Best out of the Three

[Tar-Alcarin]

Since all three are out now, we can give our honest opinions on which was the best and why. <P>My favourite out of the three was Return of the KIng. It was just awsome. It was my favourite out of the books and my favourite out of the movies. The EE will be even better.<P>my second favourite is FoTR because it was everything i thought it could have been. Everything seemed to come alive from the books. But Bombadil...<P>and the ever depressing TTT is my least favourite because it strayed the most from the book(Elves at Helms Deep What the Hell?) and pretty boy legolas had too much screen time.

[Kalimac]

Can't say - right now it's Fellowship (the EE is perfectly put together) but the ROTK EE could give it a run for its money PROVIDED they add at least an hour's worth of footage and tie up all those dangling ends. TTT is very watchable - compared to almost anything else it's fantastic - but it's still going to rank 3rd unless the ROTK EE is a miserable performance, which I doubt it will be.

[Arwen Imladris]

I chose ROTK. It was a tough choice. It was hard to choose between it and FoTR. TTT was definatly not my favourite because of the changes to the plot, but by RoTK I had already come to terms with the no scouring bit and because the other movies set up the third, the other changes were easier to swallow. I have only seen it once, so I might change my mind, but for now it is RoTK. I chose it over FoTR just because it is so deeply emotional and everything comes to an end. It seems to me that it captures the essence of Tolkien better somehow. And I loved to see Frodo in turmoil over the ring, to me that is what the books are about.

[Beruthiel]

Hmmm takes a lot of thinking this one...<BR>But I say that FOTR is the best. It wasn't as dark as the other two (since I am a hobbit at heart ) and it seems more fantastical while the other two are more humanlike really... ROTK comes second because it was just so moving and amazing! The 3 odd hours flew by but the only real complaint I had was the ending, I loved it but those who hadn't read the books got tired of it starting and stopping and some started laughing!! I made sure I gave everyone around me evil eyes for that <BR>TTT was much better with all the extended things but I really didn't enjoy the theatrical version...Why one earth didn't they include the scene at Osgiliath with Boromir?! I'll never understand that...

[Meela]

It's very hard to choose a favourite. I would initially say Rotk, because it has Denethor in it. A bit shallow and obvious, but that's just how it is.<BR>I do have other reasons for liking the film, though. It brings together all the characters from the previous films, and involves them in one big event.<P>But it's a hard decision. I love TTT because it introduces so many new characters, and takes the focus off Mordor for a while. But I love Fotr because it is just so golden and pretty. Odd way to put it I suppose, but it's the film that always makes me feel good. The others are rather black and depressing.<P>For now, I'll say Rotk is my favourite.

[Reg Pither]

I would have to agree with you, Tar-Alcarin. RotK was unexpectedly excellent after the disappointment of the second film. Fellowship would be in second place, and TTT wouldn't even be on the list. I thought it was so far removed from the spirit of Tolkien and was such a disjointed, uninvolving film in its own right that I can't really see how the same team made the other films so well!<P>But hurrah for RotK!

[Failivrin]

I would say that FOTR is my favourite but it is unfair for me to comment as i only ever watch the FOTR and TTT EV's now and i have only seen the ROTK theatrical cut. However, the first time i saw FOTR i htought it was absolutely magical and i went to see it at the cinema about 9 times. i have seen ROTK three times and it hasn't managed to evoke that starry- eyed reaction from me yet. moments have, but not the whole package.<P>Of course in third is the disappointing TTT, though i do rather like the EV.<P>It's funny; if i were to put the volumes in order of favourites, it would go TTT, ROTK, FOTR and for the movies it goes exactly the other way...

[Everdawn]

I really liked TTT becuase i liked the elves at helm's Deep we all know they werent in the books, and i was ok with that. And i would say ROTK, but i still cant make up my mind if i like it or not. I think i did, yes, i liked the movie, but not as much as TTT. Fellowship is allright, but i think ive seen it too many times.

