MSN Entertainment - News - Saruman Cut From Final 'Rings'
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is due to hit theaters next Wednesday. Millions of Tolkien loyalists are due to decend upon theaters like locust in biblical Egypt. For many of the most devote there is a lingering Black Death plaguing this exciting release. Instead of praise many are upset at Director Peter Jackson's cutting of Saruman's demise. Instead, Christopher Lee's portrayal of the corrupt White Wizard is sitting on the cutting room. His fate in the trilogy is left ambiguous at best, by a single line explaining that Saruman has been left powerless after the attack of the TreeEnts.
Jackson has explained the scenes shot of the death of Saruman will be included in the DVD release of the film. A little too late for casual viewers of the film trilogy who will undoubtedly be left wondering what has happened to this central villain in the story.
The interesting thing about the purist concern over this cutting of Christopher Lee's character from Return of the King is Jackson didn't even stick with Tolkien's handling of Saruman's demise. He shot a total contrivance for the purpose of making a more interesting end to an important character. Tolkien didn't resolve Saruman until the end of the book when Saruman is found in the Shire and the halflings have to expel him from their land. As far as Tolkien was concerned Return of the King had little to do with Saruman and everything to do with the ultimate evil on Mount Doom.
One bit of advice to all you hardcore followers of J. R. R Tolkien, don't take it so damn seriously. This is entertainment. It's supposed to be fun. Peter Jackson brought us one of the most amazing trilogies of all time. A great testament to the work Tolkien put into writing this seminal piece of fantasy literature. No one else would've have tried so hard to get so much of the story onto the screen. Most books made into movies suck and Jackson made sure these didn't. So, like I said, don't take it so seriously and personally.
And go out and enjoy the movie.
