The OAO Return of The King thread

[Justice 0]

I just got back from the movie, and holy shit, did that suck.

 

[spoiler[ They changed the ending around so fucking bad, I don't recall Aragorn having to kill his elf girlfriend in the book. And what was up with that dancing shit between Frood and Sam?

Okay, now that has to be the funniest thing I've ever seen BX do.

[Guest Boomer Sprinklespax]

Just got back from a midnight showing...

 

I'm no Tolkien purist, so I don't know what parts made it and what didn't, but overall I'd say that it was pretty fucking remarkable. It was better than the first two, and the main battle scene destroys the Helm's Deep battle utterly. It was just flat-out amazing.

 

I have one gripe: the ending. Why? It ends about 5 times before it actually ends, thusly leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I also thought it was a bit too melodramatic towards the end. They could have easily chopped about 15 minutes off the ending, and it would have been much better because of it.

 

Nonetheless, that's just nit-picking. This movie fucking rocks, and it should probably win Best Picture, considering Kill Bill Volume I won't be nominated.

 

Surely the greatest trilogy EVAH......

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I just got back.......amazing...freakin amazing!

 

They fit in everything they needed to and they didn't stray from the story like the rumors sounded!! They gave me everything I had hoped for so consider me very pleased!

 

Oh and about the ending...just be glad they didn't put in the Scouring of the Shire.

[Mole 0]

I just got back from seeing it, and it was worth driving 45 minutes to see it.

 

For those who haven't seen it, I defiently recommend seeing the film. It gets **** from me, I'm not quite sure if it is Picture of the Year though.

 

Best trilogy ever though.

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

I've never read any of the books before, so I don't know what wasn't featured or anything like that. Plus, I didn't know for a fact if Frodo was going to destroy the ring, even though I was about 99% sure. Since I didn't read the books, everything was built up perfectly.   At first, it seemed the movie was moving a little too slow. It felt like it was just being blah, blah blah. Then out of nowhere, it picked up steam and never stopped.   The battle at Gondor(sp?) was amazing. The fight told a perfect story; the heels were winning at first, then faces, then heels, then faces come out at top. Legolas' deal with the elephant like animals was gansta.   There wasn't enough of Gimli though. He was always one of my favorite characters, plus he brought most of the laughs.   The whole story about Frodo was told great. In each film, you could tell he was getting drawn into the ring every time. And in RotK, it was no different. You could tell the spider scene was supposed to be in TT because Frodo wasn't fucked up as much, but whatever.   The ending with Frodo not throwing the ring made perfect sense though. I knew that was coming, but I thought Frodo would actually jump into the lava with the ring.   Sam's story was great too. He was one of my favorite characters because of the bravery he had. If it weren't for Sam, then Frodo wouldn't have gotten that far.   The ending went on a little too bit for me, but they did have to close everything. The fact that Aragorn bowed down to all of the Hobbits was right because the journey was mainly about them. Granted everyone in the Fellowship had a big role in the journey, but the Hobbits played the biggest part, IMO.

 

Not the best review, but it is 4:48 and I am a bit tired right now.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Just got back as well and since I never read the trilogy, I like to think I'm able to approach it as a movie trilogy rather than an adaptation of a book.

 

As a movie, it was absolutely amazing. As a friend of mine said, it had something for everyone. FX, plot, character development, what have you. Everything built up to this movie and it was worth it.

 

By the way, for those of you (like me) who thought the Battle of Helm's Deep was amazing, you haven't seen anything until you've seen the Battle of Minas Tirath. It looked like Peter looked at TTT and said, "Eh, that's ok, but I know we can make everything bigger and better!"

 

Highest recommendation.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I read the book, but I still think it's a great adaptation. I had my doubts in the first two films, but now I see why PJ did most of what he did.

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

The scene where they overlayed Pippin singing, Denethor "eating" (if you can call it that) and Faramir being injured gave me chills. That was good stuff.

Edited December 17, 2003 by LaParkaYourCar

[DMann2003 0]

Excellent conclusion, and the credits nearly made me weep.

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

Now I'm only halfway through reading the book, but I knew the story from the BBC radio adaptation, and I've always wondered, once Frodo said he was keeping the ring, why didn't Sam just rush Frodo and toss him into the lava. After all he'd seen and been through I'd have been "Fuck that, I'm not seeing the world destroyed just cause of your selfishness. That ring's going down and if I have to take you down with it, so be it!"

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Excellent conclusion, and the credits nearly made me weep.

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

Now I'm only halfway through reading the book, but I knew the story from the BBC radio adaptation, and I've always wondered, once Frodod said he was keeping the ring, why didn't Sam just rush Frodo and toss him into the lava. After all he'd seen and been through I'd have been "Fuck that, I'm not seeing the world destroyed just cause of your selfishness. That ring's going down and if I have to take you down with it, so be it!"

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

I think Sam loved Frodo too much to do that, but then again he wasn't given much time to do that since Gollum conked him on the head.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Oh and let me just say that this one doesn't really need an extended edition. I thought it was perfect as is.

 

Unless:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

They add in the "Voice of Saruman" part from the book on the Extended Edition, which was the only thing I wished they left in.

