LotR -- 9 years later

[redhawk23]

Oh I know. I wasn't discounting the incredible amount of work and thought they put into making each culture believable. my point was just that without Tolkiens amount of detail, i doubt people would have taken the time to embrace it and do the amount of work that they did to make it real.

fullly agreed. the amount of time and work it must have taken him is commendable to say the least.

 

[C. Lee]

I have all three DVD's but I don't even have to bother watching them because TNT shows them every couple of months and I end up watching them then. Though I don't always see the whole thing from beginning to end.

I know what you mean there. Many times when waiting for something on another channel to come on later, it's nice to find the TNT channel showing one of the trilogy to put on in the background.

 

[Sundancer]

Well, I finished all three EE versions.

Anyone else find Gollum unintentionally funny at times? I remember in the Two Towers people chuckling or giggling, like when he tells himself "you don't have any friends!"


I found it odd when in RotK Saruman is on top of his big ass tower and is able to converse with the people below. Not a wizard's trick non-wizard characters talked to him as well.

 

[Hush]

Clearly everyone was being very quiet while he was being loud.

 

[C. Lee]

I found it odd when in RotK Saruman is on top of his big ass tower and is able to converse with the people below. Not a wizard's trick non-wizard characters talked to him as well.

He had the tower built with great acustics for when he felt the need to serenade the troops.

 

[lespaul59]

I know what you mean there. Many times when waiting for something on another channel to come on later, it's nice to find the TNT channel showing one of the trilogy to put on in the background.

Same here. Not only have I watched FOTR and TTT on tv in the last week or two but I watched all six Star Wars movies on Spike during Thanksgiving(I think this is when the marathon was) and Christmas.

I still love the LOTR movies 9 years later. Well I wasn't to hot on FOTR to start with but when I came around I was hooked and there was nights I would watch it on Starz east then switch the channel to Starz west and watch it again. I can still watch all three and have them still feel fresh.

 

[Thundarr]

I can respect that. I know plenty of people like this. However, I really think you should give LOTR another chance. There are only two instances that I know of where magic in the spell sense is used in these films. One of those times it was like gusts of wind and it appears Sauroman is beating the bejeesus out of Gandalf with his staff, but he isn't actually touching him. Kind of like how even if a bullet doesn't touch you but gets close enough you feel the force exerted by it. you couldnt see it and the other magic is in the last film and it isn't even in the theatricle cut. Peter Jackson made a strict line that the magic in the films would be subtle and mature and not be showy like you usually see in sword and sorcery films and he didn't cross it. He specifically avoided the Harry Potter type of magic. They don't say spell names either.

Actually there are quite a few instances where Gandalf uses magic, although you are right in that most of them are much more subtle than in the Harry Potter movies.

The Fellowship Of The Ring

-Gandalf blows a smoke ship through Bilbo's smoke ring.

-Gandalf's fireworks (they're as much works of magic as they are alcemy).

-Gandalf beating Bilbo back to his house after the party (with Bilbo's surprised expression at seeing Gandalf, I'm sure the wizard must have spelled himself there).

-Gandalf's appearing to grow larger and more menacing when Bilbo accuses him of wanting to take The Ring for himself.

-Gandalf's duel with Saroman (obviously).

-Gandalf using a butterfly to send a message to the Lord Of The Eagles.

-The ford coming up and washing away the Ring Wraiths.

-Saruman casting a weather spell to stop the fellowship from crossing the mountain and force them into the mines.

-Gandalf lights the end of his staff in The Mines Of Moria.

-Gandalf's battle with The Balrog.

The Two Towers

-Gandalf disarming Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn when they mistake him for Saruman.

-Gandalf calling Shadowfax.

-Gandalf forcing Wormtongue to crawl on his belly.

-Gandalf breaking Saruman's spell of control over Theoden.

Return Of The King

-Gandalf defeating Saruman in their brief confrontation.

