20:14 it’s really crazy when you put it into perspective. Frodo signed up to take the ring to the next town over, meet Gandalf and Aragorn, and then go with them to take it to the elves. That’s it, that’s all he was supposed to do, and he ended up spending an entire year being hunted, stabbed, beaten, and tortured, all while starving to death and having his literal soul poisoned.
Hahaha. This hit perfect for me because I listened to the first half as a podcast then came back to watch the video and thought “oh, I didn’t remember them saying that they were gonna talk about Jack” then literally lol’d when he said they’d edit it in.
One of the most underrated scenes is when Sam sips his beer and goes to talk to Rosie. He finally got the courage to talk to the woman he loves after all the turmoil and tribulations. Talking to a beautiful woman is as hard as fighting all of the forces of Mordor.
Fun bit of Return of the King Trivia: Some of the dialogue in Theoden's death scene is identical to lines in Vader's death scene in Return of the Jedi. Eowyn/Luke- "I'm going to save you." Theoden/Vader- "You already have." This homage led to the working title of the film being Blue Harvest, which as we all know was also the working title of the original Star Wars.
i've always appreciated how, even Middle Earth's BEST man, with his magic(?) sword and lucky dagger, in the climax of a three-long-movie-length story, is in NO WAY going to beat that troll 1v1. Aragorn is really just getting his ass handed to him in front of Eru Iluvatar and everybody. good stuff.
They have the same conversation in the book except he reminds Bilbo that he went to get rid of it. Given that Bilbo was at the council of Elrond in the book and needed prompting to remember it I think dementia was setting in at that point
Theoden's face when he sees the ring Wraith coming down to kill him is just... top 5 "i'm f!cked" faces in Hollywood history it even has a hint of "oh what the hell lets just get this over with, because today has just been sh!t!" in it.... right up there with Jeff Daniels in Speed.
16:32 What George R. R. Martin oh wait What Tokien would have potentially done The reason why we have the conclusion of Gollum falling into the volcano is because he made an oath with Frodo is that he would throw himself into Mount Doom if he ever betray Frodo. So he betrayed Frodo and got the result of his oath. Oath in Tokien is something unbreakable. Another thing about the cut Sauron fight is that in the beginning of the first movie, we already saw Sauron getting defeated. But he is still there and waiting to return. If they do the same thing and let Aragon defeating physical Sauron again it would create the question is that "Is he really defeated? We saw him coming back before. What is the different this time" and at the same time it undermines the accomplishment of Frodo and Sam. They were not fighting to win the battle, they were fighting knowingly they would die in order to give Frodo a better chance of finishing the job. Portraying Aragon defeating Sauron would defeat that whole purpose. Frodo always has some short of distance with other hobbits. He was around with Bilbo and actually have the ring for a while which extended his life time. So he is way older than other "hobbit friends". After the journey, not only he was broken but also he really has noone to relate to. Bilbo has aged so much as his age was catching up after he left the Ring to Frodo. He doesn't belong in the Shrine anymore even if he wanted to. He just had to go. It was so sad
Imagine, Frodo leaves with the Elves to finally have some piece and wakes up in a Mad Max esc wasteland when he could have just stayed in the Shire and chilled
Fun fact: Christopher Lee fought in World War II, and when his character is being stabbed in the back, Peter Jackson came up to Christopher Lee and told him he needed to project his screams louder, and Christopher Lee just looked at him and very calmly told him… I know what a man sounds like when he’s being violently stabbed in the back lol
He originally insisted that Saruman die by violently exploding, and that his blood would splatter across the industrial wasteland of Isengard and fertilise it for crops to grow. Given Sir Christopher Lee's aristocratic heritage (referred to colloquially as 'blue blood') the event gave rise to the working title for the film being "Blue Harvest", which funnily enough was also the working title for Star Wars.
So Jackson came to Weinstein with the idea for a trilogy of films, then Weinstein said, "Do it how I want or I'll replace you with another director" even though it was Jackson's idea in the first place? And then Weinstein complained that HE wasn't being treated with respect?? Nasty work.
Cutting out Saruman's ending was such a terrible decision. Millions of people sat through 6 hours where he was the main villain, more prominent than Sauron, and you're not going to tell them what happens? (I think lots of casual viewers probably thought that WAS Sauron)
Also massive disrespect to Christopher Lee the only guy who actually met Tolkien. I think you could easily cut out half the Gollum stuff and leave enough room for Saruman.
@@Gzilla313I think that would’ve been a mistake. Yes they definitely should have kept Saruman’s death but the scouring would’ve destroyed the pacing of ROTK if it was in there and the trilogy if it was made into a fourth movie. I love that they filmed the scouring but as a possible future during the Galadriel scene.
I think a part of the reason is that they have not finallize if they wanted to do the post quest Shrine story quest yet. Because in the book after the hobbit came back, the Shrine was underattacked by Saruman. And it is when they defeated him for real. If they put the part in the movie that means they also closed the door for the post quest Shrine storyline. But it is just me excusing. Not having Saruman appearing in the 3rd movie was very strange. I totally forgot about him until the very end
Even in the books the scouring of the shire is a bit randomly thrown in and ruins the pacing and emotional arc of the story. In a film it’d ruin the already half dozen endings. They could have added the scene where Wormtongue stabs him why not but it is inconsequential at that point. The world is saved and the shire or a wizard is ultimately irrelevant to the future.
