The Return of the King (movie)

It has been estimated that the gross income from non-box office sales and merchandise has been at least equal to the box office for all three films; if this is so, the total gross income for the trilogy would be in the region of $6 billion, a very respectable return for a $300 million investment (although not by any means the best profit ratio ever seen in Hollywood - that prize belongs to The Blair Witch Project). This issue became a particularly sore spot for Pixar, leading to a fallout between Pixar CEO Steve Jobs and Disney CEO Michael Eisner, concluding in Pixar's 2004 announcement that it would not extend its deal with Disney and would instead seek other distribution partners. These figures do not include income from DVD sales, TV rights, etc. However, Disney argued that as a sequel Toy Story 2 should not count as one of the five films in the deal. This compares favorably to the first two films of the trilogy: in their first 35 weeks of theatrical release in North America, the gross income of the first two movies was $313,364,114 and $339,789,881. Pixar and Disney had a five-film co-production deal and with Pixar's string of successes, the company looked to renegotiate a new deal that would give it a bigger cut of the box-office take. It was the second film in history to earn over $1 billion in box office revenue in its initial release (the first being Titanic in 1997). When Disney executives saw how impressive the in-work imagery for the sequel was, they decided to release it theatrically.

The worldwide revenue is slightly enhanced compared to the earlier movies when converted to US Dollars because of the decline in the dollar's exchange rate in 2003. Disney asked Pixar to make a direct-to-video sequel for the original Toy Story (like most Disney sequels). The final North American box office stands at $377,027,325, and the worldwide take is $1,118,888,979 (about $741 million overseas). Toy Story 2 almost didn't make it to the theaters, however. According to Box Office Mojo (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/), between the time of the film's release, its winning the Academy Award for Best Picture on Sunday, February 29, 2004, and Thursday, March 11, 2004, Return of the King had earned approximately $1,052,547,293 in worldwide box office revenue—$368,875,000 in North America, and $683,649,123 in sixty countries worldwide. Toy Story 2 made over $245,000,000 in its initial US theatrical run, far surpassing the original, and in fact, every other animated movie to that date except for The Lion King, though both were later eclipsed by another Pixar movie, Finding Nemo. These forecasts proved accurate. When Buzz says goodbye to the second Buzz he gives him the Vulcan salute, a Star Trek reference.

(The general opinion in movie circles in 2003 was that a movie had to earn more than $150 million to be considered a "blockbuster"). The floating platforms Buzz Lightyear hops on play "Thus Spake Zarasthustra", the theme to the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. If this proved to be true, then this would be the first blockbuster movie trilogy for each successive film to earn more at the box office than its predecessor, when all three films were blockbuster successes. The scene where Zurg identifies himself as Buzz's father is, of course, a reference to The Empire Strikes Back. John Ratzenberger, who plays Hamm, had a small part in The Empire Strikes Back, as Major Derlin. The substantial increase in initial box office totals caused optimistic studio executives to forecast that The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King would surpass The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in total earnings. In the opening sequence, when Buzz is on an alien planet, and ultimately battles the evil Emperor Zurg, many of the sound effects are directly from the original Star Wars trilogy, including lightsaber sound effects, the torture droid's hum, and the scraping metal noise the AT-AT's make as they lumber across the plains of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. This was nearly twice the first-day total of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (which earned $18.2 million on its first day of release in 2001), and a significant increase over The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as well (which earned $26.1 million on its first day in December of 2002). The dust in the scene where Woody meets Wheezy set a record for number of particles animated for a movie by computer.

New Line Cinema reported that the film's first day of release (a Wednesday) saw a box office total of $34.5 million—an all-time single-day record for a motion picture released on a Wednesday (until Spider-Man_2 came along and grossed $40.4 million). Its price is 25 cents and the headlines on the cover read:. After two years of attention and acclaim since the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, audience anticipation for the final installment of the trilogy had reached a fever pitch when the movie was finally released to theaters on December 17, 2003. It is dated January 12, 1957 (which is John Lasseter's birth date). Note: because the box-office receipts below are not adjusted for Inflation, they have little objective meaning—thanks to increasing ticket prices, new films will inevitably break such "records" continually, although low inflation between 2001 and 2003 means that US domestic figures are roughly comparable (world-wide income comparisons, translated into US dollars, are more problematical because of a substantial decline in the dollar's value in 2003). A Life magazine in Al's apartment features Woody riding Bullseye on its cover. The film remains faithful to the book in quoting the last lines spoken by Gandalf ("I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil", although Gandalf has some minor dialogue following this in the movie) and by Sam ("Well, I'm back."). This may be a reference to a phrase in another Tom Hanks film, Forrest Gump, "I may not be a smart man, Jenny, but I know what love is".

