What Would Have Happened if Samwise Chose to Stay with Frodo in Cirith Ungol?

Gandalf famously sends the Balrog to the abyss by destroying the Bridge of Khazad-Dum, but the timing of his action may suggest a deeper motivation than simply defeating his foe…. Other Links: Utreon: https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.comand I’ll send a fresh invite link).

8 Dec 20224min

My old nemesis CinemaSins is at it again, leveling stupid criticisms against another great Lord of the Rings adaptation. OK, maybe we can quibble about how “great” Bakshi’s film is, but it doesn’t deserve the kind of stuff CS dishes out, and I’ll prove it! CinemaSins’ full video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BuRF5izrZs My previous videos debunking CinemaSins’ absurd attacks on Tolkien movies are below: Fellowship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-KSBOwxn1w Two Towers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1swNui5SNUc Return of the King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51NBQyD43xw Unexpected Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClPQdf2ZN9M Desolation of Smaug: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkBTjocHruQ Battle of Five Armies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQNUSC7AYIU Other Links: Utreon: https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.comand I’ll send a fresh invite link).

5 Dec 202256min

Gollum has reactions to Elvish things that would put even a picky eater toddler to shame, but why? Other Links: Utreon: https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.comand I’ll send a fresh invite link).

1 Dec 20225min

I’ve reviewed John Boorman’s awful Lord of the Rings script in four parts (see below for links), but there was another awful adaptation that never got past the scripting phase by Morton Grady Zimmerman, and while I don’t have access to the script itself, Tolkien wrote two letters commenting on it that reveal a good deal, and it’s awful. The Boorman Script: Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhKX7VdMiZU Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbxZU3mVRsc Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7BqeOwPcSE Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHGpbhTKq0w And if you want some good Tolkien discussion, please check out my criminally underwatched but fascinating discussion with David Rowe, author of The Proverbs of Middle-earth, on the subject of wisdom in Tolkien’s works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOHLbX0u8EI Other Links: Utreon: https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.comand I’ll send a fresh invite link).

28 Nov 202235min

Saruman is said to have lost most of his powers by the end of The Lord of the Rings, but what powers did he have? How did he lose them? How is that connected to his position in the order of wizards? Other Links: Utreon: https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.comand I’ll send a fresh invite link).

24 Nov 20226min

Some genius writing for CBR.com wrote this article about how The Lord of the Rings has aged poorly, and it might just be one of the worst pieces of criticism I’ve ever seen, starting with the fact that it’s really only a 5-item list expanded artificially to meet some arbitrary count…. Other Links: Utreon: https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.comand I’ll send a fresh invite link).

21 Nov 202237min

In the Appendices we learn that Aragorn, in the guise of Thorongil, advises Ecthelion II, Denethor’s father, to rely on Gandalf rather than Saruman. Does this imply anything about Aragorn’s knowledge of Saruman? Other Links: Utreon: https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.comand I’ll send a fresh invite link).

17 Nov 20223min

How well do I know my Tolkien from my Bible? I've read both numerous times so a quiz should be a breeze, right? Well, depends on how tricksy the questions are, precioussss, yessss.... If you want to follow along or watch before I go through it, the original video for the quiz is https://youtu.be/-_qjtr3rbKQ Other Links: Utreon: https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.comand I’ll send a fresh invite link).

14 Nov 202225min