The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) | PART 1 | first time watching MOVIE REACTION

[@mojobag01]

No mugging to the camera, no lame jokes, just focused on the film. Great reaction, will be here for the tear-jerker.

[@vhufeosqap]

And doesn’t have the same OMG 😲 “reaction” face in the thumbnail

[@mena94x3]

👌

[@OrganicOrc]

Fun fact! Christopher Lee (Saruman) was told by Peter Jackson, the director, to yell out as he was stabbed. Christopher Lee looked at him and asked: "Have you ever seen a man be stabbed? They do not scream, they gasp as the air is driven from their lungs". Peter Jackson was too afraid to argue. Seems like Mr Lee might have seen and done some things during his time in the secret service. He was a true legend.

[@Makkaru112]

He should react to the whole behind the scenes passion project movies/documentary where it shows this very scene you speak of. ❤

[@balotr12345]

Christopher Lee was stabbed before, and he probably stabbed a few people when he was in the military

[@AtomicVampire1]

Love how engrossed you are with these films. They are quite amazing and your reactions are spot on.

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

Thank you, appreciate it👍😊

[@CDP1861]

Denethor was not always this crazy. It's not shown in the movies, but he also had one of those 'crystal balls', a Palanthir and he had been using it to get information. Unfortunately it was Sauron who was controlling what he got to see and drove him into hopelessness and madness. Sauron did that to weaken Gondor and it almost worked. So, in the end Denethor was really awful, but not because he was evil.

[@davidkulmaczewski4911]

He also wasn't as bad as portrayed in the movies.... he *did* evacuate all the women and children from Minas Tirith before the siege; he *did* call for (and received) aid from Gondor's fiefdoms; he *did* prepare the defenses of the city very well (in fact he showed Pippin that he spent his days wearing a full suit of chainmail, to keep himself physically fit for war); he *did* light the beacons and call for aid from Rohan. The movies did wrong by the entire family... Boromir, Faramir, and Denethor were all much more noble than Jackson portrayed them. Denethor resented Faramir because Denethor's wife Finduilas died in childbirth with Faramir. Also, Denethor was not a great warrior and so he lived vicariously through Boromir, who was. He saw too much of himself in Faramir, and didn't care for it, feeling it was weakness.

[@joellenglass2344]

Denethor was always awful to Faramir and always favored Boramir over him so yeah he was a jerk and a coward.

[@vincestapels2022]

Denethor was a great character in the books. Maybe my favorite Tolkien character. His fall was tragic because of how noble he was. Gandalf himself spoke highly of him (different from the films). He was not one of the "lesser men", rather the heir of Numenor ran nearly true through him and Faramir.

[@Makkaru112]

Denethor was done dirty: He was way more noble & mighty in the books. Not to mention he contended wills with Sauron for decades nonstop & ontop of that even now he was never broken nor could Sauron alter what Denethor would see in the palantir even then he couldn’t control what Denethor had control of which was how he chose to interpret the visions given to him. Using it all to Gondor’s advantage! ❤ he also lit the beacons and got the women and children far away from the city longer ahead of time. So the movie butchered him as well as faramir but they didn’t butcher faramir as badly thankfully. He could have been shown to give Pippen his newest order to light the beacons so then it wouldn’t change the scene much at all as presented! The story here is Faramir’s birth ended up killing his mother Finduilas which was a Numenorean woman of the Faithful which her ancestors survived the Kataklysm of Númenor by the way! He was hurt deeply by her death. But also Aragorn when he went by the name gifted to him as Thorongil Denethor’s father basically overshadowing him from his own father so he is as psychology goes: treated Boromir the same way his father treated Aragorn/Thorongil. Note that Boromir and Faramir are half Númenorean which is a big thing as far as the legendarium goes! Denethor actually did many things the movie shows him not doing or neglecting. He was VERY competent and mighty in many craft and (even a lore-master to a degree). He had quite alot of mental and “magical” might which is why he could contend with Sauron too without being harmed in there process in any way!

[@davidkulmaczewski4911]

@@vincestapels2022 Pippin thought that Denethor looked more like a wizard than Gandalf did.....