The film's closing scene shows Sam returning from saying farewell at the Grey Havens and coming back to the Shire and his home and family (returning at night in the book, during the day in the film). Before the toys are due to cross the road to Al's Toy Barn, Slinky Dog says "I may not be a smart dog, but I know what roadkill is". These denouments are only briefly summarized in the films, where we get a hint of Frodo's periodic bouts of illness following his return to the Shire, we see Sam getting married to Rosie, and we follow Gandalf's and the Ring-bearers' departure from the Grey Havens. His fee for Toy Story 2 was $5,000,000. Following the destruction of the One Ring, most of the second book of The Return of the King involves tying up loose ends (although Tolkien considered the "Scouring of the Shire" to be one of the most important chapters of the trilogy, it is completely omitted from the film). Hanks' salary for portraying Woody in the original Toy Story was USD$50,000. Other alterations to the story include:. Many even claim the film is superior to the original, a rare feat for a sequel.

Fans hoped that several other key scenes from the book would be included in the extended cut, although inevitably not all of them were:. The Rotten Tomatoes site lists 130 reviews for the film, all of them positive. In the book Gríma simply throws the Palantír at the company, not realising its value. Critical response to Toy Story 2 was overwhelmingly positive. In the theatrical version there is no explanation as to how the Palantír fell into the water. The second is a Vegas-style finale production number sung by Wheezy (singing voice provided by Robert Goulet). (This is an homage to Lee's Dracula movies; Peter Jackson wanted to be the last director to drive a stake through his heart.) The Palantír then falls into the water where it is found by Pippin. The first is sung by the puppet Woody on the television as part of the "Woody's Roundup" show.

Saruman falls from the tower and is impaled on a wooden stake projecting from a mill-wheel. The film also includes two new versions of "You've Got A Friend In Me", the theme from the first film. (This is apparently a reference to Denethor's madness.) Saruman is finally stabbed by Gríma Wormtongue (which in the book occurs at the end of the Scouring of the Shire) and Gríma is shot by Legolas (in the book he is shot by a Hobbit). Randy Newman wrote two new songs for Toy Story 2. In the extended edition Saruman appears on the roof of Orthanc bearing a Palantír and taunts Gandalf and his company with hints of a darkness in the heart of Middle-earth which will destroy them. After Hamm fails at the Buzz Lightyear video game, he flips through the channels and sees Al in an Al's Toy Barn commercial, crying since he lost his precious luggage. In the book, the fall of Saruman takes place at the end of the scouring, but in the film's theatrical release Saruman is left trapped in the tower of Orthanc by the Ents. The events of the airplane's cargo hold have a terrible (and hilarious) price for Al.

Jackson felt that it would tax the audience's patience to mount another battle scene after the critical conflict, the defeat of Sauron, had already been resolved. for infinity and beyond.". A sequence that did not make it from the book into the film at all despite the hopes of many fans, was the "Scouring of the Shire", in which the Hobbits return home at the end of their quest to find they have some fighting to do, owing to Saruman's takeover of the Shire. And when it's all over, I'll have Buzz Lightyear to keep me company.. There are further rumours of an even more spectacular Lord of the Rings Trilogy box set in the future, and Jackson has half-seriously mentioned the possibility of re-editing the trilogy into a TV miniseries, along the lines of the Godfather movies. Woody replies "it'll be fun while it lasts. Fans also hoped that the extended discs would feature deleted scenes and outtakes, but none are included except for a few in the behind-the-scenes documentaries. Buzz asks Woody if he's still worried about his eventual fate.

