Tonight (Monday NZ time) the theatrical screening of the extend FOTR took place at the Embassy in Wellington. This was a film screening - not digital.
It was not advertised and was shown as 'private' to the Friends of the Embassy. As a result the theatre was not full, but nearly all members of the group attended. The audience was a restrained 'establishment' one, and was not demonstrative. But nobody left (except for a steady flow - so to speak - to the toilets, especially just after the Mines) and everybody came out smiling.
I won't add to the reviews, except to say that for me it just about answered all my niggles from the theatrical release. Very, very happy. What I will comment on was the quality of the pictures. Absolutely superb except for a few editing marks that could have been avoided. If we were the only people to see the extended version on film stock, then I count myself extremely lucky. I just hope that eventually there will be opportunities for others to share that experience.
To be a bit controversial - I think Galadriel gained enormously from her extra screen time. I also understand why cinematically Arwen has to be in TTT. Funnily enough I found the ring changing its size to fit Isildur's finger very important in establishing the object with a will of its own. This, and the extra appearances of the lidless eye, are pieces of creative genius. Getting a sense of menace into those two things was NOT an easy ask, but it has been definitely achieved fully in the extended version.