[@ungenerationed9022]

"Hey, don't touch that." IT'S PIPPIN BRO! You know he gonna touch it!! 😂😂😂

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

Lol 😂 yes for real…

[@michaelmeyers7216]

Ian Mckellen played this character (Gandalf) to perfection. You caught on beautifully on the doubt that was seeping into his mind. Did he indeed send an innocent hobbit to certain death? Saruman's voice is very powerful.

[@smoldragon339]

Fun fact: Christopher Lee (the actor who played Saruman) was a war veteran. When they were filming Saruman's death scene, they were trying to tell Lee what sounds to make. And Lee's response was "Do you know what sound a man makes when he's stabbed in the back? Because I do."

[@feldegast]

Hard to argue with someone on that point after a statement like that 😍 RIP Christopher Lee

[@gestaltdude]

One other fun fact. Kiwi actor Lawrence Makoare played both the Witch King and Gothmog, the Orc leader of the attack on Minas Tirith, as well as others during the course of the trilogy. In Return of the King, there is a scene where the Witch King is given instruction to Gothmog, so it is basically one actor talking to himself. :D

[@supratrd900]

This movie forever change cinema. The last movie to have won 11 Oscars and won all it's nomination. 11-0 sweep. Greatest Trilogy of all time. The guy who handed the weapons to Faramir and the rest of the Gondor soldiers is Royd Tolkien the great Grandson of the Lord of the Rings creator JRR Tolkien. Billy Boyd who play Pippin actually sing the song. In the Book Frodo never sent Sam away. Also Saruman didn't die in Isengard but dies in the Shire in the book while under a different alias Sharkey once the 4 Hobbits return after their journey. Search the Scouring of the Shire.

[@jyrhds1]

Boromir and Faramirs' mother died during Faramirs birth, their dad never got over it. Also, his mind was also poisoned by Sauron from using a palantir (same type of crystal ball that Sarumon had).

[@davidkulmaczewski4911]

In the book, Saruman (and Grima) live, and are left locked in Orthanc to be guarded by Treebeard. After it's all over, on their way back to the Shire, Gandalf and the Hobbits stop by Isengard to see Treebeard, and learn that he has let Saruman free because he pitied *anyone* being locked up (also we know that Saruman's main power is his voice, which he can use to mesmerize and influence most people, and he used it on Treebeard). Even later, the group encounters Saruman and Grima on the road, looking like two beggars, and show them mercy. In the end, we see that Saruman has all along been corrupting and ruining the Shire out of pure spite -- cutting down all the trees, tearing up fields, and subjugating the Hobbits, much like Frodo sees in Galadriel's mirror in Lothlorien. The returning hobbits "scour the Shire" (name of the chapter), and *that* is when Grima gets fed up and stabs Saruman, who's spirit is rejected by the West and dissipated in the wind (Grima is killed by the Hobbits). Oh, and they get the Palantir because Grima throws it at Saruman trying to hurt him during the confrontation, and instead it bounces down into the water.

[@marioguidotomasone1265]

The hobbits where without doubt the most admired persons in the entire Middle Earth ("you bow to no one") but in the Shire they were looked upon suspiciously because they've been out for such a long time.....adventuring! In the book, though, we see the hobbits leading the Shire against Saruman and his pawns to victory and for these feats only they became respected and admired in the Shire as well where no one cared about what happened in Moria, Rohan, Gondor or Mordor

[@BigE4891]

Every time I see Gimli I think of Sullah off of Indiana Jones. Same actor.😂

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

Haha 😂 Yes….

[@Lethgar_Smith]

Some fathers see their sons as obligated to look up to them and admire them no matter their flaws. If they sense you're not buying into their BS they can become resentful.

[@SLAPERZZ1]

It’s actually crazy how they did all these war scenes back in the day, ahead of it’s time for sure

[@Nuneven]

Nothing recent looks this good. I think CGI made people lazy.