20:04 - going from LOTR to The Hobbit is so extremely jarring. The original looks so beautifully lit and shot, and to suddenly look upon the trainwreck blooming hell that is The Hobbit feels surreal. Like, what the hell happened? I know they were trying to emulate the old style, but they missed the mark so absurdly for being professionals working in Hollywood.
They were given no time to prepare (at least compared to LOTR) and had to freewheel with whatever they could do in a greenscreen studio. The entire design philosophy of the movies changed with the last minute switch of directors. Plus the fact that it all had to be shot for 3D and the higher framerate probably didn't help.
The Hobbit is what needs to be remade... We don't need Rings Of Power, or Hunting Gollum, or any of the other Non JRRT stuff that's being shat out currently... Maybe we'll get lucky and Dennis Villeneuve will do it after Dune.
They used 3D and digital camera filming on 48 FPS instead of standard 24. The thing with those is that you need sufficient light to get the image captured properly. So they had to lighted up all the scene which made the result footage look cheap with not enough contrast or shadow even though the production and the set was very good
Them removing Christopher Lee from the final cut is a crying shame. The reason the studio removed him is so they can sell more with the extended editions on dvd. I know they claim it was for narrative and pacing reasons, but I don't think so.
Shelob's lair is the reason I'm arachnophobic. It goes on for way longer than your average scary scene in a movie and becomes torturous with that music and all the webs Frodo gets stuck in. It's one of the best movies in history, but that scene just fucks me up to no end.
9:46 This is the one part of the film which unequivocally better in the theatrical version, because it comes as a surprise to see them after like 40mins of no bois. In the extended it shows every grubby detail of them and the ghosts coming to town, so instead of me feeling like OH SHIT THE BOIS ARE BACK IN TOWN! I'm more like finally the bloody bois made it, what took ya?
@alltradesjack502 Finally! I've been thinking this for ages. Everyone keeps praising the extended editions, but the extra ghost stuff takes the edge off the arrival at the docks, Jackson made the right choice there, more people need to acknowledge this
7:13 Liv Tyler and Cate Blanchett are both incredibly attractive people, but Miranda Otto is the most beautiful woman in this film, in my opinion. This is my ladder surrounded rampart, and I choose to die on it.
I always thought Aragorn should have gone for Eowyn tbf but then I also think Harry Potter should have got with Luna Lovegood so I don't know if my opinion counts...
I can hardly believe that I won the “Thoughts and Prizes” contest this week! A huge thank you to James for presenting me with my amazing new 1997 Honda Odyssey. It’s such an incredible gift, and I’m truly grateful. I can already picture all the adventures I’ll take in it. What a fantastic surprise!
21:30 I know Tolkien hated allegory, but I always thought of Frodo going to the undying lands as Tolkien, who was very catholic, accepting that after war sometimes suicide is understandable. You’re missed, you’re loved, but by those who were with him they understood. You can never go home again..
I think that's a totally valid interpretation. The issue with the "tolkien hated allegory" conversation is that this idea has come from people quoting each other quoting tolkien out of context (and even if it was true, doesn't mean he didn't do it). Tolkien even says he thinks "most people confuse applicability with allegory" - the difference between Tolkien saying "this is meant to be about cathloic ideas about suicide" and "this is very obviously based on catholic ideas about suicide": to him, the latter doesn't impose his ideas on the reader. He clearly built his world and history off our world's myth, history, and religion, as well as his own experience and people dismissing that has always reduced the value of the stories he wrote. I think you're right, and to go further, I'd say its him discussing how trauma basically kills you already, frodo in the books is compared to a hollowed shell, a walking ghost for most of his time after the scouring of the shire. Not fully whole. War is a form of sucide that leaves few survivors among those who physically continue to live. I always took the difference between Bilbo's story and Frodo's just before this to be directly drawn from tolkiens experiences in ww1, it was a well documented reaction to a generation that grew up in a culture glorifying the honour and excitement of war, and downplaying the conversations about traumas and suffering that they didn't full understand yet.
Wait what? James must be kidding here 26:18 Clearly Frodo is telling a white lie to Bilbo, because 1) Bilbo loved the ring, and knowing that it was destroyed would sadden him, and 2) he probably just doesn't have it in him to tell all the whys and hows the ring was destroyed (you know, trauma and whatnot). I thought that subtext was pretty well done in that sequence.
Saruman's death in the extended version is one of the funniest things I have ever seen in a movie. I laughed for so long that I have to pause the movie.
i would like to think there are prizes, James just keeping it all for himself. Like Gollum, Frodo and Bilbo wanted to keep The Ring for themselves, James just wants to keep the prizes for himself. It's his precious.
@@li-limandragon9287I prefer the slower pace. The emotions and themes are much stronger in LotR and they pay off much better since they’re so slowly built up. The Hobbit is definitely a fun romp, but the Silmarillion is really where it’s at. Totally stylized as an ancient epic with no modern trappings unfolding the unending war and suffering that led to the world of LotR.
Tolkien don’t you know always intended the gothic hot spider lady he was inspired by Rebecca in Ivanhoe and actually based Luthien, Arwen and the rest of the hotties on his initial plans for Shelob. What the Anglo Saxons would’ve called a “hæda ecge” a real sexy bitch.
I always saw the ending as Frodo did die while climbing the mountain and Sam musters his spirit to keep going. Then he takes the boat to heaven essentially. Great film rewatched them all again in theatres for the anniversary.
