The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)

Amazon.com

The extended editions of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings present the greatest trilogy in film history in the most ambitious sets in DVD history. In bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's nearly unfilmable work to the screen, Jackson benefited from extraordinary special effects, evocative New Zealand locales, and an exceptionally well-chosen cast, but most of all from his own adaptation with co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, preserving Tolkien's vision and often his very words, but also making logical changes to accommodate the medium of film. While purists complained about these changes and about characters and scenes left out of the films, the almost two additional hours of material in the extended editions (about 11 hours total) help appease them by delving more deeply into Tolkien's music, the characters, and loose ends that enrich the story, such as an explanation of the Faramir-Denethor relationship, and the appearance of the Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor. In addition, the extended editions offer more bridge material between the films, further confirming that the trilogy is really one long film presented in three pieces (which is why it's the greatest trilogy ever--there's no weak link). The scene of Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship added to the first film proves significant over the course of the story, while the new Faramir scene at the end of the second film helps set up the third and the new Saruman scene at the beginning of the third film helps conclude the plot of the second.

To top it all off, the extended editions offer four discs per film: two for the longer movie, plus four commentary tracks and stupendous DTS 6.1 ES sound; and two for the bonus material, which covers just about everything from script creation to special effects. The argument was that fans would need both versions because the bonus material is completely different, but the features on the theatrical releases are so vastly inferior that the only reason a fan would need them would be if they wanted to watch the shorter versions they saw in theaters (the last of which, The Return of the King, merely won 11 Oscars). The LOTR extended editions without exception have set the DVD standard by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi

Description

This critically acclaimed epic trilogy follows the quest undertaken by the hobbit, Frodo Baggins, and his fellowship of companions to save Middle-earth by destroying the One Ring and defeating the evil forces of the Dark Lord Sauron. With new and extended scenes carefully added back into the film, the 12-disc set also includes hours of bonus features.

Customer Reviews:

in short "astounding!".......2007-09-09

firstly i must say one thing,this dvd collection rocks!i have never seen such a grnd packaging!plus it has been extended,if you think thatby seeing the original versions you know a lot then think again!only thing is that it has only english as its viewing language

Repeat watchability.......2007-09-07

I think that is the highest praise you can give a movie is if you want to watch it over and over again. We must watch one of these at least 8 times a year. My husband likes to pull them out to watch when we fold laundry together. He calls it "Lord of the Laundry". And the extras are wonderful, if a little long. For the Tolkien enthusiast this is the only version to have!

Flawless, perfect, historic -- really, what is there to say?.......2007-08-30

NOTE: If you haven't seen the movies, there may be slight spoilers below in the description of the three movies. Nothing particular, though.

I am of the opinion that the Lord of the Rings film trilogy is one of the best films (all right, film collections) ever made, if not THE best. Everything you could ask for in a movie -- acting, special effects, great dialogue that's heart-lifting but somehow always stops short of being cheesy, emotional depth, storytelling, characters so real you KNOW them, faithfulness to one of the best books of all time -- it's all there, and not only is it great, it's flawless. Perfect. It does what many people thought was impossible -- does justice to the book that really "made" the fantasy genre, the book many people call the best of the 20th century.

Ah, did I forget to mention the music? Howard Shore proved that he's one of the best composers of the age with the soundtracks for Lord of the Rings. He's captured everything, from the simple and happiness-loving hobbits in "Concerning Hobbits" to the tension and edge-of-your-seat drama of "Shelob's Lair" and "The End of All Things" to the heartbreaking yet happy (is that even POSSIBLE?) "The Grey Havens". No matter how much I like or dislike a movie, I think from now on I will buy any soundtrack by Howard Shore.

The Extended version is THE version to have -- really, if you're at all a fan of the book or even the movies alone, you have to have the Extended Versions. The wonderful thing about the LOTR movies is that the theatrical editions stand by themselves perfectly understandably, and yet the Extended Versions don't seem boring or extraneous. To the contrary, they simply enrich the world, add to the tapestry, and satisfy obsessive fans who wanted to see EVERY scene.

The first movie, FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, introduces you to Middle-earth, its races and its characters. It shows you frodo Baggins, a young hobbit who has just inherited his uncle Bilbo's magic ring, only to find that this ring has the power to, in the wrong hands, overthrow all that is good in the world. With eight other companions, Frodo begins his journey toward Mount Doom, the volcano where the Ring must be destroyed.

The second movie is THE TWO TOWERS. After parting with the other members of the Fellowship, Frodo and Sam begin to make their way toward Mordor. At the same time, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli track the orcs that have kidnapped the hobbits Merry and Pippin. Merry and Pippin, though, manage to rescue themselves and fall straight into the path of Treebeard the Ent. It is up to Merry and Pippin to convince the Ents to rise up against the evil wizard Saruman in his stronghold of Isengard.

The third movie, RETURN OF THE KING, is the best, in my opinion -- and, apparently, in the opinion of the people who give out Academy Awards, since ROTK won eleven of them. It involves Pippin and Merry in Gondor and Rohan serving their respective lords, Aragorn's path of self-discovery that leads him to eventually take up his place as King of Gondor, and Frodo, Sam, and Gollum's arduous journey to Mordor, to destroy the Ring.

So many people have said this already that I know I'm just being redundant, but this trilogy really is one of the best films/film collections ever made. I certainly haven't seen better. It's not the sort of thing that will ever be dated, even when the special effects are old (can't see that happening for a few centuries). It's a classic, like the book was, and I honestly can't think of one way Peter Jackson or New Line could have made it better.

