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I watched the extended edition of LOTR: Return of the King via Netflix yesterday. It was unreal. As in, I felt like I was watching fanfiction, because I've seen the theatrical cut so many times. A couple scenes, like Eowyn's dream and the drinking contest, easily streamlined with the rest of the movie. A couple scenes were actually helpful - an explanation of why Denethor went so psycho on Faramir, scenes of Eowyn and Merry fighting in Pelennor Fields so they weren't swinging their swords for the first time at the fell beast and the Witch King, respectively. But a lot of dialogue - especially the Frodo/Sam/Gollum stuff - was totally unnecessary. And the AMV-like Faramir and Eowyn scenes were like Final Fantasy cutscenes. Bad ones.
I did get a kick out of Peter Jackon's gratuitous comical gore, though. He's truly ridiculous. 1, there's Saruman's death scene. Holy crap, what. And 2, when they're going down the Paths of the Dead and talking to all the dead dudes (one of my favorite scenes, originally!), they get molested by spirit-hands, and then they step on a bunch of skulls, and then they are in an avalanche of literally millions of skulls. Like, it's raining skulls, hallelujah, that's how many skulls there were. I could not stop laughing. I'm so glad they cut this, because it's fucking ridiculous. Okay, no, you know what? I have to post this. Go see the skulls.
I should note that I did like the end of this scene, when Aragorn thinks he's failed to summon the dead. I think the extended edition gave Aragorn a lot more depth (and we all know I am an Aragorn fan) - and I mean, geez, it's Viggo Mortensen, he can handle it. I am also partial to the scene where he challenges Sauron through the Palantir and Sauron is like "bwahaha, Arwen is dead!", although the transition from his despair at the end of that scene to him marching off to the Black Gate was a pitiful case of chop-editing that hopefully embarrassed Jackson. So, um, with the exception of the few scenes, I'll have to stick to the theatrical cut.
Anyway, I filled out a music meme. This is one of those memes that I could give totally different results for on two different days. But this mix is called "She Said Destroy," in honor of Evil!Galadriel.
One of the earliest songs you remember listening to: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - Frente (I used to hear this in the Wendy's at the mall in Indonesia - took me ages to find out what it was)
Song that you currently can't get out of your head: "Plague Burial" - Teargas & Plateglass (if you're at all into sort of gothic electronica... you need Teargas & Plateglass - "One Day Across the Valley" will give you nightmares)
Song by someone who is dead: "Faster Kill Pussycat" - Paul Oakenfold feat. Brittany Murphy (RIP)
Song you discovered from a film: "Courage" - Sarah Polley (a cover of The Tragically Hip from The Sweet Hereafter, a criminally underseen movie - if nothing else, you need this song)
Song you love to sing along to: "Helter Skelter" - Dana Fuchs Band (off Across the Universe, so a Beatles cover)
Song you totally misunderstood the first time you heard it: "God Loves America" - Swans (I don't think I listened to the lyrics the first time - hell of a sad song)
Song that makes you nostalgic: "Little Black Backpack" - Stroke 9 (I still don't know what the hell this song is about, but I was fucking in love with it in middle school)
Love song: "Lucky" - Bif Naked (bit of an odd choice, but probably the first love song I recognized as such)
Song that makes you cry: "Before Departure" - PJ Harvey (can't go wrong with this one - I can barely listen to it, actually)
Song that makes you laugh: "Alcoholic" - Cash Crop (this is the ultimate Go Drinking On O Street song)
Song that makes you want to dance: "Absurd" - Fluke (Jessica Alba's strip-dance song in Sin City, FYI)
Song with food in the title: "Candy Shop" - 50 Cent (I don't know what happened to this part of the playlist)
Song that creeps you out: "Polly" - Nirvana (I thought it was creepy from the first time I heard it - then I read this)
Really good cover song: "Stan" - Eminem (um, it's a "cover" of "Thank You" by Dido? and is infinitely better? also, this is apparently the violence against women part of the playlist)
Song about waking up or dreaming: "Friday Night Saturday Morning" - Nouvelle Vague (this song is so wicked dreamy, and reminds me of Barnard/college/New York sooooo much)
Song you only like because of the title: "Yes! I Am a Long Way from Home" - Mogwai (reminds me of this Roberto Bolano short story, actually)
Song you like from an artist that you otherwise don't like: "Horses" - Broken Social Scene (just never got into Broken Social Scene, but I love this song - it was used in a movie trailer)
Song you hate: "Police Me" - Tori Amos (I love her early albums, but wtf happened to her, I do not know)
Wildcard: "She Said Destroy" - Death in June (I'm pretty sure Death in June is best classified as "Wildcard")
I did get a kick out of Peter Jackon's gratuitous comical gore, though. He's truly ridiculous. 1, there's Saruman's death scene. Holy crap, what. And 2, when they're going down the Paths of the Dead and talking to all the dead dudes (one of my favorite scenes, originally!), they get molested by spirit-hands, and then they step on a bunch of skulls, and then they are in an avalanche of literally millions of skulls. Like, it's raining skulls, hallelujah, that's how many skulls there were. I could not stop laughing. I'm so glad they cut this, because it's fucking ridiculous. Okay, no, you know what? I have to post this. Go see the skulls.
