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.

And to let our butts recover.

I expect your ass could snap back in just a year, Cindy.

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.

Actually, as far as the industry goes, an Oscar is unneeded for PJ. Back in June or July, he'd already made resounding news throughout the industry by becoming the highest paid director ever when he was awarded $20 million to direct King Kong. This is over twice the highest salary of any other director, and caused quite a bit of consternation from the various (non-New Line, as it was New Line signing that deal) studios for setting such a precident (to which I still say "he frelling well earned it," and New Line agrees with me).

Salary bumps and increased visibility are exactly the sort of benefit one expects after winning an Oscar, and as PJ already has both of those, an Oscar wont really do anything for him besides put a godawful heavy* gold-plated dude on his mantle.

(*I've held one, and they are damned heavy)

I mean, I'm sure he wouldn't turn one down for best director, but there's literally no way for the statue to give him any of the peripheral benefits, at this point. He couldn't possibly be more visible than he already is, and nobody's going to pay him more than New Line has already agreed to pay him.

It's not even certain he'll be nominated for Best Director, and the (at this point) obligitory Best Picture nom for RotK wouldn't go to him if the movie won, anyway. Best Pictures go to the producers, which means it would go to Barrie Osbourne and Bob Shea (Though not Bob & Harvey, as they were only exec producers).

OK then - I just want him to win an Oscar so he can hit George Lucas over the head with it.

Really, really? I just want to see him win. Period. I want the big standing ovation. I want to see him all crazy haired, trying to walk right with shoes on. I want to hear the speech. I want to hear the Oscar orchestra play the LotR theme. And the beating of George Lucas would be nice, if he can fit it in.

Well, I can get behind that sentiment, particularly if beating Lucas over the head with the statue is involved.

It would also be nice if PJ won BD, or RotK won BP, as then whenever a certain subset of Star Wars fans gets uppity about which trilogy was better, one can just point to either of those statues and settle the argument without a word, as neither George, nor his films (any of them, even non-Star Wars ones), have ever won either of those two awards.

But nobody, except of course us, will be heartbroken if PJ or the film doesn't win.

Or, if they are heartbroken, I'm sure they'll be able to comfort themselves by crying into their GIANT PILES OF MONEY. ;)

as then whenever a certain subset of Star Wars fans gets uppity about which trilogy was better,

It's not even remotely a question anymore. It's like insisting on the cinematic merits of Biodome. looks towards the mighty perversities of Ple...