This is one movie collection that deserves far more than five stars.

Rating: Masterpiece

THE BEST.......2007-08-26

For those who are a Lord Of The Rings fan and for who hade read the book, the extended version is the best and the platinum series special, is really beautiful.

Problems with subtitles! Be careful!!!.......2007-08-01

In the product description its said the dvd is region 1 and has 3 languages: english, spanish and portuguese
When I received the product the only subtitle or language option is english.
Now I have a problem with this product.

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)

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Awesomness
Utterly sublime
Outstanding
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Gotta Have All 3

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)
Starring: Sean Astin , John Rhys-Davies , Brad Dourif , Bernard Hill , and Christopher Lee
Director: Peter Jackson
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009TB5G
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Amazon.com

The extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was perhaps the most comprehensive DVD release to date, and its follow-up proves a similarly colossal achievement, with significant extra footage and a multitude of worthwhile bonus features. The extended version of The Two Towers adds 43 minutes to the theatrical version's 179-minute running time, and there are valuable additions to the film. Two new scenes might appease those who feel that the characterization of Faramir was the film's most egregious departure from the book, and fans will appreciate an appearance of the Huorns at Helm's Deep plus a nod to the absence of Tom Bombadil. Seeing a little more interplay between the gorgeous Eowyn and Aragorn is welcome, as is a grim introduction to Eomer and Theoden's son. And among the many other additions, there's an extended epilogue that might not have worked in the theater, but is more effective here in setting up The Return of the King. While the 30 minutes added to The Fellowship of the Ring felt just right in enriching the film, the extra footage in The Two Towers at times seems a bit extraneous--we see moments that in the theatrical version we had been told about, and some fleshed-out conversations and incidents are rather minor. But director Peter Jackson's vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's world is so marvelous that it's hard to complain about any extra time we can spend there.

While it may seem that there would be nothing left to say after the bevy of features on the extended Fellowship, the four commentary tracks and two discs of supplements on The Two Towers remain informative, fascinating, and funny, far surpassing the recycled materials on the two-disc theatrical version. Highlights of the 6.5 hours' worth of documentaries offer insight on the stunts, the design work, the locations, and the creation of Gollum, and--most intriguing for rabid fans--the film's writers (including Jackson) discuss why they created events that weren't in the book. Providing variety are animatics, rough footage, countless sketches, and a sound-mixing demonstration. Again, the most interesting commentary tracks are by Jackson and writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens and by 16 members of the cast (eight of whom didn't appear in the first film, and even including John Noble, whose Denethor character only appears in this extended cut). The first two installments of Peter Jackson's trilogy have established themselves as the best fantasy films of all time, and among the best film trilogies of all time, and their extended-edition DVD sets have set a new standard for expanding on the already-epic films and providing comprehensive bonus features. --David Horiuchi

Description

Not seen in theaters, this unique version of the epic adventure features over 40 minutes of new and extended scenes integrated into the film by the director. DVD set consists of four discs with hours of original content including multiple documentaries, commentaries and design/photo galleries with thousands of images to give viewers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the film. Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship continue their quest to destroy the One Ring and stand against the evil of the dark lord Sauron. The Fellowship has divided and now find themselves taking different paths to defeating Sauron and his allies. Their destinies now lie at two towers - Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupted wizard Saruman waits and Sauron's fortress at Baraddur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
DVD ROM Features
Documentaries
Interactive Menus
Interviews
Photo gallery
Production Sketches:Four discs with hours of original content including multiple documentaries, commentaries and design/photo galleries with thousands of images to give viewers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the film.
Scene Access

Customer Reviews:

Awesomness.......2007-08-27

This edition is a must own. I loved the deleted and extended scenes, it just brought everything together perfectly and seamlessly. The soundtrack on this is probably my favorite from all 3 films. It is simply an exquisite movie and a sure classic. many people have complained about the lack of beginning or end to this but surely by now everyone must know that this is not a sequal, its a continuation, therefore, its SUPPOSED to be like that. And the length doesn't bother me either, I love longer movies, as long as they keep my interest.

Utterly sublime.......2007-08-16

This is the best edition of this indescribable movie they could have tried to produce. The commentary is super fun to listen to, over and over again. All the special features are just so enjoyable. GREAT BUY!

Outstanding.......2007-07-27

Probably the funniest of the 3. Wonderful story full of drama, moral examples, and deep meaning. It's hard to add to 1,964 reviews. It's not for the faint of heart.

Excelente aventura.......2007-05-13

A mi modo de ver fiel a la version escrita, aunque le hayan cortado la parte final para insertarla en el retorno del Rey. Como las otras dos pelicuals recomendable!.

Gotta Have All 3.......2007-04-27

the ring trilogy is the ultimate battle between good and evil...and the same struggle within, that we all must face...
if i could choose a character out of middle-earth, and become that character, i would choose king theoden...i watch his parts over and over..like "where is the horse and the rider?" and i love some of his other lines...like when his men say,"but we cannot defeat them" ...and theoden replys, "no" ... "but we will meet them in battle, none the less" or somethin' like that.(but that is in the third movie) :-)
...he's so dang tuff! and wears really cool armor.
i happen to like those hollywood battle scenes, alot, so i enjoy watching the battle at helm's deep, over and over.
and, of course, at the same time, we have little frodo...where the internal conflict resides...different kind of battle...but same problem...
"good 'vs' evil".
but i don't wanna be frodo...i want to be theoden.
who would you choose?

wake.

