LotR Extended Edition DVD is teh ROXXOR5!!

[Joe Dizzy]

Wooohoo!!

I just got my DVDs today and watched the movie. The extended edition is simply sooo much better than the regular theatrical cut. You get a real sense of what's so special about the Shire and the Hobbits in particular, Moria and Lothlorien are given room to breathe instead of being a quick stop, the Fellowship is given their presents, Boromir has more scenes, making his death much more poignant and heart-breaking.

And there are 4 commentary tracks on that one!! I'M IN HEAVEN!!

Joe, obviously a plant for New Line Cinema

[Polanski]

You are in Heaven?
I thought you would say that you are in 'The Middle Earth'

[prophetsteve]

Very much worth the price I paid for it, and I own the original DVD set too.

I was very impressed with the extended version... and the DVD iteself looks amazing, both in outward apparence and the menu.

Wow.

[Sea Tyger]

ROXXOR5? Man, I must be getting old...

Picked it up today, but I had to watch the SW Ep II I got first.

[Polanski]

Oddly enough Australia got the stuff about the same time

[Thanatos]

Got mine the other day and was overjoyed watching disc 1. The new opening supplied noobs with requisite Hobbit knowledge and I thought set the pace of the movie better, and probably the trilogy overall.

Got to disc 2 and it wouldn't work passed chap. 5
I nearly cried...

We've since replaced it and I'm overjoyed. If you're not sure if you think its worth the extra money take it from me (not that I even trust my advice half the time) BUY IT!!!~!@#$%^%


--Arawn

[Dan Stack]

I'm kinda frightened to find myself agreeing with Joe, so I'll ask the inevitable question... preemptive strike on Mordor? I hear Sauron is rearming and won't admit Gondor weapons inspectors...

I watched the first half of the movie last night. Amazing. I really like the additions, though I think the theatrical version was appropriate for the theatre - I'm not certain a longer movie would have been succesful.

I'm amazed how much in love with Middle Earth I find myself in - I commented to my wife that despite being a Star Wars fan since the age of 5, there's something about Fellowship of the Ring that I'm finding more appealing than the recent Star Wars films (which I have enjoyed tremendously, just that they seem to fall a little short of Fellowship of the Rings). Middle Earth just seems so real in the film - the vast, empty landscapes perfectly capture how I visualize Middle Earth.

[Evan van Eyk]

Well I think there is more emotion in LotR than in Star Wars or even Star Trek. It is really sad to see Boromir die - somthin which would have never happend to Chewbacca storming to aid some ewoks or Commander Riker running to the rescue of the ensign of the week.
I gues after all in Trek and Wars we encounter the typical the good wins world setting while in LotR there is a small guy who, although frightened takes up a great challenge which actually certain to fail. There is more depth in the characters in sense of their fears and their actual failing.




Spoiler
Captain Picard would have never failed to an alien artifact - Frodo failed. He was overcome by the ring and would not have Gollum taken it, he would have remained 'evil'.

[Dan Stack]

I'm very curious as to how it will play in the theatre and what the reaction will be, as to Frodo not being able to finish the quest.

Once upon a time I did a paper on Lord of the Rings, analyzing its view of good and evil - my thesis then was that good didn't destroy the ring, evil did - the whole idea of evil turning on itself. (A rough project back when I was 17)

If I were to do it again, I think I would have changed that thesis - Frodo failed at the end, but his (and Bilbo's) acts of good earlier were an investment that allowed success nevertheless. For example, Bilbo and Frodo spared Gollum, an act of kindness (good) and Frodo, though unable to destroy the ring, persevered through incredible hardship to get to Mount Doom so that his earlier acts of good paid off in the end.

[Karg]

Got both Ep 2 and LOTR and have to watch them Real Soon now!1


Best part of the LOTR so far---The free movie ticket for The Two Towers

[CorpBoy]

Standard spoiler blah blah blah...




I picked up both the original (theatrical version) DVD and now the five DVD Gift Set, and I have to say that I am very impressed with the extended edition. I've seen "extended edition" DVD's that were terrible hacked together (i.e Terminator 2), so I was pleasantly surprised when I watched the FOTR and found the editing to be nearly flawless.

In fact, the only problem I had was the cut between the two halves of the DVD. I personally feel that it should have been more of a "fade out" effect than just having it cut out the way it does. But even I admit that this is a very minor complaint.

I have to say the extra few minutes of time allotted to Boromir's character development (and corruption) I found to be one of the best extras they could have added. It really helps the viewer gain a better understanding of his character.

And I love the Gimli gift scene. I thought PJ was going to shaft Gimli (my fav character) something fierce until they use the boat ride with Legolas to flash back to the rest of the scene. Nicely done, and it helps show the growing friendship of Legolas and Gimli.

[Greg Smith]

Loved the extended edition, especially the scenes in Lorien where the fellowship are mourning Gandalf.

And the appendices are awesome.

I don't ever recall seeing a more detailed look at the making of a movie. It makes the extras on the original DVD look paltry.

[Ineti]

The wife and I watched the two movie discs last night and will be watching the appendices this weekend. This is by far the best DVD I've ever seen, both from a standpoint of quality movie and DVD chock full of stuff.

And the best part is, we're in the Fan club credits! Woot!

And, I hear we'll get similar DVD sets for The Two Towers and Return of the King. Can't wait.

[Dan Gurden]

I am rather hoping that they also keep the faux 'letherbound book' style cover too, then my Bookends will look great with the set too...

And the intermission is at a nice convenient place... Despite initial misgivings of spreading the film over 2 discs.

Well done that Jackson.

[Siroth]

Yes, the extended edition gets my seal of approval as well.

I didn't buy the first DVD version because I waiting for this one (which I think they should have released in the first place), and although it's (understandably) more expensive, it is definitely worth it!

Most of the new scenes are pretty cool, though the one I didn't like so much was the revised beginning in the Shire. Bilbo narrating about the Hobbits in a voice-over is okay, but when he is frantically looking for the ring it somehow underscores the tranquility of the Shire as a friend put it... And I missed the bit when Frodo asks Gandalf about what is happening in the world and Gandalf says he's being unnatural being far too curious for a Hobbit.

All the other new scenes were great, though, especially the added bit about Isildur's death in the beginning. Originally we just saw an orc jump at him and then his body floating in the river as Galadriel tells us in voice-over that the ring "betrayed Isildur to his death". In the extended footage we see Isildur put on the ring and jump into the river, only the ring conveniently slips from his finger and eludes his frantic attempts to grab it and so save his life before the orcs shoot him full of arrows. The scene was important, I think, because it really did demonstrate the ring's own will and how it arranged Isildur's death.

The extended bits in Lothlorien is essential! Originally they went in and out pretty quick to get on with the plot, which left me a bit disappointed since we never really got to see Lothlorien. There could have been more, but it is certainly a marked improvement. You actually get to see that the elves live in a forest now - Galadriel's and Celeborn's "palace" being merely the center of their realm.

Many of the other scenes are humorous, but I must say it worked for me. An unexpected laugh made the experience seem new to me even though I've seen the film several times by now. I especially like the scene when the Fellowship leaves Rivendell. It's just hilarious

Most other scenes add to the depth of the characters. Given Boromir's fate, his scenes are particularly heartbreaking to watch, especially in the scene where he tells Frodo that he already bears a great enough burden (the ring) and shouldn't carry the guilt of Gandalf's death around with him as well... Given what is going to happen to Boromir that makes his comments bitter sweet since he seems to be the one who actually cares the most about Frodo's burden.

This is definitely highly recommended IMHO.

(note to New Line - is my paycheck in the mail? )