Viggo does all these little things that sell the fights so well. The little salute before Amon Hen, the WTF take after killing Lurtz, the little swagger he puts on whenever it's about to drop in the pot, all that. Good psychology.

It had been quite a while since I'd seen FotR, and Viggo's fighting in TTT was more familiar to me. So the Weathertop scene, which I've read was filmed his first week in NZ, took me aback, a little. He sells that one a little too hard, and it's all in the face, in the grimace.

I know ita's been aghast VM wore his costume and carried his sword when he was off-set, but I do think it paid off. By the time they filmed Amon Hen, and certainly Helms Deep, it had gone far beyond actor and prop. Familiarity, handiness, yes. But also human-ness, weariness, fatigue. Unlike the dwarf, who just kept on hewing, and the elf, who

isn't human, and doesn't move like a human (Or get dirty, or be bothered by snow, et al.)

Victor-- Hobbits jumping up and down on Frodo's bed? And then Gimli walks in and eyes them with a big, knowing smile? And then Legolas comes in? Slashiest. Scene. Ever.

Yes! And do you notice the way Gandalf was looking at them? Naughty Ian!

He brings a total Big Damn Hero vibe to the thing, whereas the big CGI Legolas stunts don't really have much impact beyond eye rolling. To me, anyway.

But that's where it's all personal: to me, Aragorn (movie version) is Big Dirty Hero, and Legolas is hot. Even when he's a) CGI and b) ita's.

Although, on the Aragorn front-- the first time I saw the clean!Aragorn, I thought "yeah, the boy cleans up nice." Which is my impression from the books. But second time? clean!Aragorn doesn't look quite as good when I started appreciating the hot of sweaty!Aragorn in some of the fight scenes.

And my favourite Aragorn scene is still the summoning of the Army of the Dead. I can think of characters who could take a lesson or two in giving rallying speeches from him, and for that matter Theoden. Yes, season7!Buffy, I'm looking at you.

We all do know, don't we, that Bernard Hill auditioned for Gandalf? Which, oddly enough, I can see. A very different Gandalf, not actually wrong, if not quite so perfect as Sir Ian. Hill has the chops, but I'm soooo glad we got him as Theoden, instead. I've been thinking, and can't come up with anyone who'd have been as good in the Theoden role.

It had been quite a while since I'd seen FotR, and Viggo's fighting in TTT was more familiar to me. So the Weathertop scene, which I've read was filmed his first week in NZ, took me aback, a little. He sells that one a little too hard, and it's all in the face, in the grimace.

Hmm. I too, shall have to rewatch. At the time I thought Weathertop fine for what it was, that being a quick and dirty little brawl. IIRC, Weathertop was VM's first fight, and he'd only gotten like, 10 days of sword training (That compared to, I dunno, months or something for everyone else). It's entirely possible he lacked confidence in his swordsmanship and hammed it a little to compensate.

PJ could have done a film entirely about Theoden, Eowyn, Eomer and Wormtongue -- the casting is that good, and strong. (In fact, I kind of wish that a "sequel" could be made that follows the events of the War of the Ring entirely from the viewpoint of the Rohirrim, just so that we could get so much more of these actors and their roles.)

Oooooo, Theo. Can one drool and shiverr in anticipation all at the same time? All those lovely sets, props and costumes! Not relegated to some "museum," never to be worn again. I mean, if your armour is lined in leather, with "made for Theoden, king" tooled on the inside, and you've worn it for weeks on end...how could you part with it? Send it back to wardrobe, knowing you'd never put it on again? Or even though your horsey helmet wouldn't fit without the wig, how could you say goodbye to it, knowing how handsome you look in it? And how crosseyed anyone less heroic would look in it? I'll bet the actors would be up for it.

I still think it's a damn shame that Brad Dourif did not get Best Supporting. He ownz every scene, no mean feat when sharing said scene with Christopher Lee or Bernard Hill.

Got my husband the Weapons and Warfare book for Xmas and he's loving it, so add another recommendation to the chart.

Hill has the chops, but I'm soooo glad we got him as Theoden, instead. I've been thinking, and can't come up with anyone who'd have been as good in the Theoden role.

Word to this. I think Hill would have made a fine Gandalf, but I'm glad we got him as Theoden instead, as it's hella fun when watching Titanic to shout "HAIL, THEODEN KING," every time he comes on screen as the captain of the ship.

I think there's a decent possibility that if I ever meet him in person I might shout "HAIL, THEODEN KING," and bow down on one knee to swear featly to him. I hope he won't be too terribly embarrased.

PJ could have done a film entirely about Theoden, Eowyn, Eomer and Wormtongue

Want now.

Theoden had me at chasing Wormtongue out of his hall with a sword. Bernard Hill had me at two-stepping down his trailer steps wearing jeans and a sleeveless t-shirt (on the TTT EE features). Hail, Theoden King, indeed.

They should get to keep those costumes, but a Weta/LotR archive should also be publically available.

We saw RotK again today--yeah, movies for Christmas! Are we still whitefonting? Ought to, just in case.

Still think Eowyn shouldn't have been so afraid in front of the Witch King. In the book she's weeping but there's also the mad Rohirrim defiance that shouts "Death!" during a charge. In the book she had given up on surviving, but, by damn, the Lord of hte Nazgul was going down with her. What's Merry's thought, "She should not die, so fair, so alone." Loved his ecstatic "My Lady!" as they ride off.

Elijah Wood is such a hottie I feel more than a little perverted. He's such a baby! But such a pretty baby. And there on Mount Doom, he doesn't look like a baby. When Sam pulls him up after the Eye is drawn away--and why didn't Sauron pick up the fact that "Look! The Ring! It's.Right.There!" I don't know--Frodo starts up that mountain side with such a look of grim determination that I get chills. As he gets dirtier and dirtier, his eyes just get bigger and bigger. Gorgeous eyes. The lighting as he's holding the Ring over the edge, with those eyes and his skin almost bronze, is phenomenal. I want that shot as an icon.

It's too bad that Elijah's scale double wasn't standing a little more turned in the last shot there at the Havens. You get a clear shot of his profile, and you can tell it's not Elijah. Serves me right, though, for being such a Mrs. Robinson that I was staring at him.

I cried more this time than the first time.

Just popping in. I think my reactions are spoiler-free enough, but someone let me know if you disagree.

I had to bite down on my finger for most of the last half hour to keep from sobbing, as I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop if I started. Damn you, Sean Astin.

My crowd was astonishingly well-behaved. Light laughter at a few (appropriate) moments, no cheering (which I rarely consider not annoying), no screaming kids, dead silence punctuated with the occasional gasp or sniffle during the aforementioned last half hour.

There were, however, a couple of little girls further down our row who always had to leave and reenter the theater as a pair. It was like an assumed: "I'm going to the bathroom!" "Yeah, well, me too!"

Must buy the first two EEs post haste.