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[McNei1y]

Damn.. 10 years?!?!? I first saw it in 2005 when I was a sophmore... Immediately saw the Two Towers after on Starz since they were doing some marathon. The Fellowship of the Ring is definitely the best of the three.

Once I finish school I plan on reading Tolkien's books. I'm very interested in what was left out of films that is in the books. I'm also interested in the Silmarillion.

 

[Edmond Dantès]

How is The Silmarillion? The Hobbit is my favorite book of all time (can't effin wait for the movies) and of course I love both the LOTR movies and books.

But for some reason I haven't read or heard much about TS. How does it compare to say The Hobbit or FOTR?

It's basically the history of Arda, from the creation of Arda to the end of the Third-Age told via a narrative. The prose is regarded as slightly archaic in nature and for some people it reads like the Bible. I personally think it's a beautiful piece of uncompleted work by Tolkien.

It also features some of the greatest of Tolkien's characters, including the original evil; Melkor, Sauron's corrupter. Some of the most powerful Elves in the prime of their existence in the form of Feanor, Fingolfin, Finrod, Thingol. The race of men is also well represented with Beren, Hurin and of course Turin Turambar.

It's beyond the scale of the LOTR and The Hobbit in terms of scope, but loses some of the personality that the The Hobbit and LOTR have as there's no real central protagonist.

 

[Kaladin]

Has anyone ever marathoned the extended editions in a day? I did. It ain't a picnic.

 

[TheSeks]

Better than the books probably

No. No Frodo's Bar Song, no movie of the decade.

But it (and the series) were still good for people that didn't want to dedicate 4 years (like I did) of off-and-on reading of the novel. The novels are like climbing Everest for me. But oh so worth it.

 

[PhoenixDark]

My first introduction to Lord Of the Rings was through the 1970s cartoon, which I watched about a year before Fellowship came out. It blew me away, and quickly bought and started reading the novels. It was hard to get into in some regards, but I loved it.

I saw the first film by myself in the theater, but the second and third became a yearly highlight of my life for a highschool friend and myself. We did our finals early just to see TTT at 3pm on opening day. The next year we were nominated for some academic awards, and skipped the event (claiming we had the flu) to go see ROTK. We saw each movie at least twice in the theater; I saw ROTK four times in the theater.

No films have come close to creating the same hype and obsession I had for the LOTR films. Can't wait for The Hobbit.

 

[Chichikov]

I'm not a huge fan of the movie, but it's as good of an adaptation as one could hope for; all the problems I have with it stem from the source material (and I know better than to get into a heater LOTR fight on the internets).

I need to read The Silmarillion.

Not really.

 

[WanderingWind]

Internet hyperbole time: These are the best movies ever created. I watch them several times a year and they have never, ever lost their magic for me. Perfect fantasy movies, and I cannot adequately rationalize my love for them.

 

[CrunchyFrog]

The Hobbit is like a beloved children's television series.

The Lord of the Rings is like a long, complex television drama spanning a dozen seasons.

The Silmarillion is like the BBC nature documentary series (Planet Earth).

That's a pretty apt description actually. Do we mention Children of Hurin? Which I would put as somewhere between the first two

 

[speedpop]

I don't know if it is age or whatever but I find myself chuckling a little when I tried to re-watch it a while ago. It was all incredibly campy.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Internet hyperbole time: These are the best movies ever created. I watch them several times a year and they have never, ever lost their magic for me. Perfect fantasy movies, and I cannot adequately rationalize my love for them.

Compared to a lot of fantasy films (especially earlier ones), they almost seem like they're not a product of their time, but take place in their own world somewhere. The way characters look and act (there are no bad guys running around with fabulous 80's hairdos), the CGI is good enough to not distract you, and they relied on makeup / modelling a lot, which really helps it out in the look n' feel department. As a series of fantasy films, this is crucial, and they nailed it with LOTR.

 

[JB1981]

I remember sitting in Environmental science, 9th grade, listening to what can only be described as two nerds talking about this movie. They were excited as fuck, I never thought it would end up being this massive, culturally significant thing but boy did they prove me wrong.

I agree that the first was the best, the first feels magical akin to Zelda or something. Second and Third felt too "sword and sandals". Although I do enjoy specific things about all three, the green ghost guys deux ex crap is kind of unforgivable.

