As I did with the Hobbit trilogy thread, I want to create as well a similar space for our beloved and legendary LOTR trilogy, which, I think, introduced many of us to this majestic World, having been itself widely acclaimed as one of the best, if not the best, trilogies ever made, with the incredible record of 17 Oscars on its own.
Feel free to discuss about anything related to these wonderful films, from technical to thematic and conceptual aspects :)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYdPvnnn_Y4/Txp047eZuUI/AAAAAAAAAyc/JUx96vai2-8/s1600/Lord+of+the+Rings+Motion+Picture+Trilogy.jpg)
P.S. I will set this thread and the Hobbit one sticky, to symbolise their significant status in this section ;)
I found this on 9gag so I'll just leave it here
(http://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aKqxmOQ_700b_v1.jpg)
If you find the pic a bit small click here (http://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aKqxmOQ_700b_v1.jpg)
I was recently watching again some extended scenes from LOTR, and I particularly enjoyed this one. It's the scene in which Aragorn finally unveils the 'mystery' of his longevity. It's really smart how they managed to introduce us (indirectly) to Númenor and the 'Northern Kingdom' (Arnor); actually, albeit mentioning them glancely, we are told that Númenóreans were legendary Men and that Arnor was destroyed (in the war against Angmar). Very smart indeed, also because of the context of the very footage itself, which doesn't seem at all to be so solemn and mythical.
I'm literally in love with these very peculiar parentheses inserted into the film narrative :)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=R9j7LFHmkO0
Do you have any other smart parenthesis in mind that you might want to share with us?
By the way, that soup/stew doesn't really give the idea of being one of the finest Rohan's delicatessens :D
Speaking about extended scenes, if you don't have knowledge of them yet, this is a little compilation of some of the scenes that were ultimately deleted both from the final version and from the extended version of LOTR (they are thus truly deleted scenes, not just extended scenes).
https://youtube.com/watch?v=x_k8RTKGlg0
I think there are still many unseen and 'mysterious' elements that are somehow hidden about LOTR. Beside these scenes, there are also a lot of behind-the-scenes pictures and footage of other scenes and alternative renditions that were eventually rejected. For example, I have a very vague remembrance of having seen, when I was a child, a sort of LOTR art book in which there were authentic pictures of the Goblins of Moria in a forest, during the night (pictures that are likely to come from the official footage). In addition to that, I discovered that they indeed filmed a sequence showing the Goblins coming out from Moria (thus, the warning of Aragorn about the hills that would have been swarming with Orcs could be a hint) and entering the Woods of Lórien, just to be exterminated by the Elves afterwards (something that actually happened in the books).
But, probably, apart from the deleted footage of the Last Alliance showing more frames of Gil Galad and Elendil, one of the most known deleted aspects of the trilogy is the original plot regarding Arwen and the Helm's Deep Battle, according to which she and Elrond went to Lothlórien to discuss the war and she was somehow sent with Haldir to the Helm's Deep, in order to support Aragorn and the defending forces of Rohan. There are many evidences here and there throughout the Internet, but the most famous one is actually in the very The Two Towers!
You can see Arwen, dressed in red, riding a horse and charging the Uruk-hai away from the battlefield, after the arrival of Gandalf. It's really a very fast frame.
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1a/86/45/1a86454f9f4b2ee59b338f5c3818c73a.jpg)
(http://www.bestweb.net/~jfgm/ArwenHelmsDeep.jpg)
The immense blessing of the sacred YouTube can also grant us the possibility to see a few hours of the LOTR behind-the-scenes for free (**)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=5PXuYK82rik
https://youtube.com/watch?v=eNTugwURMyU
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cpnARSapCUE
https://youtube.com/watch?v=4rl04Cy4sPU
https://youtube.com/watch?v=C8e6GWqIHrI
The trailers, when the three-part masterpiece was not completely manifest to us yet 8-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V75dMMIW2B4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYcw5ksV8YQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5X-hFf6Bwo
I bring more tiding from the darkest corners of the internet. I have found many things that were once lost. I have found a list of the deleted scenes although I cannot guarantee its reliability.
- Additional footage from the Battle of the Last Alliance in The Fellowship of the Ring prologue.
- An obscure shot from the trailers of two Elven girls playing about in Rivendell.
Scene mentioned in The Fellowship of the Ring commentary, about an animal disrupting Frodo and Sam while they sleep, after seeing the Wood Elves. Many animals were used, including rabbits and deer. - Dialogue from the Council of Elrond, such as Gandalf explaining how Sauron forged the One Ring.
- An attack by Orcs from Moria on Lothlórien after the Fellowship leaves Moria. Jackson replaced this with a more suspenseful entrance for the Fellowship. Much of the lost footage can be seen as promotional material on The Fellowship of the Ring theatrical DVD and tie-in books, documentary footage on the Extended Editions, and Trading Cards.
- More Arwen footage, including a flashback scene of her first meeting with a beardless Aragorn (seen in The Two Towers teaser).
- Faramir having a vision of Frodo becoming like Gollum.
- Footage of Arwen at Helm's Deep, cut by Jackson during a revision to the film's plot.
- Foreshadowing this sequence were scenes where Arwen and Elrond visit Galadriel at Lothlórien (seen in The Two Towers teaser trailer). The scene was edited down to a telepathic communication between Elrond and Galadriel.
- Théoden speaking to the troops in the armoury, prior to the Battle of Helm's Deep.
- Éowyn defending the refugees in the Glittering Caves from Uruk-hai intruders.
- An unknown scene displayed in The Two Towers preview of Éomer lowering a spear while riding his horse in a forest.
- Frodo and Sam fighting on the ground in Osgiliath (after Sam tackles Frodo away from the Ringwraith). The scene's fighting was deleted, but Frodo drawing Sting and pointing it at Sam after he is tackeled was left in.
- A line of dialogue during the death of Saruman, in which he reveals that Wormtongue poisoned Théodred, giving further context as to why Wormtongue kills Saruman and Legolas in turn kills Wormtongue.
- A conversation between Elrond and Arwen in a library in Rivendell, after Arwen decides to wait for Aragorn. Elrond leaves, saying, "You gave away your life's grace. I cannot protect you anymore."
- Sam using the Light of Eärendil to pass the Watchers at Cirith Ungol.
- Aragorn having his armour fitted during the preparations for the Battle of the Black Gate. This was the final scene filmed during principal photography.
- Sauron fighting Aragorn at the Black Gate. A computer-generated Troll was placed over Sauron due to Jackson feeling the scene was inappropriate. Sauron is also seen in a beautiful form as Annatar, Giver of Gifts.
- Also at the Black Gate sequence, Pippin was seen in the trailer holding a wounded Merry, a scene which takes place after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields upon Pippin discovering Merry under the mûmak.
- Further epilogue footage, including that of Legolas and Gimli, as well as Éowyn and
- Faramir's wedding and Aragorn's death and funeral.
And of course some more footage I found, some of it which overlaps with what Fredius has already found but also some new stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_k8RTKGlg0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybiAMHT7HvA&feature=youtu.be
And now, back to work! (being an evil dark lord is a full time occupation)
(http://i.giphy.com/GM9xeWzhdeKSQ.gif)
How close is it to the cinematographic depiction? ;)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M2w-bXYi0EE/TAsDxCnDLJI/AAAAAAAADGw/dHKP1Lktxr8/s1600/Minas+Tirith.jpg)