Thoughts on ROTK
Jan. 3rd, 2004 02:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tinkpixie0621Oh, I've wanted to write these down ever since I saw the movie the first time....
Now after my third viewing, I'm finally getting around to it.
But there are so many....
Wow. This movie. Just amazing. AMAZING! (BTW, there are book spoilers for anyone who hasn't read the book)
First, though-what I missed: (and hope to see in the EE)
Merry pledging his sword to Theoden. Especially after I read the "Making of ROTK" book, where it talked about the armor Merry wears being Theoden's childhood armor. Awwww!
The Demise of Saruman. Or if they weren't actually going to kill him, at least the battle of wills between Gandalf and Saruman on the steps of Isengard.
A little more of the aftermath of the Eowyn/Witch-king battle
More in Cirith Ungol! I kept hearing how emotional that scene was, and it felt so short and choppy
Houses of Healing!!! "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer" Faramir/Eowyn
I'm fairly sure a double wedding was filmed for Arwen/Aragorn and Faramir/Eowyn
Yeah, I know there were already a zillion endings...but really would love a little more of the return journey.
And really, really (don't even know if it was filmed) want an epilogue...about Sam becoming mayor of the shire. Merry and Pippin becoming Master of Buckland and Thain. Sam, maybe just maybe, getting to take the boat to Valinor himself....
Okay, enough of that. What I didn't like about the movie:
Arwen dying. "Her fate is tied to the fate of the ring." WTF? As if everything wouldn't be destroyed if the quest failed. As if there wasn't enough at stake...
Denethor was very hit and miss with me. What was with his slovenliness when he was eating? Gross! But he had some really nice, chilling moments.
Denethor off a cliff (what is it with PJ sending his heroes off cliffs?) Yeah, Gandalf fell in the first movie, and it was all dramatic...but then Aragorn in TTT (which is the one thing in all three movies to completely wrench me out of Middle Earth), and now Denethor. Bleh
All the "stupid, fat hobbit" jokes. Especially after knowing how difficult it was for Sean Astin gaining all that weight.
And what is with creepy, lumpy orc??? I wanted to see him get squashed!
Legolas, Master of the Obvious: "A diversion!"
Enough negativity. What I loved:
SAM! Give Sean Astin an Oscar, for heavens' sake!!! "Don't go where I can't follow." "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you" The tenderness as he cradles Frodo, both after Shelob, and on the slopes of Mt. Doom. The tears and heartbreak after Frodo has sent him home. The distrust of Gollum. Action Hero! Sam fighting Shelob. The "Nooooooo!" as Frodo claims the ring. "Rosie Cotton, dancing, with ribbons in her hair..." The look he and Frodo share in the Houses of Healing. The determination in the Green Dragon as he gets up to talk to Rosie. The tears at the Grey Havens. "Well, I'm back." GUH! BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Merry and Pippin, drunk and high in Isengard. The terror and heartbreak at their separation. Pippin in Minas Tirith, stumbling over the oath to Denethor. Pippin's song! (And isn't he gorgeous in the black and silver Gondor livery?) The look of joy on his face when he sees Faramir and realizes Faramir has seen Frodo and Sam. Merry getting his sword and armor with Eowyn. The look on Merry's face when Eowyn sweeps him up onto her horse. Pippin and Merry's reunion on the battlefield, the way Pippin so tenderly covers Merry with the cloak. "The eagles are coming!" The joy when they both realize Frodo has destroyed the ring, and the terror when they realize that Frodo and Sam probably wont' make it out of that burning mountain. Bouncing on the bed when Frodo wakes up. The look all the hobbits share at the Green Dragon when they realize how changed they all are. Real tears at the Havens.
Frodo, finally getting to fight the big nasty spider. Was really sick of him being a wimp. Frodo claiming the ring in Mt. Doom. My first thought at that moment: "He's a golden god!" Finally choosing life over the ring. Seeing him laugh again when it's finally gone. The look on his face when he sees Gandalf again. The look when Aragorn bows to all the hobbits. The smile and peace as he gets on the ship.
