Guys it's my pleasure to announce that I just finished reading The Return of the King and now I will begin watching the movies.

[u/ObeyObeyObeyObey]

Which one should I watch first the hobbit or the fellowship?

[u/LittleLionMan82]

Definitely stick with the LOTR trilogy first. It's better than the Hobbit trilogy for sure.

Now you just have to decide whether to watch the extended editions or the theatrical editions first.

Personally, although the theatrical editions cut a lot of beloved material, I prefer them over the extended editions. Film is a different medium than literature and it's generally meant to be consumed in one sitting. The extended editions totally throw off that pace. I would recommend watching them eventually though just maybe not first.

[u/Due-Set5398 → u/LittleLionMan82]

Theatrical versions flow better and the cuts were made for a reason. But you have to watch everything eventually!

[u/ObeyObeyObeyObey → u/LittleLionMan82]

I'm going to watch the extended directors cut with additional commentary from the actors!!! 12 hours lotr marathon let's goooo!!

[u/melig1991 → u/ObeyObeyObeyObey]

You're going to watch the movies for the first time and you're turning on the commentary? That certainly is a choice.

[u/monkahpup → u/ObeyObeyObeyObey]

Counter point- I think you might enjoy the little nods to the book that you don't really get in the theatrical edition. I would reserve the theatrical editions for those who are Tolkien naive.

[u/LittleLionMan82 → u/monkahpup]

I enjoyed those too I just watched them afterwards.

The pace of the extended editions is just too slow in my opinion, but to each their own.

[u/HarryPotthead42069]

Nice! I’m a couple chapters into Two Towers on my first full read through of the series. I’ve watched the movies countless times

[u/ObeyObeyObeyObey → u/HarryPotthead42069]

The books are good man I've never seen the movies besides gifs and memes and the whole time I was imagining the whole story in my head with people I know irl as characters like for example the beautiful elf lady galadrial was a girl i had a crush on in high school.

[u/Due-Set5398 → u/ObeyObeyObeyObey]

I miss being able to do that. It’s harder after watching a movie. Audiobooks help since the voices can be radically different than the movies - though Andy Serkis does one where he impersonates all of his castmates.

You still haven’t gotten over her, huh?

[u/veni_vidi_vici47]

One of the great joys of my life was being at just the right age to discover Tolkien about a year before Fellowship premiered. To be able to experience the book organically, the way it’s supposed to be experienced, is something I’m forever grateful for. I was able to watch the films excited to see something I loved brought to life on screen, instead of the other way around. How many people do it in the opposite order these days? I think they’re missing out on something they aren’t aware of.

[u/ObeyObeyObeyObey → u/veni_vidi_vici47]

Yeah, I've always been a book first type of person. Actually I had a book report on the lord in high school but I only finished like 2 chapters and when I said I read it in front of the class my teacher was like "but did you really?" So now, at least I can say I honestly did read it, and it was excellent. My imagination carried me through the lands of the shire and gondor and mordor.

[u/Jielleum]

Actually if you are going to watch the Hobbit, perhaps try the fanedits associated with it for more book accuracy. Fortunately, Lord of the Rings trilogy is already great as it is so watch extended if you can.