198 of 205 people found the following review helpful:
Absoluelty incredible, and stunning value.
I bought the original two disc version of The Fellowship of the Ring and was both miffed when the extended version came out, and disappointed at the paltry extras. I resolved to wait until this version, the complete extended version, came out before buying any more. So I've been waiting nearly two years but, boy, was it worth the wait.
41 of 97 people found the following review helpful:
Could have been the best
These films are brilliantly made. There is so much to praise from costumes to battle scenes. The characters of Frodo and Sam are just as I imagined them, and the special effects are truly stunning in places - the Ents were incredible. The extended edition makes up for some of the omissions from the general release, and the films are much better for it. There is just...
I bought the original two disc version of The Fellowship of the Ring and was both miffed when the extended version came out, and disappointed at the paltry extras. I resolved to wait until this version, the complete extended version, came out before buying any more. So I've been waiting nearly two years but, boy, was it worth the wait.
There's not much I can add about the films; the extended versions are incredible, SO much better than the original versions, and stunning on a good TV/surround system. The films are so moving that I've found myself moved to tears at times by the sheer power and beauty of them, and I'm not usually prone to gushing over DVD's.
However I wanted to add that the two discs of extras with each film are equally stunning. They manage to be different for each film, and I've watched, transfixed as they take you through the incredible scale of the productions and the sheer love and craftsmanship that went into making these films.
Really, forty-five quid for these 12 DVD's represents incredible (yes I know I've used that word about 5 times) value, you really will want to watch all of them. Buy it now!
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As soon as you receive your extended-edition box set from Amazon, I suggest you check that the second disc of Return of the King plays correctly. Mine is labelled "Part 2" but actually contains the German version of the Appendices Part 6 disc. I imagine someone messed up the duplication as others have reported this problem but so far not on Amazon.co.uk.
I hope this advice helps prevent the disbelief and disappointment that I have just experienced.
POSTSCRIPT: Both Amazon and the UK distributors responded quickly and courteously to solve this for me, so no complaints there.
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To think that after only five years since its release, the quality of the Lord of the Rings is already beyond debate. The word masterpiece is a word that is bandied about too loosely in almost every form of entertainment, and film is no exclusion. If there are only a handful of modern masterpieces in the last few years, then surely the Lord of the Rings is among them.
Taking a cast that is a mixture of experienced thespians - Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Vigo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett - and talented youngsters - Elijah Wood, Sean Astin and Orlando Bloom to name but a few - the director, Peter Jackson, has crafted a brilliant movie that matches the novel for its sheer epic size and its sprawling storyline.
Taking his idyllic homeland of New Zealand, Jackson managed to bring the world of the books onto our screens, without resorting wholly to CGI. The vast, beautiful countryside that populates New Zealand is so spectacular that you may well question whether it even exists, but it does and Jackson knew this and brought the world of Tolkien to life where others have failed.
This is an excellent DVD that is abundant with extras, but the real pleasure is in allowing the movie to stretch out and breathe in one continuous sitting, which stretches to over 13 hours.
If you are knew to the world of Tolkien, or just coming back for more, you'll be delighted with this box-set. Not only has Jackson created an epic film, he has also put loving care into this box-set to the extent that you wish all directors could be like him.
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This extended version boxset is awesome. I was a fan of LOTR to begin with, although not so fond of the 2nd and 3rd films as I was the 1st. However, with the scenes now added, I love all the films much more than I did before, especially the 2nd and 3rd.
The singing bits, which originally (in my opinion) were on the verge of being naff, now fit in far better. The character Faramir is far better developed due to the added scenes - fans of Faramir from the books will be happier. Fight scenes are just a little bit longer throughout the films, including scenes where the hobbits take part more in the fighting (well done and more in line with the books). There are also a couple of humorous scenes added here and there.
What about the music? The 1st film, which sounded scene for scene wholesome and perfect in the cinema, doesn't quite match so well in the extended version, but not so much as to complain about. In contrast the 2nd and 3rd films fit far better with the music in my opinion, making them in their entirety (for what you see and what you hear) every bit as good as the 1st film.
Lastly, I would say that there is no one scene I can say "Yeah, that wasn't needed". If I had seen the extended versions at the cinema, and then the cut versions on TV, I would have kept thinking to myself: WHY? WHY DID THEY CUT THAT ONE OUT?! All the added scenes seem like worthwhile parts of the story, and I pity the editors that had to chop bits off for the cinema viewing. I would not have known how to do it.
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This is a beyond doubt a suburb set of DVDs. The extra scenes of the extended version add to the overall viewing experience. In the original cut the story occasionally seemed to sprint from scene to scene and event to event while in the extended versions the story is deeper, better worked out and it flows more naturally.
This version will give you a better idea of the surroundings and some of the history of the setting in which the fellowship is taking place. It also offers greater insight on the different characters that take part in the fellowship and those whom path they cross. It therefore does better tribute to the richness of the book.
The extended versions alone are already worth the money, but after more then 11 hours of pure entertainment the box also comes with great extras, as the commentary by Peter Jackson et all on the challenges and difficulties of translating a very detailed and rich book to a breathtaking movie.
Overall a well worked-out homage to an impressive book (which I also highly recommend, don't let the size put you off as it is well worth the read).
The version on sale here with Amazon is English with English subtitles, no other languages included.
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I was unsure whether I wanted to watch the film as I had images in my head from reading the book, but I was not disappointed. If you are after a day of fantasy with a brilliant story line then this is it. it is a long film and may be preferred to watch over several days which can easily be done, as the film leaves you wanting to know what happens next. It is the type of film that keeps you thinking of it long after watching it just like the book which is fantastic work of peter Jackson and all the actors. there is nothing better than to spend a whole day and becoming emersed in this film (ignoring everything that has to be done that day). It is well worth the buy and the time to watch this masterpiece at work.
