This review is at Ex Isle, by Ashley Miller. He was one of the writers for the first two years of Andromeda. He got in to see an early showing.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
So I said to myself I wasn't going to spoil the movie for myself - but I had to look at what he thought was 'BAD' about the movie. He basically says there are a few scenes that are obviously Mattes (if you look hard enough) and the other - that he might cry infront of 600 people.
I think that's pretty good for the 'bad' if you ask me! Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Something he mentions in there:
"So get over it, fanboy. I'm sure the Shire can be scoured at your leisure in the forthcoming super-ultra epic extended edition DVD."
Not true. According to an article in Newsweek (I think), Jackson didn't film any sort of "Scouring of the Shire" scene because he just doesn't like that part of the book. Which seems a pretty pathetic excuse for cutting it, but I suppose there's little to be done about it now.
Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :
quote:Originally posted by TSN: Something he mentions in there:
"So get over it, fanboy. I'm sure the Shire can be scoured at your leisure in the forthcoming super-ultra epic extended edition DVD."
Not true. According to an article in Newsweek (I think), Jackson didn't film any sort of "Scouring of the Shire" scene because he just doesn't like that part of the book. Which seems a pretty pathetic excuse for cutting it, but I suppose there's little to be done about it now.
Ashley tends to sling around the word "Fanboy" whenever he disagrees with someone. As excited as I was when they were making these movies, I didn't go to see TTT and I wont go to see this one. I rather read the books again. The Hobbits having to handle their own problems was one of my favorite side stories. I don't think anyone who didn't read all of the books will understand the "Grey Havens".
Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :
Of course they would, the Havens have been mentioned several times in the movies already, as the place the elves go to travel to Valinor.
About the Scouring, they have tried to keep as much in as possible, but a whole 'nother mini-adventure, after the big battles of Gondor and the klimax at Mount Doom (which is where the klimax should be), would prolong the movie too much and unbalance it. It's different when read as a book.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
I do agree with Review Boy over there that the extended edition should be reserved for expanding non-integral parts of the story (and the Scouring, cool as it sounds, is just tapestry enrichment in the Big Picture), but I have to question PJ's editing decision to use the EE to wrap up a major plotline that shouldn't have been left dangling in the theatrical release (Saruman vs. Gandalf) because of those same time/balance constraints. Like ten more minutes are going to hurt people when they've already sat through three hours of film...
Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: I do agree with Review Boy over there that the extended edition should be reserved for expanding non-integral parts of the story (and the Scouring, cool as it sounds, is just tapestry enrichment in the Big Picture), but I have to question PJ's editing decision to use the EE to wrap up a major plotline that shouldn't have been left dangling in the theatrical release (Saruman vs. Gandalf) because of those same time/balance constraints. Like ten more minutes are going to hurt people when they've already sat through three hours of film...
I can't believe how many people I hear complain about long movies. If it's much more then 1 1/2 hours, a lot of the movie going crowd don't have time. I miss the old theaters.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"I do agree with Review Boy over there that the extended edition should be reserved for expanding non-integral parts of the story (and the Scouring, cool as it sounds, is just tapestry enrichment in the Big Picture)..."
Well, the fact is, he left the Scouring out entirely. It won't be in the movie; it won't be on the DVD; it just plain will never ever exist in any version of the film. Just because Jackson doesn't like it. To me, that's not right. I realize stuff has to get cut, because even a short novel would make an unacceptably long film if every last word were included. But we're talking about an entire chapter here. That's a bit much to be just obliterated completely. And, the way I see it, it isn't really Jackson's place to decide what he does and doesn't "like" and use that as a basis of what to leave in the film. If he wants to write his own story, fine. But if he wants to use someone else's, especially when that person isn't even around anymore to give input, he should try to stay as faithful to the original as he reasonably can.
Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :
When responding to a script draft for a potential LOTR-movie (in "Letters"), Tolkien had the fellowship riding on eagles out of Rivendell. He was also prepared to leave out the entire Helm's Deep storyline...
Personally, if leaving out the Scouring means leaving out Bombadil for this director, it's an acceptable loss. Besides, it's a little late to be whining about the Shire-scouring being left out, it's been known since even before "Fellowship" premiered.
I like the chapter as much as anyone, but let's face it, it has got nothing to do with the ring anymore, it's just ill spite from a petty man (about to die, surrounded by midgets).
And with kudos to Christopher Lee, he has built Saruman up to a much more dignified villain than Saruman's book character deserved, at the point of the attack on Edoras. Christopher Lee isn't exactly the kind of guy who'd mock Gandalf with his new tie-dye robe and whine at the hobbits for seizing his tobacco.
Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :
As much as I would love to see the Shire at the end, especially given how great it looked in Fellowship - I can't really see how they could hold the excitement level up.
Do we at least get to see the Strider crowned and wed?
![[Smile]](smile.gif)