[The Dames 0]

I just got back from the midnight showing and it was absolutely amazing. The Battle of Minas Terith is AMAZING and put the Battle of Helms Deep TO SHAME.

 

I agree that the ending was drawn out, but since you're wrapping a 11 hour epic with 10-12 principal characters, naturally, it's going to take a while to get through it all.

 

For the record, I WAS able to watch the entire scene with Shelob (the giant fucking spider), but I was TERRIFIED and said some prayers as I watched. Some screamed, some gasped...I watched in horror.

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

The entire theater MARKED OUT when Eowyn chopped off the head of the dragon and then STABBED THE WITCH KING IN THE FUCKING FACE.   At the end, when every member of the fellowship reunited, Sam got the biggest pop of the night. I thought that was pretty cool, considering he was probably the least liked Hobbit in the first two films.

 

Dames

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

The ending wouldn't have felt so drawn out if:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

They didn't keep fading out like it was over!!! I hated that.

[Jingus 0]

Shelob didn't really look, real though, did it? In the previews, it had a very obvious SFX look to it, kinda like the spiders in 8-Legged Freaks.

[DMann2003 0]

Who here didn't absolutely love the opening?

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I thought she looked good. Especially:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

When Sam was fighting with her and she kept trying to sting him.

 

Oh and to answer the question above I loved the beginning because it set up things nicely I thought.

[DMann2003 0]

The ending wouldn't have felt so drawn out if:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

They didn't keep fading out like it was over!!! I hated that.

I can understand that, but I feel it gave pause to each section and story, plus they only did it twice I think.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Another thing about the ending:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

It's pretty long and drawn out in the book as well. In fact I'm glad they left out the Scouring of the Shire because if felt like overkill in the book to me.

[The Dames 0]

Shelob didn't really look, real though, did it? In the previews, it had a very obvious SFX look to it, kinda like the spiders in 8-Legged Freaks.

Gripping horror, terror, pure fear.

 

That was all in me when I watched that scene. I didn't close my eyes once.

 

Screw the CGI, that thing scared the bejesus out of me.

 

Dames

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

One thing I was upset they left out:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

Ghan-buri-Ghan and the wildmen who helped the men of Rohan get past the forrest on their way to Minas Tirith, but that will probably be in the extended edition.

[Mole 0]

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

The entire theater MARKED OUT when Eowyn chopped off the head of the dragon and then STABBED THE WITCH KING IN THE FUCKING FACE.

 

Dames

That was the only part of the movie that people clapped.

[Jingus 0]

I heard about all the stuff they changed or took out, most of it was "oh well, no big loss" type stuff, though I do wish they could make like a special 5-hour extra extended DVD version to cram everything in. One thing: the Paths of the Dead bit was left in, right?!

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I heard about all the stuff they changed or took out, most of it was "oh well, no big loss" type stuff, though I do wish they could make like a special 5-hour extra extended DVD version to cram everything in.  One thing: the Paths of the Dead bit was left in, right?!

Oh yeah...and it was cool.

 

The only major things left out:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

The confrontation with Saruman and the Scouring of the Shire, Faramir and Eowyn's relationship (but I can guarantee it will be in the extended edition because at the end of the movie they were lookng at each other and smiling), The Houses of Healing (but that wasn't really necessary I guess), the mouth of Sauron didn't meet them at the gate, and they did leave part of the path of the dead out....Aragorn asked them to fight with him in the cave instead of on the mountain with the black rock.

 

I didn't think that anything they left out was completely essential to making this movie and I bet some of that will be in the extended edition.

Edited December 17, 2003 by LaParkaYourCar

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

The entire theater MARKED OUT when Eowyn chopped off the head of the dragon and then STABBED THE WITCH KING IN THE FUCKING FACE.

 

Dames

That was the only part of the movie that people clapped.

People at my theater were clapping a lot of times. They clapped:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

The girls clapped anytime Legolas did something cool and some guys clapped too.   When Sam wounded and fought off Shelob   When Merry and Eowyn took out the Witch King   When Gollum fell into the lava with the ring   When Sam went and got married!   When Aragorn and the city bowed to the Hobbits   And at the end.

 

Yeah the theater I was in absolutely loved this film.

 

At one point when Shelob reared up behind Frodo it was real quiet in the theater and some guy screamed and scared about half the people.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