Am I the only one who thinks Otto is/was more attractive than Tyler? Am I? OK then. 10:44 Thing is, in the book they were released much earlier. The ghost rampage through south Gondor, destroy the Corsairs of Umbar, and then the armies of south Gondor (especially Dol Amroth) can come to help in Minas Tirith with Aragorn. And that's how he was acclaimed by all the lords of Gondor --by fighting alongside them. Then are released in Pelargir and then Aragorn brings an army of living Men to Minas Tirith. In the movie, however, they're much more of a _deus ex machina_ .
Frodo told Bilbo he lost it because what was the point of telling this old man that he had to throw it into a volcano lol Bilbo I’m sure was going further senile at that point and didn’t even remember the fact that it was evil and it needed to be destroyed
After a weeks long wait, this epic conclusion did not disappoint. So many great bits and edits that had me laughing a lot. Great work fellas. Now everytime I think of this movie, I will wonder why they didnt have a guy at the top of Mt Doom to kick Sam and Frodo down from the top. Or just a door 😂😂 😂😂😂
Some excerpts from the book: 《Ever since the middle night the great assault had gone on. The drums rolled. To the north and to the south company upon company of the enemy pressed to the walls. There came great beasts, like moving houses in the red and fitful light, the _mûmakil_ of the Harad dragging through the lanes amid the fires huge towers and engines. Yet their Captain cared not greatly what they did or how many might be slain: their purpose was only to test the strength of the defence and to keep the men of Gondor busy in many places. It was against the Gate that he would throw his heaviest weight. Very strong it might be, wrought of steel and iron, and guarded with towers and bastions of indomitable stone, yet it was the key, the weakest point in all that high and impenetrable wall. The drums rolled louder. Fires leaped up. Great engines crawled across the field; and in the midst was a huge ram, great as a forest-tree a hundred feet in length, swinging on mighty chains. Long had it been forging in the dark smithies of Mordor, and its hideous head, founded of black steel, was shaped in the likeness of a ravening wolf; on it spells of ruin lay. Grond they named it, in memory of the Hammer of the Underworld of old. Great beasts drew it, orcs surrounded it, and behind walked mountain-trolls to wield it. But about the Gate resistance still was stout, and there the knights of Dol Amroth and the hardiest of the garrison stood at bay. Shot and dart fell thick; siege-towers crashed or blazed suddenly like torches. All before the walls on either side of the Gate the ground was choked with wreck and with bodies of the slain; yet still driven as by a madness more and more came up. Grond crawled on. Upon its housing no fire would catch; and though now and again some great beast that hauled it would go mad and spread stamping ruin among the orcs innumerable that guarded it, their bodies were cast aside from its path and others took their place. Grond crawled on. The drums rolled wildly. Over the hills of slain a hideous shape appeared: a horseman, tall, hooded, cloaked in black. Slowly, trampling the fallen, he rode forth, heeding no longer any dart. He halted and held up a long pale sword. And as he did so a great fear fell on all, defender and foe alike; and the hands of men drooped to their sides, and no bow sang. For a moment all was still. The drums rolled and rattled. With a vast rush Grond was hurled forward by huge hands. It reached the Gate. It swung. A deep boom rumbled through the City like thunder running in the clouds. But the doors of iron and posts of steel withstood the stroke. Then the Black Captain rose in his stirrups and cried aloud in a dreadful voice, speaking in some forgotten tongue words of power and terror to rend both heart and stone. Thrice he cried. Thrice the great ram boomed. And suddenly upon the last stroke the Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a flash of searing lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face. All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dínen. ‘You cannot enter here,’ said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. ‘Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!’ The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter. ‘Old fool!’ he said. ‘Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!’ And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade. Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the City, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of wizardry or war, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn. And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin’s sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last. [...] Now silently the host of Rohan moved forward into the field of Gondor, pouring in slowly but steadily, like the rising tide through breaches in a dike that men have thought secure. But the mind and will of the Black Captain were bent wholly on the falling city, and as yet no tidings came to him warning that his designs held any flaw. After a while the king led his men away somewhat eastward, to come between the fires of the siege and the outer fields. Still they were unchallenged, and still Théoden gave no signal. At last he halted once again. The City was now nearer. A smell of burning was in the air and a very shadow of death. The horses were uneasy. But the king sat upon Snowmane, motionless, gazing upon the agony of Minas Tirith, as if stricken suddenly by anguish, or by dread. He seemed to shrink down, cowed by age. Merry himself felt as if a great weight of horror and doubt had settled on him. His heart beat slowly. Time seemed poised in uncertainty. They were too late! Too late was worse than never! Perhaps Théoden would quail, bow his old head, turn, slink away to hide in the hills. Then suddenly Merry felt it at last, beyond doubt: a change. Wind was in his face! Light was glimmering. Far, far away, in the South the clouds could be dimly seen as remote grey shapes, rolling up, drifting: morning lay beyond them. But at that same moment there was a flash, as if lightning had sprung from the earth beneath the City. For a searing second it stood dazzling far off in black and white, its topmost tower like a glittering needle; and then as the darkness closed again there came rolling over the fields a great _boom._ At that sound the bent shape of the king sprang suddenly erect. Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before: _Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!_ _Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter!_ _spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered,_ _a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!_ _Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!_ With that he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains. _Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!_ Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first _éored_ roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City. [...] Over the field rang his clear voice calling: ‘Death! Ride, ride to ruin and the world’s ending!’ [...] _Death_ they cried with one voice loud and terrible.》 - The Return of the King, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
I know they always include Corridor Crew clips but them leaning into and committing to a whole VFX Artists React bit was sooo good!😂 MrSundanyMovies and Corridor(Crew) are my top 2 channels so this was crossover I never expected, come true.👏🏾
I love the idea that as Australians James and Mason are just so numb to spiders at this point that a giant one is more of an inconvenience than a threat
I would've bet all the colorful money you guys use that you would mention the interview Peter Jackson gave about Christopher Lee getting stabbed in the back in his scene. Where Christopher Lee had to explain how a man really sounds when they're stabbed in the back. Christopher Lee was a complete badass in WW2 as Royal Air Force Special Operations Officer. What an absolute legend. Shame they cut his scene.
