"It's the deep breath before the plunge."
Dec. 19th, 2004 12:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gatezillaThe Return of the King EE has eaten my brain.
I had all kinds of things planned to do yesterday. I was going to finish up my shopping (I really don't have that much left, I really don't!). I was going to do my Christmas cards. I was going to wrap presents. I love wrapping presents. Aside from the actual moment when the present is opened, wrapping it is my favorite part of the whole giving-a-present thing. I love it. Anyway.
My plans were thwarted by the fact that I got paid on Friday and suddenly had enough money to buy the EE. Which I did, on the way home from work. I stayed up far too late watching the entire thing, and then couldn't seem to do anything yesterday but lay around watching the first disc of the Appendices.
I am both thrilled and disappointed by the new scenes.
For the most part? Love. Absolute love.
I love the confrontation with Saruman. I was never angry that they took it out of the theatrical release, because I always knew I'd get to see it eventually on the DVD. And as much as I love Christopher Lee as Saruman? I love Brad Dourif's Grima even more. I love that, even though it's a relatively short scene, you can see his realization that he made the wrong choice in following Saruman. Because even after everything he'd done, Theoden was still willing to forgive him, and all Saruman had for him was a smack across the face. Awesome.
I love the bit with Aragorn and Eowyn at Edoras where she tells him about her dream. I'll admit that there's a part of me that won't let go of the idea of them as a couple. I do believe that Aragorn is in love with Arwen - mostly because Viggo sells it so damn well - but I still pine for what could have been.
The new scene with Faramir and Denethor did what I didn't think was possible: It made me feel something for Denethor besides dislike and repugnance. When his vision of Boromir faded, he looked so lost and hurt and empty that I really couldn't help but feel sympathy for him, despite how much I hate him. I don't think John Noble gets nearly as much credit as he deserves for his portrayal of Denethor.
Pippin! I love that they added more of his dialogue from the book in the scene where he pledges loyalty to Denethor. I wish they had included my favorite line, though: "But I honour his memory, for he was very valiant. He died to save us, my kinsman Meriadoc and myself, waylaid by the soldiery of the Dark Lord; and though he fell and failed, my gratitude is none the less." And when Gandalf is telling him about the approach of Sauron's army, Pippin's "Minas Tirith! Great! Can we go now?" made me laugh and laugh. I adore Pippin.
Aragorn's despair when they leave the Paths of the Dead and see the Corsair ships - gah. Just more evidence proving that Viggo is the man. See also: Aragorn confronting Sauron through the palantir.
Dude. The Witch King vs Gandalf. Holy crap. When the Witch King broke Gandalf's staff, I gasped right out loud. And when he knew everything to say that would shatter Gandalf's soul into a thousand pieces, it just ripped me up. And when the Rohirrim horn sounded at the last minute? I freaking lost it. The arrival of the Rohirrim gets me every time, but the fact that it now comes at such a crucial moment for Pippin and Gandalf makes it even more amazing.
Possibly my favorite of all the added scenes is the one where Denethor is leading the men carrying Faramir's body to the tombs, and as they pass the tree of Gondor, the camera lingers on the single white blossom. Goosebumps. Love.
The additional scenes at the Pelennor Fields are awesome. More about Grond - Grond! Grond! Grond! More fighting, more horses, more yelling. More Eowyn and Merry fighting - yay! More shots of Eomer being studly - yay! Eowyn going up against Gothmog - yay! Aragorn and Gimli taking Gothmog out before he can kill Eowyn, and not even realizing that Eowyn is on the ground - yay! I know it seems an odd thing to be excited about, but I love it because it shows how chaotic the battlefield is. They're in kill mode - narrow-beam focused on killing every Evil thing in their path.
Along the same lines, the extended Orc fight at Cirith Ungol is so so so great. I've always loved it - it's like a bar brawl in a Western movie, where one person throws a punch and suddenly everyone's in - but it always seemed too quick to me. It showcases the amazing stunt guys, who really make this movie beyond great, and it's just an adrenaline-pumping sequence. It really shows the violence inherent (in the system!) in the Orcs genetic makeup, that they can't even get along with each other.
