ROTK : EE version Mooter reviews!

[Rosie Gamgee]

Originally Posted by Valandil

Well - as I said, I don't think I'll be seeing this until after Christmas. This thread isn't exactly making me look forward to seeing it though.

Oh, dear. Well, Let me take some bytes to say that it is worth watching, Val. The thing is that the lame scenes outweigh the good moments. But there are a lot of good moments. *wracks brain trying to think of an example*- At least there's more Frodo/Sam stuff. That was something I really missed in the theatrical version: "How did Sam and Frodo get from A to B??" As I've said, Merry gets some good parts, too. They almost make up for that idiotic palantir scene (well, the scene itself wasn't so idiotic, it was just Merry shouting "Pippin!" so many times that got on my nerves). And, if one watches the documentaries, one will suddenly be thankful there is a movie at all. My goodness, they almost didn't make the release date! Considering the mess of work they had to wade through just to put out the last movie, I have to say it's pretty good. But, that said, you finally realize why things are a little sloppy in places: they were in a hurry!

I guess... it seems like in the first two EE's, most of what was added came straight from the books. So - it seemed like they had a lot of 'appeasement value' or whatever for all of us who have read the stories. Sorta like 'tossing us a bone' at least.

Well, that's true of TTT, I think. But, personally, I like the theatrical version of FotR better. I think it sticks closer to the story (closer, I said), and is not bogged down by PJ-created junk.

In THIS case - it sounds like a mixed bag. And they just KNOW they've 'got us' at this point... that we're all gonna buy the thing.

*sigh*

I think that FotR, from a strictly movie stand-point, was a good movie. Not great, but good. I'll give the SFX a 'great', but the movie as a whole was good. Good acting, good story, good storytelling.... However, I probably would have hated TTT if I hadn't already read the books and fallen for the story the movies represent. Actually, I do hate TTT. And RotK, while a little better in the storytelling department, has as many dumbed-down moments as TTT. So, yes, by this point I'm buying the movies because I'm hooked, not nessicarily because they're the best movies out there. I love the movies for what they attempt to portray, not what they actually are.

Please tell me it's better than all that... is it??

Yes, if you don't expect a whole lot, it is better than all of us Tolkien-fanatics are making it out to be. We're just miffed is all.

(and WAS Rosie joking about what the King of the Dead says?? )

Yes. LOL.

[azalea]

No, it is really good, and I love it, and it's worth buying/seeing, etc. It has some great moments, esp. w/ Faramir, Merry, and some Sam/ Frodo stuff. But I just had to get those criticisms off my chest. It's the same old thing -- so good, and so close to being perfect but for those PJ additions that just could have been left alone. Oh, well.

Edit: I want to add that I finished the director's commentary last night. I think that the internet had so much influence on these films, which is something that would have been impossible ten years ago. Several things that were actually filmed were changed after backlash from the fans (obviously they received the backlash online). Arwen at Helm's Deep, Sauron coming out to fight Aragorn, and other things that were mentioned. So I think it was great that they listened to the fans and changed it.

[Valandil]

From what I've read, I look forward the LEAST to Aragorn's decap of the MoS. It's so CONTRARY to the presentation of the parleying group (incl Aragorn and Gandalf) in the books, as some pointed out.

Do people today not quite 'get' the rules of those kinds of negotiations... that it is dishonorable to do such a thing? More worthy of the 'bad guys'? Or do audiences today 'need' that kind of forceful attack on an embodiment of evil from their heroes? Maybe at the theater... but surely not at home on the tv...

[Valandil]

Originally Posted by Rosie Gamgee

Well, that's true of TTT, I think...

Guess that's what I was thinking of. You know... the addition for EE I think I liked the best so far (just off the top of my head, not really thinking hard about it) - in the first two anyway - was where Faramir saw Boromir's body go past in the boat.

[Rosie Gamgee]

Yeah, except he didn't get to utter those heart-wrenching lines "Boromir! where is thy horn? Wither goest thou, O Boromir?"

I don't think people do realise the 'rules of parley'- if you will. We're too pumped up on Arnold Swar, Swarze- well, whatever- and Vin Diesel, and all those other macho shoot-first-ask-questions-later kind of heroes that I guess the restraint of an old-fashioned parley just isn't comprehensible. The thing is, it does cast a bit of dishonour on our heroes, and that's annoying.

[Elfhelm]

... and they are supposed to be stalling for time.

But when I watched it again it occurred to me that the decap is presented as the distraction that draws the Eye away from Sam and Frodo.

[Rosie Gamgee]

Oh, really? I didn't notice that. What I want to know is, what happened to the MoS's horse, not to mention his fallen body, when the gate opens the second time? Does it just disappear like the downed Santa in The Santa Clause?

[Khamûl]

Originally Posted by azalea

Edit: I want to add that I finished the director's commentary last night. I think that the internet had so much influence on these films, which is something that would have been impossible ten years ago. Several things that were actually filmed were changed after backlash from the fans (obviously they received the backlash online). Arwen at Helm's Deep, Sauron coming out to fight Aragorn, and other things that were mentioned. So I think it was great that they listened to the fans and changed it.