[DarkRose]

Although I immensely enjoyed all three films, I'd have to pick ROTK as the best.<P>Why? Simply because ROTK was the most emotionally-engulfing. In that sense it was on a whole nother level than the first two movies. Also, the battle sequences were superior and not too drawn-out. <P>Everything about the movie, in my opinion, was practically perfect. While I came away from the previous two films with a few complaints, I left ROTK with nothing but praise. <P>FOTR would be my second favorite, and although I don't see TTT as a disappointment at all, it just sorta gets lost in the middle of the two extremes, for me.

[Lord of Angmar]

This is a very hard choice. I am going to have to choose the <I>Fellowship of the Ring</I>, as I found the theatrical and extended editions both to be the best well-rounded of their respective categories. What made it great for me in particular were the Nazgul, Gandalf the Grey, and the beautiful sets of Moria and Lothlorien. I thought the Nazgul were great and the fact that I was seeing them for the first time in the <I>Fellowship</I> weighed on my best-movie decision. I thought Gandalf lost something when he became Gandalf the White in the movies, though I don't know how to explain it. I found no settings that rivaled Lothlorien and Moria in the second and third movies with the exceptions of Minas Tirith and Mount Doom.

[Carlas]

I think I liked ROTK the best out of all three. It was so emotionally strong, and so powerful, it just kept me in awe the whole time. It was more character based, i think, than the others, and you really felt horrible for them, and what they had to go through. I broke down into tears a lot in this movie, just because i couldn't stand seeing those characters suffering the way they did, and i think that's the sign of a really good film.<P>The one thing though, that really made it the best for me, was that there was more of Pippin. Not just because he's cute and has the greatest accent, but i always loved him because of how he grows up, and how he learns to be responsible, over the course of the books. In the first film he was just comic relief, in the second, he was hardly there at all, but in the third one, we really got to see him mature as he faces all these new people and situations.

[The Only Real Estel]

I've got FotR & RotK in a tie for 1st right now. Only time will tell who wins out (& more viewings of RotK, of course )...

[Gorwingel]

I can't decide, because truthfully there were things that I liked and disliked about all three. But if I have to choose one, I think my favorite would have to be FOTR because it was just such a magical film, and it truely changed my life (I know that sounds corny, but it brought me to the world of Tolkien).<P>ROTK is of course my second, and it could be my first after a couple more viewings (I find that my favorite viewing is usually the second, it has been that way for FOTR and TTT). But FOTR is my favorite because it contained more of the original material from the book and it ran much more smoothly. I also felt FOTR also reflected Tolkien's original writings more than the other films.<P>I liked TTT. Actually I really truely liked all three. Yes there were things that were extremely wrong with TTT, but then there were things that I loved (the Ents, Gollum, the People of Rohan, Wormtongue). So really, truely, I can't decide.

[HCIsland]

I'm torn between Fellowship and King, but I think I'll stick with Fellowship for now, but with-hold judgement until the Extended King comes out.<P>H.C.

[Finwe]

Most DEFINITELY Return of the King! I loved everything about that movie, and it seemed like all the acting and all the work kept improving through all three.

[Trippo The Hippo]

While it is entirely unfair of me to judge RotK with only one watching and no EE. For now its TTT EE I just thought every second of extra stuff was well worth the 30 dollars I paid for it. I love Gollum and Sam "PO-TA-TOES" and I also loved the conflict showed by Gollum where as in RotK he is mostly potrayed as a bad guy. Also I didn't like PJ's ending in RotK. I love the fact that he ended it with the final lines from the book but when he tried to trick the average movie goer into thinking it was over so many times that I had to defend him after, I just think he could have done better. But really I reserve the right to change to RotK when EE comes out or maybe jsut with more watchings of it.<p>[ 9:46 PM December 30, 2003: Message edited by: Trippo The Hippo ]

[The Saucepan Man]

RotK is the best for me. Without a doubt. I don't think that I have ever felt quite so emotionally wrought after any other film that I have seen. <P>Second would have to be FotR, because I was absolutely stunned to see this world that I have loved since a child brought to the screen, and because it prompted me to read the book again after much too long a break.<P>And so TTT comes third in my affections. Still a great film, in my view. But I have more "issues" with it than either of the other two. And, in a trilogy of films, the second was always going to be the most difficult. No beginning and no end, you see.