-Gandalf driving the Ring Wraiths from Farimir and his men as they fall back to Minas Tirith.

-Gandalf's brief confrontation with The Witch King.

(There may be more, those are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head.)

 

[Victarion]

Did Tolkien ever set down a "magic system?" In the Magic novels you have mana, in some instances you the blessings of a god and the land...so is there one for Middle Earth?

 

[WarBlade]

Kind of. Starting with the creation myth and the Ainur, the stories tell of gods creating and shaping the land and life, and magic mostly flows out from there. The magic of Tolkein's world tends to be subtle and depending how you interpret it can blend quite nicely with the idea of science in most cases. The characters aren't seen running around blasting each other with fireballs, but a number of them do magic or touch magical things.

 

[DCW]

Bumping this thread for a question: Does anyone here prefer the theatrical release to the extended editions?

My wife and I watched the extended editions about a month ago and enjoyed them, but they were so long that we couldn't watch any of them in one sitting, we're both full time students and working right now.

Two days ago I was at the library and they had the LotR tilogy on blu ray there so i rented them and have been flipping through them just to see them on blu ray goodness. I found that I was enjoying them more than the extendeds. I felt they flowed better. There are some scenes in the extendeds that I love: Boromir's backstory with Faromir in Two Towers, Sauramans death in King. But other additions almost seem to drag.

I'm curious other peoples opinions of the extendeds. I feel that they are excellent to see to get the full story behind the trilogy, but after seeing them I think I'll go back to just watching the theatricals. What do you guys think?

 

[Doctor Jones]

I love the extended versions. I'm content with the theatrical. But as much as I love them, I feel like I can never go back to the theatrical versions. It feels more epic and complete.

Although there are takes and cuts I prefer in Fellowship. Mainly when Gandalf returns to the Shire.

 

[BillPardy]

Just finished the first to in EE for the first time (about to watch the RotK) and I prefer them say more then the original cut. Just because of the little touches.

 

[The Dark Defender]

ROTK is the best film I've ever seen; the entire trilogy changed my perspective of cinema, because of the unparalleled amount of work that went into bringing it life and entertainment value, and it opened me up to genres I never payed much attention to previously because elements from every genre so well (better anything before or since), but ROTK is so much more epic and climactic.

I won't see them on blu-ray until the EE get a BD release. I would never buy the T-cuts again in any form regardless of picture/sound quality.

I can't stand watching them on TNT because A.) The T-cuts feel so damn incomplete after becoming so accustomed to the EE and B.) I can't stand watching them in full screen.

 

[Rez]

I've created my own cuts with some of the EE scenes.. I agree that there's a little too much, things that drag, and stuff that affects that narrative and drive in a poor way. For example, in Fellowship, I don't use(or care for)most of the extended things in the first half of the film.. but once they hit Moria I keep in the extended action bits, as well as the added stuff with that one elf who dies in TT.. so he feels like a bit more of a character to lose.

I find it's becoming one of my favorite things to do with multiple versions of films being made available, or a film with a large amount of deleted scenes.

 

[C. Lee]

I've created my own cuts with some of the EE scenes.. I agree that there's a little too much, things that drag, and stuff that affects that narrative and drive in a poor way. For example, in Fellowship, I don't use(or care for)most of the extended things in the first half of the film.. but once they hit Moria I keep in the extended action bits, as well as the added stuff with that one elf who dies in TT.. so he feels like a bit more of a character to lose.

I find it's becoming one of my favorite things to do with multiple versions of films being made available, or a film with a large amount of deleted scenes.

You might find this site interesting then http://fanedit.org/

I dabble in fanediting movies too.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Where can you downlaod those fan edits? I really want to see one of those really good BF fan edits. The Red Book one.

 

[C. Lee]

Where can you downlaod those fan edits? I really want to see one of those really good BF fan edits. The Red Book one.

