Return of The King Analysis - Michael O'Neill

Lord of The Rings: Return of The King

Scene Analysis – by Michael O’Neill

The scene begins with Frodo and Gollum entering the lair of Shelob. The lair itself uses low key lighting to create a fearful atmosphere for both the viewer and the characters, but also to add a mysterious feel as it exploit­s the humanly instinctive fear of the unknown, it does this via the use of shadows as the viewer has no knowledge of what is lurking within them. The cave itself possesses a claustrophobic feel and also generates a feeling of Frodo being trapped.  Peter Jackson chose to do a mid shot of Frodo in the centre to symbolise his weakness and how small he appeared to the beat that is pursuing him.

In the next scene a wide shot is used to once again represent Frodo being the “fly” that has helplessly entered the web of the spider and will soon become its prey. The light at the end of the cave has a spiritual representation, the light at the end of the tunnel or the end (death) as some people would call it. This light alone can help reassure the viewer that Frodo (the character that they have grew to love over the three films) has a chance to escape.

As the scene progresses, Frodo enters what could be the nest of the beast (due to potential spider eggs stuck on the wall, but also to make the scene appear to be that of a horror. the lighting changes slightly to show the viewer Frodo’s path and how far he is come but also to show just how much he still has to fight through. This individual scene focuses solely on Frodo’s point of view, as the viewers are only able to see what he can see and can only imagine what he must be feeling by connecting with their own emotions.

Unlike the previous shots, the fourth shot in the scene is from Shelob’s point of view (but alike the previous makes Frodo appear weak), as the monster is looking down on Frodo as if to say that Frodo is his prey. The shot is filmed in a tight space to show how Frodo is isolated and also to show that without his knowledge Gollum has betrayed him as he has decisively sent him to his death. To add a naturalistic feel, the director chose to use a hand-held camera to let the viewer feel as if they are in the scene with Frodo.

This shot I believe to be the most symbolic as it is the moment when Frodo realises that not all is as it seems in this mysterious cave, this happens when the background shifts to the foreground and is a the first visual connection between Frodo and his fate if he doesn’t escape soon (death, this is shown as on the foreground is the decomposed remains of a previous victim of Shelob)

In the next shot, the medium shot changes into a medium close up to focus on Frodo’s reaction but also to get a reaction out of the viewing audience as they will truly feel scared for Frodo. Focusing on the mis-en-scene, in particular the scenery, the spidery theme is still used as the cave at this moment is covered in webs to once again generate a trapped feeling and to alert the viewer that the only way to escape is to walk through!