Tricksy Tricksy....<P>I was sure FotR was my favorite, but I must say that RotK caught me by suprise. Every movie had it´s moments, and it´s dissapointments (where are Faramir and Eowyn in RotK?? WHERE??).<P>I think I´m going to be clever and slinky by saying I liked the <I>triology</I> best. As a whole. Because TTT is my fave book of the three, so I can´t say I didn´t like it; especially not with that soundtrack (Rohan theme........*dream*). And I though my first impression of RotK (around three in the morning) was "undescribaly freaking awesome!!!!!" it has it´s faults. And FotR- I dunno, I always thought the story was a bit slow in the first part. Though much funnier, and stuff. So yeah, I root for the triology. Indeciesive me.

[Arothir]

Treating them as Movies, my order would be ROTK, TTT, FOTR. Basically, Return of the King was kind of a climax, TTT has lots of action, and Fellowship doesn't have much action. Not that I hate Fellowship. I haven't even seen any Extended versions. But I think FOTR was the best at following the book. Then ROTK was second best at following the book. Then TTT was worst.

[Eothain Elfwine]

I like TTT best, and it's also the book I like best. Then RotK (as a book; I'm not sure about the movie), and lastly FotR (for some reason I find it a little hard to get into the book--but I love the movie).

[Linaeve]

I liked <I>Fellowship of the Ring</I> best, for its dialogue, scenery and costumes. I think it stayed the most true to the book. The last two practically drowned in battle scenes, and while I realize that battle descriptions do take up a lot of the book, the movies seemed to have only touched lightly on the emotional aspect of the tales . . . but then, my memory of the first two is quite hazy, so . . .

[The Great Shadowfax]

i would have to pick...ROTK because it was really long and i really cant wait for the EE so i can see some of my fave parts that werent in the cut...it was (duh) my fave book aswell because its the conclusion to a really great story...but that also makes me sad because the story ends and i cant read/see any more of it <BR>well all good things must come to an end they say...oh well..."and if this is to be the end then i would have them make such an end as to be worth of remembrance!"<BR>~Luindringiel

[Jjudvven]

I think I liked the Fellowship of the Rings best because of how close it stayed to the book(at least compared to the other two). I'd have to say that the RotK would be second, cause it was just an AWESOME movie. The Two Towers, which strayed the worst of the three, in my opinion, was my least favorite, although of course it was still good.

[The Saucepan Man]

Personally, I judge them on how they affected me as films, rather than by how close they were to the book. If I went by the latter, then TTT would get my vote, since FotR and RotK left out two of my favourite chapters: <I>A Conspiracy Unmasked</I> and <I>Scouring of the Shire</I>. And yet, while I still enjoy it very much, TTT is third in my list.

[Maeglanthirion]

Since when was TTT a disappointment? Yes, it strayed from the plot a bit but I mean, you don't not like a movie or like it less because it strayed from the plot. I enjoyed it, though RotK took the cake. I'm an action guy and Rotk had plenty of it, as well as humour and some fairly enjoyable sappy emotional scenes . TTT was second on my list. It introduced a bunch of new characters, took the focus off Mordor, had that sweet Warg skirmish and then of course Helm's Deep. FotR comes in third, mainly cause it spends a lot of time explaining things and not going places and doing things. To me, it was my least favorite book, and hardest to get through. Once i hit TTT, I couldn't put it down. Yeah, I'm a warrior at heart I guess.

[Lalaith]

I go for RotK, because as many people have said, it was the most emotionally moving.<BR>Second favourite - I don't know. There were fewer irritations in FotR than in TTT, but there were also fewer moments of awe.<BR>For me, TTT was full of peaks and troughs, whereas FotR was of more uniform quality.

[Carrûn]

FOTR has a human quality to it that I seem to connect with the most. TTT is more "entertaining" and I'm withholding judgement on ROTK until the EE comes out.

[Er-Murazor]

Fellowship of the Ring all the way. Its the most loyal to Tolkien (even if they missed Bombadil and Glorfindel and changed the feared Nazgul into some kind of ridiculous fire-fearing ghosts) and the one I enjoyed the most. My option is made.

