Any LOTR people out there tonight? I am wondering about the

[texpatriot2004]

bridge scene in the 2nd movie. The Bridge of Khazad-Dumone where Gandalf the Grey fights the balrog (the monster of shadow and fire). What can you tell me about that fight? I remember that Gandalf emerges in the 3rd movie as Gandalf the White. What do you know about the fight?

Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White Info
http://www.lordoftherings.net/film/exclusives/editorial/gandalf.html

Long time I fell, and he fell with me. His fire was about me, and I was burned. Then we plunged into the deep water and all was dark....He was with me still. His fire was quenched, but now he was a thing of slime, stronger than a strangling snake.
We fought far under the living earth, where time is not counted. Ever he clutched me, and ever I hewed him, till at last he fled into dark tunnels....Thus he brought me back at last to the secret ways of Khazad-Dûm: too well he knew them all. Ever up now we went, until we came to the Endless Stair....Out he sprang, and even as I came behind, he burst into new flame.' --Gandalf describes his battle with the balrog, TTT, "The White Rider"

http://fan.theonering.net/middleearthtours/balrog.html

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

1. A great scene.

He fights the Balrog, and throws him down onto the mountainside. His life force is spent, so Gandalf is caught up into the Heavens, reborn as Gandalf the White, and returns as the White Wizard. Essentially, when he fell off the cliff in Fellowship, he fought the Balrog all the way down.

[DemInDistress]

2. Gandalf the gray

having defeated the beast has the look of a serious battle weary man
who turns and begins to exit the mines of moria,in an instant/a flash
Gandalf is grabbed by a serpent lie tongue of flame around his ankles
and is dragged off the ledge but first he hangs a few seconds with the look of defeat he tells the fellowship,"fly you fools" Gandalf
releases his grip on the ledge and free falls down,down and out of our sight.Great scene I loved it,made me believe Gandalf was gone forever.....

[AllyCat]

3. Can't remember the book well enough. But just watched TTT last week.

The movie version has Gandalf the White reappear in Fellowship of the Ring (2nd movie). The balrog lashes a whip of fire and Gandalf and pulls him into the abyss. They fall for what seems like an eternity, fighting the whole way down, with Gandalf riding the balrog and stabbing it in the back of the head with his sword (which he caught as they fell). Eventually, they land in water under the mountain, climb and fight out of to the top of "the highest mountain", and to the top of a tower (minas). Gandalf lands the last blow that sends the balrog off the tower and into the snow where he finally dies. Gandalf "dies" on top of the tower and is reborn/sent back as he has more work to do. Only with much greater powers as Gandalf the White.

[JHB]

14. Let's get the movies straight...

The first movie was "Fellowship of the Ring", in which Gandalf the Gray fought the balrog and was pulled down, Frodo and the rest thinking "...to his death". Despite appearances, however, Gandalf isn't a mere human, and it takes more than that to finish him off.

In the second movie, "The Two Towers", he reappears in Fangorn Forest as Gandalf the White (and is momentarily mistaken for the other White Wizard, Saruman, byt Aragorn & co.). He recounts the rest of the balrog fight, then joins them to mobilize Rohan against Saruman. Just prior to the seige of Helm's Deep, he rides forth on Shadowfax to recall the exiled Rohirim, and returns with them in time to smash Saruman's army.

In the third movie, "The Return of the King", he surveys the ruins of Isengard after the attack by the Ents, then heads for Gondor.

[AllyCat]

16. Yes. OP posted that he returned as Gandalf the White in ROTK

That was the point I made in the first paragraph. On edit: Yikes! I see what I did. It was late.

[texpatriot2004]

4. Apparently he emerged from the fight with a new strength. n.t

[Withywindle]

5. Basically, it's like this...

Gandalf and Saruman are the same kind of being - they're Maiar (so's the Balrog, for that matter, but a different kind). Essentially, in Tolkien's cosmology, a kind of angel. They're not really human. And the ones who were sent to Middle-earth are called the Istari; they're supposed to help and guide people, be stewards of the land, etc. But Saruman, the White, the most powerful, betrayed all that. So after Gandalf the Grey had his life/death experience fighting the Balrog, he was reborn as the White - to take Saruman's place as the head of the order and help defeat him and Sauron.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

17. This post is the correct one.

You've read the Silmarillion, haven't you? :-)

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. This thread needs to be in the Lounge.

That friendly warning of likely moderator action given, my recollection of the movie is that Gandalf did die but was brought back to life by a higher power of some sort to complete his mission in Middle Earth and to replace Saruman as the White (head) Wizard.

Great fun and a beautiful film sequence.

BTW, don't miss seeing the movie "Serenity" and, if you like it, the four DVDs from the brief but brilliant TV series from which it came, "Firefly." If you haven't already. It's much more moving and compelling than the Star Wars or Star Trek universes. In the few TV episodes you see the characters grow, evolve and reveal themselves, and the world-building is very fine. So is the casting, the music, the acting, the stories, and much else. The movie is excellent. Very interesting choice of how to write the story of the bad guy, and the actor does a superb job.

[texpatriot2004]

8. I don't like the lounge I never go there. n.t

[Nothing Without Hope]

9. I sometimes visit the Lounge when I need to unwind or if I have something

I think is funny to share. I've had enjoyable experiences there.

I posted that friendly headsup to you so you won't be startled if some zealous moderator decides to move the thread or even possibly lock it. As for myself, I enjoyed seeing your post and being reminded of the Tolkien universe and the audio/visual feast of the movie trilogy. :hi:

[texpatriot2004]

11. Hello from Texas

:hi:

[Nothing Without Hope]

12. Hey! I live in MA, but I'm a proud native Texan myself! ; - )

Says so right in my profile! And I am soooo sick of the fake Texan accent of that pile of manure squatting (when he's on vacation from vacations) in the WH. Now all too many people in the rest of the country think they know what Texans are really like - Bush, Delay, Cornyn... :scared:

[Clintmax]

13. You may not like the Lounge...

but you're not really supposed to post a thread like this in GD. Don't be suprised if it gets moved.

[renate]

7. hey hey hey guess what!

I don't have anything to offer about that scene, but I saw Alan Lee tonight at a book signing and he was a sweetheart--very gracious, so polite and soft-spoken and, well, English. He was especially sweet to my little daughter and wrote a lovely inscription in her Barbie book. (Yes, we bought the beautiful LOTR sketchbook too!)

[Nothing Without Hope]

10. Now THAT is EXTREMELY cool. I am putting aside my jealousy in favor

of gratitude for your telling this story!

[Bridget Burke]

15. Alan Lee's drawings were featured in the LOTR show....

At the Houston Museum of Natural Science this summer. It was in Boston previously & will appear at another US location before everything moves back to New Zealand.

Large, meticulously detailed pencil drawings by Alan Lee & John Howe were everywhere. Plus costumes, weapons & props from the movie. Close up, it was possible to see the detail in every piece.

Back to the question of Gandalf's fall & return! The Encyclopedia of Arda is the online source for everything Tolkien. Search & you will find answers. You will also find further links to explore.

www.glyphweb.com/arda/

The road goes ever on....

[underpants]

18. I thought we made them all leave

Weirdos