November 10, 2004

beginning and end
Eonwe

I like this question a lot and am very interested to see what other people's answers are.

My favorite opening scene is definitely from The Two Towers, for all the reasons a previous poster said. Also, it pulls you into the movie so quickly. After the Gandalf/Balrog sequence ends (only a couple minutes long), you are fully back in Middle-Earth, and it feels like you've been there a long time.

Picking a favorite ending is much harder - all three hit exactly the notes they were aiming for. But having just watched the second half of FotR on TV last night, I would have to go with it. Actually, everything from the Argonath on is just about perfect if you ask me. So many decisions and realizations are made by the characters during the final fight and then boom! they are all going their separate ways. The last shot of Frodo and Sam picking their way down into the Emyn Muil with Mordor in the background is great. Even though RotK is the only film with a true 'end', it's taken down a notch for me because it can't share the sense of anticipation that the FotR and TTT endings have. The first two films accelerate into the finish and then leave you dying for more.

Eonwe