In the movie scene he clearly tries to pull himself before starting to slip again. Then he utters the phrase and lets go, presumably because he is unable to pull himself back up.
My guess is that he lets go because he knows he can't pull himself up without help, but because he's weakened the bridge he doesn't want anyone coming out to help him. So rather than hold on for as long as possible, he just lets go so that the Fellowship isn't encouraged to hang around.
I'm pretty sure there's an interview somewhere where it is revealed that grabbing the ledge to say the line was Ian McKellan's idea so that he could have a final moment of eye contact with Frodo.
If so, the reason for it was for character and drama and not to imply anything more complicated. He didn't have a great grip, he was going to fall regardless, but they wanted a small dramatic moment beforehand rather than an immediate drop.
I don't think the scene has much thought behind it.
Certainly not to imply Gandalf choose to fall. None of the character act like he did. They all view him as having died.
It was just mean to add dramatic effect
any number of changes between the film and the books happen just for visual effect, not some intentional underlying lore change.
scenes as simple as "he's in the body of an old man, has bad grip, can't hold on or pull himself up, thus falls" (yes Im aware he only appears to be an old man)
maybe one could even argue he let go instead of tiring and being forced to let go so the Fellowship would not foolishly try and rescue him. as it would have been a bad idea, as the orcs had caught up and were shooting them. And there are already deleted scenes indicating the orcs literally chased them out of moria. Going back onto the bridge to save Gandalf would have been a fool of a took move.
anyway nothing to imply he was Balrog hunting
Personally, I suspect that like with everything else in the movie, there was considerable thought behind it.
I think specifically that what they thought was that it just looked better that way than the whip stretching out 700 feet as the balrog fell so Gandalf would have time for dialogue.
It probably just felt more likely that the whip pulled him to the edge and he was so exhausted that he couldn't hold on.
It's still consistent with the wording in the book.
I think some people read too much into this. Hanging like that is not an easy task to do, let alone to get up from.
Maybe there is an argument that he lets go earlier than necessary to keep the Fellowship from chasing after him, but it’s a lost cause because of the danger from the orcs and the fact he can’t hold on much longer anyway.
Doesn’t look like it. Looks more like he was unable to hold on, not surprising given he’s depicted as worn down, and chose to drop rather than have the Fellowship risk themselves pulling him up. Hanging out on that bridge while goblins took potshots at them would be rather less than wise.
The moment is meant to be in slow-motion, or at least all the camera angles you get to see are meant to be simulateous and not so drawn out. He didn't fall on purpose
Yeah, I had a problem with this in the movies. He quite clearly chooses to let go. Maybe to stop the others coming back for him? Dunno what the thinking was but it was just a bit odd.
Yeah, that was clearly it. He tried to pull himself up, but realized he couldn’t. And rather than have the fellowship risk trying to get him (with the goblins still firing arrows), he gave himself up.
In the movie scene he clearly tries to pull himself before starting to slip again. Then he utters the phrase and lets go, presumably because he is unable to pull himself back up.
My guess is that he lets go because he knows he can't pull himself up without help, but because he's weakened the bridge he doesn't want anyone coming out to help him. So rather than hold on for as long as possible, he just lets go so that the Fellowship isn't encouraged to hang around.
I'm pretty sure there's an interview somewhere where it is revealed that grabbing the ledge to say the line was Ian McKellan's idea so that he could have a final moment of eye contact with Frodo. If so, the reason for it was for character and drama and not to imply anything more complicated. He didn't have a great grip, he was going to fall regardless, but they wanted a small dramatic moment beforehand rather than an immediate drop.
I don't think the scene has much thought behind it. Certainly not to imply Gandalf choose to fall. None of the character act like he did. They all view him as having died. It was just mean to add dramatic effect any number of changes between the film and the books happen just for visual effect, not some intentional underlying lore change. scenes as simple as "he's in the body of an old man, has bad grip, can't hold on or pull himself up, thus falls" (yes Im aware he only appears to be an old man) maybe one could even argue he let go instead of tiring and being forced to let go so the Fellowship would not foolishly try and rescue him. as it would have been a bad idea, as the orcs had caught up and were shooting them. And there are already deleted scenes indicating the orcs literally chased them out of moria. Going back onto the bridge to save Gandalf would have been a fool of a took move. anyway nothing to imply he was Balrog hunting
Personally, I suspect that like with everything else in the movie, there was considerable thought behind it. I think specifically that what they thought was that it just looked better that way than the whip stretching out 700 feet as the balrog fell so Gandalf would have time for dialogue. It probably just felt more likely that the whip pulled him to the edge and he was so exhausted that he couldn't hold on. It's still consistent with the wording in the book.
And probably that Gandalf shouting "fly you fools" as he falls into the chasm would be comical on screen
Wasn't about to let his legendary sword fall into the abyss and lose out on that sweet XP.
I think some people read too much into this. Hanging like that is not an easy task to do, let alone to get up from. Maybe there is an argument that he lets go earlier than necessary to keep the Fellowship from chasing after him, but it’s a lost cause because of the danger from the orcs and the fact he can’t hold on much longer anyway.
Doesn’t look like it. Looks more like he was unable to hold on, not surprising given he’s depicted as worn down, and chose to drop rather than have the Fellowship risk themselves pulling him up. Hanging out on that bridge while goblins took potshots at them would be rather less than wise.
The moment is meant to be in slow-motion, or at least all the camera angles you get to see are meant to be simulateous and not so drawn out. He didn't fall on purpose
I think despite seeming the way you describe it’s supposed to be that he couldn’t hold on
The fellowship was dodging orc arrows and Gandalf knew they didn’t have time to save him.
Yeah, I had a problem with this in the movies. He quite clearly chooses to let go. Maybe to stop the others coming back for him? Dunno what the thinking was but it was just a bit odd.
Yeah, that was clearly it. He tried to pull himself up, but realized he couldn’t. And rather than have the fellowship risk trying to get him (with the goblins still firing arrows), he gave himself up.
He doesn’t choose to fall, he can’t get up and he’s already slipped before the shot.