The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Page #9

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Final Revision - October, 2003 39.

CONTINUED:

ANGLE ON:
FRODO breaking out into a COLD SWEAT. He squeezes

his eyes shut, clutching at his SHIRT as if it's on FIRE!

FRODO .

(gasping)

I can feel his blade!

THE CAVERNOUS GATE of MINAS MORGUL swings OPEN ...

. . . and. a HUGE ARMY MARCHES OUT!

RANK upon RANK of ARMOUR CLAD ORCS, moving SWIFTLY and

SILENTLY, pass close to FRODO and SAM in an ENDLESS STREAM of

RAGGED COLUMNS!

EXT. MINAS TIRITH BALCONY - NIGHT

CLOSE ON:
GANDALF . .. .

GANDALF:

(quiet)

We come to it at last ... the great battle

of our time.

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. MINAS MORGUL - NIGHT

ANGLE ON:
75,000 ORCS MARCHING TO WAR, just below FRODO and SAM.

GANDALF V/0

This war is long planned. Sauron has hated

the west through many ages . . . It is a

hatred that flows from the depths of time,

across the deeps of the Sea.

The WITCH KING SWOOPS down the VALLEY to join the HEAD of his

ARMY. He vanishes into the GLOOM - a shadow into shadow.

CLOSE ON:
GOLLUM peers out from his stony hiding place.

GOLLUM:

(urgent)

Come, hobbits. We climb - we must climb!

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 40.

CONTINUED:

ANGLE ON:
FRODO, SAM and GOLLUM climb the STONY STAIRS high

above the MARCHING ARMY.

EXT. MINAS TIRITH BALCONY - NIGHT

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF . . . thinking, calculating . . .

GANDALF:

(to himself)

The board is set, the pieces are moving.

EXT. MINAS TIRITH SIXTH LEVEL - NIGHT

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF striding BACK STREETS of the CITY . . . so

DETERMINED and PURPOSEFUL is he, that PIPPIN has to RUN to

keep up. GANDALF suddenly stops and looks down at PIPPIN . . .

GANDALF:

Peregrin Took, my lad, there is a task to

be done. Another opportunity for one of the

Shire-folk to prove their great worth!

GANDALF kneels down and looks at PIPPIN earnestly, his hand

on PIPPIN'S shoulder.

GANDALF (cont'd)

You must not fail me.

GANDALF watches as PIPPIN hurries away.

EXT. WEST OSGILIATH, RIVER ANDUIN - NIGHT

WIDE ON:
An ANCIENT STONE BRIDGE which spans the RUINS of

EAST and WEST OSGILIATH - a once MIGHTY GONDORIAN CITY.

WIDE ON:
ITHILIEN RANGERS patrolling the BRIDGE and the

RIVERBANK.

WEST OSGILIATH has fallen into disrepair, but the DESOLATION

of EAST OSGILIATH is more pronounced - it is held by the

FORCES of MORDOR.

CAMERA tracks down beneath the BRIDGE to the DARK WATERS . . .

catching a STEALTHY MOVEMENT . . .

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 41.

CONTINUED:

ANGLE ON:
MANY BOATS, carrying MURDEROUS-LOOKING ORCS, are

quietly tracking down the RIVER. On board several HUNCHED

FIGURES steer with LONG OARS.

GOTHMOG:

(to his oarsmen)

Quiet!

EXT. WEST OSGILIATH, RIVER ANDUIN - NIGHT

CLOSE ON:
FARAMIR, CAPTAIN OF CONDOR, as he issues orders to

his SOLDIERS.

FARAMIR:

(urgent)

To the river - quick!

ANGLE ON:
ITHILIEN RANGERS take position; they are all

WEATHERED, HARDENED, PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS . . . Watchful,

ready, waiting . . .

GOTHMOG:

Faster!

ON THE RIVER the BOATS quietly advance.

ORC COMMANDER:

Draw swords!

ANGLE ON:
FARAMIR and his SOLDIERS lie in wait. As the BOATS

arrive HUNDREDS of ORCS race ashore. FARAMIR steps out, his

SWORD drawn. A FIERCE BATTLE ensues, but FARAMIR is unable to

stop the advance as HUNDREDS OF ORCS cross the WIDE BRIDGE

into WEST OSGILIATH.

EXT. MOUNT MINDOLLUIN - DAWN

HIGH ANGLE ON:
A DIZZYING VIEW . . . Looking down on MINAS

TIRITH, 1000 FEET BELOW, as PIPPIN desperately scrambles up

the ROCKY MOUNTAINSIDE.

EXT. MINAS TIRITH BEACON - DAWN

PIPPIN clambers over a ROCKY LEDGE and ducks behind a STONE

WALL . . . panting HEAVILY.

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 42,

CONTINUED:

ANGLE ON:
An ancient STONE LEDGE holds a GREAT PILE of

FIREWOOD, secured in stacked bundles ... The MINAS TIRITH

BEACON!

TWO bored CITADEL GUARDS sit chatting ... passing the long

hours.

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. MINAS TIRITH STREETS - DAWN

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF as he waits tensely below . . .

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. MINAS TIRITH BEACON - DAWN

ANGLES ON:
PIPPIN as he stealthily manages to POUR OIL on the

WOOD and set a FLAME to it!

Within SECONDS, the GREAT PYRE is alight! The GUARDS look on

in TOTAL SURPRISE as the FLAMES ERUPT into the TWILIGHT SKY.

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. MINAS TIRITH STREETS

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF as the BEACONS burst into FLAMES ... His.

eyes flash briefly with TRIUMPH before he hurries off ...

EXT. MINAS TIRITH BATTLEMENTS - DUSK

ANGLE ON:
The BEACON glows BRIGHTLY on the slopes of MOUNT

MINDOLLUIN, high above MINAS TIRITH ...

PULL BACK:
GANDALF hurries to the BATTLEMENT, looking further

west along the WHITE MOUNTAINS.

GANDALF:

(to himself)

Amon Din ... come on . . .

ANGLE ON:
a bright FIRE ignites on a DISTANT MOUNTAIN PEAK.

(CONTINUED)

Final Revision - October, 2003 43.

CONTINUED:

NOISY COMMOTION in the city as PEOPLE realise the BEACONS

have been lit!

SOLDIER:

(yelling)

The beacon! The beacon at Amon Din is lit!

FLASH INSERT:
DENETHOR staring·at the BEACON from the CITADEL

WINDOW . . . a look of BLACK FURY on his face.

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF, a strange smile plays on his face . . .

GANDALF:

(to himself)

Hope is kindled.

CUT TO:

EXT. WHITE MOUNTAINS AERIAL - NIGHT

AERIAL SHOT:
MOVING over the WHITE MOUNTAINS . . . as the TRAIL

of GREAT FIRES slowly winds from PEAK TO PEAK.

EXT. EDORAS COURTYARD - DAWN

ANGLE ON:
A ROCKY PEAK high above EDORAS . . . a GREAT BEACON

FIRE is IGNITED.

ON THE SOUNDTRACK: A BELL TOLLS urgently!

CLOSE ON:
ARAGORN looks tensely out across the MOUNTAINS . . .

PULL BACK . . . ARAGORN runs towards the GOLDEN HALL.

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