Theoden's army charges through a huge orc army while Minas Tirith lays besieged. Full HD 1080p. This is from the extended edition. (subtitles available)
Tell the truth. This wasn't in your recommended. You searched this, and so did I. Feel proud, and enjoy your second breakfast, because 20 years later, it’s still, the greatest cinematic scene of all time.
"Form ranks you maggots! Pikes in front, archers behind" There was more strategy in this one command than the entire plan for the Battle of Winterfell.
The entire setup of the Battle of Winterfell was so backwards I’m surprised a group of guys from the battle of Agincourt or Hastings didn’t come back to life and take D&Ds heads for their lack of knowledge
@@somebody700 if they had the Dothraki somehow try to attack the undead flanks (which seems impossible considering they were a literal wall of bodies when attacking the unsullied) that would have made more sense. The Unsullied, well you really can’t do much with spearman other than what they did do. However, my BIGGEST gripe is the catapults, you must be special to put the outside the damn walls. The archers were good on the wall. As an overall battle it could have been much better
Rest in peace, Bernard Hill. You were one of many actors who made my childhood, but you and King Theoden showed me what masculinity, leadership and the power of words truly is. Ride forth good SIr.
IKR? I dunno why people get so angry when they are told that Endgame Portals scene is the closest thing to this masterpiece in terms of epicness, music, sense of heroism and thirst of war, geez we should acknowledge it :c
Tacticalsquad 5 I personally love the Endgame scene because it’s beings from all over the universe coming together to take out the biggest villain they have faced. I love this scene because I’m just a sucker for epic charges into battle. Also, I’ve never seen a single army literally trample over an opposing army. This is just my preference, but I prefer charge scenes where both armies clash with each other, like GOT’s Battle of the Bastards, The Lion the With and the Wardrobe, and ultimately, Endgame. I love both scenes, but I would prefer Endgame’s one. I had literal chills during that while the Rohirrim charge didn’t give me chills. Like I’ve said, personal preference.
Alexander G.M. Endgame didn’t really have the same feeling of epicness Tbh Also, the music in Lotr is far better than any soundtrack in avengers or in the mcu. With all respect, but ride of rohirrim scene is better than endgame as a movie itself. I did love endgame tho.
“Courage Merry, courage for our friends.” I love that line so much. It’s simple but holds so much meaning up to this point in the trilogy. What do they have left BUT the courage they keep for those they love? And standing certain death right in the face, this is a line that holds so much power.
Part of LOTR tolkien style. Even little folk or what you'd call a regular person. Is capable of facing great odds with honor, integrity, and strength...that was what the Hobbits represented, normal people in extraordinary experiences.
@@michaelmcmurphy3397 great lines about that are of course; Gandalf "my dear Frodo, Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month and yet even after a hundred years they can still surprise you." Balin "it never ceases to amaze me, the courage of Hobbits."
The Ride of the Rohirrim is so emotional because it's such a meaningful culmination of so many character's arcs: Merry, who feared being left behind arrives, Eowyn who had despaired has found purpose, Eomer who had been fighting Orcs against orders now doing so in the biggest battle of their time, Theoden who once cowered away from death now charging into death without fear, Gandalf's gamble that stopping to save Rohan first from Saruman would enable them to come to the aid of Gondor in time, and Pippin risking himself to get the signal out starting the whole thing. The music with the fully matured and powerful King of the Golden Hall theme ties it back together.
What i love about the Ride of Rohirim in the 3rd movie compared to the 2nd at Helms deep was that at Helms deep it was more portrayed that the help of Gandaulf and the Light that saved the day whereas in the 3rd film Gandaulf has been beaten and it was humanity who needed to step up and save the day. It abandons all mysticysism and Wizardy thats theoughout the film to show the audience that its the sheer will of men that makes the most diffference in this world.
@adolfryan1930 it's also just added storyline that peter Jackson decided to make up instead of sticking to the original story, so it has little/ nothing to do with the culmination of story development and more just cause peter couldn't be fkd adding the proper content, also did you forget that it was the undead ghosts that ended up saving everyones ass or what?😂
@@cooncheez5547 How about just letting people enjoy things? Peter Jackson's script deviated from the books in some places, but the movies were still amazing, even if they were different
Lore-wise, chanting "death" had a double meaning. Yes, they were charging towards certain death. But also in the Tolkien universe, death is actually a good thing. You go to a place of eternal happiness and bliss and even the elves don't know what happens to you. Morgoth and Sauron both worked to corrupt death's meaning however and make men fear it. This is actually how Sauron destroyed Numenor, making men fear death. So when Theodan and company chant "DEATH!" at the top of their lungs, they're actually defying Sauron/Morgoth and demonstrating faith to Eä. So it is a war chant, but it's also supposed to be symbolic of mankind's defiance of evil.
