New movies coming out...

[AndyWan Kenobi]

I hear that the conclusion is really satisfying for fans of the book and for people who are just really emotionally invested in the movies. It's bound to be really dramatic. There were a few things about Sam in the first movie that disappointed me, but I think that I will be happy with him in the third. That's where his contribution is the most crucial, anyway. I'm hoping that Faramir comes out better in this film, too. I always liked him in the book, but I didn't find him very likable in the second movie.
Erin

Have you seen the extended version of the second film? There's some nice extra stuff with Faramir (and Boromir and Denethor) that really helps the development of the character. As for Sam, I've liked him throughout, but that's probably because it's Sean Astin. I have very fond memories of The Goonies. Actually, when Sam gave his very moving speech at the end of The Two Towers, I almost cracked up thinking about Mikey from the Goonies explaining how "Up there it's their time. It's their time up there. But down here it's OUR time. It's OUR time down HERE."

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

Have you seen the extended version of the second film? There's some nice extra stuff with Faramir (and Boromir and Denethor) that really helps the development of the character. As for Sam, I've liked him throughout, but that's probably because it's Sean Astin. I have very fond memories of The Goonies. Actually, when Sam gave his very moving speech at the end of The Two Towers, I almost cracked up thinking about Mikey from the Goonies explaining how "Up there it's their time. It's their time up there. But down here it's OUR time. It's OUR time down HERE."

I don't have the extended DVD yet, but I definitely will be getting it at some point. I feel kinda weird about buying myself a $30 DVD right before Christmas. I always kinda felt bad for Farimir and felt like he was a decent but average guy living in the shadow of his brother and of Aragorn. I thought that speech at the end by Sam was great, especially with all the music and everything. Really moving.
Erin

 

[frogboy4]

I hear from reliable sources that the extended DVD is very good.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

I just saw a big article in our newspaper today talking about how Christopher Lee was cut completely from the theatrical version of "Return of the King." He didn't even know it until he went to the screening. It seems to me that Saruman really ought to be in the third movie, but I guess they didn't consider him important enough at that point to work in the conclusion of his subplot. I guess there's a seven-minute sequence that kinda closes Saruman's part in the trilogy and Jackson couldn't find a place where he thought it really fit into the film. An online petition to reinstate the sequence got 40,000 signatures. Today was the first I heard of it, though. At least it will be in the extended DVD.
Erin

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

What I've heard about that is that they never filmed the "Scouring of the Shire" chapter anyway, so they had a different finale for Saruman's story. Then it made the second film too long, and in the third film it never felt right. Apparently it felt like "old business" and they wanted to get the film moving. I've really looked at the extended sets as the "official" cut of the film anyway, at least for me, so it's okay with me to wait.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

What I've heard about that is that they never filmed the "Scouring of the Shire" chapter anyway, so they had a different finale for Saruman's story. Then it made the second film too long, and in the third film it never felt right. Apparently it felt like "old business" and they wanted to get the film moving. I've really looked at the extended sets as the "official" cut of the film anyway, at least for me, so it's okay with me to wait.

I heard a long time ago that they did do the scouring of the shire, and destroyed the sets for the filming of that scene before the final editing for "Fellowship" was done, which was a rather risk move. But maybe that report was wrong, because I also read in that Saruman article that they did an alternate ending for Saruman. At any rate, I agree with you that the extended DVD is the definitive version of the movie for me.
Erin

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

Last week's Newsweek (with Aragorn on the cover) said that they never filmed it, so I was just going by that. I also remember reading online, back when the first film came out, that they weren't going to do that scene, but that they intentionally hinted at it when Sam looks into Galadriel's mirror. At that point, though, I had only read the first book, so I had no idea what they were talking about.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

Last week's Newsweek (with Aragorn on the cover) said that they never filmed it, so I was just going by that. I also remember reading online, back when the first film came out, that they weren't going to do that scene, but that they intentionally hinted at it when Sam looks into Galadriel's mirror. At that point, though, I had only read the first book, so I had no idea what they were talking about.

I'm guessing that what I heard a few years ago was just a rumor. It didn't make much sense to me at the time. I would rather the Shire not be scoured, anyway!
Erin

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

Hey, Andy, did you see the bit in the commentary on the Two Towers DVD about C. S. Lewis? I hear they have a nice feature about his friendship with Tolkien and their influence on one another. I'm looking forward to seeing it whenever I get the DVD.
Erin

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

Hey, Andy, did you see the bit in the commentary on the Two Towers DVD about C. S. Lewis? I hear they have a nice feature about his friendship with Tolkien and their influence on one another. I'm looking forward to seeing it whenever I get the DVD.
Erin

Actually, I'm sad to say, I haven't had the time to go through any of the special features yet. We barely had time for the whole movie--the end of the semester is always such a time-sapper. But I'll look forward to that when I get to look deeper into the hidden treasures of the Two Towers DVD!

Thanks for the heads-up!