The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Sharkey’s Purist Edition


Updated: 27th April 2024

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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Sharkey’s Purist Edition

Faneditor: HAL9000  
Fanedit Type: FanFix
Fanedit Release Date: 1st January 2010
Fanedit Runtime: 3h:0m:0s
Time Cut: 1h:11m:0s
Time Added: 0h:0m:0s
Franchise: Lord of the Rings
Genre: AdventureFantasy
Original Title: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)   
Original Release Date: 1st January 2003
Original Runtime: 4h:11m:0s
Original Links:

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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.


Intentions:

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.


Change List:

Removed a Ringwraith lopping a hobbit’s head off ALA the “famous historian” from The Holy Grail. Cut Saruman’s description of Sauron as a bodiless eye. Trimmed the multiple doors as Gandalf attempts to leave Orthanc. Trimmed some of Merry and Pippin’s Jar-Jar moments during the “shortcut to mushrooms.” The Ringwraith is not startled by a thrown bag of vegetables. Trimmed the run-in with the Wraiths as the hobbits run to the ferry. It makes them look incompetent and unthreatening. Cut Frodo encountering the eye of Sauron at the Prancing Pony. Frodo does not become aware of the eye until Amon Hen. Removed the intercutting of the sleeping hobbits and the armed Ringwraiths. Saruman is not shown taking orders from Mordor, and is not depicted as Sauron’s “puppet.” Saruman is not breeding an army of Uruk-hai. Glorfindel Arwen does not catch Aragorn “off his guard.” Phil Dragash’s voice can be heard as the Nazgul who challenges Arwen. Removed Arwen’s ‘prayer’ for Frodo, as this sows the seeds of her death subplot in the third film, which is also removed. Trimmed some of Elrond’s more blatant ‘racist’ remarks against Men. Elrond does not mention Aragorn as having turned away from his heritage as Isildur’s heir. Aragorn does not express self-doubt. He does not tell Legolas to sit down at the Council. Moved Boromir and Aragorn’s nighttime scene and Aragorn’s scene with Arwen to after the Council of Elrond. Cut Boromir’s chat with Aragorn because they have already met each other. Cut Aragorn’s doubts, but leaving Arwen’s encouragement. The scene at Aragorn’s mother’s grave has been trimmed to remove Aragorn’s doubts. Saruman has nothing to do with Caradhras, and we don’t see him again until the next film. Shortened the Watcher attack before entering Moria to make it more like the book. Frodo doesn’t dangle in the air. Heavily trimmed the extrabiblical Cave Troll’s involvement with the fight in Balin’s tomb. No spider-orcs climbing the walls. Removed the peril of the crumbling stairs. It wasn’t in the book, and has some silly moments. This portrayal puts greater emphasis on the approaching Balrog. The theatrical version of the first part of the approach to Lorien was used, removing the extra nighttime scene, but including the EE’s daytime approach. Removed Galadriel’s creepy telepathy with Frodo. Cut Galadriel’s warnings that Boromir will try to take the ring. Part of a greater edit to remove the notion that he had intended this all along. We do not see Saruman sending out the Uruk-hai, and do not know of an impending attack until it happens. No semi-chase scene with the Uruks on foot and fellowship in boats. Aragorn does not tell Galadriel that Arwen is sailing across the sea. Nowhere in these edits is it implied that Arwen is sailing to Valinor. She and Aragorn know what they are doing. Removed Aragorn and Boromir arguing about where the ring should go. Tolkien was far more subtle. We retained Aragorn’s final confrontation with Frodo, thought it’s not in the book, but trimmed it to make Aragorn not appear evil at first. Shortened Aragorn’s fight with the extrabiblical Lurtz. Cut Aragorn’s line to dying Boromir that he “does not know what strength is in his blood.” It’s part of his self-doubt. We don’t see Sam underwater. It looks strange, and lasts too long.


Additional Notes:

Aside from small cuts, such things have been cut away as: Sauron is not merely a giant eye floating above Barad-dur, Arwen is not sailing across the sea to Valinor, Aragorn does not doubt his identity and destiny, Saruman is not Sauron’s direct subservient, and Boromir is corrupted rather than an being an undercover agent.


Special Thanks:




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