Only James would be able to sour a beautiful video, on some beautiful movies, at the end of *A* year by talking about Harvey Weinstein. This is the tonal whiplash I subscribed for
You know what's crazy? All the talk about the genuinely impressive tech that went into the CGI work for this movie took so many people and so much time. Yet I can pull off arguably better results with far fewer skills, Unreal Engine 5, Blender, some generative AI, and a decent computer. Solo and in a fraction of the time. We live in strange times!
Alright then. Keep your prizes.
The prize was always that we get more "Thoughts and Prizes"
He can keep his bloody thoughts too as far as I'm concerned
this is a perfect comment
The prizes is the friends we made along the way.
Precious
Again the editing is immaculate
Ben never misses!!!
😂 3:58 except when he does! 😅 immaculate my ass
Timing Gandalf's 'no' with Masons ... Just mwah.❤
@@hada__02 came here to say this
So they're various sa charges against ben from girls he went to school with.
20:14 it’s really crazy when you put it into perspective. Frodo signed up to take the ring to the next town over, meet Gandalf and Aragorn, and then go with them to take it to the elves. That’s it, that’s all he was supposed to do, and he ended up spending an entire year being hunted, stabbed, beaten, and tortured, all while starving to death and having his literal soul poisoned.
another WW1 comparison, they thought that would be over in a couple of months.
@@johnwilkins7321 "Home by Christmas" has been a running gag for heads of state underestimating their opponents since forever.
The gang is back in town. Gimli, Aragon and My Bow
Don't forget Jack Nicholson
My bow got some msg skills
Maso: Enunciates "Aragorn" to make sure people don't get mad at him for mispronunciation again
Also Maso: "Penellor"
The Matt Painting bit is one of my favourite bits in a long time
One of those stupid ones that got me so hard for some reason
Reminds me of Teddy thinking Bob’s last name is Burger in Bob’s Burgers
Don’t forget about his wife, Ms. Paint
Haha I was so confused why they had said "Jack Nicholson" with no context.
Best joke of the series ever....
Although, it did actually help later on when they finally got to that story about him. I thought, "Oh, yeah, they did mention him earlier."
Hahaha. This hit perfect for me because I listened to the first half as a podcast then came back to watch the video and thought “oh, I didn’t remember them saying that they were gonna talk about Jack” then literally lol’d when he said they’d edit it in.
a near 40 minute caravan of garbage video about one of the most iconic movies of all time, yes please and thank you
One of the most underrated scenes is when Sam sips his beer and goes to talk to Rosie. He finally got the courage to talk to the woman he loves after all the turmoil and tribulations. Talking to a beautiful woman is as hard as fighting all of the forces of Mordor.
Because when you fight a battle and do a good job - you win. But if you do your job and talk to a woman, you can lose. It's not a fair fight :(
The edit of Gangalf explaining death with Mason doing some ADR made my freaking year. Thank you
Coca Cola. In all the fountains.
@Brighton24601 😂😂😂
To be fair, taking a ghost army to attack Sauron, also known as the Necromancer, might not be the best idea
Necromancer is just Sauron’s ghetto name
@li-limandragon9287 Mordor is in dire need of the old SoDoSoPa treatment if they hope to get a Whole Foods
Fun bit of Return of the King Trivia: Some of the dialogue in Theoden's death scene is identical to lines in Vader's death scene in Return of the Jedi.
Eowyn/Luke- "I'm going to save you."
Theoden/Vader- "You already have."
This homage led to the working title of the film being Blue Harvest, which as we all know was also the working title of the original Star Wars.
😠
He did it again, everybody!
Well played
Probably the most legit Blue Harvest skit we've ever had!
My man
I'm glad to see you guys giving Matt Painting his due. He's been working so long in Hollywood, it's about time he got his flowers.
This one was originally supposed to be titled "Gandalf Goes to Hawaii" but the meddling studios insisted on changing it at the last minute.
Gandalf’s mate goes to Hawaii
“Gandalf the white? Gandalf the fool!” [leans back in lounge chair, sips Mai Tai]
"Sam going back to his mute wife." 😂😂😂
i've always appreciated how, even Middle Earth's BEST man, with his magic(?) sword and lucky dagger, in the climax of a three-long-movie-length story, is in NO WAY going to beat that troll 1v1. Aragorn is really just getting his ass handed to him in front of Eru Iluvatar and everybody. good stuff.
Frodo told Bilbo he lost the ring because it pained him to realize his uncle still yearned for it after all he'd been through.
