Day & LotR
Dec. 15th, 2004 03:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarotgalSo I bought the RotK EE on the way to work today. And glancing at the box repeatedly all day made work SO much more enjoyable! I didn't even need coffee- that woke me right up! *G* The fact that I got it for a fantastic price at Walmart certainly didn't hurt any, either.
So all day I was excited about it. And the drive home I must have giggled a half dozen times in expectation. I had my whole night planned out- taping shows so I could watch it un-interrupted, dinner in-between disks, etc.
But when I got home, I learned my sister had been robbed at school today during class. Someone took money from her purse (which she left unattended on her desk). So I spent an hour trying to explain to her the difference between being paranoid and being aware, and the importance of not being taken advantage of as a young woman. She's a VERY trusting person (which is strange, considering her recent suspicions that she was sexually abused as a child) and is just now coming to terms with the fact that not everyone in the world (or everyone around her at school, for example) have the same moral codes. She can't understand how people can NOT care for others, or NOT want to help others out before themselves. So it took a long time to try and explain my whole outlook on life to her, and try to get her to realize that not EVERYONE is evil. Just because there are bad people out there who don't care about others doesn't mean there aren't good people out there who do care about others. Doesn't mean all bad people are completely bad, either. Just means there are bad people out there and you can find ways to love and trust and care without leaving yourself open to the bad out there.
Doesn't help that about 15 teens have been killed in drunk driving accidents in the last month or so. Or that two people in her school in her grade level have committed suicide since September (at least one, if not both, was drug-related). She's got a lot to talk to her shrink about this week, I think. But at least it was just money. She wasn't hurt, and her license/cards are still there. She told the teacher and one of the school security officers was called over and everything... but the person (and she knows which guy it was who took the money) wouldn't confess.
After all this, RotK seemed a heck of a lot less important. LOL! But I watched it and enjoyed every minute of it. At about 80% of the new scenes I exclamed "This! This is my favorite scene in the whole movie now!" until the next new moment of footage came on and I'd say the same thing again. And that went on for pretty much the whole movie, of course. And, of course, there are tiny little details that- ehhh- I wasn't perfectly happy with. But I'd be happy with a 20-hour movie so I don't think perfect happiness is going to happen for me. Which is good because I get evil when I... oops, wrong fandom. Anyhoo, these are pretty much general comments... mentions scenes but not what happens in them. But stop reading NOW if you're wanting to be completely spoiler-free!!
The drinking game- LOVED! Am so glad I wasn't spoiled for it. All the extra hobbit-related moments were fantastic to me. And more Legolas & Gimli- some of it NOT just comic relief! That was great to see. The Paths of the Dead- I'm sooooo glad they put this in! I was terribly sad during the theatrical version at the lack of anything. And the moments after- I've been DYING to see that h/c ever since that Aragorn/Legolas photo came out pre-theatrical release. It did NOT disappoint me in the slightest. LOVED that. And the houses of healing- FANTASTIC! Just how I pictured it from reading it in the book (and you know I read that part over and over and over again). I was so overjoyed to see so much Éowyn and Faramir, finally! Really a fantastic movie. I'm very, very pleased with it. Wish I hadn't had to wait a month for it... but am VERY happy with it. Love it. Definitely my favorite of all three right now... though it's hard to choose. Yeah, all the h/c and moments that could go slashy so easily are fresh in my mind still... loved this movie. *sigh* So overall, I'm happy. When I'm not half asleep and when I want to get into actual spoilery details, I shall say more. But right now... sleep is good. I need some badly.
So all day I was excited about it. And the drive home I must have giggled a half dozen times in expectation. I had my whole night planned out- taping shows so I could watch it un-interrupted, dinner in-between disks, etc.
But when I got home, I learned my sister had been robbed at school today during class. Someone took money from her purse (which she left unattended on her desk). So I spent an hour trying to explain to her the difference between being paranoid and being aware, and the importance of not being taken advantage of as a young woman. She's a VERY trusting person (which is strange, considering her recent suspicions that she was sexually abused as a child) and is just now coming to terms with the fact that not everyone in the world (or everyone around her at school, for example) have the same moral codes. She can't understand how people can NOT care for others, or NOT want to help others out before themselves. So it took a long time to try and explain my whole outlook on life to her, and try to get her to realize that not EVERYONE is evil. Just because there are bad people out there who don't care about others doesn't mean there aren't good people out there who do care about others. Doesn't mean all bad people are completely bad, either. Just means there are bad people out there and you can find ways to love and trust and care without leaving yourself open to the bad out there.
Doesn't help that about 15 teens have been killed in drunk driving accidents in the last month or so. Or that two people in her school in her grade level have committed suicide since September (at least one, if not both, was drug-related). She's got a lot to talk to her shrink about this week, I think. But at least it was just money. She wasn't hurt, and her license/cards are still there. She told the teacher and one of the school security officers was called over and everything... but the person (and she knows which guy it was who took the money) wouldn't confess.
After all this, RotK seemed a heck of a lot less important. LOL! But I watched it and enjoyed every minute of it. At about 80% of the new scenes I exclamed "This! This is my favorite scene in the whole movie now!" until the next new moment of footage came on and I'd say the same thing again. And that went on for pretty much the whole movie, of course. And, of course, there are tiny little details that- ehhh- I wasn't perfectly happy with. But I'd be happy with a 20-hour movie so I don't think perfect happiness is going to happen for me. Which is good because I get evil when I... oops, wrong fandom. Anyhoo, these are pretty much general comments... mentions scenes but not what happens in them. But stop reading NOW if you're wanting to be completely spoiler-free!!