I should note that I did like the end of this scene, when Aragorn thinks he's failed to summon the dead. I think the extended edition gave Aragorn a lot more depth (and we all know I am an Aragorn fan) - and I mean, geez, it's Viggo Mortensen, he can handle it. I am also partial to the scene where he challenges Sauron through the Palantir and Sauron is like "bwahaha, Arwen is dead!", although the transition from his despair at the end of that scene to him marching off to the Black Gate was a pitiful case of chop-editing that hopefully embarrassed Jackson. So, um, with the exception of the few scenes, I'll have to stick to the theatrical cut.
Anyway, I filled out a music meme. This is one of those memes that I could give totally different results for on two different days. But this mix is called "She Said Destroy," in honor of Evil!Galadriel.
One of the earliest songs you remember listening to: "Bizarre Love Triangle" - Frente (I used to hear this in the Wendy's at the mall in Indonesia - took me ages to find out what it was)
Song that you currently can't get out of your head: "Plague Burial" - Teargas & Plateglass (if you're at all into sort of gothic electronica... you need Teargas & Plateglass - "One Day Across the Valley" will give you nightmares)
Song by someone who is dead: "Faster Kill Pussycat" - Paul Oakenfold feat. Brittany Murphy (RIP)
Song you discovered from a film: "Courage" - Sarah Polley (a cover of The Tragically Hip from The Sweet Hereafter, a criminally underseen movie - if nothing else, you need this song)
Song you love to sing along to: "Helter Skelter" - Dana Fuchs Band (off Across the Universe, so a Beatles cover)
Song you totally misunderstood the first time you heard it: "God Loves America" - Swans (I don't think I listened to the lyrics the first time - hell of a sad song)
Song that makes you nostalgic: "Little Black Backpack" - Stroke 9 (I still don't know what the hell this song is about, but I was fucking in love with it in middle school)
Love song: "Lucky" - Bif Naked (bit of an odd choice, but probably the first love song I recognized as such)
Song that makes you cry: "Before Departure" - PJ Harvey (can't go wrong with this one - I can barely listen to it, actually)
Song that makes you laugh: "Alcoholic" - Cash Crop (this is the ultimate Go Drinking On O Street song)
Song that makes you want to dance: "Absurd" - Fluke (Jessica Alba's strip-dance song in Sin City, FYI)
Song with food in the title: "Candy Shop" - 50 Cent (I don't know what happened to this part of the playlist)
Song that creeps you out: "Polly" - Nirvana (I thought it was creepy from the first time I heard it - then I read this)
Really good cover song: "Stan" - Eminem (um, it's a "cover" of "Thank You" by Dido? and is infinitely better? also, this is apparently the violence against women part of the playlist)
Song about waking up or dreaming: "Friday Night Saturday Morning" - Nouvelle Vague (this song is so wicked dreamy, and reminds me of Barnard/college/New York sooooo much)
Song you only like because of the title: "Yes! I Am a Long Way from Home" - Mogwai (reminds me of this Roberto Bolano short story, actually)
Song you like from an artist that you otherwise don't like: "Horses" - Broken Social Scene (just never got into Broken Social Scene, but I love this song - it was used in a movie trailer)
Song you hate: "Police Me" - Tori Amos (I love her early albums, but wtf happened to her, I do not know)
Wildcard: "She Said Destroy" - Death in June (I'm pretty sure Death in June is best classified as "Wildcard")
