Well, I am happy to report that FOTR, the extended version is the ONLY version I will ever watch again! It was pretty much everything I hoped for and more. With the original version my primary criticism was that it cut way too much out of the Shire and Lothlorien…..both of those issues are now are taken care of…..wonderfully!
The other important difference is character depth……Boromir especially, but also just about everyone else had more depth…….the hobbits, Gandalf, Aragorn, Arwen, Galadriel, Gimili, Legolas……it was great to see those interrelationships between characters come to life!
On the technical side, I would say that the sound has been greatly enhanced and the digital transfer was very clean. I noticed much more surround effect and and the dialog was clearer. The Mines of Moria, the Balrog and the drums of Moria were all noticeably more tense. The sound of the Moria drums actually made my chest rattle and feel heavy…..it was really cool! Hopefully this comes through on my DVD surround system at home!
There was also some great additional fighting footage which was excellent! It really made the scenes flow better and less confusing. The sequence of events in each fight scene is much clearer. The fighting also made it clear that our hobbits are a little tougher than what they appeared to be in the original! Wow! The fight scene at Amon Hen is extended beautifully and we see some great extended action of Legolas’s bow work, Gimli’s Axe and Boromir’s courageous stand.
I could go on and on but then I would be giving too much away…….suffice to say that it was an extraordinary evening and makes me even more enthusiastic to see The Two Towers………this time I think Peter will get pretty much all he wants with no constraints from the studio.
41 days to go! I can’t wait! There is a Santa Claus and his name is Peter Jackson!
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My husband and I got to view the digital projection of the Fellowship of the Ring Extended version at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles.
We were able to get reasonable seats ( center back ) even though a large central area was taped off for VIPs. I was surprised that the theater wasn’t completely filled. I was expecting a real crowd for something like this. Those who didn’t come really missed out.
We were really impressed with the digital projection. We have seen FOTR many times before, but never with this much clarity and sharpness. It was really beautiful! And each new scene seemed like a new gift, like finding something more under the Christmas tree after you thought everything had been opened.
We liked most of the additional scenes… the sections on the Hobbits and the Shire, more camping out on the trail, more on Lothlorien, more Gimli. The two scenes we weren’t too sure about: the addition to the Council of Elrond and the extended scene of Boramir and Aragon in Rivendale looking at the shards. I am not sure wether or not the actions of the characters made as much sense with the new edit. But, they were a lot of fun to see.
I didn’t feel the film was too long, even for sitting in a theater. Of course, being fairly familiar with something can make it seem to go by faster, so it is hard to know how I would feel if it had been released this way.
However, I do remember that I wished the first release was longer, giving more time to fulfilling the richness of the books. This extended version goes a long way to reaching that goal. It also has more humor in it, with the scene leaving Rivendale my favorite humorous addition.
I hope “The Two Towers” will be shown digitally, because that is definitely the way to see it.
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My son and I were one of the lucky people who got to see the extended DVD at the Chicago location.
The extra footage was funny (the extra Hobbiton stuff is a hoot!), touching (Aragorn singing the Lay of Luthien), scary (was Haldir going to turn them back at the border?), beautiful (the first view of “Elvendom on Earth”!), and sweet (Sam and Frodo talking about Rosie on the way out of the tavern).
We loved every minute of it. It’s got all the frosting on the cake now, and they should have put it out this way in the first place.
As wonderful as it was to sit in a room full of maybe 300 other people just as crazy about LOTR as we are, I could have lived without the teenage girls behind us screaming every time Sean Bean entered the scene. To say nothing of CRYING when Boromir died! But of course, they won’t be in my living room when I buy it on Tuesday. (My son’s remark – did they think he was going to pull through this time?!)
I don’t think I will ever watch the original theatrical release again. This one was too incredible.
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Just wanted to say that the Miami report on the sound quality of the THX sound and the experience of seeing the movie in digital was spot on. I saw it at McClurg Court in Chicago, and was finally able to see and hear things I had missed in all previous viewings (for example: the “Ashes on my tomatoes!” line, and the bird’s nest in the eye of the Argonath (sp?) statue.