The drinking game- LOVED! Am so glad I wasn't spoiled for it. All the extra hobbit-related moments were fantastic to me. And more Legolas & Gimli- some of it NOT just comic relief! That was great to see. The Paths of the Dead- I'm sooooo glad they put this in! I was terribly sad during the theatrical version at the lack of anything. And the moments after- I've been DYING to see that h/c ever since that Aragorn/Legolas photo came out pre-theatrical release. It did NOT disappoint me in the slightest. LOVED that. And the houses of healing- FANTASTIC! Just how I pictured it from reading it in the book (and you know I read that part over and over and over again). I was so overjoyed to see so much Éowyn and Faramir, finally! Really a fantastic movie. I'm very, very pleased with it. Wish I hadn't had to wait a month for it... but am VERY happy with it. Love it. Definitely my favorite of all three right now... though it's hard to choose. Yeah, all the h/c and moments that could go slashy so easily are fresh in my mind still... loved this movie. *sigh* So overall, I'm happy. When I'm not half asleep and when I want to get into actual spoilery details, I shall say more. But right now... sleep is good. I need some badly.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-15 10:47 pm (UTC)~A
no subject
Date: 2004-12-16 01:28 am (UTC)Disc 3 (Appendices part 5):
-The Tolkien feature was fascinating, as was the accounting of why PJ/Fran/Phillipa changed what they did and what effect those changes had on other aspects of pacing, plot, etc. I'll take any chance I get to get a glimpse inside the heads of any of these geniuses of imagination.
-I LOVED the documentary on the horses. It's easily my favorite piece on that disc. I also cracked up when I learned that the horse playing the part of Arod was really named 'Percy'...fandom coincidences appear when I least expect them, sometimes. And what a friggin' lucky horse, getting that much kissing and hugging from Legolas! Viggo, ah Viggo. What a fascinating man. 3 years of documentaries and I still don't know what makes him tick, but he gets more interesting each time I see him.
-Designing Middle Earth. The Weta Digital section...EEEK! I *really* could have done without those couple dozen pics and vids of the creepy crawlies. Otherwise, a great look at awe-inspiring work, as usual. Same goes for the costumes (though I would have killed for even one mention of Legolas's coronation outfit, but oh well...), the art design, everything. Just stunning work.
Disc 4 (Appendices part 6):
-Cameras in Middle Earth. Yay for Orli firing a real arrow on camera at Isengard! Also, kinda creepy about how his bow broke during the very last scene he filmed in principle production. Love the hilarious look at all the alternate versions of the 'Welcome, my Lords...to Isengard!'scene that Dom and Billy experimented with. I wept for the entire last 20-odd minutes of this...heart-wrenching stuff. I'll truly miss seeing these people who have become almost as dear as family to me over the course of the last 3 years. My December feels like it has a gaping hole in it, and I'm sure it'll only be worse next year, when there's no extended DVD to look forward to.
-Visual Effects. WOW! That really sums it up. Also, many thanks for including that adorable footage where PJ explains to Orlando how Legolas will take down the Mumakil. *G*
-Editing/Music/etc. Good lord, I really don't know how in heck they managed to make the Dec. 17 '03 release date! It's like cramming all night for a final and pulling a last minute presentation together only magnified about a billion times. Behold, the power of teamwork, and faith in a genius director.
-The Rest: Damn, I wish I'd been in New Zealand during the world premiere of ROTK. And I'm glad they included footage from the Oscars, and the after party. I've never felt so proud to be a Tolkien Geek.
Ok, now off to watch at least half of the actor's commentary track before I must sleep...even though the sun will probably be up by then! :)
Dom has allergies!
Date: 2004-12-16 03:53 am (UTC)Dom: How many times do you think I sneezed that day?
Billy: Honestly, four-thousand.
Dom: Yeah, yeah. Honestly.
Billy: Which got me to the point that I laughed so much I wet myself.
Dom: Sorry about that.
Too cute!
rotk ee SPOILERS
Date: 2004-12-16 04:52 am (UTC)P
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rotk ee!!!! :) i just finished watching it just then *happy sigh* i saw your post this morning but kept my eyes crossed so i wouldn't see spoilers (because i'm such a spoilerphobe) and now i'm so glad to read it because there's almost no-one i know that's seen the ee!
i squeed SO many times!! when aragorn and co. came out of the paths of the dead and aragorn was despairing and had tears in his eyes and legolas came to stand by him and put a hand on his shoulder and *almost* draw him into a hug i nearly died of happiness! I LOVE MY BOYS!!!! :D guh :) i could rewind and rewatch that scene forever!!
ohhh, and gimli in the paths of the dead! LMAO. i *know* it's not nice that they keep using gimli for comic relief, but he was so funny! i cracked up so hard at him blowing away the ghosts!
and faramir and eowyn... awww :) and mum swears up and down that frodo/sam are a couple, and merry/pippin are a couple. it's so weird to hear your very conservative mother advocate slash! lol
houses of healing i loved, but wanted more of. the way they did it as a scene with music and no dialogue (i'm sure there's a technical name for that...) was nice, although some of my favourite lines in the books come from there.
but i am really miffed that there was no h/c in the 'aragorn masters the palantir' scene!! i've been looking forward to that ever since i first read it - 'aragorn looked like a man who had spent many sleepless nights in hard toil', or something... and then legolas is meant to kiss him better! or, something :)
i love this movie :) i can't wait to watch the commentary and all the extras and eee!!! :D but i'm so sad that this is the end; no more movies every boxing day (and no more lining up at 8am to see the first showing *sniffle*); no more extended editions to look forward to. no more movie premiers for the cast, and no more viggo and orlando in new zealand! :( still... it was fantastic while it happened, and i guess the magic will live on for a long time yet!