They have the same conversation in the book except he reminds Bilbo that he went to get rid of it. Given that Bilbo was at the council of Elrond in the book and needed prompting to remember it I think dementia was setting in at that point
Somebody's trying to get his prizes
The idea that Frodo thought Legolas' name is "Mybow" absolutely killed me 😂
0:53 "You're like, the 3rd scariest person to threaten me today.... Really, that's not as bad as it sounds" ~ Harry Dresden
Theoden's face when he sees the ring Wraith coming down to kill him is just... top 5 "i'm f!cked" faces in Hollywood history it even has a hint of "oh what the hell lets just get this over with, because today has just been sh!t!" in it.... right up there with Jeff Daniels in Speed.
The 7 units shooting 7 days a week is actually a reference to "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"
Which coincidentally is the working title of the original Star Wars from 1977
@@guillaumelagueyte1019 and if Lucas hadn't moved the whole thing to space, we'd have the in-between title, "One Bride for One Brother"
16:32 What George R. R. Martin oh wait What Tokien would have potentially done
The reason why we have the conclusion of Gollum falling into the volcano is because he made an oath with Frodo is that he would throw himself into Mount Doom if he ever betray Frodo. So he betrayed Frodo and got the result of his oath. Oath in Tokien is something unbreakable.
Another thing about the cut Sauron fight is that in the beginning of the first movie, we already saw Sauron getting defeated. But he is still there and waiting to return. If they do the same thing and let Aragon defeating physical Sauron again it would create the question is that "Is he really defeated? We saw him coming back before. What is the different this time" and at the same time it undermines the accomplishment of Frodo and Sam. They were not fighting to win the battle, they were fighting knowingly they would die in order to give Frodo a better chance of finishing the job. Portraying Aragon defeating Sauron would defeat that whole purpose.
Frodo always has some short of distance with other hobbits. He was around with Bilbo and actually have the ring for a while which extended his life time. So he is way older than other "hobbit friends". After the journey, not only he was broken but also he really has noone to relate to. Bilbo has aged so much as his age was catching up after he left the Ring to Frodo. He doesn't belong in the Shrine anymore even if he wanted to. He just had to go. It was so sad
I'm so glad someone else finally shouted out Matt Painting. That guy never gets the credit he deserves.
God, I love these boys.
I mean Aragorn, Gimli and Mybow. James and Maso are all right I guess.
Imagine, Frodo leaves with the Elves to finally have some piece and wakes up in a Mad Max esc wasteland when he could have just stayed in the Shire and chilled
Fun fact: Christopher Lee fought in World War II, and when his character is being stabbed in the back, Peter Jackson came up to Christopher Lee and told him he needed to project his screams louder, and Christopher Lee just looked at him and very calmly told him… I know what a man sounds like when he’s being violently stabbed in the back lol
And that's why he was cut from the theatrical edition!
He originally insisted that Saruman die by violently exploding, and that his blood would splatter across the industrial wasteland of Isengard and fertilise it for crops to grow. Given Sir Christopher Lee's aristocratic heritage (referred to colloquially as 'blue blood') the event gave rise to the working title for the film being "Blue Harvest", which funnily enough was also the working title for Star Wars.
Much more than "fought in the war" friend, he was in RAF intelligence/special operations.
Great, wrong movie. That was 2 weeks ago.
Hawaiian vacation Saruman is the best Saruman.
“Late is the hour at which… I joined the pig roast on the beach”
Return of the King is my favorite of the trilogy. It has a lot of my favorite moments, top moment being when Sam carries Frodo up Mount Doom
How could they say this was the weakest part?! There's at least 4 standout moments to me
This lord of the rings series has been the lord of the rings series of film reviews
Honestly, my prize is the consistently seeing the dark haired Bob Barker of my youth.
This is the best of the three films, but besides that all of your opinions are correct.
I have legitimately been concerned for the well being of Lawrence and Ben for the past two weeks. Hope you’re taking time for yourself boys
So Jackson came to Weinstein with the idea for a trilogy of films, then Weinstein said, "Do it how I want or I'll replace you with another director" even though it was Jackson's idea in the first place? And then Weinstein complained that HE wasn't being treated with respect?? Nasty work.
I’m beginning to get the sense this Harvey Weinstein fella doesn’t respect other people very much
Love being able to tell it’s Lawrence editing something cause of the attack on titan clips
I'm beginning to think that there's no prizes for "Thoughts and Prizes."
HERASEY
The real prize is the thoughts we had along the way
But you did think, so that does increase your chances of winning some prizes
Aragorn, standing in front of the gates of Mordor, looking back at his army: …for prizes
I can't wait for the extended editions of these videos. I hear in those you finally get to see Prizuman fall to his death from atop his tower.
Cutting out Saruman's ending was such a terrible decision. Millions of people sat through 6 hours where he was the main villain, more prominent than Sauron, and you're not going to tell them what happens? (I think lots of casual viewers probably thought that WAS Sauron)
Also massive disrespect to Christopher Lee the only guy who actually met Tolkien. I think you could easily cut out half the Gollum stuff and leave enough room for Saruman.
They could have made an entire 4th movie for the scouring of the Shire to show Saruman’s death.
@@Gzilla313I think that would’ve been a mistake. Yes they definitely should have kept Saruman’s death but the scouring would’ve destroyed the pacing of ROTK if it was in there and the trilogy if it was made into a fourth movie. I love that they filmed the scouring but as a possible future during the Galadriel scene.
I think a part of the reason is that they have not finallize if they wanted to do the post quest Shrine story quest yet. Because in the book after the hobbit came back, the Shrine was underattacked by Saruman. And it is when they defeated him for real. If they put the part in the movie that means they also closed the door for the post quest Shrine storyline. But it is just me excusing. Not having Saruman appearing in the 3rd movie was very strange. I totally forgot about him until the very end
Even in the books the scouring of the shire is a bit randomly thrown in and ruins the pacing and emotional arc of the story. In a film it’d ruin the already half dozen endings. They could have added the scene where Wormtongue stabs him why not but it is inconsequential at that point. The world is saved and the shire or a wizard is ultimately irrelevant to the future.