Also, same feeling about the scenes – definitely should have had the longer Lothlorien in the original, while the other additions made it a richer, deeper, and (often) funnier movie! Viewers like myself who wanted more of the hobbits will be happy with the extra small bits.
The addition of scenes of Frodo with Bilbo, Sam, and Gandalf added to the appreciation of Frodo’s character, as the added Aragorn scenes did for Aragorn. And thank heavens they showed the TTT preview beforehand! I had not been able to manage to see it until then. Thank you Moviefone! Only disappointment: I had hoped it would be a bigger “event”, but it was very sedate. Still – I hope that they can use digital projection and THX sound in more theatres for TTT!
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I was lucky enough to see the Extended Cut last night in Seattle, thanks to Moviefone. My experience is almost a carbon copy of Miami MOFO s, just on the opposite coast. I had to drive 3 and 1/2 hours from Portland to Seattle…but it was very worth it!
The theater was an amazing experience-no flicker, absolutely AMAZING sound. Everyone should get the joy of seeing it that way.
But it was the movie itself that I really, really loved.
I have loved the books for decades. And I was one of the crazy ones who saw a midnight showing of FOTR last December so that I could be one of the first. I think Peter Jackson has given us an incredible gift. As my brother said last night (he came with me) – It’s amazing to get a great technical director AND someone who loves the books. And he’s right. The original cut of FOTR was a great, great movie.
But this is so much better.
My main complaints with FOTR were fairly minor. They obviously emphasized the action over the depth of story telling in what they put on screen. It was all well done, but it made the first cut seem so breathless and intense. And, I didn t like Lorien-too short, and Galadriel in my mind should have been obviously good but offering a test to the Fellowship, not possibly bad who might be tempting the Fellowship.
Those two areas have been so vastly improved by the extended cut. It’s not just the extra stuff – it s how the extra stuff slows down the pace, gives room to breathe, and adds so much more meaning to the action stuff. You understand more deeply why they’re risking their lives to destroy this ring. You realize what’s at stake. You have time to laugh, and breathe, and know the characters.
And Lorien – it’s heaven. Galadriel now feels right. There’s now a reason for the Fellowship to be there.
I’m glad the first version my daughters will see (in a few more years) will be this extended edition. And if you haven’t seen it, make sure you get the new version and watch it as soon as possible. You will love it!
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I was lucky enough to see this special screening in Los Angeles, Universal City to be exact. Arriving hours early-just in case, I was among the first 10 to enter and register in. While I was dismayed at the center portion of the theatre being roped off for New Line associates, press etc, we busted through and sat amongst those seats-much better. They showed the Two Towers trailer first, then the FOTR began. You no doubt have read all the reports and teasers/spoilers-the whatevers but I’ll just add the ones that stuck out in my mind the most. This may be too long to include as one of your reports, but what the heck. Here goes!
The beginning is almost identical with just a few additions. The opening scenes of the prophecy include Isuldur after he’s struck down Sauron and he himself puts the ring on and disappears as his company is being attacked. He jumps into the water to escape the attackers only to lose the ring and then the arrows find him-that made more sense. I liked this as I’d personally wanted to see someone other than Bilbo and Frodo disappear when wearing the Ring. Bilbo’s scenes at his writing table as he is writing his book are very enjoyable. He narrates over scenes of Hobbits and their ways with some humorous footage included here including one involving an intense pursuit of ear wax. There is knocking at Bilbo’s door and he calls out to Frodo never once turning to face us, to answer the door but Frodo is not about. Bilbo continues telling the intro story as you see the original footage plus some of Hobbiton and life there. Back at Bag-End, Bilbo’s door is knocked on again and he calls out to Frodo who again, is not about, but then we cut to Frodo sitting out in the woods reading and hearing Garndalf’s approach as in the first version. This part has some additions and a few subtractions as well but over all, is great and we get more of a sense of who the Hobbits are and what is going on with a wee bit of their history. The set-up for Bilbo’s party is a bit different too. Gandalf and Frodo’s interaction of Bilbo’s being up to something are more in depth here.