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I want to give this box set more stars but Amazon wont let me.
How do you begin to describe this. 3 of the best films ever made, an excellent cast almost every actor makes you believe he is actually who he is playing. The sets are some of the best designed you will ever see in a film - especially the shire at the begining of The fellowship. The packaging is excellent and will last long the box is sturdy not like the poorly packaged Star Wars trilogy. All three films fit in giving it a classy look in anyones DVD collection.
Can't even begin to describe how in depth the extras are, really 3 films over 12 discs says it all.
This is worth the RRP alone, this price is amazing and cannot be passed up buy it now, and you will never look, a must for any film fan.
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People can be really disappointed when books are transferred into films, but that is not the case here. This film is amazing; it deserves more than 14 Academic Awards (for the trilogy).
The acting is great, the graphics and landscapes are great, the plot and script are great, and the films in themselves are pretty much impossible to hate. I think that this was a brilliant film even compared to the books; it did not spoil the reputation of the books, but boosted the selling's of the written trilogy.
The case comes in a very attractive box; it looks good and feels good, it looks very good on any video shelf. The box is big and bulky though; it would haft to be to fit ALL 12 DVD's in. There are the 2 discs for every films basic stuff such as the extended movies themselves, audio commentary's and stupendous DTS 6.1 ES sound. The next two discs on each separate movie have absolutely masses of extras on them - deleted scenes, image gallery, trailers and the developing of special effects, behind the scenes, and script creation, are some of the around 200 extras. There is 9 hours of film, and plus the extended editions the three films add up to almost 11 hours. Plus there is around another 48 hours of extras. You will never, ever, watch every feature on every disc.
The films:
1 - ***** The Fellowship of the Ring. Starts off with Cate Blanchett / the white elfish queen narrating the history of the ring. How the elves and men defeated Mordor, but the ring had lived thanks to the greed of men. And then how Golem picked it up, and then Bilbo. The film then cuts to the present. People under the age of ten might like the 2nd two films better because of the wars, and they may think that is boring because there is a load of talking. But this is my favourite. Bilbo's birthday celebration will make you smile [...] There are some amazing special effects, most notably the troll and the belrock. The film is excellent, creating suspense when the ring wraiths are chasing them or the feel of darkness when they are in the woods of the elves. Masterpiece.
2 - The Two Towers. **** To be honest my least favourite the films. The best bit in this film which was my personal favourite was the Ents. The battle of Helms Deep was good, but not as good as the other films Moria and Minas Tirith. The path of Frodo was in my opinion quite dull, and so was Gandalf's. Doesn't stop it from being a damn good film though.
3 - The Return Of The King. ***** Looks wonderful. The landscapes and graphics are the best I have seen in a film, especially the battle scenes - simply stunning. Frodo and Sam's path has become far more exciting and so has Gandalfs. This film is not at all dull, even though it does stretch over 3 hours. Outstanding acting - the actors have improved in this film, I'm not saying they were ever anywhere near bad. The ending does stretch on a little, but it is true to the book.
The extended scenes are good for the first two films, but not for the 3rd. Buy these films. They are amazing and the extra discs will keep you occupied for a very long time. Everything from the music to the acting is excellent. The most noticeable actors are Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Ian Mckellen, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, Sean Bean, Viggo Mortesen, Sean Astin, Christopher Lee and Hugo Weaving. An excellent cast.
10/10
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LOTR is the highly acclaimed fantasy adventure from director Peter Jackson and if you don't know of these films you must have been living on another planet for the past 5 years! These extended editions have such an array of extras it's difficult to know where to start. Not only do you get extended versions of each film, with additional footage and story exploration, but with each extras disc you gain deeper insight into the LOTR films and philosophy. You also get some amazing location documentaries. With subsequent viewings you can't help but see the extra film details with a fresh eye. The films are simply great adventures, so dark in places and light in others, they are visually rich and stunning. The extended scenes really do tend to add to the experience (although a few are mainly eye candy) and the extras are superb. This is a story and world that you will become completely immersed in and it's easy to see why this film has been so highly praised by fans and film industry alike. This is an excellent value-for-money box-set, giving you way more than many other box-sets of a similar or greater price.
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Seriousely, three of the best films ever made, and the best special features you will find anywhere, or at least as far as I know. The only thing missing from these DVDs are the outtakes, but pretty much everything else you could want to see on the making of the LOTR trilogy or the background to the books. Extra scenes are included in the films, and are worth a look, The Two Towers and Return of the King seem better paced than the theatrical versions, they take more time to go over the little things that every fan of the book will be pleased to see back in the films. The Fellowship also has some good new scenes, but prsonally I prefer the theatrical one, and the extended version takes a little while longer to get going, still worth the money though. These will give you something to watch for a while if nothing else, the special features can be watched in two parts, but it can be a bit hard going after a while, theres hours on each disc. The appendacies DVDs go behind the scenes, have hours of interviews, cover most stages of production, the history of the books and Tolkein, and none of it is presented in a boring and formulaic way that, lets face it, you find on must special feature discs. It is obviouse with everything on these DVDs that they have been crafted with so much care and passion for the subject material, as with the films. At no point does it feel like these DVDs have been made for extra profit, but because everyone in the project really has something to share with the audience. There is something for everyone (except people that dont enjoy the Lord of The Rings.) These are must have DVDs!
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