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Author Topic: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 12-17-2003 09:46 PM                        Maybe New Line will try using Kodak print film next time.  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 12-17-2003 09:57 PM                        I liked the film. About at the 3 hour mark I found myself glancing at my watch, wondering what the next half-hour would be like. Hearing that he (the director)cut an hour out of this one - I am wondering how long the damn DVD will be.....  |  IP: Logged Jim Leko Film Handler Posts: 90 From: Redondo Beach, CA, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 12-17-2003 10:00 PM                     I read (I forget where) that Peter Jackson hinted at an Extended Edition DVD of just over 4 hours.  |  IP: Logged Nate Lehrke Master Film Handler Posts: 396 From: Denver, CO Registered: Oct 2002 posted 12-18-2003 12:25 AM                     quote: Did anyone else who watched it in Dolby Digital have a problem with the digital dropping out every few seconds in parts of reels 8, 9, and 10? Yeah, we have three prints in the chain with that problem also. Quite annoying. Maybe a MN thing.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-18-2003 01:15 AM                     Here's my comments on "LOTR: The Return of the King": KICK ASS! I witnessed the 8:15pm opening day show at the Carmike 8 here in Lawton (screen #4 THX, DTS audio). In this age where so many self-absorbed filmmakers choose to butcher book-to-screen adaptations, it is wonderful to have a trilogy of films go the extra mile to be faithful to the books and have the translation work when it hits the screen. The action was thrilling and there were even scenes I found to be particularly scary. Overall, I was more entertained by this show than any other I've seen in at least the last couple years or so. This final installment easily had the best, most jaw dropping visuals out of all the installments in the trilogy. There were a few shots I really marveled at for all the work that must have gone into them. There were minor quibbles as Brad mentioned. Some of the sharpening techniques used, I felt, harmed some details. I can recall one expansive shot looking across a large army below and some detail items like torches were sort of jittery looking in a bad way (kind of like an aliasing effect). Those minor problems were easily forgave by other things, like the marvelous effects applied on that "undead" army of dishonored warriors. In previous films, ghosts typically looked flat with only one layer of translucence. Here, you had many layers, which really paid off with a very creepy effect. Not only do you see the ghoul's ethereal decomposing lips move as he talks, but you also see the long roots of his teeth going into his green skull behind those lips! Ewwww! Oh yeah, the sound mix. Damn! There was a lot of stuff going on in those surrounds. And the bass was packing a good whallop too. The Nazgul were flying and screeching all around the room on those battle scenes. Along with the "serious Oscars" this film could win, it easily has to be a strong favorite in the Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing categories. I'm definitely looking forward to getting the DVD of this installment to finish off the collection. Word is Peter Jackson cut 1:05 of material out of the film to bring it down to a 3:21 running time. That makes me wonder if the "Extended Edition" of "Return of the King" will be a 5 disc set rather than four. A friend of mine joked New Line will probably come up with a release package of all three installments featuring something like 10 discs. And he thought the 10 disc thing was a joking exaggeration. Then I told him if New Line wanted to be "completist" and include both theatrical and extended edition cuts along with all the extras used in all the releases, their single release SE package would probably eclipse the 20 disc mark. Gulp. My only complaints with the show: --------------------------------- 1.> Nearly 30 minutes of commercials and trailers crammed onto the front. The sold out audience was getting noticeably pissed as the trailers continued on and on and on and on. They were entertained by the THX "Bounty" logo. But then they let out a groan of anger and frustration when seeing yet another MPAA green band for the attached trailer of "The Butterfly Effect". 2.> CRAP CODE!!!! Jesus F**king Christmas! Did they really need to put that shit code there of all places? I'm looking at the white towers of Minas Tirth rising into the sky during a big battle scene. What do I see? The freaking city's buildings have chicken pox! Damn! Just once, I would like to be over the shoulder of the MORON who choses were to put that shit. When he's about to place a bunch of red dots over a white area on the print, I'm going to jam my elbow into the back of his stupid head! He'll not only be seeing little red dots on the film. But he'll also be seeing little white stars in his eyesight from getting his puny brain rattled. The MPAA and film print labs really need to bring an end to this crap code. It's the DVD screeners that are getting pirated. There is NO FUCKING NEED to give film prints chicken pox.  |  IP: Logged Shane Hoffmann Film Handler Posts: 68 From: Fond du Lac, WI, USA Registered: Feb 2003 posted 12-18-2003 01:43 AM                     The one complaint that seems to keep coming up is the ending(s). For someone who isn't completely obsessed with Lord of the Rings (I'm told they do exist), I can see how it could drag. But I think the endings were great. That was a great gift from PJ to the fans. I personally wished there was more. Can't wait for the extended cut!  |  IP: Logged Chris Markiewicz Expert Film Handler Posts: 209 From: Glenaviegh, County Tipperary, Ireland Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-18-2003 04:08 PM                     I agree with all the positive comments about this film. I guess we lucked out with our one print. We're running in DTS for now, but I kept an eye on the CP500's error display; 2-2. until reel 9, then 3-3. and no dropouts. I saw 3 instances of negative dirt, and this print had only one lab splice. The dynamic range of the soundtrack is awesome. The beginning is almost too soft, but the battle scenes rock. Excellent use of surrounds and subs as well. Did Minas Morgul resemble the Emerald City to anyone else?  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-18-2003 10:31 PM                        12/18/2003, Regal Cinema World 8, Eugene OR, 2:40PM, House #3. Attendance about 125. Right before the show started, the manager welcomed the audience, mentioned their new DTS-ES sound system, and asked for cell phones to be turned off. Yay. The show then started, and to my eyes (and my dismay) it was slightly out-of-focus. I saw "Last Samurai" in this same house a week ago and it was razor sharp. This bugs the hell out of me and it affected my enjoyment of the movie. A shame because except for that, the presentation was excellent overall. I only noticed 1 lab splice and although I was watching for it in reel 5, I noticed no CAP or CRAP code. My only complaint is there's too much in this for 1 movie. But what an epic film. Wow. I will see it again (and hopefully it will be more sharply focused).  |  IP: Logged Jim Leko Film Handler Posts: 90 From: Redondo Beach, CA, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 12-19-2003 05:14 AM                     After watching a second time, I think I was a bit harsh on the film. Sometimes when I am waiting for a movie to be released, I start thinking what I would like to see in it. Having watched it already, I knew what to expect the second time, and it was much more enjoyable. Also, I wasn't screening it this time, so I didn't have to worry about keeping track of reel changes. That helps too.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 12-19-2003 02:05 PM                        It also helps if you just splice the film carefully, than you don`t have to worry about the reel changes.  |  IP: Logged Jim Leko Film Handler Posts: 90 From: Redondo Beach, CA, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 12-19-2003 08:09 PM                     I didn't build it up, just screened it. Too many of our NEW screeners tell us there was a problem with a reel (lab error usually), but they forgot which reel it was (that does us a lot of good). A movie like RoTK is harder to keep track of reel changes. You are in awe watching the movie. I was happy at the end when I marked down the 9th reel change, and knew I hit them all. EDIT: I don't have problems tracking reel changes, but I usually screen movies I don't like, which makes it easier.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 12-20-2003 09:51 PM                     I don't understand how people can be critical of the "endings" of this film when those same people are probably champing at the bit waiting for the extended version. Make up your mind: Do you want more or less? With this many characters, you need multiple endings. Fair enough I think. However...having said that...I think that some of the transitions between the endings could have been tweaked so they didn't feel like "false endings." There were some rather final-looking shots (slow pull-backs and fades) and I felt like those were practical jokes. I think cuts and dissolves would have worked better here.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-20-2003 10:21 PM                        Loved it! This is definitely the movie of the year. Anyone who liked FOTR and TT will enjoy this (obviously). It's the best of the series. Sure, there are some "issues" with the CGI (was this a digital intermediate?), but even that was better than TT (where the CGI was terribly uneven in quality). The "false endings" didn't bother me at all and I was actually pleased that so many "loose ends" were addressed. I didn't notice any CAP code or crap-code on this print (the one that is playing in cinema #2 at the Loews Boston Common theatre). It looked pretty good and sounded great. This film is crying out for the 70mm or Imax DMR treatment, however, and it's sad that it probably won't get it.  |  IP: Logged Mathew Molloy Master Film Handler Posts: 357 From: The Santa Cruz Mountains Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-20-2003 11:24 PM                     I agree with Scott on this one. Being a fan of the other two films I was quite happy with the numerous endings. I do have one problem with the series and that's the idea that what we're seeing in the theatre isn't the complete film. There's some particularly jarring jumps in storytelling and I don't really like the excuse of, "Oh, that will all be explained in the extended dvd." Don't get me wrong, I love the films, the extended versions, etc. but it doesn't quite sit right with me that what I'm watching is only the 'good enough' version. Seeing the film at the Arclight in Hollywood was absolutely breathtaking. A top-notch presentation apart from one minor complaint... As with every print of every film in the trilogy that I've seen - the Rl. 1 leader (& attached trailer?) has been cut too close to the New Line logo so the sound just cuts in. Can't some projectionists take a look at the soundtrack before cutting? Grrr!  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-20-2003 11:29 PM                     Does the CRAP code get applied to different areas from print to print? Or does it get placed in the same spot on every print? I really have to wonder because someone would have to be legally blind to not notice the chicken pox red dots where I saw them. They looked kind of like domino patterns burned right into the center area on the print, conspicuously over very light or white backgrounds (the bright sky, the white bricks of Minas Tirth, etc.)  |  IP: Logged

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