Brilliant, but the full movie (released Nov. 12) on DVD is better

Rating: 10/10 (23 November 2002)

I am a Lord of The Rings fan. Fan being short for (Fan)atic, I admit to that as well. I didn't get into Lord of The Rings until my better half read it to me, starting with The Hobbit, and then through the three books (actually one book, Tolkien didn't want it split into three, but the publisher insisted, saying that it was too long).
After it was read to me, I went and read it to myself several times and I still need to read it several more. It is brilliant on so many levels. I was prepared to dislike the movie, particularly when I learned of the many omissions, and indeed when it came to Lothlorien and Galadriel (played extremely well by Cate Blanchett, although some seem to feel it wasn't well played and I cannot understand that, she did a brilliant job) gave only ONE GIFT, the phial of light to Frodo, I almost hit the roof.
Peter Jackson who keeps saying (on his commentary track and elsewhere) that he doesn't like the term "Director's Cut" nonetheless DOES state that the material returned to the movie, over HALF AN HOUR (a fifth of the film!) does improve it. He even states that the "truncated" (his word, not mine) version of the Lothlorien portion of the movie was not as good, that the longer version was much better.
If that isn't saying that he prefers his "director's cut" I don't know what is! Okay, let him call it the "full cut" or "complete version" or whatever he likes, I think that if Dances with Wolves could come in at three hours, certainly some of the half hour could have been included, particularly where the absence thereof will create confusion. When at the beginning of the second movie they eat Lembas, what will those who haven't seen the full cut think? "What is Lembas?" "Why are those cloaks special?" "Where did those daggers come from?" "That amazing rope Samwise Gamgee has, where did it come from and why is it magical?" Yes, well.. THAT'S EXACTLY why Peter Jackson REQUIRED that the FULL CUT be made available PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF The Two Towers.
He can say he doesn't like the term Director's cut all he wishes, but the fact is, he required that the real cut, the real version, the Director's cut (because that is what it is) be made available so that those who care CAN SEE the FULL movie and understand things that otherwise would be confusing, particularly to those who haven't read the books. There is so much connective, important, material that was left out.. I don't think the movie lost dramatic pace with it put back in. To the contrary, because it makes more sense and things are far more clear, the movie is better. The truncated version of crucial scenes does no one any favors. The movie is long ANYWAY. Might as well have it be long and make sense and be the best movie it can be.
We got the "Gift Set" that includes the fifth DVD by National Geographic and the book ends modelled on the Argonath -- for the true fan, it's a good buy, but if you wish to save money, but still enjoy the true movie and the "Appendices" (which go so far beyond anything ever provided in a DVD that there are no sufficient descriptive terms -- you simply have to view them. Two full DVDS of history making material that is utterly fascinating. They were making history and they knew it and they documented it in such as way as to make it as exciting as possible, and exciting and interesting it is, not just for the fanatic.
Read the books.. See the "extended" version of the movie, THEN go and see the next movie. After you see the next movie you'll be waiting for the half hour or so that will have been deleted from that one and after comparing the theatrical version and the DVD version just released of the first one, you'll understand why I say that.
Theatrical version: Quite good Complete version: Excellent, beyond what I thought could be done in a movie. Not to be missed, and I don't say that of very many movies at all.
But do read the books if you can.. no matter how brilliant the movies are, the books are far more brilliant, they have to be. Tolkien's work is a true masterwork the like of which has not been seen. He created several fully fledged languages for the series. Two Elven tongues, a dwarvish tongue, and so much more. This is brilliant masterwork at it's highest and no, it isn't as accessible as a popular novel, you have to work a bit, but the story carries you along, and if you sharpen your intellect while reading and thinking about these books it is only your gain. Read, view, enjoy. This is one of those that is truly worth it.