A Collectors' Box Set was also released, which also included a sculpture of Minas Tirith and a bonus 50-minute music documentary DVD, Howard Shore: Creating The Lord of the Rings Symphony: A Composer's Journey Through Middle-earth. At home, the toys are greeted by a fixed Wheezy, who regales them with a concert. The extended DVD is actually a 4-disc set like its predecessors, with the movie and commentaries occupying Discs 1 and 2 and the behind-the-scenes material on discs 3 and 4. Jessie remains trapped in the suitcase, and Buzz and Woody ride Bullseye to rescue her from the plane's cargo hold. (In the Director and Writers' Commentary on the extended DVD edition he jokes about including some scenes in a 25th Anniversary edition, provided he is not too senile to remember by then.). Al takes the toys to the airport, where Buzz and his group manage to free Woody and Bullseye from the suitcase, and stick the Prospector in a little girl's backpack so he can "learn the true meaning of play-time". He also stated that not all of the unused footage shot for the movie would necessarily appear in the extended cut. The first two agree, but the Prospector locks them in the room, saying that the museum trip is his first chance (since he was never sold) and won't have Woody messing it up for him.

He mentioned the inclusion of the "Mouth of Sauron" scene, as well as Frodo and Sam running with the Mordor orcs. But Woody then has a change of heart and invites Jessie, Bullseye, and the Prospector to come home to Andy with him. In January 2004, Peter Jackson indicated that the then recently completed extended edition is actually four hours and ten minutes long. you are a toy!" (ironically, Woody says exactly the same thing to Buzz in the first film) Woody is unconvinced and Buzz's group leaves without him. Other rumours suggested that the extended DVD might be a five or six-disc set, with the movie occupying three discs rather than two, and that the extended cut might be as long as six hours. Buzz reminds him "you are a child's plaything.. The early release of the standard edition had led some fans to hope that the extended edition might be released as early as August, but the release was actually put back from mid-November, presumably because of the amount of work involved in preparing the extra footage and bonus material. When they get there, Woody tells them he doesn't want to be rescued and intends to go with his new friends to Japan, since he's now a "collector's item".

The release of the theatrical edition had originally been scheduled for worldwide release in late August but actually appeared on May 25. The original Buzz frees himself and follows them to the apartment. Christopher Lee apparently reconciled his differences with Peter Jackson because he appears on the behind-the-scenes documentaries and Cast Commentary on the extended DVDs. Buzz and his friends search for Al at Al's Toy Barn, where Buzz gets into a scuffle with another Buzz Lightyear doll (who, like Buzz in the first movie, doesn't realize he's a toy), and the new Buzz sets off with the other toys for Al's apartment, believing it to be a genuine rescue mission. The final ten minutes of the extended DVD comprises a listing of the names of the charter members of the official fan club. Woody agrees to go with the "Roundup Gang" to the museum. These were released on December 10 2004 in the UK and December 14 in the U.S., with an expanded length of 250 minutes (4 hours, 10 minutes) (slightly shorter in PAL versions). Woody initially insists that he has to get back to Andy, but Jessie reveals how she was forgotten and eventually abandoned by her owner as she grew up, and the prospector warns Woody that he faces the same fate as Andy ages.

Peter Jackson confirmed that this scene, although not in the theatrical release, would be included in the extended VHS and DVD editions. Now that Al has a Woody doll, he has a complete collection and intends to sell the toys to a museum in Japan. According to British newspaper reports appearing on November 13, 2003, Christopher Lee was unhappy to learn that a seven-minute scene featuring a confrontation at Isengard in which Gandalf casts Saruman out of the order of Wizards, would not be appearing in the finished film, and he decided to boycott the premiere as a result. They reveal to him that they are toys based on a forgotten children's TV show, Woody's Roundup. Gandalf is now certain that Sauron will come after Pippin, thinking he has the ring. Woody is taken to Al's apartment, where he is greeted by Jessie, Bullseye, and the Prospector (an unsold toy still in its original box). Pippin is left deeply shaken, but lives. Buzz and several other toys set out to rescue Woody.

Barely able to resist the Eye's power, Pippin is nearly broken into submission, but Gandalf and Aragorn wrest it from his tortured fingers. When Wheezy is set out for a yard sale, Woody tries to rescue him, but ends up in the yard sale himself, where he is stolen by Al, an obsessive toy collector and proprietor of "Al's Toy Barn". Whilst gazing into the crystal ball, Pippin is spied by Sauron and through a psychic link, the dark lord attempts to interrogate the hobbit. Woody is placed on the shelf, where he finds another broken toy, the penguin Wheezy, and begins to fear he'll soon be thrown away. That night, after a post-battle party in Edoras, Pippin, fascinated by the seeing stone, takes it from Gandalf, ignoring Merry's urgings to leave it alone. Some time after the events of Toy Story, presumably the following summer, Andy rips his Woody doll while playing with him and Buzz. He is stabbed in the back, and plummets from Orthanc's top to be impaled on one of his machines, dropping from his sleeve a palantir, which Gandalf takes. Like the first film, Toy Story 2 was produced by Pixar Animation Studios, directed by John Lasseter, and released to theatres on November 18, 1999 by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution.

