COMPLETE LOTR AUDITION SCRIPT, PART 4 OF 4 (txt) ... Khamul The Easterling ... 09.14-02:41 LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd. MERRY & PIPPIN MERRY & PIPPIN managed to effect an escape from the URUK-HAI (hideous creatures - half Orc and half goblin men) when their kidnappers were attacked by a band of horsemen from Rohan. In the confusion of stamping hooves and URUK-HAI blades the two Hobbits made a dash for the cover off the dark forest of Fangorn. Stumbling over the gnarled and twisted roots of the trees, MERRY and PIPPIN have tumbled headlong into a gully. MERRY lies face down in the decaying forest litter. PIPPIN Merry? PIPPIN shakes his shoulder, then getting no response, rolls him over. PIPPIN (cont-d) (anxious) Merry! What is it? Are you hurt? MERRY starts to choke, fighting for air. This is too much for PIPPIN, on top of the terror of escaping from the URUK-HAI. He panics and looks around wildly. PIPPIN (cont-d) (yelling) Help! He can-t breath. Someone help us! A hand is suddenly clamped over his mouth. MERRY-S voice sounds in his ear. MERRY Shhh! MERRY spits out something from his mouth. MERRY (whisper) What kind of creature would come to our aid in this place? PIPPIN glances around at the dark trees nervously. PIPPIN (muffled protest) I thought you we-re (dying) - (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: MERRY (urgent whisper) Ssshh!! MERRY releases his hand from PIPPIN-S mouth. MERRY (cont-d) I got a mouthful of leaf-mould, was all. PIPPIN (loud whisper) Well I didn-t know, did I? PIPPIN looks specuatively at the ground. PIPPIN (cont-d) What did it taste like? MERRY Disgusting. Undeterred PIPPIN picks up an old leaf and tentatively nibbles at a corner. MERRY swats it out of his hand. PIPPIN (plaintively) I-m starving! MERRY This is Fangorn Forest, Pippin. We were warned not to come in here - let alone start eating it. PIPPIN Considering we-ve had nothing but foul orc tucker for days, I don-t see what - A strange creaking noise sounds behind them. MERRY spins round. MERRY (nervously) What was that?! PIPPIN I don-t know. It came from over there - no wait, from over there. Suddenly they seem to be surrounded by the long, slow, grinding and creaking sounds. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: PIPPIN (cont-d) Merry ...? Let-s get out of here! MERRY My thoughts exactly. Which way did we come? PIPPIN I don-t know - I was following you. MERRY looks around unsure, the noise is getting louder. MERRY (recalling) There was a path. We were on a path ... then something tripped us. That-s strange, I could have sworn it was this way. A huge tree now stands where MERRY thought the path was. PIPPIN Well it-s not there now. Both of them look hard for the way out of the gully. Suddenly PIPPIN lifts up his hand as if to warn off a blow. PIPPIN (cont-d) Hey! That branch hit me! MERRY You walked into it more like - Out of nowhere a branch swings down hitting MERRY on the head. MERRY Ow! The ground beneath them starts to shake. PIPPIN What-s going on? Both of them look up as the face of TREEBEARD, the Ent, swoops down towards them from a great height. The two Hobbits look at each other for a beat, then ... MERRY & PIPPIN HHHHeellpp! ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd SAM - SCENE 1 Talk grows in HOBBITON of the strange goings on in the outside world. Know-it-all TED SANDYMAN is holding forth, but quiet SAM GAMGEE, the Gardner-s son, reveals an unexpected amount of knowledge. SAM has been nursing his pint, listening to the discussion at the Green Dragon Pub. OLD NOAKES Peculiar things you hear these days to be sure. TED SANDYMAN (scoffing) You do if you listen. Far-off tales and children-s stories, that-s all they are. SAM (quietly) Even so. TED SANDYMAN (agressively) What-s that, Samwise? SAM There may be more truth in some of those tales than you reckon. TED SANDYMAN If there is, it-s nought that need concern us. SAM Does it not? I-ve heard tell that the Elves are moving west, going to the harbours out beyond the White Towers. (pauses - sadly) They are leaving Middle-earth. TED SANDYMAN I don-t see what that matters to me or you. Let them sail! But I warrant you haven-t seem -em doing it; nor any one else in the Shire. