Since the last two theatrical DVDs featured a "Sneak Preview" of their Extended versions, I had hoped that by renting RotK I'd see the the same as well. Unfortunately, there wasn't one, nor was there any "new" footage I hadn't already seen before (bar the clip of the Legolas/Gimli drinking game at Edoras in the "National Geographic" special on the 2nd disc). And that was a frickin' disappointment.
As for the movie itself, after being reminded of Saruman's glaring absence, I just skipped ahead to the Eowyn/Witch-King battle (good times
) and tuned out. Because as Dr. G mentioned above, losing Saruman was just wrong for three reasons I can think of:
1) He is Gandalf's
real arch-enemy, which makes a final confrontation between them essential, as it brings their conflict full-circle from the "stronger" Saruman bullying and imprisoning the "weaker" Gandalf in FotR, the now evenly-matched "White Wizards" separately mustering their respective armies to destroy/save the people of Rohan at Helm's Deep in TTT, and (according to the book, at least) the victorious Gandalf humbling the disgraced Saruman by resisting his nemesis' deadliest weapon - The
Voice of Saruman - then robbing him of his remaining powers by breaking his staff.
2) It horribly unbalances the structure and coherence of not only the Isengard scene (a valuable and dangerous object like the Palantir is found in the water outside the tower with no explanation?) but the rest of the movie itself which results in many key scenes being edited down or jettisoned altogether. Like the Palantir itself, a helpful narrative tool used to reveal the weakness of Denethor and the strength of Aragorn, which is completely forgotten after it's used to jumpstart the main story arc of the Seige of Minas Tirith by ensnaring Pippin. Or the mysterious disappearance of Gandalf's staff en route to save Faramir from being burned alive by Denethor, the fate of which explains exactly what the Witch-King meant in saying that he'd "break" the wizard. Or the "heroes riding to confront the Enemy" scene of Isengard that's revisited with the Mouth of Sauron's arrival at the Black Gate in which their previous resistance against Saruman's lies are reversed by their believing the MoS's lie this time around with a show of "proof" (again, drawn from the book).
3) It's just plain wrong to disrespect Christopher Lee, who is both a legend in the film world and the most ardent Tolkien fan out of the entire cast (who proudly admits to reading the books once every year). If not for that "other" (prequel) trilogy's final chapter not being due out until next year after the Extended RotK DVD's release, it would've been more frustrating to have Lee's villianous role in that movie being treated *better* by a glorified toymaker like George Lucas than an actual filmmaker like Peter Jackson, whose own additions to previously released work are far more important and enjoyable than the other guy's self-indulgent revisionist bull$#!+ (i.e. "Greedo firing first").
Having said that, I cannot bring myself to watch RotK again in full until it's Extended. Because as far as I'm concerned, the "theatrical" cut won't exist for me after that happens. Still, if I had to personally chose between keeping only Saruman or Eowyn/Witchking, the wizard would lose every time. Because you should never mess with Eowyn, ever. But that's just me.
_______
Dave C.
Edited by: Munchkin at: 6/1/04 1:38 pm
at: 2/26/04 3:51 pm
).
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Out 
Out