Petty's Purist LotR Edits [2]

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Eldo- I am relooking at the Gollum sequence to see if I can trim some time off it without losing anything. I think I can.

Honestly, I'd probably leave the Gollum scene for later. Gandalf mentions Gollum just a minute later ("there was one another who knew that Bilbo had the Ring..."), which makes the flashback a bit redundant. It would probably fit better in the Council of Elrond when Gollum's story is being recounted. It might even work at the place where PJ originally intended for it to be: during Frodo and Gollum's conversation in the Dead Marshes in TTT.

chris63 wrote:

Mrs Figg wrote:I dont want to watch LOTR for a couple of years, or read the books for that matter, it spoils them if I get over familiar with them.

I'm the same. Have watched it to death, but Petty's cut was very good. Glad i watched it.

Yeah, this happened to me and I was really disappointed. Petty's cut is a fresh look at the films though so it largely removes the problem of being overly familiar.

do you have to be physically there in front of the computer when you upload it?- Mrs Figg

I have to be there to start it- after that I can leave it- but then youd have to go to dailymotion and keep checking my account as I might not be here when it finishes to put up a link.

Honestly, I'd probably leave the Gollum scene for later.- Eldo

One of the problems there is that it leaves a puzzle in the narrative- how did it get from the River to Bilbo finding it in a cave. It makes the history- after the other additions filling in the detail- seem missing a piece more obviously than it does in PJ's cut.
I did originally have this scene in the dead marshes- I even had a rather nifty transition going on where it went from Gollums face into Smeagols- and it did work well there in terms of editing as it was originally planned for there.
Overall I think its effect however, epecially on Frodo's understanding of the Ring- and the viewer seeing as Frodo hears of the transformation of Smeagol, is more aware of the Rings horrifying potential on a hobbit like person, and therefore gives more emotion I think to Frodo's ooutburst to Gandalf to take it on discovering Sauron knows.
I do think it could do with trimming a little to help with pace- but I dont think I will remove it for the reasons given.

I haven't watched the edits for a few months, and I think they've been tweaked a bit since then. I remember I didn't want to comment until I had time to watch them all together, because I'm particularly interested in the storytelling, and how it unfolds when you return it to the order of the books.

I remember I had several questions about pacing, particularly during the Dead Marshes. It seemed so short compared to the book or the PJ movie. I wish there were a way you could make it seem endless and hopeless, which is the tone I associate with it in the book. I wasn't sure why you took out as much as you did.


Edit: And btw how's the memory stick coming?

The Dead Marshes are painfuly short in PJ's David- I only took out one scene- where Frodo falls in the water and sees ghosties.
Apart from that it the same as Pj's except for being not lit like a sunny day.
PJ's version as a drama is nowhere near as good in my view as the radio scene of it. I wish it had been done more like that.

Mem stick will be in post tomorrow- I had held on to get the final cut of the River vid on to it.

Thanks. I'm ready to start the timer.

Re: Dead Marshes, I wish there was a way you could add some atmospheric music and stock fog-in-the-marsh footage to stretch it out and make it a bit more haunted. It's always felt like a pivotal chapter in the book as far as Frodo's state of mind. I just wish that came through better in the movie.

I wish the whole Dead Marshes have had been done properly David- its one of my favourite 'atmosphere' sections of the books- what Pj gives us- bright day light, barely any fog or mists and bunsen burners for will o the wisp just sucks- and thats before PJ destroys all the dialogue.
From most feel and atmosphere to least feeling and atmosphere- how? Simple add PJ.

Ok- got an idea, especially for Mrs Figg (no- not THAT idea!) how about if we agree times- and all those who may want to watch TH edit work out when we can all be on the forum- I will time the upload as best as possible to match that- and as soon as it goes up- we watch- as there is no point me puttng it up and hoping it lasts long enough for folks to see, cause it wont.

And if that works- I will do the same over a week or whatever for the LotR's purist edits too.
A sort of purist edits film club.

fantastic idea Petty, just dont make it 4.00 in the morning cos I need my beauty sleep you know.    
       well I am totally up for this. I am really curious to watch it in English for the first time.

Well if I start uploading at 5pm GMt oday- it should be ready to watch approx-7-8pm GMT- would that suit?
Youd need to be able to be on the forum, ready to watch- as I suspect it wont last long at all.

brilliant yep. is that 7-8 your time? that would be an hour later for me. I think.

Yeah I think you are about an hour ahead.

Started upload Mrs Figg- it is 17:06 here and it says it will take approx 3hrs 37minutes and 4 seconds- which seems pretty detailed for an estimate!

Can I say, good idea Petty !

Hope you wil be here to watch Azriel - its predicting- 2hrs 36mins to go- and then it takes up to half an hor for them to encode it. So 3 hours roughly from now- which will be 9.30pm GMT.

so 10.00 for me. cant wait.

Asusming they dont spot it when its encoded and pull it before it gets up- and even if it goes up no garantee it will last long enough to watch it all- part 1 is 50mins 24secs long.

So temper your excitment Mrs Figg- just in case.
Here's hoping it works however. (pt 1 of lotRs was still up earlier today so there is hope)

Woo Hoo ! Il be there !

Its predicting 42 mins till upload is complete.
Once its done that it starts encoding the various resolutions- in this case 240, 360 and 480. (worst to best picture quality)

The 240 will finish first, it always does- so it will be available to watch from them- I will post the link as soon as the 240 is done.
Its up to yourself if you start watching at 240 right away, or wait for a better quality to finish, and take the risk it gets pulled before you see it.

12 mins till upload complete!

I dont feel like risking anything, Ive learnt to take what you can, when you can............ then run like hell !

well under 3 mins now until it starts encoding Azriel - could be as little as fifteen minutes maybe after that for the 240 to be up- Ill have a better idea once it starts encodng.
Where is Figgs?

Encoding has begun!

My heart is thumping as if Im bidding on Ebay !

Mine too! Im sitting here in silence watching the progress percent with baited breath- dreading it gets pulled soon as its ready!
240 is at 26%