Best Spotting in LOTR

[KK 3,307]

One of the brilliant things LOTR is how well spotted it is. Both Shore and Jackson found ways to not only make all the complex plot devices and characters feel like one cohesive whole, but find beautiful key moments that elevate both the score and the what's happening on screen to create truly cinematic moments (a sad rarity these days).

 

What do you think are some of the best spotted scenes in the trilogy?

 

One obvious suggestion:

 

 

Along with pretty much most of the first act of FOTR, the score really manages to elevate about 20min of massive exposition dump into beautifully sculpted storytelling. The way he manages to make all these different cuts feel like one cohesive set-piece is a masterclass in shaping momentum. And I love how the score so delicately dances around the mentions of the Ring and the doom it portends in the "Keep It Secret, Keep it Safe" scene that follows. It all feels so deliberate, like days were spent pouring over what beats to hit, shape and lead up to.

 

So many fantastic scenes like this (Mirror of Galadriel, Court of Meduseld, etc). What are some of your favourites?

[Quintus 5,399]

The music just in that thumbnail alone is god tier. 

[Jay 37,285]

Not really spotting because HS wrote music for it but then PJ dropped it, but I liked how in the final cut the Seduction of the Ring theme is playing as Frodo shows Aragorn the ring in his hand, and the music snuffs out and Aragorn closes Frodo's hand over it, refusing to take it (instead of continuing on with the higher-pitched Seduction of the Ring theme extension that HS recorded for it)

[gkgyver 1,645]

Obviously The Black Gate Opens. 

 

The key to the brilliant accessibility of these scores is: always scoring the story, never the action. 

 

That's where all new scores fail. Always staying superficial, never making the effort to go deep. 

 

[Faleel 5,337]

But they do score the action? there are sync points all over the place...

[gkgyver 1,645]

13 hours ago, Falco said:

But they do score the action? there are sync points all over the place...

 

But it doesn't sound like the music has sync points. 

[Nick1Ø66 4,688]

On 4/26/2021 at 7:58 PM, Jay said:

Not really spotting because HS wrote music for it but then PJ dropped it, but I liked how in the final cut the Seduction of the Ring theme is playing as Frodo shows Aragorn the ring in his hand, and the music snuffs out and Aragorn closes Frodo's hand over it, refusing to take it (instead of continuing on with the higher-pitched Seduction of the Ring theme extension that HS recorded for it)

 

Yeah that's lovely.

[Gollum Cat 24]

On 4/27/2021 at 9:34 AM, gkgyver said:

 

But it doesn't sound like the music has sync points. 

You put the finger on one reason why I have such a problem with The Hobbit scores. I don't know if it's true or not, but they feel sync pointed to death.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,496]

An interesting thread.

I've always liked the music as the Fellowship runs towards the Bridge of Kahzad-dûm. There's lots of brass, ascending in four phrases, with pulsating, rythmic strings, underneath. It's good stuff.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

I mean - nothing beats the lighting of the beacons. Like holy cow. 

[artguy360 1,843]

The example in the OP is wonderful. It accomplishes what JW was able to do for a lot of the original SW trilogy. The music weaves together several scenes that could otherwise feel disjointed and clunky in their progression.

 

My example of smart spotting, during the Wolves of Isengard scene the music does nothing to acknowledge or sync with Legolas' cool horse mounting. The visuals play it off as a cool background stunt which is helps it be such a nice touch and the music does the same. Great spotting! Around the 2:15 mark. For some reason the YouTube app isn't letting me post timestamps anymore.