Lord Of The Rings All Extended Scenes
Raguel Charrette
I do have a couple scenes that I think should have stayed in the theatrical cut. Them departing rivendell and Frodo asking what way to turn just after he was told to lead the way is truly a gem. In Two Towers, the flashback to Gondor with Farmarir and Boromir is some essential stuff!
I definitely prefer the theatrical for all the reasons listed. I appreciate the escapism of the extended versions, but like the OP says the theatricals hold your attention and convey the tension better. I seem to recall reading Peter Jackson prefers the theatrical too, not that that means anything about whether or not you should too.
I feel kind of guilty I never finished the third book. (I think I gave up once I saw the Rakin/Bass animated ROTK.) On the other hand, I reread The Hobbit many times in my teens, but LOTR does get a little ponderous.
Fellowship of the Ring, for example, in its theatrical incarnation feels very uneven to me, with the Mines of Moria scene seeming like a climax due to the overall faster pace/momentum of the film. It is then horribly distracting when you realize there is an hour left to the film. The Extended Edition, though slower, feels far more deliberate and what was originally intended.
As epic as the original theatrical trilogy was, the Lord of the Rings extended editions added a lot more to the adventures in Middle-earth. One year after the theatrical cut of each Lord of the Rings movie, an extended version arrived. These editions add tons of new footage, increasing the Lord of the Rings extended editions' length from the theatrical runtime of 9 hours and 3 minutes to 11 hours and 36 minutes. While still the same grand fantasy story, the added scenes make the Lord of the Rings extended editions feel like a whole new experience.
Sometimes, the LOTR extended edition changes provide an extra line of dialogue. In other situations, an unseen conversation introduces a whole new layer to various Lord of the Rings characters. However, there are also entirely new scenes in each of the movies to explore. Peter Jackson, who directed all three Lord of the Rings films, stated he prefers the theatrical versions since the LOTR extended editions are mostly for the benefit of fans who want to see everything excised from the final cut. However, seeing all these extra moments is a fun way to revisit the trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings theatrical vs extended edition length for The Fellowship of the Ring adds 30 extra minutes to the movie's runtime once all the minor and extended shots are factored in alongside the new scenes. A good chunk of this footage sets up future plot points that don't become important until the later installments, such as when Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) is spotted singing a love song in honor of his relationship with Arwen (Liv Tyler). Another added scene depicts Aragorn visiting his mother's gravestone, with Elrond trying to convince him to become the new King of Gondor.
The Fellowship of the Ring's extended edition differences in the first act shed new light on the Hobbits and help to introduce the main characters, particularly Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin). Sam's budding relationship with local barmaid Rosie Cotton, the woman he'll eventually marry after Return of the King, is explored to some degree too. These scenes allow the audience to learn more about Hobbits in general before the true adventure begins in the extended edition vs. the theatrical.
A key scene included in the Lord of the Rings extended edition involves Frodo, Sam, and the Wood Elves. The pint-sized duo is camping when they spot Wood Elves leaving for the Undying Lands where they can live forever. The real significance of this scene is that it hails directly from the books, but also helps to foreshadow the fact that Frodo goes to the Undying Lands at the end of the story.
Another noteworthy addition comes when Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) hands out valuable gifts to the Fellowship of the Ring. Seeing each character receive their new items, like Legolas' bow and Gimli's lock of hair, isn't essential to the plot, but is still a neat inclusion, giving audiences a chance to learn more about the main characters' magical items.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers runtime is boosted by 44 minutes of additional footage in the extended editions. This version adds more to the scenes with Pippin (Billy Boyd) and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) during their encounter with Treebeard the Ent (John Rhys-Davies). Earlier in the film, when the Uruk-hai are taking the Hobbits to Isengard, Merry seems ill, so Pippin begs their captors to give him water. Instead, the Uruk-hai offers some of their alcohol and laughs the request off.
Much of Saruman's preparation for the attack on Helm's Deep remained on the cutting room floor, including burning the forest of Fangorn, encouraging the villagers to attack Rohan, and building a dam. One deleted scene present in the Lord of the Rings extended edition is a flashback that answers questions regarding the motives of Faramir (David Fenham), providing insight into his relationship with Boromir (Sean Bean) for the first time.
Boromir died prior to Faramir's first appearance, so the flashback allows them to feature in the same scene, and it's here we learn that their father, Denethor (John Noble), much prefers Boromir over his younger brother. While it is nice to see Sean Bean back as Boromir, it dampens the impact of seeing how poor a ruler Denethor is when he is introduced in Return of the King.
