*huggles Finwe madly and hands him/her a Denethor Appreciation badge*

<A HREF="http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-06-11-rings_x.htm" TARGET=_blank>USA Today Article</A> has lots of tidbits for the extended edition. Some of this is confirmation, but some is new.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> USA TODAY got an early preview in Wellington, New Zealand, last week at director Peter Jackson's private screening room. Though a two-DVD set with the original three-hour Towers arrives on shelves Aug. 26, Rings completists will find plenty of fresh Middle-earth fodder in the longer version.<P>Bean's ring-craving Boromir, slain at the end of 2001's The Fellowship of the Ring, is resurrected in a lengthy DVD flashback after brother Faramir (David Wenham) finds a boat bearing his body. <P>Not only is there more Bean to savor, but the twisted emotional ties that ensnare ruler Denethor (New Zealand actor John Noble, who officially joins the cast in King), his favorite son, Boromir, and scapegoat Faramir also are exposed. The scenes also help explain why the noble Faramir is rather rude when he meets heroic hobbits Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin).<P>Other DVD additions to the middle tale that heighten the drama and lighten the mood:<P>• Rohan horseman Eomer (Karl Urban) finds his mortally wounded cousin Theodred and brings him home, where his subsequent death goes all but unnoticed by his spell-stunned father, King Theoden (Bernard Hill). <P>• The plight of Eowyn (Miranda Otto), Eomer's sister, deepens as she sings a mournful dirge during Theodred's funeral. Meanwhile, her unrequited passion for visiting warrior Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) is further inflamed when he tames an unruly horse by whispering sweet nothings in Elvish. <P>• There are more tree treats as the once-truncated encounter between ancient Treebeard the Ent and hobbits Pippin (Billy Boyd) and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) stretches its limbs. At one point, Treebeard's droning rumble of a voice causes the halflings in his branches to become drowsy.<P>• Jackson injects much fun with food and beverage. Eowyn, not especially deft in the kitchen, serves Aragorn a vile-looking bowl of homemade stew, which he politely chokes down. Boromir and Faramir share a couple of victory brews, and one declares in beer-ad fashion, "Today, life is good." Pippin and Merry greedily guzzle the magical elixir known as Ent-draught, adding inches to their wee stature. <P>The most surprising revelation in the longer Two Towers? That hale-and-hunksome Aragorn is 87 years old. Maybe it's something in that stew.<BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>H.C.

Call me a little strange...but this scene is the one I am looking forward to the most...<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> Boromir and Faramir share a couple of victory brews, and one declares in beer-ad fashion, "Today, life is good." <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <P>

Ooh, I was so excited when I found out about those... I'm really looking forward to hearing Éowyn sing. And of course, I can't wait to see Boromir interacting with Faramir, and our first glimpse of Denethor. <P>I'm glad that they put the Ent Draughts in as well, and Merry and Pippin's little "growth spurts." I really loved that part in the books for some reason.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> The scenes also help explain why the noble Faramir is rather rude when he meets heroic hobbits Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin).<BR> <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>You know, I was thinking about this statement and what in the Boromir/Faramir/Denethor flashback would help to explain Faramir's behaviour when this occured to me. As Boromir is getting set to head out for Rivendell, Denethor gives him orders like these, within earshot of Faramir, "whatever Isildur's Bain may be, it belongs in Gondor and you are to do what you can to bring it here."<P>Whatever you may feel about Faramir, it would take a lot for him to disobey the direct wishes of his lord and father. This would put him in a very tough spot and would go a long way (perhaps even all the way) to explaining his behavour in TTT. It also nicely sets up the tension between Faramir and Denethor for RotK.<P>H.C.<p>[ June 12, 2003: Message edited by: HCIsland ]