The Lord Of The Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Collection must have
"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here..."
awesome movie
The ring
Purchased out of curiosity

The Lord Of The Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Viggo Mortensen , and Peter Jackson
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001VL0K2
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Amazon.com

As the triumphant start of a trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring leaves you begging for more. By necessity, Peter Jackson's ambitious epic compresses J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Lord of the Rings, but this robust adaptation maintains reverent allegiance to Tolkien's creation, instantly qualifying as one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. At 178 minutes, it's long enough to establish the myriad inhabitants of Middle-earth, the legendary Rings of Power, and the fellowship of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and humans--led by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the brave hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood)--who must battle terrifying forces of evil on their perilous journey to destroy the One Ring in the land of Mordor. Superbly paced, the film is both epic and intimate, offering astonishing special effects and production design while emphasizing the emotional intensity of Frodo's adventure, and ends on a perfect note of heroic loyalty and rich anticipation.

After the breaking of the Fellowship, Frodo and Sam journey to Mordor with the creature Gollum as their guide in The Two Towers. Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) join in the defense of the people of Rohan, who are the first target in the eradication of the race of Men by the renegade wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) and the dark lord Sauron. Fantastic creatures, astounding visual effects, and a climactic battle at the fortress of Helm's Deep make The Two Towers a worthy successor to The Fellowship of the Ring, grander in scale but retaining the story's emotional intimacy.

With The Return of the King, the greatest fantasy epic in film history draws to a grand and glorious conclusion. The trilogy could never fully satisfy those who remain exclusively loyal to Tolkien's expansive literature, but as a showcase for physical and technical craftsmanship it is unsurpassed in pure scale and ambition, setting milestone after cinematic milestone as Frodo and Sam continue their mission to Mordor to destroy the soul-corrupting One Ring. While the heir to the kingdom of Men, Aragorn, endures the massive battle at Minas Tirith with the allegiance of Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf, Frodo and Sam must survive the schizoid deceptions of Gollum, who remains utterly convincing as a hybrid of performance (by Andy Serkis) and subtly nuanced computer animation. Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have much ground to cover; that they do so with intense pacing and epic sweep is impressive enough, but by investing greater depth and consequence in the actions of fellow hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), they ensure that The Return of the King maintains the trilogy's emphasis on intimate fellowship and remains faithful to Tolkien's overall vision. By ending the LOTR trilogy with noble integrity and faith in the power of imaginative storytelling, The Return of the King, like its predecessors, will stand as an adventure for the ages. --Jeff Shannon and David Horiuchi

Description

Customer Reviews:

Collection must have.......2007-08-28

Having the three movies plus all bonus material contained on the extra dvd's is definitelly a must have for LOTR lovers like me. You really get a full understanding about the movie, and everything regarding to Tolkien's books. I recommend everybody to get this, soon I'm getting the extended version dvd's with scenes never showed on the original movies.

"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here...".......2007-07-20

Follow in "The Lord of the Rings" creator's (J.R.R. Tolkien's) footsteps. Project a malevolent universe. Invent a world and animate it with creatures in conflict. Make the conflict a battle between good and evil, but don't identify clearly the moral value or purpose of either side. In fact, remove morality's essence altogether by eliminating the power of choice for your characters. Emphasize the corruptibility of men. Glamorize the supernatural. Dwell interminably on the preparations for and the wreaking of violence and destruction, on the fragility of hope and happiness. Name the scene of action: Middle-earth. Sound like an environment you'd care to envision? Would you "live" there? If so, fate alone will decide its survival and your own. You can visit this predetermined "paradise" by watching/enduring/suffering Peter Jackson's elaborately filmed adaptation of Tolkien's epic trilogy, which concludes with "The Return of the King."

I hold it is true that what is not worth contemplating in life is not worth contemplating in art. For its dismaying lack of meaningful moral definition, its pervasive pictorial ugliness, the quantity of its scenes of mind-numbing graphic violence, and its minimizing of the value of happiness, "The Lord of the Rings" films--including this one--ought to be shunned and damned.

awesome movie.......2007-06-12

really great movie. once you start you cant stop watching untill you finish them all.

The ring.......2007-06-02

I think this is one of the best movies made and the game is a whole lot of fun.

Purchased out of curiosity.......2007-05-18

Purchased b/c it was a great deal! And had never seen them. NOT as good as Harry Potter thought. I think they are a bit dragged out, but really good stories. Lots of fighting and blood....I could do w/o half of it.

The Lord Of The Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Collection must have
"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here..."
awesome movie
The ring
Purchased out of curiosity

The Lord Of The Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001VL0KC
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Collection must have.......2007-08-28

"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here...".......2007-07-20

awesome movie.......2007-06-12

really great movie. once you start you cant stop watching untill you finish them all.

The ring.......2007-06-02

I think this is one of the best movies made and the game is a whole lot of fun.

