…which can include the extended edition.
Some of my delightful snapshots:
hobbit children jumping with delight when Gandalf lets a few fireworks off from his cart 
Sam telling Frodo this is as far as he’s ever been from home :eek:
Pippin wondering if Aragorn knows about second breakfast 
(oh, dear, it’ll be the whole film soon :o ; just one more, then)
I just watched the first part of Fellowship again last night. The part where Gandalf still isn’t sure Frodo has the One Ring, so he puts it in the fire at Bag End then asks Frodo if he can see any writing on it. Frodo at first says “No, nothing” and Gandalf looks really relieved. Then…“Wait…” says Frodo…The look on Gandalf’s face as all his worst fears are realized.
There is a similar moment at the Council of Elrond when it has broken down into arguing and neither Gandalf nor Elrond can maintain order. Frodo says “I will take the Ring!” and there is a quick cut to Gandalf’s face as he closes his eyes with pride, relief, regret, and fear for Frodo. Good stuff.
This seems like a good thread to post a question I have (slight hijack, I hope the OP doesn’t mind). I was reading a recent review of The Two Towers extended edition and the writer mentions some allusion or other to Tom Bombadil (third paragraph from the bottom of the review in the link). I don’t remember this and I have the EE at home. Does anyone know what the reviewer is talking about?
Hijacks welcome (well Tolkien ones anyway!).
This is a reference to the scene in Treebeard’s home grove, where a Huorn nobbles both Merry and Pippin (just like Old Man Willow does in the book).
In the film, Treebeard enters and uses Tom Bombadil’s dialogue, telling the Huorn to let the hobbits go (and go back to sleep).
A nice homage to a character that, sadly, there was no time to show in the film.
:smack: Of course. Thanks.
Bilbo’s and Frodo’s conversation at the party.
Pippin and Merry singing and dancing on the table in the Green Dragon (and Frodo bopping around them and not spilling a drop of ale!)
Merry and Frodo discussing Aragorn’s trustworthiness and personal hygiene just after he leads them out of Bree–especially when it is made clear that he can hear their conversation.
The stone trolls.
When Frodo, leaving the Fellowship, says “I’m going alone,” and Sam, plowing dauntlessly on into the water after him, replies, “Of course you are–and I’m coming with you!” I just love Sam at this moment. Also love the hobbit-hug in the boat that follows.
Boromir’s death. I’ve watched this nearly 100 times, and I still get misty over “I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king.”
Gollum, eating a worm.
Gollum singing the “fish” song. Actually, the whole waterfall sequence is wonderfully tense, and I think Evil Movie Faramir works best here.
Pippin and Merry singing and dancing on the table in the Golden Hall.
Eowyn standing up to and fighting the Witch King of Agmar.
Sam and Frodo’s “strawberries” conversation on Mt. Doom.
“Do not mistake me for some mere conjuror of tricks!”
That’s the scene - heck, that’s the line - where its made clear that Gandalf is absolutely not to be fucked with. And they did it with nothing but superb acting, some dramatic lighting, and a nice camera angle. Loved it.
Yes indeed, especially the ones I highlighted!
I agree.
Did you think the moment in Rivendell when Bilbo suddenly snarls at the sight of the Ring was as good?
Fellowship:
Elrond’s “they’re coming out of the woodwork” look when Merry and Pippin insist on joining the Fellowship, and Gandalf’s answering “hey, I don’t know how they ended up here either” look.
The shot of the halls of Dwarrowdelf
-“YOU … SHALL NOT… PASS!!!”
Two Towers:
Veiled Arwen bowing her head at Aragorn’s tomb. I love this shot. I covet it. I wish I could find a poster of it.
Treebeard squishing the orc underfoot.
Legolas: “You’re late… you look terrible.”
Elves coming in to Helms Deep (I know they weren’t supposed to be there, but they looked awesome!)
The Horn of Helm
Return of the King:
Theoden hitting his sword against the Riders’ spears, and the whole ride of the Rohirrim at the Battle of Pelennor.
Another non-canonical moment: Gandalf smacking Denethor upside the head with his staff (I’ve always wanted to smack Denethor upside the head1)
Pippin’s singing with Faramir’s doomed charge
“My friends, you bow to no one.”
There are many more, but I should leave some for the other posters no doubt.
Oh, my, yes. One of the things I loved about the trilogy (and which I think was actually better in the movie than the books) was how well PJ conveyed how dangerous and evil the Ring was. Gandalf’s reaction to the inscription, Bilbo’s Gollum-like freak out, that first (?) flash of the eye when Bilbo drops the Ring at his doorstep and Gandalf almost picks it up, Boromir picking up Frodo’s chain when it comes off while they’re wrestling… that thing was scarier than the Balrog.
Which also kicked ass, btw.
Anyone else think the first movie was the best of the trilogy?
