Since we're on the subject of problems with the film, I have to say that a number of sequences that got dropped from the film (some of which, but not all, will be in the EE) were among my all time favorites in the books.

And, as most of us here have quote lengthy passages from those sections, we mostly know what those passages are.

Now, most of what was cut from the earlier two films, I was fine with, as those sections were boring (Tom Bombadil), or the different choices were more cinematic (NOT telling the destruction of Isengard by the Ents in flashback).

But my great disappointment about dropped stuff in RotK is that the stuff dropped was not undramatic, or even uncinematic.

The full dialog exchange between Eowyn and the Witch King should have been left intact, dammit. It would have gone down as one of the greatest scenes ever put to film, I'm sure of it. I so badly wanted to hear Miranda Otto spitting "Begone, if you be not deathless, for living or dark undead, I will smite you if you touch him." She would have given fabulous delivery on that one. Truncating that down to one "I'm not a man," line made me very friggin' sad.

When the EE comes out, we will get a version of the confrontation between Gandalf and the Witch King, but it won't happen at the first gate of Minas Tirith, where it should have happened, and where it would have been plenty cinematic, dammit.

Okay, if I go on about this too long, I'll get myself all worked up about it, and I do still actually love the movie, and think the trilogy as a whole kicks the ever-loving snot out of every trilogy before it, and stands to do so to all who come after for quite some time.

Is that the inscription from the One Ring on the collar of Richard Taylor's coat?

Actually, in order to include some scenes to a length I thought excessive, other scenes, which I thought more iconic and mythic and cool, had to be chopped or cut entirely.

This + What Sean Said = Me

I sense a lack of surprise.

I have off work next Tuesday, and I'm thinking it's matinee time. Can't wait to see all the detail I missed the first time around, and savor all the great FX.

Is that the inscription from the One Ring on the collar of Richard Taylor's coat?

Sure is. Burned into the velvet lapels. Very. t /Heathers

Is that the inscription from the One Ring on the collar of Richard Taylor's coat?

*fondly* They're such dorks. It's great.

Umm, did they leave this scene out or did I somehow manage to forget it?

Didn't happen, sumi. I think EE.

I would have remembered that scene--vividly. I also assume it's for the EE.

I see, Katie. Most of my Moria's not claustrophobic comes from the great hall. The rest I hadn't really thought much about.

I looked carefully for that scene, sumi, and I'm not sure about waiting until November for it.

Suela, how was that described in the books? I'm not a battle specialist, and I thought they were pretty much dead meat any way they cut it. I'd be interested to know the right way, because I don't remember the text.

Right. A lot of the military elements were crowd-pleasing rather than logical. Which I can live with, except inasmuch as I am logical yet also part of the crowd. Whereas, the Freudian Assault on Osgiliath was a proper cavalry formation, just the wrong use of cavalry. Which I am choosing to interpret as intentional mass suicide rather than foolishness or moviemaker error.

Point on the lack of railings in Moria and need for some large gathering-place in MInas Tirith. Still -- child-safety never an issue among the noble southerners? Also, very awkwardly shaped if it was intended as a proscenium. I mean, visually cool, but a little less with the logic than I like.

High marks, however, for capturing the motions of giant trebuchets from the city walls. I saw a thing on PBS about a college engineering team building one from scratch, and those are hella cool.