> For instance, in Moria's Tomb of Balin sequence (where Pippin's well sequence was relocated), Pippin does not drop a mere stone down the well. A skeleton is sitting on edge of the well, and Pippin knocks its head off. The head falls into the well. Us readers of the book think that is going to be it. That is, if we were unenlightened. Because its head has been decapitated, the corpse is thrown off balance, and after a moment it follows the head down the well. Ah, but the scene is not over. The leg of the corpse happens to be entangled on a iron chain, attached to the bucket of the well. Both chain and bucket go down the well. What follows is not a mere plunk, as recorded in the books, but an echoing cacaphony of noise as head, corpse, armor, chain, and bucket crash, tumble, and cascade toward an unseen bottom. The tumult that resounds through the walls of Moria is a more satisfying explanation that signals to the orcs that an intruder is about, rather than a mere plunk of rock, which can occur all the time in crumbling Moria. All the while Pippin is glancing around with a cringing, terrified look on his face. I almost expected him to blurt out, "I didn't do it!".

I suppose that's why Bakshi(animated version, for those who didn't know) had Gandalf make more noise in his ranting than a stone could dream of making. :-D

Nyperold