I loved this movie. It's imbedded in my mind forever as one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all time. I went into it expecting (a little bit) to come out dissapointed. As I walked out the theatre I knew then that it was more then I'd hoped it could be.   Battle of The Pellenor Fields- Stunning. Simply stunning. Dwarfs Helms Deep on every single level. Probably the best action sequence in the history of film. From the charge of the Mumakil to the Army of The Dead doing the cleanup, this thing rocked your fucking socks off every which way.   The Charge of The Rohhirim- Probably one of the most beautiful things that I'll ever witness on the silver screen. Having read the books I knew that Theoden would be riding to his death and when he took up his sword and began his speech I shed a few tears. Him touching all of the front runners spears was a thing of beauty.   Minas Tirith- An architectual marvel. Kudos to Richard Taylor and everybody in the model department at Weta Workshop. The courtyard of The White Tree overlooking the Pellenor Fields is a fucking amazing view to see. King Denethor will go down as having one of the best suicides in the history of film.   The Black Gate- I only wish this could've gone on longer. The scene had such a desperate feel, so much that even though I'd read the books and knew what happened I found myself loosing faith (especially when that troll put his foot squarely on Aragorns chest). My theatre went ballistic when the eagles showed up.   Gandalf- Bravo. With tears leaking out of the corner of my eyes. Bravo. Sure, you could argue that an old man would never be able to do what he does but fuck it! He's a wizard for shits sake! Ian McKellan has crafted one of the most memorable characters to ever hit the screen. During the goodbye with the hobbits at the Grey Havens I was holding up ok until he looked at the four, smiled and simply said "Farewell." The tears started then and didn't end until the credits rolled.   Sam- The REAL hero of the Trilogy. In a just world Sean Astin will recieve a Best Actor nomination for this role. Although this drew a few laughs from the morons in my theatre I flat-out loved it when Frodo kissed the top of Sam's forehead. It proved to me that Peter Jackson simply did not give a shit about what people thought in terms of homophobia and did what Tolkien (probably) would've wanted. Bless you, Samwise Gamgee.   Theoden- Golden. One of the most awesome pre-battle speeches I've ever witnessed. You knew and he knew that this was going to be the battle where he falls and if Theoden was going, fuck it, he was going out swinging. The characters transformation from fragile king in TTT to the splendid monarch in ROTK is nothing short of amazing.   Denethor- Fucking awesome. John Noble defined what it was to be "broken" in this movie. From the tears in his eyes when he was clutching Boromir's horn to the madness in his eyes at the funeral pyre. When Faramir asked him if he would've rathered him and Boromir's roles been reversed and he said "That is what I wish" my heart felt like it was going to rip in two.   Mark Out Moments   - Legolas one-ups himself AGAIN and takes down A WHOLE FUCKING MUMAKIL AND ITS CREW. And then he slides down the beasts trunk like it ain't no thang. And you loved it. - Merry and Eowyn riding between the legs of a Mumakil and slicing the shit out of it's achilles tendon. - The orcs on the Pellenor getting the shit trampled out of them by the Rohhirim. - Sam vs Shelhob. "Get away from him you filth!". - The boatloads of orcs invading Osgiliath. - Gimli's last words to Legolas before the Battle of The Black Gate. - Pippin singing a Shire hymn while Faramir and Co. go on a suicide mission to retake Osgiliath.   This movie quite simply rules.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

Yeah some people at my theater were laughing about Frodo kissing Sam's forehead. One guy called it "homoerotic." I almost decked him because it was a beautiful scene.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I just got back from the movie, and holy shit, did that suck.

 

[spoiler[ They changed the ending around so fucking bad, I don't recall Aragorn having to kill his elf girlfriend in the book. And what was up with that dancing shit between Frood and Sam? 

Okay, now that has to be the funniest thing I've ever seen BX do.

Ditto.

 

Bravo, BX -- I even scrolled down in fear once I saw his first "spoiler" tag. Once I read his next post, I knew it was a joke, and a bloody good one at that...

[cabbageboy 0]

I went to the midnight screening as well. First time I've ever done that, and since I have yet to fully recover it might be the last. Heh. The theater I was in was like friggin Woodstock. Three big assed theaters, not the crackerjack new kind, but a REAL theater, big ass screens, and they were all damn near packed. Or at least mine was, I'm assuming the others were as well given the amount of cars in the parking lot. Most of the time crowds are reserved where I live, but this was different. People were MARKING OUT for stuff! To wit:

 

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

The biggest mark out for the audience was Legolas killing the elephant beast, then Gimli's classic line "That still only counts as one!" People were clapping, rooting, etc.   The Eowyn/Witch King thing got some decent reaction but not huge cheer. I base this on the Witch King not really having done much of note in the film....either that or people in Louisville don't react that much to chicks killing a major heel.   Hard to remember what the crowd loved, just a bunch of Aragorn stuff, Sam got good reactions, etc.   That said, it wasn't the best movie ever or anything. In fact I probably preferred The Two Towers, since it has a better array of major heels in Saruman and Wormtongue. I think I might also be the only one who prefers Helms Deep to the Minas Tirith siege.

[DMann2003 0]

Next week, when I'm visiting my mother in Philadelphia, I'm going to watch my 2 extended DVD's on her big widscreen TV with its Pioneer audio system, and then stroll down to the theater and watch ROTK.

 

I might not have been able to do Trilogy Tuesday, but that's the next best thing.

[Guest Boomer Sprinklespax]

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

Yeah some people at my theater were laughing about Frodo kissing Sam's forehead. One guy called it "homoerotic." I almost decked him because it was a beautiful scene.

Spoiler (Highlight to Read):

But it was homoerotic.

[ANKLELOCK 0]

I am going to see it TONIGHT at 9 on IMAX~~!!!

[ANKLELOCK 0]

*WEEPS WITH PURE JOY AND UTTER MADNESS IN GREAT ANTICIPATION*~~~~~~