Mooters' RotK reviews

[Elvedans]

Originally posted by Fimbrethil
. But at the end Celeborn went on the pretty boat with Galadriel wasn't he supposed to stay?

Oops! I thought that was Cirdan!

[Dúnedain]

I saw it again tonight. The second viewing was just as good, except I knew what was coming up. The movie was still great though. I got to pay more attention to the detail. There are a lot of little things in this movie. They really paid attention to detail well.

Someone mentioned "how did Frodo get his shirt back after his clothes were taken?"

It's a simple answer, if you notice they were going through his clothes in the same tower he was prisoner in, actually just feet away from him. Then the fight ensued over his mithril mail. It's obvious enough that his shirt was there when Sam set him free...

With this viewing, like I said, I was able to appreciate the little things more than I either missed or glanced over, such as little architectual details and even details in the dialogue.

I am still amazed at how quickly the movie went. It certainly does not feel like it is 3 hours 20 minutes. One of the people I went with tonight looked at her watch and it was 2 1/2 hours into the movie. She was surprised and said it felt like only a few minutes

[Valandil]

Originally posted by gollum9630
i know this isnt part of ROTK, but with everyone saying the woses werent in the movies i was just wondering, werent they the wild men that were attacking Rohan in TTT. Just wondering if anyone knows for sure.

No - those men in TT were 'Dunlendings' - who lived NW of Rohan. There's mention that they had been displaced by the Rohirrim (both in movie and books I think) but that's puzzling now that I recall it - because the Rohirrim basically moved into the void left by a dwindling Gondorian population in that province which they called 'Calenardhon' (EDIT: - oh - now that I think about it... Freca and his group were part Dunlendings... and I think I recall reading somewhere that the Dunlendings had occupied the area around Orthanc... but that may have been after the Rohirrim were around... I'll have to find that and re-check. Might be in UT or PoME)

Even in the book, Saruman had stirred up the Dunlendings to fight with the orcs against Rohan.

The Woses, or 'Druaden' (SP?) lived SE of Rohan - in the forest at the east end of the White Mountains, which was really then between Rohan and Gondor - so they were at the opposite end of Rohan from the Dunlendings.

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by Valandil
No - those men in TT were 'Dunlendings' - who lived NW of Rohan. There's mention that they had been displaced by the Rohirrim (both in movie and books I think) but that's puzzling now that I recall it - because the Rohirrim basically moved into the void left by a dwindling Gondorian population in that province which they called 'Calenardhon' (EDIT: - oh - now that I think about it... Freca and his group were part Dunlendings... and I think I recall reading somewhere that the Dunlendings had occupied the area around Orthanc... but that may have been after the Rohirrim were around... I'll have to find that and re-check. Might be in UT or PoME)

Even in the book, Saruman had stirred up the Dunlendings to fight with the orcs against Rohan.

The Woses, or 'Druaden' (SP?) lived SE of Rohan - in the forest at the east end of the White Mountains, which was really then between Rohan and Gondor - so they were at the opposite end of Rohan from the Dunlendings.

The Dunlendings were from Dunland. Dunland is in the western foothills of the Misty Mountains, to the east of Enedwaith. In relation to Rohan it is Northwest, and North of Isengard...

The Woses are also known as the Pukel men. Remember Ghan-Buri-Ghan? He was one of them. They helped the Rohirrim get to Gondor safely, via the Stonewain Valley pass, which avoided the Open Road and Orc Encampments...

[samwiselvr2008]

It was awsome! I loved almost everything in it! I loved some of the Gimli Lines, like "that only counts as one!" and one of my favorites: "sertanty of death, small chance of succes, what are we waiting for?" I didn't much like the meating of Pippon and Denathor (sp?) and I didn't like it when Gandalf hit Denathor when he was yelling about dieing in the way that fit you best, because I never pictured that as a comic releaf seen in the book, and I don't think that they should have done that in the movie, they should have cept more serias. I wasn't able to cach alot the first time I saw it, but the second and third I saw alot more, dosn't it go really fast? I cried in a couple of places, and of course I hated the sceen with Sam and Rose, I got geliouse! However, the sceen with Sam talking to Frodo about Rose I don't mind as much, I'm always so sad in that sceen, because of everything, even though I know that they really arn't gonna be stuck on Mount Doom, and I know that they will get back to Hobbiton, I still get really sad and all from that sceen! That's all for now!

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Okay, firstly, a few things I was a bit surprised and disappointed to not see:

1. Gandalf's Confrontation with the Witch-King.
2. Cirdan.
3. Frodo's moment of towering over Gollum.
4. There's more, but it was several hours ago.

