ebonlock | I'm glad you're with me, here at the end of all things.

Wow, I don't even know how to begin this post. How do you sum up one of the most amazing and wonderful experiences of your life? Trilogy Tuesday was perfect. Absolutely, exquisitely, heartbreakingly perfect. Everything went smoothly and well, everyone had a fantastic time, and the people I got to meet were, without exception, generous, kind, warm and friendly. Nineteen hours has never flown by as quickly as it did December 16, 2003, now counted among the best days of my life.

My voice is still a little wonky after I ran the trivia contest, but I managed to be mostly heard throughout an entire theater without a microphone so I count that as an accomplishment. It always strikes me as funny to be so nervous and freaked about something like that beforehand, and yet to end up feeling so relaxed and happy with so many eyes upon me. I don't tend to enjoy public speaking as a rule, but this I thoroughly loved.

Even the traffic on the way to the theater just before 8 a.m. was fairly light and fast moving. We got there in very good time and met all the die-hards, some of whom had camped out over night. I tipped my hat to those hearty souls. Spent some time talking to a reporter (article here), but mostly organizing and setting stuff up with A- and J-, both of whom went way above and beyond the call of duty on this one. The theater folks were mostly helpful and courteous, which was nice. The contests all went like clockwork and we had lots of participation and enthusiasm from the crowd, which was cool. We had time to run over to the mall for honest to goodness food before the costume contest, but only just. I was glad we did as that was the last meal I got for the day and it was quite yummy.

I don't know how 4 1/2 hours can go by so quickly, but it just flew (or at least it did for me). I kept glancing at my watch thinking, "That can't be right." Almost didn't get a bathroom break before the first film started, that would've been a disaster. We all managed to pace ourselves on the liquids, and the bathroom lines between films really weren't bad at all, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Watching the extended editions on the big screen is something I recommend to everyone out there. It was almost like seeing them for the first time again, and seeing all three in order back to back was the only way to do ROTK for the first time.

Was it the emotional avalanche I predicted? Oh god yes. I had the good sense to recognize what it was going to do to me on a variety of levels, and I let it wash over me. I let myself feel everything I needed to with this one and it was incredibly cathartic. I felt drained at the end, certainly, but also strangely calm and satisfied.

Does this mean I think this film was the perfect conclusion to the series? Well no. I actually look at the theatrical release as a very long promo for what I believe will be the definitive version, the extended edition DVD. There was too much missing, too much that needed to be there, that I expected to be there, and yes I was frustrated by its loss. The fact that Merry was totally shafted in this cut was alarming (although Pip really got to shine), there was no conclusion given for Faramir and Eowyn ("Houses of Healing", wherefore art thou?), no funeral for Theoden, no resolution for Eomer (and what happened to Gamling?). The placement of the Smeagol backstory at the beginning was odd and a bit jarring, though I understand Jackson's reasons for putting it there.

The most disappointing to me, though, was the..well...weird decisions made regarding the Frodo/Sam/Gollum story arc. Sam losing it and Frodo sending him away actually made my jaw drop and I almost exclaimed, "- the fuck?!" aloud. The Shelob sequence being cut in two made no friggin' sense to me, you've got the intensity and fear built up to a climax and then...you stop it dead for a Frodo/Gollum scene...then that ends and Frodo has a vision of Galadriel...then finally we get back to Shelob attacking him. Weird, weird, weird! Sam arriving to rescue Frodo was terrific, and of course his broken, "Don't go where I cannot follow you." did make me sob. Then exposition Orc showed up with his pals to kidnap Frodo and we got back on track again.

Bit of a mind fuck there, but all right. And..ahem..shirtless bondage Frodo was very, very nice.

Really, really wish we'd had a little explanation regarding how Sam knew where the hell he was in the tower. The singing bit from the book would've been so nice there. *sigh*

Skipping ahead a bit, the cuts at "The End of All Things" had me scratching my head. Then later Gimli handing Gandalf the crown made me indignant. That is so Frodo's place, dammit. And not one single "Praise them with great praise!"? Grr. Oh and what the hell was up with the Evenstar jewel going to Arwen and Aragorn's kid instead of Frodo? Gah!

Ok, now that I've got the rants out of my system, on to the positive stuff. Liked the Frodo/Sam opening very much, and the heroes riding into Isengard was fantastic. Pip and the Palantir made me positively shiver, and big, chocolate-covered kudos to Billy for the scene after he's released and healed by Gandalf. His tiny, "He hurt me." did me in. Merry's very palpable anger with Pip was heartbreaking, as was their farewell. Merry understanding that they might never see each other again, and Pip so utterly lost without Merry to comfort and care for him, just *so* good.

Yay riders of Rohan! Yay Theoden king, who at last actually was kingly. His speech to his forces before they rode into the fray made my heart swell, I'd follow that man against the hordes of Mordor any day. I was tempted to scream "Death!" along with Eowyn and Merry. What an amazing sequence.