[@SLAPERZZ1]

@@Nuneven I agree 100% they even make game trailers 10x more detailed then the games these days, everything’s backwards

[@BobBlumenfeld]

The opening sequence for this movie was originally placed in The Two Towers, while Frodo, Sam and Gollum are in the Dead Marshes and Frodo confronts Gollum with is original name. There are even two vestigial lines linking the two sequences: One in the Marshes, where Gollum says, "Smeagol. That was our name" and one at the end of the flashback, where his narration says, "We even forgot our name." Why exactly Peter Jackson moved the sequence I don't know for sure, but I suspect the success of the blockbuster opening sequence in Fellowship made him want big cold openers in the other two.

[@donkeywithascarf2435]

Saruman isn't dead. As a Maia(Gandalf is a Maia too) he doesn't die, but he lost his physical form. If you read the book, Saruman ends up a spirit, and is denied entrance into the Grey Havens(where all the elves are going). So, he's pretty much cursed to wander the world as a wisp of a spirit. It's the same with Sauron, who is also a Maia. When the ring is destroyed, he lost his power. He's too weak to build a physical form now, so he's stuck as a spirit. The only chance he has at regaining his physical form is when his master, Melkor, comes back.

[@115redhair]

Great reaction brother, welcome to the Fellowship ❤

[@Wonderpalm1979]

You're quite perceptive. You're quickly grasping things I missed the first time around, despite having read the books beforehand. Continued great reaction!

[@domingocurbelomorales8635]

Great reaction bro!! This is coming more and more intense!! I will join you in the second part!!

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

Thank you 🙏😊

[@cjperry2731]

Aragorn chose exile.. he did not want the power and responsibility of his bloodline.. he did not want to be King.. Many viewed his choice of exile as a betrayal.. like "fine, you don't want to be our king, then Gondor needs no king.." Also, Faramirs mother died giving birth to him.. seems Denethor blames him for it..

[@charliepepper333]

Man your reactions to this series are excellent…enjoyed watching along !

[@genny5309]

As I watch your reactions to Gollum/Sméagol, I’m reminded of how amazed I was when I first saw Gollum in the theaters 20+ years ago. The CGI & Andy Serkis’ performance created a truly remarkable character. The facial expressions made him so real.

[@Dan-B]

Some more context for Aragorn's sword and the Men on Dunharrow The Men of Dunharrow made an oath to Isildur in a previous age, to fight for him against Sauron. They had secretly worshipped Sauron, and the when the time came, they broke their oath and fled into the mountains. Oaths in Tolkien's universe aren't made casually, and are pretty cosmically binding (especially if made in the name of a god; this oath invoked Eru illuvatar, the one true God) Since the terms of the oath were broken, Isildur cursed them to never to find rest until they fulfill it, Aragorn's sword being a symbol of his family line.

[@johnwalters1341]

Yes, but that's not what Legolas said. He said they swore their oath to the last King of Gondor. But the last King of Gondor lived 2000 years after Isildur. Legolas's words are all screwed up, and I've never understood how they made their way into the movie.

[@Dan-B]

@@johnwalters1341 I never mentioned what Legolas said. I guess you were just looking for an opportunity to be a pedantic fan and ruin the fun 😆

[@gestaltdude]

Some context about the crystal ball things. They are called Palantiri, and were created by Feanor, greatest of all Elven craftsmen, in the dawn of the world. They were gifted to the Numenoreans (the Men that helped defeat Melkor and were gifted with a 500 year life span and a land of their own), so that the people may see into the Far West where many Elves and the divine being that created Middle Earth lived. The Palantiri were brought to Middle Earth by Elendil (Aragorn's ancestor, who we saw killed in the opening of the first movie) during the wreck of Numenor (long story), and were used to communicate across the vast distances as the empire of Gondor was built. One was in Orthanc, where Saruman lived, two other in Osgiliath (the city Boromir won back), one of which was taken by the Stewards. They were supposed to be able to see each other, by Sauron got hold of one, and most of the remaining ones steered towards him when looked into (so Saruman was trapped). When Pippin looked into it, he was linked directly to Sauron and questioned, hence the intense pain and fear. Boromir and Faramir's father used the one he had and, because everything he saw was at Sauron's bidding, he went mad with the thought of the remnant of Gondor being swept away by Sauron. Like Faramir, Denethor wasn't as harsh in the books, though I believe he was still closer to Boromir than Faramir, in whom he saw his wife who died when Faramir was 5. Boromir was similar in mood and thought to Denethor, making it easier for them to get along, while Faramir took after his mother, having a more thoughtful and less militaristic mindset than Denethor and Boromir. Later Denethor also came to resent Gandalf's influence on Faramir (hence the label of wizard's pupil), which served only to amplify the differences in their personalities. He does remember his love of Faramir when he though the latter was dying, only he sucked at expressing it, determining they should burn together, not exactly an approved parenting method. This is just a taste of the lore going into these things, and I really had to hold back. :D Like I've said before, the lore runs deep, so that even James Cameron would not be able to reach with his deep sea diving vessels.