20:04 - going from LOTR to The Hobbit is so extremely jarring. The original looks so beautifully lit and shot, and to suddenly look upon the trainwreck blooming hell that is The Hobbit feels surreal. Like, what the hell happened? I know they were trying to emulate the old style, but they missed the mark so absurdly for being professionals working in Hollywood.
They were given no time to prepare (at least compared to LOTR) and had to freewheel with whatever they could do in a greenscreen studio. The entire design philosophy of the movies changed with the last minute switch of directors. Plus the fact that it all had to be shot for 3D and the higher framerate probably didn't help.
@@videogamenostalgiaIt’s sucks because I actually like the Hobbit book better than the LOTR book trilogy. I hope gets a good adaptation one day.
The Hobbit is what needs to be remade... We don't need Rings Of Power, or Hunting Gollum, or any of the other Non JRRT stuff that's being shat out currently...
Maybe we'll get lucky and Dennis Villeneuve will do it after Dune.
They used 3D and digital camera filming on 48 FPS instead of standard 24. The thing with those is that you need sufficient light to get the image captured properly. So they had to lighted up all the scene which made the result footage look cheap with not enough contrast or shadow even though the production and the set was very good
3D also meant that the perspective tricks used for LOTR wouldn't work, so scale stuff had to be done with CG in all instances. Same with miniatures.
Them removing Christopher Lee from the final cut is a crying shame. The reason the studio removed him is so they can sell more with the extended editions on dvd. I know they claim it was for narrative and pacing reasons, but I don't think so.
The lip sync parts are so good. haha
Nah bro, third one is the strongest of the 3.
Maybe the prizes are the thoughts we had along the way.
Shelob's lair is the reason I'm arachnophobic. It goes on for way longer than your average scary scene in a movie and becomes torturous with that music and all the webs Frodo gets stuck in. It's one of the best movies in history, but that scene just fucks me up to no end.
9:46 This is the one part of the film which unequivocally better in the theatrical version, because it comes as a surprise to see them after like 40mins of no bois. In the extended it shows every grubby detail of them and the ghosts coming to town, so instead of me feeling like OH SHIT THE BOIS ARE BACK IN TOWN! I'm more like finally the bloody bois made it, what took ya?
@alltradesjack502 Finally! I've been thinking this for ages. Everyone keeps praising the extended editions, but the extra ghost stuff takes the edge off the arrival at the docks, Jackson made the right choice there, more people need to acknowledge this
13:56 I literally screamed "JESUS CHRIST" and nearly span off my chair :p a warning for me and my fellow cowards would have been nice guys!
Ahhh, the falling Denethor to falling Balrog transition... 'chef's kiss'
This is the OG “Blue Harvest”!
My two favourite old people are back with the best lord of rings movie can’t wait
Frodo tells Bilbo he lost the ring because he misses it
7:13 Liv Tyler and Cate Blanchett are both incredibly attractive people, but Miranda Otto is the most beautiful woman in this film, in my opinion.
This is my ladder surrounded rampart, and I choose to die on it.
I always thought Aragorn should have gone for Eowyn tbf but then I also think Harry Potter should have got with Luna Lovegood so I don't know if my opinion counts...
@SeaBeast4Life I mean, that's my exact opinion for Harry Potter too, so it counts for me m8!
6:17 KEITH Urban?? 😂
I can hardly believe that I won the “Thoughts and Prizes” contest this week! A huge thank you to James for presenting me with my amazing new 1997 Honda Odyssey. It’s such an incredible gift, and I’m truly grateful. I can already picture all the adventures I’ll take in it. What a fantastic surprise!
21:30 I know Tolkien hated allegory, but I always thought of Frodo going to the undying lands as Tolkien, who was very catholic, accepting that after war sometimes suicide is understandable. You’re missed, you’re loved, but by those who were with him they understood.
You can never go home again..
I think that's a totally valid interpretation. The issue with the "tolkien hated allegory" conversation is that this idea has come from people quoting each other quoting tolkien out of context (and even if it was true, doesn't mean he didn't do it). Tolkien even says he thinks "most people confuse applicability with allegory" - the difference between Tolkien saying "this is meant to be about cathloic ideas about suicide" and "this is very obviously based on catholic ideas about suicide": to him, the latter doesn't impose his ideas on the reader. He clearly built his world and history off our world's myth, history, and religion, as well as his own experience and people dismissing that has always reduced the value of the stories he wrote. I think you're right, and to go further, I'd say its him discussing how trauma basically kills you already, frodo in the books is compared to a hollowed shell, a walking ghost for most of his time after the scouring of the shire. Not fully whole. War is a form of sucide that leaves few survivors among those who physically continue to live.
I always took the difference between Bilbo's story and Frodo's just before this to be directly drawn from tolkiens experiences in ww1, it was a well documented reaction to a generation that grew up in a culture glorifying the honour and excitement of war, and downplaying the conversations about traumas and suffering that they didn't full understand yet.
Incredible - sawing the seeds early - work, on that Jack Nicholson fact later in the video, James.
Fun fact: Rodney
Rodney…?…
@@ryanb4940 Rodney?!
