Woah, doesn't Melanthius look uncannily similar to Gandalf? It's just a little observation I've had... it's pretty funky...
at least I hope the old guy in this picture is called Melanthius... I'm pretty sure he is.
at least I hope the old guy in this picture is called Melanthius... I'm pretty sure he is.
That he is!
There is a certain resemblance to Gandalf, but in looking at old paintings and illustrations of say wizards and alchemists, many had that "Merlin the Magician" look.
Absolutely!! If fact, that's what brought me to this entry in IMDB - just to make sure I wasn't seeing Ian McKellan in an earlier role. I was watching the movie today with my kids and said to my wife - hey, that's gandalf!! I have to believe Peter Jackson was inspired by the makeup of Melanthius. Uncanny resemblance to be sure.
shareDefinitely! As you say, uncannily similar. Of course they're both a certain kind of wizardy archetype - but that's the point, I suppose, ie that these two look far more similar to one another than to any others, like the various portrayals of Merlin, Odin etc, or wizards in other popular fiction like Dumbledore. One can't help thinking Peter Jackson and co were thinking of Melanthius/Patrick Troughton in this movie when trying to figure out Gandalf the Grey's exact look.
shareWoah, doesn't Melanthius look uncannily similar to Gandalf?