ROTK : EE version Mooter reviews!

[Rían]

I saw Millane had seen the EE ROTK, so I wanted to start a thread specifically about the EE additions instead of just tagging onto the end of the "anticipated scenes" thread.

Reviews, please! I have to wait until Tuesday!

[Meriadoc Brandybuck]

*sneaks in* I do too... A whole 4 days of waiting

[Something]

I think the EE is really great.

[Arathorn]

Got my copy last thursday!

Spoilers, anyone?

I like the Saruman scene. I'm satisfied with how he died. He continually puts Grima down and get stabbed in the back by him before finally falling to the kebab itizer below. I'm also glad they gave Denethor a lot more good lines. I just couldn't take him in the theatrical version just being pummelled by Gandalf everytime they meet. Such a waste for a well developed book character to be dumbed down because they wanted to develop others that were originally afterthoughts (elven princesses included). I still wished they'd shoot a scene with Denethor and the Palantir of Minas Tirith.

Disc 4 is very effective in cleaning your eyes out. Plenty of feel good and sad moments there. I also recommend the Horse Masters featurette on disc 3.

BTW, the cast commentary track features Smeagol and Gollum together with Andy and the rest of the cast!

[Millane]

Yeah i keep coming here and plan to talk through all the new scenes individually, well i get a few chapters in and get sidetracked so maybe itll be easier if i just talk about my favourites.
At Orthanc when they talk to Saruman and he asks for peace with Theoden, whom is enraged and says basically peace will come when your dead...
Some people may not like the scene in Edoras with the drinking game, i however love the idea, except Legolas beats Gimli what would dwarves be good for except digging up mountains and drinking
Eowyns dream was a nice little extra, she looks so cute asleep
All of Gandalfs extra bits are great.
The houses of healing are great now that i have come around to liking Faramir.... Ooh oh the little bit where Eomer finds Eowyn "dead" and screams out "NOOOOOOO!"... awesome
The special features (well what ive seen of them) are good, why people pro-nounce Minas as minus ill never know. And the horrendous Aragorn-Sauron fight, that they actually filmed bleargh. Sauron comes out to the gates and everyone else is blinded but Aragorn can see Sauron as Annatar and they talk but then Annatar goes to kill Aragorn and reveals himself in his prologue form, not only going against the books but also the movies. None of the people on the special features seemed that fond of the scene thank god, but they did spend the time to film it
Another little bit of trivia i saw was the rock face in the Paths of the dead scene was the same place PJ filmed the start of braindead, coooooool
So is it released in america yet?

[Artanis]

Just some quick opinions from the north:

The scene with Theoden standing up to Saruman at Orthanc was well done. Theoden needed this moment for his self-confidence. And Grima killing Saruman was ok, but why should Legolas fire that arrow? I don't see the point, and I don't see that he would have any authority to do so.

I liked the extra scenes at Edoras with Eowyn and Aragorn. They served well to emphasize the mutual love that, after all, existed between them.

Eowyn at the Pelennor fields! There were several extra scenes with her fighting. Suuper! And I agree with Millane, the bit where Eomer finds his sister after the battle is heartbreakingly wonderful.

Houses of healing: Great! But waaayy to short! Faramir should have doubled his share of fan-girls after this.

The Mouth of Sauron was ok I guess, though it was almost comical the way he grinned.

The only bits I really did NOT like was the extra scenes during the Paths of the Dead. All those horror ingredients - it was almost like a parody. The skulls were just silly - this is not a Pol Pot documentary.

[Durin1]

I had been waiting what seemed like an Age for the EE to come out so that I could reconcile some of my dissatisfaction with the theatrical release. Now that it has come out, I have to say that the film is still a bit of a disappointment!!

1. The Mouth of Sauron may as well have stayed omitted if that was the best that they (PJ & Co) could come up with. It was more comical than creepy and when Aragorn decapitates him, I was inclined to let out a laugh. Shame.

2. The Saruman scene again was a waste of time. At the least they could have shown his body wither away. The dialogue didn't help.

3. The Last Debate is attended by the very few characters that we are shown before-hand: The Fellowship and Eomer. Where are the lords of Gondor?

4. Aragorn's reasons to look into the Palantir; his swagger when arriving at Pelargir to take out the Corsairs; his general swagger is a bit of a let down.

5. Gandalf's lines hardly resemble the noble, wise character he is supposed to be (although that could be a criticism from all 3 films.

6. Eowyn and Merry (not to mention Faramir) not seeming to be ill enough. I thought pain and anguish could have been more fully treated.

... there's probably more but I think those are the things from the top of my head that come to mind.

[Meriadoc Brandybuck]

Originally Posted by Millane

So is it released in america yet?

We have to wait until tomarrow here.

[Elfhelm]

Same here in the NW of the USA. I'm tracking a shipment from Amazon that might arrive tomorrow, but possibly Wednesday.

Thanks for the preview reviews. It's funny, but I like getting your opinions before seeing the scenes. You'd think it would spoil it for me, but it never does. My wife, on the other hand, forbids me to tell her the contents of this thread. LOL!

Again, thanks.

[Rían]

I like getting the previews, too, Elfhelm - it makes the bad parts less of a shock, and the good parts more exciting to look forward to.