That little detail of King Theoden outpacing the whole cavalry charge at 5:19 keeping with the details written by Tolkien himself in the book is one of the many reasons this film, and the trilogy as a whole, could be considered a triumph of cinema staying faithful to the source material whilst simultaneously delivering an iconic scene worth watching again and again.
It wasn’t really that faithful to the source material though. It was probably more faithful than most adaptations, but it did change a fair bit. I think the worst offender was actually the rest of this battle. What was a fairly normal but epic battle in the books gets turned into an action sequence of Legolas stunts and a giant army of unkillable ghost soldiers.
@imperialinquisition6006 It was about as faithful as a movie could be. Ghost army cleaning up and saving Minas Tirith was probably what got under my skin the most. Hated that bit. But all in all, best trilogy in cinema.
Suddenly at winterfell the night king is about to kill bran, the walls are shattered, and suddenly a horn sounds in the distance. Theoden has joined the game.
Well only a complete moron would have the dothraki charge like that, so either every battle planner in winterfell is an idiot, or the screenwriters abadoned logic for a cool scene, I wonder which it is
What makes this scene so epic is that King Théoden didn't just bring an army of men. He also brought the dawn. They charge the forces of darkness with the Sun rising behind them.
@@bhoxified8932This line and its magnificent delivery ignited something so existential it has literally brought me to tears. I mean, he’s giving orders to his leads and like a true King injects such poignant inspiration afterwards. I mean WOW: “Forth, and fear no darkness!” After hearing that, how could you not carry out what was just told to you. When you are in the presence of true leadership there is not even a desire to second-guess. His lines throughout all of this scene is the greatest embodiment of leadership I’ve seen displayed, and I will take that command to heart for the rest of my life when I befall darker times. Thanks King Bernard Hill/Theoden, Tolkien, Peter Jackson, and all that made this possible.
Because so much of this isn't CG they made more than 6000 suits of armour and more than 10,000 swords. They put so so so much effort in all the props and it just works beautifully.
@Human Cancerbag funny enough, this old ass movie still has better scenes than Got lol. I never got on the hype train for that show, because I was spoiled by This beauty of a trilogy ;)
@Human Cancerbag Preach. The whining in the comments is just off the charts. Game of thrones is awesome and I loved the battle of Winterfell. This is just meh. I fell asleep seeing lotr movies.Who even wants to watch a damn movie more than 3 hours
@vaderglenn It's basically The LotR's fault that I'm unable to enjoy GoT. The show just feels like a longer, less epic version of these movies. That's at least how I feel.
The book version of this pointing out how Theoden rode so hard and with so much fury that no one could catch him is epic. A king being the first into battle is about as badass as it gets
Fun fact the writer solved that by saying the past ancestors rose the king to inhuman abilities, like shouting loud enough that even gondor could hear him
Actually I am pretty sure that's precisely what the experience of a cavalryman in the back would have been. Getting your orders to your troops was always a tricky part of battle. Led to a lot of spectacular failures.
But when you consider Return of the King's cinema run in 2003, there really was no better film to watch on the big screen. For the sheer magnitude of an epic fantastical adventure, and the amalgamation of feelings it presented to the audience, Return of the King is disputably the greatest cinematic experience ever created. No matter how hyperbolic that may sound, it feels very true.
I don't deny any of that but what I'm saying is, it'll still be as good for people in the future, just like today we can still appreciate masterpieces like Citizen Kane or Mozart's music.
It is December 27, 2023 and I have rewatched the entire trilogy and came here to see others reaction even after 20 years. And nothing has changed just like how I was standing in awe when King Théoden gave the speech just like the first time i watched it .