[@johntumahab323]

Saruman, like Gandalf, was a Meier...a divine being (like an archangel) that was sent to Middle-Earth in the form of an old man to help in the fight against Sauron. But as you saw, he betrayed both the free peoples and the Valar...and even intended to betray and supplant Sauron himself for control of Middle-Earth. In the book when he died, a vapor arose from his body and reached out for the West...only for a passing breeze to blow it away. This indicates his fate was the same as Sauron's: to be banished as a powerless, wandering spirit for all eternity.

[@vincentvancraig]

That is exactly what gollum was talking about in the two towers with the split personality conversation with smeagol...when he called him a murderer, the opening scene of this movie

[@custardflan]

The character of Treebeard is partly based on JRR Tolkien's friend C.S. Lewis who you could hear coming down the hallway at Oxford University hrooming and hurumming. Lewis of course wrote the Chronicles of Narnia, the first book of which The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is a pretty good movie.

[@sketcheadiscoming]

My new favourite guy who does reactions now 👊🏻

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

Wow Thank you, I appreciate that😊👍

[@leeneufeld4140]

Denethor and his sons were much nobler, braver people in the books. I think the problem for the movie was that Sauron's power to corrupt everyone and everything had to be shown, and there weren't a lot of opportunities to do that. There were already four times as many important characters in the films as most moviemakers are comfortable with. So the family Denethor kind of got short shrift.

[@robbob5302]

18:01 If Gandalf had really been smart, he would have left Pippin outside to watch the horse. (Then told the horse to watch him!)

[@zetos4440]

When i was younger i used to watch these films with my aunt, the immersion when watching this for the first time as a kid is unreal. Tolkien really created something different.

[@Eowyn187]

Yeah Gollum needed to get rid of Sam. He knew that without Sam's protection, he could manipulate Frodo, end him, and get the ring. You're enjoying Andy Serkis' talent... you def should see him portray Caesar, the ape, in the Planet of the Apes films. He's awesome fr.

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

Ok, I would like to check it out. 👍

[@Eowyn187]

@@bignerdcineflicks3583 all three are really good

[@custardflan]

The Riders of Rohan ride because they vowed they would do so when called upon, even if there is no hope of victory. That's loyalty, honor and bravery.

[@jenniferatterton1587]

The look between Gandalf and Pippin was because Pippin gets into strife all the time and Gandalf knows that. He didn't trust Pippin. I like the way you watch so intently and leave the discussion to after. Some KZbinrs talk all the way through. Gandalf uses light to blind them as they don't like light. The father of Faramir has gone mad with grief.

[@gingerbaker_toad696]

Love your reaction, so much honest emotion and curiosity in your face alone :) Also love the fact that you get how strong Frodo is and dont start to just dislike him because he does start to change in the end the more and more he gets affected It's a little shocking how many people just look over the fact that he is carrying THE RING the whole time and does better than anyone else ever had or probably even could.. Whole LotR Love ❤

[@Eowyn187]

That theme song for the sword!!!!... "Anduril Flame of the West" ... sends my soul soaring high, every time I hear it. My fave in the entire soundtrack. ♡ I've waited for pt2, so I could watch you with the whole movie in one sitting. :))

[@littleogeechee223]

That was a pretty tidy end to Saruman, but it’s not so in the books. After the hobbits returned to the Shire they faced one last battle that they fought admirably and proved how strong they’d become, and they didn’t need wizards, elves, dwarves or men to help them fight this one.