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: SAM There are some, even in these parts, as know a bit about Elves. Some even that talk with them. TED SANDYMAN (scoffing) You-ve been working at Bag End too long Sam. SAM You can laugh - but old Mr Bilbo knew a thing or two, and Frodo is just the same. TED SANDYMAN They-re both cracked! SAM Why? Because they understand more than you or I? Walking trees - you make sense of it Ted. Tell me why that elm tree was on the North Moors when there hasn-t been an elm in those parts for a hundred years? And what made those tracks the Bounders found on the Southern border two nights ago? Huge they were - and half Farmer Cotton-s flock gone, not to mention his ponies. SAM takes a swig of beer having successfully quietened TED. SAM (cont-d) Maybe it-s just as well there-s folk like Frodo Baggins about - seems to me some of those far-off tales are getting awfully close. -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd. SAM - SCENE 2 In the stench-filled tunnels of the PASS to CIRITH UNGOL, SAM mortally wound-s the monstrous spider, SHELOB as it looms over the lifeless body of FRODO. Heart still racing from fear and rage, SAM cannot rouse FRODO and believes him to be dead. A terrible choice now faces SAM. To take the RING and go on with the journey, or stay try to make it back to the Shire alone. SAM can see the myriad eyes of SHELOB glaring at him from the dark. He is reeling and exhausted but he knows he has severely wounded the monster. SAM (unafraid) Come on, you filth! You will not touch him again. Come on - let me finish it! SHELOB-S EYES disappear into the gloom and SAM slumps down beside FRODO, shaking him gently. SAM Frodo? FRODO does not move. SAM lays his head on FRODO-s chest, then checks for breath. Nothing. SAM Frodo? ... Don-t leave me here alone. It-s Sam ... don-t go where I can-t follow. Wake up, Frodo. Wake up, wake up. SAM is suddenly swamped by grief. SAM No! We can-t have come all this way for nothing! What do I do now? What do I do? SAM slowly manages to pull himself together. He speaks to FRODO as if he could hear him. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: SAM Go home? Leave you dead and unburied in these cursed mountains? Or go on? (pause) Go on. Is that what I must do? Let me think. Let me think. The war-s begun. There-s no way to go back. No, it-s sit here till they come and kill me over your body, and take the Ring; or go on to the end. SAM thinks long and hard as if he-s listening to FRODO-s argument. SAM Go on, it is! SAM reaches down to FRODO-S body and draws the chain holding the ring over FRODO-S head. SAM Goodbye Frodo, forgive me. -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd. SARUMAN Isengard, the dominion of the treacherous Wizard SARUMAN, has been destroyed by a combined army of men and Ents (huge treelike creatures). He has retreated to his fortress tower, Orthanc, from which he attempts to seduce King Theoden and his men with his magical, honeyed voice. SARUMAN My Lord of Rohan. The friendship of Saruman and the power of Orthanc cannot be lightly thrown aside, whatever grievances, real or imagined, may lie behind. You have won a battle, but not a war - and even then, only with such help as you cannot be certain of again. You may find the Shadow of the Wood at your own door next ... It is wayward, and senseless and has no love for Men. (pause) So, I am to be called a murderer, because valiant men have fallen in battle? If you go to war needlessly, for I did not desire it, then men will be slain. But, if I am a murderer on that account, then all your house is stained with blood. Many wars have the Kings of Rohan fought - many times have they assailed those who would defy them; yet also, with some, they have afterwards made peace, none the worse for being politic. (pause) Peace and friendship, Theoden, King. It is ours to command. He smugly awaits the King-s response. THEODEN We will have peace. Yes. (pause) We will have peace when you and all your works have perished! SARUMAN-s face goes dark as THEODEN continues. THEODEN You hold out your hand to me? I perceive only the dark claw of Mordor. You are a liar, Saruman! I do not lick your fingers any more. Look elsewhere for a cur. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: As the King-s words sink in, a change comes over SARUMAN. Venom spills out of him, stripping away his false guise of reasoned calm. SARUMAN Gibbets and crows! Dotard! What is the House of Eorl but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek - their brats rolling on the floor amongst the dogs and filth? Too long has Rohan escaped the gibbet, but the noose comes, slow in the drawing, tight and hard in the end. Hang then, if you will! -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd. THEODEN GANDALF and his companions arrive at the Hall of Theoden, King of Rohan. They find the once heroic King wizened and bent. His spirit has been