SW VS. LOTR #7: Count Dooku VS. Saruman

[tomandshell]

After one of the closest races yet, Gimli beat Chewbacca by a small handful of votes, returning us to a 3:3 tie between Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Once again, this week's winner will break the tie and give one of the sagas the lead. So as we near the halfway point in our 15 week poll marathon, vote for your favorite of the two characters and tell us why you voted for him:

Once a powerful force for good with a place amongst the heroes of his time, this charismatic and influential figure was seduced by the influence of the chief villain of the series, and he turned his back on the heroes to devote himself to the service of the Dark Lord (even imprisoning one of his former allies). Hiding himself away and churning a massive army out of the bowels of the earth, he unleashes his obedient minions and ushers in an era of war. While the forces of good suffer huge losses at his hands, his plans for dominance are cut short when his misplaced confidence leaves him exposed to attack and betrayal, and he loses his life in the opening moments of film three.

PAST POLL RESULTS:
1. Han Solo (39) VS. Aragorn (80)
2. Obi-Wan Kenobi (41) VS. Gandalf (62)
3. C-3PO & R2-D2 (44) VS. Merry & Pippin (42)
4. Luke (56) VS. Frodo (40)
5. Darth Maul (62) VS. Lurtz (28)
6. Chewbacca (41) VS. Gimli (44)

 

[Wor-Gar]

This is a tough one... and funny that its the same actor.

I had to go with Saruman. My first non-SW vote.

 

[RoboDad]

Hmmm... Same actor, virtually the same character, with the same results.

Their methods, motives, and actions are almost identical, and with Christopher Lee playing both characters (and doing an admirable job at both), it is nearly impossible for me to choose between them.

But since we must choose, I voted for Saruman, but only because, historically speaking, he was invented long before Dooku (who may even have been patterned after Saruman, to some degree).

After a bit more thought, I have come up with another reason to vote for Saruman. Although the characters are very similar, I think Saruman has much more depth to him than Dooku does, and therefore, his downfall is far more tragic.

 

[Batty]

I agree, this is a tough one. The characters are very close in their evilness. Too bad you couldn't throw Lee's Dracula into the mix.

I'm going to go with Saruman on this one just based on Lee's performance. I enjoyed it more in LOTR.

On a side note- I thought Saruman's death in the book was much better than in the movie.

 

[galactiboy]

Saruman won pretty easily for me... again they are very similar. But I think there is more investment in his character and more development than we saw with Dooku.

On a side note- I thought Saruman's death in the book was much better than in the movie.

Totally agree... it was nice that his death was included in the Extended versions... but still prefer the way it originally went down.

 

[DarkArtist81]

Saruman won pretty easily for me... again they are very similar. But I think there is more investment in his character and more development than we saw with Dooku.



Totally agree... it was nice that his death was included in the Extended versions... but still prefer the way it originally went down.

I have to agree with RoboDad and GB.... Dooku was a cool character and all, but had no depth to him (outside of the EU anyway). Saruman on the other hand was much more interesting, and I have to say that I enjoyed his portrayal of Saruman much better than Dooku.

Dialogue was better as well... so it's a no brainer... all the way...

 

[tomandshell]

(I hope you guys saw this poll coming a mile away.)

If I had the EU materials (novels, games, Clone Wars animated series) tossed in the mix, it would be really difficult not to vote for Dooku. However, going only by what we see in the films, my vote goes to Saruman. There's just more screen time on his side.

However, it's interesting that the film expands Saruman's role compared to the book. If I remember correctly, we really only encounter him in person three times in the book, and two of those are after the destruction of the ring (which obviously don't appear in the movie). With Sauron merely a disembodied eye, PJ needed an on screen villain for the first two films, so instead of seeing Saruman for the first time after the ents' destruction of Isengard (another event Tolkien doesn't directly show the reader), we see him in scene after scene in FOTR and TTT, doing the things that are only hinted at or discussed by other characters in the novel. Tolkien had a habit of not showing the reader a particular event, but rather having a character discuss it after the fact. For instance, the heroes show up at Orthanc after its destruction and Treebeard says, "Yeah, we trashed the place." Or Aragorn hears the horn and then shows up and finds Boromir on the ground, who says, "Yeah, we just got attacked and they took the hobbits." Or Gandalf rides off to talk to Saruman and then shows up later at Rivendell, saying, "Yeah, Saruman betrayed us and held me captive." In a film, it is much more exciting to actually show these things to the audience than to have a character tell us about it after the fact.

Saruman benefitted from this approach by gaining a great deal of screen time. He is a much more memorable character in the film than in the book. Dooku is somewhat the opposite--far more interesting in the novels/animated series than in the movies.

 

[Radagaster]

Wow, I didn't know we even had the poll on Lurtz versus Maul. Didnt Maul have more screen time to begin with? A better one for that one would've been the WitchKing versus Maul. Makes me wonder if the WitchKing will ever show up in some baddie poll . . .

Back on topic . . .this one seems to be a lop-sided discussion. Dooku's character was so shallow (hmm . . .typical of most Star Wars characters unfortunately -- then again, Star Wars is more a popcorn flick anyway).

 

[KAOSINLA]

Had to go with Saruman in this one. Even though both were Christopher Lee, the developement and range of the character was more fully explored with Saruman. Also, Lee seemed to embrace the character more with amazing fervor. The madness of Saruman was easliy seen in the eyes of Lee!!!

 

[KitFisto]

My first non Star Wars vote goes to Saruman.

 

[Kabukiman]

C'mon guys! Dooku can do all the cool wizard stuff, and he has a lightsaber!

Dooku wins, hands-down.

 

[Anakin]

boooo to this one,...saruman should have gone against vader,..or even better,..against the emperor,... he is the biggest lotr vilain,...bigger than sauron to me,..

 

[Buttmunch]

I voted for Christopher Lee

 

[mannix DLS]

I voted for Christopher Lee

Good answer !!!

 

[Buttmunch]

I really voted for Saruman. I felt that Maul could have lived in EP I and fufilled Dooku's role without difficultly. Dooku's tasks could have been given to Maul and/or some other backgroundish characters like Nute Gunray. Saruman is a bit harder to cut out though, and therefore more important to the story. In the theatrical version of RotK it NEVER made sense to me to not have Saruman in it. I mean he was the main bad guy in the first two films, and didn't even have an appearence in the RotK. Worst flaw in the theatrical version by far. Thank goodness for extended editions.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

bea arthur

 

[darthviper107]

It's sad but I must say that Saruman wins, Count Dooku never kicked @$$.

 

[King Darkness]

This is my first none SW vote. Saruman far and away!!!! Dooku was lame, Saruman was a bad mamajama.

 

[carbo-fation]

This was just too easy.....Saruman hands down! It should have been Saruman vs. Vader. That would've made more sense.

 

[EVILFACE]

Count Dooku all the way.