[Sapphire_Flame]

I agree with Saucepan, in that I judge the movies by how they affected me, not how close they were to the books. In that respect...<P>RotK is my favourite; it balanced the battle scenes and the emotional scenes perfectly, and the character growth was shown brilliantly. (Plus it was the only one I cried during, but <I>shhhh!</I> Don't tell anyone that! )<P>Second is Fellowship. I was just so overwhelmed by how *big* it all was; moving from the Shire, where I immediately decided I wanted to live, to Rivendell, to Moria, to Lorien... I was just amazed. I was in love with it from the prologue.<P>Last is Towers. The action and everything was brilliant, but it was lacking emotionally, which I felt bad about. Happily, this was slightly amended in the EV, so that redeems it a little in my sight.<P>Abedithon le,<P>~*~Aranel~*~

[Vardadurwen]

I would most definitely say that The Fellowship of the Ring was the best movie. Someone mentioned being star-struck by that film, and I would agree that that is how I felt. Alas, that star-struckness had worn off by the third film. I am still in awe by these great works, but not as much as when I was first introduced to them.<P> I think that FOTR was the smoothest in its storyline. ROTR jumped around a lot; like they were trying to cram everything into a very, very long three and a half hours. Also, there were way too many loose ends in ROTR (Eowyn and Faramir huh??) and the ending was just all mushed together. There were too many too long battle scenes...well I've posted my qualms about the movie in another section so I won't get started again. TTT deviated far too much from the book for me to even consider it being my favorite; although I did enjoy the Ents!<P> Someone also mentioned that Gandalf seemed different in the other two movies after he became Gandalf the White. I would whole-heartedly agree. I'm not entirely sure how to explain it, but he wasn't quite so...friendly perhaps?? Oh well.<P> I do agree that perhaps one should base their opinion of a movie on how that movie affected them and not of how well it is done relative to the book it is based on. However, how can you not make that comparison? You know the real thing in your head, yet when you see it on screen being torn apart, it's kind of like you begin to dislike it because of the fact that they are straying so far from that reality in your mind....make sense?<P> Well anyways, my favorite book is probably ROTK or TTT. I love Denethor as a character, and thought he was fantastic in the movies. The last two books are just full of great action. I get super excited when I read them, but I feel the movies leave something to be desired. The book FOTR is a little slow to me, but the movie makes up for it. Oh well, you gotta take what you can get eh?

[Jess]

I think that FotR was the best too... then comes RotK... TTT was as many has said off from the book, I did not like the fact that the elves showed up at Helms Deep. I mean if these were only movies then it would be cool but PJ really didn't need to do that...

[Gashberz]

Of course ROTK was the best movie wise and book wise. It was just plain awesome! In the movie Helms Deep looked like a little school yard scuffle compared to the battle of the Pelannor. God I love Tolkien for his great books and PJ for the great movies!!!<BR> -CHEERS!!!<p>[ 10:54 AM January 13, 2004: Message edited by: Estelyn Telcontar ]

[Essex]

ROTK was the best, as Mr Wood put it, better than fotr and tt combined.<P>I'm still amazed at how good it was. I have no real complaints with the film, it was that good.<P>I was really worried I wouldn't enjoy it that much because of my first experiences with TT.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR><I>(FOTR)</I>Its the most loyal to Tolkien <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I don't quite hold with this opinion. I believe ROTK is the most 'loyal' to the books, and I'm willing to go through my reasons if need be. There may be another thread hanging around about this. And TT would easily be the most 'loyal' of the 3 if it wasn't for the Faramir&Aragorn Experiences........

[Moonmaid]

At the moment, I'd say ROTK, but later on this post-theater hype feeling might fade and then I really can't decide between FOTR and ROTK. They both made me feel so stunned when I saw them the first time. These two are also my fawe books, actually FOTR is but anyhow...<P>I still love also TTT, especially EE. Thay are all very wonderful movies.

