I love VG in that movie SO. Damned. Much.

His apology to Kate Winslet for not building a better ship was THE most (possibly only) heartbreaking thing in the movie.

His apology to Kate Winslet for not building a better ship was THE most (possibly only) heartbreaking thing in the movie.

That, and his adjusting the clock on the mantel. And his chiding the chambermaid for not setting a proper example by wearing her lifejacket. He was just wondrous. I've heard repeatedly that A Night to Remember is the better Titanic movie by far, but something in me resists seeing a Titanic movie with such a deplorable lack of Victor Garber.

I've heard repeatedly that A Night to Remember is the better Titanic movie by far,

I wouldn't say by far, as Night to Remember suffers from its own 1950's tropes, and also doesn't have the boat breaking in half, which really is a bit of a loss.

This is a pretty good interview with the main cast about what their last shot was, what they got as gifts, etc.

Sci Fi Interview

Watching some of the extended edition extras the other night, I realized that there's probably a lot more of Gimli's performance done by the scale double onscreen than there is of John Rhys-Davies (because of his allergies with the prosthetics). I'd bet that more than half of Gimli's screentime is the scale double.

And according to the interview tina linked, it was the double who got the Fellowship tattoo instead of Rhys-Davies. Then again, John voiced Treebeard too, didn't he?

Then again, John voiced Treebeard too, didn't he?

yup.

I was just looking through CNN's Trilogy Tuesday gallery - those are some serious costumes going on there.

Also - loving Ian:

Interviewer: But when they came to you and asked you to be part of this, did you have any idea that it would become something so big?

MCKELLEN: No. Nobody did. I hadn't read the books. I hadn't yet made contact with one of the iconic figures of my lifetime, Gandalf....

And, last, from CNN:

According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" has grossed $492.1 million from North America and 38 countries elsewhere.

The epic fantasy is outpacing both its predecessors and should reach $1 billion, said Rolf Mittweg, president of worldwide marketing and distribution at New Line Cinema.

The epic fantasy is outpacing both its predecessors and should reach $1 billion, said Rolf Mittweg, president of worldwide marketing and distribution at New Line Cinema.

This is wonderful news--for us. When/if studios see that people like good movies, not just blockbuster-style movies, and spend money on them, it is a good thing.

The epic fantasy is outpacing both its predecessors and should reach $1 billion

That'd be in the Titanic range. Probably makes The Hobbit inevitable now, which is fine by me as long as PJ's at the helm.

I think that every year there should be a theatrical release before xmas of the extended editions of the trilogy. That'd make a nice holiday tradition. Or maybe every five years or so to keep it special.

And to let our butts recover.

When/if studios see that people like good movies, not just blockbuster-style movies, and spend money on them, it is a good thing.

It's the only reason I care about the money stuff and same with PJ winning an Oscar. I know he'll be just as happy if he doesn't - but I want him to win for the whole Hollywood-recognize-the-power-of-geeks thing.

My best Christmas treat this year was finding out my older brother - who I have almost no relationship with at all - has become a GIANT LotR geek over the last year (he's read the books twice in one year - he doesn't read books). Most of my family watched FotR and TTT EEs on Christmas Eve and Day together and my brother and I were annoying everyone with spontanious line quotage. It was the first time I had felt close to him since I was a child. These movies are such a gift.