EOWYN!!!! Boy do I have serious shield-maiden envy. "I AM NO MAN!!!" Suiting Merry for war, and defending him to Eomer. Really, all of her moments from start to finish. If I were a man, I'd want her! Since I'm a girl, I want to BE her!
Aragorn claiming his kingship in the Paths of the Dead. His speech in front of the Black Gate..."It is not this day..." "For Frodo" as he goes charging toward the Black Gate. "My friends, you bow to no one."
The lighting of the beacons! Howard Shore is a god!
Theoden: "...and Rohan will answer!" HIS speech on the battlefield, and the way he rides down the line of Rohirrim. "DEATH!!!" "I know your face..."
The charge of the Rohirrim into the battle of the Pellenor.
Gimli: "That still only counts as one!"
Faramir's will broken by his father; beautifully played by David Wenham.
I still giggle every time I spot Billy and Katie Jackson in Minas Tirith.
The number of lines straight out of the books. Yay Fran and Philippa!
The beautiful sketches during the credits.
Annie Lennox's song "Into the West." WOW!
Oh, goodness, there's so much more to say, but if I do, I'll just be recounting the entire movie!
I will say that I got the soundtrack for Christmas, and even just listening to the music brings back all the emotion of the movie. It's so emotional, epic, beautiful. Cheers to everyone who worked on these movies, from PJ himself, to the actors, stunt guys, WETA workshop....just everyone. The passion and dedication really shows. *applause*
Must go again!
Now after my third viewing, I'm finally getting around to it.
But there are so many....
Wow. This movie. Just amazing. AMAZING! (BTW, there are book spoilers for anyone who hasn't read the book)
First, though-what I missed: (and hope to see in the EE)
Merry pledging his sword to Theoden. Especially after I read the "Making of ROTK" book, where it talked about the armor Merry wears being Theoden's childhood armor. Awwww!
The Demise of Saruman. Or if they weren't actually going to kill him, at least the battle of wills between Gandalf and Saruman on the steps of Isengard.
A little more of the aftermath of the Eowyn/Witch-king battle
More in Cirith Ungol! I kept hearing how emotional that scene was, and it felt so short and choppy
Houses of Healing!!! "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer" Faramir/Eowyn
I'm fairly sure a double wedding was filmed for Arwen/Aragorn and Faramir/Eowyn
Yeah, I know there were already a zillion endings...but really would love a little more of the return journey.
And really, really (don't even know if it was filmed) want an epilogue...about Sam becoming mayor of the shire. Merry and Pippin becoming Master of Buckland and Thain. Sam, maybe just maybe, getting to take the boat to Valinor himself....
Okay, enough of that. What I didn't like about the movie:
Arwen dying. "Her fate is tied to the fate of the ring." WTF? As if everything wouldn't be destroyed if the quest failed. As if there wasn't enough at stake...
Denethor was very hit and miss with me. What was with his slovenliness when he was eating? Gross! But he had some really nice, chilling moments.
Denethor off a cliff (what is it with PJ sending his heroes off cliffs?) Yeah, Gandalf fell in the first movie, and it was all dramatic...but then Aragorn in TTT (which is the one thing in all three movies to completely wrench me out of Middle Earth), and now Denethor. Bleh
All the "stupid, fat hobbit" jokes. Especially after knowing how difficult it was for Sean Astin gaining all that weight.
And what is with creepy, lumpy orc??? I wanted to see him get squashed!
Legolas, Master of the Obvious: "A diversion!"
