October 25, 2004

Will O’ The Wisp

This weekend has been utterly tedified by a visit from my mother and her husband. He can’t walk far without a rest and a few puffs on his inhaler, and it was pouring with rain for most of the weekend – thank goodness for the blinding flash of inspiration which was to show them the entire LOTR dvd collection.
Our comfortable evenings in Middle Earth were broken up only by the stepdad’s visits to the bathroom. I mention this in passing, because they both gave up smoking about five years ago. Only it seems that, prior to this, the stepdad had smoked for such a long time that, when he goes to the bathroom, he emits a strong smell of tobacco and smoke.
Also, purely out of habit, he still carries a cigarette lighter everywhere with him, which is useful when we’re in a restaurant and the candle on our table goes out.

Karen

15 thoughts on “Will O’ The Wisp

  1. Blimey, that’s a bit extreme surely – ALL THREE of them? Cripes.
    Mind you, when the extended version of Return of the King comes out I’ve already got a day planned for all three extended editions! (about 12hours I reckon.. eep!)

  2. My only concern with ROTK:Extended is that they’re going to put in even more endings. I reckon I can cut about an hour off the bugger and it will actually be improved…

  3. One each night – not extreme at all!
    Pete and I have done the marathon, though, when ROTK first came out – one hungover Saturday on the sofa under the duvet. I’ve seen the first film 8 times now.
    Re endings: We habitually choose to stop the DVD when Frodo and Sam are picked up by the eagles, because we can’t bear the rest of the film. Last night we watched it all the way to the end for the sake of the parents, which only served to remind us why we don’t normally bother with it.

    Karen on October 25, 2004
  4. Ah, the same end point I always pick, given the chance. Much more satisfying, and it avoids that incredibly dodgy scene with hobbits bouncing on a bed while Gandalf watches and laughs. Never understood that one….

  5. I did check in the book last night, and the whole bed-bouncing scene is frighteningly close to the text.

    Karen on October 25, 2004
  6. Hmmm, maybe I’ve always stopped reading the book when they’re waiting to be picked up by eagles too…

  7. Well quite. Most of the amendments PJ made to the text were improvements (dare I say it), but he did leave in, or insert, far too many moments where it looks like various hobbits are about to kiss various other hobbits.

    Karen on October 25, 2004
  8. Karen may have publicised the sleazy rep, but you cemented the formation of it, Adrian.

  9. Most of the amendments PJ made to the text were improvements (dare I say it)
    Except that by cutting out the Scouring of the Shire he cut out the entire point of the book!!! Grrr.

    Destructor on October 26, 2004

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