The Mouth of Sauron! So very creepy and perfect.
All that said, I have issues with a couple of the scenes. I think the scene where Eomer finds Eowyn on the battlefield is far too short, and the Houses of Healing is just..... wrong. I don't mind that there's no explanation for what Aragorn's doing. In fact, I kind of like that. They don't pander to the people who don't care about the literature. I do think they should have at least showed the ethelas, just to bookend the scene in Fellowship where he tries to heal Frodo. But. But! The thing that really gets me is that, once again, Eomer's role is shafted. Eomer is the one who's supposed to bring Eowyn fully back. Aragorn heals her body, but it's Eomer who calls her back to waking. Aragorn represents hopelessness to Eowyn now, but Eomer is her brother. She loves him and he loves her and their bond is supposed to be what helps her wake from the black sleep. Gah!
Slightly less upsetting is the Faramir/Eowyn relationship. I don't dislike the new scenes, but I find them unsatisfying. I would have at least included the bit of dialogue between Gandalf, Aragorn and the warden at the Houses, where they tell him that Eowyn will want to follow them into battle and he can't let her and that Faramir needs to heal before he's told of Denethor's madness. It would have set up the fact that they find healing in each other. I'd have liked to see more dialogue between the two of them, as well. I like the scene where she gets up to look out the window and he watches her, but I don't like where it falls in the movie. It comes right after she wakes up and I feel like it was way too soon.
I'm also not in love with the drinking game at Edoras. I like seeing Eomer cleaned up and relaxed, but the rest of it is far too slapstick for my taste. The Hobbits provide enough humor - I don't need Gimli acting like a Stooge for entertainment purposes.
Ranting. It's what's for dinner.
Oh! One last thing. The Easter egg on the first disc? Priceless. I laughed so hard, I thought for a bit that I was going to expire from lack of oxygen. I think I finally see the appeal of Dominic Monaghan.
I had all kinds of things planned to do yesterday. I was going to finish up my shopping (I really don't have that much left, I really don't!). I was going to do my Christmas cards. I was going to wrap presents. I love wrapping presents. Aside from the actual moment when the present is opened, wrapping it is my favorite part of the whole giving-a-present thing. I love it. Anyway.
My plans were thwarted by the fact that I got paid on Friday and suddenly had enough money to buy the EE. Which I did, on the way home from work. I stayed up far too late watching the entire thing, and then couldn't seem to do anything yesterday but lay around watching the first disc of the Appendices.
I am both thrilled and disappointed by the new scenes.
For the most part? Love. Absolute love.
I love the confrontation with Saruman. I was never angry that they took it out of the theatrical release, because I always knew I'd get to see it eventually on the DVD. And as much as I love Christopher Lee as Saruman? I love Brad Dourif's Grima even more. I love that, even though it's a relatively short scene, you can see his realization that he made the wrong choice in following Saruman. Because even after everything he'd done, Theoden was still willing to forgive him, and all Saruman had for him was a smack across the face. Awesome.
I love the bit with Aragorn and Eowyn at Edoras where she tells him about her dream. I'll admit that there's a part of me that won't let go of the idea of them as a couple. I do believe that Aragorn is in love with Arwen - mostly because Viggo sells it so damn well - but I still pine for what could have been.
The new scene with Faramir and Denethor did what I didn't think was possible: It made me feel something for Denethor besides dislike and repugnance. When his vision of Boromir faded, he looked so lost and hurt and empty that I really couldn't help but feel sympathy for him, despite how much I hate him. I don't think John Noble gets nearly as much credit as he deserves for his portrayal of Denethor.