The World of Men is tiny, insignificant. Tolkein often reflects upon this in our grand cities, cultures, we are dwarfed by the magnitude of the world we foster. But Man is not meant to marvel at The World. Man is not meant to be encumbered by long life. Man embraces what he can obtain on this meagre rock; and so fortuitously found company with the Halfling, who will give aplenty.
battle of the bastards was good action hell yeah. but the plotline, any reader of the book was disgusted by the writing, the writing of season 6 was drivel from hollywood. LOTR written decades ago, Sansa riding in like gandalf at fucking battle of helms deep. its too easy to guess what happens next, such shit, (talking about game of thrones season 6*)
Whenever I talk about this scene I bring up how unnerving this would be SPECIFICALLY for the orc army. A force that has met no challenge because of fear. A force that strategizes around striking crippling fear in the hearts of its enemies, and the riders of Rohan stand unafraid.
@@patrickhughes9304 That's the problem with the orc's strategy, a cornered animal is the most fearsome beast, you take down your enemy with a swift move and don't let them regroup in a corner with no scape, if there's no other option then your men will always march foward.
@@patrickhughes9304 remember that in the lore orcs are supposed to be bread without the emotion of fear but the Riders of Rohan we're still able to strike it into their putrid Blackhearts with their righteous Fury
Bernard Hill is quite an underrated actor, he's only been in a handful of films (all of which have been successful) but i dont know of any further projects he's been involved with after LotR. Seems like he's dropped off the map.
Never forget that in the books, Theoden blew his horn so hard that it "burst asunder". This guy was so badass and hyped up that he shattered a war horn by blowing too hard. What a legend
@John Smith given that your ex had such a talent I'm sure you had a good reason for demoting her to ex.... "I need a girlfriend you're it until you're dead or till I find somebody better"
Now silently the host of Rohan moved forward into the field of Gondor, pouring in slowly but steadily.... After a while the king led his men away somewhat eastward, to come between the fires of the siege and the outer fields. Still they were unchallenged, and still Théoden gave no signal.... A smell of burning was in the air and a very shadow of death. The horses were uneasy. But the king sat upon Snowmane, motionless, gazing upon the agony of Minas Tirith, as if stricken suddenly by anguish, or by dread. He seemed to shrink down, cowed by age. Merry himself felt as if a great weight of horror and doubt had settled on him.... They were too late! Too late was worse than never!.... Then suddenly Merry felt it at last, beyond doubt: a change. Wind was in his face! Light was glimmering.... But at that same moment there was a flash, as if lightning had sprung from the earth beneath the City. For a searing second it stood dazzling far off in black and white, its topmost tower like a glittering needle: and then as the darkness closed again there came rolling over the fields a great boom. At that sound the bent shape of the king sprang suddenly erect. Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before: Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! With that he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains. Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first éored roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and the darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.
@@animeman8203 I missed cinema releases for all three LOTR. But I saw the 1st Hobbit film in the cinema, also my 1st 3D exp. The film was good, but I didn't really like the 3D aspect. I thought it kind of got in the way of the film, if that makes sense, so the rest I just watched normally!
I was 11 years old seeing this opening weekend in the cold December of 2003. The theater was packed and we were at the third bottom center row at the top of the theater. This scene is one of the top 5 greatest moments I ever experienced in the cinema. The sound was like an earthquake that next door auditoriums could feel the vibration. The audience was in awe and cheered louder than a game at the superbowl. That was the moment my balls dropped and I saw the power and strength of what real men (and women) could do. It was that awesome! I remember one person shouted when it cut back to Denathor "THAT WAS SO FUCKIN COOL!"
If you really want to sob, do Theoden “how did it come to this?” Then Gandalf rescuing the retreating forces from Osgiliath, then Helm’s Deep Forth Eorlingas, then Theoden on the symbeline on the graves, then Minas Tirith Rohirrim, and then finish with Gandalf's advice to Frodo in Moria. It’s made me, a grown ass man, weep.
I don't even know why Avengers and Got are even in the discussion here. GOT shouldn't even be compared. It's a show and its qualities during the early seasons actually rival Lotr imo (tho in completely different ways, of course). As for the avengers, c'mon. A cheesy CGI fest, with little to no substance to it's actual writing. These movies will not be talked about in the decades to come. LOTR will always remain among the classics and the best of what the filmindustry has to offer.
It's not even close to certain death. Without the elephants showing up later on it would have been a decisive, crushing and overwhelming victory. The battle of Vienna has showed how effective an unexpected mass cavalry charge is against infantry focussed on besieging and attacking a walled city. Even if outnumbered greatly you can still score a decisive victory.
