The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Movie
STUDIO Warner Bros
RELEASED 2002

In the aftermath of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), the companions of Rivendell are forced to go their separate ways. Yet, the quest endures. Now stranded in the desolate crags leading to Mordor, Frodo and Sam must place their lives in the hands of Gollum--a deceitful, tormented creature battling his inner demons. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli race to aid Rohan, once a proud kingdom that now suffocates under the hypnotic spell of Saruman. But as the dark lords of Isengard and Barad-dûr unite under the shadow of the Two Towers, a formidable force of foul Uruk-hai marches on to crush the world of Men at Helm's Deep. With hope flickering and the fate of Middle-earth hanging in the balance, can a fractured resistance hold the line before darkness consumes all?

Knowledge

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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

The Warg Attack Moved Books

In Tolkien's original story, the Warg attack actually happens near the Mines of Moria in the first book and takes place at night. Jackson moved the whole sequence into The Two Towers and shot it in broad daylight instead.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

Osgiliath Was Invented for the Film

The whole battle-at-Osgiliath detour for Frodo, Sam and Gollum doesn't exist in the book at all. It was written purely to give Faramir a redemption arc on screen, and there's even a knowing line where Sam mutters they shouldn't even be there.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

Seven Months to Build Helm's Deep

The Helm's Deep set wasn't a soundstage build, it was constructed life-size into an actual cliff face, and it took the crew seven months just to get it standing before they could film there for eight days.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

A Twenty-Hour First Cut

Editor Michael Horton's very first assembly cut of the Helm's Deep battle ran a staggering 20 hours long before it got trimmed down into the sequence we actually see in the film.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

The One-Eyed Extra

An extra named Wayne Phillips showed up to Helm's Deep wearing his own eye patch. Jackson noticed him and asked if he'd be comfortable playing the scene without it, and gave him a featured close-up on the wall. Phillips later said it actually helped him feel better about his condition.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

Liquorice Mouthwash for the Orcs

Since Orcs bleed black in the film, Jackson decided their mouths should look black too, so every actor playing an Orc had to rinse with special liquorice mouthwash before each take.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

25,000 Cricket Fans Chanting Orcish

To get the sound of a 10,000-strong Uruk-hai army chanting outside Helm's Deep, Jackson went to an actual New Zealand versus England cricket test, put Orc words up on the big screen, and had the crowd of 25,000 spectators chant along while it was recorded.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

Orlando Bloom Auditioned for Someone Else

Before he was cast as Legolas, Orlando Bloom actually tried out for Faramir, the character who debuts in The Two Towers. That role ended up going to David Wenham instead.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

Uma Thurman Turned Down Eowyn

Uma Thurman was offered the part of Eowyn but passed on it. Miranda Otto took the role instead, and Thurman later admitted she regretted saying no.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Source

Grima's Unscripted Tear

Brad Dourif, who played Grima Wormtongue, can apparently cry on command whenever he likes. The single tear rolling down Grima's face in the film wasn't scripted, he just told Jackson he could do it and they let him.