We did it! Achieved watching all three films at the cinema on consectutive evenings. Mind you, I would not want to have watched them back-to-back. We did this once with the extended versions on DVD many years ago, and rather than offering a sense of continuity, all it did was make us as screen-weary as Frodo and Sam were journey-weary. We got through it, towards the end, unable to take it in and process what we were watching. Some cinemas actually offering all three screenings in one day. And this is apparently a world-wide event.

I left the cinema with the words, “Well, I don’t want to see that film for at least another five years!” But we had to watch all three as it would have been weird to just see the first one or two. The Return of the King is epic, monumental, the stuff of myth and legend, sweeping you on a journey with the characters, empathizing with their plight, admiring their courage, celebrating the fulfilment of their destiny… you are wrung out emotionally and are finally elevated to that lofty place where you can relish in good triumphing over evil. A classic.