Purchased out of curiosity.......2007-05-18

Average customer rating:

A Well Done, Exciting, Middle Section To The Story
"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here..."
Orlando! Bloom! can't! act!
An ok adaptation for the classic but not on par with the other two films
Some of Tolkins best

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers
Starring: Sean Astin , Sean Bean , Cate Blanchett , Orlando Bloom , and Billy Boyd
Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JKZV
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Product Description

Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship continue their quest to destroy the One Ring and stand against the evil of the dark lord Sauron. The Fellowship has divided and now find themselves taking different paths to defeating Sauron and his allies. Their destinies now lie at two towers - Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupted wizard Saruman waits and Sauron's fortress at Baraddur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor.
Running Time: 179 min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a seamless continuation of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. After the breaking of the Fellowship, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power with the creature Gollum as their guide. Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) join in the defense of the people of Rohan, who are the first target in the eradication of the race of Men by the renegade wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) and the dark lord Sauron. Fantastic creatures, astounding visual effects, and a climactic battle at the fortress of Helm's Deep make The Two Towers a worthy successor to The Fellowship of the Ring, grander in scale but retaining the story's emotional intimacy. These two films are perhaps the greatest fantasy films ever made, but they're merely a prelude to the cataclysmic events of The Return of the King. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

A Well Done, Exciting, Middle Section To The Story.......2007-08-08

I am slowly but surely getting into the story, and yes, I'll eventually get through the trilogy.

Just as in the first one, there are excellent visual effects and great acting.

I do see many spiritual applications to this story.

I'm looking forward to watching "Return of The King."

One last comment: I loved the opening of this episode. Also, the ending has more suspense than the ending of "Fellowship Of The Ring".

"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here...".......2007-07-20

Follow in "The Lord of the Rings" creator's (J.R.R. Tolkien's) footsteps. Project a malevolent universe. Invent a world and animate it with creatures in conflict. Make the conflict a battle between good and evil, but don't identify clearly the moral value or purpose of either side. In fact, remove morality's essence altogether by eliminating the power of choice for your characters. Emphasize the corruptibility of men. Glamorize the supernatural. Dwell interminably on the preparations for and the wreaking of violence and destruction, on the fragility of hope and happiness. Name the scene of action: Middle-earth. Sound like an environment you'd care to envision? Would you "live" there? If so, fate alone will decide its survival and your own. You can visit this predetermined "paradise" by watching/enduring/suffering Peter Jackson's elaborately filmed adaptation of Tolkien's epic trilogy, which continues with "The Two Towers."

I hold it is true that what is not worth contemplating in life is not worth contemplating in art. For its dismaying lack of meaningful moral definition, its pervasive pictorial ugliness, the quantity of its scenes of mind-numbing graphic violence, and its minimizing of the value of happiness, "The Lord of the Rings" films--including this one--ought to be shunned and damned.

Orlando! Bloom! can't! act!.......2007-06-12

I first saw this when it came out and like many people I was quite excited to see a full length live action (ie non animation) version of books that were a big part of my growing up years.

Although back then I enjoyed the film, looking back at it for the first time in many years later, I was surprised at my reaction to it. The visuals are still great, and the CGI still holds up pretty well. But the main problem I had with the film was the acting. It ranges from good to poor, but for me it's this inconsistency that stops me from getting immersed in the film. The film has a glaring conflict of acting styles from the quite old school Shakespearean of Ian McKellans Gandalf, to the "Method" acting of Aragorn, to just plain wooden-ness. There's an obvious problem with accents too, so we have American's trying to sound English, Australians trying to sound English, Australians trying to sound Irish, Londoners trying to sound like they're from Cornwall, and nobody really getting it totally right. For such a big budget movie, this lapse of quality is surprising. And, as my review header may suggest, I think Orlando Bloom is the worst screen actor I've yet seen. He's not just mediocre or okay, he's sometimes so bad, so woodenly earnest in his delivery that I actually laughed out loud a few times. "You would die before your stroke fell!" ranks up there with some of the all time worst acting performances in film history. If he was told to show grief he would furrow his brow a bit and frown. If it was surprise he was trying to convey he'd widen his eyes a bit and open his mouth a bit. It's all there in the movie.

The "comic relief" scenes with Gimli are only slightly less annoying than Jar Jar Binks too.

I can look back on this and enjoy some bits in this film and the other films of the trilogy but I don't believe that this series of movies is going to ever be classics of the future. Classics don't have you squirming in embarrassment at the acting.

An ok adaptation for the classic but not on par with the other two films.......2007-05-15

**Warning this review contains many spoilers** For staters I personally love the Lord of the Rings. This includes the movies but more so the books. I thought The Fellowship of the Rings was as near perfect an adaptation as a movie could have come to the book and I feel the same way about The Return of the King. Both are among the best movies I have ever seen. The Two Towers, however, falls short of it's antecessor's and predecessor's near perfection. When I first read the book I was amazed and fell in love with the powerful story and characters Tolkien had created but when I saw the movie I was very dissapointed. I have thought long and hard about what I don't like in this film and in fact I just finished watching it again. I also want everyone to understand that I'm not some crazed fan who is upset that they didn't include everything in the movie that was in the book. I am somewhat of a film maker myself and I know all to well how important pacing is. So here is my review from a film student's perspective.

The movie starts out very strong. The opening flashback to the fight in Moria is a masterpiece and probably the films strongest momment. We then meet up with all the old characters from the first movie. These opening scenes are very well done with some amazing cinematography, music, and special effects. These scenes are also very well paced. Jackson keeps the movie moving along and manages to introduce the new characters without ever getting off topic (something that plagues him later on). To be honest I have no complaints about these early scenes.

