Have we done this before? LoTR EXTENDED vs THEATRICAL, which do you prefer?

I prefer the extended, but for a 10 year old, the theatrical may be more ideal. More names, more places, more plot points that may create confusion in the extended

Always the extended.

quote:

---

I usually watch the extended editions but as far as which one is better, it's the theatrical without question to me.

---

There may be a few silly ones but they are heavily outweighed by some great ones


*Theodred's Funeral
*Flashback to more Boromir and seeing him and Faramir together
*Sarumans death
*Concerning Hobbits
*Gifts from Galadriel (one of my favorites)

quote:

---

On physical media, the extended versions split each movie into two parts.

That could be a good way to watch

---

CAD ain't watching no physical media

Yea Though I think the extended in Fellowship is actually better now that I think of it. I love the extra time spent in the shire.

In the theatrical versions I can't really think of any actually bad scenes. Granted they do bleed together now that I've really only watched the extended for years now. But in the extended there are a few scenes that just aren't good.

quote:

---

Granted they do bleed together now that I've really only watched the extended for years now.

---

I watched the theatrical with my FIL because he had never seen them (he loved them) and I kept missing scenes that were in the extended, because thats all i watch usually.

quote:

---

But in the extended there are a few scenes that just aren't good.

---

I love every minute spent in that world, I wish there was a SUPER extended version that added more

quote:

---

but I'm gonna hold off on those as long as I can since they are vastly inferior.

---

i'm ashamed to admit i never finished the hobbit trilogy. i watched #1 in the theater, #2 at home and even though i have #3, i still have never seen it.

and good on you, dad. these movies inspire kids in a good way. some of my best memories growing up are reading the LoTR books in middle school and i still remember EVERYONE walking around with those tomes, even the 'cool kids'.

quote:

---

and good on you, dad. these movies inspire kids in a good way. some of my best memories growing up are reading the LoTR books in middle school and i still remember EVERYONE walking around with those tomes, even the 'cool kids'.

---

Well, in her defense he is only five, and there is some intense shite in LotR. But there's also a lot of awesome shite, and he handled it in stride and loved it though. But I'm maybe not the best decision maker...I let him watch Jurassic Park when he was 4, and the Star Wars trilogy when he was 3. My argument was outside of one or two scenes, the rest is just fun, awesome dinosaur shite. Same with SW, outside of a couple of instances, it's fun space shite. He's also seen Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones, Independence Day, Goonies, Hoosiers, the OG TMNT movies, and tons of other shite I loved back in the day. Some movies I just FFWD if there is a scene that he can't watch (i.e. the sex scene in Top Gun) or mute some language if necessary. But he loves the same shite I did as a kid...he's just maybe a little younger than I was.

I also explained to her that part of the fun of being a boy is watching awesome shite (that mom wouldn't approve of) while she's out of town.


ETA:

quote:

---

i'm ashamed to admit i never finished the hobbit trilogy. i watched #1 in the theater, #2 at home and even though i have #3, i still have never seen it.

---

I enjoyed them for what they are, but there should've never been three movies. IMO they could've made two really awesome movies instead of dragging it out with unnecessary shite for three. They are good, just WAY too long and overly silly at times with the cartoonish shite.

I edited; check my edit re: the Hobbit.

quote:

---

but that little rat turd always narcs me out when she gets home.

---

I told her I let him watch it, but she thought it was just the first one, which she wasn't thrilled about. Then a couple weeks later she realized it was all three and was even more pissed.

I probably watch the extended more often, but honestly- as a big Tolkien nerd, I would say I prefer the original theatrical versions. Reason being, they're closer to the books. And while I criticize the theatricals for how they stray from the books, the extended does even more.

I don't understand cutting things to save time, and then making extended versions where you don't add book things back, you just make up more stuff.

Not saying I dislike either, I do like the movies and as stated, I probably watch the extended versions more (simple reason being, it gives me more time watching something).

Watching a marathon with a 10 yr old... do the extended, and treat it like a premium series you're binging together. That gets you basically another 1-2 episodes of enjoyment.