Posted: June 15, 1999 at 13:45:47: by Dave C-Q
: I like the picture of the ringwraith overlooking the shire at the official site. It is very pretty. I just don't like one thing about it. He looks too clean. Too polished. When I think of the ringwraiths, I think of pure evil that has been around for a long time and looks worn. I see them in tattered cloaks with hoods that hide all but the eyes. I think of dark red eyes, but they are still bright. They are bright enough to but do not illuminate their face or hood. The ringwraiths seem to scare the light away from them. If you see one, you feel true terror. A cold fear that would wash over you and make you tremble. The ringwraiths are pure unadulterated evil. I want their voice to be very cold, in order to compliment their looks. When they say, "Where is Baggins?", I want the "s" to be hissed like it hurts them to talk. I don't want anything like the Witch King's voice from the cartoon version of the Return of the King. That high pitched voice remined me of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. I want the voices to be deep and menacing. Maybe get James Earl Jones to do the Witch King's voice. As for their weapons, I want the blades to be very used looking. Strong but heavily used, chipped in places, with a dark tint. These are just my thoughts on how the ringwraiths should be in the movie.I think Tolkien implies that the nazgul can ramp up their ability to instill fear (while only being able to hide it so much). In ROK, flying high above Minas Tirith, they are able to make people cower and run for cover. While in FOR, they are able to travel in the Shire with dogs barking and geese honking and hobbits not liking them, but the hobbits hardly run away screaming witless, like battle-hardened soldiers in Gondor do. I think this implies a little variation is necessary, making them ever more evil as the trilogy progresses. They are not Darth Vader or the Emperor - all evil all the time. There is variation that is important. Because frankly, they are not pure, unadulturated evil. They are the slaves of the slave of pure, unadulturated evil. In many ways, they are tragic. Because they were Men in their origin, proud to be sure, but human beings nonetheless. If the tip of the morgul knife HAD pierced Frodo's heart and he became a mini-wraith, as evil as them but under their control, would you have the same attitude to him? I sure wouldn't, and I think we have to understand that to really appreciate the scope of Tolkien's drama, and the torture and anguish of Gollum (a torture each of the wraiths must have endured themselves ages ago). Anyway, that's my two cents. -Dave
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