However, the film starts to go downhill about halfway through. To make Lord of the Rings more politically correct Jackson needed more female characters. So he expanded the role of Arwen. This worked great in the first one and I think her inclusion adds a lot to The Return of the King also. But in this one she just seems tagged on. There is a flashback sequence where we see her and Aragorn in Rivendell. At first this seems to work but it just goes on and on. It could have easily been cut down. To drag the story down even more right after the flashback we are treated to the films most unnecessary scene were Jackson totally gets off topic. We flash to present Rivendell where Elrond convinces Arwen to leave for Valinor. I was pretty sure that that was what Aragorn just did in the flashback. I simply became bored with the scene's redundency. To drag this vital middle section of the movie down even further Jackson cuts to some kind of weird flashforward to Aragorn's death. This is completely redundant to the point of the scene which is itself unnecessary. But this wasn't enough to get me to dislike the entire movie I was still looking forward to watching the rest.

However, my hopes were soon destroyed for the movie's second most unnecessary scene came right after it. Instead of simply having some nice and much needed character development as they march to Helm's Deep Peter Jackson decided to throw in probably the dumbest plot twist he could have: Aragorn dies... well not really but you think he does. For some reason Jackson felt it was important to throw a battle in and for some reason (God knows why) he thougth it would help the movie to make everyone think Aragorn was dead. At this point I totally started to lose interest in the movie. In a film the middle is one of the most important points for that is when you start building to the climax. Instead we get 15 minuets of slowmotion shots of everyone mourning Aragorn's death only to have him show up a little while later. I was just so bored at this point I could hardly stand it.

Luckly the pace starts to pick up but instead of getting exicted in anticipation for the big battle I just found myself thinking get on with it. All the very necessary character develoment before the battle could have easily taken the place of the unnecessary mess of scenes that didn't even appear in the book itself. But at last the battle arrived. Despite the King's long and boring monologue before it the battle was great... at first. The problem: it was just too long. It took away far to much from Fordo and Sam. To make things worse Jackson decided to trash Tolkeins wonderful ending with Frodo, Sam, and Gollum. Instead we get some poorly written scene that takes us way way off topic, farther off topic than any of the pointless scenes Pater Jackson wrote for the movie thus far. It is a scene that features a character no one cares about: Faramir. So what is this scene, well Faramir takes Frodo all the way back to Gondor! At this point I realized that Peter Jackson is quite possilbly one of the worst writers in Hollywood (an opinion that King Kong supports). The only reason the other two movies were so great was because he stuck more closely to the source material. Any auhtor or writer could have told him that this was a big mistake and totally off topic but apparently the other people who helped him write the script were either amazingly stupid or in a big hurry to finish the script in time. I just don't understand why someone would scrap a classic ending to a classic novel written by a master storyteller in favor of some poorly written, uncreative, and redundent garbage. I have been pretty supportive of all the changes Peter Jackson made but this crosses the line. Never have I seen a director with the ego to alter a beloved story so profoundly in favor of his own ending. When you choose to adapt a novel you lose some degree of creative freedom and this is just the most unbelievable example of a director going to far.

My last bit of criticism is directed at the way Jackson decided to end the film. He some reason thought that he needed some closure for the movie (despite the fact that there's a sequel) so he had Frodo and Sam make up only to have them start fighting again at the start of the third film. This was a poor choice but since he completely ruined the cliffhanger ending I guess he needed some kind of closure to end it with. But once again his poor ability as a storyteller shows because now we find ourselves with a fade out almost exactly like the ending to the first one and it seems like Fordo and Sam have made no progress whatsoever in the journey. A poor ending to a dissapointing followup to one of the best movies of our time. The only thing that saves this film from becoming analogous to The Matrix Reloaded is what little remains of Tolkien's masterpeice inside this shell of egotism that Jackson poorly constructed.

Some of Tolkins best.......2007-01-09

The movie is one of the three movies that I enjoy watching over and over again. The Two Towers is wonderfully made and the action is never ending. I own all three movies and would recommend them to any one who enjoys action, adventure and the best of both worlds.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition)

Average customer rating:

Peter Jackson wants your money!
Who bought this?
Lord of the Rings, The Best Movie Ever!
lord of rings
Wonderful!

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition)
Starring: Lord of the Rings 3pak
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GTLR2A
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Amazon.com

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films gave "double-dipping"--releasing a DVD then releasing an improved version shortly afterward--a good name by offering both a better film and stupendous extras in the Extended Editions. This "triple-dip" 2006 Limited Edition trilogy falls far short of that standard but is still of interest to devoted and casual fans.

What do you get?
Both the theatrical and extended versions of all three films--The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King--are on three double-sided discs. The versions use seamless branching, meaning that the scenes that are common to both versions are stored on the disc only once. If you choose to watch the extended version, the disc "branches" out to the added or extended scenes. What does this mean to the viewer? Not much. The viewing experience is the same because the branching is imperceptible. But because both versions of the film don't have to be stored on the disc in their entirety (which would be six or seven hours total for each film), both versions together fit on two sides of one disc. The downside is that whichever version you watch, you have to flip over the disc halfway through; the film breaks at the same spot it did on the Extended Edition. Also lost are the meager features included on the theatrical edition, plus the four commentary tracks, two discs of bonus features, and DTS 6.1 ES sound from the four-disc Extended Editions.

