The Shire - they grew that place and made it awesome, just the rustic, down to earth look that was needed. (they actually built 2 shires, a full sized one and a hobbit sized one)
3. The path to the Paths of the Dead, surrounded by those cliffs, was freay, but cool


As for CG/built sets/minatures

1. Minas Tirith - (a combo of the above) looked absolutly gorgeous
2. Moria, was cool, I wish they'd shown more Moria
3. Isengard, Inside and out was very good, save for Orthanc itself. Tolkien described it as perfectly smooth...but Isengard (and some of the Cinematography therein) was phenomenal in all of it's transformations.

[ryttu3k]

1) MEDUSELD. The first time I saw it I nearly cried, coupled with the music... it was exactly the way I imagined it. (Or Rohan in general, I want to live in Edoras!)

2) The mountains in ROTK. In the beacons scene... it was a combination of the music, the camera angles, and the whole... scene, basically, I saw the movie again today and I was literally shaking in my seat.

3) The Grey Havens. It looks amazing.

Honourable mentions:

a) The Argonath. Wow.

b) Hobbiton. If I can't live in Edoras I'll live there!

c) Minas Tirith. I'd live there too. Heehee. Oi, I'm an architecture geek

And is it just me, or does Minas Morgul look like a really, really big public toilet block? (All that smooth concrete and sickly green lighting!)

[Nellas]

1. The Shire - when i saw the first FOTR trailer with Gandalf & Frodo in the cart I was so happy because the Shire was just like I'd always imagined it!

2. Rivendell - graceful arches and gardens and elves!!!

3. the mountains in ROTK - the lighting of the beacons was one of the best scenes ever!