Before he can give them more information, he is attacked by his servant Wormtongue. Toy Story 2 is a computer-generated imagery (CGI) animation film and the sequel to Toy Story, which featured the adventures of a group of toys that come to life when no one is around to see them. They are informed by Saruman that Sauron the trilogy's main antagonist, is readying his forces for a final strike. "Doctors say 'Americans don't eat enough fat'". Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Theoden, the victors of the Battle of the Hornburg, there confront the traitorous wizard, Saruman. "Sputnik - First photos revealed" (note that the surprise Sputnik 1 launch occurred on October 4, 1957). The plot then switches back to Isengard. Saturday's favorite cowboy 'Woody'".

As this sequence ends, we find Frodo, Sam and Gollum approaching the mountains of Mordor, Mount Doom's eruptions disturbingly close. "Children television. The film begins with a flashback sequence, wherein we discover how the character Gollum first came across the One Ring. Also end-credit music. The Lord of the Rings; The Return of the King picks up the story from the end of The Two Towers. "Woody's Roundup" - performed by Riders in the Sky - theme song for the "Woody's Roundup" TV show. This ensured that all three movies were consistent in terms of story, acting, effects, and direction. "When She Loved Me" - performed by Sarah McLachlan - used for the flashback montage in which Jessie experiences being loved, forgotten, and ultimately abandoned by her owner, Emily.

The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy is highly unusual in that it is to date the only movie series whose separate installments were written simultaneously and shot all at once, so that it could be considered three parts of a single very long film. Geri the Cleaner - Jonathan Harris. Other key events include the Siege of Gondor; the re-forging of the shards of Narsil into Aragorn's new sword Andúril; Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas' journey through the Paths of the Dead; the epic Battle of the Pelennor Fields, and the charge of the mûmakil (everything being carefully choreographed in advance, a process Jackson describes as like planning a real battle); Merry and Éowyn's role in the defeat of the Lord of the Nazgûl; the destruction of the One Ring and the final fall of Sauron; Aragorn's assumption of the throne; and the departure of several of the heroes to the Undying Lands. Evil Emperor Zurg - Andrew Stanton. These include the scene in which the monstrous Shelob attacks Frodo and is wounded by Sam. Wheezy the Penguin - Joe Ranft. This film contains key scenes that occurred in the middle portion of the novel The Lord of the Rings but were not included in the film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Bo Peep - Annie Potts.

Close-ups of the city are represented by sets and long shots by a large and highly-detailed model, often populated by CGI characters. Tour Guide Barbie - Jodi Benson. The filmmakers have taken great care to base the city closely upon Tolkien's description in The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 1. Slinky Dog - Jim Varney. The city of Minas Tirith, glimpsed briefly in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, is seen in all its glory. Potato Head - Don Rickles. In his degraded state Gollum is "played" in the movies by a CGI character whose movements are sometimes derived from a motion-capture suit worn by Serkis, and sometimes from footage of Serkis interacting with the other actors and then digitally replaced by Gollum. Mr.

This scene was actually held over from the previous film because it was felt that it would have a greater emotional impact if audiences had already seen what the Ring's influence had done to Sméagol. Hamm - John Ratzenberger. As confirmed in the feature on Gollum in the Extended DVD Edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Andy Serkis appears in person in a flashback scene playing Sméagol before his degradation into Gollum. Rex - Wallace Shawn. It tied with Ben-Hur and Titanic for the most Oscars ever won by a single film, and broke the previous record for a sweep set by Gigi and The Last Emperor (See Movies with eight or more Oscars). Al - Wayne Knight. On February 29, the film won 11 Academy Awards, winning in every category for which it was nominated. The Prospector (Stinky Pete) - Kelsey Grammer.