@@JW-jd6sn i can understand that but people didn’t literally go insane. Best movie scene for me since ever, but I won’t buy hypnotism. I won’t abandon reason.
Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! The other part of the speech is from when Eomer discovers his sister, gravely wounded on the field. He goes back into the battle shouting: ‘Death!Ride, ride to ruin and the world’s ending!’
18 years since this came out and still, there hasnt been a scene or movie that comes close to the epic grandeur of this movie. Truly one of if not the greatest movie ever made
The goat trilogy easy.. all three movies are up there in the greatest of all time list too. Jackson and the cast and new line all owe major thanks for delivering these movies. Truly great.
I have a nephew named "Will." He joined the army but was discharged after his first battle because every time they'd say, "fire at will" everyone would shoot at him.
***** I'm not sure. I can't really decide... I just think that saying this scene is the greatest in cinema history is ignoring hundreds of millions of movies that came before and after this movie, and I'm just saying that it is implausible. I'm sorry if you were genuinely curious about what I think is the best scene, because I really can't produce a top 5 list (so many movies are so good). However, if you are asking this question because you believe that this is the best scene, I have one thing to say: *start watching more movies*. Every masterpiece and classic you watch will make it feel like THAT was the best movie/scene ever, until you watch another classic, and you'll think that this movie was the best, then on and on. The (fun) ride never ends. Saying that this scene is possibly the best ever is extremely self-limiting and close minded. I never said that it's a bad scene; It's definitely a great scene, but cmon, the *best* ever? Well, everyone has his/her favorites and opinions, so it's all good.
Arise, arise Riders of Theoden! Fell deeds awake; fire and slaughter! Spear shall be shaken, shield shall be splintered! A sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Rise now, ride now! Ride to Gondor! RIP, KING THEODEN
@@mandalorian1994 I get chills every damn time. Nothing can top it, and partly I think it is because from their perspective, it's hopeless but that doesn't mean they give up. They know that Frodo and Sam need every minute of distraction they can give them.
Bro, I would kill to see a reaction of the people in theatres back in 2003 when they witnessed this moment for the first time.. it must have been insane
Check your local theaters, this year is de 20th anniversary for Fellowship of the Ring and here in Mexico they are putting all three movies back to the theaters just for a couple days
I’m so glad to see GoT the show getting hate now. I’m a big fan of the books for a long time and I’m so disappointed they decided to continue with the show instead of finishing the damn books first. Looks like it bit them in the ass and I couldn’t be happier.
+The Arab Scientific todays war cant be compared with the past most of the times u dont see you enemy you dont know what is killing you you just take the smell of blood in the air mixed with explosives dust dirt and metal the smell of burned human flesh it is way more horrible and disgusting in modern war. In this middle age wars u die by force which u could compete to u have kind of an usefull armor u dont smell and witness burned and exploded corpses of your comrades
One of the reasons this scene works so well is the use of leitmotif. When we first heard Shore's "Rohan" theme in The Two Towers, it was a heartbroken lament for lost glory in a country that had lost its way and was effectively leaderless. Here the theme returns, but it has been repurposed as an anthem of rediscovered strength, pride, duty and confidence. This is about a people remembering who they once were and doing what they do best, and the score supports the moment magnificently.
@@minizimi3790 Was watching Fellowship tonight with the wife. I noticed that there is a somber, but hopeful version of the Gondor theme played when Boromir speaks of the white city. It's so good.
i dont really care for the use of cg in the hobbit. but i think its unecessary to use it on creatures with human appearance. they arent spiders or two story high mumakil,they are disfigured humanoid soldiers,so just use costumes. really sad how people are starting o complain about cg these days. i remeber in the lotr extras it was portrayed as really awesome how they used cg. they were really proud that they were so good they could put cgi uruk hai right in front of the camera without problems. but cgi has worn off on people. its a creative tool,cgi artists are artists too. they should get more respect. but cg should always be used appropiately.
R.I.P. Bernard Hill. Our King Theoden. “Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken,swords shall be splintered! A sword day...a red day...ere the sun rises! Ride now!...Ride now!...Ride! Ride to ruin and the world's ending! Death! "Death!" Death! "Death!" DEATH! "Death!!” Thanks. For everything. Thanks.
King Theoden to me had the best character development of all. His lost a son, got possessed by Saruman and got his people cornered and almost wiped out. But helped turned the tide in the pivotal moment in the war of the ring.
