**RotK EE - Special Features**

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I have now listened to the production/post-production commentary on RotK; some of what they say is not new, some is not terribly fascinating to anyone but a tech freak, but occasionally some interesting comments caught my attention. The one that really stands out was the question that the team had asked about Sam and Rosie's wedding - should there be some kind of minister involved? Apparently someone suggested the idea that Tom Bombadil could officiate - with Alan Lee playing him as a cameo!!

[Guinevere]

Apparently someone suggested the idea that Tom Bombadil could officiate - with Alan Lee playing him as a cameo!!

I would have enjoyed seeing Alan Lee as Bombadil though! I think he is very charming.

Another thing that struck me, when I was watching the commentaries:
To the Sammath Naur scene PJ said:

"PJ:...I never liked the idea of Gollum dancing with joy and then accidentally falling into the lava - which is basically what happens in the book- I just personally... I know why Tolkien did it and I know all the arguments for it, but I just never wanted to do that. I felt so strongly that Frodo had to be some part of it." Boyens: "Yes!"

Well! I was rather shocked - but it explains why they first filmed Frodo actually pushing Gollum in !! I am grateful that they at least altered that, thank God.
But it is another example of how PJ thinks his own ideas better than what Tolkien intended. In a way that's natural that he wanted to portrey his own ideas, and if someone does this in a fanfiction it is o.k., but it is a responsability to present something fundamentally different to a large public who haven't read the book. They get quite a false impression.
After all Tolkien wrote in letter #181

I should say that within the mode of the story the "catastrophe" examplifies (an aspect of) the familiar words: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

There is not much about the saving grace of forgiveness and mercy and pity in the film!

[Keeper of Dol Guldur]

There were some cut scenes that didn't even make the Extended Cut that I thought would have been nice, and some that while wouldn't fit, were cool.

The little video-clips of Legolas and Gimli in extravagantly nice clothes, post-crowning were cool.

It would have given a little idea of what happened to them afterward, with Legolas in blue (with a sweeeeet sword) wandering Fangorn, and Gimli, inspecting gemstones. Lots of gemstones.

I think it would have been a nice touch ... for when Frodo mentions that nobody is left unchanged after events like what happened, to show everybody doing their own thing ... Aragorn, Faramir, Eowyn, Eomer, and Imrahil, giving Theoden his funeral at Edoras, then a brief clip of Faramir and Eowyn marrying in Meduseld ... then showing Legolas, and Gimli ... I don't care how cheesy it would have been, it'd have been nice closure for all the characters. Not that the coronation wasn't nice closure, but a little more would have rocked, especially if they could fit it into a 2 minute time period, which they could have, easy.

Other than that ...

That brief, unfinished shot of Annatar, Lord of Gifts, appearing before Aragorn on the final battle, then hideously revealing his armor and monstrosity, Sauron style was really cool to see. A nice nod to the whole fact that he could trick the elves in the first place. I'm glad they cut Sauron in that battle ... but it was still cool to see.

And ...

The miniature work in this movie was sweet, especially when they used the Paths of the Dead big-ature and did the skull avalanche with a million little skulls.