I'll be at the stores tomorrow morning, and I have pretty much the whole day free, so I'm sure some cups of tea and I will be watching it

I'm glad the "Eomer thinking Eowyn is dead" scene is in - I never had a brother, and I always liked the bro/sis relationship between those two. Too bad about Aragorn's swagger - it seems like PJ thinks swagger shows manliness or something like that, as opposed to his mousy demeanor before Arwen supposedly talks him into having more backbone

Too bad about Aragorn decapitating MOS, too - I think the whole emissary thing is more impressive, the way it's written in the book - two deadly enemies, but by the rules of war will not physically fight at the meeting.

I'm glad to hear of Theoden standing up to Saruman. I love that part in the book!! And I agree with you, Arty - Legolas wouldn't have the authority to do that!

Can't wait to see Houses of Healing! Too bad that lovely line about their hair mingling in the wind can't happen, since Faramir doesn't have "raven" hair ...

Well, 24 more hours! I'll be at the store at 9. Personally, I can forgive all the bad parts for the good parts that are there, and for how it reminds me of Middle Earth!

[Elfhelm]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

... it makes the bad parts less of a shock...

hehehehehehe You have found me out!

[Rían]

Yeah, I wish I had known about Exorcist-Theoden BEFORE I saw TT for the first time - it took me a good half hour before I was able to get into the movie again!

[~Nolwë~]

Greetings from Scotland, (Spoilers below)

I got my ROTK (EE) last week and watched it on Saturday..... I think the additional scenes did enhance the Theatrical Release.... however, I wish some scenes had been more fully expanded..... Aragorns healing of Eowyn, Faramir et al could, in my humble opinion, have benefited from a longer scene.....if you hadn't read the book, you'd never have known that he had a special gift of healing....

I loved the scene with the MOS...... luved it....especially the decapitation; maybe I'm just easily pleased ??...

The scene where Eomer sees the stricken Eowyn was gut wrenchingly moving..... I'll admit, I blubbed loudly and proudly.....

Would have also liked more time spent of the developing relationship between Eowyn and Faramir......

Hell, if Peter Jackson had added another 2 hours to the EE, I still wouldn't have thought it was enough....... I just didn't want the story to come to an end...... Tragic !!

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

i hope to be receiving EE for xmas,
but mother says it is too expensive

it's only £23.97, TTT and TFotR were both £34.99
when they cam out on EE

fingers crossed!!

[Elfhelm]

I have been informed that, despite the fact that the DVD is arriving today, I will not be able to see it for three days! My daughter has to record Earthsea tonight while I am at quartet practice, I have to sing carols for the elderly tomorrow, and my daughter's high school choir has their Christmas Show on Thursday. I tried to get everyone to agree to watch it one DVD at a time, but there were no takers. So... I'm whining.

Of course, with a little re-wiring, I might be able to set it up to record Earthsea while we watch ROTK, and I could blow off practice... nah!

I'll keep checking in to read other people's reviews.

[Rían]

Oh Elfhelm, that's cruel and unusual punishment!

I'd get up in the middle of the night, if I were you, and at least watch the new scenes!

OK - dropped the kiddos off and headed straight to the store! Bought a few other things, too, so I didn't look like some Tolkien nerd ("Who me? Counting off the days until this movie was released? Coming to the store first thing in the morning only for the movie? Nah, it was this scarf that I really wanted!" ) Watched the single-asterisk scenes right off (it's not like I don't know the ending!). Most of them quite good, and like the other EEs, with dialogue STRAIGHT from Tolkien! Also found the infamous drinking scene (silly) and the scene with Eomer finding Eowyn ( *sob*!! ) in the double-asterisk scenes (existing scenes with some new footage). I was SO glad to hear Faramir's line about not using the ring! Gave him a bit more backbone and made him a little more like the great guy he was in the book. Additional scenes with Denethor make me wonder how this guy ever got any acting jobs - SO over the top! Nice how they have the crown of flowers on the king at the cross roads! So glad Theoden's defying of Saruman is in!

OK - let's see - additional moments for Elfhelm to pre-numb himself to - Sauron showing the piccy of Arwen lying on her bed like she's dead to Aragorn in the Palantir - I could SWEAR you hear Sauron saying "neener neener!" and of course, the Saruman shisk-ke-bab scene Oh, but Legolas didn't shoot Saruman, he shoot Grima when he was attacking Saruman, which IMO was OK. Also Aragorn decapping MOS - this was not in line with Aragorn's character, IMO. Also Eowyn scooching away on the ground from bumpy-orc-guy, who is scooching along after her - that must be some homage to some horror movie scene or something - just came off as kinda silly to me.

Anyway - overall, MUCH more good than bad

C'mon, Elfhelm - you KNOW you can't resist!

[Artanis]

I must say - on the second viewing the scenes that really stands out are where Faramir and Pip has their little convo in Minas Tirith, and the bit where Merry talks to Eowyn before they ride to the battle.

[Rían]

I don't remember that first bit, Arty - where is that?

[Artanis]

Just before Pip swears his loyalty oath to Denethor. Scene 25 I think.

[Rían]

Thanks - I'll go check it out now! (Today is a wonderfully non-busy day - FINALLY! - after lots of busy ones!)