The Fellowship of the Ring, because I LOVE Arwen's part when she's riding the horse against the ring-wraiths. That part is the best sence out of all the three films. Except when Arwen finds out she has a son in the future/Aragorn gets corinated, and of course the classic girls kicking arse: Eowyn killing the NAZ-GUL

My favorite movies in decreasing order are:<BR>1) FOTR Extended Edition<BR>2) FOTR<BR>3) TT Extended Edition<BR>4) ROTK Extended Edition<BR>5) ROTK<BR>6) TT<BR>From the begining FOTR had many mistakes: Frodo too young, wimpy and whinny, Sam as his friend instead of his servant, The eye connection to the ring too powerful outside Mordor, Elrond, the poor individual characterization of the fellowship members, the butchery of Galadriel and Lothlorien, and Frodo not abandoning the fellowship in secret. <P>Based on the changes of Frodo and the Eye the story went down hill from then on and Peter Jackson had to catch up with the characterizations of the fellowship on the TT and by ROTK it was too late.(Both FOTR and TT Extended Editions improved on that)<P>From the FOTR, I liked the music, prologue, Saruman, Gandalf, Isengard, the Shire, the shortened Council of Elrond, Arwen, Moria and Boromir.<P>After viewing TT, I left the theater upset because the story was getting worse.<BR>I did not like: Frodo, Faramir, the Arwen/Elrond dream sequences, the Ents not deciding to go to war at the entmoot and Peter Jackson giving an unconvincing story of how they finally do, the change in the focus of the movie from the Hobbits to Aragorn, the loss of both the secrecy of the ring and the task of its destruction by the Hobbits, the free showing of the ring to the Nazgul made no sense whatsoever.<P>I did like the Editing, Ents, Orcs, Uruks, Saruman, Wormtongue, Gollum, Sam, Rohans, Medusel, and the Battles at Helms Deep and Isengard.<BR>The Extended Edition improved the TT more so than the EE did for FOTR.<P>Why The Return of the King the last?<BR>Because it:<BR>1) Had the most changes and omissions of the storyline of all 3 movies.<BR>2) Did not correct the damage done to Frodo, Faramir, Aragorn, and Elrond<BR>3) Ruined strategies of the War of the ring<BR>4) Damaged the characters of Théoden, Denethor, Éowyn, Gandalf, Gondorians and Sauron.<P>I did like: the acting (of Sean Austin, Ian McKellen, John Noble, David Wenham., Bernard Hill, Patrick Mohanan, and Billy Boyd), Minas Morgul, beacons, Mûmakil, Grond, Minas Tirith, the stairs, Cirith Ungol, Shekob, parts of the Battle of the Pelennor, The singing of Gollum, Pippin and Aragorn.<P>I can't decide what the worst part is: The editing of the Mount Doom/Black gate sequences, Frodo pushing Gollum, Sam(Darth Vader)rescuing maimed Frodo at the edge of the Death Star, the tumbling of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the omissions and changes of the Choices of Samwise, Gandalf first hitting Denethor and later pushing him into the fire or brave Éowyn shaking with terror and forgetting her line: 'Begone, foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Leave the dead in piece!'<P>I am sure that the ROTK EE will improve on the editing, music, character development, history, storyline and ending but will not fix the big mistakes with PJ CG story, or omissions and changes made of the JR Tolkien Masterpiece.

[Lord of Angmar]

Call me crazy, but don't you think it is a bit early to be ranking the Extended Edition of <I>Return of the King</I>?

[Gashberz]

Alex took that was an excellent review. I do hope that the ROTK EE will be good. and i like your reference of barad dur as the light house of alexandria. hehehe. Take care.

[Finwe]

Lord of Angmar, you're not crazy. I'm still staring at the computer screen in shock, because I just realized that there are people out there who are more obsessed than me. And that is quite obsessed.

[THE Ka]

well, i think we'll all know MY favorite...<P> the Fellowship of the Ring the first one thankyou! for two reasons,<P> 1. IT HAS BOROMIR IN IT. BOROMIR LOOKS JUST LIKE I IMAGINED HIM TO LOOK LIKE BEFORE THE MOVIE CAME OUT. <P> 2. PJ proubly did his best work on this one than the other two. I'm sorry, but it's true...