DVD Review HTF MINI-REVIEW: The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: Limited Edition (1 Viewer)

[Adam_WM]

I'll pass on these (as I figured I would when they announced them).

 

[Kami]

As a fanboy of LOTR, I gotta buy them for the new docs. I already own 21 LOTR discs, what's another 6? I mean really.

 

[Chris Will]

Although I'd love to see the new doc, count me as one who is waiting for the HD release.

 

[Randy Korstick]

You won't find a much bigger fan of these films than me. They restored my faith in modern films. But I will still wait for HD on these as well.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

I would buy the new documentary alone if it were sold for a reasonable price.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Amen to that. A nice, standalone two-disc (or three-disc, if necessary) set of the docs alone would have been a no-brainer purchase for me. These discs, however, I'm passing on until they hit hi-def (and The Fellowship of the Ring is my favorite film of all time).

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Arnie G]

Don't be surprised it a set of the docs shows up later!

 

[Ricardo C]

So basically, same quality as before, except that this time I get the added privilege of having to flip discs even when watching the TE? Yay.

2006 will be the first time since 2001 when I don't buy either a LOTR or Star Wars DVD. Oddly liberating :p

 

[cafink]

I believe that, when multiple versions of a film are produced, it's always a good idea to include them all in a single DVD package. That's why I'm glad to see New Line finally releasing Lord of the Rings in this fashion.

Personally, however, I already own both versions of all three films. As I'm not really concerned about supplementary material, the only way this release differs from the one that I currently own is that, as Ricardo suggests, I'll have to flip the disc over when watching the theatrical versions.

I'll pass.

Beautiful covers, though.

 

[Jonathon M]

i'm really interested in the documentaries and couldn't really give a shit about the films being released again, but apparently due to contracts, the only way these can be distributed is with the films, rather than as stand alone features.

it's a bit of a shame, but them's the rules apparently, and at least new line are a) releasing the documentaries - apparently a very fly-on-the-wall look at the films, which i'm very excited about, and b) releasing both cuts of the films along with it.

 

[Ric Easton]

Even if they just released the original theatrical versions again with the old features and the new docs, I might given away (or sold) my old discs and picked this up. But the flipper factor blew it for me. I've got a changer, so I don't even have to get up off my ass for the EE's.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

I got the FOTR Limited Edition today. I made a comparison shot of the old theatrical cut transfer and the new theatrical cut here:

[url=https://static.hometheaterforum.com/imgrepo/b/b1/htf_imgcache_458.jpeg] [/url]

So this is definitely a new transfer.

 

[Tim Glover]

To my eyes, the new one is a tad softer?

 

[Sam Davatchi]

Yes but less ringing on the top and bottom.

I forgot to talk about the documentary. I got just this one movie mainly for that and to check it out. I have to say I’m not impressed at all. It’s not a LOTR worthy documentary.

First, the entire documentary is widescreen but is presented here non-anamorphic which ticked me real off!

Second, this documentary has no heart or emotion what so ever. If they wanted to go the non-talking-head route, at least it should have told a story. Follow the production, the important decisions, the first meetings, like the excellent Phantom Menace documentary. This FOTR documentary is just bunch of scenes glued together, you don’t feel anything at the end.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

TPM's "The Beginning" is quite excellent. They should have aimed for that, with the amount of material they had. Sad to hear they didn't even try. Seriously, "The Beginning" is one of the best extras I've seen.

 

[Holadem]

Could be EE, but the old transfer definitely appears sharper.

--
H

 

[Simon Massey]

I must admit Im disappointed. I was initially going to buy this for the docs as I was expecting/hoping for something like TPM's The Beginning. But it sounds like its not really worth it at all.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

Actually it depends on the part of the movie! Another one:

[url=https://static.hometheaterforum.com/imgrepo/0/0d/htf_imgcache_459.jpeg] [/url]

 

[Ricardo C]

Yikes... That looks pretty awful. Back to waiting for the HD DVD/BluRay versions.

 

[PattyFraser]

HD/Blu Ray...or perhaps 3D version.

From TORN:
3D LOTR Rises Again

8/15/06, 7:07 pm EST - Xoanon
Pauline writes: This is from an interview with James Cameron in the September issue of Empire (UK): Added good news for film fans is that a process called dimensionalisation enables classics to be re-released in 3-D, starting with The Nightmare Before Christmas in December. "Peter Jackson is a 3-D freak like me and he's been experimenting with footage from King Kong. He and I also talked about the feasibility of doing the three LOTR films" revealed Cameron.

It also mentions that this will NOT only be in Imax Cinemas.


But seriously folks...I was unaware that due to contract restrictions we won't be able to get these documentaries by themselves. I had intended to wait this out (for HD) and to see if they would be released alone. Now I guess I'll make up my mind based on more input about fan reactions to the docs. What I really wanted to find out is if there is footage rehearsing scenes that never made it into the movies.