[Firefoot]

Well, I guess I get to be the odd one out.

My favorite movie is certainly RotK. I am not really sure whether I prefer TTT or FotR better anymore (It's been too long!). I do love all three movies, but somehow Fellowship manages to disappoint me (at least the first half, until the Company sets out from Rivendell). Truth be told, I had not actually heard of LotR (book or movie) until some three months after Fellowship was first in theatres, so this very much lessened my excitement over the movie. Perhaps another six months after reading the books, I finally decided to see Fellowship, and I was extremely disappointed. Extremely. I enjoy it much more now, but I still have a hard time with some of the changes. I do not tend to have this problem with the other two movies - it is a lot easier for whatever reason to overlook them. For example, I dislike much of the Rivendell footage (not the sets or anything, just the way it goes), especially the Council of Elrond.

I considered going to see TTT in theatres, but eventually opted out. I enjoyed it a great deal when I finally did see it - I was more 'into it,' and was starting to appreciate much more the movie in itself, including the music.

Now RotK, I was extremely excited about this one. I downloaded the trailer and watched it frequently in anticipation. I counted down the days, and was absolutely enraptured when I finally did see it. I thought it was fantastic (still do). The month preceding the premiere of RotK was the real start of my second LotR craze (the first being immediately following the reading of the books). It was in this time that I joined the BD's.

So maybe it was just a process, having to grow used to the fact that there were going to be changes, that the movie was not the book but a rendition of it. Also to be considered was my anticipation: Fellowship: okay, I guess I'll see it. Two Towers: Sure, I want to see it, but I can wait. RotK: How many more days!? So for me, it was really RotK that had that 'fresh' feeling that most of you describe for Fellowship. In my first viewings of each, RotK was the only one that held me absolutely enchanted.