From aintiticool interview:


PJ: ....You get excited about it, and, really, what, for me, is behind the excitement is the fact that one day this could be a finished movie that you could look at and other people could see.

AIC : Which film do you consider that: the theatrical or (the Extended Editions)?

PJ: The theatrical versions. The DVD versions… it’s so interesting, because it’s all so new, this DVD thinking, a new way of thinking about filmmaking. It’s just kind of fun. (Pause.) I mean, the films that we’ve cut and released theatrically I regard as being the best versions of the movies that we should have in theaters. The motivation for the DVD’s is to give the fans the stuff that we couldn’t include in the films. And it has only grown out of the fact that we have so much footage. We didn’t ever think we were doing extended cuts when we were shooting the movie, but when we started to cut the films, and we realized there were all of the scenes that weren’t going to be in the movie, we just thought, “Well, these are good scenes, they’re legitimate parts of the book, they’re scenes that people would be wanting… or expecting to see.” So, we put them in this alternative version of the fans. At the time, I felt that I was sacrificing pacing and momentum in order for these scenes to go in, but I figured that the theatrical version exists, so this is like a version for the real aficionados who want to see this extra material. Clearly, the dynamics of DVD is different: you can get up and have a cup of tea anytime you like, you can pause it, you can watch it over two nights. Now, I read reviews where people say that the extended cuts are much better than the theatrical cuts. That’s the response that some people are happening. The unknown factor that you can never really know is would the extended cuts have gone down so well if they were the theatrical releases, and you had people sitting in the cinema for three hours forty minutes instead of three hours. Who knows? I don’t really regard them as the definitive versions of the movies, but I’m happy… every time I see a review where someone says, “Oh, this is better than the theatrical version.” I’m happy because they like the DVD version. That’s a nice thing to read. But I’m too close to it. I don’t really know.

I read all the time in threads regarding LOTR people saying that PJ "prefers" the extended editon cuts which I always knew was complete baloney. I much preferred the theatrical cut of FOTR, and prefer the theatrical cut of TTT, although the EE was enjoyable. Not to say the EE are bad, I own all four DVD versions. But the theatrical cuts will always be the 'definitive' versions for me. Seems like PJ feels the same way I do.

He didn't exactly say he prefers the theatrical version. He said the theatrical versions are the best versions to have been released to theaters.

Beyond that, his feelings can be summed up with his last sentence:

Yes, that's true about the 'to theaters' part. But if you think about it, which version would you think he'd release in theatres? The version he prefers or the one he doesn't?

Also, I think this speaks volumes:

"At the time, I felt that I was sacrificing pacing and momentum in order for these scenes to go in, but I figured that the theatrical version exists, so this is like a version for the real aficionados who want to see this extra material."

The pacing and momentum is exactly why I prefer the theatricals.

The version that has a chance of making its money back. Movie theaters would balk at four-hour movies.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure most theatres would've turned down The Two Towers and The Return of the King because they ran four hours. [/sarcasm]

Duplicate thread:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=334745

And by the way, there's a Lord Of The Rings forum where this really should be.

You must have some how missed this two page thread..

http://dvdtalk.com/forum/showthread....hreadid=334745


Oddly enough it's in a LOTR mini-forum.. who would have ever thought that we would put LOTR threads in there...

I never visit that forum. I don't see any rules stating that LOTR threads are banned from the movie talk forum.

Not sure it's a rule or anything, but just because I don't visit the sports forum doesn't mean I should post a Lakers thread in the dvd reviews section.. More then likely, it might be moved to the section. who knows, not trying to play mod or anything, but this topic was being discussed in that section as well. Besides, like I posted a link. you would have gotten the backing up by me in posting in that other thread about the same subject. Jackson perfers the theater cuts and is pleased with them. the EE's are extra's for the fans. either way we all win in the end by having the choice of which one we want to watch.

Q: What's the definitive version of these films?

JACKSON: The theatrical versions are the definitive versions. I regard the extended cuts as being a novelty for the fans that really want to see the extra material.

Go here and scroll to the bottom http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/445/445262p4.html


Not to mention his first instinct to answer the question in this thread was the theatrical version & he does say in regard to the EE "I don’t really regard them as the definitive versions of the movies." I think he enjoys the fans having a high opinion of both versions but ultimately he prefers the theatrical.

Did you even read the interview?
Its not about theaters turning it down
The point is the momentum of the movie is killed by many scenes in the extended cut, and this could have really given negative opinion that they couldnt risk on the great gamble that was lord of the rings
You can watch the dvd at home easily and pause it, take a shit, eat whatever

I watched the theatrical and extended of fellowship not long ago and you could see many places in the fellowship that were poorly cut, same as the return of the king in theaters
Ill be getting both anyways

Did you even read the posts? I was replying to someone who stated "Movie theaters would balk at four-hour movies."

Nice try though.

I felt that there was a lot of jump cutting in TTT: EE, though I still enjoyed it, some aspects of pacing were just off. I could see why they would say that the theater cut was perfered.

Its irrelevant dont even know why you are arguing about the theaters, what matters is if the people watch it/like it or not

And yes neither theaters or average people would like a 4 hour movie

Should not even matter, as the extended ones are also in the theater now

speak for yourself