LOTR movie, cartoon, and book comparison question.

[The Clown Prince]

OK, I have read the books, but only a LONG time ago and remember nothing. I watched the LOTR animated movie about 2 weeks before the live action movie came out. A couple of things I noticed...

In both the cartoon and the live action movies, the river comes and washes away the Ring Wraiths, and Frodo wakes up after being healed and Gandalf is at his side. The difference from the two movies that I saw was that in the cartoon, Gandalf had asked Frodo if he noticed the white horses in the wave, and then went on to say that was "his touch." Did Gandalf say that in the book?

Second difference comes at the enterance to Moria. Both movies had the octopus creature. The movie extended the fight sequence than the cartoon version. The cartoon never fully showed what it looked like while the live action movie did. Was the fight sequence like the live action movie or the cartoon. Another question was in the cartoon, the octupus kills Bill the horse/donkey. While we never see it, all we saw was a tentacle wrapping itself around Bill, while Sam said "poor Bill." In the live action movie, Aragorn sends it on it's way back the way they came. Did the octopus kill Bill in the book or did it get away?

Did Aragorn and the hobbits meet Legolus along the way to (can't remember the name of the place where the elves live) like they do in the cartoon, or did they meet him when they all asembled for the meeting like they did in the live action movie.

The cartoon had Gandalf say that the Ring Wraiths would return to Mordor and return with new beasts while the live action movie didn't. Which was or wasn't I should say in the book? In the cartoon, the Ring Wraiths did return and with flying beasts but only like once, and it was when Frodo, Sam, and Gollumn were on their way to Mordor, and it was only one Ring Wraith. To avoid confusion for those that don't know, the cartoon was a combination of BOTH The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. How big a role do the Wraiths play in The Two Towers book? Obviously we don't know how the live action will treat it until next year.

Another difference. When Frodo was stabbed with the sword of the Ring Wraith, in the cartoon, a piece had broken off and was moving it's way toward is heart. In the live action version, he was just stabbed and was infected. Which was in the book?

I'm sure there are other differences between the 3 incarnations, but it's late and I can't think of anymore. If anyone can answer these questions, that would be great! Any other examples would be great to hear too.

The Clown Prince

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by The ClownPrince
In both the cartoon and the live action movies, the river comes and washes away the Ring Wraiths, and Frodo wakes up after being healed and Gandalf is at his side. The difference from the two movies that I saw was that in the cartoon, Gandalf had asked Frodo if he noticed the white horses in the wave, and then went on to say that was "his touch." Did Gandalf say that in the book?

Yes. In the book the river was released by Elrond (not by Arwen or Glorfindel) and Gandalf says he added the horses as a personal touch.


Second difference comes at the enterance to Moria. Both movies had the octopus creature. The movie extended the fight sequence than the cartoon version. The cartoon never fully showed what it looked like while the live action movie did. Was the fight sequence like the live action movie or the cartoon. Another question was in the cartoon, the octupus kills Bill the horse/donkey. While we never see it, all we saw was a tentacle wrapping itself around Bill, while Sam said "poor Bill." In the live action movie, Aragorn sends it on it's way back the way they came. Did the octopus kill Bill in the book or did it get away?

In the book the "Watcher" grabs Frodo's foot as they are entering Moria, but the tentacle is quickly cut loose. In response a whole horde of arms comes boiling out of the pool. Only the arms are seen, but it is strongly implied that they are not "snakes" but the tentacles of a larger squid-like creature. The Watcher slams the doors of Moria shut and piles rubble against them.

Bill is blessed and sent away by Gandalf. If I recall correctly (the books are not here at the office, when the Watcher attacks Bill squeals and bolts. The company is pretty confident that he got away but are not certain. Only in RotK do we learn that Bill did in fact escape.


Did Aragorn and the hobbits meet Legolus along the way to (can't remember the name of the place where the elves live) like they do in the cartoon, or did they meet him when they all asembled for the meeting like they did in the live action movie.

In the book they meet a great Elf-lord, Glorfindel. Legolas isn't introduced until the council meeting.

Personally, I think this is one place where the cartoon was a superior adaptation than the movie. By making Legolas the elf they meet they are able to cut Glorfindel while also giving us a character who will be one of the Nine Walkers. The movie just replaces Glorfindel (a male) with Arwen (a female).


The cartoon had Gandalf say that the Ring Wraiths would return to Mordor and return with new beasts while the live action movie didn't. Which was or wasn't I should say in the book? In the cartoon, the Ring Wraiths did return and with flying beasts but only like once, and it was when Frodo, Sam, and Gollumn were on their way to Mordor, and it was only one Ring Wraith. To avoid confusion for those that don't know, the cartoon was a combination of BOTH The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. How big a role do the Wraiths play in The Two Towers book? Obviously we don't know how the live action will treat it until next year.

In the book Gandalf says the Wraiths survived but were "unhorsed" and unclad, left to wander back to Mordor. I don't think he explicitly says they will return in new form, but the implication is there. Anyway, one Wraith appears (on a flying steed) during the journey down river, though it isn't recognized as such by the company.

In TTT, the Wraiths appear a few times flying high on their winged mounts but do not really appear. Only the Witch-King (who stabbed Frodo) appears close up, riding from Minas Morgul while Frodo and Sam and Gollum are outside the gate. It isn't until RotK that the Wraiths return in full force, and even then are kept at a distance except when the Witch King confronts Gandalf and Eowyn during the siege of Minas Tirith.


Another difference. When Frodo was stabbed with the sword of the Ring Wraith, in the cartoon, a piece had broken off and was moving it's way toward is heart. In the live action version, he was just stabbed and was infected. Which was in the book?

The former. The blade is notched, a fact Strider notices before the blade melts away. The effect on Frodo is the same as talked about in the movie (he will "fade" and turn into a wraith) but the mechanics of his wound are explained more thoroughly.


I'm sure there are other differences between the 3 incarnations, but it's late and I can't think of anymore. If anyone can answer these questions, that would be great! Any other examples would be great to hear too.

There's a thread in this forum that discusses the major plot changes. If it has fallen to a later page, I'll bump it up for you.