poisoned by his duplicitous Minister, GRIMA, commonly known as ?WORMTONGUEĤ. GANDALF breaks GRIMA-s dark spell and reawakens the sleeping warrior. THEODEN (still groggy) My world is dim, my dreams dark and dreary. I know your face. GANDALF Too long have you sat in the shadows, old friend, trusting twisted tales and crooked lies. Rise up! As WORMTONGUE watches, helpless to intervene, the old King slowly rises to his feet, and starts down the stairs from his throne. GANDALF (cont-d) Open the doors! The Lord of the Mark comes forth! The pale light of a Winter-s day floods the room, but to THEODEN, after years in the gloom of the Throne Room, all seems bright. It fills him with pain and wonder as he looks out over his domain. THEODEN (whisper) My land. He looks around at the sad and strained faces of his trusted servants, realises what they have been through. THEODEN My people. THEODEN drops his stick. He stretches up, straight and tall - long forgotten strength flooding back through his veins. GANDALF Let the power return. THEODEN Yes - I feel it ... (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: THEODEN turns back to GANDALF. THEODEN (CONT-D) ... but you raise up a King who let his subjects be driven to their knees. Eomer tried to warn me. Oh Gandalf, I would not listen. I threatened him with death ... one who loved me ... my own kin. GANDALF Do not let despair drive you back into the darkness. Your heart will remember its old strength better, if once again you hold your sword. THEODEN puts his hand to his side. No sword hangs there. He hesitates - uncertain. THEODEN But where ... THEODEN spies WORMTONGUE cowering in a corner. THEODEN You! **** you! Where have you stowed it ... A figure steps forward. THEODEN turns and faces his estranged nephew, EOMER. EOMER kneels, offering his sword. EOMER It was ever at your service. THEODEN How is this ... ? GANDALF Will you not take the sword? After a long moment, THEODEN stretches out his hand. As his fingers touch the hilt, it seems that firmness and strength return to his arm. He suddenly lifts the blade, swings it whistling through the air. THEODEN Haaaaa! THEODEN offers his sword back to EOMER. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: THEODEN Take back your sword, Eomer. I will find my own, wherever that confounded slug has hidden it. (announces) Those who would follow me, listen! We go to war! I shall take the vanguard, and if I fall, it will be in the front of the battle. Thus, shall I sleep better. (ringing tone) Arise now, Riders of the Mark! Sound the horns! We ride forth! Forth to War! -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd. WORMTONGUE The Wizard GANDALF storms the court of THEODEN, the once mighty King of Rohan. THEODEN has been reduced to a senile and doddering old man by the evil influence of SARUMAN, another powerful Wizard, whose armies of Orcs threaten to overthrow Rohan. GRIMA WORMTONGUE, a supposedly loyal Minister of the Court, spits venom at GANDALF. THEODEN, too decrepit to stand, eyes GANDALF warily from his huge throne. THEODEN You come here unbidden. Why should we welcome you? From out of the shadows of the throne steps WORMTONGUE. WORMTONGUE A just question, my Liege. Even now we learn from Gondor that the Dark Lord is moving in the East. Late is the hour in which this conjuror chooses to return. Emboldened, WORMTONGUE steps even closer to GANDALF. WORMTONGUE (cont-d) Why indeed should we welcome you, Master Stormcrow? Lathspell I name you. Ill news is an ill guest they say. He laughs snidely at his own cleverness. GANDALF (softly) In two ways may a man come with evil tidings; he may be a worker of evil; or he may be the one who comes only when aid is needed. WORMTONGUE addresses GANDALF with half an eye on THEODEN. WORMTONGUE There is a third kind: pickers of bones, meddlers in other men-s sorrows, carrion-fowl that grow fat on war. What aid have you ever brought, Stormcrow? And what aid do you bring now? Did you bring men? Do you bring horses and spears? (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: WORMTONGUE (cont-d) That I would call aid; that is our present need. But who are these three that follow at your tail? Three ragged wanderers in grey, and you yourself the most beggar-like of the four! GANDALF steps forward, pulling from beneath the folds of his cloak his wizard-s staff! GANDALF Hold your tongue you witless worm! WORMTONGUE cowers, no longer brave but squealing with fright at the ROYAL GUARDS. WORMTONGUE His staff! Did I not order you to take his staff! He scurries for the cover behind the throne. -END-