10 Famous Movie Scenes That Came From On-Set Issues
5. Rohan's Flag Falls - The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
Perhaps no film franchise in cinema history has been as industry shaping as Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Every frame of the three movies is a masterclass in film making and every performance is built on multiple layers of character development and understanding. But even among the brilliance of the cinematography, there are some particular stand-out moments.
One scene in the Two Towers sees Miranda Otto's Eowyn fleeing Meduseld Hall in Edoras, upset that her uncle, King Theoden, is unconcerned with the death of his son and has grown sickly and weak. The script called for her to gaze mournfully at a flag of Rohan flickering in the wind, worried for the future of her country.
On the day of shooting, however, the propmasters were unprepared for the stiff New Zealand wind. While the cameras were rolling mid-scene, the flag was torn off its pole and flew away in the wind. Everyone on set was amazed by the accidental symbolism of a flag being blown down, representing the precarious position Rohan had found itself in.
Jackson immediately began shooting additional B-roll footage of Aragorn encountering the fallen flag on his way into Edoras to capitalize on the unintended blessing. The scene is now known as one of the best uses of visual symbolism in the series.