Interesting Peter Jackson interview

[Dragonblade]

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/445/445262p1.html

I found his comments about the theatrical and extended edition DVDs interesting.

 

[Dragonblade]

98 views and not a single post?

I must admit everyone pretty much beat the whole Saruman footage being taken out thing to death. But, I'm surprised that nobody commented on PJ essentially saying that the Extended Editions are only for the fans and the theatrical release is the definitive version.

I always considered it the other way around. The theatrical release is for all the average Joes with short attention spans who just want to get to the action, whereas the Extended Editions are for those of us with a little more discriminating taste who want to see a much more detailed story unfold without being in such a rush to get there.

I have never met anyone, except one friend of mine, who likes the theatrical release more than the extended edition DVDs. And that guy thinks the new SW movies were brilliant masterpieces on par with the original trilogy, so that tells you where he is coming from.

 

[Look_a_Unicorn]

I thought the way PJ phrased it, it made sense: Those who are fans of the books & want as much immersion in the world as they can get -> Extended
A movie sculpted to be accessible to everyone in the most emotionally powerful way -> Cinematic.

I think it comes down to what you/he means by "definitive". As an entertaining movie, the cinematics are definitive. For a dedicated fan, the books are "definitive". The extended is only definitive if you redefine what definitive means.

Either way, I like the way he did it: I don't have to listen to the "clueless" masses complaining about all the bits they didn't think were relevant that slowed down the movie & gave them numb bums (hehe), whilst being able to join the Tolkien "Elite" who prefer the obviously superior Extended Version
{/Tongue-In-Cheek}

 

[shilsen]

The funy thing is that I (and a few other people I've spoken to) think that the Extended Versions would work better for someone totally new to Tolkien than the theatrical release. Both FotR and TTT flow a lot better in the Extended Versions, and for someone who doesn't have the book information to fill up the gaps and details in the movies, they are more "complete" than the theatrical release. IMO, of course.

 

[Ranger REG]

Personally, I think that the EE is for fans who want a more detailed version of the films. But some of the details are not necessary nor essential for an average moviegoers. I mean do we really need to know that Aragorn is actually 87 years old? The only thing we need to know is that he's a rugged ranger who will reluctantly and eventually become a ... err, something noble (to avoid a spoiler).

 

[Merlion]

What I want to know is this: Why is everyone upset that Saruman's death scene is being cut, and no one is saying anything about the fact that the Gandalf/Saruman staff breaking confrontation has aparently been cut.

 

[Ranger REG]

They're worried they're going to leave the average moviegoers hanging after having seen the battle at Isengard with the Ents in The Two Towers. They felt it should be wrapped up somehow (exactly how did Saruman died or defeated?), although I'm sure they're going to let Merry and Pippin carry the news about Saruman to the rest of the Fellowship and Gondor.

At least I'm hoping. (They were there, for Pete's sakes!)

 

[Merlion]

But that also means Pippin wont get his hands on the Palantir, and therefor nor will Aragorn...unless they right it in some other way.
To me the saruman/gandalf face of is a big part of the story, and I will sorely miss it.

 

[reapersaurus]

But that also means Pippin wont get his hands on the Palantir, and therefor nor will Aragorn...unless they right it in some other way.
To me the saruman/gandalf face of is a big part of the story, and I will sorely miss it.

Spoiler

Pippen gets his hands on the Palantir, according to my wife, who saw it tonight.
She confused about how Gandalf worked into the scene though... (not having read the books)

 

[nharwell]

The funy thing is that I (and a few other people I've spoken to) think that the Extended Versions would work better for someone totally new to Tolkien than the theatrical release. Both FotR and TTT flow a lot better in the Extended Versions, and for someone who doesn't have the book information to fill up the gaps and details in the movies, they are more "complete" than the theatrical release. IMO, of course.

Based on my anecdotal experience, I'd say that's accurate. Neither my wife, my mother, my grandmother, my wife's friends, nor my neighbors have read the books. For that matter, none of them are sci-fi/fantasy fans. But invariably they have all loved the extended versions, preferring them to theatrical cuts in both cases. For people unfamiliar with the stories, the theatrical cuts, while entertaining, have many "gaps" -- the extended versions more fully flesh out the characters and plotlines....