Yesterday was our anniversary, so Madeline and I finally got to go out and see The Return of the King. (No, that wasn't all we did; we did go to Masa's the night before.) When one's expectations are so high, the movie is bound to disappoint -- which it didn't, as it exceeded them and more. Absolutely amazing. (I read the books when I was in high school and all I could remember from the last book was the spider -- couldn't even remember whether Frodo made it out alive.)
Favorite moments off the top of my head:
- Andy Serkis in the flesh.
- The "helicopter shot" of Gandalf, Pippin and Shadowfax riding up the levels of Minas Tirith.
- "Sneaking? Sneaking?"
- The lighting of the beacons.
- The scene when Hugo Weaving presents Aragorn with the reforged sword. (Madeline had to chuckle, though, when the camera pans lovingly up and down the blade.)
- Eowyn pulling off her helmet.
- Legolas surfing down the elephant trunk.
- Shelob wrapping up Frodo in a cocoon. (I honestly thought he was dead.)
- "Don't go where I can't follow." (Sentimental fool that I am, I almost lost it on that one.)
- Frodo and Sam, holding each other on the rock surrounded by lava, "at the end of all things."
- "My friends, you bow to no one."
- Elijah Wood, looking like he stepped out of a Caravaggio painting, boarding the ship.
Posted by the wily filipino at December 29, 2003 11:44 AMHappy anniversary! I loved the movie, too. But Eowyn's uncle, aka "Master of the Obvious," was KILLING me softly. He kept saying things like, "We must ride swift and light." No kidding, guy. I kept expecting him to add "Forget not your swords, sons of Rohan!" or something equally ridiculous. His death scene was love-r-ly, though.
Posted by: Veronica on December 29, 2003 04:29 PMAhh, Theoden was pretty cool, particularly in the light of his freeze-dried state in the previous film.
Aragorn, in contrast, looked doofy with that crown. =)
Posted by: the wily filipino on December 29, 2003 07:11 PMah, maybe i'm the sap, but one of the most memorable scenes was faramir riding to battle to reclaim osgilliath while pippen was singing this dirge to faramir's insane father in the background....
Posted by: barb on December 30, 2003 12:20 PMcan u tell I'm just now catching up on your blog after the holidays?? :)
have to agree w/ bjpr too. who knew pippin could sing? and i thought he was the annoying hobbit! aragorn did look a *tad* goofy in the crown, only b/c that was the 1st time in all 3 movies it really looked like a wig? somehow maybe the sweaty greasy bloody (?) hair looked more real.
my only beef was where was all the flirtation and angst btwn eowyn and faramir?! and i wanted to see the dag wedding! still, i'd see it again...and i've already seen it 2wice!
I suspect the Faramir-Eowyn lovey-dovey stuff must have been filmed (like Saruman's death), and will probably added to the director's cut later this year.
Anyone else planning to watch all 12 hours at one sitting when the final DVD set comes out?
Posted by: the wily filipino on January 10, 2004 07:19 PMI really liked the rotk. I've read the books, and you really don't expect the movies to be as good, but I was wrong. I thought it was the saddest part in the entire TRILOGY when Pippin was singing as Faramir rode to Osgiliath. I'm mad about Faramir and Eowyn's wedding too. It would have showed the people who haven't read the books that Eowyn was over Aragorn. Oh well, you can't have it all.
Posted by: Emmy on February 10, 2004 05:55 AM