That said, overall, I liked it. I came with less expectation, and I was pleasantly surprised. IMO, it was the best of the three, by itself; it tended not to use cliche so much as the previous two, and the moment with Pippin's song was well done (though of course, minus the butchering of Denethor, and I didn't especially like the tomato-blood). Surprisingly enough, I think Gollum playing Frodo against Sam was relatively well done, though I think the line should have been drawn before sending Sam home.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed this more than TTT, and probably than FOTR. I really started blinking when Frodo said, "...but not for me"! Overall, I probably give this a low A (not A- yet) as a movie, and a C+ as an adaptation.

[Aden]

So to start with the good:

1) I liked Minas Tirith
2) The battle scenes were good (except from Legolas...)
3) The hobbits
4) Theoden's part
5) Minas Morgul

I disliked:
1)When entering the paths of the dead (Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli) the horses flee in terror. I think that PJ should emphasize the loyalty of those horses.
2)Denethor eating
3)I missed Mouth of Sauron
4)I think PJ presented Faramir weaker than he is.
5)Reduced the power of the Nazgul since Mery and Eowyn don't seem to suffer much (Mery even goes to the black gate to fight)
6) The palantir thrown in the water
7)on March 6 Dunedain and Elladan and Elrohir don't show up (Aragorn doesn't get the banner)

And... I hated:
1)Gandalf beating up Denethor
2)Arwen-scenes (especially the one with the baby )
3)The Scouring of Shire missing
4)Frodo sending away Sam

Anyway, despite these I really enjoyed the movie

[Nerdanel]

I saw it. Again. And loved it. Again.

I really dislike "Frodo the Cliffhanger"!! And some other important details did make me a bit angry.. Or, mostly, I just laughed..

But in the big whole, it was really good! I loved the horses, and the way the elves moved. But I expected the ships to be much larger! Guess I misunderstood in the book...

But, I'm glad PJ made the movies and no one else. He's successful. I want to see it again!!

[hectorberlioz]

Originally posted by Aden
And I hated...
2)Arwen-scenes (especially the one with the baby )

she was one of the worst things in that movie. I winced every time she came on screen....

[thranduil]

Originally posted by Elvedans
Oops! I thought that was Cirdan!

Cirdan was behind Galadriel and Celeborn to the right.

[samwiselvr2008]

Originally posted by hectorberlioz
she was one of the worst things in that movie. I winced every time she came on screen....

Granted that her (Arwen) parts, for the most part were not in the book, and I know that everyone will hate me for this, but I liked the part with her son and Aragorn, i liked how it showed that in her futcher was life ect., and it showed what her father must have been thinking before (and posably after) she got married about Aragorn and his dauter being together, because he wouldn't tell her about her sons life, only death. Even though it wasn't in the book, couldn't you picture her and Aragorn, at some point in the futcher having a son that runs up to the father and is like one of the best things that ever happend to Arwen? I think that even though it wasn't in the book, it was still very good, I agree that I am still and probally always will be mad at PJ for making Arwen rescue Frodo, and I always get mad and wince when that happens in the movie, but this other sceen, though it never happend, I though was really nice.

[cassiopeia]

I saw the ROTK yesterday. I am still numb, so my review will be brief. I loved it and it fulfilled my expectations. I still think the FOTR is my favourite, but the ROTK is much better than TTT.

Surprisingly, I didn't mind many of the changes. Frodo sending Sam away actually worked, although I would have preferred if PJ had stuck to the book. I didn't miss Saruman, but again it would have been good if he and Grima were in the movie. The only thing that really annoyed me was Gandalf repeatedly hitting Denethor -- why PJ needed to resort to violence when words would have been better is beyond me.

Sean Astin deserves an oscar for his performance. Sam has always been my favourite character in the books, and I am thankful that Sean did such a fantastic job.

Some things threw me because I'd pictured them differently in my imagination. I thought Mordor would be more red in colour. I didn't imagine that Bilbo looked so old, or that Frodo was completely covered in Shelob's cords.

The ending left me a bit dissapointed. I wish Sam and Rosie lived in Bag End. I was sad PJ didn't have Sam as Frodo's heir. Maybe Lobelia got Bag End.

So many times in the movie I wanted to punch my fist in the air or jump up and down. And so many times I had a big smile on my face. I can't wait to see it again.

