edwinian
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS - EXTENDED EDITION
http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=15741
Johnny Bartlett here, taking a break from the 9 to 5 (got me a total of 217 thats more than Shipman!) to bring you a look at the Exended Edition of The Two Towers. You know that feeling when theres a movie you ****in' love and youve seen it over and over, only after a while you start thinking Wouldnt it be cool if this time there was something different in there, just to surprise me? Or perhaps thats just me. Anyway, Im inclined to think Peter Jackson understands this well: like last years extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers: Extended Edition is a treasure trove for fans of the film - there's so much new stuff spread throughout that it really is like revisiting a beloved classic and finding it to be twice the experience you remembered. I wont bother reviewing the movie we heard it all late last year, right? but at 3 and 3/4 hours, The Two Towers now has an epic running time to match its scope, so if ya hated it last time, you'll hate it even more now. Effects in the added scenes are of equal quality to those of the theatrical footage (and I caught this one in a crew screening a few weeks back, so is was based on seeing it on the big screen) despite many of these shots having been completed just for the DVD. Your arse'll be so numb youll think it up and died on ya and your bladder filled to bursting, but if you loved The Two Towers, youll also be oblivious to the pain and grinning like an idiot. Spoilers? ****, yeah:
SPOILERS BEGIN......................................................
5
4
3
2
1
OK... You asked for it!
From memory, here are the major additions:
- Extended opening, in which the hobbits scale a cliff face using the rope Galadriel gave Sam, including a better build-up to the arrival of Gollum.
- More friction between the Uruk-Hai and the Orcs as they transport Merry and Pippin back to Isengard, which better sets up the fight over food that takes place later.
- More scenes of Saruman breeding his army, creating better pacing as the invasion of Rohan begins
- Terrific scene in which Eomer finds the body of Theodred, Theodens son.
- Additional scenes with Merry and Pippin, including extensions to existing Treebeard scenes and the Ent Draught sequence, in which the hobbits grow. In another scene, Treebeards soporific poetry works its magic.
- Theodreds funeral scene, with Eowyn singing a lament.
- A wonderful introduction to Aragorns horse Brego, who we learn was Theodreds horse. Aragorn requests Brego be set free, which places his later rescue in better context.
- Additional scenes between Eowyn and Aragorn, including one in which he attempts to eat a bowl of evil-looking stew.
- More scenes between Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, which expand upon the films politics (including the union between the two towers Gandalf scene from the trailer, though that line is missing from what I can remember).
- More of Sarumans musings, setting up themes that will be explored in The Return of the King.
- Flashback to the circumstances surrounding Boromir being sent to Rivendell for the Council of Elrond, taking place during the re-taking of Osgiliath by the Gondorian army. This sequence briefly introduces John Noble as Denethor, a major character in The Return of the King. I was worried this sequence would seem like an indulgence, but its difficult to imagine the film without it; not only is the character of Faramir, much maligned by fans of the book, given added depth, so too is Boromir enriched by this addition.
- Just before the Ents storming of Isengard, the Huorns mobilise and leave to attend to business elsewhere; they reappear at Helms Deep to kill the Uruk-Hai as they flee.
- New ending, with Merry and Pippin finding a larder at Isengard, including two barrels of pipe-weed; a hilarious scene in which Gimli and Legolas compare their scores after the battle of Helms Deep; Frodo, Sam and Gollum are shown the way out of Osgiliath by Faramir, who threatens Gollum; theres even a brief moment in which Sam and Gollum appear to make peace.
- Along with all these major additions, many more scenes are subtly extended to give more information or reinforce themes already present.
SPOILERS END.........................................................
In all, its as much a treat for fans of The Two Towers as last years extended edition was to those of The Fellowship of the Ring if not more so, and despite the number of times Ive seen The Two Towers, I cant wait to see the Extended Edition again.