There is a neat scene with Merry, Pippin and Frodo singing and Frodo dancing around them I believe in the Green Dragon and also a new scene with Sam, the Gaffer and a few others sitting around discussing the outside world and the “cracked’ Bagginses to which Frodo admits to being, but enjoys. More interaction between Rosie and Sam and a bit of ‘jealousy’ on Sam’s part as a patron hits on Rosie on his way out. Frodo assures Sam that Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one to which Sam says you think so? He pauses considering what he just asked.
Bilbo’s party has some changes. An interesting scene I found was one where Bilbo and Frodo are trying to hide from the Sackville-Bagginses and he admits to Frodo he is selfish and his reasoning for adopting him was to prevent the very S-B’s from getting anything of his. Frodo asks if he’s been drinking the Gaffer’s brew to which Bilbo admits he has, but that had nothing to do with his telling him that. Interesting interplay between these two.
The film continues much as it does originally: dare I use that term. As Sam and Frodo set out on their journey, there is additional footage of them that I really enjoyed and the music that accompanied it was fabulous as well. The two Hobbits see Elves on their way to the Gray Havens and it’s got a misty wonderful feel to it with some very lovely layered vocal work.. As the two are camping out, Sam is seen cooking while Frodo is up in the tree branches smoking his pipe seeming blissfully unaware of what the next part of his life is about to undergo. As night falls, Sam cannot sleep so Frodo tells him to imagine he’s back at home in his nice comfy bed and feather pillow to which Sam tries, but fails and grabs a leftover to console him while Frodo sleeps. The film continues much as we’ve already seen.
The next set of changes occur at Bree-seems to be a different greeting with Butterbur and his welcoming them in. The additional scenes of the joining up of Hobbits and Strider is welcome as well. Pippin gets quite a few one-liners here that brought a lot of laughs. His delivery of the multi meal habits of Hobbits gets the usual laughs. You just gotta love Pippin-his lovable innocent personality really comes through in this version. At the night scene we get to see and hear Aragorn singing in Elvish. Frodo wakes up and inquires as to the lady he is singing about. Aragorn tells her story briefly.
The scenes at Rivendell are quite different and the film really reveals a lot more to the Fellowship’s personalities. When Boromir wanders the chamber where the shards of Narsil are displayed, he meets and talks briefly with Aragorn-nice scene. Then to the Council scene. Elrond gives much more dialogue here which is both informative and welcome. Then we come to Boromir’s part. We’ve read before about more Boromir and his purpose of wanting the Ring and his telling more of a back-up reason, but as he approaches the Ring, Gandalf puts on a spell display that knocked my socks off, and I wasn’t even wearing socks! Wow, this was a great scene indeed. Boromir went back to his seat like a puppy with his tail tucked. Wow! The theatre was rumbling and it was awesome. Just when you wonder if Gandalf really has magical wizard powers, well, the scene reveals all the proof you could ask for.
As the Fellowship is about to part, there is a new scene of Aragorn at his mother’s grave. Elrond and Aragorn engage in dialogue here that explains a little bit more of Aragorn’s fate or what have you. Also a sad scene of Aragorn and Arwen having a quiet but difficult parting as he nods to her and she bows her head and teary eyes.
The next real departure scene was a bit odd I felt, but welcome as well. The Fellowship is awaiting Frodo to lead them on their journey out of Rivendell and Frodo whispers to Gandalf, which way, left or right and Gandalf tells him which direction to go once out of the gates. (Left by the way). It was a kind of an awkward humor scene at this point, but I guess thinking it over now, it was necessary because you really see that Frodo has absolutely no idea where Mordor is and he is so dependant on Gandalf’s direction and guidance that the story as it continues on and the events we’re all familiar with become so much more emotionally-impacting.