What's new?
Each film has a second disc with a documentary directed by Costa Botes, who was personally selected by Peter Jackson (about five hours for all three documentaries. Rather than the formal documentary structure of other editions, they consist of off-the-cuff interviews with Peter Jackson, Alan Lee, and others, and random bits of behind-the-scenes action and special-effects work. Those who have worked their way through the many hours of bonus content on the other editions might recognize some of this footage, such as the Hobbit actors mocking whichever of them is not around, then greeting him warmly when he shows up. Other things--Liv Tyler riding a fake horse, interviewing the rank-and-file cast members, touring Peter Jackson's trailer, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd clowning around as a framing device, Ian McKellen flubbing his lines and conducting the crowning ceremony in a flowery wig--seem new. And some bits seem geared to those who've watched the other material--for example, some of the visual tricks explained there are only glimpsed without explanation here. They're entertaining, but because there's no structure (there are chapters, but no menu or chapter listing), they're not as convenient to watch, and go back to, as a documentary broken up into bite-size pieces. Note: New Line Home Entertainment couldn't release this material on its own a la the King Kong Production Diaries due to contractual restrictions.

Bottom line: Do I need this trilogy edition?
This Limited Edition combination of theatrical and extended versions plus new documentary seems likely to appeal to two camps. One is the devoted fan, who already owns all the previous editions but has to have everything LOTR. The other is the casual fan who liked the movies in theaters, heard good things about the Extended Editions, and doesn't need a ton of bonus material. This edition is attractively priced for that buyer, and the packaging is quite handsome. In between is the devoted fan who already owns all the previous editions but doesn't feel the need to watch more bonus material. When watching the movies, that fan will always choose the Extended Editions, but keeps the theatrical editions for (1) watching with guests, (2) the music videos, or (3) the convenience of skimming through favorite scenes without having to change discs. That fan can safely skip this edition, as can home-theater fans who love DTS. --David Horiuchi

Description

Disc 1: For the first time, the Theatrical and Extended versions of each film are on one disc! This 2-sided DVD puts both versions of the epic film on one convenient, portable disc. You can choose which version you'd like to see from the main DVD menu.

Disc 2: Each film has a new behind-the-scenes documentary created by filmmaker Costa Botes. Mr. Botes was personally selected by Peter Jackson to capture every moment during production of the trilogy. He had unprecedented access to the cast and crew during staff meetings and down time, training and rehearsals, laughter and arguments.

Mr. Botes created 3 feature-length documentaries using a raw editing style that gives the viewer a complete fly-on-the-wall experience. Here are the types of stories and moments you can expect to find throughout the 3 documentaries (one per film in the trilogy):

Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Dom Monaghan (Merry) are the ultimate comedy duo, hamming it up for the camera. Highlights of their antics include: candid descriptions of how uncomfortable Treebeard's branches could be, hanging out in their trailer with an "inflatable" friend, and more!
When Peter Jackson loses a roll of 3-D film, it's up to everyone to find it. See the lengths that the crew go to uncover the lost photos!
New Zealand means beautiful landscapes and... rain, snow, wind and more! See how frustrating Mother Nature can be when even the most menacing Ringwraiths must huddle under giant umbrellas.
Even the best laid plans can change and the easiest tasks can take longer than expected... cast and crew deal with scene changes, long hours, overtime and additional takes.
Pranks on set? Really? Get a good laugh from Ian McKellan in a "fancy" Gandalf wig, Andy Serkis assessing his Gollum getup, orcs and Uruk-hai doing a little between-take dancing and more!
And, of course, there are things that go wrong…a phone ringing during a scene, forgetting a line or two, and mastering a fight sequence that doesn't even get into the final film!

FAQs
Still have questions about this release? Here are some Frequently Asked Questions from fans.

When Is The Lord of the Rings Going to Be Released in High Definition (Either HD-DVD or Blu-ray)?
The high definition formats that have recently launched offer exceptional picture and sound quality in addition to new interactive bonus feature capabilities. New Line Home Entertainment is committed to the high definition format and is very excited about the idea of releasing the Trilogy in the format. However, New Line is also committed to maximizing the capabilities of the technology to deliver a cutting edge high definition experience. This will take more time as well as the participation of the filmmakers to achieve. It is currently not scheduled for release until, at the earliest, 2008.

I already own both versions of each film. Why doesn't New Line just release the documentaries?
Having unprecedented access to the cast and crew during film production inevitably means that there are some restrictions. In this case, releasing these documentaries unaccompanied by the film would be nearly impossible because of agreements that are in place with the cast and crew. We wanted to make the documentaries available while also giving the fans something they don't have, which is why we included both versions of the film on one disc.

How are these documentaries different from the ones on the special extended DVD editions?
The in-depth documentaries on the Special Extended DVD Editions were custom made for the DVDs using new interviews from the cast and crew incorporated with the behind-the-scenes footage to tell the stories. The Costa Botes documentaries use only creatively edited behind-the-scenes footage to give you, the viewer, a feeling of "being there" in the moment while things are happening. There is no narrative to tell the story, but instead a constantly running series of clips that show the raw moments that make up the day-to-day progress on a large film production.

Do I have to flip the disc over to watch the whole movie?
Yes. Due to space capacities of the DVD format and the use of seamless branching, both the theatrical and extended versions of the film are split in the middle of disc 1, so part 1 of the film is on one side of the disc and the conclusion is on the other.

Customer Reviews:

Peter Jackson wants your money!.......2007-07-09

That's about all I can say about this "new" set. If you don't own any of them yet, I can see getting this set, but other than that???