Rodneyyyyyyy
“Tree Impaling Nosie”
RODNEY!!!
Wait what? James must be kidding here 26:18
Clearly Frodo is telling a white lie to Bilbo, because 1) Bilbo loved the ring, and knowing that it was destroyed would sadden him, and 2) he probably just doesn't have it in him to tell all the whys and hows the ring was destroyed (you know, trauma and whatnot). I thought that subtext was pretty well done in that sequence.
You know who could have taken the ring to Mordor, no problem? That Guy Who Yells Rodney!
#JusticeForThatGuyWhoYellsRodney
The corridor crew part was hilarious 😂
I randomly will watch the Ride of the Rohirrim scene with the speech and screams and music - that may be my favorite 4 minute of cinema ever
Saruman's death in the extended version is one of the funniest things I have ever seen in a movie. I laughed for so long that I have to pause the movie.
That was probably the best thoughts and prizes James has ever done, shame no one won. Guess there's always next year
“Sam, I can’t recall the taste of prizes”
30:27 I once trained a young boxer who admitted that when his girlfriend visits him, he wants her to walk around barefooted.
i would like to think there are prizes, James just keeping it all for himself. Like Gollum, Frodo and Bilbo wanted to keep The Ring for themselves, James just wants to keep the prizes for himself. It's his precious.
As someone who has read all of Tolkien’s works multiple times, these videos are equally funny and frustrating.
Having read the books, the Hobbit is so better paced than LOTR it’s insane. I hope the Hobbit gets a really good adaptation one day.
@@li-limandragon9287I prefer the slower pace. The emotions and themes are much stronger in LotR and they pay off much better since they’re so slowly built up. The Hobbit is definitely a fun romp, but the Silmarillion is really where it’s at. Totally stylized as an ancient epic with no modern trappings unfolding the unending war and suffering that led to the world of LotR.
I don't usually fall asleep at the cinema, but when I do, it's Return Of The King
Missed opportunity during the “Aragorn” bit… to have a picture of James head on the Gorn from the original Star Trek show 😂
13:52 is that the same spider Shadow of War made a sexy woman villain
Tolkien don’t you know always intended the gothic hot spider lady he was inspired by Rebecca in Ivanhoe and actually based Luthien, Arwen and the rest of the hotties on his initial plans for Shelob.
What the Anglo Saxons would’ve called a “hæda ecge” a real sexy bitch.
Stupid sexy spider!
I always saw the ending as Frodo did die while climbing the mountain and Sam musters his spirit to keep going. Then he takes the boat to heaven essentially. Great film rewatched them all again in theatres for the anniversary.
Posted: 45mins ago
Comments: 21hrs ago
Early access be like that
Please do a commentary on one of The Santa Clause movies
Am I the only one who thinks Otto is/was more attractive than Tyler? Am I? OK then.
10:44 Thing is, in the book they were released much earlier. The ghost rampage through south Gondor, destroy the Corsairs of Umbar, and then the armies of south Gondor (especially Dol Amroth) can come to help in Minas Tirith with Aragorn. And that's how he was acclaimed by all the lords of Gondor --by fighting alongside them. Then are released in Pelargir and then Aragorn brings an army of living Men to Minas Tirith. In the movie, however, they're much more of a _deus ex machina_ .
RODNEY!!! Also, Merry Christmas guys! This is my favorite channel
Frodo told Bilbo he lost it because what was the point of telling this old man that he had to throw it into a volcano lol Bilbo I’m sure was going further senile at that point and didn’t even remember the fact that it was evil and it needed to be destroyed
Thanks for the Gavin and Stacey jumpscare at the start!
Editing at 13:34 - chef's kiss
After a weeks long wait, this epic conclusion did not disappoint. So many great bits and edits that had me laughing a lot. Great work fellas. Now everytime I think of this movie, I will wonder why they didnt have a guy at the top of Mt Doom to kick Sam and Frodo down from the top. Or just a door 😂😂 😂😂😂
WOOO! Thoughts and Prizes! My favourite segment. Shame we didn't win today. Next time maybe.
Some excerpts from the book:
《Ever since the middle night the great assault had gone on. The drums rolled. To the north and to the south company upon company of the enemy pressed to the walls. There came great beasts, like moving houses in the red and fitful light, the _mûmakil_ of the Harad dragging through the lanes amid the fires huge towers and engines. Yet their Captain cared not greatly what they did or how many might be slain: their purpose was only to test the strength of the defence and to keep the men of Gondor busy in many places. It was against the Gate that he would throw his heaviest weight. Very strong it might be, wrought of steel and iron, and guarded with towers and bastions of indomitable stone, yet it was the key, the weakest point in all that high and impenetrable wall.
The drums rolled louder. Fires leaped up. Great engines crawled across the field; and in the midst was a huge ram, great as a forest-tree a hundred feet in length, swinging on mighty chains. Long had it been forging in the dark smithies of Mordor, and its hideous head, founded of black steel, was shaped in the likeness of a ravening wolf; on it spells of ruin lay. Grond they named it, in memory of the Hammer of the Underworld of old. Great beasts drew it, orcs surrounded it, and behind walked mountain-trolls to wield it.
But about the Gate resistance still was stout, and there the knights of Dol Amroth and the hardiest of the garrison stood at bay. Shot and dart fell thick; siege-towers crashed or blazed suddenly like torches. All before the walls on either side of the Gate the ground was choked with wreck and with bodies of the slain; yet still driven as by a madness more and more came up.