Pippin! I love that they added more of his dialogue from the book in the scene where he pledges loyalty to Denethor. I wish they had included my favorite line, though: "But I honour his memory, for he was very valiant. He died to save us, my kinsman Meriadoc and myself, waylaid by the soldiery of the Dark Lord; and though he fell and failed, my gratitude is none the less." And when Gandalf is telling him about the approach of Sauron's army, Pippin's "Minas Tirith! Great! Can we go now?" made me laugh and laugh. I adore Pippin.
Aragorn's despair when they leave the Paths of the Dead and see the Corsair ships - gah. Just more evidence proving that Viggo is the man. See also: Aragorn confronting Sauron through the palantir.
Dude. The Witch King vs Gandalf. Holy crap. When the Witch King broke Gandalf's staff, I gasped right out loud. And when he knew everything to say that would shatter Gandalf's soul into a thousand pieces, it just ripped me up. And when the Rohirrim horn sounded at the last minute? I freaking lost it. The arrival of the Rohirrim gets me every time, but the fact that it now comes at such a crucial moment for Pippin and Gandalf makes it even more amazing.
Possibly my favorite of all the added scenes is the one where Denethor is leading the men carrying Faramir's body to the tombs, and as they pass the tree of Gondor, the camera lingers on the single white blossom. Goosebumps. Love.
The additional scenes at the Pelennor Fields are awesome. More about Grond - Grond! Grond! Grond! More fighting, more horses, more yelling. More Eowyn and Merry fighting - yay! More shots of Eomer being studly - yay! Eowyn going up against Gothmog - yay! Aragorn and Gimli taking Gothmog out before he can kill Eowyn, and not even realizing that Eowyn is on the ground - yay! I know it seems an odd thing to be excited about, but I love it because it shows how chaotic the battlefield is. They're in kill mode - narrow-beam focused on killing every Evil thing in their path.
Along the same lines, the extended Orc fight at Cirith Ungol is so so so great. I've always loved it - it's like a bar brawl in a Western movie, where one person throws a punch and suddenly everyone's in - but it always seemed too quick to me. It showcases the amazing stunt guys, who really make this movie beyond great, and it's just an adrenaline-pumping sequence. It really shows the violence inherent (in the system!) in the Orcs genetic makeup, that they can't even get along with each other.
The Mouth of Sauron! So very creepy and perfect.
All that said, I have issues with a couple of the scenes. I think the scene where Eomer finds Eowyn on the battlefield is far too short, and the Houses of Healing is just..... wrong. I don't mind that there's no explanation for what Aragorn's doing. In fact, I kind of like that. They don't pander to the people who don't care about the literature. I do think they should have at least showed the ethelas, just to bookend the scene in Fellowship where he tries to heal Frodo. But. But! The thing that really gets me is that, once again, Eomer's role is shafted. Eomer is the one who's supposed to bring Eowyn fully back. Aragorn heals her body, but it's Eomer who calls her back to waking. Aragorn represents hopelessness to Eowyn now, but Eomer is her brother. She loves him and he loves her and their bond is supposed to be what helps her wake from the black sleep. Gah!
Slightly less upsetting is the Faramir/Eowyn relationship. I don't dislike the new scenes, but I find them unsatisfying. I would have at least included the bit of dialogue between Gandalf, Aragorn and the warden at the Houses, where they tell him that Eowyn will want to follow them into battle and he can't let her and that Faramir needs to heal before he's told of Denethor's madness. It would have set up the fact that they find healing in each other. I'd have liked to see more dialogue between the two of them, as well. I like the scene where she gets up to look out the window and he watches her, but I don't like where it falls in the movie. It comes right after she wakes up and I feel like it was way too soon.
I'm also not in love with the drinking game at Edoras. I like seeing Eomer cleaned up and relaxed, but the rest of it is far too slapstick for my taste. The Hobbits provide enough humor - I don't need Gimli acting like a Stooge for entertainment purposes.
Ranting. It's what's for dinner.
Oh! One last thing. The Easter egg on the first disc? Priceless. I laughed so hard, I thought for a bit that I was going to expire from lack of oxygen. I think I finally see the appeal of Dominic Monaghan.
