The Three-For-Three LotR Game

[TheCrystallineEntity]

I came up with this idea earlier this evening, and I wanted to try it out.
So, how you play is, you take all three LotR movies, and then:
1) you remove a scene from the Extended Editions,
2) add a scene from the books that you wish they'd put in the movies,
3) and a scene from the movies into the books [sacrilege, I know].


I'll start!


The Fellowship of the Ring

1) I remove....

I really had to think a lot about this, since Fellowship is my favourite movie, and I love it very much, and I think it's the best of the trilogy for a large number of reasons. But I finally hit upon one scene I don't like--the bit where Elrond tries to convince Isildur to throw the Ring into Mount Doom. It creates such an enormous plot hole, since no one was supposed to know about the Ring at all, and it's just....not good! Why did anyone think this needed to be in the movie in the first place?


2) I add to the movie...

The scene where Frodo and Sam meet a group of elves journeying to the Grey Havens, but changed a little. I feel like the conversation between one of the elves and Frodo could've been given to Legolas, and would've at least let them have one scene together.


3) I add to the book...

Boromir's death scene. It's just so well done. Not that the original book version is bad, by any means! I just prefer it a little more in the movie.



The Two Towers

1) I remove....

The 'Eowyn's terrible stew' scene. It's so stupid and I get major second-hand embarrassment just thinking about it.


2) I add to the movie...

The scene where the trio hang out with Merry and Pippin after the destruction of Isangard. [Technically it'd be in RotK, but, whatever].


3) I add to the book...

Gandalf going to get Eomer and the Riders. I was so utterly confused about how anti-clmactic Helms Deep is in the book.



Return of the King

1) I remove....

Hoo boy. The question now becomes, which EE scene is my least favourite, because there's plenty to choose from. Honestly, I can't make up my mind, so I might get back on that one.


2) I add to the movie...

The scene where Eowyn wakes up in the Houses of the Healing and Eomer's overjoyed reaction, as well as her conversation with Faramir afterwards.


3) I add to the book...

Either Gandalf's speech about the 'fair green country' to Pippin [it makes me cry every time], or 'You bow to no one'.



Bonus!
I would add to both the book and movie...

The epilogue that Tolkien had written, but was convinced by his publishers to take it out. In it, Sam, now quite old even by Hobbit standards, goes to his daughter, and tells her that he's leaving, and he goes to the Grey Havens and sails off to the Undying Lands, to be with Frodo at long last.


So, those are my picks, what about you guys?

 

[pmmg]

I just don't know that I know LOTR well enough to play. Its been years since I watched the movies, and decades since I read the books.


I really liked Fellowship. I am not aware of anything I would change, other than (like the book), it kind of ended without really being at an ending beat. It feels a little unfinished. Like there should have been another ending scene, but there wasn't.

They removed some characters and replaced them with Arwen, but I like that change. And they cut some portions I did not care for anyway (tom bambadil, barrow wights...)

I don't think the scene where Gandalf goes and reads about the ring is in the books. I thought that was a good inclusion (but then sometimes I dont...)

Honestly...I think the book could use some of the things the movies changed and included, more than the movies needed more from the books.


In the two towers, I really liked when the elves came to help fight at Helms Deep. That is not in the book, but it was a strong inclusion.

I suspect I am not the only one who does not hear the word 'shirt' when the goblins are going through Frodo's stuff.... They could fix that.

Oh...and the line... What madness made them go in their, from Gimli at Fangorn.... Like duh...how about the battle that killed all the orcs you guys are burning?



Return of the king... Well...too many endings for one.

I fear this is just not fresh enough in my mind to play.

 

[Prince of Spires]

But I finally hit upon one scene I don't like--the bit where Elrond tries to convince Isildur to throw the Ring into Mount Doom. It creates such an enormous plot hole, since no one was supposed to know about the Ring at all, and it's just....not good! Why did anyone think this needed to be in the movie in the first place?

It's actually in the book as well though. Elrond talks about it in the Council of Elrond chapter. He mentions Isildur took the ring, that he was present, and that Isildur wouldn't listen to his council.

I actually like the scene, cause it very early on shows the corruption power of the ring.

One of the main things I would change is Faramir. He's such a noble character in the books. In the movies he's close to a copy of his brother. He should show the strength and wisdom of humans, but he doesn't really. Also, book Frodo is much stronger and wiser than movie Frodo. Another thing I would change.

 

[Rexenm]

Well, I’d remove some of that uncomfortable Bilbo Gandalf dialogue, put in where they found the swords, the hobbits, and include the skating scene, where Legolas slides on his shield.

 

[Finchbearer]

I didn’t buy the addition of Tauriel and Kíli in The Hobbit, and Aidan Turner doesn’t look like a dwarf, (just like Poldark). The romance didn’t feel genuine.

The scene at the end of Return of the King where they all jumping on the bed with Frodo is just…weird.

 

[pmmg]

I didn’t buy the addition of Tauriel and Kíli in The Hobbit, and Aidan Turner doesn’t look like a dwarf, (just like Poldark). The romance didn’t feel genuine.

The scene at the end of Return of the King where they all jumping on the bed with Frodo is just…weird.

Cant argue with that.

I think I can say, I didn't like much of the three hobbit movies, or their out of book inclusions. The only scene I recall liking was Gandalf finding the tombs of the Nazgul. But...its was not the same worthy effort as the LOTR was.

 

[Prince of Spires]

For the hobbit movies, I'd remove 2/3rds of them, reducing it all down to just a single movie. I'd keep pretty much only what was in the book and drop the rest. There was no reason to stretch a 250 page children's book into 9 hours of film.