On January 27, 2004, the film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score (Howard Shore), and Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup, Best Music (Song), Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects; however, none of the ensemble cast received any acting nominations. Jessie ("the yodlin' cowgirl") - Joan Cusack. The first two films were The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, although the film's story includes later events in the section of the book The Two Towers as well as most of The Return of the King. Buzz Lightyear - Tim Allen. Further premieres took place in major cities around the world in the days leading up to the film's worldwide theatrical release on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 with a runtime of 200 minutes (that is, 3 hours and 20 minutes). Sheriff Woody - Tom Hanks. The film premiered in Wellington, New Zealand, on December 1, 2003, attended by the director and many of the stars.

Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. R. R. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the third part of a film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, based on J.

In the books Celeborn also takes a later ship, as do Legolas and Gimli. In the book, Frodo and Sam join with Bilbo and the elves in the woods while traveling to the harbor. In the film, it is not revealed that Frodo is to sail to the west with Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond, Galadriel, and Celeborn until after most of them have boarded the ship. In the film, Frodo jumps on him one last time and causes them both to fall; it is subsequently revealed that he was able to catch himself on the rock below the precipice, from which Sam pulls him back (after a brief hesitation by an apparently suicidal Frodo).

In the book, Gollum slips accidentally into the Crack of Doom while dancing in triumph after wresting the Ring from Frodo. Unlike the book, Merry is not taken to the Houses of Healing to recuperate from his encounter with the Witch-king (with the aid of Aragorn's knowledge of the healing herb athelas, which he also uses to heal Faramir and Éowyn), but instead rides out to the Last Battle alongside Aragorn and Gandalf. In his commentary on the extended DVD Peter Jackson admits that he was aware of the distance issue but included the scene for dramatic effect.). While on fire, Denethor would have had to run across the entire city to fall like that.

(In fact the "prow" of Minas Tirith, located on the Seventh Level, is on the opposite side of the city from the burial chambers where the pyre is, located on the fifth level. In the book, Denethor lights his pyre and lies down upon it to burn, clasping the palantír. In the film, the burning Denethor runs along the "prow" of Minas Tirith and falls like a meteor. In the book, Frodo and Sam have no break in their trust, except for a brief instant upon Frodo's rescue from the orc tower where he demands that Sam return the Ring.

In the film, Gollum tricks Frodo into mistrusting Sam and sending him away, so that Frodo enters Shelob's Lair alone. In the film, there is no courier, and the Riders are spurred to help Gondor by the beacons (above). In the book, Gondor's formal request for aid is sent to Rohan by a courier carrying the Red Arrow (although Rohan was already mustering to Gondor's defense, in part at Gandalf's urging). In the film, Denethor refuses to light the beacon of Minas Tirith, or indeed to organize any defense of the city, so Gandalf persuades Pippin to sneak past the guards and light it, causing the rest of the beacons to be lit in response.

In the book, the beacons of Gondor are lit before Gandalf and Pippin arrive, as a part of Denethor's careful mustering of Minas Tirith's defenses. The book version makes more sense when considering the maps, as Pelargir is a long way from Edoras or Minas Tirith, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli run for a short time considering the distance. No rangers or southern gondorians are in the movie. The dead than sail on the ships to Pelennor fields.

In the movie, Aragorn gets the dead to serve in an underground cave, exits the underground path at Pelagir to see the corsairs. After the Dead defeat the corsairs, they disappear, and the ships carry Aragorn, the rangers, Legolas, Gimli, and some forces from southern Gondor to the battle of Pelennor fields. Aragorn than leads the dead and members of his group to Pelargir to attack the corsairs. In the book, the rangers, Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn ride through the mountain path to summon the dead, than ride through the Morthond valley to the stone of Erech, where the dead agree to serve.

Elrond's appearance partially substitutes. The company of Rangers of the North, who along with the two sons of Elrond join Aragorn after Saruman is defeated, do not appear at all in the film, in which Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli take the Paths of the Dead alone. In the book, Narsil was reforged when Aragorn first brought the hobbits to Rivendell (following a prophecy that the reforging could only take place after "Isildur's Bane", the Ring, was found). In the film, shards of Narsil are re-forged by Elrond at Arwen's urging, and Elrond travels to Rohan where he presents the reforged sword to Aragorn and orders him to take the Paths of the Dead.