The Mines of Moria had a lot more footage and helped further tell the tale. Gandalf describes Mithril to the Fellowship and its value. Now Frodo is wearing a shield of the stuff unbeknownst to his companions, he seems to have a new respect for it. A new scene of Gandalf asking Frodo to help an old man out and pausing to tell him in murmured voices about the forces at work against the Quest would be internal as well as external and already, Frodo is being warned to be especially on his guard. There are reinforcing scenes between Legolas and Gimli that displayed the friction between the two races that were rather funny as well.
Lothlorien had some very interesting changes. When Gimli claims his superior senses and Haldir and company come upon them, the scene where the Elf says Come, the Lady of the Wood is waiting… is now missing, but there are now loads of new dialogue scenes between Haldir and Legolas and Haldir and Aragorn all in Elvish. There is much more interaction between the Lothlorien Elves and the Fellowship and when Celeborn and Galadriel approach them, Celeborn has loads more dialogue. Galadriel has more to her scenes, but I found her character was somewhat distilled from the 2001 version to which I had become so accustomed to seeing her as a very strong, dominant figure, as probably most of us had. The new scenes show Celeborn being just as involved if not more in the greeting. He also speaks a lot more with Aragorn and Legolas. Interestingly enough, the possibility of Gandalf not completely passing into shadow comes up here as Galadriel states that no one really knew the complete powers or abilities of Gandalf and she hints that he may not be completely gone from them. Hmmmm, ok, if this had been in the 2001 release, I think unfamiliar audience members would be biting their nails in anticipation when seeing TTT trailers while the “old timer” Tolkien fanatics and avid readers would be speculating how this issue would be dealt with.
The Lamentation of Gandalf scene now features Sam standing up and reciting his own tribute to Gandalf by way of a spontaneous poem which he almost apologizes for its being so ‘lame’. Aragorn is shown sitting next to a slumbering Gimli who is snoring so loud that Aragorn reaches across and what looks to be either him whacking Gimli to wake him up or stop his snoring or? More humor is intermixed with the somber so it’s an interesting dichotomy of emotion in this new footage: slightly disjointed, but did I like it.
The much anticipated gift-giving scene came up and I was not disappointed. I felt a wee hint of the Wizard of Oz where Galadriel gives Merry and Pippin swords/knives and she tells Pippin he will find his courage-very touching as we know what will come to him later on. The scene with Sam brought much laughter when she gives Sam his rope and he quips about the others getting the weapons, but he gladly accepts them not wanting to be rude. Gimli’s scene was very touching. He was so humbled and so embarrassed by his request that he turns away probably blushing beneath all that flaming beard and hair yet he gets what he asked for and more-not one strand of her hair, but three.
As the Fellowship is leaving and getting into their boats, Legolas picks up a piece of Lembas and nibbles just a small corner and says just one bite can fill up the belly of a grown man to which Merry and Pippin turn to each other and Merry asks Pippin how many he ate and Pippin admits to having 4 and lets out a belch to wake the dead! The audience ate this scene up.
There are a few additional new scenes and some that had been deleted, and new music, but overall, I think this is truly THE version New Line should have released last year and I truly hope they have the intelligence and enough compassion for the true fans to release this version theatrically for at least a few weeks before TTT breaks out to help stay off the hunger and thirst that we’re all experiencing right now. Not only will they prove they care for the fans and followers, but hey, they can make a couple million more $$$ to boot. Hey New Line CFO’s are you reading this?
As the credits began to roll a few exuberant fans off on the sidelines voiced some appreciative comments and clapping. There was some slight audience participation/reaction i.e. cheering at PJ’s carrot-eating appearance, Boromir and Aragorn’s fighting scenes etc. If this is released back into theatres, I’m sure there would be additional cheering, clapping and audience gobbling-up. Let’s face it. LOTR has created some extreme junkies and we just gotta have our fix, again and again and again.
The scene where the Fellowship is setting up camp and cooking features a bit more as well. Boromir teaching Merry and Pippin to fight also sneaks in a part where Aragorn gets up and tells them to break it up and the other three end up tossing him into almost a back flip landing smack dab on his back. Again, Pippin is getting a one-liner in here and there.
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