You'll have to read through the site to find out, they talk about it in there somewhere. I personally am a computer tech idiot. When I first found the site I tried to download some stuff and just couldn't figure it out. So I just read about what they do.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I've searched there, and I can't find the download links. Plus it says you must own the original film. How that gets you to downloading the fan edit I have no idea.

I'd love to do a fan edit myself. Especially BF. SM3 if they ever come out with an extended version. It must be expensive getting all that editing stuff though.

 

[Rez]

Thanks! I'll definitely check that out.

And yeah, extensive editing software does cost quite a bit, but that would be to alter soundtracks, music, and visual effects. You can chop up a film and edit it within pre existing footage in something that probably comes on your computer already, like Windows Movie Maker or whatever basic software Apple has.

 

[C. Lee]

I've searched there, and I can't find the download links. Plus it says you must own the original film. How that gets you to downloading the fan edit I have no idea.

I'd love to do a fan edit myself. Especially BF. SM3 if they ever come out with an extended version. It must be expensive getting all that editing stuff though.

I'll look around again and see what I can find. There used to be a quick direct link with every edit on the page about the individual edit.

Thanks! I'll definitely check that out.

And yeah, extensive editing software does cost quite a bit, but that would be to alter soundtracks, music, and visual effects. You can chop up a film and edit it within pre existing footage in something that probably comes on your computer already, like Windows Movie Maker or whatever basic software Apple has.

Yep, from what I have read...most people use pretty sophisticated and fairly expensive programs. I use the old DVD player hooked up to DVD recorder and use the pause button to make edits. Mine are basicly for me and my family to watch. I'd love to be able to make some more professional looking edits but don't have the money for the expensive programs.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I would like to go back and do editing again. I did it briefly for my video club in the 8th grade. Wasn't the most exciting footage and I sucked, but I sort of enjoyed it.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I'll look around again and see what I can find. There used to be a quick direct link with every edit on the page about the individual edit.

Alright, cool. Thanks.

 

[Rez]

For legal reasons the site can't host links, but most of the pages that I've looked at have links to places that host links.. just read through what you can, most of them have something like "This website may or may not have the fan edit available..." and a link.

You have definitely gaurenteed that a lot of my time will be spent reading and watching this stuff!

 

[C. Lee]

Where can you downlaod those fan edits? I really want to see one of those really good BF fan edits. The Red Book one.

See if this helps http://fanedit.info/TF0-d.html

 

[DCW]

I've created my own cuts with some of the EE scenes.. I agree that there's a little too much, things that drag, and stuff that affects that narrative and drive in a poor way. For example, in Fellowship, I don't use(or care for)most of the extended things in the first half of the film.. but once they hit Moria I keep in the extended action bits, as well as the added stuff with that one elf who dies in TT.. so he feels like a bit more of a character to lose.

I find it's becoming one of my favorite things to do with multiple versions of films being made available, or a film with a large amount of deleted scenes.

Thats exactly how I feel. Some of the extended footage is priceless. The Boromir scenes added to Two Towers change his character completely. In Fellowship he was portrayed, or at least I took him, as a selfish character, but with the additions to the second film he turned into a much deeper character. Another scene, as you mentioned, is the Lothlorian scene, where the fellowship goes after Gandalfs death. I love that you meet the elf character that dies during the Battle of Helms Deep. His death was show as a powerful moment for Aaragorn but not so much to me because we just met him. But with us meeting him in Fellowship it now makes his appearance at Helms Deep much more powerful.

Return of the King is my least favorite of the Extended Editions, I think there's just too much going on away from the real meat of the story: Frodo and Sam. I love the addition of the Mouth of Sauron though. I think it's an excellent scene. Sauraman's death is another scene I loved. The drinking game at the beginning, not so much.

I've never done such a quick turn around before. If I would have been asked a month ago which version of the films I preferred, I would have answerd the extended version without hesitation. Now after seeing the theatricals again though, I prefer them.