Daily Dialogue — August 7, 2013

GOLLUM: We wants it. We needs it. Must have the precioussss. They stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitsesss. Wicked, trickssssy, falssse!
SMÉAGOL: No! Not Master.
GOLLUM: Yes, precious. False. They will cheat you, hurt you, lie.
SMÉAGOL: Master’s my friend.
GOLLUM: [Tauntingly] You don’t have any friends. Nobody likes YOU…
SMÉAGOL: [Covers his ears] Not listening. I’m not listening.
GOLLUM: You’re a liar and a thief.
SMÉAGOL: [Shaking his head] Nope.
GOLLUM: Mur…derer…!
SMÉAGOL: [Starts to weep and whimper] Go away.
GOLLUM: Go away! [Cackles] HAHAHAHA!!
SMÉAGOL: [Weeping and in a small voice] I hate you. I hate you!
GOLLUM: [Fiercely] Where would you be without me? Gollum, gollum. I saved us. It was me. We survived because of me!
SMÉAGOL: [Resolute] Not anymore.
GOLLUM: [Startled] What did you say?
SMÉAGOL: Master looks after us now. We don’t need you.
GOLLUM: What?
SMÉAGOL: Leave now and never come back.
GOLLUM: No!!
SMÉAGOL: [Louder] Leave now and never come back!
GOLLUM: [Growls and bares his teeth] Arrrgh!!!
SMÉAGOL: LEAVE. NOW. AND. NEVER. COME. BACK!

Sméagol pants and then looks around.

SMÉAGOL: We… we told him to go away! And away he goes, preciousss. [He hops around in joy and does a little dance.] Gone, gone, gone! Sméagol is free!

— The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Stephen Sinclair & Peter Jackson, novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is talking to one’s self, suggested by camdeaver. Today’s suggestion by Mark Walker.

Trivia: Courtesy of Mark: The design for Gollum took over 100 maquette sculptures and over 1000 drawings to get right.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Mark: “Just brilliant stuff. Yes, the CGI is great and I think it was quite an important scene from a technical point of view as well, but what it does from a story telling point of view is show us just exactly how tortured Smeagol is and how his “other” self is vying for control.

It also gives us a sense of hope that Gollum has been banished and Smeagol is in control and good again.

But, most importantly, it generates an enormous sense of empathy and sympathy for the character (who is already pretty sympathetic) which makes his betrayal and eventual fate all the more heartbreaking — it ensures we are angry at his treatment of Sam, almost glad when he fails, then feel immense sorrow when he falls in Mount Doom…..great stuff and great writing.”

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