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One may find themselves wondering about the potential outcomes in the realm of Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking. What if directors were able to trust their instincts and defy the usual, predictable methods of screenwriting in order to keep the audience on their toes? For instance, what if Harrison Ford’s iconic character Han Solo had not met his demise in Star Wars: The Force Awakens? While his death added intensity to the film and ensured it would leave a lasting impression, in hindsight, Ford’s strong presence may have provided a solid foundation for future installments. It could have even made the director second-guess the controversial decision to bring back Emperor Palpatine in the disliked Rise of Skywalker. After all, Ford was known for criticizing George Lucas’ writing, so one can only imagine what he would have said to JJ Abrams for even considering such absurdity.
What would have happened if Ripley hadn’t died at the end of Aliens 3, Roy Batty in Blade Runner, Dumbledore in Harry Potter, or Bambi’s mother? These stories could have taken entirely different paths, potentially resulting in better narratives without relying on the predictable death trope. However, it’s unlikely that this would have been the case. It’s heartening to learn that Peter Jackson resisted pressure from producers to kill off one of the four hobbits in The Lord of the Rings.
In promotion of their new podcast, The Friendship Onion, actors Dominic Monaghan (Merry) and Billy Boyd (Pippin) talked about how director Jackson faced pressure to include violence against hobbits but ultimately stayed true to JRR Tolkien’s original story where all the hobbits survive until the end.
Monaghan stated to IGN that it was fortunate the event did not occur as it would have involved him. He firmly believes that Frodo and Sam would not have been killed, leaving only Merry and Pippin remaining. He is confident that Pippin would not have been killed due to his significant connection with Gandalf. In conclusion, Monaghan is certain that he would have been the one to meet that fate.
He stated, “Pete was correct in thinking that this is an important written work and we should adhere closely to the original text.” He stood his ground and I am grateful that it turned out that way.
To give Jackson credit, there are many events unfolding in the final part of the Lord of the Rings. Frodo and Sam fighting Orcs in Mordor, Denethor’s outburst from the top of the white city Minas Tirith, and Merry and Éowyn defeating the Witch-king of Angmar – these are all intense moments that do not necessarily require additional deaths. However, in The Hobbit, Jackson disregards this caution and incorporates elements that are not present in the original text. Examples include an elf-dwarf love story, Thranduil’s ability to conceal his scars with magic (which is not mentioned in the book), and an excessive number of goblin mini-bosses who seem to serve no purpose other than to prolong the story into a trilogy. Despite this, the movie could have been much worse.
Fortunately, the younger Jackson still held a deep respect for Tolkien’s original writing and understood that killing characters off solely for dramatic effect is not always necessary. This is especially true when adapting a lengthy novel where the main character, Gandalf, already experiences one of the most iconic death-and-resurrection plotlines in English literature. It begs the question, would it have made a significant impact if Merry had perished on the Pelennor Fields (as there is no other logical place for the mischievous Brandybuck to meet his end), or if Samwise Gamgee had not survived his heroic journey with Frodo to Mount Doom?
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Even after more than 20 years, fans are still expressing their dissatisfaction with it. Some of us may even regret that Han Solo is no longer present to see the current Star Wars filmmakers make misguided attempts at altering the original story, and we wish he could just feed them to the Rancor.
Source: theguardian.com