Who bought this?.......2007-07-03

Lord of the Rings is an excellent trilogy. I must say that Return of the King had to be my faviorte of the lot. Why do I rate this one star? Whats the point of having a two sided dvd? Put the regular movie on one side and the extended movie on the other side. Was that so hard to think of? They probably just needed some extra cash and didnt think of that idea. I bought the Extended editions to look cool for my dvd collection, but I lent the movies to a friend and left with just the cases. I realized that watching a movie and flipping over the dvd halfway thru the movie was stupid. I bought the regular versions instead of these sets. I'll put them in the extended cases so it looks better. Why would anyone want to watch a movie and get up half way thru it to flip it over anyways?

Lord of the Rings, The Best Movie Ever!.......2007-06-28

Handfull and Compact, this set is the best option to get all in one versions of the movie. However the extra stuff is kind of boring.

lord of rings.......2007-05-30

very nice way to have the full set covers are pretty. Box to hold them all together so when you want to have a movie marathon (cause you are stuck in a snow storm and cant leave house), they are all together and easy to find next one.
Did have a little oops and didnt realize the discs are two sided with part 1 on one side and part 2 on other so had the disc upside down and couldnt figure out where the rest was (only did that on fellowship figured it out and was good by towers). All in all great movies very nice way to have them and make sure you read the books too.J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)

Wonderful!.......2007-05-14

A DVD collection you must have! Greatly designed. Beautiful menus and music. The box design is very nice. Worth to collect it!

The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Sets the Bar for Fantasy Movies
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here..."
A bad adaptation of a great book
Best Lord of the Rings Movie ever!

The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Noel Appleby , Sean Astin , Sala Baker , Sean Bean , and Cate Blanchett
Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000065U3Q
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Product Description

Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an epic adventure of good against evil, the power of friendship and individual courage. The saga centers around an unassuming Hobbit named Frodo Baggins who inherits a Ring that would give a dark and powerful lord the power to enslave the world. With a loyal fellowship of elves, dwarves, men and a wizard, Frodo embarks on a heroic quest to destroy the One Ring and pave the way for the emergence of mankind.

System Requirements:
Starring: Elijah Wood, Sir Ian Mc Kellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Christopher Lee, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Monaghan, and Billy Boyd.
Directed By: Peter Jackson.
Running Time: 178 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Standard" format.
Copyright 2002 Warner Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

As the triumphant start of a trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring leaves you begging for more. By necessity, Peter Jackson's ambitious epic compresses J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Lord of the Rings, but this robust adaptation maintains reverent allegiance to Tolkien's creation, instantly qualifying as one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. At 178 minutes, it's long enough to establish the myriad inhabitants of Middle-earth, the legendary Rings of Power, and the fellowship of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and humans--led by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the brave hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood)--who must battle terrifying forces of evil on their perilous journey to destroy the One Ring in the land of Mordor. Superbly paced, the film is both epic and intimate, offering astonishing special effects and production design while emphasizing the emotional intensity of Frodo's adventure. Ending on a perfect note of heroic loyalty and rich anticipation, this wondrous fantasy continues in The Two Towers (2002). --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Sets the Bar for Fantasy Movies.......2007-09-10

This movie is everything that fantasy should be. What an experience! This a story that has stood the test of time and that has been brilliantly brought to the screen. Worth watching again and again. Don't rent it, own it.

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-09

The greatest fantasy epic of all times is at last a RiffTrax! No, not Crossroads - we already did that. And not A Very Unlucky Leprechaun - which we haven't done yet but are seriously mulling over. We speak of course of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the thrilling tale of some short guys, some slightly taller hairy guys, some thin, fey, but slightly taller guys, some grungy, somewhat beefier, slightly taller guys, and a frighteningly hairy, older, slightly taller guy with a stick, and their quest to throw something somewhere hot.

Mike Nelson and special guest riffer Kevin Murphy go after the ultimate comedy prize in this very special two-part RiffTrax.

This RiffTrax is only compatible with the Theatrical Release, not the extended edition. It does however, work for both the single side and doubled sided versions of the Theatrical Release.

Viewing Suggestion: This RiffTrax was written and performed with the whole family in mind, so if you are comfortable with your children watching Lord of the Rings, this should be perfectly appropriate for them as well. Skip the endless reruns of The War at Home and treat your whole family to the RiffTrax experience!

"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here...".......2007-07-20

Follow in "The Lord of the Rings" creator's (J.R.R. Tolkien's) footsteps. Project a malevolent universe. Invent a world and animate it with creatures in conflict. Make the conflict a battle between good and evil, but don't identify clearly the moral value or purpose of either side. In fact, remove morality's essence altogether by eliminating the power of choice for your characters. Emphasize the corruptibility of men. Glamorize the supernatural. Dwell interminably on the preparations for and the wreaking of violence and destruction, on the fragility of hope and happiness. Name the scene of action: Middle-earth. Sound like an environment you'd care to envision? Would you "live" there? If so, fate alone will decide its survival and your own. You can visit this predetermined "paradise" by watching/enduring/suffering Peter Jackson's elaborately filmed adaptation of Tolkien's epic trilogy, which begins with "The Fellowship of the Ring."

I hold it is true that what is not worth contemplating in life is not worth contemplating in art. For its dismaying lack of meaningful moral definition, its pervasive pictorial ugliness, the quantity of its scenes of mind-numbing graphic violence, and its minimizing of the value of happiness, "The Lord of the Rings" films--including this one--ought to be shunned and damned.