Agreed 1000%

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Best movie of 2001 and one of the best of the decade. The other two LOTR films just don't hold up as well for me. But the Fellowship of the Ring is definitely amazing.

 

[JB1981]

Great OP btw

 

[Onemic]

WAT

I was 12 when the first movie came out....Fuck I'm old.

 

[WanderingWind]

Compared to a lot of fantasy films (especially earlier ones), they almost seem like they're not a product of their time, but take place in their own world somewhere. The way characters look and act (there are no bad guys running around with fabulous 80's hairdos), the CGI is good enough to not distract you, and they relied on makeup / modelling a lot, which really helps it out in the look n' feel department. As a series of fantasy films, this is crucial, and they nailed it with LOTR.

I submit you can't fully appreciate the LOTR movies unless you've had to watch Beastmaster and Willow, with your little nerd brain trying to pretend they hold anything above kitsch value.

 

[McNei1y]

Has anyone ever marathoned the extended editions in a day? I did. It ain't a picnic.

Yeah. I did this this past Sunday actually. I woke up ~11 in the morning and saw Starz was still doing their LOTR extended edition marathon and just made it in time for the first. I pretty much laid around all day either in my room or in the family room up stairs with my roommates watching them. It was long as crap but beer and wings helped. I also lost my experience of the second one because we had two TV's with the Redskins game being played on the other so I payed attention to that one but it was still cool and I'm glad I did it.

 

[Escape Goat]

WAT

I was 12 when the first movie came out....Fuck I'm old.

Yeah, you're ancient.

 

[Chichikov]

WAT

I was 12 when the first movie came out....Fuck I'm old.

YOU CAN'T EVEN RENT A CAR!

Fucking whippersnappers; whippersnappers everywhere.

 

[Altazor]

How is The Silmarillion? The Hobbit is my favorite book of all time (can't effin wait for the movies) and of course I love both the LOTR movies and books.

But for some reason I haven't read or heard much about TS. How does it compare to say The Hobbit or FOTR?

The Silmarillion is like the Old Testament: a bunch of stories that tell the creation of the world, the different races and their ancient history. It's REALLY epic but it can also be VERY boring if you're not into that (stuff like "Etheled begat Ethered begat Ethennad begat Ethelion... and that is the House of Eth; the House of Arn was founded by...")

I recommend it anyway. Beren & Lúthien, the Túrin story, the End of the First Age are all epic stories.

 

[ProfessorLobo]

I don't know if it is age or whatever but I find myself chuckling a little when I tried to re-watch it a while ago. It was all incredibly campy.

Yeah, me too. It's still a good movie, but still.

 

[bigfurb]

This scene always gets me.


"I would have would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king.

Be at peace, Son of Gondor."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcHhlcxUkP4

Damn, why Bean always gotta die so tragically

 

[WanderingWind]

I don't know if it is age or whatever but I find myself chuckling a little when I tried to re-watch it a while ago. It was all incredibly campy.

Uh, no. There is no camp whatsoever in there. You need to go back and watch shit like Conan, Willow, Beastmaster...then come back to me and talk about camp.

 

[Altazor]

Damn, why Bean always gotta die so tragically

*snip*

I'd edit that if I were you.

 

[bigfurb]

I'd edit that if I were you. There's still people who haven't seen GoT (or read the books), and this is not the thread for them to know about it...

true indeed

 

[coldvein]

Also, Ian McKellan is not a wizard. He knows what to say because its in the script, but in order to become a wizard...he first pretends what it would be like to be a wizard. And he pretends, or acts, if you will, as a wizard would.

R.O.F.L. fucking nice dude.

also, to you people who haven't read the books...i feel very sorry for you.

 

[LCfiner]

One of those movies that grew on me more and more as I watched it on home and got the extended cut.

For whatever reason, the sentimentality didn’t always click with me on first viewing but now I enjoy the emotional beats. (but I still think the smaller moments work best)

The last few years, I have found time each Xmas break to rewatch the extended cuts of the trilogy. A tradition I can get behind.

 

[Kitsunebaby]

Two Towers was always my favorite. That said, they're all incredibly rewatchable. Every time they're on tv, I'll sit down and watch the whole day.

