The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King - Sharkey's Purist Edition DVD (Hal9000 FanEdit)

More information can be found at FanEdit.org. This is an old project of mine from 2008, and I have gotten a few requests for a reupload. It is sourced from the DVD release, and I have no plans to remake it.

Brief Synopsis:

Modeled after the “purist edition” of TTT that has floated around for the past few years, this fan edit sets out to bring the Jackson films more in line with Tolkien’s original novel. Hopefully a version the die-hard Tolkien purists can find easier to stomach, by removing as many offending bits as possible.

Intention:

Modeled after the “purist edition” of TTT that has floated around for the past few years, this fan edit sets out to bring the Jackson films more in line with Tolkien’s original novel. Hopefully a version the die-hard Tolkien purists can find easier to stomach, by removing as many offending bits as possible.

Aside from small cuts, such things have been cut away as: the ‘dying Arwen’ sub-plot, ‘Sauron the Searchlight’, Denethor’s refusal to light the beacons, and the parting of Sam and Frodo.

Cuts and Alterations:

Film opens on the lighting of the beacons of Gondor, prior to the arrival of Gandalf and Pippin.
Removed Theoden’s hesitance to aid Gondor.
Gandalf doesn’t pressure Denethor to call for aid, since in this version he already has.
Trimmed some of Gothmog’s footage throughout. The book only gives the character a fleeting mention, and I find his portrayal annoying.
Cut Denethor’s hallucination of Boromir, as well as his open claim to favoring him over Faramir.
Gollum does not frame Sam, and Frodo does not send Sam away.
Gollum separates the pair by pushing Sam down the stairs after Frodo has entered Shelob’s lair.
Removed the subplot where Arwen’s life (light of the Evenstar?) is tied to the fate of the Ring. Also, she’s still not sailing across the sea to Valinor. She does still inspire the forging of Anduril, though.
Cut the scene where the Rohirrim question Aragorn’s courage as he departs for the Paths of the Dead.
Legolas does not refer to Isildur as the “last” king of Gondor. There were generations of kings after him.
Trimmed the goofiness during the Paths of the Dead.
Cut the ambush of the Corsair ships, to give their appearance at Pelennor Fields an element of surprise, as in the theatrical version.
The Witch-King of Angmar does not break Gandalf the White’s staff.
Gandalf does not have Shadowfax kick Denethor onto his pyre, and Denethor does not sieze Pippin. Nor does he run the length of the city to jump off.
Cut Eowyn’s encounter with Gothmog.
Cut the Witch-King’s line, “die… now….”
Cut Gandalf giving Pippin the death talk. It’s a nice scene, but ultimately a misapplication of Tolkien’s writings.
There is no tension; Aragorn does the honorable thing of releasing the dead from their curse without hesitation.
Downplayed Sauron’s floating eye as much as possible. It only appears in background shots, and not as a personification of Sauron.
Removed mention of Arwen from Aragorn’s confrontation with Sauron via Palantir. Also, we see Sauron’s body rather than floating eye.
Frodo does not contemplate suicide while dangling inside Mount Doom. Sam pulls him up much more quickly.
Added a half-hour homebrewed “Scouring of the Shire” sequence. (Just kidding)
Added some ROTK-style credits for us fan editors. Tolkien’s credit has been promoted to first, in all three films.

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