As a side note to this, I've seen someone who had to be from the production crew online here at Entmoot. There was a guest online with an IP that included "morannon.weta" or something like that. Morannon being the obvious LOTR reference and WETA being PJ's effects company. I was so excited that I saved a screenshot.

[robertwchandler]

Well just to throw my two cents in, I thought the EE was good but not as good as the other two editions. There were some things that disappointed me about it. The way they handled Saruman and Grima wasn't good IMO. I also didn't think they established the Faramir/Eowyn relationship well enough. There were other scenes which I thought weren't really needed. The whole scene in the paths of the dead. Some of that was just filler footage.

Overall I thought it was good but not as good as the other two EEs. Still my favorite film of the 3 though.

[Lizra]

Ahhh...the usual bitch-fest... I thought the Mouth of Sauron was fun, cool, and entertaining. The Aragorn palantir scene was a big rip off. I am so sick of the stupid necklace... Someone toss it in the river and let it sink! Eowyn and Faramir fall in love??....over a hand hold?? Good god! Somebody give them a necklace!

[mithrand1r]

Originally Posted by robertwchandler

Well just to throw my two cents in, I thought the EE was good but not as good as the other two editions. There were some things that disappointed me about it. The way they handled Saruman and Grima wasn't good IMO. I also didn't think they established the Faramir/Eowyn relationship well enough. There were other scenes which I thought weren't really needed. The whole scene in the paths of the dead. Some of that was just filler footage.

Overall I thought it was good but not as good as the other two EEs. Still my favorite film of the 3 though.

I have only seen pat of ROTK-EE. (I have not finished the 1st DVD yet.)

It was nice that they brought some closure to Saruman. The lines delivered did not have the same impact as in the book, but for the sake of condensing and speeding up this part of the film, I could live with it.

I still do not know why Legolas shot Grima. I could understand Grima stabbing Saruman, but I do not know why Legolas (or anyone else on the ground) would want to immediately shoot Grima.

As someone else mentioned earlier, The drinking game between Gimli and Legolas was pointless and not worth including into the film. Unless you wanted to add lame cheap humor into a film that did not need it added. (The film is over 3 hours long already. There is enough material from LOTR without needing to add "new" material that does not (add/or improve on) to the story)

I did not think much about Eowyn sleeping in the middle of the all. I assumed that she fell asleep there. (For whatever reason) I would hope that she would have her own room. Otherwise, what good is it to be related to the King!?

I did not care much for the crack about smoking too much by Merry to Pippin. It seems that PJ&Co. want to be sure to put some subtle and not so subtle hints that smoking is not the best thing for you. Personally I agree that smoking is not good for your health and most people would be better, healthwise, if they never smoked. However, in the context of LOTR there is nothing wrong with smoking. Health warnings about smoking should be placed in other places. If PJ&Co. really feel that strongly about smoking perhaps they should put a message in the begining of each film (similar to the forward , of the Hobbit IIRC, regarding wolves and smoking)

That is it for now.

[Rosie Gamgee]

So, Val- did you see it yet? What did you think?

[Manveru]

i just saw it this morning. me and my friends spent all night watching all 3 EE's, so i was half asleep when i watched it but i thought it was great overall, mostly a great improvement over the theatrical like the other two.

one thing i didnt like about the theatrical RotK was that the battle scenes were complete s***. with such a shaky camera and short shots u cant see whats going one. i thought this was fixed up a bit in the EE, especially in the osgiliath battle at the beginning. after waiting two years to see the parley with saruman (since TTT) i thought it was great but that some of the lines were a bit rushed, and it was kinda weird that they could just talk normally and saruman could hear them from way up at the top of the tower. gimli's character went from bad to worse tho. i had already thought that his character was becoming too much comic relief, and then i saw the EE and i dont think he has a serious scene in the entire movie (4 HOURS!!!). the additional paths of the dead wasnt that great, especially since they make gondor look so small (look how close the ships are when he comes out of the cave). the houses of healing scenes didnt explain anything and the faramir/eowyn scene was far too short.

mouth of sauron was terrible as talked about earlier in the thread. jackson should definately look up 'parley' 'negotation' and 'ambassador' in the dictionary. i was hoping that the EE would explain y the main characters all have horses when they march to the black gate but when they charge they have no horses. but i ended up guessing that they must have sacrificed their horses to the valar to give them luck in the battle (hey it worked didnt it).

but enough bad stuff. i loved the extended battle in osgiliath, most of the talk with saruman, faramir's extra stuff (seemed like theyre trying to make up for TTT), the witch king meeting up with gandalf (except for the staff fiasco), and alot of other stuff i cant remember right now. definately worth buying it. although i got excited thinking i might see ghan-buri-ghan when they had the scene with eomer reporting what the scouts had said and that they were going to march through the night, but oh well, u cant have everything.

[Thain Peregrin Took I]

Soooo, I know it's been a long time since I first saw the Extended ROTK, but I'm finally going to post my review:
Voice of Saruman: Eheh... different from the book, lets say. Saruman would never be able to fall in such a straight line and keep on flipping over like that. At least, I seems like it would be a little hard to fall like that.