 

[Deleted member 1159]

This thread inspired me to call my mom and request that she bring out my LotR books when she visits for Christmas. I haven't read them for 10 years, I guess it's a good time. I'll probably even start with The Hobbit while I wait.

 

[GregLombardi]

Fellowship is a masterpiece, as are the trilogy films in concert. I finally finished all 3 books for the first time in the last couple months, and I gotta be honest -- Jackson more than does them justice. Fantastic books but, to me, the movies will always be superior because I saw them prior to reading them.

 

[Confusion Illusion]

I saw all three movies in theater with groups of friends...very memorable movie going experiences. The first two are my favorites though.

I've always like the scene in FOTR when the balrog appears. That was an awesome moment.

 

[jambo]

Damn, why Bean always gotta die so tragically

*snip*

Will Ferrell?

 

[speedpop]

Uh, no. There is no camp whatsoever in there. You need to go back and watch shit like Conan, Willow, Beastmaster...then come back to me and talk about camp.

I don't know man. Nothing has topped the birth scene of the Uruk-hai for me - it's even better in reverse. And although not in Fellowship, Legolas surfing/boarding a shield down the stairs at Helm's Deep is also a highlight.

Don't get me wrong as I am hardly comparing them to the b-grade brilliance that was 80s fantasy films. I anticipated all three LOTR films equally and I still adore them. But at least I can acknowledge that, while great films, there are definitely snippets of unintended comedy.

 

[KingK]

I was 9 years old when my mom took me to see this movie in its opening weekend. I just knew that the commercials looked good, but after seeing it, the movie instantly became my favorite of all time, and the series is still my favorite bunch of movies ever (I think I'd put RotK slightly above Fellowship). I read The Hobbit sometime after Two Towers released, I think, and read the Lord of the Rings trilogy the same year Return of the King came out.

I saw it two or three more times in theaters, and The Two Towers was my first ever midnight showing. I've since seen each of the 3 films well over a dozen times each (probably closer to 20), more than any other movie for sure. I still rewatch all of them a couple times every year.

One thing I remember when watching Return of the King in theaters was that I had to take a piss about an hour and a half into the movie, but it was fucking Lord of the Rings. I couldn't just get up and go to the bathroom. So I held it in. By the time the movie got to like the 4th "ending," but then it turned out we still had to see Frodo go on the ship and then Sam go see his kids, I was sure it was mocking me, lol. As soon as the credits started rolling and I was sure it was actually over I darted out of the theater and into the bathroom.

 

[hteng]

wow, i just realized Bilbo is Ash from Alien...

also, YOU HAVE MY AXE!

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

I don't know man. Nothing has topped the birth scene of the Uruk-hai for me - it's even better in reverse. And although not in Fellowship, Legolas surfing/boarding a shield down the stairs at Helm's Deep is also a highlight.

Don't get me wrong as I am hardly comparing them to the b-grade brilliance that was 80s fantasy films. I anticipated all three LOTR films equally and I still adore them. But at least I can acknowledge that, while great films, there are definitely snippets of unintended comedy.

Frodo's perm is should be a case study on unintentional comedy.

 

[Grinchy]

Ten years ago at the age of 16, I had never read the LOTR and at that particular juncture in my life had no intention of doing so. One day in college in the canteen a group of my friends were discussing the Fellowship of the Ring and waxing lyrical about it. Been the ignorant teenager I was and with Harry Potter also having been released during that time period. I initially dismissed The Fellowship because I likened it to Harry Potter and I certainly wasn't interested in that. Well, I yielded and watched the Fellowship on cable as it was premiering at that particular time.

I had an epiphany while watching it. My god did I ever. I can even pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with the film and the story; when the fellowship are running from the goblins and the fellowship hero theme is heard in its full rendition. Just magical.

That started my love affair with the trilogy and all things Tolkien. I then purchased the The Two Towers on DVD. Finally, I watched The Return of the King on its premiere at the cinema; my greatest theatre experience to date. Now, I've read all of Tolkien's works numerous times including the History of Middle-Earth series and his faeries stories. I've learnt so much and I'm always learning more about the Arda legendarium.

That is like my exact experience. I was a couple years older but I had dismissed the movie too. I didn't care about LOTR and thought it was nerdy and stupid. My friend's parents had a nice TV and sound system, and we decided to watch the DVD one night. Holy shit it blew my mind. I got the book that Christmas, and I excitedly saw each of the movies from there.

