Raven and golden

[altariel]

So now that the RotK EE has arrived, been watched, re-watched, and semi-digested - some comments about the Faramir and Éowyn bits. Cut for spoilers, and also for large images. Screen caps are from Lisa's Image Library.



Some reviews I've read have voiced frustration that the 'wave dream' (which, in the book, belongs to Faramir) has been given instead to Éowyn, in a scene she has at the start of the EE with Aragorn. Myself, I like the repositioning of the dream very much: for me, it foreshadows the entry of Faramir into Éowyn's life. Even while she's talking to Aragorn (the man she thinks she loves), her One True Love is making his presence felt.

A reversal of shots illustrates the change of direction in Éowyn's life; firstly, Éowyn in Edoras, dreaming about the wave:



Secondly, Éowyn in the Houses of Healing, just before she sees Faramir.



One criticism I've read of this change in dreamer is that since the dream is about the Downfall of Númenor, it has no cultural relevance for Éowyn. However, Éowyn's maternal grandmother was Morwen of Lossarnach, who was from Gondor and descended from a Prince of Dol Amroth. So Éowyn has a good drop of Númenorean blood in her. I've no idea if the scriptwriters were paying this much attention to detail (as someone suggested to me, it's more likely they thought it was a cool line that they didn't want to lose), but it's nice to know that it works on another level.





I missed having Aragorn heal Faramir dreadfully. However, I think that the material that is there is very beautiful. The choral setting is lovely, and a nice touch that Liv Tyler is singing; a link is made between Arwen and Éowyn.

PJ uses a lot of hand imagery throughout the films, but here is a sequence of images that I particularly enjoyed.

Éowyn in Edoras trying to hold on to a reluctant Aragorn, as she tells Aragorn about the dream that is foreshadowing Faramir:



Éowyn in the Houses of Healing, empty-handed, seconds before she looks out to see Faramir looking at her:



How it has to end:



What can I say? I'm just a shocking old romantic.

Comments

[ladywenham.livejournal.com]

Nice connections here. ::puts post in memories::

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Glad the connections work for you :-)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

However, Éowyn's maternal grandmother was Morwen of Lossarnach, who was from Gondor and descended from a Prince of Dol Amroth. So Éowyn has a good drop of Númenorean blood in her.

That's a good point, though I agree that PJ et al. are unlikely to be aware of it.

I think my favourite new bits were the extended Paths of the Dead material (before the skull avalanche!), which felt very sketchy in the cinema version, & Saruman's nasty end (though it should have been in TTT). Thanks for inviting me to watch it!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome, it was fun watching it together! :-D

One day the skull avalanche will be understood for the piece of film genius that it is...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_redpanda_/]

I love the parallels you draw... And yes, I agree with everything you've said about transposing the dream, I just wish Faramir could have kept his lines somehow.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hi there, I didn't know you read this journal :-)

I just read your journal entry about the dream and I agree whole-heartedly with all you say about the significance of the dream (and the significance of Faramir being the dreamer, and the connection back to Tolkien). I wish that Faramir could have had his lines too (I wish the scene with Eowyn had been just that bit longer). That would have connected their visions together (if Eowyn was going to be given the dream at all).

Now I come to think about it, I'm quite taken with the idea that Faramir's dreaming is powerful enough for those closest to him to experience it occasionally - in the same way that Boromir dreams about Isildur's Bane.

[lame-pegasus.livejournal.com]

This Aragorn/Éowyn-scene in the movie is a powerful plotbunny; I'm trying to resist for nearly two weeks now (but will write it probably nonetheless during the holidays...)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Ooh, looking forward to what you'll write about it.

I wonder what Faramir thinks when he learns that Eowyn has been dreaming his dreams...

[lame-pegasus.livejournal.com]

Ooh, looking forward to what you'll write about it.

Here it is: A Shadow and a Thought

AND: I can' find the "Five Things that never happenened..."-drabbles you wrote some time ago about Faramir and Éowyn. I will translate them this afternoon and they will move on my site tomorrow, but I forgot to copy the correct title *blushes*

[altariel.livejournal.com]

That was a really lovely piece - thank you very much.

Here's the "Five Things..." piece; I did some tweaking of words here and there, but that's the final version.

[kathyh]

I must admit that I was puzzled when I first watched the EE about why the dream had been given to Eowyn, but I think that dreaming of an inescapable wave does work well to show how trapped she's feeling. I can see that it would have been very difficult to work it in for Faramir so I'm pleased it turned up somewhere now.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Another criticism which I've read which is quite a good one is that Eowyn is unlikely ever to have seen the Sea. Still, maybe Morwen described it to her, and it gained significance in her mind in that way. I'm very glad it turned up too, particularly since it has biographical significance in Tolkien's life.

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this.

I've decided I love the wave dream scene. I love the way PJ picks up on the coldness other people sense in Eowyn and the way Aragorn tends both the fire and her in a desire to keep her warm :-) But you know I can't resist a fire. :-)

I'm sure there must be a seasonal icon lurking around there somewhere. Something to do with tidings of comfort and joy.

I even like Aragorn's line in the scene now, too.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I love the way PJ picks up on the coldness other people sense in Eowyn and the way Aragorn tends both the fire and her in a desire to keep her warm

Ooh yes, I like that too.

I tried doing an icon with some of the images from that scene, but they're a bit too dark, and when they're sized down to icon size, all the detail is lost. This is the best I can manage:

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Ooo nice! Thank you.