[@marioguidotomasone1265]

Aye, but they were backed by a bunch of fuming hobbits. Now, if there's something this story has taught us is you better not get yourself on the bad side of an hobbit

[@dbabakh8911]

Denethor's wife died in child birth with Faramir. He blames his son for his wife's death. That and Faramir was always bookish and listened to Gandalf whenever he was in Minas Tirith.

[@tanjamutlu8172]

Love your reaction, it’s so invested and true to this amazing movie. And you remember all the names of the main characters which a lot of reactors couldn’t 😉

[@stuartarmstrong5190]

Loving your reactions to this. Bring on Part 2!

[@martijnvanvelsen6313]

That ball you talked about was a Palantir and that means: That What Can See Far. There were seven of those. They were in Ortanch, the tower in Isengard, in Annuminas, Amon Sul and on the Towerhills to the north and in Minas Tirith, Minas Ithil and Osgiliath to the south.

[@custardflan]

The Riddle of Strider, written by Bilbo Baggins, quoted in part by Arwen: "All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king."

[@christinerobinson9372]

No, in the book Saraman doesn't die here, nor does Grima. They both escape and head to the Shire, where they bring the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, cutting down trees and building factories. (Tolkien hated factories and modernization). Frodo and Sam, Merry, and Pippen are surprised to find them there and expel them from the Shire. Grima has had enough of Saruman and stabs him in the back. He is then killed by a Shire archer.

[@johnmackendrick5173]

Denethor's wife died as a result of giving birth to Faramir, and Denethor holds it against him. That is probably the root of his irrational hatred toward his son.

[@sylvanaire]

As much as I loved the lighting of the beacons (the scenery is fabulous!), if Theodon & the Rohirrim were really that far away there’s no way they’d ever get to Gondor in time for the battle, lol. It’s a very impressive sequence tho!

[@Golgari213]

After you finish Lord of Rings, you really ought to watch King Kong, the 2005 one. It was directed by Jackson, same director as these movies. It's an amazing adventure no doubt.

[@vezhopkins714]

I had a nightmare of getting chased by a fell beast (the creatures the ring rathes are riding) it was so scary !😱

[@Makkaru112]

Denethor was done dirty: He was way more noble & mighty in the books. Not to mention he contended wills with Sauron for decades nonstop & ontop of that even now he was never broken nor could Sauron alter what Denethor would see in the palantir even then he couldn’t control what Denethor had control of which was how he chose to interpret the visions given to him. Using it all to Gondor’s advantage! ❤ he also lit the beacons and got the women and children far away from the city longer ahead of time. So the movie butchered him as well as faramir but they didn’t butcher faramir as badly thankfully. He could have been shown to give Pippen his newest order to light the beacons so then it wouldn’t change the scene much at all as presented! The story here is Faramir’s birth ended up killing his mother Finduilas which was a Numenorean woman of the Faithful which her ancestors survived the Kataklysm of Númenor by the way! He was hurt deeply by her death. But also Aragorn when he went by the name gifted to him as Thorongil Denethor’s father basically overshadowing him from his own father so he is as psychology goes: treated Boromir the same way his father treated Aragorn/Thorongil. Note that Boromir and Faramir are half Númenorean which is a big thing as far as the legendarium goes! Denethor actually did many things the movie shows him not doing or neglecting. He was VERY competent and mighty in many craft and (even a lore-master to a degree). He had quite alot of mental and “magical” might which is why he could contend with Sauron too without being harmed in there process in any way!

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

Hey, you have so much knowledge about all this… I appreciate the info👍

[@Makkaru112]

@@bignerdcineflicks3583 oh my days !! Thank you! Be sure to react to the passion project behind the scenes documentaries made by the team and Peter Jackson himself ! Like soon!

[@Makkaru112]

@@bignerdcineflicks3583 any thoughts and questions you’ve had reading my comments? I wish you noticed my main ones from fellowship of the ring though.