In the extended cut Gandalf tells Pippin that the dead White Tree remains in the courtyard in the apparently forlorn hope that it will blossom again; in a later scene the tree is seen bearing a single white flower. Book: After the coronation, Gandalf counsels King Elessar and shows him where to find a seedling of the White Tree.
Movie: Not included. In both versions of the film the destruction of the Ring causes the Eye of Sauron to erupt in flame and then explode as Barad-dûr collapses. Book: The spirit of Sauron rises like a black cloud from the ruin of Barad-dûr before being blown away by the West wind.
Movie: Not included.

In the book he is allowed to live until the battle. He then taunts Aragorn over his broken sword and Aragorn decapitates him with the reforged Andúril. The Mouth torments the Fellowship by claiming that Frodo has been horribly tortured and killed. Book: The Mouth of Sauron taunts Gandalf at the Black Gate and presents evidence that Frodo had been captured (which was true, although Frodo was rescued by Sam before he could be interrogated).
Movie: Included with alterations.

The scene ends with Frodo and Sam pretending to fight, causing the other orcs to join in, and slipping away while they are distracted - a simplification of the original scene. Book: Incognito in Orc armor, Sam and Frodo are forced to march with a band of Orcs who are heading for the Black Gate.
Movie: Included. Takes place following the Last Debate; Sauron retaliates by showing Aragorn a vision of Arwen apparently dying, which is not in the book. Book: Aragorn reveals himself and his reforged sword to Sauron using the palantír recovered at Isengard.
Movie: Included with alteration.

Book: Faramir and Éowyn meet and fall in love in the Houses of Healing.
Movie: Referred to in a brief scene in which they begin to bond. Book: Aragorn cures Éowyn, Faramir, and Merry in the House of Healing.
Movie: His healing of Faramir and Merry is not included. Book: Éomer grieves over the deaths of Éowyn and Théoden after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Movie: We see Éomer's shock at his sister's apparent death, and his attempts to nurse her back to health with the aid of Aragorn. It is also possible, however, that the Palantir Aragorn used was the stone of Orthanc, and Denethor's seeing-stone was completely cut out of the films.

Denethor, in the theatrical cut, does cryptically say that "the eyes of the White Tower are not blind", and he implies that he has a Seeing-stone, which someone that read the book might understand but would be lost on a movie-only audience. The implication that this is the cause of Denethor's madness is left to viewers with knowledge of the book. The vision is true as far as it goes, but Denethor does not realise the ships have been taken over by Aragorn's army.
Movie: Not included, but there is a scene after the Battle of Pelennor Fields, where Aragorn finds a Palantir in Denethor's cloak in the throne room and reveals himself to Sauron (see below). But Sauron has infiltrated the palantír and used it to show Denethor a vision of the Black Ships.

Book: In the Pyre of Denthor scene it is revealed that Denethor has a palantír, usually kept in a secret room at the top of the White Tower of Ecthelion, which he has been using to obtain strategic information for the defence of Gondor. Book: The Rohirrim bypass the main road to Gondor by negotiating with the Wild Men of Drúadan Forest for passage through their woods.
Movie: There is no mention of the Wild Men or of Drúadan Forest; the Rohirrim just ride all night. The arrival of the Rohirrim is announced by their horns, but there is no sound of a cock crowing first (despite the fact that Tolkien described this as one of his favourite images). Shortly afterward, the Witch-king, riding his Fell Beast, intercepts Gandalf and Pippin, on Shadowfax, who are racing from the gate to the Citadel (at the summit of the city) to save Faramir from being burned alive by Denethor.

In the book this takes place at the gate of Minas Tirith.
Movie: When the gate is breached trolls and orcs enter the city. Book: The Witch-king enters Minas Tirith when its gate is breached and challenges Gandalf to fight, but as a cock crows the horns of the Rohirrim announce their arrival and the Witch-king is forced to return to meet their assault. Book: On the way to the Morgul Vale, Frodo, Sam and Gollum pass through the Crossroads, where there is a giant statue of a seated king with his head laying on the ground nearby, "crowned" anew with flowers that have grown there, an image of hope amidst destruction.
Movie: Included without alteration. Very polite." Merry promises to tell him more about pipe-weed; the relationships of Merry and Pippin with Théoden and Denethor are more significant in the books.
Movie: Just adds a scene where Merry pledges his allegiance to Théoden.

Book: Théoden meets Merry and Pippin and calls them holbytlan, suggesting that the word hobbit is derived from Rohirric; Pippin comments that the King of Rohan is "A fine old fellow.