The day started off good, with the chance to sleep in as usual. I finally rolled out of bed and gave Will a call to see what the deal was for lunch. I got off the phone, and with no lunch plans at all i made my way over to his house where we would decide. The choice was really based on two things... what we felt like eating, and what we knew would not encourage a hasty exit during any of the marathon. So our final decision was much better than i thought it would be when we set out.

Greenblats in Hollywood.

Now just a few little things about greenblats. 1) They always have parking.... even on a Friday night on the Sunset Strip. 2) They have a great selection of wine. 3) They have some of the best Deli sandwiches in all of the Los Angeles area.

So that was it. We ate upstairs in an almost empty dinning room and just sat and shot the shit. We still had a good deal of time before the Fellowship of the Ring started when we did get to the archlight. We tracked down Jason and Bob and Bob's gfriend in the cafe and started to run up the bar tab. Oh, well i started to run up the tab, Will had a coke. After a few more Guinness we made a few cell phone calls, tracked down Brian and Wendy and headed into the theater.

First and big line of the night was to get your Trilogy Tuesday Pass. Your ticket was exchanged for a pass on a lanyard that would also get you the "free gift" at the end of the night.

Ok enough lead-in.

Fellowship of the Ring. Now i've seen the extended version of this movie so many times now i can't count. The little changes to the movie (and the HUGE changes) make it all that much better. I remember sitting in some of the first scenes reciting the words to myself (geek) and thinking through all of the plot points for this and the next movie.

Now the only complaint that i will have about anything all night long was the fact that the Ring Wraiths scream is ear shattering. From the front row you have to cringe and almost put your fingers in your ears its so loud.

After the Fellowship I made a mad dash outside to get something to eat and hit the bathroom. I was surprised at how many people sat to watch the credits when they knew we had a schedule to keep. Well in the rush I lot everybody else and headed for the Hot Dog line which was already growing. Will tracked me down and we made a simple deal, He gets a drink for me, and i'll get a dog for him. Well the drink line was almost non existent so he was back to hang out with me in line in about 1 minute. Scarfed down a dog and a coke, hit the bathroom and back into the movies.

Now when we got back inside everybody sat down. All i said was... I'm not sitting down now if i gotta have my ass in that seat for 3 hours soon. Everybody was on their feet a few seconds later. But then we had to avoid the fuckin camera crews that we're working the crowd like vultures. The little dipshit kid from Jimmy Kimel live showed up to tease the crowd before the Two Towers. I guess they're hoping that this kid might be able to get enough footage that eventually might be edited into something that might compete with Triumph's incredible bit at the last opening of LOTR in new your city. Anyway, it was fuckin boring and he generally sucked.

Now for the Two Towers. I had not yet seen the extended version, and had no idea how much it would add to the movie. I'm always impressed at how much you can improve on a movie that you think is already great. Aragorn speaking to the horse in Rohan. Duh, well the explains why the horse comes to save his life later. And the fact that he's 87 years old, that might be something that should be included. I'm going to have to watch this version a few hundred times now. Just little points make it that much better

So then the next break i bailed at the first chance i could. I knew Will was heading for MacDonald's and i was thinking Baja Fresh. I got outside the theater and was one of the first people to sprint across Sunset to the restaurant. I got cut off at the door by about 5 people that ran a little faster and we're a little more pushy that I. But in all i was in and out in a few minutes.

back to the movies

The Return of the King was far and away the most majestic of all the movies. Entire sequences really should just be titled... "LOOK HOW DAMN BEAUTIFUL NEW ZELAND IS!!" The story has progressed to the point where there are a large number of subplots that take your attention. The Fellowship had been very linear in story, with a few flashbacks, but this was a whole new ballgame. I really don't want to write any kind of spoiler at all so i won't go into any great detail. The characters in some cases are on their own quest and have not seen others for months. When the stories cross paths and intertwine i think that is the best part of the movie.

Special effects are seemless, and the sheer magnitude of the effects shots is astounding. This movie was planned to be exactly what it needed to be... a climax and resolution of the entire story.

This has been the movie that we've been waiting for.