In the films based on The Lord of the Rings, there are quite a few scenes that did not make it into the final version. Among them is a brief but exciting moment that shows Frodo in a form reminiscent of Gollum.
The adaptation of The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson is already long in its theatrical version, and some scenes fell victim to the cutting room floor. Fortunately, there are the Extended Cuts, which include additional scenes.
But even they are not complete, which is why there have been rumors of an even longer version for years. A brief sequence was shot for The Two Towers, showing Frodo in a changed form. Moreover, he resembles Gollum and his demeanor influenced by the One Ring.
Anyone who has seen the films rightfully wonders at which point a transformation into Gollum would have fit.
Shocking but realistic
What exactly does the scene show? From the behind-the-scenes material of the film, we know that this is a vision of Faramir. Boromir’s brother takes a brief look into the future when he meets Frodo.
In it, he sees how the One Ring has so corrupted the Hobbit that Frodo is already transforming. His hair is falling out, his skin is unhealthily pale and streaked with veins.
The sight somewhat resembles the prologue of The Return of the King, which depicts this very transformation from Sméagol to Gollum. By the way, we have clarified how the Ring-bearers stack up against each other in a separate ranking.
In the vision, Frodo presses against a rock and grimaces. He turns away from the viewers and presumably looks at his ring. Here you can see excerpts from the scene:
Particularly exciting: Unlike in Gollum’s case, the crew for Frodo opted against the use of visual effects. The shocking appearance of his face was achieved through elaborate make-up and involved long sessions in the make-up chair.
This can be explained by the fact that Frodo was not yet fully transformed and still wore his usual clothing.
Why is the scene missing in the finished film? The brief moment, which was already in the script, unfortunately had to be cut. We do not know the exact reason. One possible explanation is that the scene would visualize the consequences of Frodo’s task too clearly and unnecessarily prolong the film.
After all, with Gollum, you constantly have the result of an overly intimate relationship with the One Ring before your eyes.
Thus, the scene remains only a small impression of what could have been. Unfortunately, fans should not hope in vain for a new, even longer cut of the films in the future. As for the characters who carry the One Ring throughout the story, we clarified how they stack up against each other on MeinMMO: All 9 Ring-bearers from The Lord of the Rings in the Power Ranking – Who could withstand the temptation best?
