Lord of the Rings...

[Paul WJM]

Sorry for mentioning this for people who are burned out hearing about it but just thought I would mention that Jackson was saying in a recent interview that lots of extra stuff was filmed for Two Towers, inluding decapitation plus other violence, so there will be an extended version on DVD for the second movie too. He said it would probably get an R, so that's great news I think fans of the movies will agree.

[Steve L]

Sounds pretty damn good to me, Paul . I love the first film and can't wait to see THE TWO TOWERS. Have to wait til new year, though, as I'm working most days until the end of this year. I recently purchased the 4 disc FELLOWSHIP, and they did a terrific job with this. Given the fact there's a 45 min battle scene in TOWERS, I'm sure we'll get some juicy new footage in the DVD.

[Paul WJM]

I'm waiting until the NY like I did for the last film, let the fuss die down just a little. Don't know if you've noticed too, but the cinema version of TT has been given a 12A rating, so considering the first one got a PG and how violent that was, this one must be pretty bloody.

Thank f**k they didn't offer the project to Spielberg, or even worse, Jerry 'formulaic Hollywood Blockbuster' Bruckheimer.

[steve napier]

Speilberg!...Im just pleased they didnt get Chris Columbus to direct. Im off to see it in a couple of hours!

[steve napier]

Well Paul,im not long back from the flicks and you wont be disappointed.Its everything i hoped it would be,Gollum is simply stunning,by far and away the best piece of CGI ive seen!
The battle for Helms Deep is fantastic but,the highlight for me was the attack of the Ents.You will never look at a tree in the same way again!...Dont wait till New Year. Go Now.

[Paul WJM]

80% of the comments I've seen have been excellent so my expectations are up pretty high now, which is sometimes not such a good thing. I just hope the momentum can be maintained for the final part - what a big downer that would be if it failed our hopes. Sorry, Steve, I have to wait until the New Year; can't stand crowded cinemas. If it was down to me then I would be the only one in there, but that wouldn't be good for ticket sales.

Thanks for your enthusiastic opinion.

[steve napier]

Paul, there were only about 20 people at Newcastles warners to see The Two Towers! I know what you mean though,i actually had that rare and pleasant experience at the ABC in Newcastle in 1985, and guess what,it was to see "Evil Dead" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" double bill and i was the only one in the cinema! Im sure Evil Dead was on the banned list at the time but,i definately saw it. It may have been 86 now i think about it.

[Paul WJM]

That's damn cool, especially for two great movies.

I saw Naked Lunch and was the only one there back in the nineties sometime but, though cult in some ways, you can kind of understand why nobody else was there for that one. Even then I had someone else start talking to me half way through the film! No it wasn't Fred, my imaginary friend, it was the usherette woman. Honestly, can't get any peace.

It's because of cinematic distractions that I set up my own 'home cinema' once a DVD player was purchased. It's not as extensive as many (I'm not competing with anyone else out there) but it's excellent for my requirements. Have you done the same?

[TheGriz]

Originally posted by steve napier
ABC in Newcastle in 1985, and guess what,it was to see "Evil Dead" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" double bill and i was the only one in the cinema! Im sure Evil Dead was on the banned list at the time but,i definately saw it. It may have been 86 now i think about it.

It would have been on the video banned list but cinema prints were not subject to the same "banning".

'X' rated prints are still allowed to be shown (recently saw My Bloody Valentine @ Halloween all-nighter at my local UCI).

I saw Evil Dead at an All nighter back in '89 & The Exorcist around the same time & that def. wasn't available on video!!

As for LOTR I finally got to see it (Fellowship that is) at the cinema on Monday!!! I totally missed it first few times round coz of the hype & kids thing & then trying to find the time to go after that. Luckily UCI played it for 2 showings!!

A point about the R2 4discer (& if you didn't know this is gonna piss you off) IT'S CUT by about 1min 36secs!!!

It's not the film but some of the documentaries. Something to do with swaering from the actors.

Luckily I didn't buy it so am going to get the R1.

And as for 2 Towers....a 45 min battle sequence that PJ has cut, now THAT i can't wait for on DVD!!!!

This is happening more and more tho. With directors making higher rated films, cutting them for cinema release & re-instating the footage for DVD.

Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses" was almost never released bacause it is so bad & no distributor would touch it so HE along with Lions Gate who have picked it up, have cut it back to release it unrated on DVD.

George A. Romero is reportedly making an unrated (X) movie (Twilight of the Dead & I don't care what any1 else is calling it THIS is it's real title!), cutting it back himself to gain an r-rated cinema print then releasing it unrated on DVD.

[steve napier]

Well when i was at the Evil dead showing the usherette walked backwards down the the entire length of the isle with her tray of tasty treats,even though i was the only one there.I kid ye not.
Thanks Griz for clearing up that point about it being available at cinemas but not on video.
Yes im sure there was ample opportunity for cuts in the Helms deep battle scene,and they will be shown in full on the dvd.Im sure it will be a case of 2disc dvd followed by an extended release a few months later.Great film though,im thinking about going to see it again today.

[Paul WJM]

There's a smaller cinema by us, Steve, that still have a couple of women (around retirement age and beyond - nobody else'll do it) stand at the front with a tray of sweets and stuff just before a film. Hell, nobody's bought anything since 1977 but they still insist. You actually feel sorry for the old darlings and almost wanna buy something if it wasn't for looking like such a dick queuing by yourself.

Griz, surely there wasn't nearly two minutes of swearing on the four-discer? I'm going to have to check that one because you're the first I've heard it off. Where is your source of info?

(Update: Yes, Griz, you're partly right. 1m16s was edited from the additional material according to the BBFC. I'm a bit pissed about this, especially as they state a 12 was offered to the distributor. Okay, it's not the movie itself, but it stinks nonetheless.)

[TheGriz]

What did i say 1'36''?

Yeah it pisses me off too but i not bought it so going to go for the R1.

Why couldn't they have just gone 4 the 12!?

[Paul WJM]

Well, it's ironic really: They obviously declined a 12 because going for a PG would enhance potential sales in their opinion (wider audience), but they didn't count on, a) most parents, when buying for children, don't give a rat's ass about the certificate when their nagging little brat is begging them to get a certain item, and b) people such as yourself and I loathe censorship and are more likely to go for a US disc when the UK version is tampered with.

So that's marketing decisions for you.

[the13thman]

Cutting some minor special features doesn't bother me.

The big question is what will happen to the inevitable extended Two Towers release. It's already 12 in its current form (or rather 12A) so they can't cut it to PG without outrage, but what happens if it should be looking at a 15? EIV would not like that at all.

[Paul WJM]

No they wouldn't, but the BBFC may be lenient (i.e. it's 'fantasy' violence) as they were with the first (which was admittedly very graphic given its certificate), allowing it to get away with a 12.

Jackson said that the violence to be added to TTT would almost certainly garner an R rating so you never know. If EIV ended up allowing it to be censored when they had an option to upgrade cert then we all know what we're going to do.