Also, your name is awesome. I fucking love The Count of Monte Cristo. It's easily one of my favorite books ever.

 

[Luthos]

The LOTR movies are like the only movies where I've watched every single bit of DVD extras for.

Watched all of the Extended Editions DVD extras. They're just so well made that I wanted to see all I could behind the scenes.

 

[Jangocube]

Favorite trilogy ever. Favorite movie, if counted as a single work, ever. Extended editions just make it even better.

That said, Two Towers is still my favorite of the three. But I seem to be in the minority when it comes to picking a favorite.

 

[Bit-Bit]

I never caught on to the craze until Two Towers came out. When I was in Middle School, my mom had bought me a golden ring with a dragon engraved on it but I quickly grew out of it so I wore it around my neck with a silver chain. Everyone kept asking me if I was a Lord of the Rings fan.

I was so confused, I was like "what the fuck is Lord of the Rings?".

Then some blonde girl (who was so nerdy she knew "elvin") started telling me to read The Hobbit cause it was her favorite book. And since I was a huge book worm, I read it. And then went on to read the whole LoTR series. Then of course I watched the first two movies and then went to see the third one in theater!

My favorite part of all of the movies is the music. I consider it one of the greatest if not the greatest soundtrack ever made for a trilogy.

And in fact, last week, I picked up all three LoTR on blu-ray for only 5 bucks each! I was waiting on the extended blu-ray but couldn't pass up the bargain.

Gonna spend this Sunday watching all three back to back.

 

[gwarm01]

This resonates with me in a way that a lot of other "it's been x years since.." things doesn't. These movies were a big deal. I can't believe it's been so long.

 

[bionic77]

Really good trilogy, but I always thought the first movie was the best one.

Jackson only got two things wrong in the movies. The Ents looked a little wrong and the giant CG battles were a little boring. He got pretty much everything else right. Gollum in particular is something that I am not sure has been surpassed yet.

 

[Discotheque]

Breaking of the Fellowship

possibly the best scene in the film with possibly the best song on the soundtrack. Starts off sad but then slowly inspires hope after Gandalf gives some advice and then Aragorn motivates Gimli and Legolas.

I remember watching Harry Potter a month earlier at 11 years old and being wowed by it, and then a month later I watch this and HP series is dead to me. I was converted for good.

 

[Hawkian]

Favorite trilogy ever. Favorite movie, if counted as a single work, ever. Extended editions just make it even better.

That said, Two Towers is still my favorite of the three. But I seem to be in the minority when it comes to picking a favorite.

My favorite too. Anyone who talks shit about the Last March of the Ents gets naught but scorn from me.

 

[woodchuck]

This scene always gets me.


"I would have would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king.

Be at peace, Son of Gondor."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcHhlcxUkP4

my favorite scene of the trilogy. and Fellowship is my favorite too.

I also think the Extended version is the best. The Extended Return of the King is wayyyy too long.

 

[Escape Goat]

ROTK I don't remember too much. I know they pulled a ghost army out of their ass as an 11th hour plot twist.

 

[Darkgran]

The Extended Edition of Fellowship is my favorite movie ever.

I will never forget going to the midnight opening of Fellowship. I had read the books many times growing up and was so hyped for the films. I only hoped that the films would deliver.

There were seriously only about 40 people at the midnight opening. I remember looking at my buddy after the First 10 minutes and we were both blown away. I saw it 4 times in the theater and loved it every time. Then came the Extended Editions....

Oh and at the The Two Towers midnight showing the next year they sold out 4 theaters.

 

[jett]

Truly one of the best action adventure movies ever made.

Spoiler

far and way better than the other two

 

[Hawkian]

I didn't realize there was so much criticism of the Men of the Mountain. I remember it going down pretty similarly in the book with the corsair ships and them saving the day and everything, and the plot spent a considerable amount of time explaining why they owed allegiance to Aragorn... didn't really strike me as a Deus ex Machina; at least not a poorly written one.

 

[Error]

Am I the only one that prefers the theatrical cuts more than the EE version of the films? The EE of RoTK is so... disjointed, I guess is the word I'd use.

I loved all the 3 films.

 

[FloppyDelux]

Saw it a couple of days after it came out and enjoyed it.( i had to read the book before it came out)