So combine this with the USA TOday review and we are starting to get a pretty good handle on what will be one this baby!! I am getting more and more excited!
http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=15741
Johnny Bartlett here, taking a break from the 9 to 5 (got me a total of 217 thats more than Shipman!) to bring you a look at the Exended Edition of The Two Towers. You know that feeling when theres a movie you ****in' love and youve seen it over and over, only after a while you start thinking Wouldnt it be cool if this time there was something different in there, just to surprise me? Or perhaps thats just me. Anyway, Im inclined to think Peter Jackson understands this well: like last years extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers: Extended Edition is a treasure trove for fans of the film - there's so much new stuff spread throughout that it really is like revisiting a beloved classic and finding it to be twice the experience you remembered. I wont bother reviewing the movie we heard it all late last year, right? but at 3 and 3/4 hours, The Two Towers now has an epic running time to match its scope, so if ya hated it last time, you'll hate it even more now. Effects in the added scenes are of equal quality to those of the theatrical footage (and I caught this one in a crew screening a few weeks back, so is was based on seeing it on the big screen) despite many of these shots having been completed just for the DVD. Your arse'll be so numb youll think it up and died on ya and your bladder filled to bursting, but if you loved The Two Towers, youll also be oblivious to the pain and grinning like an idiot. Spoilers? ****, yeah:
SPOILERS BEGIN......................................................
5
4
3
2
1
OK... You asked for it!
From memory, here are the major additions:
- Extended opening, in which the hobbits scale a cliff face using the rope Galadriel gave Sam, including a better build-up to the arrival of Gollum.
- More friction between the Uruk-Hai and the Orcs as they transport Merry and Pippin back to Isengard, which better sets up the fight over food that takes place later.
- More scenes of Saruman breeding his army, creating better pacing as the invasion of Rohan begins
- Terrific scene in which Eomer finds the body of Theodred, Theodens son.
- Additional scenes with Merry and Pippin, including extensions to existing Treebeard scenes and the Ent Draught sequence, in which the hobbits grow. In another scene, Treebeards soporific poetry works its magic.
- Theodreds funeral scene, with Eowyn singing a lament.
- A wonderful introduction to Aragorns horse Brego, who we learn was Theodreds horse. Aragorn requests Brego be set free, which places his later rescue in better context.
- Additional scenes between Eowyn and Aragorn, including one in which he attempts to eat a bowl of evil-looking stew.
- More scenes between Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, which expand upon the films politics (including the union between the two towers Gandalf scene from the trailer, though that line is missing from what I can remember).
- More of Sarumans musings, setting up themes that will be explored in The Return of the King.
- Flashback to the circumstances surrounding Boromir being sent to Rivendell for the Council of Elrond, taking place during the re-taking of Osgiliath by the Gondorian army. This sequence briefly introduces John Noble as Denethor, a major character in The Return of the King. I was worried this sequence would seem like an indulgence, but its difficult to imagine the film without it; not only is the character of Faramir, much maligned by fans of the book, given added depth, so too is Boromir enriched by this addition.
- Just before the Ents storming of Isengard, the Huorns mobilise and leave to attend to business elsewhere; they reappear at Helms Deep to kill the Uruk-Hai as they flee.
- New ending, with Merry and Pippin finding a larder at Isengard, including two barrels of pipe-weed; a hilarious scene in which Gimli and Legolas compare their scores after the battle of Helms Deep; Frodo, Sam and Gollum are shown the way out of Osgiliath by Faramir, who threatens Gollum; theres even a brief moment in which Sam and Gollum appear to make peace.
- Along with all these major additions, many more scenes are subtly extended to give more information or reinforce themes already present.
SPOILERS END.........................................................
In all, its as much a treat for fans of The Two Towers as last years extended edition was to those of The Fellowship of the Ring if not more so, and despite the number of times Ive seen The Two Towers, I cant wait to see the Extended Edition again.
So combine this with the USA TOday review and we are starting to get a pretty good handle on what will be one this baby!! I am getting more and more excited!
but it will be more than unreal.
I cant wait to get my statue of Smeagol either - then I will purchase the matching one (Gollum) 