I don't like the short versions of ANY of the movies, but ROTK was definitely the worst, editing-wise.
But...Eowyn's role wasn't really stretched in any way, compared to what it was in the books, IMO. Are you thinking of Arwen? SHE really got shoehorned in; Eowyn got short-changed--to the point where her game-changing, iconic, costly, moving confrontation with the Witch-King got less screen time than some random CGI bullshit with Legolas on an oliphaunt. UGH.
I thought Elijah Wood really nailed that role--which he really shouldn't have been able to do; he was only 18 when they started filming, and Frodo was well into hobbit middle age in the books.
I think Sean Astin got robbed in the editing too, honestly.
Arwen, Arwen, sheesh, it's clearly time for me to read the LotR.
Astin had many good moments in both versions. He will always be Sam. But the short version of Frodo wasn't even the hero of the story. He was just one other major character in a short-changed ensemble cast.
I think Peter Jackson would have done better to have had Shelob's Lair at the end of The Two Towers. I see why he didn't ... a year is a long time to have the hero in cliffhanger jeopardy. But that left him with air to fill in The Two Towers, so he had to make up for the lack of dramatic tension by adding Faramir's great Osgiliath adventure -- and then he stuffed too much into the second movie.
I don't blame the editors. It was an impossible job.
Heh, I remember reading how "Frodo Lives!" was popular graffiti in the late 60s in the US, because ROTK I guess hadn't been published here yet by then? A lo-tech, pre-internet version of people driving by HP parties yelling "SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE!"....just more joyous. It doesn't count as cliff-hanger jeopardy when you're talking about books that were first published in the early-mid 1950s, IMO. I agree with you. Pacing-wise, there was really no need for the extra stuff.
Oh! I never understood all those "Frodo Lives" buttons. Now I get it.
Pacing-wise, he added a total mess in The Two Towers.
I see what Peter Jackson was trying to do: give Arwen the iconic importance she had (in a largely symbolic way) by the end of Tolkien's LotR (which only works if you know who the heck Luthien is), create continuity for her expanded role in the first movie (funny how these have a domino effect), and reduce Faramir's Gary Stu-ishness (Tolkien did make him utterly perfect and wise, his own self-insert).
And Peter Jackson's artificial upbeat ending with Sam's maudlin speech at the end of The Two Towers ... ow ... Astin deserves a medal for making something of that ... shows that Jackson wanted a hopeful note for the end of each film. But he would have been better served making this the darker Empire Strikes Back of the Lord of the Rings movies.
What I've noticed about Best Supporting Actor is that it's as much about the role as it is about the acting. The role has to be one that's very unusual. Like, oh, the Javanese dwarf mentor/guide who sacrificed himself in A Year Of Living Dangerously.
The extended version of Lord of the Rings is the only one I'll watch, especially Return of the King.
I always felt like, in the theatrical release, Frodo was just sort of along for the ride now. Not a major, major, character who's supposed to embody hero qualities.
But, the extended edition totally goes. Here, is what you're missing, this is how it's supposed to be
If anything, this series of movies showed me how hard it can be when a director/storyteller has to change things for any reason and then has to build from there.
now I want to spend this rainy Monday watching Return of the King, maybe find my copy of LotR and reread my favoerite scenes
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But...Eowyn's role wasn't really stretched in any way, compared to what it was in the books, IMO. Are you thinking of Arwen? SHE really got shoehorned in; Eowyn got short-changed--to the point where her game-changing, iconic, costly, moving confrontation with the Witch-King got less screen time than some random CGI bullshit with Legolas on an oliphaunt. UGH.
I thought Elijah Wood really nailed that role--which he really shouldn't have been able to do; he was only 18 when they started filming, and Frodo was well into hobbit middle age in the books.
I think Sean Astin got robbed in the editing too, honestly.
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Astin had many good moments in both versions. He will always be Sam. But the short version of Frodo wasn't even the hero of the story. He was just one other major character in a short-changed ensemble cast.
I think Peter Jackson would have done better to have had Shelob's Lair at the end of The Two Towers. I see why he didn't ... a year is a long time to have the hero in cliffhanger jeopardy. But that left him with air to fill in The Two Towers, so he had to make up for the lack of dramatic tension by adding Faramir's great Osgiliath adventure -- and then he stuffed too much into the second movie.
I don't blame the editors. It was an impossible job.
(Although that Oliphant stunt was ... *eyeroll*)
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Oh! I never understood all those "Frodo Lives" buttons. Now I get it.
Pacing-wise, he added a total mess in The Two Towers.
I see what Peter Jackson was trying to do: give Arwen the iconic importance she had (in a largely symbolic way) by the end of Tolkien's LotR (which only works if you know who the heck Luthien is), create continuity for her expanded role in the first movie (funny how these have a domino effect), and reduce Faramir's Gary Stu-ishness (Tolkien did make him utterly perfect and wise, his own self-insert).
And Peter Jackson's artificial upbeat ending with Sam's maudlin speech at the end of The Two Towers ... ow ... Astin deserves a medal for making something of that ... shows that Jackson wanted a hopeful note for the end of each film. But he would have been better served making this the darker Empire Strikes Back of the Lord of the Rings movies.
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I am still MAD that Sean Astin was not even nominated for best supporting actor because if that's not great acting, then the AA people are blind!
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I always felt like, in the theatrical release, Frodo was just sort of along for the ride now. Not a major, major, character who's supposed to embody hero qualities.
But, the extended edition totally goes. Here, is what you're missing, this is how it's supposed to be
If anything, this series of movies showed me how hard it can be when a director/storyteller has to change things for any reason and then has to build from there.
now I want to spend this rainy Monday watching Return of the King, maybe find my copy of LotR and reread my favoerite scenes
Reply
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