That was good, I’ll agree, but I thought that the Hobbit children enthralled with Bilbo’s tale of the trolls was even better. The looks on their faces!
Also at the party, Rosie dancing and smiling at Sam, until he finally gets up the gumption to get out on the floor with her.
Another one, with a completely different tone, I thought that the Ring chanting in the background at the Council of Elrond was a nice touch… Ash naz gimbatul… Ash naz gimbatul… Ash naz gimbatul…
Really, I think that the movies were defined by their level of detail. Even the little things: In the book that Frodo is reading at the beginning, when Gandalf comes past down the road, it’s written in Elvish script. That kind of attention to detail, applied consistently to everything in the movie, was really what made it great.
Gandalf cave-diving with the Balrog really rocked! Especially the scene of them pitching into the large underground cavern with the lake in it.
Gimli watching Legolas take out the oliphaunt and its crew, and shouting “That only counts as one!”
Merry and Pippin in the Prancing Pony: “It comes in pints!?”
Legolas’ statement about the wonders of lembas, and the Hobbits’ reaction.
Merry and Eowyn versus the Witch-King.
At the Battle of Helm’s Deep, the Orcs were armed with pikes, and prepared for a cavalry charge. Gandalf saved the lives of a lot of Rohirrim.
In TTT, when Legolas mounts the horse as it charges towards him.
After the Balrog bellows at Gandalf, it snorts, and it’s nostrils flare slightly. It’s just that level of realism that’s the icing on the cake.
There’s one shot in Gandalf’s and the Balrog’s plunge where the camera is right above them and they are spinning downward towards the water. It’s just so damn realistic!
The scene where Frodo is stalked by Shelob. And it’s quiet. Real quiet. Well done.
I’m glad you’re with me Sam.
Arwen and Frodo, chased by the Nine. I know it should have been Glorfindel, but it is the single best horseback chase scene ever filmed.
The Balrog. I’ve never had a good vision of what a Balrog looks like, and I like PJ’s vision.
The lighting of the beacons.
The entire look of Middle Earth.
First off, Thank You whoever you are who started this thread. No one I know in “real life” loves these movies as I do. So glad to hear from you other ring-nuts; I feel less alone.
Favorite moments (this is hard you realize)
-many Frodo moments: “But it cannot stay in the Shire!” “What must I do”. “I will take the ring to Mordor”. and seeing him crawl up Mount Doom.
-the entire end sequence of Fellowship, from Boromir’s attack to the song “In Dreams” in the end credits
-the look of Moria, and the fight with the Balrog (heck the look of the Shire, Gandalf, almost everything)
-Aragorn to Arwen: “Ride hard”
-Merry as Pippin leaves with Gandalf - “I don’t know what’s going to happen”
-Pippin’s big moments in ROTk.
I’ll stop now.
and yes, Fellowship was the most successful of the three, I think.
Just wanted to add my “me too” on both of those.
-Anytime Merry and Pippin are singing and dancing and drinking ale.
-Merry and Pippin distracting the orcs so Frodo can escape. “What’s he doing?” “He’s leaving.”
-Merry and Pippin’s separation and reunion.
-Can you tell I really love Merry and Pippin?
-The beacons being lit. I can’t explain my love for this scene, but it just makes me want to stand up and cheer.
-Boromir’s fight to the death where he just. keeps. fighting. Amazing.
-Gandalf’s return in TTT.
-The battle at Helm’s Deep. When the orcs are approaching, and, for a moment, lightening illuminates the sky and you see just how many of them there are.
-The opening sequence of ROTK, where we see how Gollum went from being mostly normal to the thing that he became. Not a nice scene to watch, disturbing to be sure, but my god, talk about powerful.
-A very subtle moment, when Gandalf and Pippin first arrive at Minas Tirith. When Gandalf rides up and meets up with Faramir, he is at first positioned in such a way that we can’t see Pippin. Then, he turns, and there he is. The look on Faramir’s face when he sees him is priceless.
-When Frodo is stumbling around Shelob’s tunnel, the look on his face when he starts to realize he’s in deep shit.
-Just about anything Sam does in the entire trilogy. I just love him so much.
-“Then let us be rid of it-once and for all! I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!” Oh, man. I had tears in my eyes for many moments during the trilogy, but this made me openly weep.
-When Frodo finally gives in to the ring.
-Arwen’s vision of Aragorn and their son.
-Her arrival at the very end.
-When Gandalf frees Theoden of Saruman’s curse.
-Gandalf describing death to Pippin. Just beautiful.
-When Frodo gets on the ship at the very end, and looks back at the others one last time, and genuinely smiles for the first time in a long time.
I’m forgetting so many, I know, but those are some of mine.
Actually I liked this too. It makes the two of them seem much braver, more active partcipants, not just luggage to be hauled around.
I also like the scene in Fellowship where Boromir is teaching the younger hobbits how to fight with their swords. Not in the book but very consistent with his character. It helps make him much more sympathetic.