[Ruinel]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
yes, it was choppy editing, but I don't know ... somehow I didn't have a problem with it, because my brain just filled in the missing parts (and ignores the parts that they got wrong)

I wonder how people felt about the movie that HAVEN'T read the books?

My stepfather never read the books and he went to see the movie. He overall enjoyed the movie as an action flick, but there were things he didn't understand. His comments included: how "base" Gandalf looked when he whacked Denethor ("the father of Faramir" in his words) with his staff; and he was particularly distracted and confused about Arwen's fate being tied to the Ring. He didn't see how that fit and he didn't like that part because it took the audience away from the story and then just left you confused.

After the fact, I told him it was not part of the story at all and I had no idea why it was put in either. He commented that it was probably the director's way of "making his mark on the story" since it wasn't his to begin with... and that the "yes men" probably told him what a great addition it was even though it stunk.

It was great that he said all of this on his own. I had never discussed my displeasure with how the movies had been changed at all.

[Millane]

ohhhh i agree with Cass i am still numb, all you lucky buggers have had it for like a week and a half and we only got it yesterday, best be quick gotta get my third fix soon...
i didnt mind Gandalf hitting Denethor in those parts because it was a spur of the moment thing Gandalf couldnt have stopped Denethor in the few seconds it would take for disorder amongst the soldiers so he beat him, works for me
did anyone else notice it but does Gamling threaten to "Kick Pippins arse" when he spills the drink on him, and did the storyboard artist make an appearance as a Gondorian soldier?
a few great moments
- Aragorn to the hobbits "you bow to no one"
- Sam carrying frodo
oooops gotta go

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by thranduil
Cirdan was behind Galadriel and Celeborn to the right.

He was also in FotR, along with Galadriel and Gil-galad. It was during the scene of the Forging of the three elven rings, and it shows them wearing them...

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by Millane
[Band did the storyboard artist make an appearance as a Gondorian soldier?[/B]

Yup he was one of the soldiers at the Beacon in Minas Tirith I noticed that too!

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by Dúnedain
Yup he was one of the soldiers at the Beacon in Minas Tirith I noticed that too!

When I saw him I thought: "Oh, that's Christian Rivers!" (I believe that's his name.) I think I've watched the DVD's too many times.

[Linaewen]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
The ending left me a bit dissapointed. I wish Sam and Rosie lived in Bag End. I was sad PJ didn't have Sam as Frodo's heir. Maybe Lobelia got Bag End.

I loved the ending. To hear Sam say 'Well, I'm back' was great. (It made me think of Gwaimir). Of course it's sad that not all the loose ends could be tied up, but it was not bad. I didn't mind spending the rest of yesterday explaining to my cousins how everything turned out with Faramir and Éowyn and Saruman.

So many times in the movie I wanted to punch my fist in the air or jump up and down. And so many times I had a big smile on my face. I can't wait to see it again.

Me too! (If only we had been in the same cinema, Cass! )
It was fortunate that I didn't come in with extremely high expectations, and that I had read the spoilers in advance.
I had watery eyes in some scenes, because it was wonderful to actually see on the screen the more emotional parts of the book- Denethor admitting that he favoured Boromir, Sam carrying Frodo and everyone bowing to the Hobbits.
It also pleased me to see the story of how Sméagol got the Ring- it's one of my favourite parts of the Prologue. (I have some strange fascination with the Prologue). I also enjoyed reciting 'All that is gold does not glitter...' with Arwen.

I have to say that Frodo looked really weird wrapped up in Shelob's webs, though.

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by Linaewen
I loved the ending. To hear Sam say 'Well, I'm back' was great. (It made me think of Gwaimir). Of course it's sad that not all the loose ends could be tied up, but it was not bad. I didn't mind spending the rest of yesterday explaining to my cousins how everything turned out with Faramir and Éowyn and Saruman.

There were lots of loose ends left untied -- Saruman and Grima, Eowyn/Faramir, what happened to Bill The Pony and Bag End, Legolas, Gimli and Eomer... I could go on. I hope some of these are tied up in the EE. So how long till that comes out?

I have to say that Frodo looked really weird wrapped up in Shelob's webs, though.

I thought he looked weird as well. Not how I pictured him when I read the book. And the Grey Havens were different as well -- I imagined it more open I suppose.

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Linaewen
I have to say that Frodo looked really weird wrapped up in Shelob's webs, though.

Hihi, I was thinking that too. With the way Sam only removed the webbings on Frodo's face and those staring blue eyes, I couldn't help being constantly reminded of Egyptian mummies. That gave odd mental pictures.