Enough negativity. What I loved:
SAM! Give Sean Astin an Oscar, for heavens' sake!!! "Don't go where I can't follow." "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you" The tenderness as he cradles Frodo, both after Shelob, and on the slopes of Mt. Doom. The tears and heartbreak after Frodo has sent him home. The distrust of Gollum. Action Hero! Sam fighting Shelob. The "Nooooooo!" as Frodo claims the ring. "Rosie Cotton, dancing, with ribbons in her hair..." The look he and Frodo share in the Houses of Healing. The determination in the Green Dragon as he gets up to talk to Rosie. The tears at the Grey Havens. "Well, I'm back." GUH! BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Merry and Pippin, drunk and high in Isengard. The terror and heartbreak at their separation. Pippin in Minas Tirith, stumbling over the oath to Denethor. Pippin's song! (And isn't he gorgeous in the black and silver Gondor livery?) The look of joy on his face when he sees Faramir and realizes Faramir has seen Frodo and Sam. Merry getting his sword and armor with Eowyn. The look on Merry's face when Eowyn sweeps him up onto her horse. Pippin and Merry's reunion on the battlefield, the way Pippin so tenderly covers Merry with the cloak. "The eagles are coming!" The joy when they both realize Frodo has destroyed the ring, and the terror when they realize that Frodo and Sam probably wont' make it out of that burning mountain. Bouncing on the bed when Frodo wakes up. The look all the hobbits share at the Green Dragon when they realize how changed they all are. Real tears at the Havens.
Frodo, finally getting to fight the big nasty spider. Was really sick of him being a wimp. Frodo claiming the ring in Mt. Doom. My first thought at that moment: "He's a golden god!" Finally choosing life over the ring. Seeing him laugh again when it's finally gone. The look on his face when he sees Gandalf again. The look when Aragorn bows to all the hobbits. The smile and peace as he gets on the ship.
EOWYN!!!! Boy do I have serious shield-maiden envy. "I AM NO MAN!!!" Suiting Merry for war, and defending him to Eomer. Really, all of her moments from start to finish. If I were a man, I'd want her! Since I'm a girl, I want to BE her!
Aragorn claiming his kingship in the Paths of the Dead. His speech in front of the Black Gate..."It is not this day..." "For Frodo" as he goes charging toward the Black Gate. "My friends, you bow to no one."
The lighting of the beacons! Howard Shore is a god!
Theoden: "...and Rohan will answer!" HIS speech on the battlefield, and the way he rides down the line of Rohirrim. "DEATH!!!" "I know your face..."
The charge of the Rohirrim into the battle of the Pellenor.
Gimli: "That still only counts as one!"
Faramir's will broken by his father; beautifully played by David Wenham.
I still giggle every time I spot Billy and Katie Jackson in Minas Tirith.
The number of lines straight out of the books. Yay Fran and Philippa!
The beautiful sketches during the credits.
Annie Lennox's song "Into the West." WOW!
Oh, goodness, there's so much more to say, but if I do, I'll just be recounting the entire movie!
I will say that I got the soundtrack for Christmas, and even just listening to the music brings back all the emotion of the movie. It's so emotional, epic, beautiful. Cheers to everyone who worked on these movies, from PJ himself, to the actors, stunt guys, WETA workshop....just everyone. The passion and dedication really shows. *applause*
Must go again!
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Yeah, what she said...
Date: 2004-01-03 09:35 pm (UTC)I honestly didn't remember Theoden saying "I remember your face..." until I saw TT again AFTER I had seen ROTK... but, that made me break down even worse the second time I saw it...
I would also like to add to your account the incredible stunts that the stunt people did - in all three movies. Watching the TT and having such a big segment on the the stunt people was spectacular - they don't get enough credit!!! That's what I WISH I could be/do - be a stunt person for movies... Although, I'm not very athletic anymore. Okay, if not a stunt person - then a costume/makeup person.
These movies are why I want Amber to aspire to do something "behind the scenes" on movies. She has the artistic talent for it - just needs the ambition. If I have never pushed her for anything else, I'm going to try and push her towards this!
Thanks for recounting ROTK Becks. I was thinking I would go today, this afternoon, but, I've been sick with tummy troubles since sometime in the early morning and haven't been quite right since.
Re: Yeah, what she said...
Date: 2004-01-03 09:40 pm (UTC)I really could have said just about every moment in the movie, though. It's all so spectacular!
And, yes, MAJOR kudos to the stunt guys; the unsung heroes of the films. I love the documentary on the TTT EE "Warriors of Middle Earth." They all seemed so dedicated, even with all that they had to endure!
And yes, I'd love to have seen more Legolas and Gimli in the end...their travels around Middle Earth, and taking the ship. (YEs, they did....I don't think it's mentioned except in the appendices, so good call!)
Sorry your tummy is upset. Hope you feel better soon!