Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Middle and The End

I meant to write something after The Two Towers, but the week went by and I didn't get to it.  And now the whole thing is over.  :-(  There were a lot of parts of The Two Towers that I didn't remember.  I think with it being my least favorite, I haven't watched it as many times, so therefore I'm bound to forget some stuff.  It was really good.  I thoroughly enjoyed the introductions by Peter Jackson.  It felt like we were really getting a personal insight into a few of his thoughts on making these films.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but we got a different intro for each movie, talking about specifics of each. 

Three favorite parts of The Two Towers:
1. The introduction of Gandalf the White
2. Shadowfax - I remember loving him in the book too...can't help it, I'm an animal lover
3. Faramir going against what his father wanted when he let Frodo and Sam continue on their journey...doing what he believed was the right thing.

In regards to The Return of the King, my feelings are bittersweet.  Great things happen to end this story, but it's so sad that everything is over and the great characters who became close friends are no longer together.  Also, it's really long.  Four hours is a long time for any movie, not to mention, the third part of one.  Peter Jackson said it's 12 hours if you watch everything back to back.  Whoa!  Unfortunately, this time we were in a much smaller theater and it was practically full by the time I got there, so I couldn't sit in my 'usual' spot, I had to sit in the second row.  There are so many things to mention, I'd need to pick three favorite parts for each character. 

Three parts I loved in The Return of the King:
1. Pippen saving Faramir.  First of all, he has to put up with that jackass Denethor (Faramir's & Boromir's father) being useless, gluttonous and degrading.  Then no one listens to him so he moves with haste to find Gandalf.  And Faramir lives!
2. Sam's courage to make it to the end.  He does so many brave and smart things to eventually help destroy the ring and defeat Sauron.  He takes the ring off Frodo before capture, he dresses up as an orc to fit in, he knew not to trust Gollum and carries Frodo right up to the fires of Mordor (don't want to think too much about the spider-eek).  Go Sam!
3. The general bond those of the Fellowship have with each other.  Such a small group goes up to the gates of Mordor and they fight courageously for Frodo knowing they could never beat thousands of orcs. Aragorn, newly crowned king of Gondor, bows to the hobbits for their bravery.  The reuniting of everyone in Rivendell and then the tearful goodbye are both so touching.

Obviously, there is so much more, but I will end there.  What a wonderful story by J.R.R. Tolkien and a spectacular production by Peter Jackson and the thousands who made it possible for us all to enjoy. 


End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.
White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.

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