It’s the morning after my screening of LOTR: SE at the Loew’s Boston Common in Boston MA. All I can say is WOW. My mind is so full of new and different images. I can’t wait to see the movie again and again.
What did I love? The list is too numerous but here are the highlights in the order in which my brain remembers them.
1.) The new and very amusing opening with Bilbo’s description of Hobbits and the Shire. Very charming.
2.) Hobbits singing and partying at the Green Dragon. Need I say more?
3.) Elrond’s farewell at Rivendell and the very funny moment at the end of the new scene. Left or right Gandalf (snerk).
4.) Boromir, Merry, and Pippin practicing and the tossing of Aragorn (this still makes me giggle)
5.) Every new moment in Lorien was amazing, Celeborn had a wonderfully expanded role which made him seem far less the dullard in the theatrical cut. Gimli snoring (too funny). Sam’s poem (very sweet). The new lembas scene (still laughing). Boromir’s kind words to Frodo when everyone else was embarrassed and shocked (wonderful). The gift giving scene was absolutely beautiful and charming (it should have been in the theatrical cut).
6.) Aragorn and Boromir arguing. It made Boromir’s death scene so much more poignant.
7.) Merry and Pippin’s new role during the final battle scene. It was appropriate that they help Boromir take down as many orcs as possible. Not just stand there with stunned expressions.
While watching the movie I had the vague feeling that many of the scenes were different somehow. Either recut, shot from a different angle or with a different close-up. I’ll need to see the movie a few more times before I can say with certainty which scenes were different (oh the sacrifices….grin).
The only scene that did not work for me was Aragorn’s new scene at Rivendell when he and Elrond are at Aragorn’s mother’s grave. They were talking about Aragorn’s destiny and the re-forged sword and then there was an abrupt cut to Sting. For a moment I laughed thinking that Sting was Narsil re-forged.
I think LOTR: SE is wonderful and just improves upon an already brilliant movie. I thank Moviefone and New Line for allowing us to see the movie on a big screen with awesome surround sound. I hope next year they’ll decide to release the SE on the big screen for the general public. I’d love to see it again in all it’s glory.
