September 6, 2002

Rewatching on VHS
Bob the Builder

While waiting for the extended version DVD to come out, I took the opportunity to borrow the VHS version from a friend who doesn't have a DVD player. It was my first opportunity to rewatch the movie (I only saw it once on the big screen because I was waiting for the extended Two Towers trailer to be released - but the movie stopped showing in my local theatre by the time it came out!), which I did, again and again...and again. First of all, I do sympathise with an early post that complained about the sparse nature of the VHS version. The movie starts and stops and...that's it. While I agree with the later post which mentioned how VHS has less capacity than DVDs, surely they could have at least put in 10 minutes or so of the extended Two Towers trailer at the end! I don't think it is beyond VHS technology to go from 2hr53min (or whatever it is) to 3hr03min.

On rewatching the movie, two new things struck me:

1) The growing relationship between Boromir and Merry/Pippin was quite touching and well done, especially when he dies trying to protect them.

2) Did anyone else feel funny that Gandalf appeared to have at least a half decent hold on the edge of the cliff, and that Boromir stopped Frodo from doing what they all should have done - which was to run up and haul him up!!??? And then Gandalf suddenly appeared to give up hope and let go for no apparent reason. It wasn't like he was steadily losing grip, he just suddenly let go and fell. Comments anyone?