[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by LadyFel

I agree with this to a point, but according to him in an interview I read just before the EE release of the first film, he'd been planning to put the complete version in the cinemas, but studio bosses said 'ok, we let you do what you want, but cut out this, this and this, oh, this bit's too long and needless, don't argue, we're protecting our multimillion investment and people won't go for a movie which is four hours long'...

I mean, I have to admit it was a smart move, they knew it would sell in both versions...Although it's the studio that's now saying the whole thing is Jackson's idea...

If this is the case then I stand corrected - simple as that