In the third of five special episodes to celebrate this podcast's 300th episode, focused on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, this episode is the second middle chapter, with no beginning and no end, just like The Two Towers.

The Two Towers ups the ante from The Fellowship of the Ring, balancing intense action with rich storytelling. This episode focuses on the pivotal Battle of Helm's Deep and the groundbreaking introduction of Gollum, a character that redefined motion capture in film. Gollum's evolution from CGI concept to a fully realized character, is thanks to Andy Serkis' groundbreaking performance.

The filming for The Two Towers included gruelling night shoots, and the sheer scale of the battle scenes meant that the crew ended up with "I survived Helm's Deep" t-shirts. It was a monumental filmmaking achievement, taking months to shoot under challenging conditions.

The Lord of the Rings wouldn't be The Lord of the Rings, if it didn't feel like The Lord of the Rings, and esteemed Tolkien illustrators Alan Lee and John Howe were brought on as conceptual designers, ensuring visual continuity with the imagery many readers associated with the books. The artistry behind the sets and props in the series reflects a rich history, with every detail crafted to enhance the authenticity of Middle Earth.

We wants it, we needs it.

This episode is Part 2 of a three-part story, as well as Part 3 of a five-part group of episodes. You probably should take a listen to the previous episode, if you haven't!

I would love to hear your thoughts on The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [Part 3 of 5] !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and is also now nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

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