redfiona99

(Stupidly long so I'm cutting all but the most salient points.)

I realise every other civilised person in the world has seen it before now, but I'm a poor poverty struck student, give me a break.

The best thing, or one of the best things, is that it's even better once you've seen the third film, all kinds of things that used to just seem interesting now resonate.

Now to turn to matters more important, how good was Ian Holm as Bilbo. This isn't mentioned often enough. He was completely believable as both a kindly old hobbit and something else quite more sinister.

This film does have the scariest moments in the trilogy though. I mean there's the scene where Gandalf convinces Bilbo to leave the ring. That always freaks me out. And then when he pops up from the middle of the darkness saying "Is it secret, is it safe?" And the wraiths on horses. They seem infinitely more real and scary on horses.

Not forgetting the scariest moment of all when they're in Rivendell and Bilbo has a freak-out over the ring.

I think it works because it's so unexpected and from someone that we're supposed to like.

Another thing is quite how amazingly sinister people are, Bilbo for one, and Gandalf right at the start, especially when he's muttering 'my precious' in front of the fire.

Even Aragorn is sinister at Amon Hen when he suddenly descends on Frodo. Although the scene where he says that he would have followed him all the way to the Black Gates is sweet, because it's true he would have done. Plus in a way he does.

And then there is the whole level of creepy that is Galadriel. That elf freaks me out, each and every time. Because she's so odd. The extended version actually makes more sense of her because of Nenya (or which ever ring it is, would the elves please speak up.) being revealed. Quite why that five seconds couldn't have been added to the film is beyond me, because it's useful. And makes her seem slightly less like psycho elf lady who is mean to poor little ring-bearing Hobbit.

Because in this cut, it seems like the One Ring, or the test as to whether she could resist it, has been weighing on her mind for quite some time. Once she passes it she's fine. Well more or less, more on that later.

Even if the rest of the films passes into obscurity (which I highly doubt) the score should never be allowed to. It's beautiful.

And the sound effects, this time round I really noticed them (better speakers, silence and concentration may have helped). Like the noise the troll makes when it pulls on it's chain. I think Phil must have knocked the left speaker while he was fiddling because it's coming over far better than before. The problem is it's all the spine-chilling noises so I'm slightly freaked.

Most of the added/extended scenes where nice but, except for in the case of the Galadriel one, I can see why they weren't in originally.

For instance, the bit at the Council with Boromir, prophetic dreams and the Black Speech of Mordor was just cluttered. Scary, but cluttering what was a rather good scene.

Actually most of the Boromir ones only made it more obvious that the ring has a bad effect on him, given that he teeter-tottered even more between being kind, sweet, nice, strong, couragous, and borderline loopy, psycho, evil.

Dude, if going near the ring makes Gandalf break out into the Black speech, which is a real breech of etiquette, get a clue that the thing is evil and no good will come of it.

You know what the third worst thing about it is: no matter how much I yell at the screen, he's still going to be orc-meat. Now if I could get that into my head it would be good.

The second worst thing about it is, that had it not been for the interference of a cetain item of evil jewellery, Boromir would have made a good Steward.

The absolute worst thing about it is, the ring didn't just use Boromir's weaknesses against him, it used his strengths. That ring is evil I tell you, evil.

This is the first time I didn't cry at it, but that was probably due to disturbances in the middle.

Loved the extra backstory on Aragorn. Even if it did make me want to strangle the man. Get on and be king would you, your land is suffering without you. Even though I can understand why he might not want to what with Isildur's heritage. (That was one added bit that was interesting; instead of fighting, Isildur ran. Which seems like a large change in character from what we see in the big battle.)

Something else I find interesting is that in the gift scene everyone else gets something except Boromir. Is Galadriel's ability to see into the future that good that she knows he's dead meat? Or was she just assuming? That scene with Boromir and Aragorn in Lothlorien still gets me. Because Boromir's so vulnerable in it, and then he thinks of home and perks up. And Aragorn looks so worried about him.

The extended Lothlorien bits rock.

Gimli in Lothlorien was just cool. I mean, even more cool that he usually is. And that she gave him three locks instead of one was sweet. It just worked. (Yes, I'm an old-fashioned romantic)

Although it does leave questions as to exactly what is going on in Lothlorien since Celeborn seems to be entirely happy to have a dwarf (who are supposed to be their enemies) chat up his wife. Or did I miss something? Maybe it's the seven thousand year itch ;)

The bit with Aragorn and Galadriel discussing Arwen was nice. Again, I believe Aragorn when he says that he'd rather Arwen live forever.

Haldir comes across better in the EE.

That scene with Boromir and Aragorn arguing about where to go next hurts. Actually hurts. Especially the "There is no strength in your land. Only frailty, greed and weakness." "Yes, there is weakness but there is also courage and honour." part. Because damned if all concerned don't prove it.

Why am I imagining Sean Bean's agent calling, "Yes, Sean, got a brilliant part for you. Noble, heroic, inner turmoil, great death scene. You've just got to embody a nation for it."
"Eh?"
"Don't worry about it, your character's father and brother turn up to show the extremes of it, you've just got to do the middle ground."

Then about five hours later, Sean Bean back to agent, "Um, yeah, just read the script you faxed over. You do realise it's less middle-ground and more jumping from one extreme to the other."

Because there's some scenes where he so nice (teaching the hobbits how to fight (like the added bit with Aragorn getting dragged into it), with Gimli in the tomb, after Gandalf's fall, taking to Frodo about not taking the burden of the dead with him too) and then other times you want to strangle him (way too many to mention).

I think there's less of an urge to cry now because I know Minas Tirith and the rest of Gondor survives, and that was all he really wanted.

In short, loved it. Not decided as to whether I prefer extended or unextended version, probably a mix of the two.

Shutting up now.