Drinking Game: Weird. Technicly(sp?) Gimli had already lost because he was sitting down, and a lot of his beer got sucked into his beard. You would think Legolas would have a little more effect than having a little tingling in his fingers after having X number of pints, and would be smart enough not to stand of the edge of the ledge during his Red Riding Hood impression and talk with Aragorn...

I didn't like how Gandalf chocked while he was smoking. It didn't seem right.

Paths of the Dead: I really didn't like all the skulls falling, because it just didn't make sense. And when they got out, and Aragorn got to his knees and almost cried on Legolas just didn't seem like Aragorn.

Mouth of Sauron: That guy seriously need a orthadontist and a dentist. He has a weird smile. That guy is just too happy...

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

well, as i got the EE for christmas, (yaayyyyyyy!! )
i thought i best post a few comments

extra battle scenes a good thing, i love a good battle, not sure about the way aragorn and gimli teamed up to hack gothmog into tiny bits, though . The extra quotes from the book were good, even if given to the wrong people. Mouth of Sauron, not at all how i imagined him, i thought of a perfect nemesis to aragorn, a black numenorean, such as some of the nazgul were before their descent mayhaps? Eomer finding Eowyn, nice touch. Houses of Healng - not enough thereof. Gandalf's coughing fit - just plain worng,not at all in keeping with the books. Sarumans death, different but nice for a bit of closure. Legolas and Gimli's drinking game, ridiculous. In the Company of the Orcs - nice to have that reinstated. Aragorn & Palantir - wrong, not at all how should therehave been. Pippins "well, this is Minas Tirith, then, where are we off to next?" just wierd.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

I got the EE for christmas but haven't been around to review it yet so here we go:

Voice of Saruman: I loved this scene. Especailly Theodens part in it. I think the camera switching to Aragorn now and then and him looking like there was something he really wanted to say but couldn't was alright but not great. I think another good touch would have been to show some of the Men of Rohan's response to Theoden denying Saruman peace as it was in the book to show the power of his voice. Theoden forgiving Wormounge was a nice touch as it showed that Wormtoung was now serving Saruman through fear more than lust for power. I think this was one of if not the best in the whole of RotK and should have been kept in the theatrical edition.

Drinking Game: Not nessecairy(sp). This light relief was given by Merry and Pippin. And the Legolas' reaction to getting tinglinfg fingers was wierd.

Eowyn's Dream: I thought this would have been better kept with Faramir as it was him dreaming of Numenor and didn't really make sense with Eowyn.

Sam's Warning: I liked this scene. It showed that Sam would kill another rather become a murderer of things other than orcs than have Frodo killed.

Paths of the Dead: I thought the extended parts were good but I'm not quite sure about the skulls.

Corsairs of Umbar: I was disappointed with PJ's death. I thought they could come up with more than having Gimli hit Legolas' bow with his axe.

Merry's Simple Courage: Another good scene. It showed that he wasn't a great warrior like Aragorn or Eomer but that he would fight for good.

Gandalf vs Witch-King: I didn't really like this. The Witch-King didn't have the power to break his staff as he wasn't chief of the Order or even part of it.

Eomer finding Eowyn: Brilliant.

Houses of Healing: What was there was good but there should have been more eg. Faramir and Merry being healed and more Faramir and Eowyn.

Aragorn masters the palantir: This I think was done well until it showed Arwen and Aragorn threw the palantir away.

Mouth of Sauron: Another good scene until Aragorn beheads MoS.

[Selwythe]

I really liked the "The Witch-king's Hour", simply because it made that part of the movie, incidentally my favorite part in the book, 100% like how I imagined it when I read it those years ago in the dim light on that plane. When I was watching the theatrical version, it almost mirrored my imagination exactly, but for the lack of the Gandalf-Witchking confrontation. In the EE, it was 100% how I imagined it: WK raising his sword, then the horn blows (no cock crowing though), and even the sound of the horn was almost exactly how I imagined it.

That scene, and the subsequent charge, always brings tears to my eyes.

[Meriadoc Brandybuck]

Originally Posted by Thain Peregrin Took I

Mouth of Sauron: That guy seriously need a orthadontist and a dentist. He has a weird smile. That guy is just too happy...

And an oral surgean, dermatolagist (sp?), chapstick (plenty of it)...
Besides the lack of good health, I loved the use of 'thee'.

[Lizra]

I really liked "What say you!" Vigo looked like he was going to cry....

[barrelrider110]

[QUOTE=Telcontar_Dunedain]I got the EE for christmas but haven't been around to review it yet so here we go:

Drinking Game: Not nessecairy(sp). This light relief was given by Merry and Pippin. And the Legolas' reaction to getting tinglinfg fingers was wierd.

And plain wrong. Elves do get drunk. Remember the chapter "Barrels out of Bond" in the Hobbit? Elves can get snockered just like the rest of us.

BTW - It was really the only part I found objectionable. I suppose I am too easily amused. I was really glad that they scrapped the Aragorn vs. Sauron duel and changed it to a troll.