Grond crawled on. Upon its housing no fire would catch; and though now and again some great beast that hauled it would go mad and spread stamping ruin among the orcs innumerable that guarded it, their bodies were cast aside from its path and others took their place.
Grond crawled on. The drums rolled wildly. Over the hills of slain a hideous shape appeared: a horseman, tall, hooded, cloaked in black. Slowly, trampling the fallen, he rode forth, heeding no longer any dart. He halted and held up a long pale sword. And as he did so a great fear fell on all, defender and foe alike; and the hands of men drooped to their sides, and no bow sang. For a moment all was still.
The drums rolled and rattled. With a vast rush Grond was hurled forward by huge hands. It reached the Gate. It swung. A deep boom rumbled through the City like thunder running in the clouds. But the doors of iron and posts of steel withstood the stroke.
Then the Black Captain rose in his stirrups and cried aloud in a dreadful voice, speaking in some forgotten tongue words of power and terror to rend both heart and stone.
Thrice he cried. Thrice the great ram boomed. And suddenly upon the last stroke the Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a flash of searing lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground.
In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face.
All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dínen.
‘You cannot enter here,’ said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. ‘Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!’
The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter.
‘Old fool!’ he said. ‘Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!’ And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade.
Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the City, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of wizardry or war, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn.
And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin’s sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.
[...]
Now silently the host of Rohan moved forward into the field of Gondor, pouring in slowly but steadily, like the rising tide through breaches in a dike that men have thought secure. But the mind and will of the Black Captain were bent wholly on the falling city, and as yet no tidings came to him warning that his designs held any flaw.
After a while the king led his men away somewhat eastward, to come between the fires of the siege and the outer fields. Still they were unchallenged, and still Théoden gave no signal. At last he halted once again. The City was now nearer. A smell of burning was in the air and a very shadow of death. The horses were uneasy. But the king sat upon Snowmane, motionless, gazing upon the agony of Minas Tirith, as if stricken suddenly by anguish, or by dread. He seemed to shrink down, cowed by age. Merry himself felt as if a great weight of horror and doubt had settled on him. His heart beat slowly. Time seemed poised in uncertainty. They were too late! Too late was worse than never! Perhaps Théoden would quail, bow his old head, turn, slink away to hide in the hills.
Then suddenly Merry felt it at last, beyond doubt: a change. Wind was in his face! Light was glimmering. Far, far away, in the South the clouds could be dimly seen as remote grey shapes, rolling up, drifting: morning lay beyond them.
But at that same moment there was a flash, as if lightning had sprung from the earth beneath the City. For a searing second it stood dazzling far off in black and white, its topmost tower like a glittering needle; and then as the darkness closed again there came rolling over the fields a great _boom._
At that sound the bent shape of the king sprang suddenly erect. Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before:
_Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!_
_Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter!_
_spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered,_
_a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!_
_Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!_
With that he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains.
_Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!_
Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first _éored_ roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.
[...]
Over the field rang his clear voice calling: ‘Death! Ride, ride to ruin and the world’s ending!’
[...]
_Death_ they cried with one voice loud and terrible.》
- The Return of the King, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
This is the joy the world needs right now. Much love y'all!
I know they always include Corridor Crew clips but them leaning into and committing to a whole VFX Artists React bit was sooo good!😂 MrSundanyMovies and Corridor(Crew) are my top 2 channels so this was crossover I never expected, come true.👏🏾
I love the idea that as Australians James and Mason are just so numb to spiders at this point that a giant one is more of an inconvenience than a threat
As an European arachnophobic, hearing an Australian saying "This spider is nothing to me!" sent some shivers down my spine.
26:30 the Daylesford reference was amazing!
Screw Saul Zantz. That guy screwed over Creedence Clearwater Revival and John Fogerty
I loved part where Aragon turned to the armies of the west and said “for the guy who shouts Rodney…” and then charged the gates or Mordor.
This is my favorite reviews channel simply for the number of times Thin Lizzy comes on... and the guys are pretty funny too, I guess.
Its amazing this whole third film takes place in Japan, truly stunning
I would've bet all the colorful money you guys use that you would mention the interview Peter Jackson gave about Christopher Lee getting stabbed in the back in his scene. Where Christopher Lee had to explain how a man really sounds when they're stabbed in the back. Christopher Lee was a complete badass in WW2 as Royal Air Force Special Operations Officer. What an absolute legend. Shame they cut his scene.
Fantastic editing as usual Lawrence/Ben! My favorite bit is the Gandalf and hobbit lip syncing
the best christmas present i could ask for
Only James would be able to sour a beautiful video, on some beautiful movies, at the end of *A* year by talking about Harvey Weinstein. This is the tonal whiplash I subscribed for
You know what's crazy? All the talk about the genuinely impressive tech that went into the CGI work for this movie took so many people and so much time. Yet I can pull off arguably better results with far fewer skills, Unreal Engine 5, Blender, some generative AI, and a decent computer. Solo and in a fraction of the time. We live in strange times!
… and this is why I like the extended version more. It’s better.
14:57 fun fact, this was one of the very first scenes they filmed at all, which is why everyone looks so confused
James is edging everyone for prizes. He gets off on it it. What a sick man. Please continue, I'm so close.
Thumbnail got me crying like a baby
The boys are back in town will never not be funny.
Wait - Is 'The Boys Are Back In Town' gonna be the new thing?!?
Time to ADR The Avengers: "Better clench up, My Bow."
Good Ol Legless