Faramir got far too little screentime for my taste, but definitely quality. His charge into Osgiliath as Pip sings a heartbreaking song to Denethor who chows down on his lunch while his son rides to his doom, was incredibly effective. And even though Crazy Denethor didn't have a Palantir (um, one of the big reasons he's "crazy", for those who haven't read the books), he was still a great head-case.

Everything between Gandalf and Pip was just friggin' perfect, couldn't have asked for better writing or acting on either part. Gandalf kicked serious ass, here's hoping for another nomination for Ian! Enjoyed the Aragorn/Legolas/Gimli journey on the paths to the dead, and "The Way is Shut" was superb, really nicely done.

The battles were awe-inspiring, and we even got the battering ram Grond, which made me very happy indeed. Minas Tirith was just stunning, and the Pelennor Fields were just the way I'd pictured them.

Eowyn's Nazgul smackdown practically had the audience on its feet (as well it should), and I actually liked that she got to show her uncle that she could kickass. Their farewell was beautiful and heartbreaking. And Pip's rescue of Faramir, and his later tenderness towards the wounded Merry showed just how far the character had come.

Finally they stopped using Gimli for pratfalls and let him actually just say some honestly funny (and accurate) stuff. He also got arguably the best line in the film. He and Legolas finally become friends, and it was nice not to want to beat the animation guys with a stick for their "Super Elf!" sequence. I kind of liked how Aragorn gives Legolas the head's up about the Oliphant bearing down on him with an unspoken, "Hey, can you just take care of that for me?" And of course Legolas does, and with panache. Though I nearly exclaimed, "Ta da!" when he lands.

Everything from this point on in the film makes me forget to breathe. The exchange between Sam and Frodo as they drag themselves up the mountain was exquisite. Nearly every word taken directly from the books, and oh my god the acting. Frodo's complete despair when he finds he can no longer remember even the simple pleasures of food and drink and soft grass. His broken, "The veil is gone, there is nothing between me and the wheel of fire. I see it with my waking eyes!" did me in completely. Sam's courage and determination as he scoops up his fallen friend and slogs onward, had me bawling.

Cutting back to Aragorn deciding to lead his pitifully few troops against the remaining forces of Mordor was perfect. His speech to the troops makes your heart pound with pride, he has become the king in this moment, and Viggo sells it with every fiber of his being. Ah but the moment that does me in every time is, after the gates have opened and the forces of good are surrounded, Aragorn can think of no more to say. He turns back to the Fellowship as the Eye of Sauron glares orange behind him, and very softly he says, "For Frodo." The Hobbits take up the cry and charge with him, the rest of the Fellowship behind them. Oh. My. God.

The Crack of Doom itself was a little disappointing in that Frodo's dialogue got cut big time. Great that they kept "The Ring is mine!" but oh how I longed for the rest. His declaration, "I do not choose to do this", would've been so nice. But seeing him powerful and dominant, completely taken by the Ring is just heart-stopping. I don't totally understand nor agree with Peter's decision to have him fight again with Gollum, though I've rationalized that until the Ring is completely destroyed Frodo is still in its thrall. Gollum's plunge into the lava was horrifying, made even more so by his last act being a desperate attempt to save the Ring. Sam's pulling Frodo up from the ledge worked because of the dialogue and the looks between them. "Don't you let go!" is especially effective, because in that moment Frodo wants to.

The crumbling of Barad-Dur and the shock and joy on the heroes faces as they realize that Frodo has succeeded had me crying all over again. And oh "The End of All Things" is almost too painfully beautiful to watch. Frodo comforting Sam as Sam really understands that they're going to die...gods what a sequence.

The only things that kind of top it for me is the trip to the Grey Havens. Frodo and Bilbo in the cart, my god that sequence is beautiful. It looks like it's been painted by one of the Flemish Renaissance masters, and Elijah has never given such a quiet, internal performance as he does in that moment. And of course the very last sequence where he says goodbye to the other Hobbits broke me utterly. The fact that he doesn't shed a tear, that he exudes this otherworldly peacefulness, and spares one beautific smile for them, and I think for the audience too, is about as close to a religious experience as one should ever have in film.

The only slight mar on this entire sequence is the fact that Sam is quite clearly living in his own home rather than Bag End. The fact that he was happily living elsewhere and poor Frodo was left alone the whole time made me so sad. It just wasn't right. I will try to come to terms with that, though, as Sam's "Well, I'm back." was just as it should have been.

I thought perhaps having seen it Tuesday would lessen the emotional impact when I saw it again yesterday, but no. I weep every single time, and sometimes just thinking about it can make me tear up. And of course I'm basketcase-city when the soundtrack plays. The film is so close to perfection, so close, I can only hope the extended edition will help me take that final step towards loving it to the same degree I do Fellowship. We shall see I suppose.