A new Aragorn scene reveals a few personal details in the book that aren't directly addressed in the theatrical version of the trilogy. Aragorn is said to be 87, and this fact explains how he became such an experienced warrior. Knowing Aragorn's true age affords the viewer a better understanding of the character. Lastly, King Theoden's son is given a proper funeral in the extended edition; in the theatrical version, the film merely cuts to Theoden mourning Theodred after asking where he is.
The Extended Editions were released in handsomely designed DVD sets a few months after their theatrical counterparts and have enjoyed wide viewership and admiration from the fandom in the years since. The vast majority of fans seem to prefer these longer versions, though Jackson himself, somewhat surprisingly, feels differently. Whichever side of this debate fans fall on, though, it's clear that the two watching experiences are quite different. The additional material in the Extended Editions expands on the original Lord of the Rings films to create an immersive, lore-rich spectacle that fleshes its characters out and hews more closely to J.R.R. Tolkien's text.
Updated by Christopher Raley on June 26, 2024: Though some may disagree, the Lord of the Rings: Extended Editions are the definitive versions of the films and have been enjoyed by fans ever since they came out. They include important lore and additional character-deepening moments that make Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's Middle Earth even more immersive.
After Galadriel's iconic prologue narration, The Fellowship of the Rings' introductory chapter gets a loving homage in the newly added "Concerning Hobbits" sequence. This scene serves the double purpose of familiarizing audiences with Bilbo's personality, as well as with the peculiarities of Hobbit culture. Bilbo's loving, sardonic, and somewhat pointed remarks about his people and their simple ways are utterly charming and pure Tolkien. A scene a bit later at the Green Dragon adds similar worldbuilding and character-establishing moments for Frodo and the younger Hobbits, who are seen singing, dancing, and drinking.
There's also a lovely moment that takes place during Frodo and Sam's first night in the woods. Through the trees, they witness a mournful procession of Elves on their way to the sea. Frodo tells Sam that the Elves are leaving Middle-earth for Valinor, as their time in the mortal realm is coming to an end. It's not directly integral to the plot, but it's a gorgeous scene that carries the serene beauty of Tolkien's imagination and creates a somber foreshadowing of where Frodo himself would go.
Fast-forwarding to the Hobbits' early days of adventuring with Aragorn, there's a short but important scene of the mysterious Ranger singing the Lay of Lthien as his companions try to get some sleep in the Midgewater Marshes. It's a neat bit of worldbuilding, bringing in some important Elven history while laying the groundwork for Aragorn's star-crossed romance with Arwen, who gave him the jewel he carries. Aragorn gets another illuminating moment in Rivendell, just before the Fellowship departs. He kneels at the grave of Gilraen, his mother, who left him in Elrond's care when he was a baby. Elrond comes across him and muses that Gilraen knew her son would always be hunted because of his royal lineage. It's clear how heavily this burden of secrecy and legacy weighs on Aragorn and how unsure he is at the prospect of someday reclaiming the throne.
The Extended Edition also includes the commissioning of the Fellowship by Elrond, who tells them, "On you who travel with [Frodo] no oath or bond is laid to go further than you will." This is why Aragorn can part with Frodo at Amon Hen. As the Fellowship prepares to depart, Aragorn shares a significant look with Arwen (which is explained in The Two Towers). After the Fellowship's time in Lothlrien, there's an extended sequence in which Lady Galadriel bestows gifts on each member. These are each useful and magical in different ways, like the length of Elven rope Sam receives that later proves extremely handy in The Two Towers. Gimli notably receives three golden hairs from the Lady's own head, a gift with great significance to those fans familiar with The Silmarillion.
The extended cut of The Two Towers begins with Frodo and Sam continuing their journey, and viewers see just how valuable Elvish rope is. When they use it to climb to the bottom of a cliff, they are concerned about others following them. But one sharp tug from Sam loosens the knot and lets them keep the rope. It also adds much more screen time to Saruman's various preparations for his siege on Rohan, including his decision to burn Fangorn Forest and recruit the Dunland people as mercenaries. He also orders a great dam to be built, which the Ents later destroy in their attack on Isengard. Speaking of the Ents, there's plenty of added material about their culture and history, including a scene where Treebeard talks wistfully of the lost Entwives and recites some of his own poetry to Merry and Pippin.
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