If Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli Can Run After Those Orcs for Days, I Think I Can Make It Through 13 Hours of Film

Long title, huh?
For the past four years, I’ve indulged in what I can only consider a perfect confluence of nerdity: Watching all three Lord of the Rings movies (extended editions) back-to-back-to-back. I do it on New Year’s Eve (a holiday I’m not super-keen on) at my parents house on Long Island, ensconcing myself into a couch, wrapping myself in a blanket, and girding my fortitude with copious amounts of caffeine.
I pretty much lay it out for you all here.
This year, we got started a bit late, due to a slight weather snafu involving a little too much traffic on the Northern State Parkway. But once we got set up and got rolling–around 2:30 in the afternoon–we were set for the almost 13 hours that constitutes watching the movie and the various (and necessary) breaks).
About a half-hour in, my dad starts snoring.
A few pokes from my mom (and a few verbal jabs from myself) and we were back on track, following the hobbits out of the Shire, seeing the Fellowship form, watching Sean Bean being awesome as Boromir (I won’t lie–I have a huge man-crush on Sean Bean. What? You don’t?), wondering why Legolas is basically Middle-Earth’s version of Wikipedia (hmm, I think we need a bit more exposition about this monster we’re about to face…Legolas?), Andy Serkis doing a vastly underrated job as Gollum (because it’s CGI, and that, apparently, isn’t “real acting”), and basically watching some awesome action wrapped around one of the great stories of our time.
Again, my only complaint about these movies (and I know I’m not the only one–nor the first one), is the way Peter Jackson didn’t know how to end it. Since there wasn’t going to be a Scouring of the Shire, it actually didn’t seem important that they go back to the Shire, and the movie could have easily ended when Aragorn says “You bow to know man,” and all of Gondor bows to the hobbits and the tears fall from my eyes.
Yeah–I cry every time I see that scene.
Or, at the very least, once the boat sails off into the sunset. Not as powerful, perhaps, but still a good place to end it.
Ah well.
Next year, I plan to start taking notes, to ultimately make up a movie guide for these three movies. My other holiday tradition involving movies for the past four years has been writing such guides for bad teen comedies from the late 90s/early Oughts (including Drive Me Crazy, She’s All That, the rarely heard-of Trojan War,, and this year’s Center Stage,) that my friends and I then read while watching the movies (and drinking–can’t forget the drinking) and I figure it’s time to use that creative energy for LOTR–movies that I’d never consider bad, but certainly hold enough material to make adequate MST3K-like fodder. So–I have that to look forward to.
Seriously, though, one of the main reasons I love doing this each New Year’s is, besides getting to hang out with my parents and doing something we all enjoy together, is that there is always something new I notice, always something I had forgotten about in these movies, and these little flashes show how much depth the trilogy actually has.
And also, it’s usually really cold outside, so it’s a good excuse to remain indoors.

5 Responses to “If Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli Can Run After Those Orcs for Days, I Think I Can Make It Through 13 Hours of Film”

Rhiannon56 says:

January 12, 2010 at 10:50 am

This sounds like a day I’d absolutely love. I’d get in my ‘fat clothes’ and settle down with a ton of salty snakes and Christmas cookies and enjoy. That is if I had my own apartment.
I’ll be honest, I love the scraggly, hunky look Viggo Mortenson gave Aragorn and of course Billy Boyd. I have a huge Billy Boyd Crush to the point where I have an autographed picture of his on my dresser. Just something adorable about Billy as Pippin.
So there was no pausing for supper or did you order Pizza in?
We had a full day of Harry Potter, 1-6 New Year’s Eve. But I’ll be honest watching Voldemort get his tail kicked isn’t nearly as fun as watching the battle of Helm’s Deep and listening to Gimli and Legolas keep a running tally of how many orcs they sliced, diced, or beheaded. Along with the Ents eating the orcs in the extended edition. Possibly my very favorite scene along with the undead fighting for Aragorn.
Awesome posts, brings back memories. Thanks.
Maggie MacAlpine says:

January 12, 2010 at 1:01 pm

I just rewatched the whole trilogy over the weekend (not extended addition, though I think TTT is better extended). By the end I felt like Frodo, I could barely remember what the Shire looked like either. Still, its a great journey and the movies are just so awesome and wonderful and beautiful and…I’ll stop now.
I also have a huge Sean Bean/Boromir crush, much to my boyfriend’s confusion
izikavazo says:

January 12, 2010 at 5:17 pm

Oh boy, these marathons always sound like more fun than they are. The Lord of the RIngs one is especially unfun for me, since the middle of the marathon is that part I hate the most. And yeah, the end has it’s problems too.
Star Wars marathons are also pretty crazy. I have a hard time with them, usually I’m the last one standing.
Arthur says:

January 13, 2010 at 10:55 am

Oh gosh, and I thought I was the only fanatic to watch all 3 LotR extended movies on New Year’s Eve. Great to know I’m not alone out there. The only difference is that I always watch it alone. Just like you, each time I watch it I notice something that I either haven’t noticed until then, or have completely forgotten.
Regarding the end, I think the best end would have been the one with the last elven boat sailing away into the sunset. It provides a sense of closure, like you have come full circle (if you remember, in the beginning, Bilbo is the first character to be introduced, and Frodo the second – and in the end, Bilbo is the first to go, followed by Frodo). Ending the story in Minas Tirith with the bowing scene would have left a viewer who hasn’t read the books asking “Ok, and where’s the >?” I don’t know… it’s a brilliant scene, incredibly emotional, but I don’t find it suiting of ending the series.
Can’t wait for the Hobbit … imagine then a 16-17 hours marathon… what a regalia!
Bracken says:

August 7, 2011 at 9:00 pm

Haha I had a day off skewl today coz I was sick and spent the whole day watching LOTR exstened eddition and now im inspired to do a sketch on Boromir XD