A bad adaptation of a great book.......2007-07-10

Let me begin by saying that I have been a Tolkien fan since I was in Jr. High School oh so many years ago. I, along with the rest of the known universe, eagerly awaited the film release of Tolkien's massive epic. To say I was disappointed in the end result is putting it mildly.

I suppose I have only myself to blame. After all, I should have known the cause was lost the instant I learned Peter Jackson was going to direct the trilogy. With all due respect to Mr. Jackson, he does not seem like the kind of person who could even comprehend, let alone translate on to film, the theology and complex allegory that are the hallmarks of the LoTR. After all, anyone who knows the first thing about Tolkien knows that he was a devout Roman Catholic of the pre-Vatican II variety and that his religious views profoundly influenced his writing.

My guess is that Peter Jackson, who would probably make a great Dungeon Master, knows little of and could care less about Roman Catholicism no matter what brand you are talking about. Hence, instead of timeless epic we are stuck with what amounts to warmed over Dungeon and Dragons that is the all too predictable result of his efforts.

Other reviewers have already done an excellent job of cataloging this film's (and the entire trilogy's) many glaring shortcomings so I will not regurgitate them here. What I will say is this. His worst offense in my opinion is not even the barely thought thru script, terrible casting (Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortenson, Cate Blanchett) and huge chunks of the book that were either left out (Barrow Downs, Tom Bombadil, Shelob) or mutilated beyond recognition (Helm's Deep, The Ents, Faramir). His greatest sin is that he manages to take one of the most interesting and exciting stories ever written and make it dull and boring. That for me is enough to warn any potentinal customers away from purchasing this product.

The plain fact of the matter is that the LoTR, because of its structure and length, simply does not lend itself to being made as a feature film. My advice to anyone looking to discover the great treasure of Tolkien's Middle Earth is to purchase the books and read them. You can't do any better than that.

Best Lord of the Rings Movie ever!.......2007-07-06

This version of the Lord of the Rings as a movie is the best ever made.

Okay some "changes" were necessary to make it a commercial successful movie, such as reducing "responsibilities" for events to a minimum (result: somebody was held responsible for things in the movie, where somebody else was responsible in the book), Some characters and events (especially the first third) are just missing (to make the movie not too long and difficult for NON-Book Readers). They did not mention some locations and events from the first book and gave some information, which were not available until book 2 or 3.

Some Characters for Book 2-3 got also a role in book 1 (movie 1) to substitute characters from the original book (to keep it simple). In addition, some dialogs did never take place, but that is understandable, if you want to tell the story in a movie.

Nevertheless, they had to sacrifice something to make a good movie to tell Tolkien's story with real characters.

It is a fantasy world. You cannot expect that somebody spend 100+ million dollars, to make a 1-1 version of a book. A 1-1 version would require making 3 movies with 3-5 hour length. In addition, after part 1 would nobody (who did NOT read the book) go to watch part 2. Final Comment: Read the books! Moreover, if you do not read books, this movie version is the best you can get right now.

(Original review January 13, 2002)

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

A Well Done, Exciting, Middle Section To The Story
"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here..."
Orlando! Bloom! can't! act!
An ok adaptation for the classic but not on par with the other two films
Some of Tolkins best

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Sean Astin , Sean Bean , Cate Blanchett , Orlando Bloom , and Billy Boyd
Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009APK1
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Amazon.com

Description

DVD Features:
DVD ROM Features:Exclusive online content
Documentaries:2 in-depth programs that reveal the secrets behind the production of this epic adventure, including:? --On the set - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (Starz/Encore special) (14:10) --"Return to Middle-earth" (WB special) (45:10)
Featurette:8 featurettes originally created for lordoftherings.net: -Forces of Darkness -Sounds of Middle-earth -Edoras & Rohan Culture -Creatures -Gandalf the White -Arms & Armor -Helm's Deep -Gollum: Andy Serkis, Bay Raitt
Interactive Menus
Music Video:"Gollum Song"
Other:Short film by Sean Astin "The Long and Short of It" Preview of Electronic Arts' video game, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King An inside look at the Special Extended DVD Edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Exclusive 10-minute behind-the-scenes preview of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
TV Spot
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

A Well Done, Exciting, Middle Section To The Story.......2007-08-08

"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here...".......2007-07-20

Follow in "The Lord of the Rings" creator's (J.R.R. Tolkien's) footsteps. Project a malevolent universe. Invent a world and animate it with creatures in conflict. Make the conflict a battle between good and evil, but don't identify clearly the moral value or purpose of either side. In fact, remove morality's essence altogether by eliminating the power of choice for your characters. Emphasize the corruptibility of men. Glamorize the supernatural. Dwell interminably on the preparations for and the wreaking of violence and destruction, on the fragility of hope and happiness. Name the scene of action: Middle-earth. Sound like an environment you'd care to envision? Would you "live" there? If so, fate alone will decide its survival and your own. You can visit this predetermined "paradise" by watching/enduring/suffering Peter Jackson's elaborately filmed adaptation of Tolkien's epic trilogy, which continues with "The Two Towers."

I hold it is true that what is not worth contemplating in life is not worth contemplating in art. For its dismaying lack of meaningful moral definition, its pervasive pictorial ugliness, the quantity of its scenes of mind-numbing graphic violence, and its minimizing of the value of happiness, "The Lord of the Rings" films--including this one--ought to be shunned and damned.

Orlando! Bloom! can't! act!.......2007-06-12

An ok adaptation for the classic but not on par with the other two films.......2007-05-15