[@ferrisulf]

Sauruman goes differently in the books. And yet another reason why we wanted you to watch the extended editions. He doesn't even appear in this movie. They just say he's locked in his tower. No death. No nothing. At least this way that story had a wrap up.

[@vincentvancraig]

In the first film when gandalf told frodo to keep the ring “secret, keep it safe “ & then rode off to research & see if bilbo’s ring was the one ring, he went to minas tirith & u were shown a glimpse of the white city from a different angle & it was twilight, so it looked different...also, that scene was filmed many months before return of the king was so the giant minas tirith model most likely was built yet so that was probably a painting, i forget exactly, i need to watch the special features again....but, if it was a model in fellowship, it may have been a simpler one that just showed what needed for the shot.

[@vincentvancraig]

What was** needed for the shot

[@yerviniansamvel]

Love your reaction

[@smt170]

Great reaction! Can’t wait for the next part 👏🏻

[@alexkats30]

No, Saruman did not die in the books. He's a big part of the final chapter of the books, which was completely cut out of the movie, for time purposes So you picking this up, even without knowing, shows how good Tolkien's writing is and Jackson's "interventions" in the movies can be felt, if you are invested and paying attention to the series.

[@vincentvancraig]

Yeah... to an elf “dying” means “losing immortality “...something like that ....its all very poetic tolkien-speak.

[@Beezy1337]

Saromans death isn’t even in the original cut of the movie cause they wanted it to be PG13 😂 they just go there and Pippin finds the Ball in the water.

[@Eowyn187]

And it shouldn't be. It's inaccurate.

[@johnwalters1341]

This is why we don't put spikes on our water wheels...

[@vincentvancraig]

I think the beacons were telling theoden, in edoras where theoden lived, but also every town and village along the way, every place on the edges of rohan & all thru out along the way that wouldve seen the beacons...i think, not sure.

[@vamprosmortimer5133]

A good part of it is that shorty after Faramir's birth, his mother became sick and died... His father blamed him for the death of his wife.

[@Beezy1337]

What’s your favourite theme from the trilogy? Mine has to be Riders of Rohan or Minas Tirith.

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

I think I have to agree with you. Both battles were epic👊

[@freyaphobic]

i am beyond excited for part 2 of this video, i cant wait for your reaction to the charge of the rohirrim

[@alexkats30]

I'm enjoying your enjoyment of this series. Also love your t-shirt ❤ If you want to give the books a try, I assure you they are even better than the movies. You will be transported in this magical world and you will find many things that weren't in the movies or that were altered. It's definitely worth it. Plus, now that you have seen the movies, you will have the amazing score playing in the back of your mind while doing it 😂

[@Nuneven]

I think there is now an audiobook version read by Andy Serkis (Gollum.) So that's gotta be amazing :)

[@alexkats30]

@@Nuneven I seriously need to check the various audiobook versions I've heard are out there

[@Hexcaliblur83]

Thank God you have good taste for shortbread, Mmmmmm Walkers.. 💯👍 Great reaction as always! Thanks from Australia 🦘😊

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

Thanks 😊! I love Walkers…👌

[@bfkc111]

Denethor is way more farcical than in the book.

[@VeselkoKelava]

That's what I'm Tolkien about

[@Vlad.Larionov]

It will be very interesting to see your joint reaction to the films Robocop and Robocop 3 👍

[@Muck006]

MAKE PLAYLISTS for the separate topics!

[@bfkc111]

Frodo and Sam breaking up is a questionable and short-lived movie decision.

[@MandiLou41493]

Man this next part can't come soon enough

[@mojobag01]

Fine snack game you have there.

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

👍👍👍

[@42Meglet]

ok next watch the Extended edition!

[@bignerdcineflicks3583]

This is the extended edition 👍

[@42Meglet]

@@bignerdcineflicks3583 Rohan is my favorite country/faction in this series. If I could be from anywhere in this place I would be from there.

[@michelletewhata7768]

😍😍😍😍

[@yerviniansamvel]

Finally!enjt

[@yerviniansamvel]

Enjoy

[@robertbeck8673]

first

[@Apntw7]

After LOTR react to The last Samurai! You’ll love it bruv!